A man and his remote will not soon be parted!

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, October 26, 2011. It's good to have you along for the early morning ride. Some comment from time to time on the images I use in my blogs. They are, for the most part, found here, there, and everywhere, wherever Google will take me. If there is any skill at all, it may be in putting together the search criteria. An image does much to either convey or confirm the underlying message being presented. And, for the majority of the nearly 29,000 random page hits I've had since starting this daily exercise, many of them were also looking for images and landed on my blog in search of one. I frequently use images that reflect a Bible verse or a spiritual principle. Eighteen searchers landed on my blog while searching for an image based on these words, 'I love God'. Twelve unsuspecting souls found my daily dialogue while looking for something regarding a 'remote control'. And the list goes on, 'Christmas music', 'family love', 'funny wanted posters', and even seven people connected in by searching for Dale and Roy Rogers. As I have said before, I would love to have someone accidentally land on my blog and accidentally make contact with the living Lord of the universe because we who know Him are certain there are no accidents when it comes to His using of any and all means to make contact with His created human race. And, if an image search will see that done, then I say Amen to that!

I've written over the years about the infamous remote control. I just had this thought that brought a shudder. You know one of those where the hair stands up on your neck. I was thinking about sitting next to my wife while she was using the TV remote. Talk about the live and in person meaning of angst! Nowadays it typically takes more than one to get all the gadgets going for the big screen. I did read one the other day that I thought was kind of cute about this device that has become one of the last symbols of male domination, limited, of course, to channel selection only. "Cash, check or charge?" the retail clerk asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet the clerk noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?"  "No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come shopping with me, so I figured this was the best way to get even with him." In one short story about man's attraction to the remote, there was an effort to tie the device to its beneficial use. If a man was left to himself, without the remote control as an outlet, only bad things could happen, like war, or perhaps he would start a do it yourself project. I also saw a self control rehab program where the ultimate goal was for a man to be able to hold a remote control device in his hands while watching a TV program for three consecutive minutes without changing the channel. That sounds like a a torment program to me. Then they have the unfair quiz questions where men are asked to choose which was the greatest achievement, democracy or the TV remote controller. Is there no fairness left in the world? Here's the last one for today. Did you hear about the fellow who nearly missed his wedding because of having to undergo a minor operation? He was having the TV remote surgically removed from his hand.

We laugh because it is true. The only thing funnier is perhaps watching folks scramble to look for batteries to the remote. Talk about a major crisis. It would be at our house because I'm pretty sure there is no manual way to operate our system. We've come a long way baby since the days when us kids sat there on the floor watching that Indian Chief on the test pattern and waiting for him to go away so that Pinky Lee could get started. In fact, just the other night we were having the discussion on what alternate channel we should watch when the commercials come on during the World Series. We ended up with Antiques Roadshow. This is where skill becomes a factor. Once the switch is made, the clock is running. The idea is that you must not return too early because you will catch part of the commercial but you also must not be late because you will miss the first pitch. Pressure. I know pressure. And, when you time it right on the money, now that's what I'm talking about! Okay. Before any of you call one of those anonymous hotlines and report me, this is mostly all in fun. Mostly. Because it's also mostly true and maybe that's what makes it funny. We all need a diversion now and then but we also need to know where we can turn to for help in our messed up world. We find that source of help when we turn the channel of our hearts and minds towards our great God. Therefore, if you landed on my blog today looking for a funny image, I hope you enjoy the ones I used today. At the same time, it is my privilege to point you to the One who came and gave His life on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of the world, and anyone, someone, including you, who simply puts their faith and trust in Him has the promise of eternal life, and that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, Amen. (John 3:16)               .....More later.