"It's not that we are so old, it's that we're way past our warranty." ~ copied

We made it to Friday, April 17, 2026, and, I am here at the ole keyboard clicking and clacking out today's episode. I do bid each one a hearty hello and warm welcome. While I was waiting for the wife of my youth to finish her appointment with the gastro doctor, a young couple with maybe three year old twin girls came up to check in and I heard the dad give his information including his birthday which he mentioned was the year 2000. Really? Yes, friends, I am aware there are people born since 2000, but, it kind of hit me in the gut because it reminded me that 1946 was, literally, a long time ago. The statistics show that well over 100 million babies have been born in the United States since 2000. Is it any wonder that we who are in our age group are the new minority. Duh! That's how it works, dummy. In my age group and older there are slightly less than 15 million remaining. That's one way of saying it. We are at this stage in life.... remaining. Back in the day, in a galaxy far far away, when I ran a large computing and networking organization consisting of over 150 people, I used to tell the managers that reported to me how I had no desire to burn out, but, I preferred burning up in my commitment to getting the job done. That was way back in the early 1990's, and, knowing what I know now, maybe I would have been a little more moderate in my exclamations. I did quite a lot of exclaiming back in those days, but, we live and we learn, and, one day we wake up as those 'remaining', therefore, I conclude that God still has a reason to keep me around, at least, for now. If for nothing else, I can continue my clicking and clacking. That fellow checking in gave me the opportunity to remind myself that I certainly have socks older than him. I do, or, at least I think I do, but, they may have found themselves victims of the clean sweep program instituted by you know who. But, I'm not going to mention any names, but, believe me, you do know what I mean, right Vern?

 

It has been a busy week for me. I've been in the chauffeur training program and it has been challenging, especially with my trainer giving me a boatload of instruction. I can now add this experience to my resume, not that I graduated but the experience itself has been very meaningful. All of those people out there on the highways and byways giving me so much attention, so much recognition, they were waving at me, honking their horns, and some were even jerking to get out of my way. What respect! And, they looked so passionate as they commended my driving. Okay. Maybe they were not quite that receptive and perhaps the lip reading I did was aimed at someone else. Give me a break. "Get off the road!" Surely, that wasn't for me. Or, was it? You do know I am mostly joking around about getting back out during rush hour, don't you? Mostly. We do thank God for His provision each day. His goodness to someone like me is nothing short of amazing. Yeah. I know. That's what they call it: Amazing Grace. I, for one, am thankful that His grace that was and continues to be daily extended to me. It is. It really is. What say you? I can say with some experience that the traffic on Sunday mornings heading north on I-45 is very light indeed. Therefore, come check out a gathering of people where God is honored and His Word is shared, at Mims Baptist, 1609 Porter Rd., Conroe, TX 77301. We have two worship/preaching services, one at 9 a.m., the other at 10:40 a.m. We also have life groups often called Bible study groups or Sunday school for all ages. Come check us out and I promise you will be in the presence of God, and, you, me, all of us need to experience His presence. Right? I thought you would agree. See you next week and may God bless us all. Amen.

"Drive like your life depends on it." ~ copied

Yeah. It's only gotten worse folks, it has, it really has. Now you know how I feel about it. You do. You really do. It is Thursday, April 16, 2026, and, since the wife is currently on hiatus from driving and since she is covering for staff from our local Church who are tracking the steps of the Apostle Paul in Greece where our pastor is preaching at each of Paul's stops, (Over 80 folks over there), well, that leaves me to be the designated driver which means I've been fighting, literally, the traffic from The Woodlands to Conroe via I-45, around 16 miles, to get her there before 8:30 a.m. and fetch her by 4:30 p.m., well, it's a battle royal if you ask me. You didn't? But, I told you anyway. This week thus far there has been two major accidents on my return back. Sure. I used to travel the highways and byways for 50 plus years but it was a zoo back then and now it has turned into a calamitous chaos. It has. It really has. Maybe it's because of my age? Could be, but, I will tell you I am getting sick and tired of waking up from a bad dream where orange cones are attacking me. I know. I could have given an exaggeration alert, but, believe me, it has been taxing. Speaking of that, have you ever looked at the many pages of your 1040 submission so many times, you just got sick and tired doing it, so, you hit the button and sent it in? (Mine is 19 pages this year.) I have some very recent experience doing just that. By the way, for the first time since the early days of our federal tax filings, we eked out a small refund this year. That's very scary. I talked to my tax advisor and he said many of the tax changes were put in to help older people. He can vouch for me. I am one of those. He happens to be our eldest son, Chris, and we typically talk everyday from the time he leaves his office in Pearland until he gets to his destination in Kingwood, around 45 minutes on average and since he told me what he did as my tax advisor, a position I appointed him to without his knowledge or permission, I decided that just maybe that less than $200 tax refund was okay, maybe, so I went with it. I've never undergone a tax audit but I've had a number of associates who have and based on their stories about it, well, I would just as soon not have one. You can quote me and my tax advisor on that one. Ha!

 

I will admit how me, at my age, can instill fear into those jockeying for position out on the roadway. Today is her last day for this week and she will be doing the same schedule next week, Monday through Thursday. Here's an oldie from way back but it gave me a chuckle, so I share it, again: ~ An elderly man is pulled over for going 100 mph in a new sports car. The cop says, "If you give me a reason I've never heard before, I'll let you go." The man replies, "Years ago, my wife ran away with a state trooper. I saw you chasing me and thought you were bringing her back." The cop lets him go. ~ And one more: ~ A neighbor sees a woman in her 90s drive her car through his hedge and into his front lawn. He rushes to help her, saying, "You seem too old to be driving!" "Well, I'll be 97 next month," she replies proudly, "And I'm now old enough that I don't even need a driver's license anymore." "How do you know?" he asks. "The last time I went to my doctor, I showed him my license, he took scissors, cut it into pieces, and said: 'You won't need this anymore!' So I thanked him and left!"~ I scare my passenger enough each time we venture out, so, I really don't need to impose on others. Now, that, my friend, is about as close to the truth as I can share for today. She obviously dreamed of being a driving instructor as a child..... and, I will leave it at that. I will. I really will. Be careful out there and look out for the calamitous chaos coming to a freeway near you, soon. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen.

