A woman walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch. "I couldn't help noticing how happy you look," she said. "What's your secret for a long happy life?" "I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day," he said. "I also drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fatty foods, and never exercise." "That's amazing," the woman said. "How old are you?' "Twenty-six," he said.

Hello out there in bloggerland. It's good that we have this time to share together. Here we are on Tuesday, and we find ourselves off and running on this April 3, 2012. I read recently another article about how that some folks are beginning to very much think about their working life in terms of forever. This means they are phasing out, at least for them, the idea of retirement. Retirement will always be an option for those who are financially able to handle it. Essentially, this article pointed out, that going forward, this will become fewer and fewer of our fellow citizens. His take, however, was not negative. His great grandparents never even gave a thought about retiring. They worked until they couldn't and then they went on to their reward. One reason I wanted my wife to leave the daily grind was for her health's sake, especially in the stress department. She remains a very capable hard worker as she is now tackling projects at home that she has long wanted to work on. In her case, she can now be called a stay at home wife, not a retiree in terms of hugging a rocking chair. One of the things the writer pointed out was how that the stigma of being an older worker has begun to change. I see my fellow white hairs hard at work nearly everywhere I go. Yet to be fully realized is how this development will impact the overall job market as young folks seek employment in a very overcrowded and long line. One thing we can be sure of. God never expects any of His own to retire from being faithful to Him. That's a lifelong pursuit whether we are still doing 8 to 5, or sipping on our Community in our retirement bungalow. Amen.

Thanks to so many of you who responded to my prayer request on behalf of my mom. She will be busy this week dealing with her medical needs. On Wednesday she has a Colonoscopy, and on Thursday she is scheduled for the reschedule of her heart stress test. Our youngest called and asked if all these tests are a good idea for someone nearly 88 years young. I told him they obviously think so, and that she is not just any nearly 88 year old person. She is cut out of a bolt of cloth that is about as rugged as they come. But, she is my mom, and I thank God for her, and I appreciate your prayers. I had some neat comments about her partaking of the Community, including one that guessed maybe that was part of her secret to her longevity. That would mean I am going to be hanging around for a good long while! Just joking. She only had half a cup. I told you that Community was special. She shut down the entire testing process for just one half of a cup! That should pretty well put to rest any questions you might have had about its viability. Therefore, look for one of these bumper stickers coming to a vehicle just up ahead: "No coffee, No workee!" ~ "MAKE COFFEE, NOT WAR"  ~ "WWJB - What would Jesus brew?" ~ "Give me coffee and no one gets hurt!" ~ "Death Before Dishonor but Nothing Before Coffee!" ~

In fact, I saw a lady the other day with a tall cup marked Community. She asked me if I thought the coffee inside of it was actually the real stuff. I told her there were crimes and then there were high crimes and if anyone put any other coffee product in a Community cup, they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Now you do know that I am joking about all of this. Right? I will admit that I have advised folks to pour their inferior brew into a properly designated Community cup, hoping the rub off will do it some good. However, my guess is that most of the other stuff would be way too embarrassed to live in such a false representation of what they really are. Again, just kidding in a kind of very heart attack serious way. I do have nightmares about waking up one day and finding out Community has been bought out by people who have decided to blend it with green tea or something. You've never even worried about that for one second in your life? No wonder. You've probably never missed a stress test either because of the lure of that Louisiana home brewed nectar. If my wife was sitting beside me at this very moment she would tell it was time for me to say good night Gracie. You know. From the old Burns and Allen show. She's not much on pantomime but I can tell you from long years of teaching she does have that cut-it-off-now symbol down pat. She's never really learned to appreciate the talent I have for continuing to go on and on, even after I have finished. Have a great Tuesday and may God bless each one. Amen.          .....More later.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

