"I'm most proud of the longevity of my marriage, my kids, and my grandchildren. If you don't have that, you really don't have very much." Bob Newhart

Today is a special day in our family. That's right. It's Joy day. That's as in Madelyn Joy day because today is our great granddaughter's birthday. She is five and we thank God for her and pray His blessings, protection, and guidance upon her life. She has such wonderful potential and we are so happy to wish her a most wonderful birthday. Happy Birthday Madi from your Great Grand MiMi and Poppy!

It's good to be back here once again on this Wednesday, January 7, 2015. I'm sitting here wondering what might come up in today's episode, number 1955, in case anyone is into counting. On our recent travels, (nearly 2400 miles), the wife and I listened to a large amount of satellite radio. We enjoyed the laugh channel, the one with the clean jokes, but admittedly, after you have heard them for the 3rd and 4th time they are not quite as funny. We listened to many old time radio episodes. I love them and she likes them a little but she does tolerate them. We even heard the one hour radio version of Stagecoach starring John Wayne on the Screen Directors Playhouse, originally broadcast January 9, 1949. Both John Wayne and his original costar Clarie Trevor read their parts for this radio reprisal of the 1939 academy award winning movie script. At other times we filled up the sound system with Southern Gospel or Bluegrass. We also got in some NASCAR News, BBC News, Fox News, CNN, some Christmas programming and whatever else happened to interest us at the time. The satellite radio goes in my little car and that reminds me, I need to retrieve it and return it to its proper place. She can get attached to that little radio in a heartbeat.

I know. You wouldn't really think it appropriate to put NASCAR and the BBC in the same sentence but that's the beauty of being able to choose. I know some folks who think it funny that I watch NASCAR but they watch stuff that I have never even considered watching. It just reminds us all that we are wired up differently. We do have the ability to record programs (DVR), although, neither the wife or I have been trained to use it. She took a stab at it and right now it more or less has taken control of our viewing. She somehow got it recording programs she doesn't necessarily want and it will switch to them while we are watching something else. We await one of the kids to come by and reset everything. I'm sure not pointing the finger at her because I see people everyday being totally worked over by their so called smart phones. Some of the conversations they have with the support folks makes one wonder if it's smart to have one. My out is this: Most any program I might want to see that I missed is available on the internet, therefore, I'm not that concerned about watching it on the main TV set. Technology. It really has become entwined in the fabric of life.

I heard a fellow talking about how quickly his six year old mastered the IPAD she received for Christmas. I suppose the inherent expectation for these little ones make adapting to technological innovation second nature. That, plus she most likely has already had her hands on one of her playmate's systems. And, to think we were concerned about our kids being raised where they watched too much television. Nowadays kids are wired for just about any and all things digital by the time they start walking. One thing will always be sure. No technology can replace the need for one on one love and caring. No technology can substitute for a relationship with the God who sent His one and only Son to die for a lost and dying world. I know the catchphrase that has become the answer to almost anything, 'there's an ap for that'. We just need to be reminded there are some areas where the heart of the matter is still the matter of the heart. Now. Go out there and have yourself a blessed day. Amen.  ....More later.