Did you hear about the fellow whose wife was a horrible cook? She was so bad the flies took up a collection to repair the screen door.

How are you doing on this fine Thursday, March 8, 2012? It's good to be back in my regular place today where I am still thanking God for His provision for my dear wife. I had driven over to Louisiana on Tuesday afternoon for the viewing of my step sister Miriam, and to be with our family. This was a 400 mile turnaround but I was blessed to be able to be there. Driving over there and back gave old Uncle Arthur as in arthritis plenty to be noisy about. But that's small potatoes compared to the opportunity to express our love and caring. Of course yesterday was tied up with all those people wearing their gloves and smocks as they did the wife's heart examination. My faith was in God before, during, and after but that doesn't mean I wasn't apprehensive for her. We've been hanging out together for a long time and anything that even has the hint of a challenge to our life together, well, it does get you stirred up. It certainly is not a 'Why me?' sentiment at all. The Bible says that we should live by faith, and not by sight. Faith is not based on our stumbling through some dimly lighted or misty filled pathway. Faith is based on thus says the Word of the Lord. We didn't expect to be at that heart lab just a few days ago. We didn't know this would be how we would spend that particular day. But, nothing about that situation, nothing about our not knowing about it changed in any way whatsoever the truths upon which God would have us to live out and operate our lives. Sounds easy. Not hardly. Why? Because our old man fleshly perceptions will rise up and seek to do the hand wringing and the doubting and all the other natural reflexes that we all carry with us each and every day. However, we who are believers have the supernatural power of God Himself residing in us to help us walk by faith, faith in Him and in His truth. Now that is comfort even if my old self can't always grasp it. Amen.

Don't look for any hidden meaning in today's title. Everyone knows that my wife is a great cook. That little ditty came from a fellow I heard one day on the clean comedy channel on my car satellite radio. I thought it was slightly funny when I heard it so I filed it somewhere and recalled it this morning so that's why it made it to today's page. The guy also told another one I had heard a long time ago. It was about the blind fellow who came into a department store with his seeing eye dog. He walked in picked up the dog by the leash and started whirling him around and around. The clerk came over and asked if he could help him find something. The man said no thank you we are just looking around. I appreciate the urge you feel to throw something up on the stage at this very moment. I know it's bad but at the time it did make me smile. One of the gags pulled by Abbott and Costello involved Costello working at the U. S. Mint. Abbott asked him why he was wearing coveralls with dozens of little pockets. Costello told him the hourly rate at the Mint was pitiful but the take home pay was excellent. See, I can still remember that routine from 30 or 40 years ago and it makes me smile. It doesn't do the same for you? That's okay because when it comes to what makes one person laugh versus another, it's truly a matter of different strokes for different folks. I suppose I should be happy there's not a Dislike button on my blog.

I received a sweet note from my daughter-in-law expressing her sympathy for my mom and dad. She said it must be a horrible situation for them to have both lost a child, less than a year apart. That is true folks. Parents, regardless of their age, never, ever, want to bury their children. But, God has blessed our parents with longevity and He has given them the strength and resilience to carry on. It's hard to put into words how thankful I am for my mom and dad. They are remarkable in just about any and every way imaginable. And, I will tell you they have stood by their children. Time and time again. Through thick and thin. When they were talking about some older relatives so far away who might not be able to manage to come to Miriam's service, my wife immediately said that a 2,000 mile trip would be nothing for mom and dad. Now that is saying a lot folks and I have Uncle Arthur right here by me to back that up. God never promised that life would be easy but He did promise to be with us, no matter what. It's wonderful to see His grace played out in the lives of those we hold near and dear to us. May God bless my sweet mother and may He continue to enable my tireless dad to build the legacy of example that we all can follow. See what I mean? We are blessed folks. We are blessed! Have a great day and I'll see if I can get Uncle Arthur to move on down the road so he can pester someone else. May God bless each one. Amen.          .....More later.