A take off on the Three Stooges classic routine: "How long have you had a weak back?" "Oh, since about a week back!"

Good morning to all my readers, wherever you happen to be, and I bid you a hearty hello from my place to yours, where you will find me singing Achy Breaky Back instead of Achy Breaky Heart, on this Thursday, July 30, 2026. Yeah, I was heavily involved in moving stuff around to provide for the carpet cleaner yesterday, emphasis on heavy. Ha! I told the wife not to worry because I could get it all done without her help. She had the nerve to say she didn't doubt I could, but she didn't want to see me all laid up for three or four days. She actually said that. She did. She really did. I know a lot of folks who suffer from back issues as a result of accidents, disk problems, and other maladies. While I typically sympathize with their ongoing battles with pain, it's hard to appreciate the other person's situation until you have a similar challenge. Mine, fortunately, Lord willing, will go away in a few days as predicted by the wife of my youth. Meanwhile, bring on the back pain remedies. I think I could use a good massage. I've never had one. Maybe that would help. How many think the wife would do that for me? Okay. Maybe another time. I'm just doing my typical exaggeration here, and I would never want to belittle or downplay those who literally are incapacitated by back-related problems. Here's how the comedy world likes to play up the issue of pain for a man versus childbirth pain for a woman: "A simple common cold for a man is the biological equivalent of childbirth labor, leaving him bedridden and asking for final-will arrangements." I suppose that pretty much means I shouldn't complain about my Achy Breaky Back. Ha!

 

Brother Allan Taylor, a visiting minister who specializes in Church growth through Lifegroup or Sunday School effectiveness, gave a briefing to our teachers, leaders, and officers involved in this activity after our morning services this past Sunday. He has been with our group several times over the past several years. As always, he gave great insight into the hows of reaching new people for Christ through the work and ministry of Sunday morning Lifegroups. He also worked with our senior staff on Monday morning before departing for his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. After having arrived home, he suffered a catastrophic stroke, and sadly, as a result, he has passed on to his reward. This has pretty much left us all in shock. I mention this for this reason: We must cherish every part of every day because we never know how it may play out. This situation reminds me of the Holy Spirit-inspired words from the half-brother of Jesus, James, writing what is regarded as the earliest of the New Testament texts; he said this: "Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air]." (Writing of James, Chapter 4, Verse 14, from the Amplified Bible) Also in a Psalm attributed to Moses, we see these words: "So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) That gives me a lot to think about, or as they used to say back where I come from, it gives me a lot to say grace over. What say you? Amen.

“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.” — Mark Twain

Hello and welcome to our time together for today, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. As you already know, I am slouching my way towards my 80th trip around the sun. I am honest here. I never expected I would be here on the planet this long. I am thankful to God for giving me this time, and I sincerely desire to fulfill His purpose as best I can until I draw my last breath. One thing I do know: You lose much of what you thought was important to you earlier in life. The other day, the child technician who did my EKG said something when we finished that hit me pretty hard. "The good news, sir, is these electrodes will be easy to remove since you don't have much hair on your chest." Really? You could have said anything other than that. There was a time when my hairy chest was a feature of my identity. I now have professional proof that that is no longer the case. Oh well, I will not need to shave it off if I find myself involved in an athletic endeavor needing a reduction in aerodynamic drag. See? You can always find a positive outcome to occupy your thoughts. Sports that shave their chests include competitive swimming, wrestling, body building, and running. I even have choices. Wow! Is this a great country or what? 

 

Looking at the network distribution statistics of my blog, it is always surprising and encouraging to note how many page views come from outside the USA. I've explained before how this might happen. The blog is out there in the public domain. Being the wordy writer I am, there are lots of potential hits coming from internet word searches. I'm not saying all the page views reflect those who actually read my blog, but some might. When they do, hopefully they will come in contact with the message of hope that comes only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let me quickly add that God can do anything at any time He so chooses, and He has often used what we think is a coincidence or accident to speak. Many testimonies attest to this truth. For instance, "Isolated tribes deep in the Amazon rainforest found a single battery-powered radio locked permanently onto a Christian shortwave frequency playing Bible stories in their native dialect, which they had never written down." Far-fetched? Not to me, my friend. If God chose to chastise a hireling prophet by having a donkey talk, well, He can use something as insignificant as a homespun blog to communicate truth. He can. He really can! (The donkey speaking can be found in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 22.)  Amen.

