Question: What's the difference between death and taxes? Answer: Congress doesn't meet every year to make death worse. ~ copied

Oh yeah. Another reason the wife came home. To finish our federal tax return. She is not always an attentive participant in this process. I wanted her to know the details. She is, after all, equally responsible. As I worked through each line her common refrain was, "Can I go now?" In the event that yours truly made a really big mistake, I guess we will both do our time at Leavenworth together. I wonder if they let husbands and wives bunk together? At any rate, we are done for 2016 unless they come calling. They do that. They call it an audit. Those who have one call it a nightmare. Out of 140 million tax returns from 2015, less than 1% required a formal audit. Therefore, here's the good news for this Tuesday, April 11, 2017: The IRS has announced fewer audits for 2016, which means you have less than a 1% chance of having to participate in an audit. For those who still need some mathematical help here, that means you have more than a 99% chance of not being audited. There are actual odds established based on the type of return you file but that general number still applies. And, yes, I am aware that 1% of a big number can produce a sizeable number of nightmares. (140 million times 1% = 1.4 million) I will leave you with a few thoughts on the subject. ~ "Doing your own taxes is like a do-it-yourself mugging." ~ "According to the government, a taxpayer is someone who has what it takes." ~ Government Bureau: Where the Taxpayer's shirt is kept. ~

In case you haven't noticed, we do live in somewhat of a cynical world. I am frequently out and about going here and there on behalf of our Company and I do get to rub shoulders with people in all different kinds of environments. My take says there are way too many folks who come across as being disgruntled and angry, or as Paw Paw Mac would have said it, down in the mouth. That makes people who reflect a positive and happy demeanor stand out. Often you hear the cynical assessment of those who give the appearance of being happy as perhaps they must be on some type of drug. The other day I was across the metroplex and I came in contact with a middle aged Hispanic fellow who couldn't stop talking about what a wonderful day it was, and how blessed he was to be enjoying it all. Hello? I looked at him and he responded, "Don't you agree, Sir?" The genuineness of his attitude was infectious. I couldn't help but be drawn into this expression of thankfulness and joy. I talked about being an old man and we kidded forth and back. I then told him he had done such a great job of building my spirits up I wanted to leave him with one of our souvenir cards. I gave him our Santa and Mrs. Claus card and you would have thought I had given him a treasure. I finished dealing with the manager and I looked up and the smiling fellow was back. "Sir, do you mind, would you please sign the little card for me?" I did. Santa and Mrs. Claus. He was happy. And, he had accomplished something. He had infused the ordinary mundane with a sense of joy. I can still feel it when I think about his big heart. Would to God I could do as well. Amen.

I heard the wife tell several people that I would be back to batching it soon. (Slang for playing the role as a bachelor.) May I go on record to say that no matter how it is defined I would just as soon not be involved in it. Period. And, let the record show, I am unanimous in my ruling on this subject. It is a reminder of how many of our dear friends who have been left to carry on after the passing of their mate. I often pray for these folks because I can see how their lives have been changed. Having more than one person to deal with each day reflects upon something that Solomon said as recorded in Ecclesiastes. "Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Chapter 4:9-12, New Living Translation) The context here is work accomplished by a team versus the limitations of it being on one person. Some scholars decry the use of this passage at a wedding, but, in a practical, general sense, the people getting married do become a team. At any rate, my roomate will be missed but I hope to see her this upcoming Good Friday and Saturday. Surely, I should be able to manage myself for a handful of days. Right? One would think, but, don't go giving me credit that I haven't earned. Enjoy and may God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

Caring is just another word for LOVE!

