Stress testing everyday but without the treadmill!

I sure find myself lately saying way too often, "I hate it when that happens." I actually think that it can become a self fulfilling prophecy because one irritating event leads to another and to another and pretty soon, if you are not careful, you find yourself in a quagmire of negative quicksand. Perhaps not quite that bad but you get the point and there's something about quagmire and quicksand that seemed to jump out at me on this Friday, July 9, 2010. We have been experiencing one of those rain events that keeps on keeping on. Last week the rain was all around our area but it seemed to always skirt our yard leading to my wife informing me that it might be a high percent probability for others but she was not buying it for us. Within minutes it was pouring and it has pretty much kept it up, off and on, for the past several days, with more expected. It is funny how we always want the rain until we get it every day then we want it to ease up. I mentioned this to someone and they told me how they really love the rain but only if they can stay home and sleep. I suppose that none of us are completely happy with our circumstances, even if they were what we said we wanted just a few minutes ago. No wonder I find myself saying, "I hate it when that happens."

I read last week where European countries are considering raising the retirement age to 70. That might not be news to you but let me tell you this is a huge deal. The Europeans have always prided themselves on their long vacations, short work hours, and early retirement age. However, facing a funding crisis all around, the economic outlook has collided head on with this long held entrenched tradition. That is scary when you think about it because it demonstrates how weak the world economy is. In the past they were willing to endure sky high tax rates and other penalties but never were they willing to give back in this area. Yes, folks, the times, the times are a-changin and we had better be prepared to hold on for a rough ride. But you most likely knew this already. I suppose we can always count our blessings. My wife and I used to sing a song about doing this very thing. It may sound a little corny but there's a lot of truth in it's message: Verse 1, "As the world looks upon me, as I struggle along; They say I have nothing, but they are so wrong. In my heart I'm rejoicing, how I wish they could see; Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me." Verse 2, "Now I know I'm not wealthy, and these clothes, they're not new; I don't have much money, but Lord I have you. And to me that's all that matters, though the world cannot see; Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me." Chorus: "There's a roof up above me, I've a good place to sleep. There's food on my table, And shoes on my feet. You gave me your love Lord and a fine family, Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me."

I can actually hear us singing that song in my mind and I'm blessed to even remember it because it's been years since we sang it. We need songs to remember. We need verses from God to encourage us. We need our prayer time and the love and help of those near and dear to us. These are some turbulent times in this old world but we can take heart because the One who walks with us is the same One who has overcome the world. (John 16:33) He didn't tell us to not let our hearts be troubled because of the absence of challenging times, but He said it because of His peace that He gives us in the midst of troubling times. (John 14:1) I don't know what you have planned for Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday but I do know that you can't go wrong by going to the meeting place where other believers gather and where God speaks through His word. Make that a part of your plan and then keep it because we need not only the blessings of God but as the song says, we need to recognize what we already have and give Him thanks and praise every day. Having said all of this may help me to not say that thing about how I hate it when that happens as much as I have been lately. Sometimes it is good to sit ourselves down and have a heart to heart talk between that trio that usually causes us the most trouble, namely: Me, Myself, and I. I have been thinking some about the upcoming Santa season and leave you with this farewell: "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Amen. ......More later.

Dealing with a case of the 'grumpies'!

I hate it when I look at the clock at 3 a.m., and take note that I have thirty more minutes before I get up and then immediately I dive back into that deep sleep (REM, rapid eye movement) phase waking up at 4:06, jumping up like the house is on fire, disoriented because of the deep sleep deal, and feeling like I've been run over by a freight train. Now that is at least one way to jump start your day but I don't recommend it on a regular basis. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often but when it does it provides the script for my own version of the Grumpy Old Man. But I say good morning anyway, this too shall pass, look on the bright side, the glass is not half empty, it's half full, the sun is going to shine somewhere up above the clouds, and all of those other nonsensical things we say to put a little get up in our got up and went, but here we are and I bid you a happy Thursday on this July 8, 2010. What is that saying about taking lemons and making lemonade? I know. It's taking the sour things and making them into something sweet. Still sounds a little weird to me but if it pulls you back from the brink I suppose there's some merit in there somewhere. Don't blame me, it's that script handed to me on my way to being a little out of balance this morning.

