“I wanted to figure out why I was so busy, but I couldn't find the time to do it.” ― Todd Stocker

Good morning. It's Friday, June 29, 2018, and we have business to take care of today. Okay, class, does everyone have their checklist with them? I have mine. It includes 'the wife' returning home. I could put the 4th of July on the list. That's next Wednesday, therefore, we will be getting a day off in the middle of the week. I know you know this, but, here in my blog I don't even begin to scratch the surface in talking about all the stuff we are involved in, and I know it's the same for everyone. I'm trying to remember if the people, back in the day, were so immersed in the incessant drumbeat of stuff that needs to be taken care of, every single day. It's like we've all agreed that if we are not always on the go, running to and fro, then, we are not pulling our weight. Fortunately, not everyone is caught up in this cycle of the harried hurry. We notice that when we visit some of our folks who still live in 'the country'. While some have joined their city folk in finding a spot on the spinning gerbil wheel, others continue to be pretty laid back. We've experienced that because we used to be a part of that scene, and, we still get to observe it from time to time. I've written about this before. Here's something from a couple of years ago where I was talking about these country folks stopping to take the time to love and care for our family during a tough time for us. "Their response was commendable. We who live in a more city environment try to do this as best we can but often it doesn't seem to be the same. Maybe it's the speed of our lives, schedules, and in general the busyness of being perhaps too busy." My point? Here's a quote from the late great comedian Eddie Cantor,  "Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."

You do have to remember that at one time I was a paid consultant. You know what they say about consultants. For those who can't do the job themselves, they end up telling others how to do it. Or something like that. At any rate, I will readily admit that I am much better at giving good advice than taking it, especially from myself. I don't mind leading by example in being busily engaged, but, I'm not one to do the same when it comes to slowing down, and yes, even taking the time to smell the proverbial roses. For me, it's always I'll get there, one of these days. The good news for me is that I enjoy my routine and schedule. I don't see it as a drag. I do get questioned about this. "Hey, do you ever take any time off?" Yeah. I took a week off and went to Florida last November. "You did? It doesn't seem like you ever go anywhere." I appreciate those who care enough to be concerned, but, for the most part, I do not feel the least bit deprived. Since I was a young boy I have been a traveler. I've been all over the world, and back. That habit continues to this very day, but, it is all in my mind. I watch travel programs. I love seeing exotic locales and cultures. And, what happens next? I look at the clock beside my bed and it is 3 a.m. Time for me to get up and get going. But, I did enjoy my time of traveling here, there, and everywhere. (One last time, please don't send me the name of your psychiatrist. I think that train left a long time ago.)

We are all put together differently. Some more different than others. I plead guilty along with my right not to share any additional information that might tend to further incriminate myself. As you can tell, I'm not one given over to keeping up with the Joneses. You might not know, but that phrase originated with the comic strip 'Keeping Up with the Joneses', created by Arthur R. "Pop" Momand in 1913. The strip ran until 1940 in The New York World and various other newspapers. The strip depicts the social climbing McGinis family, who struggle to "keep up" with their neighbors, the Joneses of the title. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't care what others think about us. We should. In fact, the Bible has much to say about our representation to others. But, for the right reasons. One of my favorites, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) That verse implies that when others see us they should see something, our good works. Yet, in observing the manner in which we do what we do, they get the message. We do it for the honor and glory of God. I think I might need to take a time out and think about that one for a good long while. You know. Doing stuff that doesn't call attention to ourselves but points others to God. I need some work on that one. Maybe you do too. Enjoy your Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I will do my best to be back in my place, here at the ole blogger ranch, come next Monday. May God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.

"Some of the world's best educators are grandparents." ~ Dr. Charlie W. Shedd

Paw Paw Mac with my nephew Thomas. Thomas is now in his mid 50's.

This week. It is chugging on along. Today finds us with the occupied sign lighted. Occupied with doing our best to make the most of the day the Lord has provided to us, on this Thursday, June 28, 2018. I'm not sure when the wife is coming home. I do know she has an important event Friday evening at the Church and she typically wouldn't be inclined to miss that. Using my head for something other than a hat rack, I conclude that she will be back in our world between now and Friday evening. See, Paw Paw Mac, I can use my head for something other than a hat rack. That was one of his sayings that I heard pretty often. Typically, because I had done something that didn't make a lot of sense. And, if I responded with the 'that's not what I intended', he was always quick to ask, "Okay, then exactly what did you intend?" That one served me well throughout my career in the computing and telecommunications world. When we had a big mess up of some kind, my people had to learn not to tell me that it was not what they intended because they would hear loud and clear, me channeling Paw Paw Mac regarding their intentions. Paw Paw Mac's point? Make sure you intend to do the right thing the right way, then do it. They caught on and would sometimes ask for my grandfather's saying that might help to move a plan or project forward. A few months after I left the big company I received this 3-inch thick album with photos of all of those who had worked in my organization. Each one had written something. It's good to know that you have made a positive difference as you make your way forward in life. And, thank you, Paw Paw Mac, for your help along the way.

You think at times I may overdo it regarding the influence on my life of folks like my grandparents? Hey, remember the guy who wrote the book entitled, "All I Needed to Know I learned in Kindergarten". It was a runaway best seller. The writer was emphasizing the life lessons learned at a very early age. I didn't read the book but I've experienced in my own life those types of learning experiences and my folks, including my grandparents, helped to facilitate my development. Here is a poem by the author of that book that sums up his thoughts on this subject.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

I am so thankful for those who poured themselves into my life, especially as I was growing up. More important than anything else is the spiritual heritage that I was exposed to as a child. That's right. They helped shape my appreciation for God and His working in the lives of those who are His own. It made a difference in my life. For time and eternity. I am often reminded of a sales executive I was having lunch with one day. He said he understood I was one of those committed Church people. He asked if I went to network for business reasons. I told him I went because I am a believer and all that being a believer entails. He then laid out his philosophy regarding religion. He said that he and his wife were not religious. They agreed to not influence their children one way or the other so their children can make up their own minds. I immediately told him that he and his wife were already greatly influencing their children and most likely they will end up holding the same beliefs or lack thereof of their parents. I'm glad those in my life did not adopt that approach to my upbringing. They knew they could not be made right with God, (saved) for me. They knew that a day would come when I would have to respond to the call of Jesus in my life. To accept it or reject it. Their desire was to expose me to what it means to place faith in Jesus and then to walk with Him throughout life with all of its challenges. As I conclude today, I know what some of you are thinking. He wants to know exactly when she is coming home so he can get the house put back together. My response to that? It's not nice to read other people's mail. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless each one. Amen. .....More later.

