Words for the Day: Recent Episodes
Bob Williamson
The other day I wrote about wanting to be with God now and not in the distant future but hoping He will delay the rapture and/or my demise until I can lead some of my non-believer friends and family to fully commit and surrender their lives to Jesus . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/the-warrior/
I am stunned at the prices for gas, groceries, vehicles, my latest tax bill, etc. I can afford it, but I cannot help but feel sad for those families that cannot. It has become an agonizing decision for many people in our country to either buy groceries or buy fuel for their vehicle so they can get to work . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/last-call/
I was really stressed out yesterday. I’ve sold my house, my property at Honey Lake, and my Yellowfin boat and need to get them all closed by the end of the month. As with most closings involving a great deal of money, there comes a great deal of problems with it. One of the biggest problems is that we have booked our flights to Costa Rica and rented a house with a non-refundable deposit, and I cannot get any legal documents notarized there except at the United States embassy. Meaning I must get everything accomplished prior to leaving or lose thousands of dollars . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/nuclear-war-and-dock-permits/
I think his description should stir the soul of readers of all ages. I know that it touched me in a special way. Sometimes we get down and out and perhaps feel that the world and everyone in it would be better off without us. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our life experiences can produce fruit and God can be glorified. I suggest reading his letter again. I’ve read it several times in the past few days. Then put it to use and talk to someone about Jesus today . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/growing-old-gracefully/
We are sickened by reading in the Bible and history books of children being sacrificed to Moloch and Baal. Many nations have worshipped false Gods and idols and it seems children were an easy target for their deprivation. Decapitated remains of children from the Mayan and Aztec eras are still being found in their vine-covered temples. Though these numbered in the thousands consider the United States and its destruction of sixty-two million babies that have been killed by abortions in this country . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/satans-sheep-bahhhh-bahhhh/
For the last few days, we have been boxing up our belongings and preparing to move out. We sold our home furnished but just our personal things including our: art collection, fishing/ hunting gear, and clothes turned out to be quite a job . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/stupid-young-man-stupid-old-man/
I had a friend come over yesterday to say his goodbyes before we depart the keys. He will soon be 51 and was lamenting the fact that he had moved into the fourth quarter of his life. My wife quipped if you are in the fourth quarter at 51, where does that put us at our age? Overtime? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/double-overtime/
I’ve given my testimony from Anchorage AK to Key West FL and hundreds if not thousands of points in-between. I have spoken in prisons including death row, rehab clinics, homeless shelters, and numerous churches, spiritual retreats, fundraisers, and even some government functions . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/i-am/
So yesterday I got several marital tips. Most readers seemed to sympathize with my wife after yesterday’s post and felt I treated her shabbily and suggested I should apologize for my boorish behavior . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/wife-is-not-a-bad-term/
I had a great dream last night about a tremendously talented guy who could really play the guitar. He was giving me lessons and I was greatly improving within minutes of meeting him. I asked him where he lived and he told me, and something went off in my head that I know this guy. I asked him his name and it just confirmed that I knew him. I asked him what he did for a living as this would be the final confirmation that he was indeed the person that I had in mind . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/05/mean-son-of-a-gun-2/
So today I’m returning home to pack up the few things we intend to keep and get ready to move. We are (hopefully) closing on our home on May 16, so time is a wasting. After that, we are planning to head back to Costa Rica to try and find a good place to reside . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/rolling-stone-leaves-no-stone-unturned/
Yesterday my wife and I went fishing off the beautiful coast of northern Costa Rica. It was fun and at times hilarious. We had to be transported to and from our 50-foot fishing boat from a beach via a tiny rubber raft as there is no marina close to our location. It was quite the feat to board and deboard that little raft with big surf crashing all around us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/now-is-your-time-2/
So, this morning I’m going fishing in the deep blue Pacific Ocean. We are going after sailfish, yellowfin tuna, and mahi-mahi. I look forward to it and am grateful to God for allowing me the pleasure . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/searching-for-the-happy-in-happy-hour/
I rarely agree with much of anything that Pope Francis has to say, but recently I read an article where he said on Sunday that, “The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians.” He went on to compare Jesus’ merciful words to a doubting St. Thomas which reminds us that the Lord does not expect us to be “perfect Christians” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/ready-willing-and-able/
While family and friends may fail you, Jesus is always there with His unconditional love to turn you away from your sadness, loneliness, and disillusionment, whether you live in a pigsty or gold gilded mansion . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/the-secret-to-happiness/
So, I’m driving down the road in rural Costa Rica yesterday and in the middle of nowhere, I come upon a sign that says Happy Hour starts at 9:00 a.m. That one nearly got me, but I looked closer, and it was a sign in front of a small church. I smiled broadly and thought, now that has to be one of the cleverest Church signs I’ve ever seen. Not to say America does not have its clever sign keepers too. One example that I liked is this one: “The fact that there is a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/happy-hour/
I arrived in Costa Rica and though just a short two-hour flight from Miami, it seems like we traveled to an entirely different world. Our rental condo required traversing two flights of stairs heaving heavy suitcases up the steep inclines. I was clearly struggling, and a Costa Rica man who was working on the landscaping saw me and came running over to help me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/regress-is-not-progress/