Hello and welcome to Monday, April 2, 2011. I suppose they should declare April 1st, April Fools Day, a local holiday in Washington, DC, to honor all the politicians, our devoted servants who work so tirelessly on behalf of their beleaguered constituents. No. I am not trying to be negative here because I for one am well aware that we have the best government money can buy. Sorry. Some days that irony drips like a teething child. But we are in the midst of a whole mess of silliness going on. I think maybe there might have been an outbreak of silly pollen and it has infected the entire bunch. Silly certainly does not mean funny, because what we see happening is as serious as a heart attack. The heart attack part is where you and I come in. I know some of you are thinking that I am being way too negative but I like to think of it as un-sugarcoated realism. Yeah. The spell check didn't care for that illustrative word either. But, sad to say, it really is hard to identify any person standing for political office that I feel really good about. That doesn't mean I will not vote. That doesn't mean I will not look at the person I think most closely aligns with the values I hold. But the system itself tied to how people get into the system makes wholehearted support very difficult. Me personally, I would much rather be excited in my support for someone vying for elective office, than just voting for them. I know to them they will be glad to get the vote, thank you very much, but there's an empty space there that sure makes it hard to feel good about any and all of the above. Except for the One above who is in control of all things. Oh yeah, that One above. I'm feeling better already. Amen.

The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. They have the final say. Period. So let it be written, so let it be done. Unless you are like that Japanese soldier who just a few years ago came out of a cave he had been hiding in since the mid 1940's, you are most likely aware that the Supreme Court is in the process of determining whether or not the Obamacare legislation is constitutional or not. We can now freely call it Obamacare since the administration reelection folks have used it in some political ads. I listened to some of the audio from the arguments put forth concerning this massive take over of the health care system. Key to whether this act violates the US Constitution has to do with the provision that will force all citizens to purchase health insurance, and if they don't, they will be fined. It appeared from the questioning that all the conservative minded justices have a huge problem in the government being able to force citizens to buy a specific product. The fellow representing the government, the honorable Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Solicitor General of the United States, was ill prepared to show good reasons as to why this law does not violate our constitution. When questioned time and time again, he hemmed, he hawed, he stumbled, and he stuttered. I'm not making that up. It was very embarrassing. Liberal supporters of this law immediately slung him under the bus and proclaimed him to be incompetent. That's hard to believe since he has ably represented arguments before this same court on numerous occasions. My take? He couldn't get there because this law is a mess and finding a way to defend it was just not possible. But, we will not know of their decision until late June. The mainstream media is already spinning this both ways: If it is upheld it will be one of the greatest achievements in our history all due to President Obama's leadership, if it is ruled unconstitutional, it is still a great achievement because those mean old justices appointed by Republican presidents, well, they just can't set aside things like the constitution so President Obama could win on his signature issue. At the end of the day, we all will listen as the announcer says to the court, "Is that your final answer?"

Remember folks, this 2700 page nightmare was passed using every backroom legislative trick in the book. It impacts every man, woman, boy, and girl in our nation, yet it received not even one, Republican vote, not even one from the so-called Republican moderates in the Senate. I can't tell you how the ruling will go. I do remember the Speaker of the House at that time, Nancy Pelosi, when she told the House that they could read the bill after it was passed. This law which Supreme Court Justice Scalia said would be cruel and inhumane to make anyone read the entire 2700 pages, was crafted by so called legal elites, led by a President who supposedly lectured on constitutional law at Harvard University, supported by nearly every Democrat, most of whom are lawyers, and yet, it seems from what we heard in the court their design itself by default may be a violation of our constitution. That tells me they intended to ram this down the throats of us all. Thank God our founders did set up a system of checks and balances. Now, having said all of that, we will not know the outcome until we do. Duh? When we do we still have a very broken health care system. Too bad fixing it wasn't the main objective as they mounted this unprecedented government power grab. We still have a broken system. We all live with the evidence of it every time we access the system. Maybe something will be done. Maybe not. It depends, not on the long suffering of the citizenry, but rather, the political winds and which way they are blowing, especially as it relates to REELECTION. Sorry. Maybe I should wear a dunce hat with the word cynical written on it when I write about our government. I report, along with my own distinctly personal views, you decide. Have a great Monday and I promise I will not mention all of this again, at least, not in tomorrow's blog. May God bless. Amen.         .....More later.

