“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” ― Pablo Picasso

Good morning and welcome. Today we will be participating in Wednesday, May 9, 2018. It does have an ending point, therefore, let's get out there and do the best we can with it. That was quoted from my own version of self-talk number forty-four. Just joking. But, it is good for us to be reminded about embracing the day the Lord has given to us. If we don't, we can end up with a case of the would haves, could haves, and should haves. Believe me, because of my natural procrastination inclinations, I've had to deal with those maladies way too many times. We have to live intentionally. The old adage is true. You can't get back the stone after it is thrown, or the word after it is said, or the occasion after it is missed, or the time after it is passed. Having intentions is a good thing. But, we all know they do not accomplish anything if they are not put into action. We all live with some amount of regret over things we wished we had done. "We often talked about going to see them but something always seemed to come up. Now we will have to wait until we see them in heaven." "That guy did so much for me, I wished I would have let him know while I had time." "I owed her an apology but the timing was never right. Now it's too late." "I sure hope someone let them know how much I really cared." Those came to mind and, yes, they most likely reflect some of my own personal experiences. I overheard a recent conversation regarding a serious business matter. It involved a good customer. The boss asked the employee if they had actually spoken to the individual involved. They had not. Only via texting and email. In frustration, the boss wondered out loud why we can't seem to talk to people anymore. And, that my friend, may be part of our problem. Sometimes a real hug, a real voice, a real hand makes all the difference in the world.

I not only was preaching to the choir in that paragraph but, it was aimed directly at the trio I know all too well. That would be none other than, me, myself, and I. However, you are more than welcome to be helped as well. One fellow recommended that we should starve the distractions in our lives while feeding our focus. Those who attempt to help folks to be successful in whatever endeavors they pursue typically advise many of the same things. Some of these include: 1) Turn off the automatic notifications on your smartphone. (It can be checked twice a day.) 2) Check, read, and respond to your emails maybe once or twice a day. 3) Remove clutter, physical and digital. 4) Unplug your TV. 5) Keep and work from a 'to-do' list. There are several others but those were enough to cause me to have that sensation of onset paranoia. Many of those technology-related tools have become an integrated part of who we are. Sadly. I do not have an audible notification set for messages coming to my phone. Most people do. Even at times when people are involved in important discussions, that phone goes 'bing' and the person starts twitching. Finally, the other individual says you might need to get that. Why? They don't want the other person to kill over from anxiety. They take the call. They shut it down. They say it was nothing, but, the previous moment is lost and the objective of the conversation is lost as well. Me, you, us, it's widespread and as Smokey the bear might warn, "Only you can do something about it."

I know I'm not that good at doing motivational stuff and most of those who are can prove their effectiveness by sharing examples of how their techniques have produced successful results. I was in a management conference and the fellow speaking had been brought in to help those of us in leadership to become more effective and more productive. This was many years ago and his program was based on a simple filing system approach to support getting things done. A marking pen and folders support this system which produces the actions you take each day. I don't remember all the details but I do remember him saying his system would work well in every facet of one's life including at home. One of the class members raised their hand and asked the guru to walk us through how he used his renowned system in his own family. Sounded like a reasonable request. The speaker began to hem-haw around, stutter, and he suddenly didn't seem to be able to find words. Finally, he blurted out that he had never applied this revolutionary approach in his own home. The one that guarantees outstanding results. The one that is simple and easy to apply. Oh well, as they say, if you can't do it yourself maybe you can tell others how they can do it. That speaker's credibility more or less went down the tubes. Our big boss who brought him in wasn't too happy. The way I see it, those folders were a form of the to-do list. They were tools. Tools help, but, they do have to be used. I do remember a fellow who called them vanilla folders instead of manilla, in case that helps. Take care. Now. You hear? See you next time and may God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

“Make hay in May for you may never know what June is coming with and you may never know what July will present! When you see May, make hay!” ― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah, Ghanaian writer and a teacher