So, here I am, back again, right back where I started from. I was thinking about trying to write a song but those words sound to me like they may have already been taken. Thanks for showing up for today's episode, coming to you on this back-to-work Monday, April 10, 2017. My wife was supposed to come home this past Saturday morning for a short visit. But, she surprised me by showing up Friday evening. That's a great news but not so ready news event. I'm talking about having all my chores done. It was funny. I was talking to mom but I could tell she had the phone upside down. I finally said goodbye and immediately called my wife to tell her to go fix mom's phone. The wife answered and said if I would open the back door she would talk to me about it. She was pretty well spent from helping care for mom, plus, she wanted to make sure the yard was being cared for, the way she wants it cared for. She plans to return to Louisiana on Tuesday to continue helping in mom's care. She knows that I am humbled by her love and support of my mom. I've mentioned before about a trait test I took at a management conference many years ago. I got my hands on some extra copies and brought them home with me. The professor who designed and refined this test over many years said it was hard to defeat because of the different ways he structured the questions. At any rate, my outcome has been pretty consistent over the years. The results were color coded. I am a blended hue, meaning I can interchangeably wear whatever hat I need to in order to get the job done. It's important to remember there are no wrong outcomes because they reflect what makes a person tick. I gave the test to my wife and she was off the chart blue. That indicates altruism and serving as drivers in her life. The professor described his wife's score as being so high in the blue, she would lay down and give you additional traction if you were stuck in the snow. Here's what I know about this subject. There are natural traits and then there are the abilities that God places in our lives. I see how He worked in my wife's life to compliment her natural bent, therefore, she is, at heart, a caregiver. And, I am so thankful that she does what she does, from her heart.

Interestingly enough, there was great distress in that large group who participated in this testing procedure. People in business, in particular, develop a view of themselves that is not always in keeping with the inclinations of their heart and mind. At that huge conference, I saw several who were angry because the test did not show them as being high reds, meaning they were the hard charging, take no prisoners, type of manager. I will give it to you like this. Maybe some of them discovered the job they had did not match their personality and bent. Perhaps that's why they were being treated for ulcers. Each category listed had its own strengths and weaknesses. A high blue is a great servant but that type of person may be easily taken advantage of. A high red may get projects done regardless of the obstacles but they may be very difficult for others to work with. Those who have an administrative inclination do a great job in keeping up with the business, however, they may be very weak in making decisions. The blended hue person like me moves in and out of different shades but may not always be effective in meeting objectives. See what I mean? I guess the bottom line here is to do all we can to find the best application of our talents and abilities in whatever pursuit we choose. Meanwhile, I will try to figure what color of hat I was wearing when I wrote all of this.

I've been around long enough to have seen many in job positions they were not individually well suited for. I can see a vivid image of a fellow I worked with many years ago. I can see him standing up at his desk chug-a-lugging a bottle of liquid anti-acid medication. That was a daily occurrence. He had been an officer in the military, but, making the transition into the civilian world as a network manager with huge pressures and high demands, was too much for him. He didn't last but a couple of years. When he left, his health was pretty well shot. I was the lone voice on our management team who didn't think he should have been hired to begin with. (You know. The I-told-you-so guy.) My reasoning was two-fold. Having worked for the military myself, I was concerned about the adaptability factor, especially since our network staff was made up of highly skilled professionals, not saluting privates. Secondly, he had been very impertinent in dealing with our travel people as they attempted to accommodate his interviews with flights, hotels, etc. To me, that didn't sound like a good match. It wasn't. That's my recollection of how it all went down nearly 30 years ago. The fellow who hired him, my boss at the time, he may have seen it differently. The fellow who was hired most likely thought he wasn't given a fair shot. See what I mean? The same story but from different mindsets. Oh well, other than its discussion value, it really doesn't matter at this point in time. Thanks for bearing with my wordiness today. May God help us all to use what He has given to us to honor Him and serve others. Amen. ....More later.

Jolly: happy and cheerful. "he was a jolly man full of jokes" synonyms: cheerful, happy, cheery, good-humored, jovial, merry, sunny, joyful, joyous, lighthearted, in high spirits, bubbly, exuberant, ebullient, gleeful, mirthful, genial, affable, fun-loving.

Great and Grand Madi girl at her mom's birthday celebration.

