"I must govern the clock, not be governed by it." Golda Meir

Hello Friday, you are a welcome sight for sore eyes, and weary bones as well. I have been burning the hours up this week, therefore, on this February 22, 2013, I'm more than just a little more than usual looking forward to the weekend. Maybe I will sleep in. (Activate the laugh track here.) No. Really. I could try. My wife thinks I have slept in if I stay in the bed until 6 a.m. on Saturday. It's that internal clock deal. It doesn't really know how to distinguish what day of the week it is. I typically adjust it or fool it by how late I go to bed. If I am in bed before 10 p.m. I will typically be awake and ready to go by 3:30 a.m. On some Friday nights I stay up later and the clock becomes a little bit confused about when to sound the internal alarm. Some folks express genuine concern about me not getting enough sleep. My wife typically tells them that you have to include my snooze time in the recliner. That's my warm up to get ready for my regular sleep cycle. You know. Like those football players stretching before the big game. The other night I was watching a super modified car race on the Speed Channel. I saw them start the race and I saw them finish the race but what happened in-between the green flag and the checkers, well, I must have been really warming up because I couldn't tell you. I understand it was an exciting race. That's good to know. Right?

I think we older folks tend to idolize the good old days as we shape them in a way that seems to make them better than anything we've experienced in the present. Those who study the brain say that waxing nostalgic does trigger what they call feel good neurochemicals. I'll take a bottle of that if you have one lying around. The old days for many of us were simpler, and definitely more innocent. It is true that the major behavior issues when I was in school had to do with talking in class, chewing gum, and running in the halls. I think most of today's school principals would take those problems in a heartbeat. However, we also have experienced some wonderful advancements that may, in fact, be the very reason some of us are still hanging around to be wishing for the good old days. Life saving surgeries, drug therapies, and other technologies that have contributed to our well being. The other thing we all have to realize is that we can only deal with the present. It's called reality for a reason. No amount of day dreaming about days gone by will change our need to embrace and deal with today's agenda. And, I'll be glad to have the air conditioning and indoor plumbing as an added plus as I do a little of both. You know. Make short visits to The-Way-We-Were, but, also try to practice the Brighten-the-Corner-Where-You-Are approach each day.

It does help to have a plan in what you are trying to accomplish. Here's an old joke that illustrates this point: "A scientist and a philosopher were being chased by a hungry lion. The scientist made some quick calculations, he said, "It's no good trying to outrun it, its catching up." The philosopher kept a little ahead and replied, "I am not trying to outrun the lion, I am only trying to outrun you!" At least he knew what he wanted to do. That brings me to the end of another week of sharing this, that, and the other. I remind you that when I mention things we all need to consider, that I typically am first in line. Many times the entire thought is likely directed towards yours truly. That's not just some humble sounding words. That's a fact, Jack, and you can quote me on it. I do hope you will have a wonderful Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I plan to show up at the meeting place where our local fellowship of believers meet. We show up to express our worship of our great God but we also show up to encourage, build up, and show true love, one for another. Try that one on for size. It will do a body good. May God bless each one. Amen.  ....More later.