Flashback Friday: My first 'Friday' Blog written on May 11, 2007.

With Mother’s Day being celebrated this Sunday, May 13, it gives me an opportunity to reflect on the impact my Mom has had on my life. My mother lives in Louisiana and recently celebrated her 83rd birthday. During her time she has experienced about as much as life can throw at one person but with God’s help she has persevered. The black and white photo is of mom and dad taken in the summer of 1953. Near Christmas of that same year he came down with flu like symptoms, which eventually turned into pneumonia, which eventually led to congestive heart failure, which led to him dying suddenly at age 31 on January 2, 1954.

Talk about turning our world upside down! There she was with six children (I was 7 at the time) ages ranging from eleven down to 18 months and she had never even written a check because dad took care of what little finances we had. We were forced to leave Port Arthur, Texas and relocate to a small rural community in Louisiana where we took up residence with her parents. Somehow she picked up the pieces, went to work, and slowly but surely recovered from this devastating experience. The color photo is my mom and I taken last year when I was there to spend the day with her.

Life has been the worst and best of times for my mom but she has remained faithful to God and to all her children. Since dad left us in 54’she has buried a second husband (1967), her parents, two brothers, two sisters, a son-in-law, and our older brother, (19), and baby sister, (27). In the midst of these continuing traumatic events, I well remember the advice given by a fellow in the small town where we lived. One day he blurted out: “You folks had better straighten up soon or all of you are going to be dead”. So much for comforting words during our time of grief. In spite of all this, today she has a wonderful husband, our step-dad, and they have been married for over twenty-five years. There’s still four of us kids left and we have produced many offspring including three girls from our baby sister who died from Leukemia, and many of these grands have produced many great grands with one or two now providing great great grands as they have begun to build their families. (I have ten grandchildren myself!)

Wow! What a woman! She’s living proof that with God anything is possible. Her and dad have been retired now for twenty years and have a most wonderful life. They love bird watching from their back porch and can go and do just about any and all things they feel up to doing. Yes, they do have some wear and tear and they do spend a fair amount of their time to and from the medical facilities but all in all, God has been good! And, we are the most blessed of all children to have such a champion of faithfulness and love as our MOM! Happy Mother’s Day and may God continue to bless you each and every day! 

 

Footnote: Today is Friday, May 22, 2026, and, I will say this about all that. Mom made it another 10 years after that blog was written, to age 93. God saw us through then, He is seeing us through now, and He will see us through to the end. Y'all have yourselves a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday and I will see about seeing about being in my place on Monday. May God add His blessings. Amen.  

1st John 4:19 ~ Good News Translation ~ "We love because God first loved us."

My blog consultant: Lil Miss Biscuit.

Well hello there and welcome to another visit. This one comes to you via the www and it pretty much reaches the entire globe 24x7. Today we celebrate Thursday, May 21, 2026, and, we thank God for another opportunity to recognize, honor, and serve Him. The other day a lady in our Lifegroup class called me on a video facetime call. I typically don't get very many of those types of calls and usually I'm not always ready for primetime in terms of my appearance. However, it did give me an opportunity to prove my accounts concerning my blog partner, Lil Miss Biscuit. I fixed the camera where she could see Biscuit in the chair with me as I was working on the next day's blog. I told this lady how Miss Biscuit was a favorite of mine since she mostly is very patient until I finish and she never criticizes my work. Never. She is always overjoyed when I finish but until I get up, she stays in her place either behind me, beside me, or, in my lap. I told our 87 year old neighbor yesterday how folks that visit have trouble relating to Miss Biscuit because she loves everyone, and, she wants them to know that. She will not take no for an answer because she can't figure out why anyone would not love her back. Her way of showing her love is to take action, in her case, it usually means up and into the lap of even a stranger. I've said before and I will say it again, I could learn something from our little doggie. I thought of the song lyrics, "Makes me love everybody, makes me love everybody...." speaking of the religion we have. But does it? Does it really make us love everybody as a reflection of God's love? Yeah. A sense of conviction came over me and it was initiated by the demonstrated love of my pup. That conviction asks me this question: What am I demonstrating? 

 

We have progressed here in our household. We typically use mostly paper plates these days. We do. We really do. I often allow Miss Biscuit the opportunity to clean the residue off the plate. The wife of my youth does not agree that even though Miss Biscuit has that plate pristine and clean, that we should use it again. The wife's mother, a most wonderful Godly woman, used to rinse off a paper plate and reuse it. My mom did the same thing. They both were well aware of how life was during the Great Depression, and, they both were very frugal. As many as 15% of all households use paper plates for their meals. Another 75% have them on hand and use them occasionally. As many as 15 billion paper plates are manufactured each year for use in the United States. Getting rid of them becomes a whole lot of trash, to the tune of roughly 1 million tons of discarded waste. My point? If the wife would let Miss Biscuit clean them up, we could then rinse them off, use them a few times more, and, maybe even get a letter of commendation from Al Gore to recognize our environmental sensitivity. That was a joke. But you knew that. Right? It's all about convenience. I still think they could be reused. I do. I really do. Y'all hang in there. Maybe there will be something better coming down the blog assembly line. One could hope. I do highly recommend to those of us who know the Lord and His love to be caught showing that same love towards others. Me too. Amen.