"But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence [in God] when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect." 1st Peter Chapter 3, Verse 15

Friday has arrived and I welcome you once again, on this March 30, 2012. If you read some of what Tim Tebow said in his press conference the other day, he emphasized that his desire was to live out and act the way Christ would want him to as opposed to always be trying to convince people with his words. He knows it is a combination of the two but one thing I notice is how that good folks who know the Lord can come off as being really mean spirited and unloving. I see it in Facebook postings. I see it in emails along with their attachments. Some of this stuff borders on hate mongering and, in my opinion, they do nothing to advance the truth or the cause of the Gospel. That does not mean we should not stand up for what is right. We should. But, at the same time, we must do what we do with love and understanding. I cringe sometimes at the images that people forward because they are so distorted and ugly. Oddly enough, when God's people resort to this type of ugliness, it actually provides a platform for the ungodly to reject any and everything we might have to share. Some of the things I see come from people who feel very strongly about the things they want preserved or changed. For some of them, they have glaring issues that they obviously don't feel so strongly about. If we recognize this obvious hypocrisy among ourselves, there's little wonder that those who are lost do the same. We are to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) How much did Jesus love the most ungodly of all people? Enough to give Himself up on an old rugged cross. Something to think about on a Friday. Amen.

What about freedom of speech? I believe in it. I support it. However, we who answer to God are held to His accountability, first, foremost, and always. Everything, including man made laws, are secondary to God's Word. We do not answer to a higher power or to the man upstairs. We who know Him are accountable to Him, the Living Lord of the universe, creator and sustainer of all things! Faithfulness to our God transcends it all including the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Those are not bad things and as Americans they are our foundation, however, they pale in comparison to our allegiance to He who said "Let their be light." I've heard at times folks who are believers proclaim that they broke no laws and did nothing illegal even though their actions to the casual observer indicated they had taken advantage of a weaker brother or sister. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including yours truly, (Romans 3:23), but I do not want to live my life based on some kind of technical compliance with fallen man's laws. I bought a used vehicle from a gentleman once who believed in transacting business based on his calling as a Christian. He agreed to sell me the vehicle but with certain restrictions. Any and all things that might be found to be problems were on him for the first six months, period. (Including the tires!) I had no contract but I had his word and his handshake. On the other hand, I know of another situation where a man who was a recognized Church leader bragged about passing off a vehicle that he knew was bad onto some folks who were ill equipped to even have it fixed. His joke: They didn't ask so  he didn't tell. I never thought that was funny. I'm not pointing my finger at anybody because any of us can fall into this kind of trap. That's why we need God's help even in the seemingly mundane transactions in life. Amen.

No. I did not wake up with a preaching cap on. I did, however, open up my blogging utility and this is what fell out of my thoughts. Maybe it was because I have been tested in this area a couple of times over the past few weeks. They were not huge but enough where self interest could have trumped doing what I knew in my heart of hearts I should do. What's that you say? You would not have even given it a thought and would have done the right thing? That's great but I will just tell you I still have stuff to overcome because I have not arrived. Don't think I will until that day when I am absent from the body and present with the Lord. (2nd Corinthians 5:8) And, here I was, thinking it would get easier as the golden years unfold. I'm not sure, in this economy, they are golden anymore for most people. Gold is too expensive. Maybe I should say in my recycled tin years. Just joking. They are golden not because of worldly riches but because of God's goodness, yes, even when I do have to pause and work through some things one would think I should know by now. Maybe that's where the term lifelong learner came from. With me, I think slow learner is a better way to describe it. Now, here's what I want you to do. Go and enjoy your Saturday and if at all possible make an effort to show up where God's people meet, on Sunday, the first day of the week. Believe me, when you do, it will make the rest of the week a whole lot better. Amen.         .....More later.

A woman found her first gray hair and was so alarmed by it, she thought she would just dye.

