"Back on its golden hinges The gate of Memory swings, And my heart goes into the garden And walks with the olden things." – Ella Wheeler Wilcox, (1850-1919), American Author

My mom, (1924-2017), and, my dad, (1923-1954)

Good morning and welcome to another day where we will be doing what we can to pursue God's best here on this Tuesday, April 10, 2018. Last week, my wife surprised me one afternoon with a framed photo of my mom and my dad. It was likely taken sometime during the year before dad passed away, (January 1954). Mom, at some point and time, had the photo painted to match what they were wearing at the time. The wife said it was a 'just because I love you gift'. I don't doubt the sentiment of that statement, but, I must admit that hearing it said like that was a first. After nearly 54 years of being together, there are not that many firsts. I am very thankful for her preserving this memory. It was destined to be hung in my upstairs office, but, I liked it so well, we have found a place to prominently display it downstairs. Photos serve the purpose of reminding us of where we came from. Speaking of photos, here is one for you. Sunday evening after Church services, I was out in the parking lot and this elderly lady motioned for me to come over to her. She said a visitor in the Sunday morning services mentioned to her that I sure looked a lot like Santa Claus. This elderly lady got tickled and said that she told the person that she could help her with that. This lady then proceeded to show me one of our Santa and Mrs. Claus cards that she had captured a digital image of on her phone. She said she showed the visitor that photo and said, "Does this help?" She said I had given her that card last year. I didn't remember her, but I could tell that she was very proud of herself for helping the lady to know why I look the way I do. When I got to the car, the wife had one of those 'what in the world?' looks on her face. I told her the little story. As I have always said, Santa loves the children, of all ages. And, for the most part, they love him back. Amen.

Early yesterday morning I had to be out and about the Houston metroplex in a drizzling rain, the streets were slick and slimy, it was also overcast and dark, and yes, there were wrecks here, there, and everywhere. A one-way 45-minute ride turned into a 1-1/2 hour drive. Coming back, the same thing. It will forever be a mystery to me why people still want to drive the posted speed when folks are obviously slipping and sliding all around. (Typically running late is all I could come up with.) I remember back in the day when I had a large workforce. I had what I would call a few buzzer beaters who tried to get to their workstation right at the start time. This meant that everything had to line up perfectly every day in order for them to make it into work on time. Whey they failed to make it on time they would plead the conditions like I described above. I wasn't very understanding. I recommended they back up their alarm clock by another hour to limit this exposure. I don't know. Some folks are wired to want to make it by the skin of their teeth every day. My observation is that approach typically leads to all kinds of troubles including the potential for being caught up in an accident as they hurry their way to their destination. Don't write me. I am aware there are different strokes for different folks. Diversity. I get that. My last word is simply this. Sometimes folks who have those types of proclivities might want to find a place to work more suitable to their inclinations.

Mom and dad with one of the two eaglets.

I've been keeping up with some bald eagle eaglets that were hatched right after Christmas Day, last year. I typically check in on them once or twice a day. They are pretty much fully grown but they will not get the full plumage and coloring we associate with our national symbol for up to five years. They are able to fly but they have not yet learned to hunt for food on their own. It's been very impressive to see how doting mom and dad eagle has been in providing for their two offspring. There are 3 special cameras mounted that pretty much operate 24 hours a day. They have had over 123 million accesses to watch the eagles. Some designated observers keep up with the details of their development. They catalog things like the food brought to the nest. There is a nearby pond so they have eaten plenty of fish. Occasionally, they get a squirrel or other small rodent. At mealtime, I've noticed they are not so good at sharing. Today might be an important day for these two. Mom and dad have not brought them any food today. That's the first time I've seen that. Since eagles mate for life, it may be time for these two to be thinking about getting themselves a new nest and also to get busy learning how to hunt and capture their own food. They both are still afraid of the crows even though they have the talons and beaks to get on with finding supper. I've read that it takes practice before they get the hang of it, but, I'm sure they will be able to learn. That gnawing hunger will help motivate them. You might want to check in on them. Google, "Florida eagle nest". It usually comes up first. It's the website operated by Southwest Florida Eagle Cam. Oh yeah, one more thing. They are beautiful birds and so are their parents. God's creation is amazing! Amen. .....More later.