That would be correct. It is Friday and the birds are even making a sweeter song because of it. You do know I'm just pulling your leg on this April 7, 2017, don't you? Believe it or not, the origin of the 'pulling the leg' figure of speech is hard to nail down. It is going out of style in today's usage but it has been around since the 1800's. We all know it typically means to be misled or teased in a mild and benign manner. The theory favored by many etymologists connects it to a time when thieves would pull at the leg of a target to trip them up, but, there is no hard proof for this being how it began. The limbs do have their fair share of colloquialisms, like 'an arm and a leg', 'shake a leg', and the ever-popular 'break a leg'. I think I had better move on down the road before I get bogged down. The other evening when I drove across the way to have dinner with our eldest and his family to celebrate our Tiffany's birthday, I had an interesting exchange with one of the wait staff at the Olive Garden Restaurant. I was waiting out on the porch for the others to arrive and he stopped, looked me over, and told me he really liked my cap. I said thank you. He walked away but stopped and turned around and then he said, I actually like your entire outfit. I thanked him for the compliment. My outfit? Outfit? A cap and suspenders and it's an outfit? I guess it's good that I can be jolly about it. Surely, I can pull off at least one of those identified traits of what it means to be jolly. I hope I can.

We hit a low of 43 degrees yesterday morning. That felt really good but I must confess that it was trending towards the chilly side. That's just four degrees from being in the 30's. I did wear a long sleeve shirt. I also drove into work with my window partially down but I did have the defrost heat blowing on the windshield. The combination made it just about right. I'm not so sure the construction guys got the memo that while it was projected to be cooler, there was really no need to dress like Eskimos engaged in breaking ice to get their jobs done. That was one of my observations about the enjoyable cooldown. And, in that case, it truly was a drive-by assessment. Our great grand is an observer as well. She noticed the other evening that I was sporting a different cell phone. "Oh look, Poppy has MiMi's old phone." I'm sure she has played a few games on her MiMi's phone. And, she pointed out the pink color. She's not the only one. I get that a lot. I finally started telling people to please not make fun of my phone that reminds us of breast cancer awareness. That typically brings any further discussion to a halt. I've been offered a camo cover for it. That would be nice. You know. Duck Dynasty. I would think about it but I've already forgotten who offered it to me. Some days are like that.

There's quite a lot of favorable research on the benefits of forgetfulness, from a neurological viewpoint. I'll not go into those since I don't begin to think I understand them. Here's what the online version of NEWSMAX deemed as the top five most famous quotes concerning forgetfulness. ~ 1. "The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time." — 19th Century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. ~ 2. "As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two." — 20th Century British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom. ~ 3. "Yes, forgetting can be a curse, especially as we age. But forgetting is also one of the more important things healthy brains do, almost as important as remembering. Think how quickly the sheer volume and multiplicity of sensory information we receive every waking minute would overwhelm our consciousness if we couldn’t quickly forget a great deal more of it than we remember." — U.S. author Michael Pollan in his 2001 book, "The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World." ~ 4."A man must get a thing before he can forget it." — 19th Century U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. ~ 5. "Forgetfulness is necessary to remembrance. Ideas are retained by renovation of that impression which time is always wearing away, and which new images are striving to obliterate. If useless thoughts could be expelled from the mind, all the valuable parts of our knowledge would more frequently recur, and every recurrence would reinstate them in their former place." — 18th Century English author Samuel Johnson. ~ I can't remember if I've seen these lately but that number 5 is a doozy. Remember this: Don't feel bad if you forget these as soon as you read them. Enjoy your Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. See you next time and may God bless. Amen. ....More later.

Only you can protect your personal information.

It's time to get this one kickstarted. We have to deal with the only one we can work with at the moment. That would be Thursday, April 6, 2017. I am active on a variety of social media platforms. That doesn't mean that I do not try to keep as low a profile as possible. I do check my name periodically to see what shows up in a search. As far as my image, the two above are the only ones that show up when I Google Image search using my name. Those come from a newspaper article written about my Santa Claus work at a market festival in our area. The search produced hundreds of images, many of them directly linked in one way or another to a person with the same or similar name, but only these two of yours truly. That makes me very happy. I enjoy the exchange of pleasantries and the fellowship shared on the social media platforms but I also value my anonymity. It is interesting to know that people who have my same name run insurance agencies, operate hotels, and do a number of other types of businesses as well. I do have peripheral security in place, however, there's never enough to protect from someone smart enough to overcome it. This is why I recommend that everyone who uses the internet to keep close tabs on their personal information. I've recently changed a number of my passwords to try and thwart continuing attacks of those attempting to either impersonate me or to use my email account. The watchword: Enjoy but be safe.