It could be worse. We all know it could be worse. Why do we always say that? Of course it could be worse. We need only to read the first few verses of the Book of Job to know that he embodied the full measure of what it means to have a really bad day. Don't sweat the small stuff and remember most of the stuff we fret over typically turns out in the big scheme of things to be rather small. That's easy for you to say. Actually, it's not that easy to say but it's much harder to implement especially in the midst of an attack of the "grumpies." Don't look it up, it's not a sanctioned word but that doesn't mean it isn't a word, right? You got the meaning, therefore, it must meet some test of it being a word because it was able to communicate a message. Who are those folks who make those decisions anyway? I've never met one of them, have you? Do you ever have one of those days where you really want to be a little grumpy but others will not cooperate? Man, I hate it when that happens. They find reasons to make you smile. They involve you in conversation and build you up. They just will not leave you alone and let you be miserable. The nerve of some people!

But thank God for those who come along side of us to provide some relief when that REM deep sleep dude gets us off on the wrong track. They might be someone who reminds us of the blessings we enjoy as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. They might be an encourager who uses their gift (from God) to spread joy, love, and inspiration as they go about their day. I am thankful for people who do this very thing, aren't you? I remember a fellow I used to worship with many years ago who had this gift and was sure of it being from God. He told me how that he had tried to do other ministries because of necessity or duty but God would always let him know that he needed to be somewhere exercising his God given gift of encouragement in making a difference in other people's lives. How many of us go through life without ever finding out the gift God has given to us? What's that you say? You didn't get one? If you are a believer and if you have joined with other believers in a local fellowship (Church) then according to the Scriptures you have a gift that has been given to you by God for one purpose and one purpose only, the building up of others within that local body where you are connected. My gift is teaching but I must say that I taught for many years before I appreciated it to be a gift given to me from God. If you teach because you are capable of researching and presenting information, it's not the same as when you realize that God has called you to use the gift He gave to you for building up others and for His honor and glory. Thank God for those to whom He gave the gift of encouragement. (You can read all about these gifts in Romans Chapter 12, 1st Corinthians Chapter 12, and in 1st Peter Chapter 4.) Here's a quote from the Apostle Peter: "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." Maybe old Grumpy will bump into one of those carrying the gift of encouragement today, hopefully real soon! Amen. .......More later.

The better question is: When am I not in trouble?

I find myself having to count the days on my fingers whenever we have a three day holiday. I do this to make sure that I'm not talking Tuesday talk on a Wednesday and that is today's day, July 7, 2010 and I bid you welcome to a hot cup of coffee and a few minutes to shoot the breeze or maybe even to shoot the bull. I couldn't find an origin of the shoot the breeze idiom, however, I did like one fellow's guess. He said it sounded like that our words were so unimportant, they were mostly aimed at the air around us. I hate it when someone nails it on the first try and at the same time convicts me of what I typically can be found doing in my daily assault on the English language. Yet, as I am often found to say, it is what it is and because it belongs to me, I reckon I'll have to take both ownership and responsibility for it. I know in today's world we are supposed to have someone to blame for all of our issues but I ran out of space for both my issues as well as guesses about the potential guilty parties.