"If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep." ~ Will Rogers

Why wait? Today is Monday, April 9, 2018, and I bid you welcome to today's issues as determined by yours truly here at the ole blogger ranch. The why wait question has to do with filing my income tax return. I owed money. (Too much, if you ask me.) But, somehow waiting until Tuesday, the 17th, which is the official last day to file, well, it just doesn't appeal to me. I know many do it on the last day as a way of protesting the system. I actually don't see where it buys people a lot to do that. We file a joint return but I'm the one who does the calculations. This means that we both are responsible and will both have to pay the penalty if I make some kind of big boo boo. I think when we started out I may have let someone help me to prepare my tax return. That was the conditioning effect of the environment I was brought up in. You know. Taxes! You had better get someone with an accounting background to help you. It didn't take me long to figure out that I should be doing my own taxes and I have done them ever since, except for when I had the consulting business and needed some help with some investment losses. Today, there are many computer software packages available to guide one through the process. My take for this year? I well know why they don't give old people more of a break. They depend on any and all revenue to mortgage the future in the trillions that must be borrowed to keep our government afloat. I'll let you think on that for a while. Not too long. It will give you a headache. Or worse. But once again here is my bottom line: Still thanking God that we live in this country and that we were able to make it another year and had enough to pay what we owed. Amen.

Now would be a good time to find one of those deleted paragraphs that I flagged for later use. You know. The ones I was going to remember to remember. Since that's not working at this time, I need to either put a temporarily out of order sign on my memory bank or come up with something new. I'm almost certain that the new stuff might be the old stuff but since I didn't remember it, well, it will be new to everyone, including myself. No. I do not furnish scorecards. There's much about the current administration that is problematic all the way to the top. However, as it relates to dismantling notions that pertain to 'conventional wisdom' and 'status quo', well, I for one am okay with blowing up the bureaucracy and coming up with some new ways of doing business. I'm not sure the blowing up analogy is acceptable today given the sensitivity of the word police, yet, something drastic must happen if real change is ever to take place. I think respect for traditions is a good thing in its place. However, the continuing debacle of waste and corruption that passes itself off as 'this is how it works' needs to be annihilated. Sorry. I used another violent term that entrenched political operatives hate. Like I say, I'm not one of those who supports everything going on in President Trump's day to day functioning as our nation's chief executive officer. But, I do support those things that could make a difference in the effectiveness, efficiency, and in reducing the cost of our government institutions. You can quote me on that. Anonymously, of course. (Lois Lerner may still have friends at the IRS.)

My thoughts last Friday about my grandfather where no doubt prompted by the time spent over the past several weeks immersed in reviewing the information we have regarding our lineage. We will soon be celebrating the birth dates of both our mom and our stepdad, and, during the same interval, we will be recognizing their home going dates as well. They were something to behold for their 40-year run and we as a family can only be thankful for the time God gave them to share with us. They both had their quirks, just like we all do, and they were funny. Even together. And, they were together. That's how most people remember them. Together. Mom, in her 90's, was even jealous of ladies at Church who hugged 'her husband'. Dad laid out a template for a demonstrated devotion that most of us will have a hard time duplicating. But, it does give us something to shoot for. Some like to quote verses. "Love your wife even as Christ loved the Church." (Ephesians 5:25) Dad may or may not have been aware of that verse but he knew what it meant to live it. Which one do you think is more effective? Quoting it or doing it? When I would talk to mom she would tell me how concerned she was about dad overdoing it, some of his ailments, and his general welfare. They cared. They left us a legacy of caring. I do hope we all will take it seriously because God intended for love and devotion to define a healthy marriage. Even with peculiarities and quirks. May God help all of us who were witnesses to their lives to learn and to do our best to put what we saw into practice. Amen. .....More later.

“The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it, no? Doesn't that make life a story?” ― Yann Martel

Hello and welcome. It is Friday, April 6, 2018. Ten years ago on Friday, April 4, 2008, I was reporting on this little story.

Example only. Not the actual place.