"A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape." Proverbs 19:6, as rendered in the New King James Version of the Bible

Hello and welcome to Wednesday, June 27, 2018. This puts me one day closer to when 'who know who' will be returning to the scene, and, then, maybe things can get back to whatever it is that we call 'our' routine. The other day I mentioned something that had been posted by someone else. That posting said that being popular on Facebook is like sitting at the 'cool' table in the insane asylum. While there's perhaps a thread of truth in that, let me tell you something that is 100% accurate. Facebook and Twitter are not places one should go looking for the truth. Left, right, and everything in between has their spin and it is out there for everyone to see. In addition, there are those who put up outright fabrications just to see how many unsuspecting folks will help them to go viral. Many of these are so outlandish on the very surface they should be dismissed without nary another thought. Sadly, folks don't see the mockery involved so they endorse it and send it to everyone on their contact list. Nearly everything can be checked out. I do offer a caveat. Many of the more well-known fact checkers have proven to have a bias. My rule is if there is any doubt whatsoever, don't forward it. If it is important to you, check it out using multiple sources. Here's something I have also found. Early on I tried to let people know when they posted or forwarded something that was false or misleading. Many were offended that I even sent them such a notice. Others made it clear they didn't care because it was still in keeping with their views. That, my friend, is a slippery slope! Like the recent photo of the little girl on the cover of Time Magazine where she, as an immigrant, has been photoshopped to be looking up at the President with the indication that she had been taken from her parents. She had not been taken from her parents at all. How do we know? Her parents said so. Time Magazine went forth and back on apologizing, but, in the end, they said they stood by their depiction. Why? Because it told the story they wanted to communicate. See what I mean? And, it works both ways. Something for us all to think about.

I remind everyone that my blog is where I get to share my views. It is how I see things. I am well aware of the response where someone asks, "Who died and left you in charge?" The short answer is no one because once again when you tune in to any of my daily episodes you are going to get whatever it is that happens to be making that percolator sound in my noggin on that particular day. Some of you are familiar with the printing convention or standard: WYSIWYG. It is pronounced wizzywhig with letters meaning this: What You See Is What You Get. And, that's how it works with my blog. Let me also say that I have been corrected by those who had better information. As a result, I have attempted to indicate that and then to update and correct the erroneous information I shared. It reminds me of the time I was teaching a Bible lesson from Acts Chapter 16. This is where the Apostle Paul and his associate Silas had been thrown into prison but an earthquake happened at midnight and opened up all the prison doors. I was caught up in the moment and I added how this was truly miraculous since earthquakes don't often occur in that region. Suddenly, a fellow in our class raised his hand. Turns out that he is from that region of Turkey and he said they have earthquakes there all the time. I thanked him for the correction and tried to not miss a beat by saying, "What I really meant to say is they have many earthquakes in that region but God used this particular earthquake to set His servants free." It brought a good laugh from my class. What are the odds that I would have someone from Turkey in my class? I was actually glad he corrected me. While what I said may have taught well it was not an accurate statement. The bottom line: It is important to get the facts but it is even more critical when one is handling the Living Word of the Lord.

I was in a jury selection pool a few years ago at the county courthouse dealing with a drug possession prosecution. The facts were pretty clear. They had found significant quantities of illegal drugs in the trunk of the car of the defendant. The prosecution had some problems. The police officers did not have probable cause to search the vehicle and they searched the car without waiting until they received a search warrant. When they interviewed those of us in the jury pool they came to me. They asked could I fairly evaluate the facts knowing about these problems. I cleared my throat. I said that we as American citizens have rights and protections that pertain to us all. The police must follow the rules. That is a way of protecting all of our rights. I went on to say that no one likes to ever see someone set free who is obviously guilty of a crime, however, if the police acted without proper authority then that would weigh heavily in how I viewed the case. Wow! I suddenly became public enemy number one to all the rednecks who were there that day. I wasn't sorry. And, yes, I was struck off of the jury by the prosecution. Many of my fellow jury prospects indicated the only thing that mattered to them was the discovery of the drugs and they were less concerned about the process. I happen to see it differently. Those laws that convict or also the laws that protect us all. The rule of law. When asked, I shared my thoughts. I do the same thing each day in my blogs, only, no one asked. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.

"The toddlers looked at each other as if they had just been told their mutual funds had taken a complete nosedive." ~ Funny Metaphor, copied

This day is as good as any day to pause and give thanks to God. If you are able to do that, you can get this particular day, Tuesday, June 26, 2018, off to a good start. You just have to love how colloquialisms help to flavor our communications. ~ Actions speak louder than words. ~ A penny for your thoughts. ~ The ball is in your court. ~ You are barking up the wrong tree. ~ Don't bite off more than you can chew. ~ Maybe you need to blow off some steam. ~ It's time to burn the midnight oil. ~ Don't judge a book by its cover. ~ We'll come to that bridge when we cross it. ~ There's no sense in crying over spilled milk. ~ Curiosity killed the cat. ~ Let's cut to the chase. ~ Drastic times call for drastic measures. ~ I'm feeling under the weather. ~ In the heat of the moment. ~ That way we can kill two birds with one stone. ~ It will be easy, it's a piece of cake. ~ It's raining cats and dogs. ~ We need to see eye to eye on this. ~ Speak of the devil. ~ I wouldn't be caught dead. ~ Your guess is as good as mine. ~ These reflect a few ways in which we illuminate the subject we are discussing. Having grown up in the deep south in a rural community, there's even more colorful slang, idioms, and figures of speech that kick up the dialogue by a notch or two. One day I'll visit some of those I heard growing up. Until then, I'll do my best to make sure I am barking up the right tree.

I was introduced to language differences at a fairly early age. After our dad passed away, in 1954, we relocated from Port Arthur, Texas, to a very small Louisiana rural community. I was seven years old. My grandfather had some kinfolks that lived out from that little town. The little town we lived in would have been considered backwoods in some ways but these kinfolks lived way back, in the woods, out on the land. They were folks who didn't get into town much. The first time I accompanied my granddad out there for a visit, well, I didn't have to have a passport, but, it was as much a foreign country as I could have imagined. The kids out there did not pick up on the limerick, "I don't smoke, I don't chew, and I don't go with the girls that do." They would have done all of the above. Their words all ran together. My mom believed that cleanliness was next to Godliness and she practiced that belief in how she kept house. Our country cousins, not so much. Or, maybe, not at all. They were courteous. They offered me some snuff from a can and even asked if they might roll me a cigarette. I can remember lying in my bed at night trying to figure out what they were saying. Much later, I learned about Appalachia and life in those parts of our land. I could identify with what I read. I still don't know what some of those kids were saying to me, but, if I recall, when I said no to the snuff and cigarette, I believe they replied, "Good, more for me!" Believe me, I'm not throwing off on them. They lived differently than we did, but, they always seemed to be happy. I believe when polled that's typically the number one things folks long for.

