"If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it". ~ Ronald Reagan

Well hello there and welcome to today's visit. I hope you and yours are well on this Friday, February 6, 2026. The photo was taken using the desktop camera and that would be yours truly with my little sidekick, the famous, one and only, Lil Miss Biscuit. I zoomed in to cover up the messy office I work in. I'm still waiting on the cleaners to come in. I think they were here, maybe in 2022. Probably on strike or something. You know. Good help is hard to find these days. Here's what my Artificial Intelligence friend has to say about a messy office: "A messy office often signals a, overloaded, or creative mind, but is frequently perceived by others as a sign of low conscientiousness, disorganization, or laziness. While sometimes indicating a person is deeply focused on high-priority projects, it can also lead to increased stress, decreased productivity, and negative professional impressions." The wife of my youth would likely cast her vote for the lazy component, however, I tend to think perhaps the creative mind is a better fit. And, if I could find proof of it in all the papers I have laying here and there, I would share that proof with you. You do know that I'm just kidding. Not about my messy office. That's the truth. I am concerned about it. I actually talk about it quite often, especially how much it needs to be straightened up, however, thus far, it remains a future work endeavor. Typically, I will enlist some assistance as we prepare to prepare to do our tax return. Another project to look forward to. Ugh. We will get very serious about it, I think maybe in early April. We always pay in, so why get in a hurry? Right, Vern? I can identify with this quote from the late great radio and TV host, Arthur Godfrey, "I’m proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money." 

I really can't complain about the taxes I pay. I feel privileged to live in the country God placed me in. I feel blessed, and, yes, I do enjoy the freedoms we have in this land of the free and home of the brave. At the same time, it is part of the psyche of the tax paying public to joke about and make noise about paying taxes. I am not a fan of the state exercising ownership over my home and property after it was paid off many years ago. The people we elect here in the state of Texas all promise to do something about property taxes, however, not much is done. This is where the state gets the money to operate and while there are other methods of collecting, special interests, and, all kinds of political shenanigans always keep any permanent solutions from being enacted. I know. That's a particularly sore spot with me. Maybe it's just an old people deal. Back when taxes were a part of the mortgage payout, well, it didn't bother me as much. Now, as a card carrying senior citizen I get to see how it works, up close and personal. But, there are other fish to fry as they say, and, I'm sure my ongoing issue with property taxation is one that will continue well after I attain that desired status, "absent from the body, present with the Lord." (2nd Corinthians 5:8) And, yes, I am well aware of the Apostle Paul's inspired admonition regarding government taxation: Romans 13:6-7 NIV ~ "This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." I stand corrected. As always, God has the final say. Amen? Yes. Amen.

"Have an eye to God in every word you sing." – John Wesley

Good morning. I am going to steer away from political stuff today. The wife did say she thought yesterday's blog was a wee bit strong. It was not my intention to offend anyone because we all need to seek God's help in coming to our individual opinion about matters that impact our lives and the lives of our families. We cannot escape the fact that our governmental authorities do impact our lives. Oh well, as is so often said, "It is what it is." How in the world are you doing on this fine day, Thursday, February 5, 2026? It's a good day to pause, look up, and give God thanks for how He provides. He does deserve it whether we give it to Him or not. Many years ago I was in choir practice and a young lady raised her hand. She asked the music leader to give his insight into the meaning of the song we were working on. She said while it had a catchy tune, she didn't find it to be biblical or praiseworthy. Yikes! She was talking about the lyrics or words. The director responded with a bunch of explanations based on metaphors and possibilities, but, he did admit the song was very unclear in terms of communicating biblical truth. That was an act of bravery on the part of that young lady but it did point out how important it is that our worship be very much grounded in biblical truth. Period. This is why I particularly like Bible passages set to music. I prefer them. I do. I really do. I'm not saying a testimonial song is wrong, but, if we want to get as close to true worship as we can, then I believe the Bible to be the runaway best source. If any of the lyrics fall short of reflecting truth supported by God's revelation of Himself, in the Book He has given to us, I think it should be considered suspect. At the same time, I mark myself as an old fuddy-duddy when it comes to matters like this. I hear the voices. But, Brother Al, if we don't sing modern songs with modern lyrics we will not reach the next generation. Really? I guess that means if we present the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, God is in someway limited. Sorry. I'm not buying that. Not one iota. God always works when His truth is proclaimed. In teaching, preaching, singing, or in personal devotion. He does. He really does. That's the way I see it. Now you know.

