Happy Birthday to our Jimmy Sr.

It's Friday, April 28, 2017, and today I'm thinking about our middle son's birthday which is coming up this next Sunday. He will be 49 years young. Our Jimmy has had a pretty rough go of it over the years, but, he is a survivor as this birthday will attest. We are looking forward to celebrating with him and his four children. Happy 49th and may God bless. Our love, mom and dad.

Another birthday. I know what some of you are thinking. What else is new? When one is blessed with a large family, you end up with a growing number of birthdays. Duh! Those along with wedding anniversaries, graduations, and other special occasions. The wife is off again to Louisiana to help with mom. Dad's back is getting progressively worse, therefore, the wife left yesterday to go do what she can to assist. I think all of us kids probably, in the back of of minds, knew the day would come when mom and dad would falter some. To be honest, they, for so long, with their tireless work ethic and determination, made it harder to imagine. It is somewhat of a natural development but one that does require a response and attention. Our niece who is a nurse is making arrangements to be there on a more permanent basis and we hope she will be in place by early next week. Meanwhile, it is a one day at a time affair and we, as a family, are blessed to have those who are able to help. Our sister JoAnn has been there since the get go. Our sister-in-law Stephanie comes. Our niece Angela comes. And, there are neighbors dad can call on if needed. Meanwhile, I ask for prayers for mom and dad.

I did check the calendar and verified that it is still Friday. I can hardly wait to sleep in tomorrow. I say that jokingly because while the thought does cross my mind occasionally, it rarely, if ever, happens. It's been some week, don't you think? Most of them are. Someone ran over our mailbox the other morning. I was walking out to my truck at 3:30 a.m. when it happened. They lost control of their vehicle, hit our box and the neighbor's box, and then nearly took out our culvert. It was a van with a mattress on top. They kept going. I don't think it was intentional but the results were the same. Maybe they were moving and fell asleep. Maybe they were drunk. Maybe they were texting. I couldn't make out what the driver looked like. I was mostly frozen with my mouth hung open. At the end of their few seconds of mayhem, the mail box was all laid out on the ground. It's stuck back in the hole right now but it looks very wounded. It will need to be replaced. Put that one on the list. After I sleep in. After I finish my lesson for Sunday. After I do a number of other home office projects. See what I mean? You know the saying. Join in with me: IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING! With that, I leave you with best wishes for a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. May God bless us all is my prayer. Amen. See you next week. Lord willing. Of course. .....More later.

"A fool and his money are soon parted." ~ Thomas Tusser, (1524 -1580), English Poet

Here we go again. I do think at times my daily visits are like a merry-go-round. Once you get it started, you have no idea when it will stop. That being said, welcome to Thursday, April 27, 2017. I appreciate those who coddle me by reading the stuff I sling onto the electronic page. Most of you may have heard about these wonderful jeans that are currently on sale at Nordstroms. They come complete with fake mud woven into the fabric. You can have your own pair of muddy looking jeans for 425 one dollar greenbacks. Since I am a self-appointed observer and critic of the culture we live in, I have some thoughts about this product. Are you kidding? $425? I've been in trouble more than once for pointing out to folks how their jeans are torn or ripped. It was my attempt to make a joke. I know they paid good money for those ripped up jeans. I suppose I will be in real trouble if I tell someone they need to go home and wash their muddy jeans. I've actually had jeans that looked like those being sold at Nordstroms. They looked that way after spending all day helping to dig a septic tank. They looked that way after spending hours repairing plumbing or wrapping pipes underneath the house. The ones I had likely came from Sears and they cost around $5 and the mud was not fake. We've all heard the saying attributed to showman P. T. Barnum, "There's a sucker born every minute." While that saying may fit the Nordstroms purchasers of the fake muddy jeans, experts don't think P. T. ever uttered those words. One reason is because the word "sucker" was not in use at that time as a metaphor for gullible souls. There are many theories on who actually said it, but, you can look that up for yourself.