“As you get older, three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.” ~ copied

Today is the day and it's getting where if we are going to get anything at all done, we better get with it, and, that starts with this brand new gift, the 'present', or in other words, today, Wednesday April 15, 2026. My brand new start for this brand new day begins with a growing realization. All those times, over all those years, especially back when I was much younger, well, me doing my impression of Tim Conway's impression of the 'old man', okay, here it comes, I can do the old man now but it is no longer an impression. Can you feel where I am coming from? Playing the role of clumsy and finding out you now are, well, that's a hard pill to swallow, but, it's even harder to swallow if it catapulted out of your hand to where no one knows where. Tim may have had to dream up his routines, I don't. You can Google why this clumsiness comes with older age, but, that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. I have one that I often find myself repeating. I call it the chasing lids game. I know how to unscrew the lid, on a bottle of water or a jar of apple jelly, but, I do not know how to control the lid as it goes flying through the air. I'm not the only one, so, don't be so smug about all of this. The other evening the wife of my youth who is roughly half a year younger than me, well, she's been training for our clumsy tour, and she accidentally launched one of her nighttime medications into the wild blue yonder. Not to worry. I told her I would find it for her, because, we do not want Lil Miss Biscuit locating them because she will ingest any and all things she finds. I brought the bright light, very gingerly got down on the floor, I did, I really did, and I began to do a search party approach for the lost item. I am laying on the floor, literally, wondering how I will get back up, but, that will have to wait, and I began to describe some of the candidates I was seeing. There's a bottle cap under the recliner, hers, I might add, and also an aging Cheeto, and an assortment of other items but not the pill we were looking for, which, she didn't even know which one it was since it jettisoned out when she put the rest of them in her mouth. She was very sad. Because we couldn't find the errant pill? Not really. She had that guilt trip from her upbringing how she must be a bad housekeeper. I thought about cheering her up by asking if she wanted me to show her what was under my recliner. Thankfully, and, I do mean that in the most reverent way possible, thankfully, she chose to forego that exercise. When I finally got hold of enough of whatever I could to get myself up off the floor we both had a great laugh. We did. We really did. And, that's the answer folks. Don't curse the darkness because of natural stuff that happens to you as a result of God's blessing you with a longer lifespan, thank Him and laugh about it. I do think I may have laughed a little more because it was her, but, more importantly, we both laughed.

Researchers tell us that it's true that many older people laugh more than their younger counterparts, at the same time, older people have more trouble understanding the jokes. Yikes. The old two edged sword, again. Life is like that. I recently heard someone telling about their dear friend who worked hard many years anticipating a life where she could finally enjoy all the things she had in mind to pursue. Travel here, there, and, travel everywhere. Sadly, she, in her retirement is now battling a very severe cancer and that battle is taking up most of her time. We never know, folks, we just never know. And, while it is true we don't know, we can know and trust the One who does know. We can. We really can. I do not want to be that person who goes through the last quarter of my life dealing with all the struggles that come with it, without having God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit with me each second of my time. I mentioned Brother Moses the other day and his relationship with God. (Check out the summary from Deuteronomy 34.) What a model for us to pursue folks. And, what an encouragement to see God's response to the life, the times, and even the death of His beloved servant. It starts with recognizing we are alienated from our Creator due to our sin. It doesn't matter how old you are. If you have never responded to God's provision of salvation through Jesus Christ, you may have a loving family to be with you, but, you will still be lacking the need we all have, God with us, yesterday, today, and forever. I say amen to that. Thinking about it, I haven't fallen out of my chair anytime recently, that is, that I can remember, therefore, I am thankful for that. I am. I really am. May God bless each one. Amen.

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” (1 John 3:23)

Hello and welcome to the place where we will be busy embracing the day the Lord has given to us, this one being Tuesday, April 14, 2026. I do thank those who take the time to peruse my stuff and especially to those who occasionally respond and mention how some little something I wrote about was a wee bit of help to them. That's gratifying to me because think about it, that's how God works. It's amazing how God will bring to my remembrance something said by our pastor or a teacher or someone giving a testimony, maybe a particular lyric from a song, someone on radio or television, or, even via social media, He will cause me to regurgitate what was said and camp out on it for a while. I know some of you know exactly what I am talking about. Typically, that partially buried thought comes up because it relates to something I happen to be dealing with at the time. Still with me? Buckle up because I'm just getting started. Not really. I thought I would put that in as a wee bit of comic relief. Our pastor likes to say when he gets all fired up how he's decided to just 'let-er rip tater chip!". You think his is better than mine? I don't mind that at all, I don't. I really don't. Getting back to the subject at hand or as you might see on a Sponge Bob episode, "A few moments later", God can use anything at anytime to get our attention and one of the ways He does that in my life is through my remembering of inputs from others. Inputs from others can be difficult at times. Sometimes they are things we need to know but maybe we are not too inclined to receive them, things that challenge us and encourage us to be more faithful in our walk with the Lord. Oh, I get it. We all remember stuff where folks were being mean or critical. Isn't it amazing how we can remember that kind of hurtful input even though it may have happened in our early days in school? Those inputs are powerful but even more powerful are the inputs that have the truth of God's word delivered with love. At any rate, those are insights into the things that make up the long running series I know most about, that is, 'the days of my life', not the other one that ran for like 100 years on TV. If you are with me, give me your best Amen. Okay. We will try that one again after you've had more time to practice. Ha!

 

You will not be surprised to know that often when I reread one of my blogs, I too end up scratching my head. Not because I'm puzzled but because I may have had a coincidental head itch. Just joking. Your first interpretation, whatever it was, was likely the best understanding. Still joking. Honestly, I can say this about my blogs. Even with all of the painful prose and grammatical glitches one can typically pick up on the underlying theme. Maybe. I do try to make sure that anyone who might uncover my blog buried in some computer vault 100's of years later will see that humanity's greatest need is that each individual would recognize their sinful condition and respond to God's provision of salvation through the finished work of Jesus the Christ. (Here are the verses often used to witness to those who are lost, called the Roman Road, as found in the Book of Romans, Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10, 5:1, and 8:1.) I will be the first to admit that I have not always made this truth the main focus of my life and I sure haven't made it the main focus of my communication with others. But, it is what I know to be the truth and I do hope my blogs encourage others to see it as the greatest need every person who breathes air on the planet has, period. Okay. Let me finish with a comment about the recent space adventures as we all followed those who were flung out into the regions beyond. First of all, God bless those on board who daily referenced and gave honor to their Creator God. I say Amen. 