****Please say a prayer for my mom. She is undergoing a stress test to check out her heart, early this morning, over in Louisiana. She is such a blessing for all these years and we commend her into the hands and will of our great God. Amen.****

Hello again. Welcome. Come on in and sit a spell. I do hope the Community is to your liking. Hot, black, and strong. It is Thursday, March 29, 2012, and we are still able to be here clicking and clacking our way through another episode. My wife has just an ever so slight loss of hearing going on. I think when she asked what dishes would be good for me, I said green, and she heard great. That was just a little PS I thought of from my recent drool laced thoughts on her good cooking. That cooking can have a cascading impact. Leftovers. I would not want to see them wasted. Right? If the supper was not necessarily on my preferred diabetic diet, it only stands to reason that having it for lunch the next day makes sense. You do know what I mean and I know that you do. I am exaggerating here. Moderation is still the order of the day, not total isolation. I did watch a video the other day on a diabetes plan for sale that supposedly could make a huge impact on improvement or even reversal. That reversal stuff always gets my attention. That video was pretty scary. I'll not go into the morbid details but suffice it to say they showed many photos of what happens to diabetics who do not try to do something about their disease. I suppose it was one of those scared straight approaches. I may try the program but I don't think I want to watch that video again. It should have a warning on it. But, I may try it and I suppose that's what they were trying to get the watcher to do in the first place.

And, lest you think I would be impulsive, I have checked out that particular program as thoroughly as I could, and it does seem to offer some hope for many of the people who have used it. There are some complaints that have been lodged but most of these have to do with processing issues, refunds, and other administrative glitches. The overwhelming sense of those who have used his approach is positive. See. I do believe in doing my homework, even if it is a small expenditure. Buying stuff online always means that it needs to be checked out. The fellow who promotes this program does the same for a number of other maladies that people suffer from. His expertise is actually in presentation. He gathers up information on the disease, the treatments, the approaches, and then organizes them into a workbook approach. These are not bombshell breakthrough types of drugs or techniques. They reflect the best of what people are doing that are successful in managing or reversing, in my case, diabetes. He takes all of these inputs and reduces them to simple actionable plans. I enjoyed hearing his personal testimony of how he went from a regular job to becoming involved in the presentation business. I love it when people find an area where they can bring something to the table and it ends up being financially successful for them, and based on the number of testimonials I read, of great benefit to many who use those materials. Information is power. I know. It still requires that you utilize that information in a way that directly impacts the problem you are dealing with. Having shared my gum swallowing habit, you might guess that discipline is not one of my strong suits, but we get up every day and renew our commitment that with God's help we can do better. Amen.

Tuesday evening our little great grand Madi, two years going on five, came for a visit. For the very first time she actually spent the night with us, meaning, mostly with her great grand MiMi. The thing about little Madelyn Joy is how she is a living, breathing, time machine. There's very little about her that doesn't remind us of her mom, our Tiffany, and since Tiffany spent a huge amount of time with us when she was little, well, there was so much about Madi being there that it looked like we had loaded up an old Super 8 movie reel and were watching it again, for the first time. I was talking to our eldest, her Paw Paw, and asked if he had any advice to help her feel comfortable. He pretty much indicated she loved the same things her mom loved when she was little. Playing in the bathtub was one of those. Well, we let her play for a long time, or rather, her great grand MiMi let her play for a long time. I watched more of Dora and Go Diego Go than I had actually planned but she does love those shows. She is a remarkable child and we are blessed to be her Great Grands. That sounds pretty surreal even when I read it. We are blessed and I feel that way even though I know I am a high mileage vehicle. The other day I visited with a fellow I used to work with. He and I worked together for nearly 20 years. Back in the day we were young and energetic. He recently celebrated his 70th. I'll soon reach that road marked Route 66. He and I laughed and talked. Old friends and associates. Great Grand and Grands. My rear view mirror is filled up with lots of wonderful images. There's some small letters on that mirror that says: Objects may be greater blessings than originally perceived. That is, by the way, what I am talking about! Have a great Thursday and maybe, just maybe, I'll have something to flail my arms about tomorrow. May God bless. Amen.         .....More later.

