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Don’t be stressed. I know that’s easy to say, harder to do. But chances are you are stressing out about something over which you have no control. When you think about it, it’s kind of pointless to do that. If you can’t control it, whatever is going to happen will happen.

Plan for the possibilities sure. Prepare for the unexpected, absolutely. But try not to stress out about it. Life is like the weather. You can’t make it rain, you can’t cause the temperature outside to rise or fall. You just have to wait and see what happens, and then adjust to it.

You’ll get through this, whatever it is. Meet the challenge. Attack it head on. Do your best. Then relax and be at peace. We know who is really in control.

Why did God create poison ivy? It makes life miserable. I got into contact with it the other day while trimming my hedges. It itches and throbs and spreads like wildfire. I couldn’t imagine what the Almighty had in mind when he invented this plague on humanity.

So I looked it up. Turns out the poison ivy plant produces berries that feed an assortment of birds, and even some mammals, such as deer. The berries are an important part of the food chain in the wild. Who knew? So I guess God knew what He was doing. Goes to show there is a purpose for everything.

I’ll try to keep that in mind while I scratch.

Movies and TV shows like to portray the reality of their program by stating that it is “based on a true story”. As you have no doubt figured out, this really is so ambiguous that it means nothing. It could just indicate they got the idea from a true story. It doesn’t bind them to any commitment to accurately portraying real events. They can enhance, embellish and reinvent the subject matter any way they want to.

Which is okay I guess. As long as you keep in mind it’s just entertainment. It’s not history. It’s important to recognize events that really are true. For example, your faith can be based on a true story. The world has tried to edit it, misrepresent it, vilify it, and deny it. But the story survives in its original form.

And that’s one rerun that never gets old.

Are you having trouble remembering things? It’s probably a normal part of the aging process. Our brains, like the rest of our bodies, perform less efficiently as we get older. It’s interesting to me to read that one of the best ways to maintain your memory is through physical exercise.

It seems a bit counter-intuitive. Wouldn’t you think exercising would make you tired, which would have an adverse effect on your mind. But doctors say a workout increases blood flow to the brain, and that works like oiling up an engine. I have noticed that the folks I know in their 80’s and 90’s who seem to have the sharpest minds are also those who are in great physical shape.

So keep moving. Stay active. Before you forget how to.

The other day I was sitting in the den watching television. Suddenly I heard thunder off in the distance outside. It caused me to glance out the window where, much to my surprise, the skies had darkened and my entire neighborhood was engulfed by ominous black clouds. I went outside and gazed upward. There was lightning on the horizon and the wind had picked up rapidly.

Clearly my house was about to be in the middle of a major storm. I went back inside and changed to a local channel to see if there were weather warnings. There was a severe thunderstorm watch in the corner of the screen. For the next several minutes I hunkered down waiting for the worst. The wind swelled to a climax, but then surprisingly began to calm. The black clouds rolled through without a drop of rain. In minutes the sun began to pop out.

Life can be like that. When things get dark we expect the worst. But often things don’t turn out as bad as we fear. Could be somebody’s looking out for you.

I am constantly getting pop-up messages on my computers reminding me that my anti-virus protection is close to expiring, urging me to renew my subscriptions immediately. Taking part in the internet world is kind of like life in general. There are constant forces out there that would like to invade your computer and do you harm, just as there are constant forces in life that want to persuade you to entertain negative thoughts and actions.

There are any number of protection services you can purchase for your computers. They are not cheap. And they all want you to set up automatic renewal, so they can continue to draw money from your account without having to ask you for permission. You really have to be careful about what you download into your system.

Fortunately, there is a protection system for your life that costs you nothing except a relationship with God.

Social media revolutionized the way the world communicates. It is definitely both a blessing and a curse. When used for good intentions, it is a wonderful way to spread useful information, share prayer requests, reconnect with long lost friends who are far away, and provide positive inspiration and humor. Sadly, it is also a source for the expression of political bickering, hate, prejudice, profanity, bullying and gossip. Even worse, it’s a haven for scammers and thieves.

You have to make social media work for you, not against you. Fortunately, you have some control over who has access to your accounts. Use that “delete” button to quickly eliminate folks who just want to criticize and ridicule and abuse. It doesn’t take long to figure out who they are.

And when you post something, ask yourself, is this a message that is helpful? Positive? Wholesome? Friendly? Uplifting? Informational? Sincere? Be part of the solution, not the problem.

And please, don’t delete me.

Nobody likes to feel pain. But when you think about it, pain is your friend. It is your warning system. Your security alarm. Pain tells you something is wrong in your body. It’s what sends you to the doctor where they can discover what the problem is and treat it.

Without pain, you could severely burn yourself or cut yourself without noticing it. Your heart could fail or your lungs collapse and you would have no clue it is coming on, no chance to treat it. Infections could invade your body and shut it down with no warning.

Sometimes blessings are in disguise. If you are in pain today, don’t despair. God has provided you a body that is still functioning and He is working for your eventual good and well being. Hopefully you can take some comfort from His promises.

Why don’t the animals play cards in the jungle?

Because there are too many cheetahs.

Some jokes are so corny that we can’t help but crack a smile, and maybe even a chuckle or two. Sometimes they make us let out a groan. Often, they inspire us to fire back with an even cornier joke of our own. But one thing seems constant, silly but clean jokes usually force a tortured smile and brighten the day just a little bit.

That’s a good thing, right? So brighten somebody’s day. Tell them a corny joke.

Why do seagulls fly over the sea?

Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels.

I so admire people who are patient. Clearly I was nowhere to be found when the line formed to hand out patience. I get fidgety waiting for the red light to turn green, waiting for my turn to check out at the grocery store (self-checkout was invented for me), waiting for my food to arrive at the restaurant. Waiting for anything really.

For some reason, I find myself in hurry to get what I want, and I don’t really know why. The real blessings in life should be enjoyed slowly and peacefully. If you find that your life is a rush to accomplish, try taking a deep breath, relaxing, and just enjoying the privilege of being in God’s beautiful creation for one more day.

I’m hoping to achieve that, in a hurry of course.