"Even when you think the sky is falling on your life, just still continue to have strong faith in GOD always, every single day all the time." – George Ramey, Writer

We can now officially complain about the hot weather because it is now, officially, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. I well remember seeing firsthand what can happen when it really gets hot. In the mid 1990's I was working as a consultant for a company just north of Chicago. The temperature was wickedly hot, topping out at 106 degrees °F, and it stayed hot for days. Over 700 deaths, mostly elderly people, were recorded and they had to bring in refrigerated trailers to put the overflow of bodies. I heard story after story of how these older folks would go to bed at night and since many had no air conditioning, well, as we used to say back home, they woke up dead. I am not a climate denier. Why? We are a fallen people and we are quite capable of abusing God's creation to the extent that bad things happen. At the same time, I trust God's promises made to Noah where He said seasons would continue until the end of all things. (Genesis 8:22 ~ "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.") I quickly add that God has provided to us the world we live in, and, I, for one, believe we are to be good stewards of His provisions. At the same time my trust in God will not allow me to become Henny Penny, running around screaming how the sky is falling. You didn't ask but now you know. (Wikipedia: "Henny Penny", more commonly known in the United States as "Chicken Little" and sometimes as "Chicken Licken", is a European folk tale with a moral in the form of a cumulative tale about a chicken who believes that the world is coming to an end. The phrase "The sky is falling!" features prominently in the story, and has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent. Similar stories go back more than 25 centuries, and "Henny Penny" continues to be referred to in a variety of media.)

 

I am sitting here wondering where that opening paragraph came from, but, it will not be the first time I am left scratching my head. Coming out of that 'sky is falling' concept, we, as believers must immerse ourselves with the truths God has provided to us. We think sometimes about the attribute of God's Sovereignty, which essentially means that He has the power, wisdom, and authority to do anything He chooses within His creation. (Psalm 115:3: "But our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases."1 Chronicles 29:11-12: Declares God as the owner of all power, glory, and victory, holding authority over all. Daniel 4:35: "He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'") I cannot explain in terms that are acceptable to a vast audience of folks since everyone tends to have their own opinions about the functioning of this attribute including recognized Bible scholars, but, I will say this about it. I must revert to my childlike faith in saying I don't understand it all but I accept it as revealed truth and try not to come up with all kinds of notions about it. By faith. I remember once hearing a recognized Bible expert say that if God operates the way He appears to operate based on what is contained in The Scriptures, well, it just wouldn't be fair. Really? I immediately thought of Romans Chapter 9, here rendered in the Amplified Bible, caps and punctuations as is found in the Amplified text: 

 

1I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For [if it were possible] I would wish that I myself were accursed, [separated, banished] from Christ for the sake [of the salvation] of my brothers, my natural kinsmen, 4who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, the glory (Shekinah), the [special] covenants [with Abraham, Moses, and David], the giving of the Law, the [system of temple] worship, and the [original] promises. 5To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to His natural descent, came the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), He who is exalted and supreme over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

6However, it is not as though God’s word has failed [coming to nothing]. For not all who are descended from Israel (Jacob) are [the true] Israel; 7and they are not all the children of Abraham because they are his descendants [by blood], but [the promise was]: “YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED THROUGH ISAAC” [though Abraham had other sons]. 8That is, it is not the children of the body [Abraham’s natural descendants] who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are counted as [Abraham’s true] descendants. 9For this is what the promise said: “ABOUT THIS TIME [next year] I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” 10And not only that, but this too: Rebekah conceived twin sons by one man [under the same circumstances], by our father Isaac; 11and though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad, so that God’s purpose [His choice, His election] would stand, not because of works [done by either child], but because of [the plan of] Him who calls them, 12it was said to her, “THE OLDER (Esau) WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER (Jacob).” 13As it is written and forever remains written, “JACOB I LOVED (chose, protected, blessed), BUT ESAU I HATED (held in disregard compared to Jacob).”

14What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not! 15For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOMEVER I HAVE COMPASSION.” 16So then God’s choice is not dependent on human will, nor on human effort [the totality of human striving], but on God who shows mercy [to whomever He chooses--it is His sovereign gift]. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “I RAISED YOU UP FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE, TO DISPLAY MY POWER IN [dealing with] YOU, AND SO THAT MY NAME WOULD BE PROCLAIMED IN ALL THE EARTH.” 18So then, He has mercy on whom He wills (chooses), and He hardens [the heart of] whom He wills.