I had been practicing on getting ready to get ready to be lonesome, but, she moved up leaving me by a day. I was set on saying my farewell for now on Tuesday morning, but, on Sunday evening she and her sister revised their schedule. Do what? Since their brother was not up to driving to see them, they would need to drive over to see him. While that makes sense, the announcement of the change caught me off guard. It reminded me of that time I fell back out of my office chair. The landing on the floor didn't hurt. It was the trying to get up before I got down that wrenched my back. Oh well, life is about making adjustments. On the fly. I would have given her a list of things that I needed for her to take care of on Monday before she left. Now she is gone. I haven't made the list. I have no one to give it to. I have to take care of it myself. Woe is me! Her brother is one of the finest men I have ever known. He is now in his 80's and he has to deal with a number of health-related issues. You may not have met him. His name is Cleon. If you look up the word 'loyal' in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Cleon. His difficulties are a preview for those of us who have been together for these many years. I actually celebrated Christmas with Cleon and my girlfriend's family the year before we were married. That was 55 years ago. I mention that only to prove that I know what I know about my brother-in-law. To me, he, and my wife's entire family have been a blessing in my life. I mean that sincerely, although, there have been times when it would have been nice to be able to make some of those jokes about the in-laws. I never could. Never. I do hope you have a good rest of the day Tuesday and that our Great God will add His blessings to our day. Amen. ....More later.

“I resent when I go out to dinner and they try to sell me the healthy food for the same price as the good food.” ― Jim Gaffigan, Comedian

Welcome back. It's good to bring you greetings from my home away from home, here at what I like to call the ole blogger ranch, (my workstation at work). It's Monday, June 25, 2018, and it is time to get on with it. I was a little put out because I didn't hear from my ENT during the day on Friday. I knew she had the report from the esophagram but her nurse said she hadn't released it yet. Then, Friday evening as I sat in my recliner, about 5:30 p.m., she, the ENT, called me. She said they couldn't find anything wrong in the x-rays they had taken. She thought the next stop might be to revisit my situation with my gastroenterologist and see what she has to say. First things first, I think I will spend some time thinking about thinking about that suggestion. The lady gastroenterologist the wife and I have used for years is excellent. However, she seems to always have a diet in mind that has no connection to southern cooking. I mean, you tell me, are kale and arugula really food items? She is not quite as bad as the fellow who treated my diabetes for about six years. He actually thought finding out what they ate in the Old Testament was a good way to direct one's dietary choices. Barley is big. Wheat, corn, and other vegetables along with fruit are also mentioned prominently. He was one of the many today who believe the processing of stuff is where it is ruined in terms of its beneficial ingredients. He recommended the Uncle Sam's Brand of cereals. They tasted different. Not in a good way. To me. Now you know why it's time for some serious contemplation before I move forward.

Yesterday, in our services at our local fellowship of believers, we celebrated God's role in the founding of our great nation, the United States of America. It was a little early as the 4th of July will be next week, but, there were many special guests whose schedules had to be considered. There are some, even within the Church world, who think the separation of Church and state means very little, if any, should ever be said in a service about the 'state'. Sorry. I don't get that. Even a little bit. I've never known folks in any local congregation that ended up worshipping America instead of the God who helped to bring it into existence. We owe everything to God and that includes the nation He has given to us. We do not have to wonder what the founders thought about God's role. The founders? You know, they were the folks around sacrificing so much, many, even their very lives, to see our nation become a reality. What did they think about God? The patriot John Adams who later became president had this to say: "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God." Here's one to think about, Congress, U. S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854: "Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity…" That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants." There are hundreds upon hundreds more. I recently saw something in a mainline publication that touted how that America has never been a Christian nation. It is true that a test of religion was never intended because of individual freedoms afforded by our constitutional rights, however, to say that God was not instrumental in the minds of US citizens from the time it was founded is just outright slanderous, or, in today's speak, fake news at its worst. May the God who helped found our nation continue to bless is my prayer. Amen.

I will be the first to say that patriotism and knowing God through the Lord Jesus Christ are certainly different matters altogether. The Apostle Paul made it clear in the inspired text referred to as 1st Corinthians Chapter 13, that giving up of ourselves up to and including our death is no substitute for the love of Jesus living in our hearts. Many heroes have died for our country. We do well to honor their memory. At the same time, we recognize what Jesus said about those who would be His very own. They must see and know and respond to the truth about the identity of Jesus, the God-Man, the Jewish Messiah, and Savior of the world. Jesus said it best, "I am the way, the truth, and the life and no man comes to the Father except they come through me." (John 14: 6) For those of us who have found the truth, confessed our sins, and given our heart to Jesus, we now go forth to live for Him as we are called to live. One of the things we hear so often from the culture, "The folks I know who call themselves Christians live pretty much like everyone else." That, my friend, is not how it is supposed to be. That reminds me of a little story told by the late Dr. Adrian Rogers. He said a little boy was standing of the corner with a tiny little dog on a leash. A fellow asked him what kind of dog was that. The little boy whispered he is a German shepherd police dog. The man was taken aback. How could that be? The little guy then told him the little dog was operating undercover. Dr. Rogers went on to say that too many Christians are operating undercover today. I close with the little song we taught children growing up in Sunday School, "If you're saved and you know it, then your life should surely show it." That will teach. That will preach. And, we all need to hear it. Amen. .....More later.

“Always do your best in whatever you do; set goals and seek challenges; become a role model for those coming behind you; and always have God in your heart.” ― Charles F. Bolden

It is. That would be correct. Friday. June 22, 2018. Eleven years ago I devoted my entire blog to the work ethic that was handed down to me, primarily through my grandfather, Paw Paw Mac. My mom could easily have been part of that influence as well. A widow with six children, she literally worked her fingers to the bone. However, I was mostly doing stuff with Paw Paw Mac. I thought about sharing a portion of that old blog, however, it is very long, and I couldn't decide how to edit it without losing some of the story. That was early on in my blogging days before I realized that most people had better things to do than read long-winded wordy essays about my so-called life. I hear you. So, what's changed? I think I've actually made them shorter. Don't believe me? If you click on that blogger link you can search within my postings for June 22, 2007. I am still thankful for the influence that caused me to view work as a calling. For the most part, I get up each day with an expectant attitude regarding the work God has allowed me to participate in. You think what? It may be mostly habit? And, the problem with that would be? The Bible tells us that Joseph and Mary went up EVERY year to Jerusalem, as devout Jews, to participate in the God-ordained commemorations. It tells us it was their custom. Habit. See what I mean?  (Luke 2:41-42) "His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.")  Amen.

The wife is getting ready to leave me. Again. Next week. It is way past just the neighbors talking at this point. She will be heading to Louisiana to visit her sister and brother. It's pretty sad when they come out with a poster that helps convey the story of my life. I don't mind her spending time with her family. I'm all for that but I just don't like for her to leave. I start getting uptight several days before she drives off into the sunset. What's that? Don't be such a big baby? Let me tell you something, after nearly 54 years, I have every right to throw myself a little hissy fit if that's what I want to do. (In case you are not familiar with the hissy fit, here is one definition that will help: A sudden but violent outburst of a person shouting, screaming recriminations and (possibly) wailing, generally short-lived but shocking.) I'm not sure I can live up to that. Joking aside, I really do function so much better when she is around. One would think I would be used to it by now. One might think so. Not this particular one, however. I suppose the good news is that she will only be gone for a few days. We do have some very important Church-related activities coming up the weekend of the 30th. I'll take that. I do hope she enjoys her visit. After all, I do remember that song sung at our wedding on a frigid Friday night in December 1964. It had this sentiment, "Thy people will be my people my love." It was much later that I found out the song was based on the commitment expressed by Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi. (Book of Ruth, Chapter 1) Mother-in-law? Who knew?