 

I will leave you with what Little Miss Biscuit thought about it. She was pretty excited. She was. She really was. Ha! 

Matthew 6:20 New Living Translation NLT ~ "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal."

I feel blessed to be able to send out my blog today. Believe it or not, being able to sit down at the keyboard and put together these episodes, well, it encourages me to thank God for any and all abilities He has allowed me to have. That's the truth. It is. It really is. Today is Monday, April 13, 2026, and, we are still getting ready to get ready to finish up our 2025 tax return. Not to worry. Their most important provision is the one that allows payment via an online transaction. The return itself can follow. The money, do it now! I read how the projected federal income tax collections added to the payroll taxes collected will be well over $3 trillion. The watchdogs already project a nearly $2 trillion deficit for the federal budget for 2026, therefore, we can readily see that ongoing operations will decimate the collections and the overall deficit will continue to balloon. We are nearly $40 trillion in the hole, the federal debt, which means we would need 40 Elon Musk trillionaires to donate all their monies in order to pay this off, however, if and when they do, it will only escalate again because that, my friend, is how we as a nation roll these days. It is. It really is. Let me further qualify my comments: Elon is not a trillionaire yet but is getting closer each day and having 39 more is quite unexpected, and, having all of them donate their fortunes to reduce the US debt, it was just a crazy thought. Okay? Don't get out there on social media and tell people I said this is how it could be fixed. It was a made up illustration, but, it does point out the burden we are passing down to those generations that come behind us. Be sure these deficits will one day bite us. They will. They really will. The best thing we can do for future generations is hand down a legacy of the truth so they can know Jesus as their Savior and have heaven as they final destination. That's the place Jesus said you can store up real treasures that will never fade or decay. (Matthew Chapter 6) What kind of treasures? My thought is it will be the works done expressly for the honor and glory of God. We will surely find out when we get there. Hope to see you too. Amen.

 

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I believe I have met the test of that first paragraph qualifying for a Discombobulated Award. I confess it could be that it's that way because it came from the noggin of a discombobulated thinker. I can't remember when I first learned the word discombobulated but I feel sure I didn't pick it up from some of the good ole boys I used to run with, that is, before I met you know who. That being the Preacher's daughter and he was pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. When I traded my time with those ole friends for this brand new friend, well, they couldn't help themselves. They called me all kinds of names and used to say I was not going to get anywhere by going out to that No Hope Church. They were wrong in so many ways. They were. They really were. I actually came to know Jesus as my Savior at that little no hope Church, in January of 1964. My wife's dad became a very close friend to me. I used to tell him that I owed him much because he was preaching the night I was saved, he gave me his daughter, and, he gave me his wisdom and his friendship. Her mom too. She was reluctant having heard I was a wild fast driver. I pretty much gave that up too. As they used to say back home, "You had it bad, boy, you had it bad!" And, I did. I've said all of that to say this: God has been so much better to me than I have been to Him. He has. He really has. I do thank Him for the people He brought into my life and I give Him the praise for working the way He did, is doing, and will do, to the very end. That end chapter is much closer for me than it has ever been. No. It's not morbid, it's a statement of the reality of being in the fourth quarter and getting close to the two minute warning. If you can't parse that example, ask someone who knows about football and they will explain it to you. Y'all have a good day and a good week and remember to remember to thank God for His blessings. Amen. 

Jean Baptiste Colbert (17th Century): "The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing".

Hello y'all and that includes you too. I bid you greetings from the home of the brave and the land of the free, on this day, Friday, April 10, 2025. I say land of the free even though the land the house is on sits on property that has been paid off for years, yet, it is still taxed, therefore, do I actually own it or not? I report you decide. Several years ago I sent my property taxes in but it took five days for the check to arrive from our bank. It was a day or two late, but, I received a notice that I was delinquent in paying my taxes and if it was not promptly paid it could result in my property being taken by the county. I don't have that form letter in front of me but that is the gist of what it said. Hello? No late notice per se, just, a threat to take over your property if the funds were not received. Yikes. Okay. I've written too much about that subject over the years because it is one that seems to garner a lot of attention when the state governing authorities are in session, but, other than a temporary adjustment here and there, there never seems to be the will to fix the property tax system. Why? How many guesses do I get? Just one. Okay. It's the money, period. Okay, enough already. Today is Friday. Next Wednesday is the filing deadline for our federal taxes. I could come up with a lot of excuses as to why we have not prepared ours yet, but, it really doesn't matter because we do need to 'git er done'. It will take us several hours working together to account for the stuff we have to report. Our Santa Enterprise requires a lot of documentation and other activities to identify all the associated expenses. We do have a software program that we have used for years. How long? When we started, the package was less than $50. This year I paid $175 for the updated version. I could find a cheaper alternative but I know this one well and it does automatically do a lot of stuff that is directly applicable to our situation. Plus, to change it would require me to no longer maintain my procrastination status. You do know what I mean. Right?

Okay. Based on the title on today's edition, I suppose I exceeded my hissing quota, but, I feel good we can still share our thoughts. Never get the idea I am against paying my taxes because doing so is a God ordained duty, (Bible, Romans 13:1): "For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing". It's the abuse of taxpayer funds that we all abhor. In 1774, Alexander Hamilton put it this way, "the fruits of his daily toil are consumed in oppressive taxes, that serve to gratify the ambition, avarice, and lusts of his superiors". I couldn't have said it better myself. Take for instance the recent revelations about widespread fraud in programs paid for by me and you, to the tune of $billions with many $billions yet to be discovered. This means dollars that flowed out from Federal funding never got to the impoverished, the malnourished children, and many other such needs that were never met. Meanwhile, these fraud recipients lived in luxury and because of our woke judicial system, some of them have already been adjudicated a slap on the wrist for their wrongdoing. Don't get me started on how our judiciary nationwide has been corrupted due to liberal ideology that dominates. But, you didn't tune in today to hear me whine. I admit I am pretty good at doing it. It probably comes from practice. It does. It really does. I am thankful that God knows all about it all and He will take care of it in His own good time. He will. He really will. You can, I can, we all can count on that. Amen, and Amen.