~ I had the MRI done on my knee last night and now await the results. The place where I went to have it done was a little eerie. You know by now I am a visual person and when I arrived at Suite 100, I immediately sensed that this particular location had previously been a funeral home. Now that may be a morbid thought for you on a Friday morning but I do speak the truth here. The carpet, the overstuffed sofas, the lighting, the other furnishings, along with that unique smell, made me wonder if I was in the right place. And, I could have sworn the little old lady receptionist patted my hand as she shook it, just like they do at that place we would rather not think about on a Friday. The only thing missing was one of those organ tapes playing in the background that's been used so much it drags just enough to irritate you. While the technician was doing the MRI she gave me some earphones and I asked her to set the radio to a local Christian station. The program on was Grace to You, featuring Dr. John MacArthur and I do love his teaching but could only pick up bits and pieces since the MRI was rocking and knocking so loud. Oh well, another day and another challenge. The entire procedure was only twenty minutes BUT I'm one of those people who have much trouble being confined or restricted in any way. Being still for 20 minutes shouldn't be that big of a deal to anyone. BUT it is to me. Thankfully, I made it without causing too much of a ruckus and now I'm ready to begin a brand new day. ~

I chose that title for today's edition because the unfolding of our life, told or untold, does consist of 'our story'. I feel blessed to have been brought up in a 'storytelling' tradition. I remember many of the short vignettes of his life as shared by my grandfather. He talked about how they lived off the land. He talked about the chores he was given to do as a youngster. He talked about hardship and challenge. He also talked about being faithful along with the provision and providence of Almighty God. I know many of the losses, challenges, and heartbreaks he faced in his life, therefore, it's little wonder that his favorite song in the hymnbook had this lyric in the chorus, "Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand; But I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand." That song was written by Ira Stanphill and published in 1950. It came about because of a period of pain and depression in the writer's life. Thus, we feel his heart in the verses, 1) "I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day, I don’t borrow from its sunshine, For its skies may turn to gray. I don’t worry o’er the future, For I know what Jesus said, And today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead." 2) "Every step is getting brighter, As the golden stairs I climb; Every burden’s getting lighter; Every cloud is silver lined. There the sun is always shining, There no tear will dim the eye, At the ending of the rainbow, Where the mountains touch the sky." 3) "I don’t know about tomorrow, It may bring me poverty; But the one who feeds the sparrow, Is the one who stands by me. And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood, But His presence goes before me, And I’m covered with His blood." That song became my grandfather's story. Even now I can see him, as that song was being sung, standing with that book in his hand, slightly swaying, looking up, with tears on his well-worn cheeks. He may not have been eloquent in his speech, but he and his life spoke volumes to me. As you can tell, he is still speaking today.

I didn't really have in my mind to write about him today, but, that's what happens when you more or less share it as it comes to you. I sometimes write an entire paragraph that gets erased. I think deleted in the proper term for electronic text. I can't really explain why that happens but it does. Something just doesn't seem right about including it in that particular edition. Often, I make a mental note that I will revisit it at a later date. Mental note. Good luck with that one. I also ditch my stuff at times because I can't put my hands on the photo I had in mind to use. That typically does not make me very happy. I also have plenty of stuff floating around that will, as far as I am able, never see the light of day. I know we live in a world where folks spill their guts about everything. Well, some things are better left unsaid. My blog, after all, is not a tell-all venture. Another week has come and gone and I can't say that I have been overly productive, but, I can report that I have occupied my space. I do hope what I choose to share has some interest in it and that I can also convey a word of testimony on behalf of how God has worked in my life in the past, is working today, and my faith says He will continue His work going forward. Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. May God bless us all is my prayer. Amen. ....More later.

Happy 30th Birthday to our Tiffany Marrie, our very first grandchild!

Another great day is dawning here in the neighborhood on this Thursday, April 5, 2018, where I am pausing to thank God on the occasion of the 30th birthday of our very first grandchild, our Tiffany Marrie. When she came along she rocked our world. Having never been one before, I didn't know how to be a granddad, therefore, I made it up as I went. I was still at the big company and it didn't take long for people to see me coming and they would go the other way. "I bet he's got another stack of photos." And, there I was, in my nice office, conducting serious business surrounded by photos of all sizes of this tiny little girl. Now she has a little clone of her own, our great grand, Madelyn Joy, who turned 8 this past January. Madi keeps our memories of her mom growing up in overflow mode. We do thank God for Tiffany and we pray for her, her family, and that He will continue to lead, guide, guard, and direct. Happy Birthday! Our love, MiMi, and Poppy. Amen.