Someone posted this one the other day. It's an oldie but it may have a smidgen of humor in it as well. ~ This young man was at McDonald's and he noticed an elderly couple sitting at a table. The older man had purchased a Happy Meal and he was carefully dividing it between the two of them. He cut the burger exactly in half. He then did the counting of the fries, one for her, and one for him. He got it finished and the old man began eating. The young man walked over to the table and told the couple, "Hey, I would be more than happy to buy another meal so that both of you can have one." The old man looked up and replied, "No thank you, we have always shared everything for our many years together." The young man noticed that the old man was eating but the old lady was just sitting with her half in front of her. He inquired again and asked the old lady if there was a problem. "She smiled and said, "No problem at all Sonny, it's his turn to use the teeth." ~ Okay. So it may not warrant a drum roll, but, for us older folks, it is considered if nothing else to be slightly amusing. We've had quite a week. We have a busy Saturday and Sunday ahead of us. Church. A wedding. And, I might add because it typically turns out to be true, "And, who knows what else?" I do hope you have a good weekending Saturday and that the first day of the week, Sunday, finds you in the gathering place where God's people come to hear from Him and respond. See you next time, and may God bless. Amen. ...More later.

"Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent." ~ Billy Graham

Good morning and welcome. Today we will be celebrating Thursday, June 21, 2018, all day long. I survived my esophagram yesterday. I will admit to being a tad apprehensive because I didn't really know what to expect. Yes. I did check it out on the web. I just wasn't sure how I would react to the barium concoction. I got there early and they took me back early. Sometimes that happens. Not always. I was first escorted to a changing room to get my gown on. All I had to remove was my shirt. An elderly fellow was having a heated argument about having to take all his clothes off. They were telling him it was necessary for the procedure he was scheduled for. He didn't want to do it. They finally went and fetched his wife from the waiting area and she assisted him in getting ready for his procedure. Once in the x-ray room, two ladies explained to me what would be happening. They were ever so nice. They said they were trying to grab the doctor and the test shouldn't be more than 10 to 15 minutes. The doctor who looked younger than our youngest came in and explained to me what he would be doing. He essentially said the same things the ladies had already shared. They took pictures of me swallowing the barium stuff. It was all very painless. Once finished, I gave the two ladies our Santa and Mrs. Claus cards as souvenirs. They were very excited. One wanted a Lexus and the other a BMW. I told them that I get those requests quite often. Now we wait for the ENT to receive the findings and then I will be notified. Meanwhile. Hurry up. And wait. And, oh yeah. Be patient.

I tried to find out how much time does one spend in a lifetime waiting. I wasn't able to get an overall estimate for that, however, I did find that we spend an average of 6 months during our time here on the planet waiting in line. That seems like a long time, but, by comparison, they estimate the average person will spend 9 years of their life using their phone. We can add to that the time we spend waiting at the doctor's office, the time spent waiting in traffic, and even the time we spend on hold while waiting for a response. The bottom line, we do spend a lot of our time waiting. Many years ago I would occasionally pick up an elderly lady and carry her to Church. She hated waiting. As we would approach a traffic signal she would begin beating on the dash and praying out loud for the light not to turn red. While we find that amusing when we talk about it today, how different are we in our 'waiting'? Sure, we may not beat on the dash or pray out loud for God to intervene, but, what about our attitude and our stress level when we are having to wait? I don't know about you, but, for me, I can always improve in that particular area. It seems like some days people are on a mission to delay my progress as much as they can. To make it worse, they all seem to be cooperating together. Here's a true statement: "Don't sweat the small stuff and when it is all said and done, most of it is small stuff."

That doesn't mean we don't get weary along the way. The daily news cycle in and of itself is enough to totally exhaust most of anyone's energy. I've been somewhat of a news hound most of my life. I want to know the facts. I want to be satisfied that I am getting the best information possible. Not so much these days. In fact, I can well understand at nearly 72 years young how the little kid feels when they hide their eyes thinking they cannot be seen. That's what today's news world has done to me. I do peek over the covers enough to get a sense of what is going on. For instance, the other day I mentioned to you my reading of the Inspector General's report on the Clinton email investigation and other issues. My conclusion: Bias with a capital 'B'. I think I was on target. A layperson can spot the bias on every page of that report. This was clearly exposed by Representative Gowdy in his grilling of the IG himself. How disingenuous for the end result to say they found no political motivation that drove the actions taken. The IG offered up how that different people can come to different conclusions based on the information provided in the report. You think? How about this? There were people at the FBI and the Justice Department at the highest levels who indicated they would do almost anything to make sure that Donald Trump did not become president of the United States. This was not a secondary matter to them as it was clearly an obsession as borne out in their correspondence through emails and text messages. You might be one of those who says, so what? Forget that it is Donald Trump for a moment. Do you want people manipulating outcomes on behalf of who they think is suitable to serve? (Supposedly, that's why we have elections!) Do you want them using the vast powers entrusted to them to do those types of manipulations? I'll let us all think about that for a while. Like I say, I picked that one up when I came up for air the other day. Enjoy, remember to rest in the Lord, and He will see us through. We have His word on it. (Matthew 11:28-30)  Amen. ....More later.

“I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Today I am getting ready to get ready for my portrait session. I'm talking about the pictures they have scheduled where they will be featuring my esophagus. No food or drink since last night. That means no Community Coffee until after the photo session is completed. As you can tell, that really doesn't bother me, bother me, bother me, bother me, bother me, bother me, at all. This is what I'm working on today, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. You do know I am exaggerating ever so slightly. Let's be honest, I am always feeling better when I have my Community Coffee. Don't tell me it doesn't matter. Back in January of 2015, Serena Williams, superstar tennis player, found herself down 0-6 after the first set in a match in Australia. Feeling sluggish, she got permission from the umpire and the ball girl fetched Serena an espresso. She drank it and went on to win the match, 0-6, 6-3,6-0. Here's one for you. Before 1908, folks filtered their coffee with a cloth. In fact, in a pinch one could use their sock if they had to. A German homemaker, Melitta Bintz, got tired of that practice and she wasn't satisfied with the taste. She literally took a page out of her son's schoolbook and fashioned a paper filter. This contraption was patented and she went on to become a coffee filter mogul. The company she founded still exists today and sells products under the Melitta Coffee brand. One last little story. In the 1500s, coffee was imported from Arabia to Europe through the canals of Venice, Italy. While people in Christian Europe liked the caffeinated drink, it was greeted with suspicion. Some called it “Satan's drink.” Monks even urged Pope Clement VIII to outlaw the “Muslim” drink. The pope argued that the drink was so good that it would be a “sin” to let only “pagans drink it.” Thanks to Pope Clement, coffee began to spread across Europe. And later came The Community Coffee Company, and now you know, as Paul Harvey used to say, "...the rest of the story!"