" Without doubt the emphasis in Christian teaching today should be on worship. There is little danger that we shall become merely worshipers and neglect the practical implications of the gospel. No one can long worship God in spirit and in truth before the obligation to holy service becomes too strong to resist. Fellowship with God leads straight to obedience and good works. That is the divine order and it can never be reversed." ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer

Hello again and I do bid each one a hearty hello and a warm welcome here, today, on this Wednesday, May 20, 2026. We are in a rainy forecast for the next few days. That makes things like travel a wee bit more dangerous, but, to tell the truth we need the rain. I'm not altogether clear on the reason why but it seems here in our area the rain does not stay very long in the ground. Within a couple of days it is dry again. This doesn't mean we are not ever so grateful for God's provision in terms of watering the earth. I know there are all types of scientific explanations for the weather we experience. I don't doubt the observations of those scientific phenomenon but at the same time I ask this simple question: Where did the elements being studied originate? And, who was The Originator? Creator God. He is in control. If he knows when the bird falls out of its nest, well, He knows everything there is to know about each and every person on the planet, those created in His own image. I love the ending of the ancient Book of Job. Job was a wonderful example of what it means to exude faith and integrity, however, Job learned some things as a result of all the challenges he faced. Here was his final words spoken to His Almighty God:

 

Job Chapter 42 

 

2 “I know that you can do anything,

and no one can stop you.

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’

It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,

things far too wonderful for me.

4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!

I have some questions for you,

and you must answer them.’

5 I had only heard about you before,

but now I have seen you with my own eyes.

6 I take back everything I said,

and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

 

These words from Job have always been meaningful to me and they resonate because it helps me to see God for Who He is. What say you? 

 

I didn't intend to start today with a monumental deep theological thought on the weather, however, we exist in His world and He is the creator. I do know of many folks who are dealing with a variety of challenges in their own personal lives as well as in their families. Some have to do with illness, some have to do with financial sustainability, and, others relate to interpersonal challenges within their family. Just so you know, we all deal with the fabric of life including what it means to face difficulties and heartache. I know. There are some that promise if you give your life to the Lord you will not have to deal with any challenges in life. Can someone get Brother Job on the line and see what he thinks about that kind of nonsense. We all, you, me, everyone, as believers, and non-believers as well, live in a sin cursed world and everyone has to make their way through the maze of difficulties that define life. At the same time, knowing Christ as your Lord and Savior, under girds your day by day living with the assurance of His provision of hope and help. My advice to the unbelieving masses, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the Friend that will stick closer to you than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 ESV:

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.") The spiritual application for many see Jesus via the Holy Spirit as the true Friend. One thing is clear: Regardless of what you are facing or going through as His own child, we can know this as a ever present reality: He will never leave you and He will never forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) That's how we make it folks, one second of every minute of every hour of every day and of every year of our sojourn here in the life. Pray one for another that each of us will remain steadfast in our faithfulness to Him. Amen.

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

As I recall, the opening of the old Star Trek series always included the stardate, therefore, I continue my practice of doing the same, today being Tuesday, May 19, 2025. I figured that might appeal to some out there, somewhere, not over the rainbow but rather, somewhere connecting to and landing on this particular blog where one will find the writer engaged in all kinds of stuff being slung onto the electronic page. That would be yours truly, the blogmeister himself. Since the first of these blogs back in 2007, some 3,912 have been published. That, my friend, constitutes a lot of keystrokes and images as well. Some may have not amounted to a hill of beans, as they used to say where I was raised up, but, I submit to each and everyone how that any and all references to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, well those references do have eternal significance and their application should be seriously thought about and responded to. Myself and another fellow were out on Church visitation last Sunday afternoon and we were able to make contact with a few folks. Those we didn't talk to, we left a bag of goodies along with some track information about our local fellowship and more importantly, Bible verses that explain the plan of salvation. That's right, the Plan of Salvation. It was Creator God who provided that plan. Our pastor put it this way, first comes the bad news, Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The even worse news, Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death." Woe! But, hold on, there is better news, Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." There is even the best news of all. I'm getting excited about it even as I anticipate what it is, Romans 10:13 "All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved." That all means exactly that, all. This is the message of hope for a lost and dying world. And, it applies to any and all who repent of their sins and call on the Lord to save them. No matter where you live, no matter what you have done, and, no matter who you are, these verses apply to us all. I encourage anyone to take seriously and personally this provision from our Creator. Amen.

 

Billy Graham crusade in South Korea.

One of the people we talked to this past Sunday told us he had at one time been involved in an evangelical congregation but he had concluded that a good God would never have allowed the messed up world we live in today. I mentioned how this good God had created everything perfect and it was Adam our forefather who disobeyed God and plunged us into sin. He said he had heard that. I told him he was in a dangerous position in rejecting God's loving provision of salvation. He said he had heard all that. My point? I can't save anyone. You knew that already. And, that is true. However, we can share the love of God with others, even those who have heard it all and they have concluded how a good God would not have allowed things to become like they are today. The good news is how God still loves the world including the self-appointed skeptic. This fellow said he just might visit our services. I pray that he will and I do know there have been many who have showed up for all kinds of reasons and those reasons did not include a one on one meeting with The Holy Spirit who pricks the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls as the Word of God is shared. I can understand this fellow's conclusion. I can. However, what he concludes on his own and what I conclude on my own does not change the truth God has revealed to us. There were more than 400 Billy Graham crusades and the song, 'Just as I am' was sung at most of them as a way of inviting lost people to come to Jesus. The first verse has these lyrics:

 

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

 

By some counts, over 3 million people responded to the Gospel message proclaimed by Billy Graham during is 58 year ministry. I think God also used the message of that song in bringing home the truth all had heard. People still need to hear the truth. My family. Your family. Everyone, everywhere. Amen.

