"I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist." ~ Psalm 104:33 as rendered by the New English Translation, NET.

Good morning and welcome. Today is Thursday, September 10, 2026, and I do hope today's visit finds you and yours doing well. When I was a kid growing up in a small village in Louisiana, I noticed how many men didn't join in singing during our song time at our local Church service. The song leader was an exception. The pastor sang along. A few others here and there, but it was as if singing was delegated to the ladies and the children. One exception was my grandfather, Paw Paw Mac. He literally could not sing a lick, but he would join in enthusiastically. On certain songs about going home to heaven, he would have tears in his eyes as he swayed to the music and looked up at the ceiling. Maybe he helped form in me a love of singing songs that sought to honor our Lord. Again, he didn't know one note from another, but he knew the Savior he so often sang about. Many of the deacons seemed too spiritual to participate. Ha! Others may have had good reason; I'm not sure. But I'm thankful for the influence, as I observed my granddad in how he never followed the crowd; he just did his best to follow the Lord he loved. How funny is that? I learned to worship the Lord in song from a man who knew very little about the art of singing. I married a gal who came from a musical family. They were lovers of Gospel music, and in so many ways they were much better at it than I was. Life is better when you are able to sing about it. The greatest songbook is found in the Bible: the Psalms. God enjoys hearing heartfelt singing from those who love Him. In fact, He inhabits the praises of His people, and those are often expressed with music and singing. While I now find myself often struggling with hitting the right notes, I am reminded of that precious old man swaying as he sang, eyes heavenward, "I don't know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand." Amen.

 

I wonder sometimes why it is so easy to find fault with those in our past, since we now know so much and we feel superior even in the way we go about music and church services. Those back then just didn't get it, or so it is often said. They were too much of this, that, and the other to adapt to what we are able to experience today. Really? I know many of the blind spots and other things in the lives of my folks from my growing-up days way back when. I do. I really do. At the same time, I am forever grateful that God loved them, saved them, and they, with all of their backward ways, loved Him back and served Him the best way they knew how. We often think about Hebrews Chapter 11 and how God chose to recognize people we call heroes of faith. I challenge anyone to examine the lives of those mentioned in that chapter. Nearly all of them were recorded along with their faults, and some had major failures in their lives. Yet, God was happy to have known them, and He walked with them. He gets the final say, and while we may look down on some who aren't as 'with it' as we are, God might just include them ahead of us. Wow! A little food for thought. What's that? Very little. Okay. Take it in and see if it resonates. It did for me. It did. It really did. Until next time, may God add His blessings. Amen.

John Bunyan: "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."

I am running a wee bit early today, sending out my blog because I see my podiatrist at 8 a.m. this morning, as we welcome Wednesday, September 9, 2026. A dear friend and brother in Christ posted that lighthouse depiction one day last week. I used it today because it struck a real sense of conviction in my heart, and usually when that happens, I know it will speak to others too. Man, oh man, it's so easy to be tied up in knots taking care of me, myself, and I. When I am in that mode, I have trouble seeing the other person's situation. Call it blinders or whatever else you come up with, even perhaps a good excuse, and I'm real good at coming up with them; truth is, we are our brothers' and our sisters' keepers. May God help me to be more sensitive and aware of the plight of others. So often I am guilty of what the half-brother of Jesus, James, wrote about in his New Testament letter. My paraphrase from Chapter 2:14-26, here: The man is freezing out in the cold. I notice him. I speak to him. I tell him I will pray for him. And I tell him I hope he will be warm. What's missing? James says those words don't mean anything unless they are accompanied by action, like maybe giving the cold man a coat. The coat I often find myself giving is made up of kind words, even well-intended words. See what I mean, Vern? That lighthouse illustration reminded me of things like that. What does it remind you of? 

 

I know. I have plenty to say grace over in my life, my own family, my own stuff. Right? Yeah. We all do. But, best I can tell, Jesus had a different view He wanted us to have too. He told a story to illustrate how we should respond to those in need. It's called the parable of the good Samaritan from the Gospel of  Luke 10:25-37, from the Living Bible: ~ "One day an expert on Moses’ laws came to test Jesus’ orthodoxy by asking him this question: 'Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?' Jesus replied, 'What does Moses’ law say about it?' 'It says,' he replied, 'that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself.' 'Right!' Jesus told him. 'Do this and you shall live!' The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people, so he asked, 'Which neighbors?' Jesus replied with an illustration: 'A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road. By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on. But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, 'I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.' 'Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits’ victim? The man replied, 'The one who showed him some pity.'Then Jesus said, 'Yes, now go and do the same.'" ~ Seeing that lighthouse depiction also reminded me of this story from our Savior. What say you? Have a blessed rest of the day, and may God add His blessings. Amen.

