Since this is the only day we have at present, let's make the best of it, in a way that brings honor and glory to our Great God!

The model I wear.

Well hello there. It is Wednesday, January 29, 2025, and I welcome one and all to Episode 3596. I am writing this at 11:44 a.m. central standard time, here in the US, and I mention this because for many, many years I wrote my blogs every day between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., religiously. Not anymore. That's what retirement does for you or to you, choose the one you like. Today I slept in a little longer trying to get my CPAP hours up, (continuous positive airway pressure), since we went to bed pretty late last night. We have become watchers of some of the K-Dramas on Netflix, Korean shows with English subtitles and since many of them are serialized, we sometimes finish the episode before retiring. The doctor harps on me getting between 7 and 8 hours wearing that horrible contraption, (mask), which supposedly gives me the best shot at not keeling over during the day when I have this immediate onset of needing a nap. We then listened to the wife reading our daily Bible passage. I, of course, had to throw in a few inputs of commentary kind of like Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story." I saw the morning news and guesses about the weather. Then I listened to a couple of hours of inspirational singing from an Australian group called ChurchAlight. If you have YouTube, search them out and watch and listen to their rendering of simple God honoring, truth embracing tunes. This is how it goes when you don't have to be at a regular job at a set time. I am aware that much of what I write about can seem to be discombobulated at times but as our Pastor likes to say, "If the shoe fits, buy one in every size." And, I would be remiss if I didn't divulge how the CPAP typically reduces my interrupted breathing occurrences from 40+ per hour to less than 5. 

How am I able to get up and go each day? There was a time in my life when I would have said it has to do with by the grace of God and some handed down old fashioned gumption. These days that question is best responded to in this way: by the grace of God and His provision of a plethora of medical treatments and prescriptions. Here's a confession for you. For nearly 60 years I prided myself on not needing medications to keep me going. I not only practiced that but I also let others know how my mind over matter philosophy ruled my days. A little thing called Type 2 Diabetes arrived as a very unexpected result from a physical examination and the bell rang and I was off to the races. I was in denial for some time, but, the very ever present medical malady became my new testimony along with some humbling in the process. You mean my old fashioned gumption couldn't overcome this diagnosis? I say this about that. Some twenty years later and I am still working on it with a little help from my friends, (see the photo above). The bottom line is this: It is still by the grace of God and He has provided me with what I need to get me up and out of bed each day and for that I continue to be beyond grateful. Add ageing into the mix and that's another story for another day. I know you can hardly wait.

 

Connecting the Dots!

I enjoy seeing short quotes and quips along with short anecdotes as they parade across the screen or one of the social media platforms. It's most likely my short attention span coupled to my mind going in a dozen different directions at the same time. Our Pastor said once that when you get ready to eat choose someone who follows the pattern of Jesus when He prayed over the food, "Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude." (Luke 9:16) That way your food doesn't get cold while someone prays around the world. I appreciate his reminder. Back to the quotes and quips. So, I see this one: We are pilgrims, not settlers; this earth is our inn, not our home. - John H. Vincent  (1832-1920). That reminded me of the song that says this world is not my home I'm just passing through and that reminded me of the words of our Savior from John Chapter 14: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." Well, you connect the dots your way and at this late date, I think I will keep on with the discombobulated method I have developed. Y'all take care now. You hear? May God add His blessings. Amen.