"I am determined to seek self-sufficiency in energy as an urgent national priority. My goal is to make America independent of foreign energy sources by 1985." ~ Gerald R. Ford

Good morning and welcome. Running a little late this morning. The wife of my youth was at the urgent care for several hours last night with some esophageal issues, but, we came home and she seems to be doing better as we embrace this brand new today, it being Thursday, April 9, 2026. I feel like I should be a wee bit less wordy in today's visit. It is a goal not a promise and I have good evidence to prove I actually talk the way I write. Many years ago when I was teaching a Bible study each week I would write my thoughts about the lesson, with some illustrations, and, generally, how the text had spoken to my heart. One day a lady told me how much she appreciated getting those handouts because later when she read them, she could hear me talking. Wow! So, now you know. I am as prone to wordiness in my speech as I am in my writing. I don't think I get points for consistency but as I so often remind us all, and I know you tire from reading it, but, it really is what it is. I think we all have questions about the current status of the Iran situation. I mention this one fully realizing there are many who have much more to worry about since their experience during this conflict has resulted in either the death of a loved one or life altering injuries sustained. I am a retiree and I am blessed to have adequate funds coming in to meet our needs. The gasoline price is one that is puzzling to me. We, the United States, has been reported by the Administration to be totally self-sufficient in terms of the production of energy. Yet, our nation's gas prices are up at least 50% since the start of the Iran conflict. Yes. I have heard about it being an issue of distribution, but, that still seems to fly in the face of how we are supposedly self-sufficient. I know this from direct experience every time I fill up the truck. My Paw Paw Mac would perhaps have put it this way: "Self-sufficient my foot!" And, it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a petroleum engineer to know that when diesel sky rockets everything goes up in price since it all has to be trucked and delivered. Like I say, the economic strain is small compared to the cost of those dealing with loss of life, but, it is where the rubber meets the road for so many in our nation. Many are unable to adjust their spending to afford these price hikes because their income is so limited. I pray it will all soon be settled and things will return to some semblance of normal affordability. That's my say, what say you?

 

Thinking about how God has provided throughout my life, during good times, when it looked like there was no way forward, and, when sorrow gripped my heart, He was there all the time and He knew all about it, and, while I did not always respond as I should have, He was still the answer. When you get my age you do have a proclivity to look back and think about significant times when God intervened. Oh. Sorry. You are one who doesn't believe God intervenes in people's lives? That thinking is very foreign to His revealed love and caring for His own. Just thinking about the times when He helped me not to go in the direction I thought I was going to go. At the time I was disappointed but now, looking back, I can see where many of those situations would have been disasters for myself and my family. Life at its best is a mess folks and I just want to say this about it, I would not want to live without Him in my life. Believe me, I have failed Him so many times it makes me sick just to think about it, however, even when the consequences have been a hard and bitter pill to swallow, His love has been unwavering. I can't grasp why He loved me in the first place and it's even harder to understand His love for me as His child weebles and wobbles along. But He did and He does. And, I love Him as best I know how. I do. I really do. Now you know the summation of my story. He loves me. This I know. For the Bible tells me so. Amen.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, "If the Holy Spirit does not renew the heart of the hearer, we cannot do it... we might as well speak in the ear of a corpse".

Hello Wednesday readers, I welcome you to today's edition, not so much hot off the presses, but, more like weary from traveling electronically all over the world, even doing so on today, April 8, 2026.  I do not mention the 'world' without meaning. My insignificantly small blog started back in the summer of 2007, well, it's closing in on 1 million views and over half of those come from outside the United States. I know, and I agree that many of those landed on my blog looking for something else. I've told this story many times, and, I've written about it more than once in previous blogs, but, I think it shows how God is as it work even when we aren't thinking about it. A number of years ago, the fellowship of believers we were a member of was in the midst of a series of services promoted as Revival Services. I say that because calling something revival and seeing revival is quite different. You knew that already. Right? Anyway, one evening during this series of meetings, the fiery evangelist was doing his job of sharing the Gospel message. There were some boys sitting in the very back chatting up some of the teen-aged girls, daughters of some of our members. We happened to be close to the back and we could see them carrying on. They were not paying much attention to the preacher. However, and, for this story, that's a biggie However, they obviously heard enough because when the invitation to come forward for counseling about giving your heart and life to Christ, wowie-zowie, just like that, these would be suitors became crying kids running to the front to give themselves to the Lord. They did. They really did. I may be nearly 80 years old but I can say this about that, it takes a powerful influence to totally change a young man's purpose especially when it comes to girls, and that powerful influence was this: The truth was shared and the Spirit of God moved in these boys' hearts. We saw it. It was like the wonderful 2005 song by the Southern Gospel group the Booth Brothers where that one line in their song says this, "Ask the blind man, he saw it all." I often see a particular acronym slang written by a lot of folks on social media. Okay. I am a slow learner but I did find out what it means, therefore, here it is and I will leave you to figure how it relates to that song line: IYKYK. Got it? Good! And, Amen.

 

I said all of that to say this: Perhaps someone in that over 1/2 million views outside the US read some of my mangled prose, heard the Gospel, and gave their heart and life to Christ. I pray that to be the case because when it is all said and done, that really is all that matters for both time and eternity. I spoke about the Book of Job yesterday. Most scholars agree that Job is an ancient text most likely preceding the patriarch Abraham.  I've read Job, start to finish, several times. I've also taught through it, verse by verse, more than once. In some ways I understand how people tend to be hesitant to wade through this lengthy book. And, we, especially in the American culture, we do want happy happy to be the story line. Don't go to Job's experiences preserved for our learning to see happy happy in every verse. The truth of this life in this fallen world is not a tip toe through the tulips, but, rather, it can be one of dealing with lots of difficult and seemingly incomprehensible challenges. That's what happened in Job's life. God in his Sovereignty allowed this testing in the life of His beloved child, Job. Those three friends were not so friendly to Job as they peppered him with sanctimonious and false piety. The thing God knew but perhaps Job didn't was how resilient Job's faith would be in its foundational strength. Yeah. Job said some pretty accusatory things to God Himself, but, God knew Job better than Job knew Job. A younger fellow shows up to call them all to account, the three unfriendly friends, and Job too. He was beside himself in hearing Almighty God's standing being questioned and defamed. In the end, God by the way knows the end from the beginning, but, in the end Job shows his true heart when he prayed for these sore friends. God then restored Job and he stands as an example of God's purpose in the human family whose number includes us all, yep, me, and you, that purpose is, as Jesus put it, "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'" (Matthew 22:37-39, from the King James KJV version of the Scriptures.) There's much to be learned from Job's experiences as preserved in this great inspired text. I commend us all to study it and see what God will say to each of us, individually. That's how He speaks. He does. He really does. Amen.