‌‌"I j‌‌ust d‌‌iscovered t‌‌hat t‌‌he w‌‌ord “‌‌nothing” i‌‌s a‌‌ p‌‌alindrome... Backwards i‌‌t s‌‌pells “‌‌gnihton”, w‌‌hich a‌‌lso m‌‌eans n‌‌othing." ~ copied

What hat should I wear today?

Good Monday morning on this another day where we have been granted the breath that is in our body, so, rise up and give God glory on this May 18, 2026. Amen. I never thought I would achieve this particular status: At Large Designated Driver. It has been a hoot driving here and there the wife of my youth or as someone called her, 'Miss Daisy'. While being on temporary suspension following her blackout spell while driving, I will say this about it: She is a very busy person, period, and, I have discovered her most spoken word regarding her situation, "This is ridiculous!" We see the neurologist in August. Hopefully, we can petition her release from this sanction, however, the 6 months will not be up until September. Meanwhile, I'm thinking up some nicknames for myself, TDD as in The Designated Driver; Chauff as in Chauffeur; Cabbie as in Cab Driver; Lim as in Limo Driver; and, finally, Ube as in Uber Driver. This incident has caused us to have to pay really close attention to our schedules. Of course medical appointments occupy a lot of space on our calendar. We were talking the other day how in our growing up days our families typically saw one doctor. Not anymore! I have more doctors whose specialties end in 'ologist' than you can shake a stick at. Don't test me on that one. But, here's the bottom line: God, yes, God, He has allowed us to live at a time whenever these advancements have been made. Here's a little ditty I copied that gives us something to think about: "In Matthew 9, the Pharisees asked Jesus why he spent time with sinners. He replied, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick' (Matthew 9:12). Jesus recognized that sick people need doctors. He did not condemn using doctors and 'earthly remedies'." Therefore, if you need to contact me, remember I might respond to the name Ube these days. Ha! And, yes, I am thankful for all the medical services we use. I am. I really am.  

People ask me at times what I think about all the stuff going on in our world today, especially in our own country. You can tune in on any given day and find the overriding theme appears to be just how much President Trump is hated. Call it Trump Derangement Syndrome, TDS, if you like, but, there is no escaping how pervasive this pandemic of venomous and out of control mind altering mental derangement dominates in today's political climate, and, the fact that it does is a limiting factor in our being able to make progress as a nation. The President had another attempt on his life recently. In a recent poll, rank and file democrats reported their belief that the attempt was all theater and a staged event. A few crazies? Not hardly. Some 42% reported that sentiment. I am not a personal supporter of Donald Trump, however, I am a committed voter for Donald Trump and given the opposition and their platform(s), I would vote for him again and again. Policies do matter, they do. And, looking at where this nation would be under another Biden-like term, well, all I can say is, "Thank you Lord for sparing us again!" Sadly, the follow-on generations will likely yield to the more liberal type of leadership and my heart breaks for what it will mean to our grands and great grands. The bottom line: God is in control. Trump, Biden, Obama, Clinton, and on and on, God is in control. Check out the testimony of how God used pagan leaders in the Old Testament accounts. He even called them His servants. I am trusting Him, period, and, in case you were wondering, yes, I am unanimous in that persuasion. In my heart's mind I can hear that song, "Come Jesus Come...." Amen.

"Elder financial exploitation involves the theft or misuse of an older adult's money, assets, or personal information." ~ Statement from the US Office of the Comptroller for Currency

Well, here it is, another day, and this one gets a lot of attention because it is May 15th, and it happens to fall in the year of our Lord 2026. Why is it an attention getter? Here are a few reasons, it's national ride your bike to work day; national chocolate chip day; national NASCAR day; national pizza party day; national endangered species day; national work from home day; national straw hat day; national wear sun shades day; national peace officers memorial day; and, there's several more, but, this last one should resonate with many of my readers, it's also national senior (old people) fraud prevention day. I can tell you the artificial intelligence programmed searches are working overtime to find new ways, every day, to try and take dollars away from unsuspecting elderly folks. I just wrote that but what you didn't see was me seething when I typed in the words. The latest reports indicate seniors lose $7 billion per year in scamming activities. A real world example:The wife, as most of you know, was involved in an accident back in March. There was a police report. That information is out there somewhere. Over the past several weeks she has been getting all kinds of texts regarding her need to pay up or pay the consequences due to monies owed regarding unpaid violations. The texts always look official. She owes no outstanding tickets of any kind, but, to some, those threats of prosecution are enough for them to send in the demanded funds. Those fraudsters program their computer software robots and they work 24x7 and just like the evil one they serve, they are seeking whom they might devour. (1st Peter 5:8) Just say no. Just say no. That's my advice. Thank you very much.

 

I recently worked on an old photo and produced this one of our Kayla with her eldest of three daughters, Stacy. Kayla would be so proud of her girls and maybe, just maybe, she knows about their productive lives.