To be honest, I don't really care one way or another if someone wants to pay that much for fake mud dyed into denim. It's still a free country. Well, mostly free. I read somewhere about a lady who was comparing pressure cookers online and ended up being checked out. By the authorities. You know. Pressure cooker bombs. We have a great old pressure cooker. It quit working many years ago, but, it's what I use to make our popcorn. It does a great job on popcorn. It can be counted on to consistently produce melt in your mouth deliciousness. My wife does occasionally use that stuff pressed into the little package for use in the microwave. I suppose it will do if one is in a real bind, but, there's nothing like real popcorn done on the stove top. It's like the coffee thing. I worked with a fellow one time and he said they drank whatever coffee was on sale when they went to the grocery store. I think we may have done that same thing back in the day. We would get whatever large tub was on sale with a coupon. Some years ago I came to realize that life is short and I might as well enjoy Community Coffee with the time I have left. We do the same with our popcorn. That's how us old folks roll.

While I am not a full time professional Santa Claus, with my daily wearing of the white beard and red cap, I do get plenty of Santa recognitions. Add the red or green suspenders and it escalates. The other day I was gassing up the Company's big truck when a lady in a van backed out to leave. She moved up a little, stopped suddenly, and then backed up. She had a little guy in the passenger seat that wanted to get a look at the fellow at the gas pump. I waved and his face lit up. Dare I say it? Like a Christmas tree. A millisecond of joy. That's what I'm talking about. The other evening at our family gathering to celebrate the wife's birthday one of our grandsons came to me with some information. He said, "Poppy, those people over there are talking about you. They say Santa Claus is at our table." He got the biggest kick out of that. See? I didn't make contact with those people but he overhead them and it caused him to enjoy the moment. The other evening I asked the wife why she wears so much black and white. It was nothing more than a throw down observation. In a few minutes she came back and said, "Do you have a problem with what I am wearing?" I could tell by the tone that she had totally misunderstood my comment. Then she put this one on me, "Well, tell me why you like to wear red suspenders?" I apologized. That's what people who look like Santa Claus do. Or, that's what they do when they have only two options, slim and none. Just a jolly little joke. Ho, Ho, Ho. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless one and all, and to all a good night! Amen. ....More later.

"If you want to be successful, it's just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing." Will Rogers, (1879-1935), Stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, American cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator.

Thanks so much for showing up today. It's a good day because it's the only one we can do much about, at least, at the time being. It is Wednesday, April 26, 2017, and I send greetings out to one and all. I apologize to those who receive my blog via email because I had trouble embedding a video yesterday. I finally had to put it in separately and add it to the original email and I know that can be confusing. Two problems. The technology itself. And, the biggest one of all, the operator of the technology. That, in this particular instance, would be none other than yours truly. There is good news. If it was so discombobulated that you missed the whole thing, well, count that as a blessing and move on down the road. I can tell you that I did put in the time but when I attempted to copy it into the actual email, for some reason, the video did not copy. The actual blog out on the web is fine. It was only when I tried to include it in the email that I had the problem. I worked on it for a while. I tried different things. I talked to myself, my computer, my coffee maker, but at the end of it all, I had to adjust. That's a metaphor for how we make it each day. Adjust and adapt. That brings me to our philosophical thought of the day, from the late great sausage king, country singer, and general entertainer himself, Jimmy Dean: "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

I'm still trying to figure out exactly how that statement works for any of us in real life, but it sounded good, and that's why I threw it into the mix. As our new President nears his 100th day in office, (officially, April 29th), I think he is learning some things about built-in obstacles that he was aware of but did not necessarily realize how effective they are in stymieing any progress of any kind. For those who read my daily writings, you know I have written much about this entrenchment of political self-preservation that has only one outcome in mind, to stay in power, regardless of who the President is. A successful business person overcomes obstacles of all kinds if they are to return a profit, however, within our system of government today, and I say this with sadness, our President may have met his match. I hope not. I pray not. But, the powers that be in both political parties do not align themselves to make the kind of changes the American people voted for. Sorry. They don't. They are too busy taking care of their number one job and that's making sure they get re-elected, period. Sorry if that sounds negative, but, I can show proof with my federal tax return that I have paid for the right to interpret it the way I see it. (I call it my version of taxation with representation, my own!) I know the President will do his best to set forth a lot of accomplishments because the press will do their hit job as he reaches 100 days. Again, it's not us and them, it's the entirety of the system, and to use one of President Trump's most effective campaign slogans, "It's a rigged system."