19You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?” 20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21Does the potter not have the right over the clay, to make from the same lump [of clay] one object for honorable use [something beautiful or distinctive] and another for common use [something ordinary or menial]? 22What if God, although willing to show His [terrible] wrath and to make His power known, has tolerated with great patience the objects of His wrath [which are] prepared for destruction? 23And what if He has done so to make known the riches of His glory to the objects of His mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory, 24including us, whom He also called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles? 25Just as He says in [the writings of the prophet] Hosea:

“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’

AND [I will call] HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’”

26“AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’

THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

27And Isaiah calls out concerning Israel: “THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS ONLY THE REMNANT [a small believing minority] THAT WILL BE SAVED [from God’s judgment]; 28FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD UPON THE EARTH [He will conclude His dealings with mankind] COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT DELAY.” 29It is as Isaiah foretold,

“IF THE LORD OF HOSTS HAD NOT LEFT US SEED [future generations from which a believing remnant of Israelites came],

WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH [totally rejected and destroyed]!”

30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith; 31whereas Israel, [though always] pursuing the law of righteousness, did not succeed in fulfilling the law. 32And why not? Because it was not by faith [that they pursued it], but as though it were by works [relying on the merit of their works instead of their faith]. They stumbled over the stumbling Stone [Jesus Christ]. 33As it is written and forever remains written,

“BEHOLD I AM LAYING IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE;

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED [in his expectations].”

 

There you have it, one of the great texts from The Scriptures. An entire chapter? Why not? They are not my words folks, they are the truths breathed out from God the Holy Spirit through His chosen vessel, the Apostle Paul. Until next time, May this God, the one in Chapter 9 and in all The Scriptures, be the one to whom we yield our allegiance. Amen. 

 

PS: Please don't send me your ideas that attempts to mollify or lesson the context of God's Sovereign Grace and its working to accomplish His purposes based on the good pleasure of His will. I repeat: I may not understand it, but I do, by faith, embrace it and I accept it, again, by faith. 

"Don't ever underestimate the importance of treating others with respect and kindness." ~ copied

Here we are, the last day of June, the 30th, in the year of our Lord, 2026, and, in our area we are already dealing with heat and humidity. We live in what is referred to as the Greater Houston Area and it encompasses some nine counties. We reside north of the big city in The Woodlands, TX area. Yes. It's already hot and whether that's seasonably so or unseasonably so pretty much depends on your political leanings and somehow that doesn't impress me as being very much weather related. I'm surprised that folks are surprised that it is hot here as we near the celebration of the 250th birthday coming up on this next Saturday, July 4th. I'm not saying the temperature doesn't have an impact because it does. It really does. It, along with just about any number of other things can bring on a bout of irritability. It can. It really can. Sadly, a whole lot of stuff can happen as a result and most of it is not good. Not good at all. We end up not only ruining our day but we can cause others to join the irritable brigade. The saddest of all is when this irritable spirit disguises our true identity as a Christ follower. We like to say we just got up on the wrong side of the bed, however, our attitudes, good or bad, make a difference in how our lives are pursued, and, they can even make a difference in others for time and eternity. Well, that's just the way I am. Really? Again, I have likely said that before, but, it's not good enough. Have you ever noticed how much more aggravated you get about how others are doing whatever it is they are doing, when your attitude is in the ditch? The one I know the best is also one that needs a lot of help, on any given day, but, recently I noticed how I was driving along as a team, me, myself, and I. "What y'all doing up there, practicing for a funeral procession?" "Do something, get back on your meds, just do something, already!" To the wife: "Are you seeing what I am seeing?" Her response: "They most likely have a good reason." Don't you just hate it when you hear stuff like that? Could it be God reminding us of who we are and the kind of attitude He wants us to show forth? (Maybe. After all, he did speak to the hireling prophet through a donkey. Book of Numbers, Chapter 22, Verses 21-39)

 

I heard a fellow at a conference one time talking about how he had decided to make an example of a young employee who had not performed well. In front of a large group he singled her out and berated her for not doing better. Her response? She, right there in front of God and everyone, started sobbing. I mean bawling her eyes out. She was humiliated and distraught. The man said it hit him like a ton of bricks. Who did he think he was to inflict this kind of degrading experience upon that young woman? What did he do? He said he apologized to her and to the entire group he had assembled and begged hers and their forgiveness for being so insensitive and cruel. May I just say this about that. It was much better than an attitude that says, "Well, after all is said and one, they deserved it." Okay. They did and we did and we do. Had it not been for the One described in the Dottie Rambo song, "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need." Okay. I mention that testimonial from that fellow because I saw him early on in my managing of people days, and, it did me a lot of good. You know what's even better? We have a Book filled up with God ordained and inspired directions on how to live out the life He has given to us. And, when we yield to His Spirit, we can go forth and put our best foot forward. I may have to change the title of my blog to the 'Daily Dose', but, I actually think that one is taken. Ha! Final word, and, it will help us all: May we find ourselves on this day praying one for another. Amen.

