"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." ~ Mother Teresa

I think we can all identify with the sentiment, 'It's always something.' I know you haven't been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting on me to confirm that particular fact of life, but, as I rush my way to the threescore, ten, and four-year mark, I believe it to be the subtitle for how life works including on the day before us, Thursday, January 29, 2020. You like the other one better? 'If it's not one thing, it's another.' That one is also a part of the fabric of how our lives unfold each and every day. Reality does a much better job of giving us realtime memes than those we might craft or design. How about the one that says 'we never know what a day might bring'. Or, the one I've used many times in my blogging program, 'today is the first day of the rest of your life'. The word 'today' is mentioned 149 times in the New King James translation of the Bible. The emphasis in the Scriptures is on making preparations for eternity by responding to God's provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. As a matter of the unfolding life here, a "today" focus is indicated as the way to live and function. Looking at it as our day by day reality, the day we are living is the only one we can count on and even it too is fleeting. Therefore, we have this one. This day. Today. I suppose it behooves us all to get out there and see what we can do with it. (I'm currently in the process of getting ready to get ready to do my taxes. Full disclosure requires me to add how this process, (easily postponed for another day), may have triggered some of my thoughts in this segment.)

I do apologize again to the grammar program I use each day. It is a big help to me. It does not comprehend the depth of my slinging slang, therefore, it tries to correct a lot of my stuff. I appreciate the due diligence but I often have to ignore its flags and red underlines. And, I also apologize for bringing up the subject of taxes again. Since it is a front-burner issue for us because it is our first time to file without having a W-2 as part of our package. We are now fully semi-retired and I say that because of the income we receive for our impersonation business, The Santa Enterprise. We are serious about knowing, not because we will be getting a refund, but, it is somewhat important for us to know how much we have to pay. Once we get that nailed down we can wait until April to file. I've used the same tax preparation software for many years. It makes it easier if you can import last year and change what needs to be updated. However, they are big-time raising the price each year. They want to encourage people to use their software online in their cloud as opposed to downloading it to your personal computer. They price the cloud stuff around half of what they charge to have your own copy. I want it on my computer. I know. My choice. Pay it and move on. Oh well, it gives me another tax-related subject to complain about. That should be worth something.

The wife is some better but not completely back to her previous level of abnormal normality. I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but, it is an accurate description. At the same time, she is very thankful because some sleep and relaxation are better than what this last round had brought her. I wish I could do more for her. I wish I could absorb some of what she is dealing with. It doesn't work that way. The best I can do is to be here for her. And, pray. We can always pray. Some say if God already knows everything including the problems she is having, why pray? He has ordained prayer as a part of how He sovereignly works. He has invited us to pray. He cares. Sometimes prayer may not change the circumstance but it does change the one who is praying. Our faith informs our prayers. His will be done. He does know best. Our pastor recently presented that God inspired illustration from the New Testament writing of James, Chapter 5, Verse 17, "Elijah was the same kind of person as we are. He prayed earnestly that there would be no rain, and no rain fell on the land for three and a half years." We too often miss exactly what is being said here. Elijah, the great prophet of Israel, he was no different than you or me. He put his sandals on every day just like we put our shoes on. Yet, he prayed and God worked. That should encourage us all today. I know it encourages me. Amen. ....More later.