Month: February 2026

I do some of my best thinking when I’m lying in bed at night. I get ideas for my columns and blogs, and then I start writing them in my mind. Unfortunately, this is the worst possible time to do any comprehensive thinking. I find it impossible to relax my brain and get ready for sleep when this happens. It causes me to lie awake for hours.

Eventually I have to get up, visit the bathroom, get a drink of water, maybe even walk around a bit, and just reset my mind to realize how tired I am. Sometimes it seems to take forever, but eventually I get drowsy again and fall asleep.

We all have issues in our lives that we want to think about and analyze. If at all possible, try to find time during your waking hours to hash through your thoughts. I find if I write down ideas that come to me, it gives me a sense of being able to put them aside at night, knowing I won’t forget them.

I wrote this blog in the afternoon today. I’ll sleep well tonight. Maybe.

When you walk into a grocery store, they make you pass by the snacks and sweets before you get to the meat and milk in the very back. They want you to be tempted to buy something impulsively because it is pleasing to the taste, although probably bad for your health. To avoid falling into the trap, you have to be focused on your mission. Ignore the potato chips, the pies and ice cream products. Set your eyes on the lean beef and the cottage cheese against the back wall.

Just as in life. We must focus on what we know is right and moral and walk past the many enticements of things that will only do us harm and separate us from God. You can do it. You can turn down the chocolate chip cookies and buy the broccoli. And you can turn away from self-destructive allures and live a righteous life.

Something unexpected will happen to you today. It might be a big thing or a little thing, but it will take you by surprise. Might be something somebody says to you. Maybe a phone call or an email or a text message you weren’t anticipating. Maybe a cancellation of some sort. Or an opportunity. A health issue popping up. Could be anything.

Whatever it is, it will change your life in some small way. Be ready for it. Don’t allow yourself to be shocked by sudden change. Take a deep breath, roll with the punches, adjust and plan how to go forward. Stressing out is natural, but it’s also non-productive. Have faith that you are loved and cared for by a mighty God.

That’s something you can always expect.

Once a month my church holds a men’s Bible study named after the verse in 1 Timothy 6:11. To tie it into the verse, the study begins at 6:11 in the morning. I confess I struggle when the alarm rings a little after 5 am to get up and get ready to go. I figure I’m going to be tired and groggy all day.

In reality, the opposite happens. After an hour of fellowship and probing into God’s word, I find myself feeling refreshed and actually more energetic throughout the day. I come out of there in a good mood with renewed commitment.

It reminds me there is awesome power in God’s word and among His people. If you are feeling stressed, lonely, angry, unappreciated, or just plain worn out, find a gathering of believers and get involved. It will make a significant difference in your life.

The controversial Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny took place last night. Everyone seems to have an opinion. I can’t comment on what it was like. I didn’t watch it. I watched the football game, but at halftime I switched over to Turning Point’s alternative halftime show, which was excellent.

I did not make this decision for political reasons. I could care less whether Bad Bunny supports President Trump. I did not do it because of some sort of bias against Puerto Ricans, or any other ethnicity. I did it because I prefer wholesome, clean, patriotic performances, as opposed to the explicit sexual content of many of Bad Bunny’s songs.

To a large extent, you become what you are exposed to. Surrounding yourself with positive moral influences is becoming more challenging, but the alternatives are out there. You just have to find them. It’s worth the effort.

Just had my most recent physical exam. My blood pressure was a little high. I have to cut back on salt. That’s a problem. I love salt. I crave it. I put it on everything. I’ve tried the “no salt” versions of many of my favorite foods. They taste like cardboard. This is going to be hard.

I need willpower. Lots of willpower. So I’m going to the source of all power. I’m praying hard for the ability to change my eating habits. So far, I’m hanging in there. I just might be able to pull this off!

What challenges are you facing today? Are there things you need to accomplish in your life that you find too hard or overwhelming? You need willpower too. You can do this.

Go to the Source for help.

Here’s a thought for you to ponder. If you had to give up one of your five senses, which one would you choose? Sight, hearing, smell, taste or touch? A friend recently posed this question to me, and it really sent me deep into contemplation. Each one plays such a vital role in the richness and enjoyment of life. The moment I decided on one, I would change my mind after reflecting on the joys that particular sense supplies.

It brought home to me that I am incredibly blessed to still have all five. They all work together in intricate ways. Psalm 139 is certainly correct when it states “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

I know many folks who have lost one or more of their senses. Instead of being bitter, it seems to make them appreciate the ones they have left even more. There’s a great lesson to be learned from that.

It seems more and more athletes are giving all honor and glory to God when they are interviewed on the field or on the court after a game. Did God help them win? Does God pick a side? What about the players who were praying on the other team? Did God ignore their prayers?

I suspect God doesn’t care who wins the game. But He does love it when He is acknowledged by His people as Lord and Savior. He knows who His disciples are, and it wouldn’t surprise me if He creates circumstances that provide an opportunity for His followers to proclaim Him. We should learn from these examples.

We may never have a sideline reporter hold a microphone in front of us on live TV, but we all have opportunities to give God the glory in our own circles. We don’t have millions of people watching us, but those closest to us are, and our witness just may make a difference in their lives.

My brain still works. It just works slower than it used to. I will see someone I know, but the name does not come immediately to mind. I just have to try to relax. Wait for it……wait for it……ah! Yes, there it is! The name will pop into my head.

Sharon will give me a task. If I don’t do it right away, it will slip my mind. Hours later, I will remember it. Sometimes Sharon will have already done it by then. That never ends well.

Your mind is a machine. Just like any machine, it needs good care and exercise. Try to get enough rest, try to reduce stress and worry (easier said than done I know), and make that brain work a little each day. Read books, do crossword puzzles and word games, write letters, calculate a budget. Do something that makes you think, think, think!

You can’t expect your brain to function as sharply as when you were a young pup. But you can definitely keep it from turning into mush.

Of course, it just makes sense that you get better at something when you practice it. The more you do it, the more comfortable you become with it. It works for golfers, tennis players, athletes of any kind. It works in the business world. Most people get better at their jobs the longer they perform them.

It also works in your faith life. Developing a routine of kindness, unselfishness and servant ministry doesn’t come naturally to most of us. It’s a bit awkward at first. Takes us out of our comfort zone for sure. But you will find the more you build your life around the needs of others, the better and more at ease you will become with it. And it will add a dimension to your life that might be missing.

Everybody has a time when they hit their first golf ball, swing at their first tennis ball, go to their first day at a new job. Do something kind and unselfish today. It might feel a little scary, but so was the first time you drove a car. You got used to that, right?