 

Footnote on the Book of Job: One of the amazing things I've noticed in my time spent in Job has to do with God's revelation of Himself even in those ancient times. All those in that text knew much about God and His working. Sure, the so-called friends were wrong about a lot of what they thought, but, I am knocked down at the knowledge of God and how He chose to reveal Himself to the people of that time. Fast forward to today. We have His Word, the Holy Spirit, and God's heart in His not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. (2nd Peter 3:9) Simply amazing!

“Old age is always 15 years older than I am.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

Hello and greetings from my tiny piece of real estate to yours, wherever you happen to be. Today, it is Tuesday, April 7, 2026. We continue the testing regimen ordered up by the neurologist trying to come up with a reason for the medical event the wife experienced back on March 13. Last Friday she underwent the magnetic resonance imaging, MRI on her brain and yesterday she did the electroencephalogram, EEG, the test that measures the electrical impulses in the brain. She completed the heart monitor test last month and now only has the sleep study to complete the current round of testing. The neurologist will give us his conclusions in a few days. We would love to discover what caused her momentary loss of conscious reality while at the same time we understand they might not discover anything. She's pretty concerned about it since the authorities want her cleared to drive again. We well understand why, but, she is known for her going. Boots may be for walking or at least that's what the song reported a few years ago, (Nancy Sinatra), but, in the case of the wife of my youth, she is a goer as in passing go, collecting the money, and, pass go again, again, and again. You can make the sound of a car engine being gunned to get the full picture here. Bottom line, she likes to go. She gets all tied in knots of frustration just thinking about the potential for losing her keys. This is one of the main reasons we hope to get some clarity from the testing and have the doctor sign off on a clearance for her to keep up her busy traveling here, there, and everywhere.

 

We had a wonderful celebration this past Resurrection Day Sunday with so many folks showing up at our local assembly's meeting place. It was great to see our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, their families who came to be with them, along with new people who came out of respect for our Savior. Our pastor, Brother Doctor Jerry Chaddick, brought a tremendous sermon. His text was perhaps a surprise to some, but, it was a good one. He preached the truth of the Resurrection from the Book of Job, the text agreed by most scholars to be, after the creation account, the oldest in our Bibles. We have here an ancient inspired text about a believer in Almighty God undergoing all manners of difficulties, tragedies, and personal challenges. Buffeted here and there by the waves of distress, our believing Job gave testimony to where his faith was grounded, from Chapter 19, Verses 25-27, "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!" (New Living Translation)  That, my friend, will preach, and that he did! He preached. God moved. And, we witnessed lives transformed by the truth becoming real in the lives of men, women, boys, and girls. I don't know how many folks were there, but, like every annual Resurrection Day Sunday, it was more than what we typically have in our services. I just know that some of those who gave their hearts to Jesus were most likely there as an infrequent guest, but, they are no longer a stranger to the family, the family of God. Can you say? Hallelujah, praise the Lord? He alone deserves the honor and glory. Amen.

"Southern manner of talking is characterized by polite, descriptive, and often humorous idioms, frequently utilizing metaphors related to food, animals, or heat ." ~ copied

Welcome to our podcast today. It's actually a blog to be specific, but, everyone is doing a podcast, therefore, I used that designation on this Monday, April 6, 2026. And, I do talk to myself when I am doing my blog, that means I am broadcasting my thoughts that end up on the electronic page. See? I just might be a podcaster after all. I could add that to my resume but at this late date it actually doesn't end up adding anything of value since it wouldn't, in all practicality, amount to a hill of beans. You don't get that saying? Well, bless your heart! Please don't get yourself so worked up you end up pitching a hissy fit. And, don't give me that sophisticated look with your nose so far up in the air you might just drown in a rainstorm. Being smug about it all? I see you over there grinnin like a possum eatin a sweet potato. As it relates to anything meaningful, well, seeing your input reminds me of how the porch light might be on but it's pretty clear there's no one at home. As for your response upsetting me, well, I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night. If you persist, we might just have to have us a come to Jesus meeting. I can tell you are madder than a wet hen, but, the way I see it, the things you represent, well, that dog, honey-chile, will not hunt. Some people don't really care for the lingo I use because it did originate in the deep South, but, it's how us down home folks converse. And, lest you think I'm stuck on myself so much that I think the sun comes up just to hear me crow, well, that would be wrong, wrong, wrong. I wrote all of this just to help everyone to learn how to talk to one another because when we do that in peace and harmony, well, we will enjoy it as much as a pig all laid up in a big old mud pile. (Just having a little fun with Southern slang, so don't take it seriously. Okay? Good.)

 

Yesterday, we recognized the birthday of our very first grandchild, our Tiffany. She and her family live over in San Antonio, therefore, we do not get to see her as often as we would like, but, she is ever so special to her MiMi and Poppy. It's hard to believe she celebrated her 38th and her daughter, our very first great grandchild, Madelyn Joy, she turned 16 this past January. Oh my! Our pastor will soon welcome his first, a grandson and he likes to talk about how he will be doing payback for the craziness of grandparents going on and on about their grandkids and showing him so many photos. Well, he will have to do double time to match how I responded when our Tiffany was born. My office located on the 22nd Floor of the Pennzoil Building in downtown Houston was papered over with photos of my brand new granddaughter. 

 

That's our Tiff sitting outside, all dressed up for Resurrection Day services, in the Azaleas, located downstairs almost directly under where I am sitting as I write today's edition. Memories!

I won't bore you with all the responses people had, but, needless to say they thought I had pretty much lost it. Growing up, she spent a lot of her time with us doing sleep overs and when she got older, running around with and shopping with her MiMi. That's the stuff memories are made of folks, it is, it really is. We thank God for our Tiffany and her wonderful family and we commend them into His hands, praying that He would lead, guide, and direct, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Theologians generally explain that God had His Son die to satisfy divine justice while demonstrating supreme love, providing a substitutionary sacrifice for human sin to offer eternal life. Jesus' death is seen as the necessary, voluntary payment to bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity.