An older greeter at a Walmart in Georgia reportedly slapped a two year old that he didn't know because he wouldn't stop crying. On the evening news, the mother said that she believed that man was perhaps the worst greeter she had ever seen.

Hello, it's Wednesday, March 28, 2012, and if you were interested in aggressive hospitality as reflected in a greeting, you will have to get it here because Wal-Mart has bid its greeter program bye bye. For the past thirty years that greeter program pretty much defined founder Sam Walton's emphasis on engaging customers as they come into the store. While the corporate office says the greeters themselves will not be going away, just repositioned, the greeters themselves are not inclined to believe that word. How do I know? I've talked to them. That's how. As you know, most of these folks are older. They talk about how much has changed on their watch and how Sam has to be spinning in his grave. My comment was that he has been spinning for a very long time. One lady told me that if you look at the people running the company today you will find some other big name stores in their background. Only problem is those stores are either on their last legs or they have gone out of business. She shook her head and said it's a sad day when we need those kind of people making decisions about the company. I hate it mostly because this has been a mainstay for older workers and while they have been reassigned to do other customer related duties, they believe in due time they will likely be phased out all together. As soon as they get those robots fully developed, made in China, of course, I wouldn't doubt that we will be seeing them at a store near you, wearing the blue vest and taking care of business.

In these types of matters, I'm not in favor of our government or anyone else telling Walmart what they should and shouldn't do, however, as a consumer and customer I certainly can share my opinions about them or anyone else in how they conduct their business. And ultimately, we can vote with our spending. We see the power of economic choices at work every single day. An example might be when people find out a particular company can sell their products at a lower cost because of the enslavement of children in a far away land. When something like that is proven to be true, people make the decision not to buy from that enterprise. That's how the free market works and while we might think we are powerless, we aren't, because every day we make decisions that does eventually hit the bottom line. That bottom line speaks louder than anything else to the people who run any business. It's still sad to see decisions being made that negatively impact people's lives. I've always held those greeters in high regard. I used to stop and visit with an African American gentleman who was a retired Sergeant Major from the US Marine Corp. He was not only a blessing as a hero of our nation, but he also had a genuine spirit about him that communicated his faith in God. Yep. I know that a 'God bless you' attitude is frowned upon in the workplace but when he retired I missed seeing him, and missed being able to thank him for his service to our country. He had worn the uniform of our nation with pride and he also wore that blue vest with a sense of honor and caring.

Tim Tebow met the New York press on Tuesday. It was a circus. They had to move it to a larger area because of the more than 300 media people that showed up. I saw clips from his 30 minute press conference but I also read from the transcript. He made it clear that this media event was not his idea but that he too had bosses. He stood there alone. All the team big dogs where in Florida at an NFL owners meeting. I've chosen to share some of what was said so that we all can appreciate the fishbowl Tim lives in. As you read this, try to remember when you have ever heard an athlete being asked these kinds of questions:

Question: "Tim, if you will, two-part question.  Number one: Obviously, you know New York's huge market and your faith is very important to you.  Was the thought of being able to spread your faith in the New York market a big deal, and how about spreading your faith within the locker room, and do you do that very carefully?" Tebow's Answer: "Well, I think, first and foremost, it doesn't matter what market I was in.  Any market, I just want to be myself. And when I'm asked about it, I won't be ashamed of saying that I serve my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.  And in the locker room, you know, it's not something that I'm super outspoken about.  It's just that's who I am and that's how I live. And I don't try to share it with a lot of guys. I don't try to, you know, approach a lot of guys with it. Because I think the greatest way to share the Gospel is by acting it and by them seeing who you are as a person and that's how I approach it." Next Question: "Tim, if you wouldn't mind talking to us about your core beliefs, and also some of the social hot-button topics that we hear politicians talk about, religious leaders talk about. You haven't said a whole lot about that. Is there a reason why," backup quarterback for the New York Jets, "you haven't spoken out about social issues and your core beliefs that we hear politicians...?" Tebow's Answer: "We're at a press conference for a football team. So it's not exactly the platform to get up here and share everything you believe, but I have no problems ever sharing what I believe. You know, I'm a Christian, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, and that is first and foremost the most important thing in my life. And, for me, it's about having a relationship with Christ, and that's pretty much it. This is a press conference for the New York Jets football team, and so I feel like it's an opportunity to answer questions about my opportunity to be here as a Jet and I'm excited about that. And any time I get an opportunity I'm always gonna talk about Jesus Christ and what He's done in my life, but this is also here to talk about the Jets."