The recent uproar over the Russian involvement in last year's presidential election needs to be adjudicated, one way or another. At this point and time, it's obvious the Russian Government, for its own reasons, did use cyber warfare on entities involved in the campaigns. Here's what I think. The American people want this to be investigated and FACTS to be discovered. Not charges and counter charges. Not political sloganizing. We are grown ups. We can handle it. Let's get to the bottom of it and move on, whatever that implies. It also appears that perhaps the Obama folks did some things that may not have been in keeping with the laws that protect the privacy of American citizens. I stress the word 'appears'. Here again, these kinds of matters need to be investigated and the findings made clear to the American public. I voted for Richard Nixon twice, but, I also came home each night and watched reruns of that day's Watergate hearings. Why? Like President Nixon said, "The American people are entitled to know if their president is a crook or not." I feel the same way about all the posturing going on. Spend time doing the hard work of getting the facts. Report them and let the folks who go to the ballot box decide. This opinion piece was brought to you today by the independent research firm known as Me, Myself, and I.

As it relates to swimming underwater in the polluted ocean of political shenanigans, I do have to surface for air on occasion. That's why I shared that little personal take on the current reality show unfolding in Washington D.C. I didn't want you to think I had gone off the reservation when it came to paying attention to my civic duty. The other day I mentioned the hate filled assessment of the Duck Dynasty series by a TV critic for Rolling Stone Magazine. His final salvo involved how the Robertson clan, led by the patriarch Phil, went all in supporting Donald Trump in his campaign to win the election. This critic believed them supporting Trump was a total capitulation of what the Bible teaches about morality and ethics. I believe at one time, Phil Robertson even called Donald Trump God's man for our needs at this time. I point this out only to remind us all that people pay attention to real or perceived hypocrisy in the lives of those who identify as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. You've heard many times that I was never a supporter of Donald Trump as a candidate for President. Never. I did, however, vote for him, because of the options available. Let me say one more thing and then I will be done. Maybe Phil meant that Mr. Trump was God's man like some of the pagan kings God raised up and brought to power as recorded in the history of God's dealings with His people, Israel. I'm not saying that Mr. Trump is a pagan. I'm just giving you some thoughts to consider. You know. Ponder the possibilities. That's enough carpet bombing for one day. Take care. Know that God is Sovereign and He is aware of every iota of every detail, period. ("Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father." Matthew 10:29) Amen. ....More later.

Happy 29th Birthday to our first Grandchild!

Good morning and welcome, one and all. It's Wednesday, April 5, 2017, a very special day for us. We pause to remember, reflect on, and to wish our very first grandchild a happy 29th birthday. Her birth brought about huge changes for us young grandparents. At the time of her birth I still worked for the big company in downtown Houston. I occupied a very prominent office space on the 22nd floor. That prominent office space soon became a viewing area for any and all photos of our Tiffany. Today when I see folks going crazy on Facebook at the birth of their first grandchild, it reminds me of us. I do thank God for our Tiffany and we pray that she will continue to look to Him as her journey continues. I plan to see her tonight at the gathering. MiMi sends her greetings from Louisiana. May God bless. Amen.