Hello and welcome to the day widely described as Good Friday, this one happens to fall on April 3, 2026. It certainly was good for those who have been redeemed by all that happened on the Day Jesus died on The Cross. We do know, only because God revealed it to us, that, all this happened because of the sovereign plan of God, "And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made." (Revelation 13:8 from the New Living Translation.) That slain from the foundation of the world is beyond my comprehension. It is, however, within my apprehension, but, only by faith. The how, the why, the plan, those, my friend, are within God's purview, and, I, for one, am so glad that in simple terms we can rejoice in knowing this truth from the old song, "Whosoever meaneth me" and another song that gives this nugget, "When He said whosoever, He included me." Now, I can get hold of that but understand it all, well, I can't really get there. I know theologians have waxed eloquent in their ideas about it and have used up a lot of forest timber writing their thoughts on the subject. When it comes down to it, Jesus said He paid the sin debt we all owed, (It is finished, John 19:30), and I believe that, (whosoever believeth, John 3:16), well, it's like the children in their witness to us all, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so." Therefore, today we can't help but remember the price that was paid on our behalf. That should produce a response of thankfulness, praise, worship, and, adoration to our Great God. Amen.

 

I am well aware that on this upcoming Resurrection Day Sunday many folks will crowd into the meeting places where folks gather to recognize The Savior. For some it will be one of the few times they come. That's okay. It only takes one time for God to get hold of anyone and when He does they will never be the same again. I look forward to seeing a lot of new faces when we gather at Mims Baptist in Conroe, Texas. Our choir will be singing, our pastor will be proclaiming God's Word, and, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will be working as we honor them in word and deed. We have two services this upcoming Sunday, April 5, one at 9:15 a.m. and the second at 10:45 a.m. Lord willing, the wife and I will be up in the choir loft where she will be singing the right notes and I will, hopefully, be making a joyful noise to the Lord. Y'all come now, you hear? Amen.

"Any fool can use a computer. Many do." ~ Ted Nelson, born 1937, American pioneer of information technology, philosopher of computer science, and sociologist.

Just like that, we wake up and find out we have landed on this: Thursday, April 2, 2026. It's time for me to do a wee bit of confessing. I know that got your interest. I remember one time I said to a class I was teaching that I had many things in my past that I was not proud of and did not feel inclined to share them. One lady in the class said, "Go ahead, please share them!" As for today's confession, it has to do with yesterday's blog. I had me some problems that qualified for a huge amount of frustration. The Blogger utility was being rather unkind to me and for some reason it didn't save some of the information I had laboriously researched and keyed in. I have no idea if smoke was coming out of my ears, but, I was not a happy camper. But, I did remember most of what I had said and I did retype a lot of the information and for the most part, I was able to right the ship, so to speak. Technical issues. In a past life I actually ran a huge computer, telecommunications, and networking organization and we did, from time to time, experience technical issues. We had excellent people but they became very wary of my questions that centered on what I considered to be the most relevant: WHY? Fixing the problems was at times easier to do than to explain why they had occurred. It was good they were fixed and I listened to how wonderful it was to have smart people who could respond and get things going again. Yes. That's always good. But, from my perspective, it was much better not to have had the problem to begin with. And, to help that be the case in the future, well, the why question is critical to avoiding the next issue. As to the why question for my issues in yesterday's effort, well, since there is no one else around to ask, I concluded the problem must have occurred due to the mistake made by yours truly, me, myself, and I. I'm still annoyed that it took almost twice as long to get that one blog put together, but, all's well that keeps me stirring about why it didn't save my work, why? why? why? And, as you can tell I tend to just put things behind me and move forward. Why? why? why?

 

No. I did not take any drama lessons, however, I did do some acting while I was in high school. School plays. I still have the script from my last play and it is somewhere in this office. Somewhere. I've also been privileged to do some Church plays and musicals over the years. I particularly remember one where I played an older Scribe who was pondering and searching the accounts about this Baby born and placed in a manger. His life, his miracles, could He be the long awaited Messiah? That was one I will not soon forget. I do remember in the closing music where the old Scribe is considering all of these accounts concerning the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth. He looks out and proclaims, "Who are you?" The music was very moving and I well remember as I delivered those lines I became emotional. I did. I really did. I'm sure many in the audience thought I had been well coached, but, that, my friend, was not it, at all. It was simply thinking about how amazing it is that you, me, and any and all who seek to know Him, well, He will not hide from honest seekers. He won't. He really won't. I am happy to be able to share the truth about Him. Our pastor says this about our approach as a local called out assembly, "We desire to reach everyone Jesus died for." Talk about being inclusive! I do hope you know Him. The wife and I used to sing this simple chorus, "Do you know my Jesus? Do you know my friend?, Have you heard He loves you, And that He will abide till the end?" Think some about that and seek Him now. Now. Y'all be careful out there, you hear? And always thank God for how He loved us so much He sent His one and only Son to die in our place. He did. He really did. Amen.

Proverbs 17:22 as rendered in the Amplified Bible: ~ "A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, But a broken spirit dries up the bones."

Well, here, we go again. We spin the wheel and where it stops no one knows, or, in this case we do, it landed on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. I'm not big on sharing top tens but here's one that kept the person who posted them bent over with laughter, how, it is beyond me since I could barely cough up a chuckle. Here are the supposed funniest of all time April Fool Jokes: ~ 1.) Which day is the worst to propose on? April Fools’ Day. 2.) Why are babies born on March 31 the easiest to prank on April Fools’ Day? They were literally born yesterday. 3.) It's April Fools' Day. Trust no one and nothing. Just like any other day. 4.) What is the luckiest card in a deck for April Fools' Day? The Joker. 5.) Why was everyone so tired on April 1? Because they just finished a long 31-day March. 6.) What’s the biggest difference between Thanksgiving and April Fools’ Day? On one you’re thankful, and on the other you’re prankful. 7.) I played an April Fools' Day joke on my parkour team this morning. They all fell for it. 8.) A and C were going to prank their friend…but they just letter B. 9.) My local library put out an "invisible books" display for April Fools' Day, but I saw right through it. 10.) What do you call a realistic prankster? A practical joker. ~ I have no idea where these originated but my take is they should try again, again, and again. I looked up the origin of April Fools Day and found out it was quite ancient, from the 1500's. I suppose that means it should have reached the little isolated rural village where I was raised, Hornbeck, Louisiana. I am running searches in my noggin to try and get some hits on my early experiences with April Fools. I get plenty of hits on pranks but not necessarily associated with that day, and, also lots of Valentines hits, but, as they say, those are stories for another day. Those were little jokes to go along with the day and you can laugh like the person who was all bent over laughing over those top ten, or, you can hold on to it until April 14, when the International Moment of Laughter Day is recognized. As for me, growing up, if it wasn't particularly emphasized in the Farmers Almanac, it probably didn't exist. You do know what I mean, right Vern?

