"Grief is itself a medicine." ~ William Cowper, (1731-1800), A very popular and well read Poet and Anglican Hymnwriter

Good morning and welcome. Today is Wednesday, July 9, 2025, and I do hope you are off to a good start. I don't know about you but I am still reeling from the daily seeing of children's faces as they reclaim their bodies that were swept away in the storm waters. Those images are hard to see but I do my best not to turn away from them because they deserve my notice, your notice, and, the notice of any who care. Again, those who have chosen to try and score political points over the bodies of these children, well, I pity their hearts. On Monday I shared the lyrics to a song about when we can't make any sense, we should trust the heart of our God. That was a good song to share based on the many responses I received about it. I will say this about it. I was looking for something like it but I wasn't sure exactly what it was and I stumbled on this one. I vaguely remember hearing it, the last time probably many years ago. I thought about this passage from Luke's Gospel, Chapter 13: 1) Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2) And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 3) I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4) Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5) I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” I also had this one on my mind from Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 10: 28) Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29) Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31) So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. ~ And, if you need more assurances, I typically read the 139th Division of the Psalms. At the end of the day I choose to trust God and claim the reality of this truth from Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Notice it does not say all good things but God is at work and His purpose will be accomplished and I trust Him. Amen.

 

Why did I write all of that? Good question. I think about how I feel and my response and I know others are also dealing with similar feelings. Like the truth about sharing the Good News of the Gospel, just one beggar telling other beggars where they can find bread. I know. Some can't see themselves as a beggar, but, I can. When it comes to my position before God I am fully aware even if I can't fully understand that my salvation is a gift and it is 100% undeserved but God so loved the world and I am a part of the world He loved, therefore, His love reached me through the giving of His one and only Son. Yep, I have nothing I can brag about. Nothing. Zero. Nada. But, you've been a Bible teacher for nearly 60 years. You've poured yourself into seminary study. You've done this, that, and the other. Yep. Big deal! My works want get the job done my friend, it is only through the blood of Jesus and I can boast only of Him and His goodness to a beggar like me. Oh well, I kind of got off on a tangent there but at the end of it all, He is worthy of our praise, adoration, and, our service. Maybe I could add a box where you can send your monetary contribution. You know. I wouldn't ask for one penny, just send one dollar to cover the weight of the postal money order. That was an old joke from a fellow making fun of radio preachers many years ago. How long ago? (I would say for me I got it off a vinyl long playing record back in the 1960's from a comedian guy named Dave Gardner, 1926-1983.) Now you know. Have a great rest of the day and seek God for help when the stuff of life does not make sense. Okay? Good. May God help us all is my prayer. Amen. 

Getting ready to get ready: "To boldly snow where no one has gone before!"

Good morning and welcome. It's Tuesday, July 8, 2025. Today is preparation day for the wife's sister as she gets ready for a cancer surgical procedure coming up this next Saturday. She has four appointments at MD Anderson today, two out here in the Woodlands, and two in the medical center in Houston. Please pray for her and her husband along with the wife as they navigate this schedule today. The last thing she told me before she left this morning was how she was counting on me to be her prayer warrior. I told her I didn't have one iota of confidence in me but I have all confidence in the One I am going to in prayer. Okay. Here we go again, maybe for the last time. People are already contacting us to get on the schedule for the upcoming Christmas-Santa season. We had seriously considered hanging up the suit for good having completed 15 years but we have so many wonderful people who we have grown to love and appreciate over the years and they want us to be their Santa and Mrs. Claus. I think about how I am already in training for how to be feeble while at the same time fully knowing the amount of stress and physical exertion involved, but, we are pretty much sure we will do it again, if the Lord provides and our health holds up. The other day I was at the doctor's and a lady in the lobby asked if I was Santa. I told her I was and gave her one of our cards. She said she could tell I was a good one because of my eyes. Eyes that showed love for others. I thanked her and I did agree that if one doesn't love children, don't even think about being Santa Claus. I exchange information with a variety of Santa's on social media and I can tell you those who do it only for the money and look at it as just another job, well, they will never be the kind of Santa people want for their kids. It's not negotiable. You must love them. And, I plead guilty, 100%. 

