Abraham Lincoln said this about an opponent who was a lawyer, “He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.”

Good morning and welcome. It’s a beautiful day here in the ole blogger neighborhood, although it’s still dark outside the window of my upstairs office on this Tuesday, October 13, 2026. I’m here to wrangle a few words and herd them onto the electronic page. Maybe I should add that I just might mangle a few along the way as I put together today’s edition.

 

Is it any wonder that a word like “run” reportedly has the most definitions in the English language—645 different meanings, depending on usage? I honestly wouldn’t know where to run to find all of those. Some estimates put the total number of English words at around one million, with just over 170,000 in current use. Furthermore, the average English speaker is said to know between 25,000 and 35,000 words, yet typically uses fewer than 1,000 each day.

 

While people may debate the greatest use of the English language, many consider John 3:16 the greatest Bible verse: “For God so loved the world, He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (My rendering.) As for the greatest sentence ever written, one of the leading choices is William Shakespeare’s famous line from Hamlet, written around 1600: “To be, or not to be: that is the question.”

 

Those who enjoy playing with words can come up with some fun results:

 

~ All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life.

~ I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

~ I don’t trust the stairs; they’re always up to something.

~ What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear.

~ If it is “it,” it is “it”; if it is “it is it,” it is.

 

There’s much more. But you knew that already. Right? Meanwhile, back at the old blogger ranch, I’ll keep on wrangling and mangling.

 

Most of the people I know say they will be very happy when the upcoming election cycle is over. Me too! As for me and my house, we will be voting, but election fatigue has set in. Text messages, TV spots, Facebook posts, radio pleas, and a mailbox full of flyers—every day and twice on Sunday!

 

We consider ourselves to be values voters, but to tell the truth, finding candidates who reflect those values can be difficult. Choosing the lesser of two evils is an ancient concept, but it has become prominent when considering candidates for office. I read a statement from a preacher in Tennessee who said he was voting for the lesser of two evils and praying that God would use those elected, as He so often used imperfect rulers in the Old Testament.

 

God used Pharaoh not only to bring about His people’s freedom but also to display His mighty power. (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17) God also called Nebuchadnezzar His servant and used him to execute judgment on His people. (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6; 43:10)

 

Since we believe God is sovereign, we will do our best to choose wisely and leave the ultimate outcomes in His hands. That’s my take. What say you? May God bless each one, and may God bless our country. Amen.

Matthew 6: 28-29, Jesus speaking, "And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Good morning, blog readers near and far. It’s Monday, October 12, 2026, and this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) Since the wife has been recovering from her surgery back in August, I have been the designated plant-watering technician. Don’t report me to the authorities, but I have actually been talking to our plants. I have. I really have. It takes around 45 minutes to water all the plants the wife has placed in and around our yard/home. One plant in particular amazes me with how much it proliferates. I’m talking about the periwinkle. These plants seem to grow anywhere, poking out of nooks and crannies in the most unusual places. Here’s some information I found about common periwinkle:

 

~ Common periwinkle—also called vinca, myrtle, ground myrtle, creeping myrtle, and “flower of death”—is an evergreen, trailing ground cover. According to a paper from a native woodlands project, it is native to Europe and has become invasive throughout much of the United States. In European folklore, it was known as the “flower of death” because its vines were woven into headbands worn by deceased children or criminals on their way to execution. The paper suggests that the name may also fit its behavior in North America, where the extensive mats it forms on forest floors can crowd out native wildflowers and other plants. ~ 

 

I can certainly testify to our plants’ determination to spread all over the yard, but I wasn’t aware of the potential harm described in that paper. We know God created plants on the third day, and, as today’s title suggests, plants also appear in examples given by our Savior. The recommendation in the paper is not to let common periwinkle run amok. Even so, I think our flowers are quite remarkable. That’s coming from someone who knows pretty much nothing about horticulture, but I do recognize the effort they put forth. I do. I really do. And I tell them so. What say you?

 

(The wife read this and contends that the periwinkles we have are not the troublesome kind described in the paper. So there you have it—a word from our resident expert.)

 

We have several Christmas projects underway. I am impressed by the number of hours we have dedicated to preparing for the spectacular Church Christmas program coming up in early December. Here on the home front, we are making plans for our Santa and Mrs. Claus appearances and thinking about how we will take photos here in our home. We have purchased a backdrop and are considering setting aside one room just for Santa-related photos. If it involves decorating of any kind, the wife is 100% on board. We have over a half-century’s worth of accumulated Christmas decorations; however, she always seems to be looking at new stuff. She already has an overflowing she-shed, but no matter how much is stored there, it’s never enough. You do know what I mean. Right, Vern?

