“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ― Corrie ten Boom

Hello everyone. I bring you greetings on this first day of March, 2016. I recently listened to an extended interview on BBC radio with some futurists talking about what life might be like 100 years from now. They believe the future will be one where we can hardly even imagine the strides made in integrating computing, phones and objects of all kinds including our very thoughts. Here's an example. With the perfecting of the concepts involved in 3-D printing you will be able to order something and print it out. Okay. Are you ready for this? You order a table, you pay for it, it's downloaded to your system, and you print out a table, ready to go. You order food, same procedure. You will be able to visit anywhere at anytime without leaving your location. This will be the major advancement in virtual reality and it will provide the exact experience of you being there including the sights, sounds, smells, and perhaps even an ability to interact with the excursion chosen. All of that was somewhat hard for me to perceive of especially since I still use a flip phone. Having grown up where our house phone was a party line drop, well, we really have come a long way baby. They didn't ask but I have some input for these dreamers. If the Lord chooses to allow this world to continue for another 100 years humanity will still be lost and in need of a Savior. In the past, the present, and in that dream world future, whoever responds to and receives into their heart God's one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be saved forever and ever, Amen. It will still be a heaven or hell proposition because as the song says, this is our Father's world.

I've been privileged over the years to have public school teachers in my Bible study class. For a number of years many of them have lamented the sea change that has taken place in how education is conducted. Much of this has to do with the preoccupation with testing to indicate they are doing their jobs. Schools are now reorganized around hitting the target of the children passing certain tests at certain times. Much of any general educational benefits must be set aside because schools are either counted as being effective or not and teachers are actually paid based on the results from these tests. My point in bringing this up is because of an article I read the other day from those who are now dealing with the first waves of these children as they advance into college. One of the big problems encountered are students who know how to study for tests but in general have trouble with independent assignments like freelance reading with personalized reporting on what was read. Another study recently came out that indicated children were doing much better in schools where outdoor recess and other recreational activities had been restored. We sure tend to know how to outsmart ourselves at times. Right? One of the things I learned as a twenty plus year manager of large groups of people is how you typically get what you emphasize, recognize, and monetarily incentivize. I don't know all the answers but I do know that we need a well rounded and practical education focus for the future not just test takers.

Most of you know that I am an early person. The other evening at our pot luck supper at our local fellowship of believers a young man who is maybe 19 asked me about my job and what time I got up everyday. When I told him he literally nearly fell out of his chair. Literally. He thought that was very bizarre. It is what it is. Because it is early I've shared many times about how I frequently find myself in the middle of a wildlife Mutual of Omaha taping as I attempt to dodge the animals that show up on my journey. This keeps me very focused on the 40 MPH speed limit as well as staying ready to take evasive action at any time. That's been my experience over the years. Some who actually live off of this travel route do not share my carefulness in making my way down the road. Very rarely do I see that many folks out and about so early but the other morning I found a small convoy had gathered behind me. It was three trucks. I'm not being judgmental here but these folks all tend to have those jacked up pick ups that I would need a step ladder to get into. I could tell they were not happy with my speed so I kicked it up a notch. I was up to around 50 when the leader of the pack decided enough was enough and he nearly blew the doors off my truck when he roared by. There's really no good places to pass on that roadway but they all followed his example. One had a long trailer attached and was swerving here and there doing 65 or more when I was passed. Our youngest son has one of those big trucks. I hope he doesn't act like so many that drive those vehicles. They seem to think they own the road. They tend to have a need for speed. They are typically very impatient. And, my observation says they often endanger others as well as themselves not to mention all the critters that might happen to be on their way home after finishing their night shift. I do know it had my blood pumping pretty good so early in the morning. What's that? It adds some excitement to my day? Thanks. If that is a positive I'll have to think on that one for a while. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.