 

I have come to understand the secret to our Santa program is my God given Mrs. Claus, unique to our appearances. Her personality exudes hospitality and giving. That means I am many times better as Santa when she is sitting beside me. I know there are differences between abilities, talents, and, what the Bible names as Holy Spirit enabling gifts, but, in her case, well, she tends to have an overflow in the areas where she shines. Me? Well, I am not as much inclined in the exact areas where she is inclined, therefore, the combination tends to work since she helps to build me up and as I often say, I can use all the help I can get. I'll put it this way. Often kids enjoy having their photo made with me, but, they want to spend time with Mrs. Claus. The legendary Santa Claus connects back to the 4th Century Saint Nicholas with the actual name, Santa Claus appearing in the 1700's. Mrs. Claus didn't show up as being recognized until the mid 1800's, therefore, I think we have solved the chicken or the egg mystery on this one. I do remind her of that from time to time, especially when I am asked to vacate the chair because their children want only a photo of themselves with Mrs. Claus. The nerve! I guess I could go out and smoke a cigarette. That's right. I don't smoke. Or, take a walk. With all that gear? Oh well, I just stand by and wait until I am actually wanted back on the set. See what I have to deal with? It's not easy folks, not easy at all. We continue to pray for so many in need, especially those dealing with the aftermath of the storms in the Hill Country. Life does go on and we thank God for His love, mercy, and grace. Amen.

On so many hearts today: A profound and horrific event that has caused immense sorrow and suffering, often beyond the capacity for expression or comprehension.

Today is Monday, July 7, 2025, and because of the unprecedented wall of water from the Guadalupe River that swept away much of what was in its path including men, women, boys, and girls, I truly have little to say. Sadly, there's really no way we can make sense of such a tragedy but we can do what we know and that is to seek God and His comfort for all those suffering from this unspeakable event. Any and all who have children or grandchildren can feel the knot in our stomachs as we watch the photos of the little ones lost in this flood event. Also I pray for the haters, those who have attempted to politicize the deaths of these children, posting hateful comments on social media about how glad they were it was a red state and it was for the most part white kids. God have mercy on anyone that takes any joy whatsoever in the deaths of these innocent children. I will end today's visit with this: My faith has been challenged by what has happened but I believe God is Sovereign and I trust Him. I can't really explain much more than that at this time but a song does come to mind:

 

Trust His Heart written by Eddie Carswell / Babbie Mason

 

 All things work for our good
Though sometimes we don't see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth

Our Father knows what's best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just can't see Him
Remember you're never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hand
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him

We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry, He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His Heart

When you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Trust His heart

 

May God comfort each heart is my prayer. Let's continue to seek God during this time of grief and sorrow. Amen. 

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." ~ Ronald Reagan

 

“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” – Thomas Jefferson

Hello and welcome. Today is Thursday, July 3, 2025. We invite any and all to Mims Baptist, Conroe, for tonight's 4th of July, Celebrate America party. It begins at 5:30 p.m. and it will have something for everyone. We will be going later. Why? The wife has a long running attraction to fireworks. She does. Therefore, we plan to arrive as it is beginning to begin to get dark so we can be there for what has been designated as the greatest fireworks display in all of Montgomery County. I did see the kidney specialist yesterday afternoon. She was a most wonderfully pleasant lady and we worked through the numbers and she looked through the history. In a nutshell, the problem is both serious and systemic, however, she saw some ways we can work to slow the progress of the kidney disease. Good for her. Yay and thank God! She thinks that perhaps the medication I have been on to deal with my blood pressure has been too much, keeping my blood pressure lower than needed at my age. She thinks I can function with it somewhat higher in order to help my kidneys to properly function. That will be step one, change the medication. I go back in November and we will see what to do after that. The wife and I have been with Kelsey Seybold Medicare Advantage since we reached 65, roughly 14 years ago. We have had outstanding support from this provider. I know they have been sold to United Health Care over a year ago. Based on what we have heard from others using United Health Care, we thought our coverage would significantly change and not for the better. While it has changed some and we are paying a little more out of pocket, the care has not. We are so thankful for this, as of now. And, yes, we know it can change in a heartbeat. People tell us all the time there are better systems out there. There may be, but, we are very happy with our medical coverage and when it comes down to it, that's what really matters. 