 

Y’all have yourselves a blessed day, and remember to thank God for it. Amen.                                                           

1st John 3:2 from the Amplified Bible: "Beloved, we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory]."

I started my day thinking about how heaven feels closer to me than ever. Duh! Yeah. As a believer, every day you live here on this planet puts you one day closer to going home. Sorry. But it seems that we older folks often have that faraway look in our eyes as we contemplate the day when we will see our Lord and Savior face to face. What wonderful thoughts for this Friday, October 9, 2026. Yet, we spend our time here doing this, that, and the other as the days keep passing. The thing that occupies my heart and mind these days is doing my best, with God’s help and provision, to make the time I have left count—for time and eternity. This past Wednesday evening, our choir practiced an arrangement of the Dottie Rambo classic, “We Shall Behold Him.” I looked up the song’s history:

~ Dottie Rambo wrote the classic gospel song “We Shall Behold Him” after a dramatic sunset inspired her to imagine the second coming of Jesus Christ. She was driving to pick up a friend on the way to a revival service when she noticed an unusually vivid sunset with cloud formations she had never seen before. Looking at the rolling clouds, she imagined the sky opening up and Christ returning in glory. Overcome with emotion, she asked her friend to drive. In about seven minutes, she composed the lyrics and melody in her mind before writing them down. She shared the song with arranger David Clydesdale while sitting at a spinet piano. He finished the orchestration in two hours, and musicians were playing it the next day. The song reached a massive audience when Christian singer Sandi Patty recorded it for her 1981 album, Love Overflowing. At the 1982 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, it won Song of the Year, cementing Rambo’s legacy as one of gospel music’s top songwriters. ~

Dottie went on to her reward in 2008, leaving behind more than 2,500 songs. Most are familiar with Sandi Patty’s version of “We Shall Behold Him,” but I also enjoy hearing Dottie sing it. Look it up on YouTube. Meanwhile, what a thought—and what a truth! Amen and Amen.

 

 

 

One of the most agonizing situations for our Lil Miss Biscuit is watching us get ready to go somewhere. Let’s face it: She is smart enough to know that when we change clothes, we’ll be leaving soon. She typically goes into her moping mode, climbs into her little bed, and flattens out with that mournful stare. I’m not sure whether she has the abandonment concerns I’ve read about, but she is always so glad to see us when we return. She typically flips out! I took that photo the other day while we were getting dressed for Church. It captures her feelings perfectly. I’ve mentioned before that while she may enjoy some Gaither or other worship music, hours of it probably become a bit tormenting. If only she could comprehend how fortunate she is to be spoiled the way we spoil her! Her life is nothing like that of the dogs we had when I was a kid. They stayed outside, fending for themselves regardless of the weather. They ate table scraps, and how much they got depended on what was left. They weren’t really pets. They were there to bark and let us know when someone came onto the property. I’ll admit it: I do think about our Lil Miss Biscuit when she is home alone. I do. I really do. And I’m always ready to get back home as soon as I can. That’s how I roll. What say you? Y’all have a great rest of today, Saturday, and Lord’s Day Sunday. Lord willing, I’ll catch back up come next Monday. Lord willing. Amen.

“Every happy memory created in childhood is a treasure of time.” — Anonymous

Happy Thursday, October 8, 2026! As kids, we used to read in the comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, “Time’s a-wastin’!” Those were the days when we got the Sunday newspaper, and the comics were in color. Yay! But on Sundays, we weren’t allowed to read them until we returned home from church services. The sin nature was in full bloom in us kids back then, just as it still is today! We were allowed to watch the Gospel Singing Jubilee on Sunday mornings. But as soon as Mom went into the bathroom, we would switch the channel to professional wrestling. We did. We really did just that. Watching that ugly Russian beat up our American wrestler got us fired up, and I can tell you with great certainty that it wasn’t the Holy Spirit firing us up! I’m sure most of my readers never sneaked around doing things like that. Right? Think about it. I was sitting there watching that wrestling match while painting my shoes with liquid shoe polish. No wonder a little polish got slung here and there—all because of that dirty Russian! Then, at Sunday school, the teacher just happened to hit us right between the eyes with this: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1) We may have fooled our mom, but as Granny Mac used to tell me, “You might fool me, son, but you can never, ever fool God.” Amen. I get it. But believe me, I still hate how that Ivan the Terrible guy always cheated on our American wrestlers. Ha! (I read that he wasn't even Russian; it was all just to fool stupid kids like us.)