I know what some of you are thinking. Why don't I tell you what I really think? It's my editorial opinion. I hope the future proves my assessment to be wrong. And, I will just add how the Republicans, (those supposedly aligned with conservative values), in both the House and the Senate, have, in my opinion, very much failed this President and in doing so, they have also failed us all. There you have it. My capsule assessment as given from the view of my disgruntled thinking. And, at the same time, I do have a positive outlook, because I know personally the Lord God of heaven through the intercessory work of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, God will take care of it all in His own good time. I believe that. I believe what He has said. That's how you can get on with living life in a fallen world where disappointment abounds, surrounds, and at times, engulfs us all. It's called faith. Believing. It matters. Not only for time and eternity, but also for our 24x7 living out of the life God has given to us. I can't deny that what I have written today came from me. I'm not altogether sure why I wrote about all of this, but, that's how I roll when it comes to my daily blogs. I do hope you will take God seriously but not yourself so much. He's got this. Always keep that in mind. Amen. See you next time. .....More later.

Belated: Happy 18th Wedding Anniversary to our Baby and his Wife!

Happy 18th Wedding Anniversary to Rodney and Mitzi.

I suppose it's okay to admit that I occasionally miss something. That's not easy for me to admit since I pride myself on keeping up with important items. Today is Tuesday, April 25, 2017, and I'm still trying to figure out how this one slipped up on me. This past Sunday, the wife's birthday, was also our youngest son and his wife's anniversary. They celebrated 18 years as husband and wife. We should know. We were there. We flew out to Vegas and witnessed their ceremony at the Elvis Chapel. We are thankful for our Rodney and Mitzi and their beautiful family. I always do my best to copy all the special occasions over to my new calendar each year. Guess what? That didn't happen this time for that particular date. Rodney told me it wasn't a big deal. Maybe not. But, it is to me. Maybe I got so wound up on trying to make sure everything went okay for the wife's 70th. Maybe it was just an old fashioned oversight. Maybe. Let's hope it's not a sign of things to come. At any rate, we offer congratulations and a prayer that God will continue to bless. Amen.

Click on the link to hear a YouTube recording of the Quebe Sisters that we went to see the other evening. We love harmony singing and these ladies are great. The wife grew up in a musical family, therefore, sibling harmony is something she is very familiar with. In addition to their singing, all three have won individual fiddling championships over the years. Some may not like the style, but, if folks can't see the talent and versatility of these performers, well, I don't think I can help them. During the concert, the fellow sitting next to me, probably in his early 30's, said he could listen to their music 24 hours a day. I think he had taken in about five mixed drinks at that point and I couldn't help but wonder if he could stay awake to hear that much music. I was hoping he wasn't the driver for the foursome he was with. Practically speaking, I would doubt they have 24 hours of different songs, and for me, well, I like all kinds of music, so, as much as I enjoy hearing them I couldn't agree with him on that one.

I understand about how that some musical presentations are not everyone's cup of tea. That cup of tea idiom actually began in Britain in the 1800's with the positive affirmation, that's my cup of tea and it began to be used to indicate something well liked. In the 1920's the 'not' word was added to describe, well, I think you know the punchline here, something that is not liked. I'm actually not too fond of chants. The Gregorian style. Those chants may mean something to somebody, but not me. I can add Rap to my list of please don't waste my time. Hard Rock. At the same time, the folks who like what they like might stop up their ears if they hear what I am listening to. I'm not completely sure how musical tastes are developed and cultivated but typically we are aware that age is a part of the equation. Not always but we do know it plays a big part. It has something to do with how we identify with particular lyrics, the music itself, and those performing. I guess we just have to live with our differences. You can say banana or tomato any way you choose. I'll still eat both of them. Meanwhile, let me summarize: If you can't see the talent and versatility of those three ladies, regardless of what kind of music you like, well, I still think your situation is beyond help. Just me. Take care. Enjoy. And, may God bless us all is my prayer. Amen ....More later.