This date is also very meaningful to my family. It's the birth date of our baby sister Kayla Jean (1952-1979). The pain of her passing from sudden onset leukemia is one that still lingers to this very day, even after so many years. She was a remarkable person. She was a radical Christ follower who wanted everyone to be with her in heaven. She did. She really did. She grieved leaving her family behind but her heart was delighted to know she would be in the presence of her Lord and Savior. Don't write me about the caption on the photo especially concerning whether Kayla knows in heaven about her girls and their lives in today's world. Some theologians have guessed that those there might know the good, but, I hasten to say, out loud, I don't know. However, it is a nice thought. The little Church over in Louisiana where her Stacy attends, they stream their services. When I watch and see Stacy going up into the choir loft and I already know what a wonderful voice talent she is, well, it goes all over me. There's so much more to the story, but, I will leave it there for today, and, yes, the tears, they still flow but, my friend, there is coming a day when He will wipe away all tears. (The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 21, Verse 4.) Now I don't know about you, but, that's something worth looking forward to. What say you? Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday, and, I will do my best to show up next time here at the ole blogger ranch. Amen.

Comedian Jamie Lissow on what it means to be a stand-up: "Once I was performing at a college in Georgia. It was a very warm night and when I got to the school they told me they had some bad news. The air conditioner in the building was broken. A lot of students left, but about 30 stayed. It was getting really hot so they opened all the windows to let in some air. So it’s nighttime, all the windows are open, it’s a small crowd, I’m up on stage and every time I tell a joke and it doesn’t get a huge laugh… I actually hear CRICKETS."

Welcome. Today is May, 14, 2006, Thursday, and, it's a good day to go ahead and stop groaning after having read those corny jokes I shared a couple of days ago. I want to be clear regarding those so-called jokes. I read a lot of them, mucho, in fact, and I chose what I thought were the best. I actually test drove them by the wife of my youth. She thought some of them might be worth sharing in our lifegroup, made up of mostly senior adults or old people if you prefer, and, when the wife read them she actually laughed. Out loud. At least one or two times. The rule for a headline stand-up comedian is to connect and have acceptance for at least 3 to 4 jokes per minute. That's why they are headliners and I am a backroom blogger hiding behind my computer screen. Ha! We watch a lot of the YouTube videos that feature clean comedians. Most of them were recorded during a performance before a live audience. We typically do not wait to see if they will get better later. We go to the next one fairly quickly, maybe after the first couple of minutes. That tells me that stand-up comedy is very very difficult. It is known to be emotionally demanding and it does carry a high risk of failure. Speaking of high risk, changing the subject because I thought of something. High Risk. What in the world are we going to do with these ever increasing home insurance prices? Please let me know if you have any good suggestions in how to deal with this expense. I thought last year it surely couldn't go higher, but, we just received our new projected price and guess what? It did go higher. And, that my friend is why comedic relief helps a wee bit in a momentary escape from these types of challenges. Yes. We can pay the increased amount. Or, at least we can from our savings and I am thankful for that, but, home insurance has become a car note. It has, it really has, and that's not a joke. 

 

I do enjoy the company of our Lil Miss Biscuit. But, there are some days when she can be hard to deal with, she can be stubborn, and, she has perfected the 'I can't hear you' approach. I know what some of you are thinking. Why in the world did I not send her to obedience school? To tell the truth I thought I could do it myself. Not so fast Bucko! I watch these videos of dogs doing amazing things and then I watch Biscuit as she keeps on sniffing and snooping around even after I've called her a dozen times. Okay. I will date myself here but I do remember that corporal punishment was the main way dogs were taught, at least, the ones I saw in my formative years as a kid. This is how I roll: When she refuses to do what I tell her after I've called several times, truth is, I would like to beat the living daylights out of her. But, I don't, and, at the end of the day, I won't. Not just because we have neighbors looking, but, it's just not in me. I care too much for the stubborn pup. I do. I really do. I've had good success in letting her run outside without her leash, but, it can be frustrating when cars come down the road and she continues her ignoring protocol while she goes here and there totally oblivious to the danger. I know inquiring minds are wondering: Who is training who? Oh well, it does help to fill in the day and I get a fair amount of practice hollering at her which might be helpful if I ever try to qualify for either a hog calling contest or a Ricola cough drop commercial. Now you know some of what I have to put up with. Ha! Y'all have a blessed day and remember to thank God for His provision. Amen.

"When the human race has once acquired a superstition, nothing short of death is ever likely to remove it." ~ Mark Twain

It's Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and, I'm glad that it's only Friday the 13th we need to worry about because the last time I checked we get a 13th in every month of the year. You know I'm just kidding around because any kind of superstition is contrary to our faith in God. I remember working with a fellow who told me his dad, a strong believer and a deacon in his local church, how, his dad would do almost anything to avoid any kind of contact with or nearness to a black cat. Woah! Confession time. Because of our conditioning, our upbringing, and, any other cultural influences, the thought does come to mind whenever one of those black silky creatures crosses in front of my car. Only for a micro-second but it does happen, it really does. I knew others that had frequented fortune tellers and even changed their schedules when told to. I think it is well established that after the shooting of President Regan, his wife, first lady Nancy, she actually consulted some kind of medium for fear that someone else might try and shoot him again. Truth is, we people are pretty fickle, don't you think? Including yours truly, but, God has an answer to our quirky but often misguided ideas. He does. He really does. The Apostle Paul writing to the local assembly meeting in Philippi, Greece gave, via Holy Spirit inspiration, these words to those folks and by extension to each of us, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." The Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 4, Verses 8-9, as rendered in the New Living Translation NLT. 