Some of you probably remember ABC's Wide World of Sports. The distinctive voice of Jim McKay would open each time with, "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat... the human drama of athletic competition... This is 'ABC's Wide World of Sports!'" While I can't claim such high and lofty pursuits, as a blogger, I am constantly on the look out for news you can use, finding it wherever I can, from here, there, and everywhere. Today, I ran across some really excellent and wonderful news. It comes from a study conducted in Ireland. It found that 63% of those surveyed over the age of 70 indicated they were more content than at any other time in their lives. More than half of the over 70 crowd said they were still in their prime. The head dude over the survey work had this quote, "Older people can teach us all a lot." See there? If you are 70 or older or if you are headed in that direction, it's time to get your 'happy' on. Contentment is a great way to live out one's days. I have a quote from the highest authority on the subject, "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment." (1st Timothy, Chapter 6, Verse 6, as rendered in the New American Standard Bible, NASB)

I know exactly how some of you feel. It has not been that long ago that I would not have even thought about pausing to read that article. I actually had to answer a question before they would let me see the data. They wanted to know that when I think of convenience, what is the first retailer that comes to mind. That was a really hard one for me because, forgive me, but, I don't believe I ever think much about retailers, period. But I did want to see the study results so I began to ponder how to answer. Let me see. Convenience. I do typically buy gasoline. Those places do have what they call a convenience store. Bingo! So I answered Exxon-Mobil. I don't know if they even have those outlets in the land of leprechauns, but, they did open the door and I was able to read additional proof that all lives matter, including the white haired variety. At our Bible study last Wednesday evening I told the class I wanted to hurry home in time to watch the final episode of Duck Dynasty. One lady asked why I didn't just DVR it. I confessed that I had never learned how to do the DVR deal. The response was less than encouraging. All these silver haired saints shaking their heads in pity. But, I thought about it like this. It is true I have never taken the time to learn how to record programs, however, I'm past 70 and can very boldly say I feel very content with my inability to do so. Okay. That's enough joy spreading for one day. Enjoy. Be blessed. May God help us all. Amen. ....More later.

“Housework won't kill you, but then again, why take the chance?” ― Phyllis Diller

Good morning and welcome to the life and times of a man dealing with all the issues faced in life while his wife is away helping to care for his mother. It's Tuesday, April 4, 2017. Welcome. After Church on Sunday, I determined to get caught up on my chores. These are not typically 'my' chores but with the domestic goddess gone for nine days now, the voice of necessity crying in the wilderness had to be answered. There's always decisions to be made. Do I make the bed or do I make the bed look like something was done to it? I started the latter but ended up having to make it anyway after making such a mess out of the fake deal. Got all the dishes washed. I think I did about four loads of clothes. Washing, drying, hanging them up, folding, putting them away. Whew! When I talked to her on the phone at about 5 p.m. and told her I needed someone to come in to help me with all of my tasks, she couldn't help herself. I get how she let out a huge LOL, but did she have to add the loud sound effects? Well, thank you very much. When I was doing the clothes I noticed that a lot of them were hers. Before I could even think about it, it dawned on me. Every time she does the clothes a lot of them are mine. Man! I hate it when it works out like that. I couldn't help but think, where did all these towels come from? What do these grandkids think we are running here? Some kind of motel or what? Sorry. Just trying to get the hang of my inner domestic mindset. Get it right. I was not trying to get in touch with my feminine side. Whatever in the world that means.

I know she will get a kick out of reading about my travails. She reads my blogs when she gets up and typically sends me a note afterwards. She is very well aware how much she is missed. Not just by our immediate family but she has a wide circle of friends and they too are missing her being here. She, however, is conflicted. She knows she is needed at home but she also sees a need for assistance in mom's situation. I am glad that she is sensitive to the needs of others, especially when it comes to my mom. Meanwhile, I will soldier on, so to speak. I think we've just about warmed up everything at the house that can be warmed up. I probably need to drop by the store and pick up a few things. I've been saying that for several days now. Navigating the traffic on the way home is not so easy. I think I had several other pretty decent excuses but they escape me at this particular time. I'll have to check my excuse book. I've been meaning to index that resource to make it easier to use. No. I do not have an excuse book. Not a printed one. Is there a file labeled as such somewhere upstairs in my noggin? I can't be 100% sure but honesty compels me to say I wouldn't put it past me.