 

When I worked in the corporate world and for a number of years I had the privilege of being an entry level executive, many of the folks in that world functioned based on what I will call workplace games. If I played games I didn't know that I did. Some in that world thought I was an excellent game player. In other words, if you let your yes be yes and your no be no, someone will think there's something more to it. I will confess how this, from my vantage point, was quite humorous. Me, not playing any games but being thought of as a master at playing games. Ha! It reminds me of that Peter Sellers movie, 'Being There', where he played a simple minded gardener whose only education had come from watching TV. He was thrust into the world of high level geopolitical players and his one liners where interpreted as being profound. They thought him to be a genius when he was barely able to function. That's how I viewed the way I was viewed. I was actually given a book about workplace political game playing and the Sr. Executive who gave it to me said, "I am giving this to you, not because you need it, because you could have written it." Don't you find that hilarious? You might not but I would betcha my Paw Paw Mac who gave me many of my common sense sayings, he would laugh out loud. Maybe. He didn't do that very often. Okay. My point? Do right. Keep doing right. Even if your effort is misunderstood, keep doing right. Maybe you will be awarded a master game player trophy. Maybe not. Honor God, let Him take care of the results. Amen.

"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." —Thomas Jefferson

Made it to another day. This one, the one we are currently dealing with, self identifies as Wednesday, February 4, 2026. I do bid each one a hearty hello and a prayer that God will guide us all. Amen. I would vote for President Trump again given the alternatives from the woke progressive socialist party opposite. At the same time I do get a wee bit weary over all the put downs and other negative stuff that seems to pour out of his mouth. Yep. I would still vote for him again. I am against seeing our nation continue its drift towards socialism defined as an economic and political system based on public or collective ownership of the means of production, aiming for a more egalitarian distribution of wealth and resources. It prioritizes cooperation over competition, often involving government management of key industries to ensure that society's needs are met, rather than focusing on private profit. While that may sound good to some it reflects the destruction of what makes America, America, including the loss of things like liberty, individualism, and democracy, often characterized by a shared American spirit, purpose, and cultural traits. I would vote for any candidate that stands for the values we hold near and dear to our heart. While those in the party opposite fawn over the newly elected mayor of New York City who is very close to being an out and out communist, I will continue to stand for liberty, fully knowing we have many flaws and blemishes that are always in need of repair. Yes. I will vote for the candidate that reflects what I believe has made this nation, under God, the great nation she is. You can decide for yourself. I don't begrudge those who choose to support their vision on the left, but, I did vote for and I would vote again for President Donald J. Trump. I may not like his bully persona and his brash condemnations, but, he does still represent a glimmer of what I believe the American Dream represents. That's my take. What say you?

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 from the Amplified Bible: "When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person". 

 

I do know there are dangers in expressing one's opinion on political matters. Social media has a history of seeing those with opinions being castigated and often rejected due to their expressed thoughts. I find it interesting that those who make up the celebrity world who claim to support the freedom of expression from any and all quarters, well, they turn out to be lock step promoters of their conclusion and all others are not only to be excluded but they are to be run out of town, so to speak. So much for freedom of thought and expression. And, on the right, well, for some it operates pretty much the same way. You can be on our team as long as you toe the line on any and every idea we embrace. Sorry. I don't buy either of those extremes. America is about freedom. Yes. Freedom to disagree. Freedom to complain. Freedom to make my case for what I believe. Here again, I voted for President Trump and I would vote for him again, and again. Why? I cannot even conceive of seeing our nation go against what was fought and won in the American Revolution. I end today's blog by saying this: God has blessed our nation. He continues to bless our nation. But, there may soon come a day when He withholds His blessings because of His righteous judgment on our disobedience and rebellion against Him. I pray that we, as a nation, will turn to Him, today. Amen.

History of the idiom 'going to the dogs': The saying go to the dogs has been around for a very long time. It seems to have started in the sixteenth century from the idea that useless or spoiled things, like food, should be thrown to the dogs rather than be eaten by people. Rotten or ruined things are suited only to go to the dogs; a person who ruins or destroys his life, therefore, goes to the dogs as well.

Today is Tuesday, February 3, 2026, and, I thought it might be good to allow my associate editor to say a few words today.  