Those little tidbits may come in handy someday. They might even save you from using up one of your 'phone a friend' options. Or something like that. I heard yesterday that, in general, IQ's in our nation are falling. According to this report, this new development is occurring across the board, in all family groups without regard to status. Their conclusion? They can only guess that it has something to do with "the environment". I have my own observation. If they want to see some crashing and burning of IQ's, well, they need to get out on the freeways in and around the Houston metroplex. Some said that if we were to begin telling people the brain is an app, maybe some of them will start to use it. I guess we should not be surprised. Some people are proud to finish putting together a puzzle in a few hours, especially when the box clearly says 3-5 years. I have to confess that my brain has misplaced my name and facial recognition modules. Then you have the ultimate put down, "I see that you are street smart, Sesame Street." It does seem like a less than bright future because I'm almost certain that I will die not having any idea what 95% of a scientific calculator is used for. I think I'm pretty much finished with this one. I've run out of time and crayons to explain it any further.

I had to part company with a very close sidekick the other day. I hated to do it, but, the time came when I had to move on. After about 10 years of a very close and enjoyable relationship, I canceled my Sirius XM satellite radio subscription. Those little portable radios they give to you as a part of the service are pieces of junk. I've replaced mine a couple of times. Plus, they keep going up on the price each year. The won't let you cancel online. You have to talk to a real person. That wasn't so great since I could barely understand the person I was talking to. Her message: Let us try to fix this so that you will continue to be a subscriber. Nothing is more aggravating than wanting to listen to the radio versions of Dragnet or Gunsmoke but just as you get ready that cheap excuse for a radio goes out. At any rate, I will miss my NASCAR station and my Old Time Radio station and my Bluegrass station and my Southern Gospel music station and the one that plays clean stand up comedy. However, life moves on. I can listen to as much of any of those offerings sitting at my desk on my computer and I can probably figure out how to get a lot of them on my phone. I don't want to be overly dramatic, but, my separation reminded me of when Richard Nixon lost to JFK. He held that famous press conference in 1962 where he uttered the famous words, "You don't have Nixon to kick around anymore,..." That's my story and I don't know if anybody that matters knows about it, but, I'm still sticking to it anyway. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen. .....More later.

Specialist: A person who concentrates primarily on a particular subject or activity; a person highly skilled in a specific and restricted field.

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to another day here at the adventure park where no one can predict exactly what might show up. It's another day here in the neighborhood and this one happens to show up on June 19, 2018. For those that keep count, today is the 2,836th time for me to corral keystrokes together and eject them onto the electronic page. I didn't mention that I went to the doctor yesterday. I had an appointment with a ears, nose, and throat specialist. I typically let everyone know so they can pray for the unsuspecting doctor. My primary care and I agreed that it would be good to get myself checked out in this area of specialization. I do know that if you are designated as a specialist the co-pay goes up by a factor of three. That's okay with me because I am a consumer and if you charge three times as much I will be expecting three times as much in terms of your help. The lady doctor was very nice although I did notice after a few minutes she began to twitch. She might want to get that seen about. You do know I'm kidding. Right? Somewhat. According to her online profile along with her video introduction, she says the number one goal for her is for the patient to know that she cares. I didn't tell her to say that. But, that's what she said. That means she set the parameters for me to evaluate our time together. The initial exam went okay, but, she has ordered up an esophagram to make certain that part of the system is okay. This will be coming up early Wednesday. It must be a really good test because as I understand it, they will be furnishing me with a milkshake. It's called a barium flavored drink. I sure hope it tastes good. I'm still processing my interpretation of her performance but I will say she seemed to at least make the effort. I will give you a final report later. The proof is always in whether or not the problem is found and fixed. You know. Like a mechanic, or a plumber, or a medical specialist. You what? You would have certainly said a prayer for her? Next time I will try to remember to let everyone know ahead of time. Please. Don't send me any sympathetic comments about this poor lady. Remember, after all, she is a specialist.

The first commercial ever aired on television here in the United States was run on July 1, 1941. It was a 10-second ad for Bulova watches. It was played before the telecast of a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. This was in New York City and it was on the one station at that time and ten seconds wouldn't have given anyone enough time to get up and change the channel anyway. (And, there were no other channels to change to.) Reports vary, but the estimated cost to run this ad was between $4 to $9. By the time we got a TV in our home, it was 1955, and the commercials were pretty well established by that time. Our picture back then was black and white and it had just a tad of snow in it and we too had only one primary channel. (Channel 5, from Alexandria, La.) The only other channels we ever watched was when the clouds were aligned in a certain way. I thought we had tapped into something really exotic when we occasionally picked up the Lufkin, Texas station. We typically could only watch NBC. Lufkin probably carried another network. Somewhere along the way, we inherited a very large radio with world broadcasting bands on it. This would have been in the late 1950's and early 1960's. I would fiddle with that radio, picking up stations from all over Europe to South America. I suppose I tried to do the same with the TV dial, hoping for a similar result. Laying in bed listening to far-flung places, often in foreign languages, well, it made me dream about travel and intrigue. No. I haven't mentioned that to my mental health professional. If I ever talk to one, I'll try to remember to mention how that Lukin seemed like a land far away to an 8-year-old boy.

We all know what a despot the dictator of North Korea is. Whether he will live up to any agreement is still anyone's guess. His reported instances of cruel and inhuman behavior are well documented. I did see one posting where the individual presented a different type of question. They wondered out loud what Kim Jong Un thought of having to deal with a nation that has killed off over 60 million of their babies since 1973. Whoa! That was like a slap of cold water in my face. The population of North Korea is less than 26 million. The number of abortions here in our land adds up to many Holocausts. I know a large part of our populace would not equate the 'legal' aborting of unborn children in this way. When it comes down to it, I may have an opinion, you may have an opinion, but, what God thinks about it will determine His response. Billy Graham was quoted once as having said that if God doesn't deal with America regarding this sin then He will have to apologize for judging Sodom and Gomorrah. I thought the individual who posted this question challenging the definition of what constitutes cruel and inhuman behavior on the part of a nation was worthy of mention. That's why I mentioned it. I had not thought of it in that way. Some would rather not think at all about it. I get that. After all, the Supreme Court has ruled it to be legal. How many actually believe that having it codified into our law makes it right? I'll leave it for us all to think about. At the same time, as always, I do pray that God will help us to follow His Word as we continue our journey here. Amen. ....More later.