 

Speaking of laughter, here's an interesting text where we find some LOL going on, from Genesis Chapter 17,  15)God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16)I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.' 17)Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, 'Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?' 18)And Abraham said to God, 'O that Ishmael might live in your sight!' 19)God said, 'No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20)As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21)But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.' 22)And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham." We continue the story from Genesis Chapter 21, 1)"The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2)Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3)Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4)And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5)Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6)Now Sarah said, 'God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.' 7)And she said, 'Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.' 8)The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned." Like I said, there was a whole lot of laughing going on. Joy unspeakable and full of glory! That's an amazing account and one that we all should be so thankful for, why? Another good question. Go to Matthew Chapter 1 and read about the genealogy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the child God brought forth from Abraham and Sarah. He is. He really is! Chew on that one during your day and remember to remember to thank God for His plan and provision. Amen.

“Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you’re willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” — Lou Holtz, (1937-2026), Legendary Football Coach, and TV Sports Personality

While we do love the Coca Cola portrayal of Santa, when it comes time to get ready to get ready for a gaggle, skein, or flock of little ones, well, this Santa needs a smidgen more, therefore, The Monster Rules!

Good morning on this last day of the month, yep, that's right, today is Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Okay. I will admit it. Time does seem to be going faster as I get closer to the four score target. There is research that has tried to answer why this happens to older people. Here's an excerpt from Psychology Today, "Time seems to accelerate with age primarily because the brain processes fewer novel experiences, creates fewer lasting memories for routine days, and processes information more slowly. As a smaller fraction of a person's life, a year feels shorter, leading to the perception that time passes faster." I suppose, having been blessed to live as long as I have, there are many been there and done that occurrences, therefore, according to their theory I'm perceiving that time has sped up. Well, well, now that we have covered that little ditty, maybe I can share something that will encourage us all. You are waiting? Yeah. Me too. Here are the people in the Bible who lived the longest:  Methuselah: 969 years; Jared: 962 years; Noah: 950 years; Adam: 930 years; Seth: 912 years; Kenan: 910 years; Enos: 905 years; Mahalalel: 895 years; Lamech: 777 years; Enoch: 365 years (Enoch is noted for not dying but being taken by God). These fellows hung around a long time and Enoch walked with God and then he was snatched away into his eternal abode. (Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5) I am very happy to report to all those who read my blog and are born again and are now believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, for me and for you, if we die we will be absent from the body but present with the Lord. Wow! (2nd Corinthians 5:8) But, wait a minute, what if I am still alive when Jesus returns? Great question. The Apostle Paul made it crystal clear: "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words." (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 from the New International Version NIV.) Bingo! Paul said to encourage one another. How? With these words or promises. You can count on them if you are a believer. Not a believer? If not, why not? Get it settled. Today!

 

There are many theories about why people in the earliest years of the Old Testament lived for so many years. Some think it had to do with how sin slowly impacted the gene pool. We do know sin is the major factor in bringing death. Others think it had to do with God's sovereign love in limiting the amount of evil one person could do in there lifespan. There are a myriad of other ideas dealing with creation itself, environmental factors, and on and on it goes. When I talked about encouragement, we, those saved by grace, are to be cheerleaders in reminding each other of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That comes from God Himself as breathed out via Holy Spirit inspiration in the book we call The Bible. (2nd Timothy 3:16) I say that to make clear the source of true encouragement. I can give you my assurances but I just might not be able to keep them, but, God's Word is something we can count on. Today and forever. Feeling encouraged now? Me too! Amen.

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 15, Verses 1-4: "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'" (English Standard Version, ESV)

Welcome one and all. I'm not sure you've landed on what you were looking for, but, like the mall map says, 'You Are Here'. Today is Monday, March 30, 2026, and, we are set to make the best of it we can with God's help, of course, always. Amen. I am well aware that I may apply the bold on words more than I should, but, it's part of how I communicate, you know, for emphasis sake. I told the wife before I climbed the stairs that I really don't have anything in mind for today's blog. While that's not altogether unprecedented, it does present it's own set of challenges. When in doubt, go for it anyway. Yesterday, I was privileged to teach from the Old Testament passage as recorded in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 20. This records the somewhat well known account where the servant of the Lord, Moses, along with his brother Aaron, failed to honor God as shown in their striking of the rock twice instead of speaking to it. As a result, Aaron was told he would soon die which meant he would not be traveling with the nation into the promised land. His death occurred soon after. Moses was also denied the opportunity to continue his leadership in bringing the people into the land they had so long sought. Why such a seemingly harsh response from God? According to the passage, they failed to believe what God had told them and they failed to demonstrate in their obedience His Holiness. In one of my favorite accounts, the death of Moses is recorded in Deuteronomy Chapter 34. At age 80 Moses started his journey for the Lord at the burning bush encounter and he was told to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. (Exodus 3) In the recounting of the death of Moses, me, perhaps just me, I get a feeling that I too am standing on holy ground. 

 

After showing Moses the land he would not go into, we find this summation of the life and times of this remarkable man, "So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over. Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses. There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel." (Deuteronomy 34, Verses 5-12 as rendered in the New Living Translation.) What a life! I always feel humbled when I consider this man that God chose to use in accomplishing His purpose. The good news? God is still working today and He is still using men, women, boys and girls to work His will and way. He is. He really is. This means He can use me and He can also use you! Amen.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Not to worry, this is not an enactment of the tune, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", but, rather it is entitled the "Kissing Clauses" because that's what it is! The Real Santa and his bride!