"I find that it takes a lot of years of living, and many more of reckoning, to come up with one worthwhile paragraph. And when a deadline looms, prayer doesn't hurt, either." ~ Carmen Agra Deedy, Children's Author

Well hello there, how's everybody doing today? Just checking in, here on this Monday, April 24, 2017. We had ourselves a great birthday celebratory recognition Saturday and Sunday for the wife. We first had a most wonderful family gathering for supper on Saturday evening. (There were twenty-one of us and it has been a long time since the entire crew could be in the same place at the same time.) On Sunday evening, she and I went to hear the Quebe Sisters in concert. This trio belts out outstanding western swing harmony and the three of them can tear up the fiddle. (Individually, and collectively) Such sibling harmony! We've been watching them on TV and YouTube for maybe ten or more years since they were all in their mid-teens. We also had a great time of fellowship with other believers on Sunday. I could throw in a few other items, but, I think that should suffice. All that adds up to a busy but beautiful time, had by all. You are correct. That image does imply ground coffee. Coffee may not make the world go around but it does help those of us who live and work on this spinning sphere. Most of you know I carry my three worn out feather pillows to most every place we travel. I've been giving serious consideration to also bringing along my own small Keurig and the Community Coffee 100% Columbian blend individual serve cups that I drink every day. I'm sorry to say this, but, I miss it when I am away drinking some other type of coffee. I do. I really do. I'm not making that up. I will take a lie detector on that one. But, on second thought, just that one question only.

The liberal media never gets tired of coming up with criticisms of President Trump. Most recently, they have been lambasting him for implying the recent attack in Paris was terror related. They said they, (the media elites), did not have enough information to say that with confidence and they were concerned that he would mislead people. One of the main detractors was discredited former news anchor Brian Williams on MSNBC. You may remember him. He was caught lying about many different news stories during his time at NBC News. I heard what President Trump said. It was at the press conference with the Italian Prime Minister. He clearly said the words, "it appeared" to be terror related. Here's the headline from the British Broadcasting Company, BBC, "Policeman and suspected gunman shot dead in Paris 'terror attack'". ISIS has taken credit for it, but, the investigation is ongoing. I, for one, have trouble believing almost anything reported by these mainstream reporters. They seem to be focused more on finding a reason to be critical of the President as opposed to reporting the facts. Opinion Alert: This is another in my long series of throw down observations that you can take for whatever it's worth. To you.

I guess you didn't need to ask but I will tell you anyway. I did not stand in line for some concoction called a "Unicorn Frappuccino". I did, however, read a review and based on those who taste things for a living, I think a Mr. T. reference might be appropriate, "Pity the fool!" The tasters gave the company an A+ for marketing because lines were long everywhere. But when it came to the taste, they, individually, and collectively thought it should be given a T+ for terrible. They even carried it back to their offices and had others try it with very similar responses. I know. I will get letters from those who loved it. One thing they all agreed on. It looked spectacular. And, it has that label on it that can signal that a person is really hip, tuned in, and with it. I wouldn't have known about it but I heard someone talking about it and that's why I decided to check it out. It's part of the cultural curriculum here at my blogger ranch studies program. It's Monday and as you can see I showed up without the sharpest pencil in my backpack this morning. Maybe I'll do better next time. Y'all be careful out there and remember that God's got the whole world in His hands. Amen. .....More later.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart

Good day to one and all on this Friday, April 21, 2017. Today's edition is 100% devoted to my wife. She will be celebrating her 70th birthday, (three score and ten), this upcoming Sunday. We will be gathering as a family on Saturday to show our love and appreciation. It's hard for me not to be emotional when I think about the years God has allowed us to share together. We came face to face for the first time in the summer of 1962. We dated and went steady, off and on, mostly on, for the next two and one-half years, and we married in December of 1964. If we make it to our next anniversary, that will be 53 years since we made our vows.