My wife is back out in the yard. Every chance she gets. She would rather be working in the yard than almost anything else. She has the place looking good already. She frets over the rain situation. We got about six inches last week but she still got excited when she heard we had the potential for much more this week. I cautioned her about the warnings issued for hail, wind, and rough weather with the front that was coming in. She said she would take her chances. The graphic above was posted by a beloved friend of ours. He captioned it by saying something about Moses and his staff, making reference to the parting of the Red Sea. Well, we are the dot in the middle and we didn't get the rain or the storm. I've already seen postings from folks who did along with the wind and hail. When I walked out of the house yesterday morning I cringed when I only saw a few scattered wet places. Uh oh. I try to keep her informed about weather-related matters. I gave her the hour by hour forecast before we went to bed Tuesday evening. It said we had a high probability of rain. We didn't get the rain we thought we would get. Somehow, I end up being partly responsible. I suppose it's the proverbial shoot the messenger scenario. At any rate, we also didn't get any hail damage, and we didn't get another tree downed into the top of our house. We should be thankful for that. Right? And, for me, seeing another round of low 50's, well, that's worth the price of admission on any day. Amen.

I know that you know these are some whacked out times that we are living in. Just four days after our commemoration of the Ressurection of our Lord and Savior, George Washington University is hosting an event designed to combat what it calls, 'Christian Privilege'. That program has the objective of helping to overcome the advantages that Christians have in our society over non-Christians. This new offering joins the workshops the university schedules on a regular basis: 'White Privilege'; 'Heterosexual Privilege'; 'Cisgender Privilege'; 'Able-Bodied Privilege'; and 'Socioeconomic Privilege'. (I had not seen the term, Cisgender, and I had to look it up. You might have to do the same.) I also recently read where a college professor required every white student to stand and apologize for the privilege they have received as a result of being white. This was required before they could get their grade. I long for the days when we mostly complained about the teacher's pet privilege. I happen to believe that all people should be treated fairly and with respect. But, making children feel ashamed because of the color of their skin at birth, I think that's the biggest bunch of malarky I ever heard of. That's what children need? A lifetime of guilt over something they had absolutely nothing to do with? This is how I see it. Just me. And, it is my blog. You are more than welcome to form your own opinions. I think that's still a right we have, but, it might be worth checking before we go too far. Take care. See you next time. And, may God add His blessings to our day. Amen. .....More later.

This was reported to be a true story: "When W. C. Fields, the actor, was in his dotage he was seen to be reading the Bible by a close friend who demanded to know what he was looking for. 'Loopholes, dear boy, loopholes,' murmured Fields." ~ copied

Welcome to another visit here at the ole blogger ranch where senior moments are often the order of the day. It's Wednesday, April 3, 2018, and I do send out a hearty howdy to everyone tuning in today. I am aware the term 'senior moment' gets a lot of blame for just about any and everything that goes awry, however, it is, my friend, becoming more of a true reflection of my day by day living. The other day I left our company to go take care of some business. I was very much intentional about where I was going. Before I left, I glanced at the location on the map on the computer screen just to confirm the location. The glance was really not enough because the place I went to wasn't even close. Wrong company. Wrong location. Some of you are wondering why I don't use the GPS directional service on my phone. What a funny question. Why would I do that when I know exactly where I am going? There was some good news. The place I was supposed to go to was down the road from where I went. Maybe another 5 miles. I sure am glad I discovered it before I barged into the wrong company. How did I find the right address? I used one of my 'phone a friend' options and got our Jimmy on the line to help his wavering dad. The good news? Once he told me where it was, I knew exactly where it was. How do you like that? Here's how I know it was a senior moment. I could see that place in my mind's eye. Mind's eye, my foot! Well, thankfully, I did get the mission accomplished and I am reminded that I should remind myself to check my destination plan even if I know where it is.

