1st Corinthians 3:6-9 from the New International Version: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."

Good morning and welcome. Today is Tuesday, July 29, 2025. It is trash day here. We have two regular trash containers and one recycle container out on the curb. We just had regular pickup this past Friday which begs the question: How in the world can so few people have so much trash in such a short time? The government reports that typically each individual creates 4.9 pounds of trash per day. To me, it's a wee bit of a mystery but I've not figured out how we can have so much to dispose of, but, I've decided to put it in the missing socks category. The socks go into the washer and they typically make it to the dryer. However, upon their fetching from the dryer something happens and it ends up being several without mates. I hear the Twilight Zone music playing in the background as everyone ponders what could have happened. Not really, but, life is filled with quirky kinds of unexplainable things. I have no idea why these things came to mind but as you can see, it just happens. I was recently asked by one of my readers how I come up with SO MUCH stuff. My answer, everyone is probably good at something. As it turns out I excel at coming up with stuff. I did not say all of what I come up with serves a useful purpose, but, when I am sharing truths from God's Word, well, that always has a purpose, forever and ever, Amen. How do I know that to be true? The B-I-B-L-E tells me so: Isaiah 55:11 from the New American Standard Bible, "So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it." I do receive comments from time to time that affirm how this purpose is accomplished. This one from a foreign reader: "Awesome testimony and very encouraging. Thanks Al", back in 2013. The bottom line: Some meaningless chatter, some occasionally funny material, and perhaps a few educational tidbits thrown in, BUT, I typically always include something inspired from above, therefore, I am confident in knowing He will work through that part of my daily propagating of stuff.

 

How many people can you name by name who have made a major impact on your life? I recently watched Dr. Dennis Swanberg, Christian Humorist, sharing a sermon about shade tree planting. I've heard it several times over the years but it rings true. I encourage you to look it up on YouTube. He is a well educated theologian, a former pastor for many years, and, a great jokester and does a great job doing impressions. He uses all of these in presenting his sermon about how people plant shade trees they never get to sit under and they do it on behalf of those who will get to sit under them. His text is from Jeremiah Chapter 32. It got me to thinking about all those who have influenced my life often through the sacrifice of their time and effort that I might become who I am today. I don't want to share that list today because it is incomplete but I am working on it. Why? I thank God for any and all who helped me along the way. Some I did not recognize at the time. If you are one of them: I thank God for you and I thank you. I will have much more on this later. I used that word much just to cover my bases since I am known for being good at coming up with SO MUCH stuff. May I leave you with this one. I didn't get to where I am all by myself. I didn't. It was only by the grace of God and how people from my earliest days to even my current days have made a difference in my life. There are no lone rangers in the Christian community. We depend on God and we depend on each other. More, much more, on this later. But for now, may we all join together in thanking God for the life He has given to each of us and may we do our best to live it out in a way that influences others for good and brings honor and glory to God in the process. Thanks again for tuning in and may God add His blessings. Amen.