The very best medicine in the world is to receive a loving hug from your mom.

Here we go. It's Monday, May 5, 2014. What a wonderful day we had this past Saturday to honor mom on her 90th birthday. It was gratifying to see so many of our family and extended family come from so far to enjoy a time of fellowship and recognition of our sweet mother. The weather was great. The food was enjoyable. The time spent together was priceless. Some of the little ones had never been around the folks that fill in the blanks on some of their ancestor charts. Here's the main thing: Mom felt recognized and honored. She received enough cards to keep her occupied for many days in the future. I appreciate the hard work of all those who helped make this possible. We intentionally wanted to keep the side stuff low key so that we could shine the light on this most extraordinary woman who has given so much to so many for so long. Thanks mom for being a living breathing example of what God would have a mom to be. I know you know that we love you but we as your children do not tire of telling you: We love you mom and thank God for you. Amen.

There's a new audit published that reflects discovered waste and abuse within the United States Department of Agriculture. The audit defined the major areas of failure in this way: "Improper payments as those made to an ineligible recipient, a payment for an ineligible good or service, or a payment for goods or services not received.” How much did these improper payments cost you and I as taxpayers? I do hope you are sitting down. The total reflects 6.2 billion dollars paid out improperly. Sure. We are aware of government waste and inefficiency as more or less a mode of operation, but, overpaying particular entities by hundreds of millions and sending money to individuals and businesses that are not entitled to it, well, I don't about you but stuff like this makes me want to throw up. These problems have been known about for at least three years but as of this last audit they had still not been corrected. This is just one department and I'm certain this is nothing but chump change compared to the overall bill for waste we must pay each year. I must be honest here. Stuff like this makes my blood boil. And, they have the audacity to wonder why people lack confidence in their government.

The average tax payer will work 111 days this year to cover his tax bill including local, state, and federal levies. What is the cry from many of our elected officials within the government? More! More! More! Sometimes it just is almost too ludicrous to fathom. Okay. Let's have a committee look into this waste and abuse. Let's have some meetings. Let's really talk tough to those running these departments. Oh by the way, many of those conducting the meeting and asking the questions are also currently being investigated for improper use of campaign funds, or the use of insider information for personal gain. What's that? Don't be such a cynic? I'm not trying to be cynical, but folks, they do make it hard for us not to be. Let me add one more time, I'm not pointing the finger at one party or the other, because to me, the system is thoroughly corrupt and it pretty much operates this way regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. It's almost like it's a monster that is able to do its dastardly work by feeding upon itself. Thus far it has proven itself to be unstoppable. One day we will live in a time the Bible calls the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ during His millennial Kingdom. That will be a time when we can bask in knowing that government will be operated based on God's rules, not man's. Sounds good to me. What say you? Take care and may God bless each one. Amen.     ....More later.