Powerful stuff folks and that's why this young man deserves our prayers and support. May God bless each one and Lord willing I'll see you next time. Amen.      .....More later.

After a quarrel a wife angrily said, "I was a fool when I married you." The husband quickly replied, "Yes, I know, but I was too much in love to notice." (It's a joke!)

Good Tuesday morning. It is now officially March 27, 2012. We are having some very nice mornings with the temps just under 60 degrees. The afternoons are already very warm for this time of year, mid 80's. I heard the A/C unit at home moaning and groaning. He had not expected to be working this hard so early in the season. My wife has been home now for five days and she has been cooking up a storm. She knows how. Hello? I am diabetic and I have the numbers to prove it. But, the stuff she puts on the table is not only finger licking good, it's just over-the-top good. I think she has surprised herself that she can still do as much of it like she used to. We are in a transition here. There are adjustments at work and there will be more coming down the pike. But, it has been good for her to be able to stay at home. Her phone has been busy with people trying to schedule up some face time with her. I knew that was going to be how it works. Been there, done that, for much of our nearly 48 years together. I'm trying to remember the last time someone, outside of family, called me to schedule a lunchtime meeting. I vaguely remember one but I think it was a wrong number. That doesn't mean I am neglected. Hey, I get invitations to very nice dinners all the time. They are at some of the finest restaurants around. They have to do with some kind of retirement investment program or some other promotional deal. Who said I didn't have friends? However, the fact that I've never gone to any of them might say something. I'm just not sure what.

Okay. I admit it. I have always been, forever and ever, Amen, a gum swallower. I've done it since the invention of chewing gum. Well, maybe not that long, but for a long, long time. I did so against the most loud warnings coming from those near and dear to me. "Son, if you swallow that gum, it will stick to your insides because it cannot be digested." I know that is now officially considered to be an old wive's tale because actually there's no evidence that swallowing gum has any harmful impact on a person's health. I didn't know that at the time and I will admit that I did actually think about all that gum grabbing hold of each other and gumming up my innards. That didn't keep me from doing it, but it did give me one more thing to be concerned about. These types of predictions weigh on a child's mind even if they don't obey them. I used to be a little bit concerned about the broken mirror forecast of bad luck for seven years or whatever. Think about it. You are a little kid and you drop a small mirror. It breaks. The first thing you hear from a trusted source, "Oh my, son, you are going to have seven years of bad luck." No wonder we all end up being warped in one way or another. Sure. We live and learn. Or do we? These sayings are still around today. They end up being the punch line in the "Well, I always heard that if........" That gum deal worked on my wife. She wouldn't swallow a piece of gum if her life depended upon it. I always heard that if you killed a spider in a new house it would never be clean. I always heard that if someone sneezed and you didn't say God bless you, well, some evil spirit may come calling. And, finally, I always heard that if your ear itches, someone is thinking about you, right side for boy, left side for girl. See what I mean? No wonder we end up acting strange! (I found those 'I always heard' because I didn't take the time to come up with some of my own.)

