~ Those who have true wisdom will fear the Lord, the One who alone can give true security: “Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared” ~ (Proverbs 3:23–26).

Hello out there in the bubble called the electronic superhighway, the internet, the world wide web, or, in my case, the small area containing the bits and bytes that store my blog each day. It is Wednesday, May 23, 2018, and I have been doing some thinking. I was a kid once. I also went to school like kids do today. I have been searching my memory files to try and come up with any semblance of threat I may have experienced while in school. I did have some playground encounters. Bullies have always been around and I can remember that being the case when I was a kid. But, things were different. Never, ever, can I remember a time when even the hint of a thought of danger was contemplated from someone who could shoot and kill people on school grounds. It was not part of the landscape. People everywhere are asking what has changed to bring us to where we are in today's times. I'm not implying anything about guns or gun control. I am saying that at one time in our country, schools were considered to be safe places. No one concerned themselves with preventative security. Nowadays, schools are not deemed as being safe spaces. Tragedy could happen anywhere at any time. Again, what has changed? Were we all back then just living in a wistful bubble of Mayberry-itis? I don't think so. I think we felt safe because we were safe. Our world has changed. The appreciation of the value of human life has been altered. Social media, the internet, the violent games, movies, TV, and all kinds of other technology-based saturations permeate the lives of our children, beginning at an early age. I know we have many who say this increase in knowledge and access to technology is worth whatever the price. Is it? What about the home? This saturation of images and interactive role-playing has taken the place of family connections. We've become a technologically savvy people who have lost our way. Our children are the outcome of this environment. Only a return to God and the values He has stipulated for His created human family can make a dent in what we have become today. I'm just thinking out loud, and, I do not absolve myself from being a part of how we got to where we are today. I do know this. Unless something changes I fear we will continue to see this type of fruit because of the crops we have planted. Just me. My thoughts. Feel free to have your own. May God help is my prayer. Amen.

I didn't mean to be so wordy, but, this is an issue that impacts every man, woman, boy, and girl. That impact is not only here in our country but all around the globe. This clash of cultures is real. Those of us that grew up during a different time are inclined to see things in a certain way. I recently read about the reasons Dr. James Dobson left the highly successful organization he founded, 'Focus on the Family'. His philosophical bent was different than the younger man, Jim Daly, who was chosen to run the organization. I get that. The times they have changed. The younger Daly believes that being less confrontational and more subtle is a better way to pursue bringing truth to the culture today. I get that. I am a baby boomer. Here are the identified generations since I came on the scene: Xennials; Generation Y; The Millennials; Gen Next; Gen/Gen Z; and Gen Alpha. All of these generational designations reflect individuals who occupy space here on the planet. They are people. As I think about the barriers that exist, I immediately thought of the only thing I know of that is powerful enough to transcend these differences, that is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is, after all, the power of God unto salvation... (Romans 1:16) This may sound simplistic, but, I really can't think of anything else that has the power to change from the inside out any person of any generation. The song says people need the Lord. Yep. That is true. It really is. Amen.

Now that I have gotten us all stirred up on that subject, let me see if I can take the edge off. I continue to know, up close and personal, that me, myself, and I, is the very best source of comic material that I share with my audience from time to time. I don't always connect my stories directly to myself, most likely due to the embarrassment factor. But, let's face it. Old people can be and often are very funny. I recently read a study that was done in Great Britain that looked at how people process humor at different ages. The good news says that even older folks can still recognize funny and are able to laugh as a result. The study did find that older folks need to understand the joke in order to have the appropriate response. Hey, so we slow down a little. The younger folks get it quicker, but, we do get there. And, when we do, we laugh. That's a good thing. There are many little stories that help illustrate how age impacts our day to day living. Here is a classic: ~ An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would  recommend it very highly." The other man said, "What is the name of the  restaurant?" The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... the  one that's red and has thorns." "Do you mean a rose?" "Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last  night?" ~ That one is closer to home than I would like to admit. I do hope you have a wonderful rest of the day and may our Great God add His blessings as we continue our journey here. Amen. .....More later.