Charles Dickens: Called the Bible "the best Book that ever was or ever will be in the world".

I'm back. Thanks for waiting. Joking only. Today is Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and I bid each and every one of you tuning in a hearty hello and welcome. You did not miss my blog yesterday because I didn't climb the stairs to get anything done in the ole blogger ranch office. Why? We were otherwise occupied, so to speak, doing this, that, and the other. We did have a most wonderful Lord's Day Sunday where the wife and I showed up to honor God and fellowship with Him and our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. The wife is still in recovery mode from her surgery, but she made it through our Life Group gathering and the worship music time before we needed to get her back to the homestead. She was hurting pretty badly, but she made the effort. Showing up counts, folks; it really does. Every day she does more and more to get back to her normal, hard-working self. She told me the other day that we must be saving a ton of money, since she is not her well-known shopping self. I nodded because she normally is a very active person, and it doesn't take much of a suggestion for her to be ready to hit the road. Speaking of saving money, I filled out a very long survey sent to me by the Republican Party. I usually don't participate in surveys, but I did spend about 15 minutes on this one. It had to do with gleaning information about how the rank and file views how things are going, connected to the upcoming midterm elections. We are conservative and will vote for conservative nominees as best we can find them. Even if we have to hold our nose, we vote conservative. This particular survey tried to hit the issues from a myriad of different angles. I answered how the leadership spends their time telling us how much better off we are, and sadly, most folks on the street are not feeling it. Why? The quote is attributed to James Carville, who advised Bill Clinton during the 1992 race against George H.W. Bush: "It's the economy, stupid!" We have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who are challenged by the high cost of living, where their incomes are not keeping up. That was my theme in my responses. Will I end up voting mostly Republican? I likely will, but I may wear a clothespin on my nose to do so. Enough said.

 

I hope I didn't come across in a negative way, but I tend to lean towards cynicism when it comes to politics. When it comes to the political shenanigans that permeate our system, well, I often use the quote from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, where Mercutio says these words as he dies from a wound: "A plague o' both your houses!" Again, we do our best to investigate the candidates and choose the best conservative available to vote for; however, we know only God can be trusted, and that's who we are relying on. You may think that is a jaded view of the world, but we are still entitled in our country to have our own view of how things are going. Or, at least I think we can still have our own opinion. I hasten to add that I know there are good, God-fearing people holding political office. There are. There really are. And if you find one, let me know. It's a joke. Calm down. My advice is that we all continue to seek God's help in every aspect of our lives, including how we participate in the political realm. He gives the truest and best advice. He does. Every time. Always. Forever and ever, Amen.

“Before the reward, there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy." — Ralph Ransom

Here we go! For many, this will be a three-day holiday celebration. I do hope everyone enjoys the 2026 Labor Day Weekend. It is Friday, September 4, 2026, and I do hope today finds you and yours doing well. For those of us no longer in the public workforce, our days are mostly counted based on our next doctor's appointments. Ha! Back in the day, when I worked in the computing and telecommunications world, holidays like Labor Day were opportune times to install software upgrades to the network, meaning we did exactly what the holiday celebrates: we labored. We all know 24x7 jobs must be staffed regardless of the holiday. Air traffic controllers, medical support staff, first responders, hospital workers, military personnel, power plant operators, and many, many others. I think of some Bible verses that emphasize work and associated labors: Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. "Proverbs 14:23: "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. "Ecclesiastes 3:22: "So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot." Psalm 127:2: "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves." 2 Thessalonians 3:10: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat. "Proverbs 10:4: "Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth."1 Timothy 5:8: "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." Genesis 2:15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." The bottom line: Work and labor were part of creation, and we would do well to follow God's plan and purpose as we go about the work He has provided for us. Amen.

 

Yesterday, we did get a good update from the surgeon regarding the wife's recovery. We made it to the medical center just fine. Halfway back, we encountered a blinding rainstorm. Blinding. It was bumper-to-bumper the rest of the way home. That will fray anyone's nerves, except for the 18-wheelers and those jacked-up pickup trucks. Those fellows seem to enjoy engulfing everyone riding beside them with water spray that rocks the vehicle. Just my observation; I'm not being overly critical because they may do it without knowing it. As you can tell, I am here slinging words again; therefore, it's clear we made it. When we finally got to our homeplace, I told the wife how I thanked God for His provision and protection there and back. Hopefully I will get these fingers to unwind by Sunday. Ha. (From holding the steering wheel so tightly.) Y'all enjoy your Saturday, and on Sunday, I hope to see you at our gathering place, where we will join hearts in seeking our Great God. Monday will be a special day for us: It will be Monday. Thanks for your support, and may God add His blessings. Amen.