 

Believe me when I say I'm not being critical of the fellow's dad who would drive for blocks to miss coming in contact with a black cat, or others trying to use the stars to direct their lives. I was pointing out the fact that each of us have our own fish to fry, so to speak, and, if you had been raised up like me, you would see exactly the meaning of that Southern saying. Let me be more clear, I've got a full time job getting the boulder out of my own eye instead of being critical of the fellow with a miniscule splinter in his eye. (Matthew 7: 3-5)  In fact, according to Jesus, if I do get myself in a right position I just might be able to then help the brother with the splinter. That quote above is from Dale Carnegie. I read one or two of his books. They were helpful to me in the work I was involved in especially in being able to communicate and interact with others. As an aside, I did have a local representative from the company he founded that wanted me to do an in-house program tailored to my staff. They did want to do that, very much. Very much. And, when he came in to talk to me about it he was overloaded with Dale Carnegie techniques. So much so, I was pretty much worn out when he left the building. I, being a procrastinator at heart, always put off making a decision about having his program. I can still hear him and seeing him waving his arms and laying it on thick about all the results I could have attained. If only. I bet it would have been a good thing too. That was back in the early 1990's, so, as they often say, that ship left the port a long time ago. Y'all find something in today's visit that will help you and let it be the Scriptures I shared because they will never let you down. They never will. They won't, ever, no, never, ever! Amen.

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand."

We unlocked the secret word of the day and it turned out to be Tuesday. And, that it is, on this May 12, 2026. I thought it might be a good day to try my hand at a little levity to lighten us all up a bit. Okay. Here we go: Why was Cinderella so bad at playing soccer? Because she kept running away from the ball. ~ What did the horse say after it tripped? "Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t giddy-up!" ~ RIP, boiling water. You will be mist. ~ I ordered a chicken and an egg online. I’ll let you know what comes first. ~ What does corn say when it gets a compliment? "Aw, shucks!" ~ (Just so you know you do have the ability to use the electronic hook to get me off the stage, it's called the skip function. FYI) ~ What’s red and bad for your teeth? A brick. ~ What’s Forrest Gump’s password? 1forrest1. ~ What do you call a pig that practices karate? A pork chop. ~ What do sea monsters eat? Fish and ships. ~ Why do seagulls fly over the sea? If they flew over the bay, they would be bagels. ~ One to honor my alter ego, the jolly old elf himself: If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do elves get? Mistle-toes. ~ Okay. I know. These were not as funny as maybe others. They came from a listing of corny jokes on the Good Housekeeping website. My point? Well, let me tell you what the greatest to walk on planet earth, excepting Jesus, of course, none other than Solomon himself, where he either observed this or catalogued it via Holy Spirit inspiration, from the Berean Standard Bible, Proverbs 17:22 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." I am reminded of the children's song, "If you're happy and you know it, then your face should surely show it." We all need to lighten up and smile more. I will be honest here: I actually practice smiling beginning in November in order to present myself as the jolly old elf. Problem? I should smile more. Like, most of the time. I should. I really should. 

 

As some young people would have said at one time: How lame is that? Well, the Tick-Tock generation of today do actually have a way today to make their point and mock the now ancient to them term. They do it this way, "Lame-o". In a way they may not realize it but they are in a backhanded sort of way paying tribute to the language used by their parents or grandparents, but, they would not like to know that. Ha! Oh yeah, that reminds me of something I wanted to write yesterday. The doctors at Kelsey Seybold are now using, with patient permission, an artificial intelligence app to record the conversation between them and their patients. That application will evaluate the content and then it will produce a detailed assessment and a final report. We will reach a time when we will not be able to recognize "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" (Notice: dated reference from a 1970's TV advertising gimmick. Look it up.) We most likely are already there. According to Elon Musk, his company now uses a helpline response no longer staffed by real people but the people calling can have an interactive conversation with the artificial intelligence robot on the other end without knowing it is not a real person. The caller can no longer tell. I just hope we have not reached the thought expressed by the comic strip character Pogo on a poster from 1970 in recognition of Earth Day: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Only time will tell and since mine has run out for today, join me next time where you will no doubt hear the words of my wife, "You are not, I hope, going to share any more jokes anytime soon, are you?" I will give that some consideration. And, as we all know and I affirm, how God is the answer, period. Amen.

"Joy is a spiritual element that gives vicissitudes unity and significance." ~ Helen Keller

Good morning and welcome. Running a wee bit late on this Monday, May 11, 2026, and, I do hope y'all are all doing well. I had a start of the day appointment with the Nephrologist, a kidney specialist, and I just returned here at the ole blogger ranch, at 9:30 a.m., Central Standard Time. The kidney specialist pretty much, and I use that in the broadest sense possible, said that I was in reasonably good shape for the shape I am in. I told you before how getting lab work with everything marked as abnormal makes one a little apprehensive, but, as she told me, those numbers are generated on a blanket basis and that's why we need someone like her to help personalize them for each individual. I'm reading between the lines a little but here's the crux of the matter: If I keep taking care of myself in terms of my diabetes I should be okay until I die in terms of kidney failure issues. Sorry if that is shocking but when you are a diabetic for over 20 years and you will soon be 80 years young, the facts are the facts. So, that's why I was running a little behind. I can say this about yesterday. We had a wonderful Lord's Day Service at our local assembly, Mims Baptist, Conroe, where we not only recognized Mothers Day but we heard a very clear message from God's Word delivered from our Pastor, the Doctor Jerry Chaddick. We also had great music from our choir where I was throwing in my ten cents worth and we had wonderful comradery and fellowship in our life group, or, some right remember it as Sunday School. We came home and while we expected to have our three boys show up to honor their mom, we ended up with a great surprise in some of the others who came. There's nothing like seeing family especially when some live a good distance away from us. This gathering made the wife of my youth over the top happy and it made a wonderful Mothers Day experience for us all. (The photo represents less than half of our entire clan and we look forward to a day soon when they all can gather, like, maybe my 80th coming up in August. Just a hint.) We thank God for His provisions. Amen.

