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| Our very first great and grand Madelyn Joy, granddaughter of our eldest Chris and wife Sherrie. This is her back-to-school photo as she enters middle school this year. Yep. That's our old Caddy in the background. She and it look great! |
Good Tuesday morning to each and every one, on this, the 24th day of August, in the year of our Lord, 2021. I know that's quite the amount of bolding to get us started, but, on some days, well, that's just how I roll. For those who may be suffering from low blood pressure, I have a sure-fire remedy. Take the time to watch any of the US government briefings on Afghanistan and the blood pressure will certainly rise. I just finished watching the live briefing from the Pentagon and, between Mr. Kirby and General Taylor, they bring new meaning to what I hear as conflated gobbly-gook newspeak nonsense. They talk in circles to the extent I actually felt like I did back when I was a kid getting off the tilt-a-whirl at the local fair. But, they are vastly better at what they do than the current occupant of the Oval Office. And, yes, it is true. News reporters, out of fear for their futures I suppose, have to apologize for asking any question that reflects the actual views of the American people. "Sorry Sir, I'm just the messenger." How sad. Whatever happened to speaking truth to power? Oh yeah, I forgot. I used the word truth when speaking of the mainstream media. Sorry. My bad, as they say. Yesterday, the Whitehouse spokesperson castigated a Fox News reporter for saying there are stranded Americans in Afghanistan. She said it was irresponsible to call them stranded since they are committed to getting all Americans out, with the tired caveat, that is, if they actually want to leave. No Americans are stranded. They are just unable to get to the airport. I will close out this little critique with recent headlines and stories calling Americans as being stranded from the following news outlets: ABC News, Axios, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and NBC News. I'm sure a new definition for the word stranded will soon be announced as we pause to remember President Clinton's famous response, "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is." Better stop now I hear the blood pressure monitor just about to top out.
I was very honored to do my best to teach the ending verses, (chapter 4), in the letter the Apostle Paul penned to the Church located in Philippi, Greece. Paul, at the time of this writing, was a prisoner held captive in Rome awaiting his appeal to Caesar. He was deprived of freedom and he had many challenges in his life, but, The Holy Spirit moved upon his heart to write this letter of encouragement to his dearly beloved believers in Philippi. The theme of the letter was that they might experience joy in the life God had given to each individual believer through Christ. "Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I say, rejoice!" (chapter 4, verse 4) Regardless of the circumstances. I'm sure the Phillipian believers could recall how Paul and Silas were found singing psalms of praise at midnight when imprisoned in their own city. These two missionaries had been severely beaten and thrown into the most secure jail cell that existed, yet, they chose to allow what was on the inside to flow out, praise and adoration to God. He later shared what he had "learned". That's an important word because even as believers we have to discover through experience what true joy is all about. Good times, bad times, horrible times, and even worse times, these situations led Paul to declare he could make it through them all with contentment and joy because of the enabling power of the strength given to him by Jesus Christ. This expression, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.", was not given to us to be reduced to a t-shirt slogan or a bumper sticker. It was not Paul's prescription for chest-thumping prosperity where one can claim the world's riches. It meant, if we take it in the context it was given, and, if we follow the precepts outlined in this chapter, day by day, we can live life from the inside out where the living Lord of the universe, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, flows through us true joy and contentment, no matter what, period, end of story. Amen.
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| I couldn't leave out a sketch of the one and only: Mr. Bentley. |
I didn't even scratch the surface of the riches found in this letter. My advice: Go and read it, pray over it, and allow God to speak to your heart. He will. Okay. Let me see if I got it all done. I shared a cure for low blood pressure: Check. I spilled my guts about the absolute travesty going on in Afghanistan: Check. And, I shared a God-inspired prescription for how believers can live out their lives, regardless of the circumstances, with joy and contentment: Check. Not bad for a throw-down blog for a Tuesday. May God bless each one. Amen. ....Until we meet again.....
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