 

Picture of why women live longer than me.

But enough about me and my health. Yes. I do realize it's my blog and I will write what I want to write, but, at the same time I am aware that some might not enjoy me delving into my personal health. In some ways I think it might be helpful to those who may be dealing with health related issues. God has given us the advancements in the medical field and I, for one, thank Him they are now able to better treat and cure a variety of ailments. One need only look at the longevity tables to see how the average lifespan has increased over time. As it stands now we have this statistical record, Both sexes: 78.4 years; Males: 75.8; years and Females: 81.1 years. The technical reasoning as to why women live longer goes like this: 
"Women generally eat healthier and they tend to pay more attention to their health. On average, women visit the doctor earlier and more often than men, generally drink less alcohol, use less tobacco and pay more attention to a healthy diet." That's a scientific analysis. Here are some of the real reasons from a man's point of view: ~ Men and women are different. ~ Never pickup a woman at a laundromat because if she can't afford a washer and dryer, how will she ever support you? ~ I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months, I didn't want to interrupt her. ~ I married Miss Right but I didn't realize her last name was Always. ~ Our last fight was my fault. She asked me what was on TV. I told her I thought it was dust. ~ Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street bald headed, belly hanging over their belt and they still think they are beautiful. ~ What's worse than a male chauvinist pig? A woman who will not do what she is told. ~ And, finally, why do men die earlier than women? Because they want to! ~

 

The wife, a few years ago.

Those were jokes I found on the internet, so, do not get the idea I am talking about my wife. She is an amazing woman who is loved by not only me, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, all other family members, as well as countless others who make up her circle of friends, and, her many fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I thought I needed to add that disclaimer so that it is here to prove those were just little funny ditties. Right? Right. Have a great Thursday and may God continue to bless our one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen. 

"God's got this" is a common phrase in Christian circles that expresses faith in God's sovereignty and ability to handle any situation. It conveys the belief that even when faced with difficulties or uncertainties, God is in control and has a plan. Essentially, it's a way of saying "don't worry, God is in charge". ~ copied

Good morning. I bring you greetings from my home to yours, on this Wednesday, July 2, 2025. I've mentioned often about the long battle I have had dealing with diabetes. I typically have received the 'well controlled' comment from my doctor as it relates to trying to maintain my blood sugar numbers. As most know already that's not the entire story. Diabetes damages the body system. Keep up the good work but know that the enemy inside your body never sleeps or slumbers. And, therefore, along the way one begins to experience some of the territories the enemy has worked on. I have neuropathy in my feet. Thus far, it has, again, been pretty much controlled with medication, however, the tingling and the numbness is likely there to stay. Let me quickly add how appreciative I am for all the medical staff I have had along the way. They have all been very helpful. And, the medications. Thank God for His allowing all these new ways to treat diabetes to become a reality. That's basically how I have been able to maintain a semblance of management of my diabetes. Another area where the enemy likes to do a lot of damage is in the area of one's kidneys. Good control, keep up the good work, yet, today, I see a nephrologist for the first time. Why? It's that steady knock that wears the rock and the filtration numbers from my blood work continues to show deterioration in kidney function. I think I see regularly four specialists and today I add number five. That's okay. I feel reasonably okay but as you know words mean something to me. My primary care physician's nurse called me after my blood work and said I should see this new doctor because I had reached a critical phase. If you look up that phrase, 'critical phase', you will find this is what it means from a medical standpoint: "In the context of health, the critical phase refers to a specific period, often around defervescence, where a patient's condition can rapidly deteriorate, potentially leading to severe illness." I know inquiring minds want to know about that word defervescence. It has to due with fever and I haven't had that particular malady yet. Okay. I did check out the doctor I am seeing today. I watched her video and noted that she is a Muslim and she does wear the head covering, called the Hijab. My thoughts. Simply put, she is a doctor. I am reminded of the comments made by the late, great, man of God, Dr. Adrian Rogers who said if he was faced with heart surgery and had to choose a Christian doctor who had a mediocre record or an Atheist doctor who had a sterling record of success, he would choose the Atheist every time. My wife is going with me because she wants hear what the doctor says. She usually doesn't go with me, but, the 'critical phase' dialogue has piqued both her interest and her concern. At my age, I suppose I might as well get used to having a care taker along with me. Ha!