 

Speaking of memories, I’ve often written about one of my all-time favorite pastimes: eating! I was always known as my mom’s good eater, Granny Mac’s good eater—everyone’s good eater. How can I argue with that?  These days, though, my appetite no longer qualifies me for that title. Between long-term diabetes medications and age, well, some of the things I dearly loved don’t taste as good anymore. I speak the truth. No one I know has been more blessed with good cooks than I have. No one. My Granny Mac, my mom, my mother-in-law, and my dear wife—all of them, without exception, could flat-out cut the mustard when it came to producing memorable meals. I hear what some of you are thinking: I don’t appear to be malnourished. That, my friend, is a correct assessment! But I still miss those days when I enjoyed such great cooking with such a hearty appetite. The meals are still there. My wife can put a home-cooked meal on the table that makes me salivate just thinking about it. At 80, the meals are still great, even if, for me, it’s not quite like it used to be. And that’s okay. If that’s my worst problem, I consider myself blessed. To quote my doctor once again, “Mr. Abbott, you’ve had a good long run.” Can you say Amen? I most certainly can! Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me. Amen.

"For every little kid who still believes in Santa Claus, there is at least one adult who still believes in professional wrestling." ~ Doug Larson, 1926-2017, American newspaper columnist and editor celebrated for his witty, pithy, and insightful one-liners.

Being Santa allows me to hang out with some pretty interesting characters.

 

Hello and welcome to my blog, where keystrokes go to die. Ha! This visit is sponsored by today, Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Thanks so much for tuning in. While waiting for my wife to finish her eye appointment, I looked up some online questionnaires designed to check for early signs of dementia. At 80 years young, subjects like this do cross your mind now and then. They do. They really do. I completed several of the questionnaires, and generally speaking, I seem to be in reasonably good shape for the shape I’m in. Joking. Might as well. The results suggested the possibility of some very slight decline—but just that: very slight. I’ll take that and try to remember it while I’m looking for my keys. Ha! It’s like the fellow who said he had a photographic memory but had recently discovered he had no film. Or this one: “My memory is not what it used to be. … Oh, by the way, my memory is not what it used to be.” I once bought a book on ways to improve my memory; I just can’t locate it right now. Add my memory issues to my tendency to procrastinate, and you get—well, I’ll tell you about it later. I also heard about a fellow who took some classes in memory retention. He now reports that he forgets to be forgetful. Hey! Laughing about the foibles that come with age is so much better than fretting over them. I feel blessed from above to be able to write about these things. Don’t get me wrong. Dementia and similar health conditions present serious challenges for many people and their families. Those situations are nothing to laugh about. Here, I’m poking fun at me, myself, and I. I do hope everyone takes it that way. I do. I really do.

 

The wife and I enjoy teasing each other back and forth. I do admit that I enjoy teasing her more than I enjoy her teasing me. I mention that in the interest of full disclosure. I enjoy the parody posts from the online satire website The Babylon Bee. I showed the wife the photo above, and we both had a good laugh. It’s always a treat when we can laugh together. I decided to conduct a little test of my own, so I worked up a new version and shared it with her.

 

Still funny, but it didn’t get quite as big a laugh as the original. The good news is that we both still laughed. She then told me people would be able to tell I had put my face on it. Really? Thank you so much for sharing that insight. Ha! Thank God for our time together. He has been better to us than we have been to Him. Amen..

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Jesus speaking, Matthew 11:28)

Hello, blog readers everywhere, and don't feel too bad if you accidentally landed on mine. Today is Tuesday, October 6, 2026, and you may find that it wasn't a mishap at all. I do try to emphasize life's greatest need for every man, woman, boy, and girl. That is, to come into right fellowship with Creator God through the finished work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross on our behalf. If that causes you to move quickly away, I ask you to seriously consider finishing what I have written for today. Here's a brief overview of where everyone stands, everyone without exception:

 

The gospel is the good news that God saves sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
 

1. God's Design
 

• God made everything: God created the world and all people to know, love, and honor Him.

