"I have made the tough decisions, always with an eye toward the bottom line. Perhaps it's time America was run like a business." ~ Donald Trump

Today is Wednesday, March 8, 2017, so let's get right to it. I know some of you are a little nervous because of the chaotic start of our newly elected President and his new team. It has been any and all things other than what we have come to expect. People are throwing around words like un-presidential and out of control. What has all the normal way of doing business done for us in the past? Life-tenured politicians, escalating taxes, less freedom, and an obese Big Brother attempting to dictate how we should live our lives. Because of this, I'm very much willing to deal with some chaos and uncertainty. But, as the old saying goes, only if there ends up being proof in the pudding. (That figure of speech dates back to the 1920's. However, the proof is in the pudding is a new twist on a very old proverb. The original version is the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And what it meant was that you had to try out food in order to know whether it was good.) This daring and different style, no matter how much of a welcome change it might me, is only as good as the results it achieves. That's why people are elected to high office. To make a difference. Not just to try. I heard a prominent Democrat high office holder decrying the way in which President Trump seems to blame others, all the time. He went on to add that this is unprecedented and not how Presidents should conduct themselves. I will take that drumroll now. Where in heaven's name has that fellow been during the eight years of President Obama? Going out the door he was still blaming George W. Bush, and the Republicans, and Bible believers, and anyone else not buying into his vision. I know. It's all political, however, at least we can be an informed observer. Right? Yeah. Me too.

I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't keeping up. Okay. I hear you. Fat chance on that one? Let's move on to another topic, that is, if I can come up with one. I read some funny things posted that were said by someone's grandparents. One fellow asked his granddad what the secret was for his 60-year marriage to his grandma. The old fellow looked at him with a solemn face and blurted out, "I have no idea since I have been hacked off for 59 of the 60 years." Another reported how her 100-year-old grandmother was resuscitated despite having a signed DNR on file. Grandma's first words to those who were doing compressions on her chest, "Are you really supposed to be doing this?" One guy said his elderly grandfather wanted to give him some advice on how to meet girls. His grandfather told him that if he really wanted to impress them he needed to learn how to jitterbug, at which the old dude got up and gave an impromptu demonstration. Another told about a family story when one of the girls brought her date to meet the family. Grandpa was instructed not to ask specific questions about the boy's grades, job, or hobbies. When the boy arrived he was introduced and after shaking hands Grandpa simply asked, "Son, have you ever been to prison?" One more for the road. This grandfather was a decorated WW2 war veteran. He had lost his leg in combat. With the family gathered around him including all the grandkids, he was asked how it happened. He related, "It was on the 4th of July and I thought they were shooting off fireworks but it turned out to be them throwing grenades."

Several of us have been recently talking about the actuarial tables where life expectancy is projected based on birth year. My grandfather, Paw Paw Mac, was born in 1900. At that time the expectation for a male living in the US was, on average, 46 years, 3 months. A female born in the same year yielded an expectation of 48 years, 3 months. My grandfather made it to 71. You look at those projections and then consider a recent finding by a pool of genetic scientists. They project the end of being able to extend life, on average, will be when 85 years to 100 years is attained. Other scientists disagree, believing there's yet more that can be done to extend life beyond the 100-year mark. I go back and look at the year 1946 and find the projection for my birth year for a male to be 64 years, 4 months. I am 70 and 1/2 years into my sojourn, therefore, I don't know if I am living on borrowed time or not. I don't think I am. Those of us who believe the final authority for all truth to be God speaking in His word yield ourselves to the truths He has given. While we may not be able to make sense of why this person lives a longer or shorter time than others, we do know what Job said about God's sovereign control, "Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass." (Chapter 14:5) That makes me feel a whole lot better when contemplating that time when I bid farewell to this life and say hello to my eternity with Him. Now that I have cleared that one up, I say so long for now and may God bless. Amen. ....More later.