"Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning." ~ George Carlin, American comedian, (1937-2008)

Good morning and welcome. Today is Monday, May 19, 2025. I read this bit of news for our area here in South East Texas where they are predicting we might just hit the century mark in hot weather this week. Yikes. Just a week or so ago we were waking up to mid 50's in the mornings with highs in the 70's, but, the switch has been flipped and we didn't pass go, didn't collect $200, but, we landed on the space marked hot! Welcome to Texas weather! Hot weather, I read one fellow lamenting how he got home, wanted to take a shower, but the wife had used up all the cold water. There's plenty of those 'it's so hot' jokes out on the internet. One said he was so hot he was trying to make his wife mad just to get one of her icy stares. So hot, if you listen very carefully you can hear the trees whistling for a dog. It's so hot my body fat sweat smells like grease frying. Sometimes you get so hot you begin perspiring like the politician listening to the sermon at Church. Okay. It's warm and I do hear that A/C monster churning away pretty much 24/7. I also know that this early heat wave is nothing more than a down payment as we enter the summer months. But, as always, it's the weather, therefore, we have permission to talk about it and we are reminded of the reality of the old joke, everyone talks about it but no one does anything about it. 

The heat can be uncomfortable, but, I am reminded how I lived into my 20's before having a window air conditioning unit. I did have a few box fans but they often sucked in the moisture adding some insult to injury. For today's America, they pretty much advertise how one cannot actually live without having air conditioning. Really? Tell that to the more than 60% of the world's population who do not enjoy that modern convenience. (Stats according to Google AI.) I can say unreservedly that I do not want to live without it. I was working on a consulting project in the Chicago area in the mid 1990's when they experienced a prolonged unprecedented heat wave. Some 700 residents died due to heat related illnesses. They didn't have capacity at the local funeral homes. They had to bring in refrigerated trucks. Many of these were the elderly who lived in older neighborhoods where many houses do not have air conditioning. Ironic to think they had no air conditioning so they died but had to be put in refrigerated trucks until their remains could be buried. My point? I am going to say it at the risk of getting some hate mail. Here it is: We were tougher back in the day. We were. Not by choice, it was just a way of life. There was no staying in the house because it's too warm outside to play. Nope. And, I quickly add those before us were tougher still. Much of that toughness was having to survive things like the Great Depression and World Wars. We never complained about not having A/C. We didn't know we could. Were we often uncomfortable? Sure, but, it was a way of life.

 

I am so glad I know who holds my today and my tomorrow. In fact, the kids song that says He's got the whole world in His hands is very true. Therefore, I can trust Him. You can too. Stay cool and try to stay away from older folks like myself who tell you how tough they had it compared to you. Or, maybe, listen to them and learn. That's biblical too. Enjoy the rest of your warm day, in Jesus Name. Amen.