I can hear Granny Mac's sweet voice, "Now son, I don't think I would have told that one." I see her point, but, at the same time, I think finding something to laugh about is better than getting all bent out of shape over things that happen to us older folks. I shared something similar to this many blogs ago, but I do think we need a code system more suited to those of us who have a Medicare card with oak leaf clusters. Here are some recommendations: "ATD - At the Doctor's ~ BFF - Best Friend's Funeral ~ BTW - Bring the Wheelchair ~ BYOT - Bring Your Own Teeth ~  DWI - Driving While Incontinent ~ FWIW - Forgot Where I Was ~ FYI - Found Your Insulin ~ LOL - Living on Lipitor ~ ROFL...CGU - Rolling on the Floor Laughing...Can't Get Up! ~ TOT - Texting on Toilet ~ WWNO - Walker Wheels Need Oil ~ Hope these help. GGLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking in!)" Getting old is not for the faint-hearted. Here's one I hear as folks mark time here on the planet, "Sometimes when I open my mouth, my mom comes out." There is good news in all of this. You can tell your close friends your most intimate secrets because they likely won't be able to remember them. Finally, to put it into a proper perspective here's what I found to be true, "Aging appears to be the only available way to live a longer life."

Let me be clear. I know that most people who know me understand that I would never, ever, poke fun at folks who are dealing with serious health issues, regardless of their age. We watched our mom and our dad deal with the end game of having lived a long productive life. It can be very difficult. However, on balance, I come away with nothing but thankfulness for the time God allowed us to have with them. Sure, it got tough at times as their time grew closer to leave this world. But, while I miss them, I end up being thankful. The wife and I feel the same way about her folks. They too struggled at the end with a myriad of physical issues, however, what blessings they were to our lives. Their imparted wisdom continues with us today. If you've read my blogs for any time at all, you are aware of the impact that older folks had on my life. I quote them a lot. I still remember them a lot. I've had people tell me they have no pleasant memories of their folks that they care to recall or think about. I feel for them. How sad. I am glad when I hear one of my boys quoting the wife's dad, or Paw Paw Mac, or my mom and dad. Those little tidbits of time are part of God's treasure to us. And, one more time, "Thank you, Lord!" Amen. ...More later.

“I really didn't foresee the Internet. But then, neither did the computer industry. Not that that tells us very much of course--the computer industry didn't even foresee that the century was going to end.” ― Douglas Adams

I should be a little better put together today, however, in my case, that would always be subject to debate, and in the eye of the beholder. However, suffice to say, I am back on my regular schedule and I didn't lose 20 minutes this morning, on this Tuesday, April 3, 2018. I'm letting you know that ahead of time so you can judge the level of cooperation I'm getting from my gray cells on this, the 2,781st episode. I did get a notice from Yahoo Mail saying someone had tried to log into my email from Vietnam. Really? Fortunately, they were not able to do so. These hackers work on a 24x7 basis. First, they get your email, then they are able to get your contacts. It's all about mining data where there just might be able to get some account information and passwords. Many of them write programs that run around the clock trying to get someone's information. It's the world we live in. In this most recent attempted intrusion, the Yahoo response said that access was not authorized from that particular application. I'm glad it wasn't. I worked in computing long enough to know there are always individuals smart enough to get around almost any controls that may be in place. I had some of those people working for me and there were times when they had to beat the system in order to fix a problem. There wasn't supposed to be a backdoor into the system. There are always backdoors. The people I worked with were not inclined to use their expertise in a criminal activity. Sadly, there are many who not only willing but, that is their fulltime job. Beware.

During the most recent commemoration of Passion Week, the wife and I caught several of the televised portrayals supposedly in support of the Bible depiction of the life and times of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, and Savior of the world. Many of these are adaptations. It's refreshing to hear the wife volunteer that what we are seeing on the screen is not what is written in the Bible. While there may not be anything wrong with attempting to create a narrative to support the depiction, often the stories told conflict with the truths from the written Word of God. We watched some of the "King of Kings" movie, starring Jeffrey Hunter and a cast of recognized actors. Mr. Hunter is known for his portrayal of the blue-eyed Jesus. We watched it for about 30 minutes but the obvious disconnects from the biblical record became annoying to the both of us and we changed the channel. Some would say that we are being too critical or perhaps they might question why it really matters. I counter that with this response. If the Bible is clear, why not write the scene exactly the way the Bible depicts it? When it's all said and done, it does matter to us. And, if we are interested in watching something, we can always watch reruns of the TV oldies on the MeTV Channel.