Hello. This is Lil Miss Biscuit coming to you live and in person from the lap of the blogger in chief here at the ole blogger ranch. All I can tell you is how I do my best to watch over and reign him in, but, as you can see, he does have a mind of his own. I also want everyone to know that while I came along after their beloved Sir Bentley, they have loved me the same way they loved him. I hear them talk about how I was chosen from the litter and the people who birthed me gave some bogus information about my pedigree, however, the folks here made the decision whether I was purebred or mutt, they loved me anyway. You might not know this about these folks. They watch a lot of Korean, Japanese, French, and other foreign dramas. They can read the subtitles but all I hear is the gibberish from these different languages. I'm just glad they still remember what the word treat means. You do know what I mean? Right? I do play games with them. When I run out of food or water I rattle my metal bowl and it does make a racket. I do love to see them jump into action to refill my bowls. Many people say I am lucky to have them as my caretakers. Ha! I play fetch with them. I lick on them to show my affection. I sleep on their laps. I cuddle. Now. Tell me who is lucky. I report. You decide. Thanks for keeping up with us and yep, I was worried too when the blogger in chief was ailing. I knew something was wrong. It hurt my heart. It did. It really did. But, I've done my part in nursing him back to health or a facsimile thereof. If you happen to bump into them, you might mention how much I like those really expensive treats. The ones our 87 year old neighbor gives me. I think they have duck and sweet potatoes in them and they are so-o-o-o good! Until next time, y'all take care.

 

Okay. There you have my version of what it means to go to the dogs. Only in this case it's the opposite of the traditional meaning. Turning it over to Lil Miss Biscuit reminds me of the blessing she has been and continues to be in my life. The Bible tells us that every good gift comes from God, therefore, I thank God for all He provides, including this little heat source and heartbeat laying on my lap. May God add His blessings. Amen.

Matthew 28: 19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ~ English Standard Version

Good morning and welcome to today's edition. It is a brand new month and today finds us at Monday, February 2, 2025. I read where the groundhog has spoken and there will be six more weeks of winter. David in the Bible said he was glad when they said let us go to the House of the Lord, (Psalm 122). I say this about that: Me too!!! We did get to show up for our Life Group yesterday and it gave me the opportunity to thank our folks for their concern and prayers during the health scare, if that is what it was, I experienced recently. While in our study we received a text saying our great grand Gabriella was being baptized at her local assembly about 30 minutes away. So, we jumped up, left the class in progress and drove over to witness this life milestone event. We walked into the meeting room and there she was, in the water already. She was bearing witness on the outside of what had already taken place on the inside, her having put her faith and trust in Jesus. Believer's baptism is how we define it. Having been saved she then, in obedience to the Lord's command, gave testimony in demonstrating the death, burial, and resurrection as depicted in baptism, and, in doing so, she gave evidence of her new life in Christ. She is eight years old and we pray for her and for all of our children, grandchildren, and great grands, that each one will come to the knowledge of the truth, respond to the Gospel, and be saved. Why? Because there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, therefore, we want all of our family to go to heaven. That's our heart's desire. We were blessed to be at her baptism. The pastor there brought a tremendous sermon on what it means to fulfill the life God has given to us by reaching out to others and seeing them come to know Christ. We then had lunch with our son Chris, her Paw Paw, and the family. It was a great day and I am looking forward to more of the same as we seek to influence our offspring with the most important truth in this life, and, that being how God loved them and sent His Son to save them. Amen.

 

I read that some people actually eat groundhogs as wild game along with woodchucks. You know, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood? That's my recollection of that little ditty and it may not be correct. At any rate, others recommend not eating groundhogs because they might carry disease or parasites. We grew up eating wild game in rural Louisiana. It was mostly squirrels and deer and maybe a wild hog or two. We didn't think much about it. Granny Mac would prepare it and we would sit down to the table and it eat what was put before us. She could cook. We would go out and kill a few squirrels, clean them, and, she would go to work. She knew how to take the gaminess out of the meat she cooked. She would smother fry the squirrels and make a gravy and serve them with mashed potatoes and homemade bread. Talk about good! Fast forward to the past forty plus years and I can tell you I haven't killed any wild game and the only game I've eaten has been a little sausage given to me, made up of pork and deer meat, and, that would have been very little. When we moved to the Houston area, our diet changed too. My point? Punxsutawney Phil, the prediction groundhog, might want to be aware that if he makes a bad guess, well, he might just end up in the frying pan. And, the neighborhood we live in is overrun with squirrels. They seem to be everywhere. People actually wreck their vehicles avoiding them on the roadways. They do. They really do. Sadly, me too! Y'all take care and have a wonderful day. With God's blessings. Amen. 

"Music always sounds better on Friday." ~ Lou Brutus, American radio personality, program director, voice-over talent, musician, and photographer.