Matthew 6:34 ~ English Standard Version ESV ~ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

I often hear, as I go here and there, the phrase, "One day at a time." That represents how we approach life. Right? It is Tuesday, July 28, 2026, and I welcome each and every one to our time together as I click and clack the old keyboard here at the ole blogger ranch (my upstairs office, to be clear). For those of us who operate in Christian circles, that "One day at a time" reminds us of the song by the same title rendered in this way: One day at a time, sweet Jesus. That song was written in 1974 by two great songwriters who have both gone on to their reward, Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson. It was recorded by more than 200 artists, with Christy Lane's version selling over 1 million records. It continues to be a popular favorite for many. It was named Song of the Year at the Dove Awards in 1975. The lyrics tap into what it means to seek God as one lives out each of their days here on the planet:

 

 One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus - as recorded by Christy Lane

[Verse 1]
I'm only human, I'm just a woman
Help me believe in what I could be and all that I am
Show me the stairway I have to climb
Lord, for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time

[Chorus]
One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength to do everyday
What I have to do

[Post-Chorus]
Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine (Ooh)
Lord, help me today, show me the way
One day at a time

[Verse 2]
Do You remember when You walked among men?
Well, Jesus, You know, if You're looking below, it's worse now than then
Cheating and stealing, violence and crime (Ah)
So for my sake, teach me to take one day at a time

 

The lyric metaphors certainly take some liberties reflecting Biblical themes, but the sentiment speaks to our need for God to help us take one day at a time. Another song speaks to how I see myself, as demonstrated in the chorus: " I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior! I come to Thee." How about this one that makes clear our dependence upon God: "I can't even walk without You holding my hand." You think you can make it on your own? You think you can chart your own course in life? Okay. Been there. Done that. Here's the truth: those are roads to nowhere, my friend. I sat across the desk from a man often referred to as self-made. He had truly accomplished much in his life. His photo was on the front cover of several business magazines. From scratch, he had built a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. I greatly respected him and was honored to work for him on a consulting endeavor. However, while I was on that project, he discovered he had liver cancer and died several months later. Some say he found God before he left this life for the next. I sincerely hope that is true. Eternity. That, my friend, is a very long time. The Bible says it clearly: "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" (Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36, and Luke 9:25). This is why we need to have Jesus, yes Sweet Jesus, in our life to help us live, one day at a time. Amen.

Charmaine J. Forde, Poet and creative director. ~ "An ounce of goodness everyday, Can soothe the heart in many ways, An ounce of goodness 'just because' Don't wait until Christmas to be Santa Claus."

Are you still reading my last Friday's posting? I wouldn't doubt it because it is rather long. However, I chose to share the entire Luke Chapter 15 because of its context. After all, it is the B-i-b-l-e, and that's the book for me. Never apologize for sharing God's Word. Amen? Here we go again, and this time we find ourselves waking up to another brand new day on this Monday, July 27, 2026. I have said many times that our goal in our Santa program is to bring a happy smile to children of all ages. We had such a good time at one of the Chick-fil-A's this past Friday evening; well, we are going to do it again this coming Friday, Lord willing. The Chick-fil-As we work with have some of the best folks you will ever meet. Many of them know we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and while we enjoy having a blast with children from all over, we especially enjoy sweet fellowship with the Chick-fil-A workers. The response of 'my pleasure' instead of 'you're welcome' typically is accompanied by a genuineness that's hard to miss. That practice, 'my pleasure,' was introduced by founder Truett Cathy back in 2001. He was inspired to do this after having experienced elite service at one of the Ritz Carlton hotels. It has become part of the brand ever since. Now, we see former Chick-fil-A employees who have moved on and work in different restaurants, but they still say "My Pleasure," and they still carry with them a genuine presence. Talk about spreading a positive experience! It reminds me of how we too carry with us and in us the very presence of the Living Lord. Speaking for myself, I often wonder if I am allowing Him to produce a positive experience with those I meet. Yikes! That makes me a wee bit uneasy, so let's move on. Right?