Hello out there to all trying to keep up on that spinning wheel called the electronic information highway. It's Tuesday, May 8, 2018, and I did mention yesterday how that May is called the Merry Month. Here's what we know about how that got started. ~ The Merry Month of May is a poem by Thomas Dekker (c. 1572–1632), an English Elizabethan dramatist and pamphleteer. 'The Merry Month of May' was a part of Dekker's play, The Shoemaker's Holiday, first performed in 1599. The poem is included within Act 3 Scene V of the play. In a scene set in a "french hood", where people are performing for some of the major characters of the play. Little is known about the poem, other than its publication in The Shoemaker's Holiday. The first stanza goes like this, "O, the month of May, the merry month of May, So frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green! O, and then did I unto my true love say, Sweet Peg, thou shalt be my Summer's Queen." ~ (From the Wikipedia entry on that subject.) I get the idea it reflects the enjoyment for those who like the warmer temperatures and being outdoors. Supposedly, the Houston area is the most air-conditioned in the United States. I can't be sure how that was arrived at, but, it appears to still be advertised as such. Why? I'll give you the word picture of the day, "Frying an egg on the sidewalk." Add to that a stifling humidity that makes breathing a labor all its own. And, the noise. You know the one I'm talking about. That whirring sound on the electrical meter mounted on the side of the house. Got it? Good!

We bought the house where we currently reside in 1984. The house was built in the early 1960's. When we moved in, it had a brand new furnace. We replaced the air conditioning system in 1994. This week we will have both the furnace and the a/c system replaced. I'm told the new systems will reduce our utility requirements by one third. I think we were told the same thing back in 1994. I was hoping that perhaps this time around we would be receiving a monthly check from the gas and power companies. You know. We will be so efficient. When our technician told me I needed to think about replacing the old units, I told him I thought the a/c system was practically new. He then told me what the tag said on the unit. Seems like yesterday, not 24 years ago. They both still work and they do an adequate job but we have had continuing issues with repair and maintenance and rather than wait until they go belly up we decided to replace them. We are blessed to have a technician that we have confidence in. He is a Godly man who has always done a good job for us. That means a lot, folks, and we are thankful for him and his testimony. Soon and very soon, I will be the one with the magnifying glass, (like the lady in the cartoon), looking for the cost on my utility bill. It will be so hard to find. I'm also into dreaming.

Last Friday we visited the hometown bank where mom and dad did a lot of their business. The lady who waited on us had to tell us once again how much everyone there loved our dad. He always had his business together and they all thought him to be a very respectful and sweet person. This thought came to me: What will people say about me when I am no longer here on the planet? The sentiment from the old song, 'Leave behind, leave behind, what will I leave behind?' comes to mind. We will leave something. Those that we had to do with will remember something about us. I am thankful the overwhelming majority of thoughts and recollections about our parents have been very positive. They were people willing to serve others. They cared. They were people of faith. They were hard workers. Their word could be trusted. Within the family, of course, the recollections are more personal and emotional. My point? We can't make a good testimony come into being after we have breathed our last. It has to be done before. Or, as one fellow at our local Church likes to say, "On this side of the dirt." So true. Bank tellers reminded us once again of the testimony of our dad. That should inspire us all. And, for many of us, we are closer to that day than we have ever been before. Something for us all to consider, think about, ponder, and reflect upon. Have a great rest of this particular merry day of May and I'll see what falls out for our next time together. May God bless. Amen. ....More later.

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” — Yoda

The merry month of May? I'll think about that one. It has been a busy month and we are only a few days into it, with today ending up being Monday, May 7, 2018. I hadn't remembered how much last Friday, the 4th, had become a special day for so many. I saw just about every type of photo and meme out on social media referring to the fact that a Star Wars theme was at work, May the 4th be with you. (May the Force be with you.) At any rate, it's been turned into a reason to celebrate, wear Star Wars gear, and have parties and other functions to recognize the day. Once these things get started they take on a life of their own. One fellow commented that he preferred, May the 5th be with you to honor his favorite Star Wars movie, "Revenge of the Sith". See what I mean? Once you start equating the 4th to the Force and the 5th to the Sith, well, the sky, or perhaps space in this scenario is the limit. I looked through the list of the 12 films which also includes the one debuting later this month and I don't think there are any of the others that can be turned into a calendar meme. However, that most likely will not limit those intent on coming up with a way to capitalize on this ever popular thematic space series.