Don't tell me these things are no longer on your radar screen. I'm always surprised when I hear about someone you think would know better changing their direction to avoid a black cat crossing in front of them. Those planted seeds hang on for a long time folks. The good news? God loves us anyway with all of our mistaken ideas, crazy thoughts, and even our strange notions. Dotty Rambo had it right. He really did look beyond our fault and saw our need. He didn't just see it, praise the Lord, He did something about it. I've never redirected my driving because of a black cat but the legend did cross my mind as he or she crossed in front of me. I may have walked around a ladder or two, hopefully not because of the curse, but because it made sense, however, I couldn't say I didn't at least think about what has always been said about ladders. That's why we really do need to know the truth because as Jesus said, the truth will set you free. One of those freedoms has to do with knowing you can swallow all the gum you want to. Just joking. It does make you feel better to find out it isn't harmful, even it was about twenty five years after the fact. I wouldn't want to lay awake at night worried about some of that 1956 Bazooka still gumming up all the works. Now it is time to say farewell for now and may God bless you and yours, as we all continue our journey here. Amen.    ...More later.

Move over Benny, time for a new song, it's now Tebow and the Jets!

Good Monday morning and welcome to a brand new work week, on this March 26, 2012. Sometimes God works in strange ways to accomplish a blessing. As many of you know, my wife was scheduled to retire at the end of April. She has been in a senior sales position for an upscale women's clothing store for many years. That particular store featured in many of the leading retail malls has been in financial trouble for years. They have tried just about every kind of change imaginable along with seemingly a new set of pressures on their associates each week. Last Thursday another major restructuring was announced. Part of this change eliminated certain positions corporate wide. That included my wife's position. She was let go immediately but offered a reasonable severance package which she would not have gotten had she worked until her retirement. See what I mean? She knows it had nothing to do with her performance since she has continuously been a leader in sales throughout her time there. My wife is a friend maker and that extends to her co-workers and her customers. Some of her customers have used her exclusively for ten years or more. When she left last Thursday evening the manager on duty was crying like a baby. She will be missed. I thank God for her testimony and the many times she has been able to encourage and support others through her position. She has been an example to us all and I am proud of her and all that she has accomplished. Pray for her as she transitions into a full time caretaker and caterer to all her husband's wants and wishes. You didn't expect me to not throw in a dream or two, did you?

It's official. Tim Tebow is now a player for the New York Jets. Peyton Manning will be the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The press conference announcing all of this was classic. The management at Denver along with Manning himself could not say enough good things about Tim. Alert. Anytime they go way out of their way to pour it on, it's time to watch out! Later I heard some of the Denver fans who were glad to see what they called the religious sideshow on its way out of town. Thousands of others didn't see it that way. Tim took the whole thing in stride. No surprise there. He knows that, no matter what, God is on His side, period. Some wonder if he will be able to deal with the world's most brightly lighted sports press where they chew new people up and spit them out. We will see. I hope he does well. I pray that he will continue to be a voice for the Gospel both on and off the field. I pray that God will continue to bless him and that He will keep him from harm. Many have commented that the 2011 season where Tebowmania swept the nation is not likely to be seen again. I actually hope that it will be repeated. I do know this. On the day when Denver was hoping that Manning would be the number one story everywhere in the world, well, it didn't exactly work out that way. Twitter is the most instantaneous of the social media networks and on that day it wasn't Manning or the Broncos, it was Tim Tebow who dominated those using Twitter to comment on this change. I say go Tebow and may God go with you, son. Amen.

I know there are those who will do just about anything to bring this young man down. They want to corrupt him in whatever way they can and get photos to send around the world. You don't think so? I remember hearing Dr. Billy Graham talk about when he began to become effective in his crusades. There were those who wanted to compromise him in whatever way possible especially with young beautiful ladies. His team took turns guarding his hotel room to make sure no set up took place. Sounds incredible? Think about it. Back in the day when Jesus came to town many of the sin businesses had to pack up and leave. That was more than enough incentive to stir up the forces of evil. This is not new. Jesus Himself was called all kinds of names by those threatened by His message. The Apostle Paul constantly had to deal with those attempting to mar his reputation and taint his testimony. This is the way of the world. It can happen to anyone. It can happen so quickly, in fact, for Bro. Tebow, it could happen faster than a New York minute. That time span was once described as how long it takes for a New York City driver to blow his horn after the light turns green. That fast. I do hope you all go out there and have yourself a remarkable Monday and may God add His blessings to it. Amen.       .....More later.