 

In my last physical therapy session, I told the young woman helping me that she seems to always bring the best out of me. She wanted to know how. I told her that in my recent EKG, there is a brand new abnormality that popped up for the very first time. She shrugged her shoulders, and then she laughed. Out loud. She did. She really did. The new finding revealed an issue in my anterior leads. I did exactly what my doctor and the doctor before begged me not to do. Once I saw the results of the test, I consulted immediately with Dr. Google and every other medical site I could find. Some pretty gloom-and-doom scenarios found their way into the potential outcomes. I know. At the very top of the report, it always reminds me to respect how the care team had not reviewed the results yet. When my doctor finally got back to me, he basically did the same thing my physical therapist did; he shrugged his shoulders and told me that while it was a new issue, he thought it was mostly something connected to my age; therefore, don't worry about it, and if I were to produce any new symptoms, he would refer me to the cardiologist. Again, enough already with the age thing! My wife thinks I obsess over my approaching 80th trip around the sun. (To be precise, that one revolution around the sun takes 365.25 days to complete.)  Let me be clear about the age situation. It's where I am, and that's where I find a lot of material to write about. Let's face it. Aging jokes are popular. Just check out the stand-up comedians on Dry Bar. This is one of the only YouTube channels one can watch these days due to the gutter language spoken on most so-called comedy channels. Sadly, the jokes now begin at age 40 these days. And that, my friend, was a long time ago for me. Ha. Have a great rest of the day and don't forget to give God the glory. Amen. 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon commenting on Luke 15: "In each parable something that was lost has been restored. We see the longsuffering father, effusive with joy and love upon the return and restoration of his long lost son."

Hello, Friday it's been what? Seven days since we visited. Good to see you on this day, July 24, 2026. Thank you, Lord, for allowing Friday to show up.  And I do welcome each one to our daily time to do what I used to see those guys doing who sat outside the barber shop back home, under the shade trees; they were shooting the breeze, bumping their gums, and telling their tales. I admit it. I do a whole lot of that here on my electronic page. I do. I really do. I grew up around storytellers. Did you? Hearing about the exploits of my granddad, my uncles, the town tellers, my schoolmates, my pastors, my teachers, and so many others- those stories helped me to understand and enjoy the life granted to me. Jesus was the greatest at telling stories that illustrated the truths He shared while He walked here on earth. He told stories about planting seeds, about weeds, even one about a tiny mustard seed. He enthralled His audiences with illustrations concerning God's Kingdom. Different scholars might count them up and come up with different numbers, but there's no denying how His stories perfectly illustrated truths that penetrated the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls. You can look them up and read them. That's right. The stories, or parables as they are called, are found in the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Reading them is well worth our time. It is. It really is.

 

I am trying to determine which stories to share as told by our Savior. That's somewhat difficult because there are so many to choose from. I think I'm going to go with the parables Jesus used to illustrate how He came to seek and save those who are lost, those who have strayed, and those who need His provision. These reflect on what the verse, 'God so loved' is all about. It is a rather long chapter, but it speaks to me. I chose to share it in a modern language translation.