We did make the one-day turnaround to Louisiana last Friday. Thanks so much to our Jimmy for driving for us. That allowed me time to work on my Bible study lesson and to get all my stuff together to support the estate matters we were there to address. We left at 6:30 a.m. and was back a little after 7 p.m. We had a tremendous day. Yes. The wife and I, along with Victor and his wife Maria did get the business taken care of, but, at the same time, we enjoyed the day because we were able to be with our family. Family does matter. We also got to visit again our home place which is in transition as we are selling it to our niece, Stacy, the eldest daughter of our baby sister Kayla. She was gracious in hosting us for our visit. We also got to briefly visit with Angela, another niece, who has carried a lot of the load on helping to coordinate the activities required to support the handling of mom's and dad's estate. We so appreciate all the hard work she has done. (Regarding mom and dad and the family that cared about them and cared for them, let me say this. They both had a legion of those who cared enough to serve. Children, grandchildren, great grands, along with those married into our family, there are too many to count who stood up and were counted during the time that mom and dad were in need. I'll never forget any of them. Never!) I can always feel the nearly 400-mile round trip. My hips and knees, well, they get real noisy whenever they are made to sit in one place for extended periods of time. God was good to us. We made a safe trip. We had wonderful fellowship with those we love. And, to top it off, we got some rain during the overnight hours Friday night and Saturday morning. Blessed. And, we did tell each other that we should thank God for His provisions. We did just that! Amen.

While we were over in Louisiana, we were able to visit the Fort Polk National Cemetery. This is where the earthly remains of mom and dad were interred. That's my brother Victor and I at the actual grave markers for our parents. These markers remind me that we all are destined to a final resting place if the Lord doesn't come back and get us before we die. It also tells me that our faith is the determining factor in what happens to our soul when we take our last breath. We will either be absent from the body and immediately present with the Lord or, we will be separated from God eternally. We look back on the lives of these two servants and are very proud of all they contributed to our family, our country, and the community they lived in. However, we know that it is their embracing of the Savior that is the real difference for time and for eternity. There's also the judgment seat of Christ where believers will give an account of the life He gave to us when we came to faith in Him. What did we do with it? What didn't we do? Past, present, and future sins were judged on The Cross and they are under The Blood which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. However, each one will stand and give an account. Let me know if you need some actual Bible passages that speak on these matters. I will be more than happy to share them with you. Until next time, may God be real and close to us all. Amen. .....More later.

Lyrics from the 1979 mega hit by Sister Sledge, We Are Family: "Just let me state for the record We're giving love in a family dose"

Blended family gathering to honor mom on her 90th birthday!

Good morning and welcome to one and all on this work-week-ending Friday, May 4, 2018. It is the work ending day of the week for me. I am well aware that many work all kinds of hours and days in order to keep this world running. There is one of those urgent care type facilities that I pass each day on my way to work. It is one of those satellite types of operations. Some mornings, I see the parking lot nearly full of cars, just after 3:30 a.m. Someone is working to take care of those needs, 24x7, and Fridays may not mean that much to them. But, I am thankful for this day. I am on a one day of vacation hiatus. My brother, Victor, and I, along with our wives are meeting up over in Louisiana to take care of some estate related business. We love spending time with these folks. Mom and dad probably never knew their huge blended clan would become close, but, across the board, this just seemed to happen. My mom used to tell me they were not only surprised how dad's kids and her kids all seemed to enjoy being together, but, how it was also a huge blessing to them. I don't think any of us could have predicted this to be how it would work, but, I agree with my mom and think it was a God thing. We give Him thanks that our love and appreciation for family continues to this very day.