Welcome, one and all, near and far, as we embrace the day the Lord has given to us, this one happens to be Friday, January 30, 2026. I have written much on the subject of the TGIF concept built into the psyche of most workers in America. For me, Friday was for the most part, nothing more than the day before Saturday because most of my time in the workplace did not reflect the highly vaunted 5 day work week. But, to each his or her own, and, while I don't completely get the huge sigh of relief that comes with Friday, I am well aware how embedded it is. Therefore, to get along I want to share this as a way of looking at the life God has provided to each of us. Thank God for every day He gives because He does have a plan and purpose for those who are His own. His plan for you and me is a 24x7 walk and it extends to each and every day we draw breath here on the planet. Lecture? Absolutely not. I'm just setting the standard high because while I can easily miss the mark at anytime and on any day, it does help to be reminded that God is not bound by the clock on the wall and He is always there to get us back on the track that honors Him and is best for each of us as individuals. I hear you. Some out there likely know just how badly I've missed living out God's plan. You are 100% accurate in your recollection. However, I'm now in the mode of handing down what I have learned and what I continue to learn. Therefore, it pays to live within the plan and purpose of the One who knows you best and loves you the most. He proved that by sending His one and only Son to die for us. Okay. That's my Friday expose with the admonition to do better than I did, it will be worth it. Too late for me to wallow in the what if, but, I can encourage others to do what Micah, the Prophet of God advised, "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God, (Micah 6:8)

 

If you have any questions, let me know. If you have any complaints, consider keeping them to yourself or feel free to take it up with my editor. She stays close by to watch over my blog inputting process. Not always. She tends to nap a lot, just like she's doing in that photo. But, she typically is good company and she does not often interfere with the flow of thought I pursue. I know she enjoys the blogging process. How? Right now she is as out and limp as a rumpled up dish towel. She must have found her happy place. C. J. Frick, writer about dogs, has a popular book entitled, 'Be the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are'. My guess is that would be a tall order for me. Not a bad goal but no doubt it would behoove us all to be the person God wants us to be and the one He is willing to help us to be. Until next time, I bid you farewell and Godspeed from myself and Lil Miss Biscuit. May God add His blessings. Amen.

Still working on developing my skill in producing gobbledygook, but, with sincerity.

Yeah. Thursday, January 29, 2026, and, guess what? We have another one of those brief freezing episodes being predicted for this upcoming weekend. Some of us older ones even remember when we would get winter from October through at least February. Of course, that was before Al Gore showed up and now we suffer a few days of low temps and think we've been sentenced to deep freeze purgatory. I told someone how us boys used to wake up on a single digit morning over in central Louisiana, when we lived with Granny and Paw Paw Mac, it was an unheated room and our feet would literally stick, (freeze), to the linoleum rug. In fact, that rug, I lie not, taught us some interesting exclamatory lingo, whenever we would, in the cold, catch our toe under one of the rough edges. Yikes! I have often said it was a Mayberry like existence, but, that doesn't mean it was happy happy every minute of every day. I hope everyone who reads my blogs know a lot of what I write about is 'tongue in cheek'. Let me tell you, even at my worst during this most recent health situation, I knew in my heart of hearts how so many are so much worse off, even little ones. At the same time I will be the first to admit that I do attempt to wring some out of my own experiences, hopefully, doing so in a way that my readers can laugh with me. And, cry with me if that is called for. Somewhere in all of the sharing I do hope to provide some encouragement to lean on the Lord, seek Him and His help, stay faithful, and, support one another. We are, like it is often said, in this thing called life, together. 

 

I suppose most in my reading audience are aware how the primary election to choose party candidates will be here in Texas in early March. How do we know it's a coming attraction? Social media is already in meltdown. Our mail box has applied for additional brace supports just to handle the daily influx of slick mailers. We do intend to vote, but, for the most part we will do our best to vote for those who best reflect the values we hold dear. That actually requires getting past the social media stuff and the mailers. There are, typically, a number of research entities one can check to look at a potential candidate resumes and backgrounds. How they have voted in the past. What they now stand for. Oh yeah, there's my texts. They are blowing up my texts. It seems they all want to promote themselves based on the person who has endorsed them. That doesn't always work with me. After all, I have often used that famous ditty from the past, "a pox on all your houses." (I'll let you look up the original from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Act 3, Scene 1), but, I will tell you it has come to mean this: In modern discourse to express disgust with all parties in a political or social conflict." I can live with disgust. What say you? Y'all take care now, you hear? And, may God add His blessings. Amen.