 

My designated caretaker and her sister.

We have done what most people do. Me. And, her. We searched out any and all information provided out on that great information highway, the internet. The 'D' word came up quite often. Dialysis. I don't begin to think that I am anywhere near needing that type of treatment, but, we will see. My doctors and her doctors as well are unanimous in telling all their patients to please not draw conclusions from what one finds on the internet. Enough about all of that. We will see what we will see and I suppose we will know about it at that time. That was a long opening paragraph, but, I needed to keep up my word count because I have fallen behind. That's a joke but I always remind you of what my grandfather, Paw Paw Mac, used to say about me talking too much. "Son, I was afraid you were not coming up for air."  I sometimes say something to the wife about folks we have visited and I noted how much they talked. She almost always says that I need not fear because the way she saw it I got in plenty of licks myself. Thanks dear for the encouragement. Ha! You can pray for me if you like but be reminded there are so many others who are in great need today. We should pray, always, without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) I am sure, if I remember, I will let y'all know how it goes. Ha! and may God bless us all. Amen.

Dear God, instill in our leaders a deep sense of integrity and honesty. Let them be transparent in their actions and truthful in their words, setting a righteous example for all. Amen. Related verse: "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." — Proverbs 11:3 ~ copied

Our Church Service to honor God and Country, June 29, 2025.

Hello and welcome to the week where folks are preparing to recognize and remember the founding of our country, 249 years ago. Wow! Rightly so! It is Tuesday, July 1, 2025, and, it's a good day to thank God for His providing the nation we have. Amen. We had the huge God and country, Celebrate America, at our local fellowship gathering this past Sunday. The wife and I were privileged to be a part of the 100 voice choir accompanied by the 40 piece orchestra to sing songs that honored our God and our country. While the Church woke-sters label patriotic emphasis as being a form of Christian nationalism, they need to go back and study again the founding, the founders, and what they thought about it. That's right! They need to study it again for the first time, if you will. Here's an example of what George Washington thought about it: "The hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all of this – the course of war – that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith". Let me break that down a little with my homespun way of explaining what he said. For those involved, if they were observing how things unfolded they would have to be an infidel not to see the hand of God at work all the way through. Washington had personal experience in seeing God's providence as he testified, "But by the all-powerful dispensations of providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had 4 bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!" And this from Washington's prayer journal, "O most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving Father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins...let me live according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy holy word." We might be able to have separation of Church and State, but, whether it is recognized or not, we can never separate God and His providence in the founding of our nation, The United States of America. Amen. 

 

Lil Miss Biscuit getting ready to celebrate America!

I am often reminded whenever we seem to lack confidence in our national leadership, how that the inspired Word written through the Apostle Paul admonishes us to pray for those in authority over us.  ~  "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." (1st Timothy 2:1-2) ~ That's hard to do when we do not like those in power. Right? Remember this. The Apostle Paul was referring to Rome and all of their associated rulers. Yikes! In my teaching class we typically go through each text verse by verse. I had a fellow get up and walk out because he didn't like the government leaders we had at the time. I think we can understand this better when we consider God and His Sovereignty. I didn't say I understood everything about it and where we can't comprehend, faith allows us to apprehend, therefore, God is ultimately in control and as Washington put it, if you can't see His hand of providence, well, you either ain't watching or you are an infidel. Okay. That should be enough of this about that. I am closing this with a prayer to God for us all as we continue this journey where we do life together even if it is via a throwdown kind of blog like mine. May God bless each one. Amen.