Yesterday, I mentioned my mom's birthday. Ten years ago I was recovering from knee surgery but I wrote several paragraphs about this remarkable woman. Here is an excerpt from my blog, published on May 2, 2008, "In thinking about being thankful and hearing my wife tell everyone at the surgery center how they have no idea how stubborn and determined I am, I rise up to thank God for all that He has arranged to make me who I am today. That includes the very wonderful and loving mother I have who will celebrate her 84th birthday tomorrow. Whatever fortitude and grit I have pales in comparison to this remarkable woman who has stared more heartaches, grief, and challenge in the face than most folks will ever know or experience. Our youngest son has told me several times how that being a parent and dealing with life has caused him to appreciate the strength and character God has shown through his Granny, my mom."

This has been some week for me. I used to tell the managers that worked for me I had no time for burn out, but, I wouldn't mind it being said that I had burned up in the pursuit of the life and work God had given to me. Weird? They mostly thought the same thing. I bet some of them are still talking about one or more of our memorable experiences. Like the time I was lecturing them on changing their perspective. To prove my point, I climbed up in my chair and put myself in the middle of a large round conference table. I changed my perspective and my vision. I got up there and it did have the intended effect. I could tell by the look on their faces. However, what happened next was one of those 'Houston, we have a problem' moments. I was standing in the middle of the table but I couldn't get down. Whichever way I stepped, the table wanted to flip. Okay. So, I do occasionally have a misstep. They had to help me down. I should have given them a lesson at that moment on people helping each other. Hindsight. They did their best not to laugh out loud, but, I'm quite sure that little example is still being talked about. Along with many others. And, well they should. We all are put here to make a difference, not to be invisible. A difference, for time and eternity. Okay. I think I'm done for today. Enjoy your Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. May God watch over us all is my prayer. Amen. ....More later.

Remembering my mom on what would have been her 94th birthday.

That would be yours truly with my mom, from 1953.

Today is Thursday, May 3, 2018. For more years than I can remember, I would have been traveling on this special day. It's my mom's birthday. But, not today. I tried to always drive over to Louisiana and spend the day with her, and dad. I typically carried them a meal. They both loved grilled meat and I would get up in the wee hours and fix them a little cookout. (Mom loved chicken, dad loved beef.) The wife always provided the side dishes and one of mom's favorite desserts. Good memories. I could talk myself into being sadder but I just feel too blessed, and I know where she is. She was granted 93 years in her sojourn here on the planet. Sure, I miss them both. More than words can convey. I used to always remind her that when Jesus spoke of how much He cared for His own, He used a mother hen to illustrate his love, "How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings..." (Matthew 23:37) That's the picture He used. That was a picture of my mom. To the end. May God bless her memory and the legacy she imparted to us. Amen.

One of the greatest blessings regarding my relationships with mom and dad has to do with the fact that I have no regrets. None. I learned my lesson back in 1971 with my grandfather. He was put in the hospital and it was determined that he needed surgery. My uncle was with him. It was not considered to be a serious surgical procedure. I debated leaving Houston and getting to Shreveport to check on him. He made it through the surgery and except for some pain, he seemed to be doing well. After all, at age 71, he was still as strong as an ox. Well, maybe not. The day after his surgery, during the first night, he developed a blood clot that went to his heart and he died instantly. I had felt an urge in my gut that I should go but I didn't. I would have loved to have seen him one last time before he was promoted to glory. You live and learn. My grandfather would not have wanted anyone to make a fuss over him. That I know for sure. God has placed some influential people in my life and for many of them, family and others, some time ago I was impressed that I should personally let them know what they had meant to my life. That's something I would highly recommend to anyone. Yep. Make a list. Send a note. Go see them. Make that call. There is a peace that comes when we recognize those God has used to help us become who we are today. Thank You, Lord, for Your provisions. Amen.