• We belong to God: We were designed to live for His glory and walk in close friendship with Him.
 

2. Our Problem (Sin)
 

• We turned away: Every person has sinned, meaning we have chosen our own way instead of God's way (Romans 3:23).

• The cost of sin: Sin breaks our relationship with God and separates us from Him, leading to spiritual death and punishment. We cannot fix this brokenness on our own.
 

3. God's Solution (Jesus Christ)
 

• Jesus died for us: Because God loves us, He sent His Son Jesus to earth. Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross in our place, taking the punishment we deserve (1 Corinthians 15:3).

• Jesus rose again: He was buried, and God raised Him back to life on the third day, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:4).
 

4. Our Response (Faith)
 

• A free gift: Forgiveness and eternal life cannot be earned; they are a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8–9).

• Receive the gift: You receive this gift by turning away from sin and trusting in Jesus alone as your Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

 

If you have any questions, leave me a comment, and I will do my best to respond wherever you might be.

 

I see the weather folks are being a wee bit giddy over these 'fall-like' conditions. Really? Don't get me wrong, I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I do know that mid-eighties or cooler than mid-nineties. I am not a global warming denier since I am well aware of the abuse our humanity could impose on our ecosystems. At the same time, I am not a global warming alarmist because I trust God to keep His promises, including those He made concerning our created world. This is what God said to Noah after the waters of the Great Flood had dissipated: "As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night." (Genesis 8:22, from the New Living Translation) Does this mean we should trash the earth through all types of pollution? As the Apostle Paul would say, "God forbid." We actually should respect the world God has put us in. We should. We really should. Notice that verse from Genesis added a caveat: 'as long as the earth remains'. That tells us there will be an end to the current status, since we are also promised a new heaven and a new earth as a certain coming attraction. (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 21) Again, there's little doubt what an unbelieving world can do in its pursuit of evil outcomes. Even so, I choose to trust in God and His Word. He will take care of it all in His own good time. He will. He really will. Amen.

“Your firstborn baby may hold your hand for only a little while, but it will hold your heart for the rest of your life” – Anonymous

Good morning, and welcome to our time together on this Monday, October 5, 2026. This is a very special day in our family because, on this date in 1965, our first child, our son Chris, was born. It was truly a case of children having children, but God gave us a wonderful son, and we have been blessed throughout the years. I’m not sure where he got it, but he was always a quick study—intelligent and mechanically inclined. He began working on appliances and other household items at a very early age. Today, he holds a responsible managerial position with his company. He has been married for 40 years and has three daughters and seven grandchildren. All of his accomplishments are worth noting. However, we are most thankful for his walk with God, his many years of teaching God’s Word, and his servant’s heart as a man of God. That counts. For time and eternity. Happy Birthday, Son, and may God continue to bless you. Amen.

I am no longer an avid sports follower. Believe me, I once was. These days, I read the headlines but rarely watch the games. The Astros were one and done. The Texans are pathetic. I’m not sure about the Rockets. However, I do enjoy reading the back-and-forth between our eldest son and our youngest son, Rodney, as they watch the games and text their commentary to each other. I’m included in their group text, so I get to follow along. At one time, I was also an avid NASCAR fan and followed Jeff Gordon throughout most of his career. I still check the race results and standings from time to time. I also check the college football scores and the standings but rarely watch any of the games. We also keep up with Caitlin Clark, the WNBA superstar. Sadly, through no fault of her own, she has become the focus of considerable division. She is a white player in a league dominated by Black athletes, and she brought a huge new fan base to the sport. Yet discussions about her popularity have become entangled with arguments about race, including references to white supremacy. I’m not making that up. That phrase appeared in a prominent report in a national newspaper. In my view, these controversies too often overshadow her play. She has broken numerous records in her short professional career, and we find ourselves rooting for her as an underdog, even though I consider her one of the best to ever play the game. The wife enjoys watching the various versions of Ninja Warrior. She also likes to make fun of me for straining right along with a competitor, trying to help them finish a competition—even when we’re watching a rerun. Okay. Maybe that explains why I am no longer a sports fanatic. And, just so you know, fanatic is where we get the word 'fan'. Get it? Good.

 

Our son Chris is out of town on a business trip; therefore, we will catch up with him to celebrate his birthday when he returns. One meme I read put it this way: While we are not perfect parents, we can be praying parents. And that we are. I do hope God will work in each of our lives as we continue the journey He has appointed for us. Amen.