Madi and her great grand, a couple of years ago.

Life is about transitions and reflections and days defined as good, indifferent, and challenging. This past Sunday as our family gathered to enjoy our time of feasting and fellowship I was struck by the memories of how God has blessed throughout our sojourn here. Our first grand, Tiffany, turns 30 later this week. She wasn't feeling well and wasn't able to with us on Sunday but her little clone, Madelyn Joy was there to represent her. I actually do not know how some kids pick up so much of their parent's looks and ways, while others seem to be very different, but, in our Madi-girl's case, it is, as Yogi Berra would say, deja vu all over again every time we are with her. She has so many instinctive responses that take us back to when her mom was running up and down our stairs. It's uncanny to me, but, it's also such a blessing in so many ways. Tiffany was our first and we fell hard when she came along. I had a very nice executive office at the company where I worked, but, it was plastered with photos of our first grandchild. Madi can be so funny. She and I have a little routine we do. When I can't stand it anymore I ask her, "Do you know who you remind me of?" She looks at me with that slightly exasperated look and says, "Yes I do, my mom!" I realize Madi has her own traits as well, but, us old folks are sensitive to the things that remind us of days gone by. Yeah. Days gone by. The good ones. The good old days. Like I say, I am thankful for these reruns. They are actually much better than the ones on the MeTV Channel. Take care now, you hear? May God bless us all is my prayer. Amen. ....More later.

Enough said! Hallelujah! Amen!

Good morning and welcome back to my version of where the rubber meets the road on this back-to-work Monday, April 2, 2018. We had a tremendous Resurrection Day commemoration at our local fellowship of believers and it was a packed house. It's not like that every Sunday, but, it was yesterday. The good news is they came. If that's only on special occasions, then, so be it. They heard the truth about God's provision given to a lost and dying world. That being His one and only Son, our Lord and Savior. We also enjoyed our Resurrection Day family gathering and had a wonderful time of fellowship and feasting in our home. God has been good to us and we thank Him for all His many blessings.

The wife and I were up early Sunday morning getting everything together for the day. I typically get up early anyway but I don't typically engage in the food preparation activities. We worked hard. When it came time to say goodnight last evening, well, I didn't have to be encouraged to go to bed. I even overslept this morning by about 20 minutes. That was a huge surprise to me. But, it's better that way. This means my body was getting the rest it thought it needed. I still made it to my desk by 4:20 a.m. where I am attempting to get the gray cells to cooperate in writing today's episode. They can be very unruly at times. Especially, when they are not on their regular schedule. Come on guys, it's only 20 minutes. Give me a break. Surely, you have something to contribute this morning.

I can remember growing up, mom always made sure we had something new to wear on Resurrection Sunday. We didn't have much, but, she always went out of her way to make us look good on this special day. I remember one year my younger brother and I were given white jackets to wear with our new slacks and new shirts. One of our uncles gave us some lessons in how we should wear our jackets. How to unbutton them when we sit down. The girls typically wore new dresses with hats and gloves. That's right. Yesterday, I did see some ladies in hats. Not many. The wife bought me a new shirt and tie. I didn't ask for a new shirt and tie but I did get them. It did not surprise me in the least when she showed up with a new outfit. This is not my first rodeo. A new shirt and tie for me typically means a new outfit for her. Truth it, she looked great in her new outfit. I didn't need a new shirt and tie to see that. Oh well, we continue our journey. Together. That too is a blessing from the same God who provided for us a home in heaven. I am thankful for His provisions. Have yourself a most wonderful rest of the day Monday. I think I need to go and have a little one on one with the gray cell community. I'll try to make peace with them and get back to you, next time, Lord willing. May He bless us one and all. Amen. .....More later.