In retrospect, I did have one regret as it pertained to mom and dad. It was a biggie. They were married back in 1977. It was very important for us to be there. We had planned on being there. In fact, the wife and our three boys were parked on the curb outside of my building in downtown Houston waiting for us to leave to go to Louisiana. Back in those days, I was responsible for scheduling the work done on the Company's computer systems. We had experienced a big problem. It had a lot of visibility. I had to make a choice. I sent my secretary Joyce downstairs to tell the wife and boys I would not be leaving. I had to stay and help get everything back on track. That, my friend, was a bad decision. They were taking care of problems like that one before I ever showed up. At any rate, it took me years to make that one up to my mom and dad. I thought I needed to share that because perhaps someone can learn from it. You know, like the commercial, "Don't be like me!" The other thing we all know is that once that moment is past it can't be recovered. On balance, I am at peace and thankful. Many of those people that helped me along the way are unsung and unheralded. But, God saw the helping hand they gave to me, and thankfully, I, eventually, recognized it too. I may have been slow to express my appreciation, but, I am so glad I did. May God continue to bless is my prayer. Amen. ....More later.

I know my time is running out, but, I've still not decided what I want to be when I grow up.

Good morning. Welcome to Wednesday, May 2, 2018. Most of you are likely familiar with that old saying, "What goes around comes around." I'm not sure this one fits that slogan, but, if not, it is close. When our boys were growing up, the wife and I both sang in the choir at Church. I was big on them behaving appropriately and even more so in the house of the Lord. If I saw them getting out of line while I was in choir, all I could do was to develop my laser-like staring techniques to warn them of the doom that would soon befall them. Those stare downs along with some motions from time to time became well known within our community of believers. The friends of our boys would joke about never wanting to be in the line of fire when the stares were being poured out. They did not want to end up being collateral damage. This was somewhat of a joke. Back then. Fast forward forty plus years. Now the wife is in our choir. She wants to make sure I am functioning correctly in my pew. She communicates with me using some shoulder action, hand motions, and yes, the stares as well. This past Sunday she was trying to let me know that she had sent me a message I needed to read. I didn't know what she was indicating. I patted my hair. I straightened my glasses. I buttoned my suit coat. I tried to look alert. (She has mentioned that I doze off occasionally.)  Finally, I figured it out, took out my cell phone and read where she had something to do immediately following services. Haven't I made it clear over the years? It really is true. The more things change, it is the more they stay the same.

I am not planning a trip to India anytime soon. Somehow and in some way, I have been identified as a potential for all things India. These show up in my email inbox. Do I want to do commerce in India? Would I like an American Express Card issued in India? Would I like to purchase this or that item from India? I'm trying to figure out what I clicked on that caused this onslaught. I've also learned that it is better to delete them than to try and stop them. If you try and stop them that means you respond. If you respond, they interpret that as interest and suddenly you get even more unsolicited offers. There are 23 sister city relationships between India and certain municipalities here in the United States. I don't think I've somehow executed any of those connections. I do know it doesn't take much. I will admit that I enjoy watching travel vlogs. That's where someone makes videos when they travel to places all over the world. I can't remember watching any that pertained to India, however, I could have watched one that was watched by someone from India. Right now, I will keep on deleting because, to be honest, I really don't care how well the Rupee is doing against the Dollar. Maybe I could send them this message (it's Please Stop in Hindi): बंद करो. 

The answer is no. I am not able to get large quantity discounts on curry powder, so, please refrain from asking.  I amaze myself at times in all the different situations I can get into. It can happen to others as well. I read about an American businessman working in China. He arranged a meeting with a fellow from Germany to discuss a potential venture. He went to the hotel. The fellow was on his way down on the elevator. When the door opened only one fellow looked like he might be European so they shook hands and went to a sitting area to visit. The fellow had a heavy accent. After about 30 minutes they discovered that both of them were meeting someone about a potential business deal, but, they had missed their rightful person. Sounds like something I might do. Or, have done. Or, might do in the future. There was this guy who had a very Jewish sounding surname. He wasn't Jewish, in fact, he and his family were Catholic. He and his wife were attending a party in Houston. After mingling for a while, one fellow came up to him and asked had he been to temple yet. Not getting his meaning, he replied, "I passed through it one time on my way from Austin." (Temple, Texas) Sounds like something I might do. Or, have done. Or, might do in the future. See? There you were thinking what an easy life I have. Think again! Just joking around. Enjoy the rest of the day and remember to thank God for something as simple as the next breath you take. Amen. .....More later.