 

There's a whole lot of 'despite' in my testimony because of the many times I have not been who God wanted me to be, however, His mercy is great and His forgiveness is real. The photo reflects another year for our boys, Chris, Jimmy, and Rodney, as they came to once again honor their mother. I have spent a fair amount of time trying to digest the meaning of the kind of husband I should be: "Husbands love your wives in the same way Christ loved His called out assembly, the Church, and He showed that sacrificial love by giving Himself up for His Church." That, of course, comes from the letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 5, Verse 5, but, I rendered it in my own amplified way in helping me better understand the application to me. I don't believe I took any liberties in putting the way I did but no matter how you slice it, hey, it's a huge responsibility that we husbands have and since the example involves the Cross, well, it's also a big deal. It is. It really is. I mention it because of the example our Lord set in His love and how we as husbands are called to strive to love our wives in the same way. Yikes. Can I get a witness? Yikes. That's not a Bible word but it really does hit me where I live. If we are going to demonstrate a Godly walk as a man, as a husband, and, as a dad, we are going to have to do it His way. We are. We really are. I still have a ways to go, but, when I do have my heart right and my head screwed on right, I work on doing my best to reflect that clarion call as stated in that verse. Okay. Time to say farewell for now and may God bless each one, real good. Amen. 

Proverbs 31:28–29: ~ "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'"

Welcome to another beautiful day in someone's neighborhood. I think we are supposed to have a stormy day here, on this Friday, May 8, 2026, but, as they tell us, the sun is still shining even if we can't see it. And, more importantly, The Son, He is watching over us each and every day. Amen. This upcoming Sunday we will celebrate another Mothers Day. I've said in the past and I will say it again because I'm the one who has been there and done that with the moms God surrounded me with during my sojourn here on the planet: Not one of them were perfect but all of them were born again and striving to be faithful to God and their families. I have known plenty of people over the years who were not privileged to have these types of moms in their life, therefore, that gives me even more reason to praise God because He knew what I needed. He did. He really did. Happy Mothers Day to my wife, mother of our three sons, the moms who gave birth to our 11 grands, our grand moms who gave birth to our 11 great grands with one great grand on the way, and also to all moms who happen to read today's episode. My prayer is that each of you will be blessed for your many labors of love. Amen.

That last photo is of my sweet mom, (1924-2017), in the top one that's yours truly sitting with her, I was 7 years old and I treasure the last one because I was reading to her a passage from God's Word as she was recovering in the hospital. Until next time, may God be with 'you all', (As the Apostle Paul said in the letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, and, the Philippians, or, maybe he meant 'y'all'.) and may He meet every need, in Jesus Name, Amen.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." — Greek Proverb

Inquiring minds may want to know: 231 days until Christmas Day which falls on a Friday this year.

Welcome one and all to another gathering of the blog reading world, coming to you from my wee piece of real estate to wherever you happen to be, via the world wide web, social media, or email. Welcome. Today is Thursday, May 7, 2026. That makes it another day for us to be thankful we were able to get up and embrace the opportunity to breathe air on the planet. I have mentioned several times about how our current government executive administration are going ga ga over our country being energy self sufficient. To the average person at the pump that adds up to absolutely nothing, period. I did a bit of research and found out why they are touting this energy self sufficient line of promotion. Well, it goes like this. If, we as a country export one barrel more than we import, that means we are energy independent. We have actually been that way since around 2019 with some hiccups along the way. Again, exporting more than we import is probably a good thing, but, it just doesn't resonate with energy consumers because the price of fuel has literally impacted nearly all products and services in our nation. There are many reasons why we claim to be energy independent but we cannot refine our own crude in volumes enough to serve the fuel requirements we have. Okay. I've beaten this one down, but, it still causes me some grief to see this parade of people sounding off about how we are energy self-sufficient. Obviously, we are not, and, we are reminded of this every time we fill up. We are. We really are.

 

The old peoples choir at our local assembly convenes today after a few months break. We are looking forward to this gathering of the gray haired singers. My joke. They call it the Legacy Choir to take the sting away, however, maybe they will not have us stand as much as we do in the regular choir because some of us aren't able to jump up like we did a few years back. Yes. I know the joke. How long have you had a weak back? Oh, since about a week back. Ha! My legs no longer want to obey the signal my brain sends to them. Get up! You hear me? Legs: Give me a few seconds to think about it. I will be consulting with the rheumatologist in late June and maybe she will be able to provide me with some help. Why not use the cane you bought a couple of years ago? That's a great idea but I think I will continue to keep that in reserve. These difficulties come under the heading of mobility issues. Oh well, even if I have some trouble getting up off the chair, believe me when I tell you how blessed I feel to be able to get up at all. I am folks. I really am. Today, the over the hill choir will be preparing patriotic music for when we visit the hospitals and other venues like we did last year. It should be fun. And, look on the bright side. If something were to happen while we are singing at one of the hospitals, bang, zoom, we would be in a good location. Right? Until next time, don't forget to remember to give God the glory. Why? Because He deserves it. He does. He really does. Amen.

