Some days I feel like I am lack toast intolerant.

Good day to you and welcome back. Today's banner page indicates it is Tuesday, October 2, 2012. Thanks for stopping by. I know how much you enjoy me passing along helpful hints. Here's one that many might find helpful. If you have one of those little one cup coffee brewing appliances, make sure the cup is under the spout when the appliance is brewing. It's part of the design. The cup is there to receive the freshly brewed coffee. If it is not there, well, the coffee comes forth because it doesn't know the cup is not there. I know. Yes. I do have more than one cup and using different cups might help avoid any spillage. But, I typically use one particular cup, therefore, it is important to keep the guidelines in mind. There's no reason for me to explain how I know about these things. Just consider me to be like a work in progress where I pretty much make it up as I go. It will keep you on your toes and it also helps to have some paper towels around, just in case.

We received the changes that will be made in January to our Medicare advantage plan. This is the second year in a row where major costs are being shifted to the patient/member. The changes are significant. We have a health care legislation that supposedly was designed to make everything less costly. Someone didn't get that memo. The law will merge in 35 million previously uninsured folks. That's the total population of Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma combined. These folks were not able to buy insurance in the past. Now they will be able to get healthcare coverage. I'm not opposed to anyone being able to get the healthcare they need. But, please don't tell me that it will drive down the cost because that is not only misleading, it is an outright fabrication, period. After reading all the changes that will be made to our plan, well, I do have a response. Don't get sick. And whatever you do, don't get sick enough that you need to go into the hospital. Just sharing folks, just sharing.

I also fully realize that this is happening to the more than 40 million of us who are 65 or older who are Medicare recipients. Another 8 million are on Medicare due to their disability status. This means I am not alone. I suppose that's why it is called shared pain. Maybe that's part of the design. Make it so unaffordable that people will take better care of themselves because they have no other option. Just joking. We all know that man cannot live by bread alone. I heard one fellow say that and then he added how that we must have peanut butter to go on it. That statement actually comes from Matthew Chapter 4, Verse 4. Jesus was in the midst of Satan's temptations when He uttered those words, "It is written: 'A man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'." I've heard that verse many times but it took me a while to understand exactly what is meant. Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy Chapter 8. While some have thought this to refer to the Word of God as in the inspired words that were breathed out by God the Holy Spirit as found in our Bible, this is not what Jesus was referring to. He was saying that we all live, not by physical provision alone, but every breath we breathe is by the provision of The Sovereign God, therefore, because of this, we can deal with these challenges, price increases, and whatever else comes our way. Go back and read the context from Deuteronomy 8 and you will see what I am talking about. The Apostle Paul understood: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength." (Philippians 4:13) Okay. Take care now, you hear. See you next time and may God bless. Amen.     .....More later.