I was ready with my waiter joke, ""Waiter!" shouted the furious diner, "How dare you serve me this! There is a twig in my soup!" My apologies Madam", replied the waiter, "I will immediately inform the BRANCH manager."

Brand new day. Brand new month. Brand new start. I think I better stop there before I get carried away on this Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Last Thursday evening I acted as a server for my wife's table at the ladies banquet held at our local fellowship. I had not acted in an official capacity as a waiter before. I had seven ladies to take care of at my table. Some 200 ladies were there that night. All the servers were volunteers. (Or, they had been volunteered.) I was on my feet for two hours and I came away with several thoughts. First of all, it was good to be able to do that work on behalf of my wife. Thankful to be physically able. And, it was work. Secondly, it made me feel for those older folks who regularly do this type of work. (I do think I will keep my day job.) Lastly, I could tell my wife felt honored. Anytime I can make her feel that way, well, it's a good thing. I will also tell you it made for a good night's sleep. I do believe my grandfather recommended a hard day's work to those having trouble sleeping at night. (Those trays with six plates of food on them were not only heavy but unwieldy as well. I could see myself splattering stuff all over the place. Thank God that didn't happen! Amen.)  For the record, there were a number of men serving who were much older than me. I did not see any mishaps among the twenty-plus fellows doing this work. My concern was the role model stuck in my mind. That was a vision of the world's oldest waiter played by Tim Conway.

Here is another story from my continuing chronicle of wildlife affairs. The other morning I was unlocking my truck and I noticed some movement going on in the ditch beside our house. I thought it must be a cat rolling around in the grass. Lots of movement. Maybe the cat caught a mole or something. It was working whatever it had pretty good. Good kitty. Suddenly, the supposed cat took off. Literally. As in flying. It was one of those nesting owls. He had something. That may have been the same one that caused me to spill my coffee that morning when I could feel the wind off the flapping wings. In my own front yard. I never knew I would become a wildlife reality series on my own turf. The other day I was standing outside talking on my cell phone to our youngest, Rodney. I looked up in the sky and about 1/4 mile away the sky was nearly black with buzzards. There must have been 30 or more of them circling something. I don't think I have ever seen that many at one time. Maybe they have opened a new road-kill buffet and they were all waiting to get in. I do hope whatever they were circling was big enough because I've seen them on the side of the road fighting over fragments. They get themselves all bowed up with their feathers and wings as wide and tall as they can. It's called intimidation. It kind of reminds me of when us six kids would sit down to eat. When the signal was given for us to dig in, well, it didn't take long to decimate whatever was being served. I may have been told a time or two to put some of what I had taken back. "There are others, son!"

I have shared another page from the book entitled, "It's my life and I will live it if I want to." Sorry. That was supposed to be a take-off on the 1963 hit by Lesley Gore that had this lyric, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to." It was an attempted pun-like metaphor. Lame. Perhaps. Oh well, it can get worse. Don't dare me. Just kidding around on this May day. If I had said 'mayday',  that could have indicated an aviation emergency. As when a plane is crashing. In my case, it would be a linguistic crash. A word collision. Yep. I am aware. That's a lot of what goes on in this space. I did see something I thought was interesting in a video posted on Facebook. This politician was at a local eatery and watering hole to make a pitch for his candidacy. He was standing up with a mike talking. Behind him was a huge TV screen. They didn't turn the big screen off. I wonder which one the folks were paying attention to? Those who showed up to hear him may have been listening to him. The others were glued to seeing which college football player was being selected by which NFL team. That was either unfair to him or bad timing on his part. Oh well, I know how he feels. Nearly every day. Still kidding around. Something I am sure of. God and His promises. I may be all over the page, but, He is always true to His word. I'm am thankful every day for that! Amen. .....More later.