“You don’t navigate traffic; you negotiate with it, and usually, you lose.” — Unknown

We have a travel day today, Thursday, September 3, 2026. Yep. We travel down into the heart of the metroplex, down to the Houston Medical Center, Baylor School of Medicine, to be precise. This will be the follow-up appointment for the wife with the surgeon or his designee. I should say Super Surgeon since he has so much starch in that long white coat it almost looks like one of the capes on a superhero. Just kidding. A little. I remember when we would go back to our Louisiana home place where we attended church with our folks. The folks remembered us, but when Mom told them we were from the Houston area, their faces would fall. Why? We learned that many of their friends were sent to Houston as a last resort for medical treatment. Many of them died in the Houston area. I should remember how to get to the doctor's office since we were there a few weeks ago. I should. I actually did go there again when the wife was in the hospital. I thought I knew where I was going. I ended up at the doctor's office, and a fellow flagged me down and told me I was going the wrong way on a one-way street. He was a security fellow and very pleasant. I asked where the hospital was, and he gave me directions. I shook hands with him, and we both wished each other a God-blessed day. He told me I might want to get out of there since other folks would be headed towards me. Ha! This time I will ask for God's guidance along with the GPS utility and the help from my co-pilot sitting beside me. I imagine some of you are shaking your heads, thinking I don't know directions very well. Bingo! Here's my current response: It's the confounded construction! That's why I have trouble finding my way. Got it? Good. Ha!

 

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Today I remember my little brother because this is his birth date. He left us for his eternal destiny back in 2011. I am three years older than Donald. We were fairly close when we were younger. After Dad passed away in 1954, we moved to the tiny village of Hornbeck, Louisiana. We moved in with my mom's parents, Granny and Paw Paw Mac. I was 7, and Donald was 4. They put us three boys in a bedroom, including our older brother Jimmy, the eldest of six children. Jimmy was 12 at the time. Jimmy got the single bed, and Donald and I slept together in the double bed. This was a new beginning of sorts for our pitiful little family. We had some great challenges intermixed with some great times in those transition days. I don't know exactly when and where, but Donald, even at an early age, determined he would travel on The Donald Road. He was different. Looking back, one thing I admire about him is how he wore his difference out for everyone to see. He pretty much bucked the system and, at age 17, after high school, he went off to find new adventures in the United States Marine Corps. He spent the next 20 years serving our country. He spent much of his time as a Drill Sergeant, a position he dearly loved. His life was filled with much difficulty in his personal family life, and he chased several personal demons as well. We reunited as brothers when he returned to the east side of Houston for a job serving the school district in their ROTC program. He came often to our home and to our church services. We enjoyed Sunday lunch together often. His last years were spent dealing with health challenges, and because I lived closest, I became the point person for the family. My sister Jo and I were privileged to be with him when he passed from this life to the next. Our stepbrother Victor and I conducted his homegoing service. He was buried in our family plot with full military honors in that little town where we restarted our lives back in 1954. Many Marines have told me the impact the drill instructor had on their lives and how their training allowed them to come home after being in a hot war situation. They instructed me to say Thank You to my brother for helping them and others survive. His life counted. May God bless his children and his memory as we think about him today. Amen.

Psalm 93:4 (ESV) "Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!"

Good morning and welcome. It is Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and I am thanking God for the couple of showers we received last evening. Sadly, after the tropical storm passed, many have suffered heavy rains, with one area receiving over 20 inches. If anyone has been around these parts very long, they are well aware of what can happen in these types of torrential downpours. I threw together the little Mrs. Claus tribute and messaged it to her to brighten her day. It did. Her recovery from surgery has been a slog, and we have more of the same for the foreseeable future. She has been a terrific patient except for the few times she became a wee bit unhappy with her caregiver, me, myself, and I. That didn't really bother me, not at all, hardly any, not in the least; you can tell, can't you? Ha! I also made her a new design for an angel food cake, and I served it with strawberry juice and Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla. She loved it. I didn't whip the egg whites enough; therefore, the cake shall now be referred to as angel food flatbread. I actually thought about manna when I saw how it turned out. Ha! I also didn't use that special angel food cake pan since I didn't know how to operate it. I used one of those 10"x 13" pans instead. Lesson learned. I love watching the reels of Carter, the five-year-old chef from England. Haven't seen him? Look him up. His short cooking programs are great fun. I'm certain he would not have made the mistake I made.