"Actions prove who someone is, words just prove who they pretend to be." ~ copied, unattributed

I got up this morning feeling fine, I got up with heaven on my mind, and, the song goes on and on. That's not a bad way to start Wednesday, May 6, 2026, or, any other day in my opinion. You do notice that I do have 'my opinion'. It shows up quite often here on the electronic page emanating from the ole blogger ranch. I've heard all my life about folks who are so heavenly minded they are no earthly good. And, while I clearly get the sense of what is said, I'm not sure I've actually ever met anyone that fit that description. I think I've mostly run into folks too much like myself, so earthly minded, it's a wonder God has made us fit for heaven. But, that would be me and my experience. Perhaps you've seen it differently. Now I'm sure that I am well aware of what a hypocrite looks like. No. I didn't ask you to bring me a mirror, but, I do agree that's how you could see one. All people I've known, even the most dedicated and spiritually minded, well, they had some chinks in their armor just like me, and, yes, just like you. Now there are some who are just out and out scoundrels. They use their church association to abuse or take advantage of others. I grew up around some like that. They were deacons on Sunday and come Monday at their place of business they wouldn't think twice of tricking any unfortunate soul. I know. I've got enough in my own life to say grace over, but, taking advantage of the downtrodden, that's pretty nasty stuff. It is. It really is. When we give off the wrong picture of what a true born again believer looks like, well, it confuses and causes others to get a distorted view. I, sadly have been there and done that. I can tell you this. When you get yourself rebuked by a lost person who reminds you how your actions are out of line with your profession, yikes, that hurts even now, just thinking about it. It reminds me of that fellow who was a believer but he took up with his stepmom and the Church was silent, therefore, the Apostle Paul told them that fellow had done something that even those in the pagan world would not tolerate. (Read about it in 1st Corinthians 5) The person who rebuked me was seeing the story I was living and it did not match what he thought Bible people were all about. My point: People are watching. They are. They really are. 

 

I have no idea where all that came from except remembering good stuff is certainly sweeter than the bitter things that are, in fact, a part of life. I've been asked before: "You are talking about your life before salvation, right?" I would like to say yes but battling the flesh has been a part of my journey throughout my sojourn here on the planet. Before, during, and after. It has. It really has. But, I am sure each of those who read my blogs have their own battles. It comes with the territory. Right? I hear folks at times saying how they have been blessed to have never been tempted by a list of some of the more well known sinful behaviors. You know. The 'I don't drink, I don't cuss or chew, and, I don't go with the girls that do'. The way I read it from the source of all Truth and it reveals this: Hebrews 12: 1 from the Amplified Bible "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us,..." (I added the bold) My reading of this text says we all have our race, mine is mine, yours is yours, and, things that would tempt me may not tempt you and the same says things that would tempt you may not tempt me. Therefore, we can never brag about how we've never done this, that, or the other because clearly there are the 'other things' that may impact our lives. No bragging. Just begging. Begging for the Lord's help each and every day. In case you wondered, that would be me. May God help us all is my prayer. Amen.

"Funny thing about being older. Your eyesight is weaker but your ability to see through people gets much better." ~ copied

The wife with two of our grands, on her right is our Lexie Dee, and on her left is the Bride-to-be, our Kyleigh.

Happy Tuesday everyone, and, this one finds itself on the calendar as May 5, 2026. When I was a wee little lad I never cared one way or another about what was the exact calendar day. Maybe that changed some when I was in school, looking forward to the weekends. Well, guess what? As a bona fide elderly person, senior citizen, a golden-ager, or, if you prefer, just call me an old timer. (This is when I like to do my very bad impression of Walter Brennan doing his song 'That mule old rivers and me.') It's what I consider to be an old guy's voice, if you must know. At any rate, back to the calendar deal. During my working life of well over 50 years I was constantly dealing with all kinds of times and dates. I did so as a regular routine. Nowadays, as I have stated before, it's mostly, not 100%, but mostly, Church related items and/or doctor's visits. We do try to keep up with and recognize all of children's birthdays, their children's birthdays, and their children's children's birthdays. We do. And, we do our best to keep up with very important events coming up. Something like the wedding of our granddaughter coming in July. The wife attended her wedding shower last Saturday. That wedding will be an important one for me in particular. Why? I will be conducting the wedding ceremony. Wowie! Zowie! I feel honored to have been asked. I will need to make sure I make it to the wedding ceremony on time. I think everyone knows that would be important. Right?

I had ChatGPT assist me in providing the second setting. I did so because I always wanted to be seen as being outstanding in the field. Get it? Outstanding as an expert in the field. Okay. It was a joke. Just forget about it.

Back to the regression situation in older people. Some, not all, revert back to their childhood. Others, not all, have to be taken care of like they were taken care of when they were babies. None of us desire to be in that situation but it is true how our God is Sovereign and He knows best and our future is in His hands. I well remember the wife's dad, Bro. Rawles and his pitiful situation after having suffered a catastrophic stroke. At 80 years old he pretty much lost any and all abilities to function, however, he could still quote bible verses and sing hymns and gospel songs. And, that he did. I heard this conjecture once, when a person in that dire situation continues to honor the Lord, well, that's a slap in our enemy's face. Even that total disabling stroke could not keep my father-in-law from praising the Lord, sharing verses from the Bible, and, get this, he was still able to sing the harmony part on many of the gospel hymns. He may not have recognized his own family at times, but, he never failed to recognize his heavenly Father. Okay. That should be enough for today, but, remember to remember how this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice in it, and I quickly add this, while we can! Amen.

"The depravity of man is at once the most empirically verifiable reality but at the same time the most intellectually resisted fact." ~ Malcolm Muggeridge, (1903-1990), British journalist and satirist.