 

 Luke 15 ~ New Testament for Everyone ~ The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin

All the tax-collectors and sinners were coming close to listen to Jesus.  The Pharisees and the legal experts were grumbling. “This fellow welcomes sinners!” they said. “He even eats with them!”  So Jesus told them this parable.  “Supposing one of you has a hundred sheep,” he said, “and you lose one of them. What will you do? Why, you’ll leave the ninety-nine out in the countryside, and you’ll go off looking for the lost one until you find it! And when you find it, you’ll be so happy—you’ll put it on your shoulders and come home, and you’ll call your friends and neighbors in. ‘Come and have a party!’ you’ll say. ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ “Well, let me tell you: that’s how glad they will be in heaven over one sinner who repents—more than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
 

“Or supposing a woman has ten drachmas and loses one of them. What will she do? Why, she’ll light a lamp, and sweep the house, and hunt carefully until she finds it! And when she finds it she’ll call her friends and neighbors in. ‘Come and have a party!’ she’ll say. ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost coin!’ “Well, let me tell you: that’s how glad God’s angels feel when a single sinner repents.”
 

The parable of the Prodigal: the father and the younger son

 

Jesus went on: “Once there was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to the father, ‘Father, give me my share in the property.’ So he divided up his livelihood between them. Not many days later the younger son turned his share into cash, and set off for a country far away, where he spent his share in having a riotous good time. “When he had spent it all, a severe famine came on that country, and he found himself destitute. So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed his pigs.  He longed to satisfy his hunger with the pods that the pigs were eating, and nobody gave him anything. “He came to his senses. ‘Just think!’ he said to himself. ‘There are all my father’s hired hands with plenty to eat—and here am I, starving to death! I shall get up and go to my father, and I’ll say to him: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;  I don’t deserve to be called your son any longer. Make me like one of your hired hands.” ’And he got up and went to his father.“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and his heart was stirred with love and pity. He ran to him, hugged him tight, and kissed him. ‘Father,’ the son began, ‘I have sinned against heaven and before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son any longer.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him! Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet! And bring the calf that we’ve fattened up, kill it, and let’s eat and have a party! This son of mine was dead, and is alive again! He was lost, and now he’s found!’ And they began to celebrate.”
 

The parable of the Prodigal: the father and the older son

 

“The older son was out in the fields. When he came home, and got near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. “ ‘Your brother’s come home!’ he said. ‘And your father has thrown a great party—he’s killed the fattened calf!—because he’s got him back safe and well!’ “He flew into a rage, and wouldn’t go in. “Then his father came out and pleaded with him. ‘Look here!’ he said to his father, ‘I’ve been slaving for you all these years! I’ve never disobeyed a single commandment of yours. And you never even gave me a young goat so I could have a party with my friends. But when this son of yours comes home, :once he’s finished gobbling up your livelihood with his whores, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ he replied, ‘you’re always with me. Everything I have belongs to you. 32 But we had to celebrate and be happy! This brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost, and now he’s found!’ ”

 

All I can say in response to these precious illustrations: "Thank you, Lord, for seeing my need and searching me out so that I could be rescued by You."  I'm not going to try to improve upon the words spoken by our Savior. Let Him speak to you is my prayer. Amen.

What is a fun fact about physical therapy? "Physical Therapy Dates Back Thousands of Years! Some treatment methods date all the way back to 460 B.C., when the Greek Physician, Hippocrates, advocated for the use of massage, hydrotherapy, and manual therapy techniques for pain relief." ~ copied

Good morning and welcome to this day, Thursday, July 23, 2026. I didn't get a cap and gown, but I did complete my physical therapy course. It was rigorous from my perspective. You know, the program was designed for older people whose muscle groups have atrophied from long-term inactivity. If confession is good for the soul, I would guess it's good for the body since I qualified as the possessor of those sleepy muscles. I did 8 sessions, an hour each. According to my wonderful advisor, a doctor of physical therapy, she was running out of superlatives to describe my progress. I actually looked around the room to see if she was actually talking to me. She addressed me as Mr. Cecil, and her analysis went along these lines: When you came to us, your rating was at this level. Now, after these 8 sessions, your rating is at this level. Really? Okay. If you say so. She was throwing in some strong 'greats' and 'wows' to indicate how much progress I had made. Let me be clear. I have made considerable progress, and this young doctor of physical therapy has been of great help. I have better balance now. I can climb stairs better. In general, I am stronger than when I started. Here is my caveat. My age. I am better and can function more effectively than before, for my age. I know I tend to lean a wee bit cynical; thus, I kind of felt like she was reporting how well she did, but since I am practicing at being better at overlooking, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and say how much I appreciate her technical skills and her approach to helping someone like me. Let me add this: I thank God for His provision of access to these types of remedies and people like her. I do. I really do. 