 

I used the artificial intelligence ChatGPT utility to make that poster for the wife. And, yes, I am aware it has a problem getting the faces exactly correct. I am working on improving that area of use. I get complaints about it, especially from my boys who immediately blow up the generated images and text me how they don't look right. I'm working on it. Okay. I'm working on it. Here's the technical response for why this occurs: "Artificial intelligence struggles to copy faces from original photos because it builds images from mathematical patterns instead of actually 'seeing' or remembering a specific person." Most of the time, it is the thought that counts. If that turns out to be the worst problem I have today, I will thank God and move on. What's that? I could have moved on before I even gave the explanation? Thanks for your input. I will think about thinking about it. Later. I do hope most of you who read my blogs know that I do write a lot of tongue-in-cheek kinds of stuff. Just for the fun of it. I do hope you will recognize that and take it for what it's worth. Now. Get out there and enjoy the day God has given, continue to pray for those in need, and always, yes, always give God the glory that He and He alone deserves. Amen.

"In a world filled with chaos, our pets remind us to enjoy the simple moments." ~ copied

The wife likes it short; I like it scruffy long. The groomer tries to meet us in the middle; they then give me the standard: it will grow out, Sir. Ha!

Good morning, folks, and welcome. Today is Tuesday, where we are celebrating a brand new start to a brand new month, at least for this year, on September 1, 2026. Don't even get me started. According to our friends at Google Search, a man's head wash and haircut costs, on average, between $20 and $70. (The wife of my youth is my hairdresser.) We had Lil Miss Biscuit, our pup, groomed yesterday. Please don't even ask how much it cost. Shockingly outrageous. Think about this one. The wife often says if I am going to have a pup, we have to take care of the pup. My, how times have changed. When I grew up, the dogs that stayed around my grandparents' home- I'm not sure they were ever bathed, ever. Let me correct that. I believe I saw them once or twice out in the rain. Ha! They did get their free rabies shots when the Parish mobile unit came around. Now that I think about it, I do believe my grandfather would occasionally dip them in some awful-smelling stuff to kill some kind of lice or something. Fast forward to today, I do bathe our pup, but that's only a mere smidgen of the norm in taking care of a pet in these times. The veterinarian visit once a year can be very costly, and they track Biscuit as well as our medical plan tracks us. We buy the recommended food, which is the best that can be found; that is, until the vet clinic signs a new agreement with a different dog food company and then their product becomes the best that can be found. Forget about whether Lil Miss Biscuit is worth it. That's not even the point. Here's the national average spent: "Basic care—including food, routine vet visits, grooming, and supplies—averages about $4,272 per year per pet." We may be in the low to mid end of that cost projection; however, look how far we have come. Did I mention the variety of treats we have for our pup? I admit it. I am always looking for a different kind of treat because I wouldn't want her to suffer from monotony. Please forgive me, Paw Paw Mac, but I'm afraid this is how we roll these days. (Federal tax deduction for a child is $2,200 for this year, just saying.)

 

I noticed something the other day while riding my new exercise bike. I was playing a Japanese Samurai series on my phone with English subtitles. When the battle scenes became intense, I pedaled harder. What is that all about? I also noticed something while we were watching clips from the American Ninja Warrior TV series. I found myself straining to help people win even though the clips may have been from several years ago. Silly, don't you think? I asked my ever-present internet friend, Mr. Artificial Intelligence, about this situation. Here is his answer: "We root for people on television to win because our brains process them like real social connections and trigger emotional rewards when they succeed." No wonder my grandfather got so worked up watching the tiny black and white TV when the Russian professional wrestler was beating up on our American professional wrestling champion. We laughed at him back then. But who's laughing now? Even our pastor admits to hollering at the TV set when his team is playing. Before anyone writes me a letter about my viewing choices, I also hasten to inform my reading audience of the many hours of research I do pursuing the best presentation of God's Word for my Bible Study Class. Hours. Many. I just wanted to make it a wee bit harder for any naysayers lurking around seeking whom they might criticize. That's a joke, but if it finds a home where you are, remember what the preachers often say, "It's the hit dog that barks." Relax, I'm just having a little fun. Get out there and pedal a little harder. Do it for the Kingdom! Right? Amen.