Ronald Reagan: "I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon."

Welcome back. Today is Monday, June 29, 2026, and, I wanted to say a few words about one of my favorite subjects of all time: Coffee! My long term readers recognize how I have written essay-like blogs, dozens of them, on this subject. Why? It is a part of my heritage and I admit to one and all, it is something I flat out enjoy, typically, three or four cups per day. That Community label is important but more about that later. Most of the folks in my family were coffee drinkers. Real coffee. To my knowledge, none of those I saw or were around ever drank any of the specialty coffee drinks available today. I found reported how the first one of the shops featuring those types of coffee drinks opened out in California in 1966. We did have a few that put sugar in, or sugar and cream, or cream only, but, for the most part nearly all of our folks drank it black. After my dad passed away in 1954, we moved from Texas to Louisiana and my grandfather, Paw Paw Mac, became a role model to us children. He was a man of few words but he lived his life out in the open, committed to his God and his family. And, to his coffee. The closest to coffee we were able to get growing up was what they called milk coffee. It had sugar in it and had we called it a latte we may have all been rich today. Ha! I did often observe my granddad as he poured up his cup. It came out slow because it was black as black could be with some thickness to it. Early in the morning his Depression Era experience kicked in as he would drain the left over cold from the previous day. He grimaced a little as he drank it but wasting it was not an option. I used to think I would have never imagined me doing that same thing, but, alas, I find myself drinking left over cold from wherever I find one of my cups that still has some in it. My point? We do have a heritage and it includes coffee. I drink Louisiana coffee bean roasted, family owned Community. My folks drank it and I do too. Life is too short to do what we did when we were a young married couple where we bought whatever was on sale regardless of the brand. No. I may do that again some day, but, for now, I have a case delivered to my front door about every three weeks. Too much? Way too much, but, I don't find it to make me the least bit edgy, edgy, edgy, or edgy. 

 

I'm not into the specialty coffee world, and, I would likely wear a disguise to go into one of those places. Back when I was walking the mall very early in the morning I did have one of those places where the folks there were kind to me. One fellow in particular would actually grind beans and make me a strong cup. He made it extra strong for me and often wouldn't charge me for it. I suppose it was my age, but, I appreciated it. I also went in once on behalf of my grandson who wanted one of those fruit smoothie concoctions. I held my head down as best I could for fear someone would see me there and grimaced a little as I paid an outrageous price for a strawberry-something frozen drink. Okay. The thing that prompted me to write on today's featured subject is the novelty gift my eldest son gave me for Father's Day. It is a rechargeable battery operated heated coffee cup. It is. It really is. This means when I brew coffee into this cup it will keep it somewhere around 150 degrees °F to the last drop. Now that is exciting. Don't you agree? I do enjoy my coffee hot and strong, I also like my food to be hot, but, I will write about that on another day. I do realize the marketplace reality and how Community now features dozens of different flavors for folks to choose from. It saddens me, but, they still produce the kind I like, therefore, I continue to support my birth state, Louisiana, and, the oldest and largest family owned coffee producer in America, the Community Coffee Company. Y'all have a wonderful rest of the day and may God add His blessings.Amen.

George Washington: "It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors."

Okay. Today, I will do my best to not pontificate on my aches and pains, my older age, and other things related to those issues. Fair enough? After all, there's no crying in baseball. Right? Good morning and welcome. We made it to Friday, June 26, 2026. Yay! I highly recommend to anyone, anywhere, that on this upcoming Sunday, June 28, you will make your way to Mims Baptist Church, 1609 Porter Rd., Conroe, TX 77301, where there will be a presentation of a God honoring, country loving program that will make everyone appreciate God's blessings on our land. This program will be in both morning services, at 9:15 and 10:45 a.m. Then, a great time of fellowship on the Church property will begin at 5 p.m., Friday, July 3rd. There will be lots of special activities for all ages and food trucks for refreshments. Then, when it gets dark there will be a spectacular fireworks display commonly known as the largest in Montgomery County. The wife and I feel privileged to be singing in the choir on Sunday and here's the truth: Folks we are blessed to live in the United States of America, yes, with all of her flaws, all of her challenges, and, yes, even with all of the political divisions that exists, it is still by God's Provision, blessed beyond our ability to measure. Our response? Thanks be to God. Amen.