“There is no teacher equal to mother and there's nothing more contagious than the dignity of a father.” ― Amit Ray, Author

Good morning. Finally. Rain. We need it badly. However. I've already heard the outdoor choir singing their lament, "Rain Rain go away, come again some other day." For us, because we know how much we need the nourishing rains, we sing it like this, "Rain Rain please stay, for we need your help today." I know. That one is not in the Golden Book you read to your little ones. It wasn't in ours either. (I am not wishing any flooding on anyone, but, I would hope that everyone knows how much we do need the rain.) Therefore, I am thankful for God's provisions and I do bring you greetings on this back-to-work Monday, June 18, 2018. I didn't write much about Fathers Day this year but with eleven years of filed episodes, I've had plenty to say regarding this day of recognition. Back in 2007 when I wrote for the first time in this forum regarding Fathers Day, I used the entire blog to enumerate my blessings regarding the family God had given to me. At the end of that first Fathers Day episode I couldn't help but pay respect to the most influential dad in my life, that would be my mom's dad, my grandfather, or as we called him, our Paw Paw Mac. (He became the father figure in my life at age 7 when our dad passed away suddenly in January of 1954.) Here's what I said back in 2007, "Therefore I am proud to be reminded of my Paw Paw Mac on this upcoming Father’s Day weekend. May God bless his memory and his testimony. May it be that when I leave this life for the next, perhaps one of my children or grandchildren will be able to remember me in this same way." I will tell you this, if any of my grand kids do have anywhere close to this type of recollection of me, I can assure you, that will be an honor and a blessing beyond measure, because he, Andrew Rancher McMillan, was that kind of man. Amen.

Sometimes things just jump out at me. Maybe it's an age thing. But the photo of prunes being used in a dessert, well, that did get my attention. The fellow who posted this old recipe also added these words, "A prune whip a day will keep the colonoscopy doctor away." To which he quickly added, "I can't believe I said that." I read about a brand new hair joint that opened up directly across the street from an old barbershop. The new people boldly put up their sign which read, "WE GIVE SEVEN DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!" Not to be outdone the established barber shop countered with,"WE FIX SEVEN DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!" One older lady lamented, "Some people are always searching for the meaning of life. Me? I'm just looking for the dishcloth I laid down 10 minutes ago." I think I understand this sentiment, "Being popular on Facebook is like being able to sit at the 'cool' table at the mental hospital." Two wonderful Christian neighbors arrived in heaven at the same time. They lived to a ripe old age because they both had been devoted to healthy eating during their time on earth. As they strolled heaven together they could not get over the wonder of it all. Finally, one turned to the other and said, "Just think, if we had not eaten all that oat bran we could have been here ten years sooner." Maybe one or two of these caused your lips to turn up just a tad on the way to a smile. You do know that smiling is good for you. A laugh out loud even better. Right? That laugh out loud deal must be well known because I see people using it quite often. I think they even have a way to abbreviate it.

While I still have not watched the movie that many call a classic, 'Forest Gump', I do hope you have enjoyed the box of chocolates I have served up today. You know. Just like the famous line from the movie, you never know what you might get. I feel exactly the same way. I did scan through the Inspector General Report addressing the actions of the FBI and the Justice Department regarding certain 2016 matters including the Hillary Clinton email investigation. It's nearly 600 pages. Those who support President Trump read what was reported and they can't keep from repeating over and over, "See there, I told you so. See there, I told you so." Those who oppose President Trump called their troops together to announce there's nothing really to see in this report. I know. No one should be surprised by how this works. However, I think the truth is somewhere in the report itself. I'm not sure I can agree totally with the IG's conclusion that said they could find no evidence of bias or political orientation in actions taken that clearly give the appearance of being biased or politically motivated. My question is simply this, "Okay, no proof, then what was the motivation of these actions that give that appearance?" Mr. Comey, who was FBI director at the time has said his breaking of protocols and rules had to do with the unprecedented nature of the matter at hand. Do what? And, by the way, while I don't agree with the dizzying spin being played by either side, please don't tell me that with nearly 600 pages, there's nothing to see here. Some of the emails between people we pay through our taxes are chilling. The present FBI director says there will be accountability and those who did not follow the rules will be dealt with. Let's see where that goes. You can read this document for yourself. It is readily available from a number of sites. You might want to brush up on government speak because there's a whole lot of that in the report. Until next time, I remain, as always, the fellow who brings the chocolates each day. Take care. May God bless each one and may He bless our nation. Amen. ....More later.

Happy Father's Day coming up Sunday, June 17!

"You can say I'm a hater. But I would argue I'm a lover. I'm a lover of traditional families and of the right of children to have a mother and father... I would argue that the future of America hangs in the balance, because the future of the family hangs in the balance. Isn't that the ultimate homeland security, standing up and defending marriage?" ~ Rick Santorum

Well, well, glad to see you today on this Thursday, June 14, 2018. Here's one for the record book. The CEO of Twitter put up a tweet about how he had used the Chick-fil-A app and how well it worked and it even saved him money. Within seconds his twitter feed was swamped with those who hate Chick-fil-A because of their stand for the biblical definition for family and marriage. That controversy was stirred up back in 2012 based on the comments of the Chairman of Chick-fil-A. The people who want it their way or no way do know one thing, how to hate. You might remember they actually tried to destroy Chick-fil-A by calling for boycotts and other ways. Their efforts didn't work, people of faith flocked to their nearby Chick-fil-A restaurant and the Company actually grew as a result. (Just so you know, Chick-fil-A has never refused to serve anyone who came to their restaurant to purchase food.) This company was being persecuted for the personal viewpoints expressed by their leader. Those who want to see traditional values completely demolished continued their barrage against the liberal Twitter CEO. His response was what they wanted. He begged their forgiveness and plead how he had forgotten about the evil stand that company had taken. Group think. Group voice. Or else. These people proclaim their freedoms but don't want anyone that disagrees with them to have any at all. For me, I'm going to stick with thus says the Lord God. I think He had the first say and He will have the last word as well. Amen.

The face to face summit between our President and the notorious dictator from North Korea presented to us all another opportunity to observe the dripping hypocrisy of the mainstream media. I don't say that without proof. All one has to do is to look back at how they fawned over President Obama when he struck the behind closed doors agreement with Iran. That was heralded as a great and wonderful accomplishment on behalf of our world. Iran. Even at the time of the agreement the Iranians were burning our American flags and shouting death to America, not only in the streets but also in their halls of government. Yet, we later learned that President Obama bought his agreement with $150 billion in cash bundled on pallets and flown by jet to this renegade government, but, he is still recognized by the mainstream as one of history's greatest peacemakers. And, unless you were asleep, remember how the media fawned over President Obama's bold visit to Cuba where he had his photo taken with the Castro brothers. But. Now. We hear what they have to say about President Trump's attempt to deal with the North Korean matter. They pretty much have done nothing but lambast him, his team, the agreement itself and anything and everything regarding the summit. And, may I remind us once again, they all are reading from the same shared talking points. I have no idea if the North Korean summit will lead to the results promised, however, I am able to spot this profound and disingenuous bias against President Trump and against even the hope for something good to come of his efforts. They almost cried with glee over what I would call an instance of the emperor with no clothes regarding the Iranian agreement while seething with hatred and anger as it relates to our efforts to deal with North Korea. I almost feel like I'm seeing some end times prophetic stuff unfolding before my very eyes. As always. I report from my chair and you must weigh it all and decide for yourself.