She did cook a meal while I was there last Saturday. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. You don't have to wonder if I enjoyed it or not. She even had made banana pudding for dessert. That's my girl! If it is true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, she has a whole lot longer of a journey in my current condition than she did a few years ago. As my grandfather would have said it, "Son, looks like you've swollen up since the last time I saw you." He did not have the gift of subtlety. I can't be sure exactly what has caused this recent weight gain. It's like I crossed a threshold of some kind. I'm working on a list of suspects right now. I think I've used the Santa Claus needs a belly already. According to the online version of Prevention Magazine, here are the 6 lamest excuses people use for not doing something about it, 1) I'm too busy. 2) Healthy food is too expensive. 3) Diets make me hungry. 4) I don't have time to cook. 5) Exercise makes me too tired. 6) I always gain the weight back. I didn't read all the solutions that followed each of these excuses because my eyes were tired. I do need to think some about each of them to see if any of them ring a bell with me. Thanks for showing up today. It's time for a short break. Does anyone know if there's any of the banana pudding left? See you next time and may God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

“One flesh they are; and one flesh, so I'd guess, Has but one heart, come grief or happiness.” ― Geoffrey Chaucer, (1343-1400), known as the father of English literature.

Is it Monday already? I wanted to make sure this was not an April Fool's hangover. It does feel like Monday. I think the fellow on the radio said it was, therefore, I am going to accept his report, this one being, April 3, 2017. I spent Saturday over in Louisiana and I bring back a report of progress, albeit, slow and steady, with regards to my mom. First and foremost, she is beginning to express at times how she is feeling better. My wife is making a difference there. I can tell. She and JoAnn working with dad have made a good team in helping mom begin to begin to recover. I very much thank God for His working in this situation. That presents some very mixed feelings on my part. I miss having the wife here with me. She is my help-mete as the old King James called Eve. That Hebrew designation involved how Eve was fitted or appropriate for Adam in that she completed him. I guess that means when she isn't here with me I'm running around with an incomplete stamped on my forehead. On the other hand, she is doing God's work where she is and she enjoys honoring my mom by serving her needs. The thought of that brings tears to my eyes and makes me especially thankful for her. Given all of that, I do have a thought that is permanently affixed to my 24x7 day: Come home soon!

The term jaded is used today to describe a certain type of fatigue. One modern summation put it this way: "The end result of having a steady flow of negative experiences, disappointment, and unfulfillment fed into a person where they get to the point where their anger circuits just sort of burn out and they accept disillusionment." Look around. It's widespread. Politics, the economy, relationships, health, and life in general, all can be downers when they present so many challenges. It is so easy to become downhearted to the point of developing a critical and negative spirit. How do I know so much about this subject? I have multiple inputs that inform me. Three in particular. Me, myself, and I. One thing I can be certain of, God does not intend for His own to live in this type of debilitating lifestyle. Since all of those things I listed may not get better, then there has to be another source that informs our spirit. That would be growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ. (2nd Peter 3:18) The bottom line is to think about the role of truth, the source of truth, and the overcoming power of truth in the life of those who are children of the living God. Again, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14:6) This means in a world seemingly always upside down and going in the wrong direction, I need, you need, we all need, more input from Jesus and less from the world. I had something in mind when I started this paragraph but it more or less took on a life of its own.  

In case you didn't have any April Fool's Day foolery, here are a few quips that may or may not be giggle-worthy. ~ I stayed up all night to see where the sun went but it finally dawned on me. ~ A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was a nurse said 'No change yet'. ~ I've had many jobs. I couldn't concentrate in an orange juice factory; wasn't suited to be a tailor; Muffler factory was just exhausting; couldn't cut it as barber; wasn't noteworthy as a musician; did not have patience to be a doctor; didn't fit in the shoe factory; job at the pool maintenance company was too draining; and I found out there was no future as a historian. ~ Does anyone know why dogs always race to the door when the doorbell rings? It's hardly ever for them. ~ At least drug stores understand life. That's why the anniversary and sympathy cards are side by side. ~  Ninety-eight percent of cross-eyed teachers have difficulty controlling their pupils. ~ I know. Some of them are more gag-worthy than giggle-worthy, but, I did waste several minutes finding them on about a dozen different sites and message boards. Maybe at least one of them brought a small upturn of the lips. Even that can help. Some. Enjoy your day and may God bless us all is my prayer. Amen. ...More later.