But it is always good to visit with you and by the way, how in the world are you doing, anyway? For some reason I picked up this greeting from a radio commercial about the Three Step Marketing program. While it's not original with me I do like the sound of it because it is a way to focus on others, and we all could do that a little more, don't you think? Ladies are funny. We have a couple who work here in the office. When the lady comes to clean, that makes three. Ladies talk about stuff that men would never, ever, under any circumstances, even think about mentioning. The good news is a whole lot of it is pecuilar to lady folk, therefore, thankfully, we are ruled out of order to begin with. But at times I can sit here at my desk and hear them buzzing away. Just picking up bits and pieces of the three dimensional conflab, it is clear they have stuff they are willing to share. It reminds me of being in the doctor's waiting room. Just when you think you have heard it all, there's more! Sometimes I get up and go to check on things out in our shop so that they can really let it fly. This allows them to ditch the hushed tones and speak freely about whatever it is that's on their minds. I'm almost certain it is never about the Monday night football game.

I know much of it is medical in nature and I suppose us guys do talk more about our health challenges as we add to the list each year. It has to do with the depth of the discussion I suppose where guys deal mostly with highlights and ladies get down to the nitty gritty of it all. But, we should be thankful for these differences because they were designed by our Creator and when we follow His direction we end up with the right balance. You do have to be careful the way you say things. The other day we were driving down the highway and the wife asked if I would take a detour because our daughter-in-law had told her about a brand new development of stores and resturants near their home. I jokingly said something about how that detouring to go see a brand new fast food joint was not my idea of anything of interest. Jokingly. That is a key word here because she actually missed the joking part. She went from zero to 70 in a heartbeat. She asked why I always had to be so grumpy and sarcastic. I told her I was only joking. She said that's what I always say when I want to get out of trouble after saying something like I said. Uh oh, I didn't know I was getting into trouble and I really was joking, at least that time. See what I mean? I can picture a car load of ladies getting all excited about how they have decorated a new drive through but most of us fellows would just as soon pay attention to the shortest distance between two points. Remind me next time to make that detour because it would have only taken ten minutes and I could just as soon done without the ensuing commentary. When will I ever learn? Not anytime soon, I fear. Have a great day and enjoy, whether it's attending the grand opening of a Dairy Queen or seeing how many red lights you can miss, enjoy, and always give God the glory! Amen. ......More later.

Back, back, back....back-back-back, to work we go!

Hello friends and neighbors, on this Tuesday, July 6, 2010 and I'm so thankful to have a place to come and sit so early in the morning to send you greetings along with a prayer for a blessed week. We had a busy but bountiful three day holiday and I am still struck by the wonderful tribute paid to our founders and past and present defenders in our Church service on Sunday. Freedom is a Bible concept and the only true freedom is the one that sets us free from our inherited sin nature, that freedom that comes from placing faith and trust in God's provision, the blood of His Son. This makes clear that freedom is never free. It always involves cost and sacrifice. As it relates to our nation, the flag draped coffins that continue to arrive on our shores should be a reminder that we are at war against the forces of oppression and tyranny and our soldiers continue to pay the ultimate price for us all. All of you know that I am very concerned about our nation and the direction in which we are currently headed. At the same time, I was thrilled to enjoy our family get together Sunday evening in our eldest son's home. Two hundred and thirty four years and we continue, even with all the hurts, pains, threats, and prevailing winds of challenge, to be a nation that can only thank God Almighty for His blessings on us. As I held and played with our great grandaughter Madelyn Joy and looked around the room at the laughter, joy, and fellowship going on, I was humbled by the blessings of freedom we still enjoy.

A huge and delicious meal of barbecue with all the trimmings, watching 4th of July festivities from across our nation on the big screen TV, folks, we are a blessed people and I think we should take the time to make sure we give proper thanks to the One from whom all blessings flow. Maybe you lack the words you feel that may be appropriate. While I believe God will hear any and all words, polished or not, that come from the inside out, from the heart, He has provided us with inspired prayers that we are privileged to read, study, and pray back to Him. Perhaps today, you, I, and all who read this blog might take a few minutes and pray out loud these words penned in 136th Division:

"1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.

3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:

4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;

5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever;

6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever;

7 To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever—

8 The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever;

9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.