I can hear what some are thinking to themselves. "I sure wish we knew where he stood on these issues." Just joking. Let me be clear. I am not here each day to defend indefensible actions on the part of our President or anyone on his team. At the same time, I would hope that even a casual observer can spot the hatred that is so out of control it leaves supposedly well-educated people rooting against good things happening for our nation. One of their leading liberal voices is so tangled up with his hatred of President Trump he has announced that he would like to see a total collapse of our economy if it would help to rid ourselves of President Trump. When President Obama was elected, Rush Limbaugh said that he hoped that he would fail. The so-called progressives went after him with everything they had. In Rush's case, he was only hoping that President Obama's liberal vision, which Rush believed would hurt our nation, would fail, but, he would never root against the President personally or against America. Rush lost sponsors and was vilified. Today, folks can hope that America suffers an economic depression and no one even raises an eyebrow. Okay class, let's see what we have learned today. First, some folks want to dictate even the fast food you can eat and if you don't comply you will be cast out of the community of the enlightened. Secondly, a process which hasn't even gotten off the ground yet is condemned as being dead on arrival because of the person who struck the agreement, while, a shady agreement with a despotic nation is heralded as the greatest ever because of the person who struck the agreement. Lastly, it's perfectly fine to wish harm to America if it achieves the progressive agenda. I just wanted to make clear what I already had clarified. Enough for today. Pray for our great nation because we, you, I, everyone, needs a revival back to God. Amen. ....More later.

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” ― John Wesley

Good morning, it's Wednesday, June 13, 2018, where I bid you a hearty welcome to today's edition. I suppose many of us can be happy the camel commercials hyping today as hump day have more or less faded. When they first came on the scene the masses were captivated by this approach to advertising. When they became the rage, well, they pretty much overstayed their welcome and we became sick and tired of being sick and tired of seeing them everywhere all the time. Here's something funny. I remember well the commercials, but, I had to look up the product they were promoting. It was Geico. The camel was memorable but the product, not so much. That's how it worked with me. I'm sure that's not what the ad folks intended. Yet, we have before us another day. God has granted this day to us. It's now up to us as to what we will do with it. That reminds me of that day where Joshua stood before the nation of Israel and shared a challenge for the day that lay before them. "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Book of Joshua, Chapter 24, Verses 14-15) We all have before us each and every day, including today, the challenge of who we will serve, how we will use the time given to us, and whether we will honor our Creator and God in the way we live. Amen.

I felt a whole lot of conviction coming out of that paragraph. Maybe the camel wasn't so bad after all. I will admit that my coming up on three-score-and-twelve does make me aware that my time is slipping away. When I read someone's obituary I find myself doing the math in my head. If I live as long as this person it means I have only this amount of time left. Just me. You don't have to view it this way. Some of the things I've heard all my life come to mind. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." I discovered this thought was used to develop a song. The song itself pretty much lays out the challenge of making decisions regarding the things we will devote ourselves and our time to.

You may build great cathedrals large or small,
you can build skyscrapers grand and tall,
you may conquer all the failures of the past,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Remember only what You do for Christ will last.
Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;
only what you do for Christ will last.

You may seek earthly power and fame,
the world might be impressed by your great name,
soon the glories of this life will all be past,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Remember only what You do for Christ will last.
Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;
only what you do for Christ will last.

Though your armies may control each hemisphere,
and your orbits out in space cause men to cheer,
your scientific knowledge may be vast,
but only what you do for Christ will last.

Remember only what You do for Christ will last.
Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;
only what you do for Christ will last.

Though your song and prayers are heard and praised by man,
they've no meaning unless you've been born again,
sinner, heed these words, don't let this harvest pass,
for only what you do for Christ will last.

Remember only what You do for Christ will last.
Remember only what you do for Christ will last,
only what you do for Him will be counted at the end;
only what you do for Christ will last. (Written by Neal Morse)

The only thing I haven't done today is to give an invitation and receive an offering. Just joking. Not about the invitation. The invitation belongs to God and He is the One who speaks to the innermost part of our being. He might do that through a Bible verse, a sermon, a testimony, or even through a song that embodies the truth. Since I'm on a conviction roll this morning, let me leave you with this country tune made popular by the likes of Red Sovine and Porter Waggoner:

If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two.
If he came without warning I wonder what you'd do.
Yes if Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two.
If he came unexpected just dropped in on you.
Ahh I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored guest.
And all the food you'd serve to him would be your the best.
And you would keep reassuring him that you're glad to have him there.
That serving him in your home is joy beyond compare.
But when you saw him coming would you meet him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you'd let him in
Or hide some magazines and put the bible where they had been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope he hadn't heard
And wish you hadn't uttered that last loud hasty word?
Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out
Could you just let Jesus walk right in or would you rush about?
And I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?
Would your family conversations keep up its normal pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing
And read the books you read
And let him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you planned to go?
Or maybe would you change your plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad for him to meet your very closest friends
Or hope that they'd stay away until his visit ends?
Would you be glad to have him stay forever on and on
Or would you sigh with great relief, when he, at last, was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, to spend some time with you.
If Jesus came to your house, I wonder what you'd do? Written by Craig Starrett/Lois Blanchard

That's it for today. Please don't start a campaign to bring the camel back. See you next time and may God help us all to make the most of the time He has granted to us. Amen. .....More later.

“The past beats inside me like a second heart.” ― John Banville, Author

Good morning, it's Tuesday, June 12, 2018. I've heard some feedback on last Friday's rerun from June 8, 2007. What would be interesting is to know if anyone recognized any of it from when I originally wrote and published it. Not likely. Yet, if you label it as a reprint from eleven years ago, well, that immediately taints it. Really? That's okay. I thought I had something in the works but when I arrived on Friday morning, the storage locker was empty. I could have thrown something together but I had other fish to fry, therefore, I came up with the idea of using one from the past. And, I actually thought it was pretty good. The wife and I talked some about all the changes that have taken place between the time I wrote that one and today. Our brother-in-law, Charles, the husband of the wife's sister, was still with us back then. (Received his promotion on August 11, 2012.) The wife's brother, our dear Bro. Milton was going strong back then. (Received his promotion on January 16, 2016.) Even with the wife being gone, I could visit each day by phone with mom and dad back in 2007, however, they both made their arrival to their heavenly home last year. Lots of changes, but, if you read that old blog, some things are pretty much the same. I still miss my better half when she is gone, and, it's obvious that she is married to a certified character. I started to say weirdo but I have never been certified in that category. Please don't send me your other ideas about me because I'm pretty much dealing with as much as I can handle at the moment.