I don't really even know where to start. She comes from a great family and I know in my heart of hearts her mom and dad would be so proud of who she is. She is first and foremost a woman of God who wears that identity everywhere she goes. She is a loving wife, mother, and a doting MiMi, and great grand MiMi. She is a talented singer and has many other talents as well. She stays fully immersed in using her God given gifts of friendship and encouragement. People love her. She loves people. She has a true servant's heart. She's a tireless worker. And, an excellent cook! I do my best every day to make sure I thank God for her and what she means to me and the rest of our family. While I know she is human and she does have her faults, everything I've said about her is true. I should know. I've been around her long enough to know these things. (Read Proverbs 31 for additional information about the kind of testimony she has.)

I've also lived long enough to have learned exactly the meaning of this verse as expressed in the New Living Translation of Proverbs 18:22, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD." My way of saying it each year: "Happy Birthday, and Baby, you're still the greatest." Amen. ....More later.

“I am often amused and sometimes amazed by the free-reign constructs of my mind. That is why I converse regularly with myself - I am one of my better friends...” ― Gavin Mills, Author

As we try to get a grip, we should begin with the realization that today, Thursday, April 20, 2017, is where we have to get started. It comes wrapped up with all of its demands, challenges, and opportunities. But, we have to be willing to engage and get on with it. That little intro might be known as self-talk. That's where I talk myself into doing whatever it is that I should do. It was a management technique taught in some forums back in the day. Back in the day. Nearly everything I talk about has that as its time marker. You know. Life through the rear view mirror. Time marches on. It waits for no one. Time is money. It fades like a passing shadow. Morning, noon, and night. I think the most difficult thing for me is to see the response of irrelevancy on the faces of those I share what I think to be wisdom. Surely, all that I have learned is not so outdated that applications cannot be made. Practically speaking, many of the younger ones don't even recognize the words I use. One thing, however, I don't have to worry about. When I share the truth from God's Word, He illuminates the heart and mind of the receiving party. It doesn't depend on me. The texts may be ancient but the power of God's Spirit bridges every language barrier or time reference. That's really good news! I feel better. Now back to that other stuff about dealing with today.

I without any help whatsoever went in to correct the DAY on Tuesday's blog (from 17th to 18th), and for some reason known only to someone other than myself, I corrected the month to May at the same time. In case you are wondering, it is still April, and that part of the correction was incorrect. It was noticed. I have now corrected the corrected official copy that resides somewhere, out there, in that wide, wide internet world, although, I have no reason whatsoever to believe that it matters even one iota. Many of you probably knew that 'iota' is the 9th and smallest letter in the Greek alphabet. If I knew it at all, I sure knew it better after looking it up and reading about it. Over time, it came to mean an extremely small amount, as in, a speck, mite, scrap, shred, ounce, scintilla, atom, jot, grain, whit, or trace. In other words, me having a wrong date on my blog is about as inconsequential as it gets. However, when it is called to my attention, I do attempt to make it right. I do want to come clean about this because I read that being able to admit your own mistakes is supposed to be good for your inner being. Having said that, I am waiting. I haven't felt anything yet but maybe that inner being stuff works like those time release pills. It gives me something to look forward to. Thanks.

My wife typically responds to something like today's episode by wondering out loud about by mental stability. Oh well, we all know you don't have to be crazy to do what I do, but it sure helps. (Play on an idiom that's been around a while.) That was a punchline of sorts. I know. If that is what it was supposed to be, what was the joke? Okay. You asked for it. ~ A three-legged dog walks into a saloon in the Old West. He slides up to the bar and announces: ''I'm looking for the man who shot my paw.'' ~ That's actually the best I could do on such short notice. If all goes according to plan, today my wife is coming home from helping to care for my mom over in Louisiana. Perhaps I will be a little less unhinged when she is here to keep an eye on me. Perhaps. Only time will tell. I do hope that you have a great rest of the day, and, that we all will be thankful for how God reveals truths to us as we read and study His Word. Amen. ....More later.