I am not that big of a Star Wars fan, but, I thought I would try to be culturally relevant in my visit today, on this Monday, May 4, 2026. (I think it was supposed to be 'May the Fourth be with you', but, it is what is. While I'm on the subject let me say this about it. The truth is, we need the Lord God of heaven to be with us, period, and, as we could add, end of story. I am reminded of a song written by a pastor and songwriter, Dr. Bennie S. Triplett, (1929-2019), "How About Your Heart?". This song became popular in Southern Gospel circles and it was recorded by the legendary Blackwood Brothers, and many others. It has a very simple message but it reflects biblical truth because knowing Him is what really counts. Here's the words: 

Lyrics of How About Your Heart by The Blackwood Brothers Quartet

verse

Friend, how would you feel if your heart were made

With a window on each side?

So that all could see, not just outward charm

But detective inward heart

People often see you, as you are outside

Jesus really knows you

For He sees inside

chorus

How about your heart? (How about your heart?)

Is it right with God? (Is it right?)

That′s the thing that counts today

verse

How about your heart?

Is it right with God?

That's the thing that counts today

Is it black by sin? Is it pure within?

Could you ask Christ in to stay?

People often see you as you, are outside

Jesus really knows you

For He sees inside

chorus

How about your heart?

Is it right with God?

That′s the thing that counts today

 

I encourage you to look that song up on YouTube and hear it for yourself. I listened to it with this old recording:  Blackwood Brothers Quartet - 1955 - HOW ABOUT YOUR HEART.wmv 

 

 

People are very interested in the before and after photos that can be found and published. The one above is for my critics who are concerned about my coffee drinking and my energy drink consumption. I know people say all the time a particular habit is hereditary, therefore, I thought it would be appropriate for me to offer some proof for all to see. I do hope this will show how my DNA got off to a really jittery start. While that is a joke and I hope you could smile, I do truly appreciate those who care about my health. The wife often hears this refrain, "Are you sure he, at his age, should be drinking those Monsters?" Thank y'all very much. I may not have been born with a proclivity to drink coffee, but, I was born with a proclivity to sin. Every human being is born with that same identity because each one has a sin or fallen nature and it is universal. Read again the quotation in the title. It is certainly very observable in ourselves and others, however, it is the Bible that reflects the truth about how this came about. (Read Genesis Chapters 1-3) We all are the offspring of Adam and Eve. We need a Savior. God provided a Savior. (Read John 3:16) We may try to deny that's how it works, but believe me, The Creator is the Source of all Truth and He cares enough that He sent His one an only Son to die in our place. The song got it right: Being right with God is what really counts, for time, and for eternity. Okay. Let me try it again: May God be with you and us all. Amen.

Sherrill Brown wrote this song: "What will I leave behind?" Chorus: Leave behind, oh, leave behind What will I leave behind? After I leave for worlds unknown What will I leave behind?"

We made it folks. We are not there yet but we did make it to another day, this one, Friday, May 1, 2026, and we continue making progress towards that greatly anticipated Homecoming Day! I like that Snoopy cartoon because it is a theme that we all can appreciate and think about how it relates to our view of stuff. Stuff. That's a major part of how our lives function in America's commercially dominated approach to life. Right? And, let me be clear, I know exactly how to see it and get it, typically by the next day. It just takes a few clicks and Bam! it is here. We've lived through that cartoon statement more than once as our family members have passed on to their eternal home. What remains of value? The memories of our loved ones and especially the recollection of their testimonies for the Lord. Faithfulness to God matters. It does. It really does. And, it is felt in generations to come. Knick-Knacks, not so much. Don't get me wrong, we have plenty of dust catchers around but they too remind us of the life and times of their original owners. Jesus made it clear that we are not to lay up treasure here but we are to lay up treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6) How can we do that? Living our lives in the way He wants us to. It really is as simple as that. He wants us to be a giver as opposed to being a taker. He wants us to have a forgiving spirit as opposed to holding grudges. He wants us to esteem others more highly than ourselves. And, the list goes on and on. But, for believers, these are the treasures, those from the heart, that will stand the fiery test at the judgement of Christ. (Romans 14 and 2nd Corinthians 5) These will be the ones that give us rewards or crowns to lay at the feet of our Savior. Heady thoughts today? Yeah. And, admittedly, they are way above my pay grade, but, we can apprehend them by faith. We can. We really can. 

 

What a work week I've had! I say that because it's true even though I have been retired from the public working world for a number of years now. Busy. We've been busy. Family stuff. Church stuff. Choir stuff. Bible study stuff. Praying stuff. Medical stuff. Lil Miss Biscuit stuff. Blog stuff. Hey! We changed that busy public work world routine for a busy retired work world. There are no complaints about it, just encouraging all the more seasoned folks who read what I write to stay active especially in any and all opportunities to serve the Lord. Before you think I do not have a lot of leisure time and before you begin to feel sorry for me, I have one word to say about those items, don't! I get to watch a lot of TV these days. I watch preachers and Bible scholars. I watch historical movies and series. We also watch a lot of Korean dramas, many of them are historical and some might even be hysterical. Ha! And, the news? Way more than I should. And, we eat out quite often, that is, when we can decide where to eat. Many times we can't and we just come home to rummage around the kitchen to find whatever might be available. All of this and more means the bottom line can be concluded with this sentiment: We are blessed. Beyond measure. We do thank God for His provision and we are, at this time, focused on what I've heard all my life: Keeping on keeping on. Yes. And, Amen.