 

Do not look for me at the next Ironman competition. In fact, my time spent in physical therapy reminded me more of the old WipeOut TV competition show where people mostly embarrassed themselves trying to navigate through a series of odd physical challenges. Most of the time, most of them wiped out. I identify with the wiped-out brigade. I recently reconnected with the most popular grammar and writing program to analyze my blogs. He or she does not care for my homespun colloquialisms. That program wears me out, and at times I can see how he or she ends up doing a lot of head scratching. I always want to produce blogs in the most readable form possible. Please don't throw rocks at me. That is my desire. I well remember my grandfather, Paw Paw Mac, upon discovering my mishap or failure, and my excuse was that that was not my intention. He heard me and would then ask the pertinent question, "Okay son, then what exactly was your intention?" I continue to be a work in progress. I appreciate your tolerance and your support. I do. I really do. Let's just say all of it together adds up to make life a wee bit more interesting. And, you have your forth and back experiences as well. We all do. Regardless of what yours are about and regardless of the stuff I live to tell about, God is still on His throne and Jesus is still our Savior, and, Holy Spirit God still lives within those who are His own. Now, that my friend is what Good News is all about. It is. It really is. Amen.

"You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Tuesday morning table group leader for the women's Bible study. 

Well, look over yonder and see what's coming down the track. Yeah. It's Wednesday, July 22, 2026, and it is another day we have to pause long enough to thank God and give Him praise. That lady in the photo is none other than the wife of my youth, and I haven't really said much about her of late, but after being married to her for 61-plus years, I can't even begin to describe the blessing she is in my life, in our family, and to so many others. She carries with her the God-given spiritual gift described as helps or service, and she personifies the description: "A practical desire to assist, support, and serve the needs of others in the church." I'll not get into a discussion of whether one can possess more than one supernaturally provided gift, but she just might make that case in the way she functions in life. Extrovert in the extreme, but she lives with an introvert by nature, and that makes for an interesting combination. I have no idea whether the axiom that opposites attract holds true, but I do know there are differing talents and abilities within a marriage that help make it work. At times it can be a wee bit of a tension builder, like when she chooses to visit with the cashier for an extended conversation and I happen to be ready to leave and go home. One of my most important callings is that of loving her in the same way Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. (Reference as given in Ephesians 5:25) Because we both continue to have that old man nature to deal with, this can be very challenging; however, with the help of Holy Spirit God, it can be done. The toughest part of that calling is the example of our Savior because He sacrificed His very life for His bride, the Church. The bottom line: I have work to do. What say you?

 

Does she have annoying habits that still drive me up the wall? She does, but when I stop and think about it, she doesn't have nearly as many as I provide for her to consider. Ha! I guess I will say this about our long time together: Overlook it. If it's not crucial, overlook it and keep on keeping on. You may have to bite your lip now and then, but in the grand scheme of things, it just doesn't usually amount to, as they used to say back where I grew up, "It doesn't amount to a hill of beans." I'm not meaning to imply there aren't important issues that need to be addressed, but most of what we deal with doesn't amount to much, and we should keep that in mind. I am doing my best to become an effective 'overlooker' which may not be a word, but I think it gets across my point. Caring enough. Meanwhile, she has her own responsibility to seek to live out God's instructions to her as a wife. If we are both seeking to be who God would have us to be, well, it makes for a better life. It does. It really does. Y'all enjoy the rest of your day and always know that our Sovereign God cared enough and He loved enough to send His Son to die for the most unworthy of us all. He did. He really did. Amen.