"How high's the water, mama? Four feet high and risin' How high's the water, papa? Four feet high and risin'", lyrics from Johnny Cash classic, Five Feet High and Rising

Okay. Here's the deal. Many people are anxiously anticipating the huge high pressure slinking into our area. The excitement is understandable since nearly everyone is ready to dry out. I told the wife that given the forecast of mid 90's, it would not surprise me even in the slightest if she is not watering by the end of this week. One week you think about reserving a bucket for bailing water, the next week you use that same bucket to water your plants. Such is life. Hello and welcome. It's Tuesday and June showed up and decided to make us all feel the heat here on this June 2, 2015. I saw a photo the other day that was pretty remarkable. How widespread was the flooding in our state? It left some searching to find a historical reference to there ever being flooded streets at the same time in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Now that's what you call widespread folks. The global warming folks are saying these floods prove up their case. Al Sharpton, the race bating charlatan, thinks maybe it is God's punishment on our state for being too conservative regarding all the liberal policies he and others support. Given his personal track record I don't think he is in any position to be casting stones. Weather. Everyone has an opinion but in the end, it is literally in God's hands. He is Sovereign. "Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word;..." (Psalm 148:8) Amen.

I wonder if President Obama told Secretary of State John Kerry to break a leg in his quest to negotiate a treaty with Iran. You know. Break a leg as in the idiom that wishes a theater performer good luck. The origin of this phrase is not clear. Some think it has to do with how superstitious actors are. In other words, it would be bad luck to wish an actor good luck so they would wish them the opposite. Those who subscribe to this theory believe it might have come from horse racing where the same situation applied. Superstitious about wishing a rider and horse good luck they came up with the worst possible outcome, break a leg, as a way of encouraging a good outcome. Others think it might have been connected to the ancient practice where people didn't clap but they stomped their feet in response to a good performance. Get it? See them stomp so hard they break their leg. Still others connect it to the Lincoln assassination when John Wilkes Booth broke his leg during his flight. Regardless, in John Kerry's case, he actually did break a leg. In a bicycle accident. Maybe he took the admonition too literally. Maybe I don't have a clue. But it reminded me of this commonly used encouragement, therefore, now you have been burdened with it as well.

On most days I eat at least one orange and one apple. Nearly every day. And that's good because they are both healthy for you. An apple a day. We've heard that one all our lives. The health related claims of apples dates back to ancient times but the familiar phrase itself was first coined in the 1860's in this little Welsh rhyme, "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread." A number of studies have shown that people who eat apples everyday do, in fact, have fewer doctor visits. These studies indicated reductions in bad cholesterol and fewer reported instances of stroke. As for the orange, well, it too has its following. I can't share all the claims but here's one statement I found to be interesting. "An orange has over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and strong antioxidant effects." I do know that white part of the orange is called the pith. It is loaded up with good stuff, therefore, don't be so quick in throwing it out. Well, that's about all I have for you today. I would say go out there and break a leg but maybe it's better to follow the inspired advice from Bro. James in his Epistle, ~ Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." (James Chapter 4, Verses 13-16) And we know we can count on that because we have God's word on it. Take care and may God bless each one. Amen.  .....More later.