Speaking of how things change, we were listening to two of the sons from the Statler Brothers and the boys sang a tribute to their dads, Class of 57. That song is poignant because it speaks about what happened in the lives of the classmates of 57. You likely recall some of the lyrics from the verses. ~ Tommy's selling used cars, Nancy's fixing nails. Harvey runs a grocery store and Margaret doesn't care. Jerry drives a truck for Sears, Charlotte on the make. And Paul sells life insurance and part-time real estate. Helen is a hostess. Frank works at the mill. Janet teaches grade school and probably always will. Bob works for the city. And Jack's in lab research. And Peggy plays the organ at the Presbyterian Church. Betty runs a trailer park. Jan sells Tupperware. Randy's on an insane ward. Mary's on welfare. Charlie took a job at Ford. Joe took Freddie's wife. Charlotte took a millionaire. And Freddie took his life. Johnny's big in cattle. Ray is deep in debt. Where Mavis finally would up is anybody's guess. Linda married Sonny. Brenda married me. And the class of all of us are just part of history. Then the chorus, And the class of '57 had its dreams. We all thought we'd change the world with our great work and deeds. Or maybe we just thought the world would change to fit our needs. The class of '57 had its dreams. ~ I was only 11 in 1957 but I have often thought about those I spent so much time with during my school years. A good number have gone on to their reward, while others are dealing with life in their own way. Some have been successful in business while others have tended to just get by. Many have had to deal with adversity that yielded a good testimony of their faith and reliance on God. It's called life. Here's some advice from our Creator through the Apostle Paul, "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." (Ephesians, 5:15-16, New Living Translation)

This was the crew that showed up back in 2014 for our 50th high school reunion, the class of 1964. We graduated from a small rural school. I think we had 26 in our graduating class. Where were the other 20? Some actually still live in the area but chose not to come. Our family moved to that little town in 1954 after dad passed away. The folks in that picture were there when I got there. (3rd grade) I was the only one at the reunion sporting a long white beard. I was the only one there who had as an alter ego, the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. Margaret, Freda, Connie, yours truly, Larry and Roger. I think the last time I had seen any of these people was at our 25th reunion. Let me do the math. That would be 25 years. However, all but one of the people in the photo are active on Facebook so we haven't lost touch. I ran on the playground, climbed trees, and scuffled with those two boys. The first time I ever went on a date in a car I was with one of those girls. I wrecked the car and we had to call our parents to come to get us. It was a borrowed car and I had hit a tree. I was old enough to drive but not too old to get a whipping. I think that may have been the last whipping I got. Isn't it interesting how those 'most humiliating' events stick with you? My lip hit the steering wheel and it was swollen about twice its normal size. At school, I had to endure the taunting about what a powerful kiss that girl must have had, given the shape of my lips. We were probably first-year high school students. Kids, once they are sure you are not going to die, they let you have it. I'm sure that's still how it works today. I didn't feel comfortable writing about that but life is not always about being at ease. Needless to say, we didn't continue our dating. I'm sure her mom put my photo on the refrigerator with an X over my face. That's okay because I did finally come in contact with God's provision for me, and, she's still making cornbread from scratch. Yum Yum. Take care and may God bless. Amen. ....More later.

“Hello, Monday. May I ask you a question? Why are you always back so quickly? Don’t you have a hobby?” ~ copied

Good morning on this back-to-work Monday where we continue to enjoy this spell of hot weather. Today's edition clocks in on this June 11, 2018. I talk a lot to my eldest son. We talk a lot about political stuff. We know that God is ultimately in charge because He is Sovereign. At the same time, we realize that stuff happens in real time and for the most part, it's never that easy. Often when we are trying to make sense out of some of our President's actions, well, we end up saying it might be a part of a strategy but obviously if it is, understanding it is way over our pay grade. There are some things that our President does that just do not make sense to me. I voted for him. I still support his efforts to build up America. One quick example. On Memorial Day he tweeted out a recognition of the families of the fallen. Very nice. However, he went on to say that if those who died were alive today they would be so proud of all that he has accomplished. He then listed what he considers to be his major accomplishments. That didn't go over well with many of those who have lost loved ones in battle. It didn't feel right to me as well. I know the President believes the mainstream news media doesn't give him the credit he deserves for the good things that are happening. I get that. And, it is true and can be proven. At the same time, please don't piggyback your accomplishment spiel when paying tribute to our fallen. That's how I saw it. I know what some have said about the criticism he received. Those guys died to make our country free. The President is honoring them by doing what he can to keep us that way. I will grant that to be a position, but, I will continue to believe the recognition and honoring of our fallen should be handled in a sacred way. You can choose to see it the way you want to. You can. I give you my permission even though you didn't need it. Yes. Even to disagree with me.

In early December of 2014, I drove over to Louisiana to be at a banquet where dad was going to be recognized for his many years of service to that little town. He had served as an alderman and mayor pro tem for 25 years. Someone got the word out to some of the little kids that I was the real Santa Claus. One little guy, in particular, took that very seriously. He had obviously had some difficulties with his behavior and he was desperate to know where he stood in terms of the soon coming Christmas gifting season. He would leave and then come back. He started more than once to explain how he got into trouble doing this, that, or the other. I had never seen such a 'true believer'. It was all good fun, but, I tried to reassure him that if he would do his best to be good I thought everything would work out okay. I found out his mom was one of the administrators at city hall and I sent her a message with my photo telling her about how much fun he was. She said he couldn't even sleep when they got home. He was still bubbling over with excitement and even more questions. I've said all of that to say this. Time marches on. The other day our niece-in-law put up a photo of their daughter, (our great niece), with a young fellow sitting next to her. I recognized him right away. It was my little naughty or nice list friend. (The photo is from before, then fast forward to today.) But, he most likely is no longer worried about Santa Claus because as the song written by Willie Nelson puts it, "A'int it Funny How Time Slips Away."

We had a family gathering this past Saturday to celebrate Fathers Day. This was one week early but since our granddaughter, Brittany, and great-granddaughter Gabi are visiting from Fort Riley, Kansas, we decided to go ahead and get as many of the family together as we could. I know it's summertime, but, the wife decided to fix a family favorite for everyone to enjoy: Thanksgiving Day Dinner. I don't even want to try and describe how good the food was because everyone tends to think I brag too much. It was melt-in-your mouth delicious. All of it. However, I will say this about that. It was special and I am thankful she was willing to spend a day and one half getting everything ready. I remember how my mom, her mom, and our grandmothers beamed when everyone enjoyed the meals they prepared. There was a whole lot of beaming going on. She gets to do that on a regular basis. Just last week, I came home to find she had gotten hold of some freshly picked farm raised peas. She fried up some okra and made pork chops. Scratch cornbread. Sliced tomatoes. Pepper sauce. Glass of iced tea. It was so good I had to have seconds. I typically don't do that but the occasion more or less demanded it. I think I had a piece of cornbread in a cup of milk for dessert. That line-up may not mean much to the majority, but, to me, it will beat 5 stars every day of the week. And, in case you wondered, I am unanimous in my own opinion. Take care and enjoy the rest of your Monday and may God add His blessings as we do our best, with His help, to keep on keeping on. Amen. .....More later.