 

I asked our friend Google what the most famous written paragraph was in history. The first one that showed up in this one: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." That, of course, comes directly from the Declaration of Independence, 1776, penned predominately by Thomas Jefferson. The second was an excerpt from the 272 word Gettysburg Address written and delivered by President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, where the national cemetery was officially dedicated. The third was one of the jewels from Charles Dickens, 1859, in his opening to what would become a classic, 'A Tale of Two Cities'. I'm happy the declaration is recognized because it clearly identifies the originator of the rights we enjoy as citizens, The Creator, Almighty God. Yeah, I am fully aware of critics throughout our history and how they have attempted to find ways to nullify the meaning of this statement. However, as we like to say here in the South, "It it what it is!" May we all join together in making the days leading up to the official 4th of July, days of thankfulness to God for His provision for our nation. I will do my best to do exactly that. What say you? Until next time, Lord willing, I will see you from here at the ole blogger ranch. May God bless each one. Amen.

Working on my 'pain' vocabulary: Aching-Cramping-Fearful-Gnawing-Heavy-Hot-Burning-Sharp-Shooting-Sickening-Splitting-Stabbing-Punishing-Cruel-Tender-Throbbing-Tiring, and Exhausting!

Not our choir, used for illustration only.

Here we go again. Old people on the move. Ha! Today, Thursday, June 25, 2026, our old people choir, (Legacy Choir, if you will.), will be singing some patriotic tunes at two of the large hospitals here in this area. Instead of turning chairs, we hope we will see folks pausing to reflect on the profound blessings we enjoy as Americans, including some of those busy professionals wearing white coats. But, first things first. Early this morning, I return to the torture chamber for an hour's worth of pain and suffering. I tried to think up a nickname for the very physical pleasant therapist who manages the mechanisms and instruments of cruelty. Yes. I know. That is a beyond the pale description. (The English Pale (Ireland): A fortified area in medieval Ireland directly under the control of the English Crown. Venturing "beyond the pale" meant stepping outside the protection of English law into uncontrolled, unpredictable territory.) But, I did put it that way intentionally to make my point. You can make up a song about 'no pain, no gain', but, so far I'm not buying it. And, lest you get the wrong idea, I do greatly appreciate the young lady who has spent seven years of her life preparing to make old people like me be as miserable as possible. Why? Their plan typically works and progress wins the day. Need I open the envelope and read what my profile says: I am not typical. Back to the nickname. She's not a bully per se because she always speaks is very encouraging and soothing terms. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I said earlier and she continues to wear me down with her constant question, "Does that make sense?" I've participated in a number of active listening courses during my managing people years, and questioning is a major part of getting buy in, but, repetition just doesn't do it for my not typical self. Are you with me? Sorry. I couldn't resist. Okay. I'll go with this one, but it's a working name in progress, and, it's just between us: Madam Diabolical. Ha!

 

I have written stuff in the past tongue in cheek that some of my wonderful readers took literally.  ( "Tongue in cheek" is an idiom that describes a statement or action that is humorous, sarcastic, or insincere, but is delivered with a completely serious expression. It is meant to be understood as a joke rather than taken literally, often relying on irony or exaggeration.) This means I'm certainly not trying to give this young woman a bad rap or a negative review. Not at all. I tell her all the time, she has seven years to prove she knows what she is doing and I have only that stupid chart on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being unbearable pain, what level are you now? I often refuse to try and rate my pain. I might just take the chart above with me and we can read it together. Ha! Here's the rub. Figuratively, and, literally: I need some strong medication or perhaps anesthesia in order to continue the current physical therapy regimen. However, they don't like giving old people the really good stuff because we might fall. The song puts it this way:

 

Tomorrow, tomorrow!
I love ya tomorrow!
You're always
A day
Away!

 

Lord willing and I am able, that's when I visit my orthopedic who is a week late in helping me, or, that's the way I see it. Again, Ha! Y'all have a blessed day and may God add His blessings. Amen. 

AARP: "Side sleeping for older adults can cause severe joint and hip pain from uneven pressure, and put a strain on the heart—especially for those with congestive heart failure who may experience breathing difficulties on the left side. It also promotes facial aging and sleep wrinkles."

