"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." — William Butler Yeats

I think because it's Monday, March 17, 2025, St. Patrick's Day, I am supposed to open with this ditty, "Top of the morning to one and all!" For me, myself, and I, along with Lil Miss Biscuit, it's just Monday and we look up and thank God for it. I will let the scholars continue to address the factual issues related to St. Patrick and the snakes in Ireland. It seems, at least in my observation, here in the United States, celebration of this day has mostly to do with the color green and in drinking green beer. I'm sure there are some folks who observe it for religious reasons but I've not met them yet. And, be sure that I would never intentionally offend people of Irish extraction with my ignorance on the matter. Meanwhile, life goes on here at the ole blogger ranch. My primary care doctor's registered nurse called me last Friday. She said the doctor had reviewed all the labs from my recent annual checkup and while my A1c had increased from 6.2 to 6.6, he concluded my overall results, (about 20 readings), were reasonable. (A1C stands for hemoglobin A1c. It is a blood test that measures the average blood sugar (glucose) level over the past 2-3 months.) I thanked her for calling. After thinking about it for a while I began to wonder what it means to say the results were 'reasonable'. People at our local assembly gathering (Church) asked me how I was doing and I responded that I guessed I was reasonable since that was the word from my doctor. I looked up the word and I am guessing that having gotten this summary I can say that I am appropriate, fair, or moderate. That was my first time to hear the reasonable indication but I am going to say this about it. It could have been unreasonable and I'm pretty sure that would have been very problematic. You do know what I mean. Right, Vern?

 

I cannot deny my nostalgic leanings. I have much to look forward to as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but, I also enjoy reliving stuff from my past, in my mind's eye. This doesn't mean I live in the past, but, I do enjoy my visits where I stroll down memory lane. Merriam-Webster informs me that to be nostalgic means "I have a longing for or thinking fondly of a past time or condition". Thank you very much dictionary folks. Let me set one thing straight. Many of my visits to the past involve old days not good old days. While some involve gut wrenching sadness, they too are a part of who I am today. I know some folks who have pretty much chosen to un-remember (not a word) just about everything about their past. It somehow serves them in coping with today. That would not be me. And, don't get me wrong. I am well aware of how we can polish up and make things better way back then than they actually were. I also need to make it clear that I am not obsessed with my occasional strolls. They can be very positive. Would it surprise you to know that the concept of remembering is mentioned some 550 times in the Bible? One example might be how my mom would get us up, feed us, and make sure we wore our Sunday best so we would be in Sunday School and Church, every Sunday, every Wednesday evening, and every time the doors opened at the meeting place. None of that will get anyone to heaven, but, I do recall how chaotic and challenging it was to wrestle the six of us kids because she had a thing about us showing up looking our best. Yep. Everything clean, ironed, shoes shined, and ready for inspection. She thought the way we looked was a reflection on her. I know. People today would say she was crazy for thinking that way, but, I believe she was a very special mom for doing what she did. It causes me to thank God for the mom He provided to us. Therefore, I will keep on looking back even as I cannot even fathom what it will be like when I experience the promise of my Savior, "that where I am, you may be also." (John 14:3) Can I get an Amen on that? Yeah. Me too. Amen and Amen!