"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." ~ Mark Twain

Good morning. It's Tuesday, January 27, 2015, and I bid you a warm welcome for today's visit. Speaking of warm, this area is known for its erratic weather patterns. We have a 75 predicted for one day this week but more cold and rain coming later this week. You just never know exactly what might be coming next. Meanwhile, our fellow citizens up on the east coast are bracing for a blizzard that could well topple historical records. They are using words like crippling and paralyzing to describe this weather event that may dump up to 3 feet of snow in places like New York City, Boston, and points north. While we loved seeing the snow out in New Mexico we'll take the erratic ups and downs here compared to a blizzard. I saw the mayor of New York City doing a press conference to try and inform people about this threat and how they should prepare to survive it. I don't really know of any area anywhere that doesn't have some potential threats. We have hurricanes and the potential for flooding in our area. Others have tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and mudslides. It reminds me of that passage from the letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the local congregation meeting in Rome, Italy. "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." (Chapter 8, Verse 22) Paul further explained that the creation itself will one day be liberated from the bondage that came when sin entered the world. Paradise restored. Now that will be something indeed!

I read through a list of the 10 best weather places in the world. Guess what? Everyone of them had a 'however' followed by some type of potential weather related event that could occasionally occur. I don't rest my case but it is good to know that we will only experience perfection when our Lord comes to make all things right. We sometimes look to our own machinations to try and make what we think will be a utopian situation. Reality has a way of making it clear that this is not something we can accomplish. No matter how much planning, we just never know what might happen. I've mentioned before about an uncle who did everything right to start improving his health. He did his doctor visits. He built up his strength over time in preparation for running his first marathon. That day came. He was ready. He ran well but suffered a heat stroke and after six months of being in a vegetated state, he passed away. I'm not saying folks shouldn't make plans and engage in exercise and other activities. But, we all should be aware that outcomes are in God's hands and everything we do should be done with this recognition. Here's how Brother James put it: ~ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. ~ (James Chapter 4, Verses 13-16)

No. I am not planning on turning my blog into a theological commentary each day. But, to tell the truth, it more or less runs on its own set of rails, so to speak. If I decided not to publish every blog that I wasn't completely satisfied with, well, there would not have been that many to read. I realize that some days I do myself quite a bit of rambling around from one discombobulated thought to the next. I've told you before that I, for some reason, like using that word discombobulated, and try to use as much as I can. Why do I like it? I don't have a clue. Maybe it's because it looks odd, different, or maybe I'm a good example of its meaning. (It has something to do with being confused.) But, as my mom tells me that I use this one way too much: it is what it is. I do know this. You can't go wrong when you quote the Word of God. It can take care of itself because it has the power of God within it. As for the rest, all I can say is to stay tuned. When Paw Paw Mac used to wonder out loud when I was talking on and on, "When will that boy ever come up for air?", well, that might be something to consider as I get closer and closer to the 2000th edition. We will see about that. In the meantime you can just have yourself a blessed day and may God help us all to do the same. Amen.   ....More later.