Happy 8th Birthday to our Madi-girl!

This coming Sunday we will be recognizing the birthday of our Madi-girl. She is the daughter of our very first granddaughter, Tiffany, who is the daughter of our eldest, Chris and wife Sherrie. Madi will be 8 years old. We do love this girl and we are thankful for the potential God has woven into her life. Happy Birthday and may God continue to lead, guide and direct her in all her ways. Amen. Our love, Great Grands, MiMi, and Poppy.

Today we celebrate the first Friday of the new year on this January 5, 2018. I've been reading a lot about folks who are suffering from flu and other related illnesses at this time. It's pretty widespread. I saw a color-coded national map and Texas was one of those highlighted as being saturated with illnesses at this time. People can do some pretty strange things when they are dealing with these types of maladies. I saw this fellow and he was walking forth and back, and around and around. I asked him what in the world was going on. He said he was suffering from flu-like symptoms and had tried the day stuff with no relief, therefore, he had chugged down a good portion of NyQuil and now he was having to walk around to keep from falling asleep. Hello? I wanted to laugh but he looked like he was feeling pretty bad so I waited until I could write about it. I'm not laughing at him. I am laughing at how we all, at times, can do some pretty funny things. I just remembered something. That fellow operates equipment. Oh, my. Well, I do hope he feels better soon. That was another in a long-running series of eyewitness accounts of what is really happening in the world. Folks, there's no way to make this stuff up. No way. And, take care of yourself and please don't take the nighttime medications when you are trying to drive or work. I'm trying to remember if I have ever done that. I'll have to get back to you on that one.

Some days are tougher than others. Yesterday, I got up at my regular time, got ready, and was preparing to leave. I put the proper amount of water into my one cup Keurig, popped in the little K-cup, and hit the button. Nothing happened. It typically makes a hissing sound as the water is heated up. No sound. I tried it again. And again. A few more times. The heating element must have gone kaput. That wasn't the best way to get my day started but I wasn't angry because that little dude had done its thing and more for the past several years. Maybe I could have sung the country tune, "You picked a fine time to leave me, Lucille," but, instead, I just brewed me up a cup in the drip pot and counted the 15-minute delay as part of how life works. Don't worry. I will replace it. The one I have has made many hundreds of cups of coffee. As for the other things it was asked to do, well, I can't really know the full impact they may have had on its system. You know. All those flavored dealies, tea, and who knows what else. Things do wear out. Especially, with use. People too. I'm beginning to realize that in my own journey. Back in the day, I used to say I was built more for speed than comfort. I now mention mostly the high mileage factor. See what I mean?

Because we've actually had a few days of winter, it reminded me of how it was when I was a kid growing up. After my dad passed away, we moved from Port Arthur, Texas, to a small rural town in Louisiana. We initially lived with my mom's parents, Granny and Paw Paw Mac. They had a couple of space heaters and the stove in the kitchen. The bedrooms had no heat at all. When you got out from under the piled up mound of quilts and your feet hit that linoleum rug, well, one might have thought about saying something pretty crude, had they known anything like that to say. I tell people that my feet stuck to the floor. That's how cold it was. I'm almost certain, not 100%, this may have been an exaggeration, however, whatever took place, it was about as unpleasant as one can imagine. It was, however, a good motivator, to get into the front room to hover over that butane fired space heater where you could roast one side at a time while the other remained frozen. By the way, these are not bad memories because it was just how things were. I would almost bet I never wished for central heating because I didn't even know of an alternative. That does make a difference. Along with being with family. People you love and who love you back. It was our home. I thank the Lord we had a place to go. I'm thankful to Him for the life that sprang from those early experiences. In the end, I'm thankful. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. What say you? Have a great Saturday and get this, they are predicting a high of 70 on Sunday. Wow! Don't forget to show up at the meeting place on Lord's Day Sunday, and I'll do my best to catch back up with you next time. Amen. ....More later.