Hello and welcome to my own version of looking for intelligent life. Just joking. I was trying to use that particular concept as an opening really for no good reason. Just because. It is Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and, I do hope you and yours are well, engaged in the life God has given to you, and actively thanking Him for His provisions. I heard about an old timer who represented the bestowed blessings of God in this way in his prayer: Thank you Lord for all the blessings you have stowed us up with. And, I say, Amen to that sentiment. What say you? I was explaining some of my achy breaky pains to our youngest, Rodney, when he came to visit on Fathers Day. His response was a wee bit chilling. "But dad, surely you should expect to have some issues at your age. You know, you may need to have those hips replaced or maybe even a knee." He went on to recount some older folks who have undergone those types of procedures. I was already aware those remedies were available but they are reserved for those who need them. Surely, that would not be me. Right? I actually prefer not to even think about thinking about those fixes to my current problems. As I sit in my steno chair up in my office at the ole blogger ranch, my thought is this: No thank you. I remember one of the doctors told me a number of years ago that to take the pressure off of my hips I needed to learn to sleep on my back. I told him I was a long term dedicated side sleeper in the fetal position. His response was rather blunt: "Okay, then keep on hurting." He may have missed the day they covered bedside manner, however, I clearly understood what he was saying. I did. I really did. And, yes, I still sleep on my side. 

 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I did try to learn to sleep on my back. And, I did actually achieve sleep that way, but, it wasn't the kind of sleep I needed. Now, when I fall asleep in my recliner, I am told, too often if you ask me, that I can sleep sitting up with my head on my chest and my mouth wide open. They tell me it is not a pretty picture and they often check on me to see if I am still alive. I would share a photo since they seem to enjoy making them of me in that position, however, I will spare you the shock and me the embarrassment. While we are on the subject, here is an explanation from the Sleep Foundation: The fetal position—sleeping on your side with knees drawn toward your chest—is the most popular sleep position, favored by over 40% of adults. It is widely considered a 'natural' and comforting posture because it mimics the security of the womb." So there you have it, another tip toe through the maize of difficulties experienced in the sojourn of yours truly. You likely have a different set of issues and the solutions you have discovered. Each of us is unique, but, some of us seem to be more so than required to make it on our journey here. I'm just messing around because the sum total is how little I have to complain about, therefore, take it all with a grain of salt. Okay? And, I know inquiring minds are interested in knowing about that figure of speech, so, here is what Wikipedia says: "While the exact origin is debated, many historians point to the writings of Pliny the Elder in 77 A.D. In his Naturalis Historia, he recorded a recipe for an antidote to poison that required the mixture to be taken "with a grain of salt," suggesting that the addition would protect the person and render the poison less harmful. Over time, this evolved into the figurative idea that adding a little bit of "salt" helps you swallow or process information that you might otherwise doubt." Now we know! Yay! May God add His blessings. Amen.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."

I was in a hurry this morning. Our local, called-out assembly, (Mims Baptist Church), scheduled a men's Bible Study on the letter to The Ephesians, a chapter each week, and we meet between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Therefore, that was a big To-Do for me as I embraced this brand new day, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. We started this study week before last and that first one was very informative and the 30 minutes allotted to discussion was really a barn burner. I mean we had some really vocal guys at our table, present company included. Let's just say we had the iron sharpening iron going on. You know. The image I conjure up is using a iron whetstone to sharpen a knife. The more you rub and hone in on the object being sharpened, it is the sharper that object becomes. That concept is mentioned in the Proverbs, Chapter 27, Verse 17. Here is how the Amplified Bible presents this verse: "As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]." You've probably heard that verse quoted often related to spiritual men's conferences or other similar men's gatherings. Now you know why they use that terminology: iron sharpening iron. And, I quickly add, sometimes I don't always realize how dull I am until the light gets turned on during our discussions of the truths from God's Word. In that first session I saw many dragging in very sleepy eyed, but, they left with a fresh sense of how God communicates what we need, individually especially, and collectively as well, and that makes for time well spent. It does. It really does.

 

Solomon writing with Spiritual insight from Above.

I did want to mention what a great Fathers Day I enjoyed this past Sunday. Our eldest and his bride were out of the country at a resort in Mexico all last week celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. I know. You are thinking I look way too young to have a son celebrating that kind of milestone. What? You didn't think that at all. Okay. It would help if you could play along with me on these kinds of reports. I was young for a long time. Just bear with me here. I had a baby face all the way into my late twenties and early thirties. I hear you. That was then and this is now. We did have a friend who was prematurely gray. He was infuriated when they would offer him the senior discount especially when the rest of us were around to witness it. But, none of us get to the end of our sojourn without some wear and tear. And, I think you've heard some of my challenges in that arena. That ending passage penned by Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes never resonated so much with me until I experienced the full measure of what it means to grow older. It's worth our attention regardless of our age because the sooner we learn this truth, the better:

 

Ecclesiastes 12 ~ New Living Translation

1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.

4 Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.

5 Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.

6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

8 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”

9 Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 10 The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.

11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep.

12 But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.

13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

 

Enough said and well worth our time. May God bless the reading of His Word. Amen.