10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever;

11 And brought out Israel from among them, For His mercy endures forever;

12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, For His mercy endures forever;

13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two, For His mercy endures forever;

14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy endures forever;

15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His mercy endures forever;

16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His mercy endures forever;

17 To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever;

18 And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever—

19 Sihon king of the Amorites, For His mercy endures forever;

20 And Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever—

21 And gave their land as a heritage, For His mercy endures forever;

22 A heritage to Israel His servant, For His mercy endures forever.

23 Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever;

24 And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;

25 Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever.

26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever."

Want to show appreciation for this 234 years of blessed existence? Let God know what you think about His hand on this great land of ours. It will be pleasing to Him and as they say, it will do a body good! Amen. .........More later.

Where there is smoke there's plenty of lieutenants standing arm in arm trying to blow it in the other direction!

It's back to the future where there is nothing new under the sun and where we continue to see the same old, same old, played out over and over again. It's Monday, July 5, 2010 and having just celebrated Independence Day, I am thinking about our founders, our heritage, and the men and women standing in the gap today on behalf of the freedoms we all hold dear. May God bless them and keep them safe. In the midst of this day set aside to thank God for America, we have this Russian spy ring that has been operating here in our land for as long as ten years. Using the cover of average people, some married couples, money, educational credentials, beauty, and influence, I predict we all will be surprised by the names and numbers of folks, if they become public and one way or the other they usually do, who have been duped by these folks. I think we all have arrived to the notion that our attitude, their attitude, and the attitude of the entire world is that we all do it, and occasionally someone gets caught doing it. How fortuitous that this spy ring was broken up almost while President Obama was enjoying burgers and making nicey nice with the communist leaning Russian President. The people arrested have been criminally charged and there will be trials of some kind, or there will be some type of exchange arrangement with the Ruskies, who knows? But here's something that just knocks me down. The press spokesperson for President Obama said they wanted to make it clear that this spy matter would have no impact whatsoever on this new and improved relationship established between Obama and Medevdev. Even sadder still, at least to me, is that this statement is most likely 100% true!

The corruption trial in Chicago is heating up, big time. The tapped phone conversations between the accused Governor, his lieutenants, and numerous high power types from the White House to the Out House, is beginning to have one name coming up much too often, President elect Obama. The President has gone on the record, at least through his spokesperson, that he had nothing whatsoever to do with the fraudulent attempt by the Governor to sell or trade the President's old senate seat. The prosecutors are trying not to allow his name to come up. The judge is trying his best to keep it out of the testimony. But, nearly every day in one way or the other, it is beginning to appear at least that those very close to him were acting on someone's behalf, and they certainly would have had no reason to be doing what they did for themselves. The mainstream media has essentially treated this trial and its implications to the Obama administration as a non story but this by default or embarrassment is beginning to change, at least here and there, in very guarded and brief stories. However, I get the idea that as the trial proceeds there will be a vortex effect like the water draining from the bathtub and it will swirl and swirl around with that particular name become more and more apparent. The President was interviewed but thus far they have refused to release it to the media or the defense attorneys. You can hardly even read the transcripts from the recorded telephone conversations by the indicted Governor without a sense of outrage in hearing such vulgarity and greed being heralded by political operatives. However, in America every person accused has the right to a fair trial and I believe the President's testimony might be material to this case and those defending this obnoxious little tyrant deserves to hear what the President had to say.