Friday is here. So quickly. That's part of the age thing I suspect, but, I welcome one and all to today's visit, on this March 27, 2026. The title quote struck me as something we all should think about. There are times, perhaps way too many times, when we underestimate the resources that are ours as a child of God. We think about our limitations as we compare ourselves to others, We don't have the talent they have. We don't have the financial resources they have. If. If only we had the knowledge, the capability, and, the opportunity. When we dwell so much on what we don't have we end up sitting out the opportunities given to us to accomplish things that bring honor and glory to God. I think we greatly misunderstand all the Apostle Paul covered when, via Holy Spirit inspiration, he wrote this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13) Now that verse is thrown here and there to represent all kinds of stuff and to me it often is misapplied and misused. It has nothing to do with name it and claim it and other foolish representations. It has everything to do with God's enabling for any and all things related to this life and our testimony for Him. How do we know that? Good question. Here's exactly what Paul wrote to the called out assembly, Church, in Philippi, Greece, (from the English Standard Bible, ESV), Philippians 4:10-13 ~"I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Here's my take: Wherever we are and whatever situation we are in, there is a sufficiency that comes from our Savior so that we can accomplish His will. Doing well, great, use it to honor God. In the ditch, He is still with you and you can honor Him in how you work through the challenges you face. That, to me, is the riches we have in Christ. We can't, but, He can and He wants to work through us in every situation. (Those who use that 'all things' verse to promote some kind of happy-go-lucky life have not read all that happened to the Apostle Paul, they need to read 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 11) I think I'm done. Okay. You Bible theologians are invited to dissect my simple assessment and be sure to use a lot of non-biblical words to explain why I am wrong. Ha!

 

Okay. Be thankful. I am not asking for any offerings today. Just send one dollar to cover the weight of the postal money order. As a teenager, I heard that piece of comedic material on an old record, (vinyl at 33-1/3 RPM), performed by a fellow named Dave Gardner. I know. You are thinking we must have been hurting for entertainment in those days, and, you would likely be right. The comedian actually enjoyed mocking radio preachers who were always selling stuff like an 8x10 glossy of themselves, or an anointed prayer cloth, and other such products. You might find that kind of humor offensive. Sorry. I thought it was funny back then and to tell the truth, not much has changed. I reheard one recently that was on TBN back in the Paul Crouch days. They were doing their big money raising program and a guest fellow was trying to whip up the giving. That guy said he wanted to correct everyone's understanding of the widow's mite.  He said the verse indicates she gave out of her want. "You see, she gave because she wanted something. She was trying to get it by giving." Since the want in that verse actually means she gave out of her dire poverty, his handling of that passage, well, I give it to you in the Greek language, it's absolute garbage! Okay. I'm not altogether certain how I got on that one, but, if you didn't like it, do what any of us can do, skip it, skip it, like Barney, "Skip it in the bud!" And, sadly, the people there in that studio crowd all shouted and clapped for his explanation. I can tell by the clock on the wall it's time to say farewell for now, and, I do wish each and everyone to have a blessed time until we meet again. May God add His blessings. Amen.

The Apostle Paul inspired to write these words, in the letter, 2nd Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 8, as rendered in the Amplified Bible, "we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord."

Thanks to ChatGPT that helped me to stand with my beloved mother-in-law, Mary Emma Stephenson Rawles, (1917-1998)

Yesterday's story was a challenge because, believe it or not, I wrote and re-wrote it several times. It happens that way sometimes. It's not exactly like a box of chocolates, but, there are days when my stuff just seems not to pass muster, and, I am certain some of you have no idea what that means. Right? ("Pass muster" means to meet a required standard, pass inspection, or be deemed acceptable, often used in negative contexts (e.g., "doesn't pass muster"). Originating in the 16th century from military inspections, it means to undergo review without censure. It is commonly confused with "cut the mustard" or mistakenly written as "pass mustard".) Sorry to put a pain in your brain so early on this Thursday, March 26, 2026. This is the day that many in our family remember because it's the anniversary of the birthday of the wife of my youth's mom. Mom Rawles was a remarkable woman. She never signed up to become a pastor's wife but she became one and was, in her own way, one of the most Godly people I've had the privilege to know and love. She was a behind the scenes person. She loved the Lord. She loved her family. She loved listening to Bluegrass Gospel and Southern Gospel music, she was a published poet and her poems were about everyday life, the struggles, pain, the gains and losses, and, how God had been there all the time. She was a sewing genius and her hands with a needle and thread were faster than anyone's I ever observed. We have many of her quilts that are special memories in and of themselves. She loved variety and if you ever sat at her table she would layout all kinds of different items to choose from. That was something new to me because I grew up sitting down to a main dish surrounded by a few supporting dishes. Mom Rawles would have a dozen items to choose from, and, they were good. She was perhaps one of the most faithful prayer warriors I've ever known, spending many hours at night interceding on behalf of her family and others. I'll never forget the last conversation I had with her. She was in the hospital and they did not expect her to make it, but, she had rebounded a little, this is what she said to me, "Do you think it would be okay for me to hang around a little bit longer?" I told her it would be fantastic. She passed on into the Lord's Presence a few days later. She did. She really did. (2 Corinthians 5:8) She was not perfect, but, she was one amazing lady, and, I know my life was not only touched but enriched by knowing her. I do have one longstanding issue with her. I never, and, I mean never, could use any mother-in-low jokes because they just wouldn't work. They didn't fit this remarkable lady. May God bless the memory of her life and may her testimony continue to encourage and impact others. Amen.

 

Yes. I did try to let her know how much I appreciated her while she was here. I also know that my name was on her frequently called out prayer list. For that, I am grateful. God is Sovereign and at the same time He has designed prayer into our day by day living before Him. Well, why don't you explain how it works, brother? Sorry. That is not only above my pay grade it is in the category of 'known only to God'. There are some examples however that instruct us how prayer works within the Sovereign will of God. Take King Hezekiah for instance. He was one of the most faithful kings in Israel's history. Isaiah was sent to tell the ailing king that he should get his house in order because his days were numbered. All of this is recorded in Isaiah Chapter 38, and, in 2nd Kings Chapter 20, and 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 32. Here's the part I want to focus in on. Isaiah left the king's deathbed and Hezekiah, having received this prophetic utterance responded in this manner as recorded in Isaiah Chapter 38, Verses 2-5: "Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 'Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 'Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.'" I've always been amazed by this account and that detail, "I have seen your tears", my bolding. This is the truth folks: God saw his tears, and, He sees yours, and, He sees mine. Now, truth is Hezekiah didn't utilize those added fifteen years in the best way possible, but, as they always say, that, my friend is a story for another time. Go. Read about it yourself. Check me out. Let me know if I've not got it right. Okay? Y'all be encouraged that our Sovereign God sees the very essence of our journey and He is right there with us, every step of the way. Amen.