You didn't even know that former Illionois Governor Rod Blagojevich was on trial? Hello, wake up and smell the coffee! But you can be sure the current administration is hoping that most people will not tune in to what's happening in Chicago, in fact, they are, along with the mainstream media, trying to make sure you are not interested. In the meantime you can Google the Chicago Tribune or the Chicago Sun Times websites and get more information than you can imagine. The government attorney's want to see Blagojevich put away for a long time but they are knee deep in Chicago politics and it is not only where President Obama did his training but it's also clear that his imprint is lurking behind every cross examination. It wouldn't surprise me if a plea deal wasn't worked out soon or a mistrial declared before any more bloodletting occurs. My view is that if the President has absolutely nothing to hide in this matter then he and his team should share everything they have with the world. What is that famous quote from Supreme Court Justice Brandeis that is often referred to but rarely ever practiced? "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." Since President Obama is a fan of great R&B music, perhaps someone could send him a cd with the 1969 5th Dimension's run away hit recording of "Let the Sunshine in." Sooner or later the 'no comment' response will no longer get the job done. Have a great day and I promise not to give you any more on this matter until another huge blip shows up again on my radar screen. But don't forget you heard me say this may turn into something big. Happy Birthday America and may God bless us all. Amen. .......More later.

For those counting, this is my 800th time to intrude into your world from mine!

For those who say that sticks and stones might break their bones but words, how about an avalanche of words? This is on my mind today. Why? It's my 800th time to invade your privacy with my daily musings. That's right. By my conservative calculations, many of you have endured well over 1,000,000 words conjured up, often without rhyme or reason, but plastered out there for the world to see, 800 day's worth. It is Friday, July 2, 2010 and I'm glad to be able to still be here pounding on my keyboard, and I do mean pounding. My wife tells me she has never seen anyone who hits the keys as hard as I do. I suppose I never got over learning how to touch type on an old Underwood while being tutored by Mrs. Reba Jones. A light touch on that old typewriter wouldn't have even left a smudge on the paper, therefore, I learned to type with authority, power, and pressure. My approach may be hard on the keyboard and I will admit to having worn out more than one, but in the end, it is what it is, and I am who I am, and by the grace of God, He's allowed me to share with those of you who take time to put up with and do your best to wade through my daily rants, raves, and occasionally maybe an on-target comment or two. One thing I am most proud of and absolutely sure of is how that some of what I have included in my blogs reflect perfection itself in terms of what it conveys. Are you conceited, or what? Perhaps arrogant? Wrong again bucko, because I am talking about the verses from God's Word that have found their way into my blogs. You can never, ever, under any circumstances find more powerful and perfect words. It is, after all, just what it says, The very word of God! It is, by the way, the only words I've shared that I can be 100% certain of their accuracy, veracity, and their applicability.

Many folks have been very kind to me about my blogs. Some have told me how that it must come really easy for me. Others that know me say they can actually hear me saying what I write when they read my stuff. That to me is a huge compliment and just for the record, yeah, I do enjoy writing and I do typically have things to say, but no, they are not always that easy and the daily doing of them can be quite challenging from time to time. But, they do reflect my attempt to do something that I can do and send it with a prayer that it will encourage, enlighten, bring a smile, and most importantly point everyone to the Source of my life, that being none other than God Himself. I recently told my mom how that we all can do something. She is a great cook and often prepares meals for shut-ins. She is a committed prayer warrior. She is 86 years young but she can do her something to further the Kingdom of God. That's how I see my daily blog. I've not cooked any meals for shut-ins and I've not been able to do what others can do, but I can do, with God's help, what I can do, and if that includes sharing a word from Him here and there, then I pray that He will water it and cause it to grow and blossom for His honor and glory.

The online encyclopedia tells us the number 800 follows 799, and precedes 801. Fancy that? We most likely think of the number 800 in relationship to the toll free 1-800 identity. But for me it reflects to a great extent what has been a labor of love. Sure, I've done quite a lot of joking around and in telling a good number of tall tales. I love good stories and many of the best come from real life experiences. I've tried to share what it means to recognize the blessings of knowing God and having Him with us as we face, not only the good days where things go well, but especially in those days that leave us choking back tears. I do appreciate the feedback I receive from time to time and I thank God that there have been a few days when He was able to minister to someone in a special way through this electronic blogging activity. I would apologize for being over the top on some issues and maybe tending to be overly critical as it relates to politics but it's kind of like trying to get the spilled milk back into the bottle. Hopefully, you've been able to pickup on the intentional irony and veiled sarcasm in some of my diatribes. It's been a blast and I may eventually run out of things to talk about but for now, just like I've been doing every day for the past several years, I give you fair warning, that there will be more later! Thanks for reading and may God bless us all as we continue to serve Him in our sojourn here! Amen. ......More later.

Stormy weather and partly cloudly life!

It's now officially July and we are dealing with the landfall of our first Atlantic hurricane, Alex. I understand our four year old grandson Alex is very interested in this storm that bears his name. It no doubt has been amusing for him to hear his name mentioned so often on TV. It is Thursday, July 1, 2010 and I welcome you to another episode of the long running series, "Why is everybody picking on me?" Just joking. But there are days when we all feel like maybe there's a conspiracy afoot. It doesn't have to be huge things but as they say, the steady knock wears the rock, and there are times when we all think we have just about all we can handle. I talked with someone who has had a life long battle trying to help their child deal with Juvenile Diabetes (Type 1). Her husband, step father to the child, has been an active participant in this treatment program but now he has been diagnosed with advanced diabetes and must begin insulin shots immediately. The lady told me it would be interesting to see how he adapted to the disciplines for himself that he had tried to enforce on their daughter. Isn't that just like life? Reality has a way of smacking any of us up side the head and then we have to deal with it. It's like the proverbial folks who give all kinds of enlightened advice about child rearing before they have any of their own. We've probably all been there and done that but we also know that folks that do this had better watch out. Right?

Being folks is a pretty messy affair and we are pretty funny as we go about the messy business of life each day. At my house we are not mainstream TV program watchers. We have no contact with any of the 'must see' programs that I am aware of. What do we watch? Believe it or not, we like investigation programs like the First 48, police programs like COPS, NASCAR, PBS Masterpiece Theater, BBC comedies, CSPAN, nature shows, travel programs, and documentaries on different subjects. My wife watches the Game Show Network when I am not watching. Other than these, we do try to catch the news and keep up with what is happening in our local area. These are our preferences. Yours may well be different. I did enjoy watching several of the world cup soccer matches and I rooted for the US when they played. It's interesting to me to see how many seem offended by the mere mention of the word soccer. They have determined it is not a sport and it is not worthy of their time and they act as if they might be reported to their sports buddies if they even mention the word. How funny is that? But, that's okay. We all have different interests and mine belong to me and yours belong to you. The problem we have is when we look down on someone because they don't share our interest. Some folks express amazement that we didn't watch the finals of American Idol or the dance show or the final episode of a popular series but we don't follow those and they do. We all like different things and that's a good thing. Diversity actually makes life a little more exciting.

There are areas where we do draw bright lines. These have to do with Biblical principles and we should not be ashamed of standing up for what we believe God would have us to hold sacred. Sometimes folks turn their personal preferences into principles and then defend them like they are straight from the Bible. This is absurd and it often is what causes folks to reject the Gospel message that should be emanating from the life and practice of believers. I don't know about you but I detest it when Christians are portrayed as being hateful and arrogant. Sadly, way too often we might just deserve these names based on how we live and act. I have an older gentleman that I work with and he and his wife have learned to use the DVR funtion on their cable system to record all the westerns from the past. They watch as many episodes as they can of Gunsmoke, Bonanza, High Chaparral, and many others. I have nothing against these programs but I wouldn't cross the street to see one of them. I love the fact that they are able to use technology to enjoy these programs together. He comes in early to work and he and I enjoy coffee together and I do hear about his favorite episodes from time to time, and he hears about something I have been watching as well. Our common bond is not based on the programs we like, it is our belief in God and we are joined in our fellowship because we have been saved the same way, by the blood of Jesus. When he leaves the office I always wish him a blessed day and he does the same to me. Differences? Plenty. But unity and love, one for another and this is what counts. Have a great day and may God bless! Amen. .....More later.