As you read these words we are on our way to Costa Rica. This is our final visit prior to deciding which area in which we intend to settle down. We are going to the northern Pacific area and I’m told it is the most beautiful in all of Costa Rica, fishing is great, fabulous restaurants abound, gorgeous sunsets and sunrises, friendly people, and so on. Unfortunately, I have found that you cannot believe what you read on the Internet or hear from a fast-talking salesperson . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/is-everything-a-lie/
Recently I discovered that some readers of Words for the Day in a particular office seem to think that all my “talk” about our living in the “Last Days” and the end of the world possibly bearing down upon us in the not too distant future is just someone, (me), “talking out of my head” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/fact-is-stranger-than-fiction-3/
I took a van full of friends from Duck Key to Key Largo to church yesterday and a wonderful time was had by all of us. 700 folks attended the two services and 23 people were saved and are ready for Baptism . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/id-rather-be/
Please join me in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior today. It is an exceedingly happy day for us because Jesus defeated death and sin once and for all. The victory has been won for all of us who are true believers. Enjoy your day as you think about who our Savior really is! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/he-is-risen-4/
After Jesus said, “It is finished,” on the cross, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”. His dead body remained on the cross until it was taken down and placed in a nearby tomb. His spirit, however, was elsewhere. Three days later, His body and spirit were reunited, and He rose from the dead, but where was His spirit during those three days? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/a-crucifixion-mystery/
I’ve only deeply loved a very few people in my life, but my brother Jim was one of them. The most difficult time in my life, (and I have had many), was when he committed suicide. I have not experienced such grief nor wept like that before or since his death . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/smiling-in-my-grief/
I came across this story that someone sent to me years ago. I hope you enjoy it today during the holiest week of the year . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/a-red-marble/
A friend sent this to me the other day and it seemed to fit right in with the mood I’ve been in as I have been focusing on Jesus and His trip to the cross on our behalf. Easter is not about bunnies; it is about the broken body and blood Jesus shed on our behalves . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/this-isnt-about-easter-bunnies-2/
When I bought sprawling 5000-acre Honey Lake Plantation I had my workers construct and install hundreds of bird houses for bluebirds and other species all over the property. Since then many people have asked me why I spent so much time and money on this project. They pointed out the fact that I cannot possibly get around to all those bird houses and watch the occupants raise families. The obvious question in their minds was if I would never enjoy seeing them why go to the trouble? Why not build a few in my yard and call it a day? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/bluebirds-big-waste-of-time-and-money-2/
I was thinking this morning about a few problems I have been working through. It reminded me of a time when I lived at Honey Lake several years ago. Many things had gone wrong that day, and I worked through a myriad of serious problems all day and through late evening. By nightfall, it seemed as though I had hardly made a dent in them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/no-more-shivering-alone-2/
This morning I got an email from a nice lady whom I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting face to face yet. It read . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/small-world/
I have some of the most unique friends imaginable. I went to a fishing seminar with one of them last night. This guy has traveled all over the world hunting and fishing and recently won an award for being one of the top 25 hunters in the entire world. He has hunted Africa numerous times, the Yukon, Alaska, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Australia, Canada, virtually all over the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/take-the-shot/
I know several friends who refuse to travel by plane. A few are just namby-pambies afraid of their own shadow and anything that says Boo! But more than one is rough and tough and someone whom you would never expect to be afraid of anything. I remember famed football legend John Madden was among the non-flyers and he traveled by bus across the country to work as a commentator of football games. He was a huge man, tougher than nails, and former NFL legend who knocked people around for a living but would not step on a plane . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/slippery-slope/
I once conversed with an ultra-wealthy friend and told him that most of the serious-minded friends that I knew had a number, that when they reached it, would consider themselves of having attained “enough”. I slyly looked at him and asked, “So what is your number?” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/more-2/
So, my wife asked me if I loved her more than turkey hunting. Hmmm . . . I thought about it for quite some time weighing this question in my mind. Apparently, I was taking too long and she impatiently raised her voice and shouted: DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN TURKEY HUNTING? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/04/hot-water-with-my-wife/
Throughout my Christian life I have meticulously planned my various paths. I don’t have problems making bold decisions and when I settle on the course of action that I think is best, I don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. This is not to say I’m impulsive or led by emotion. What many folks (who have that misconception of me) don’t realize is that I’m an insomniac. I only sleep 3-4 hours per night which leaves me plenty of time to think things through from every angle. My big decisions only come after many hundreds of hours of thought, planning, weighing the pros and cons, and assessing the risks and upside . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/feel-the-pull-2/
Compromise can be a tremendous tool. In over 40 years of managing my various companies I was able to avoid lawsuits. Given the size of some of my companies and my combative nature it is an amazing statistic. Not that there wasn’t plenty of saber-rattling transpiring, but the secret to my success was compromise . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/yes-compromise-is-good-no-its-not/
So, it looks like things are coming together and the stars seem to be lining up for our impending move to Costa Rica. I’m wrapping up many different things while we prepare to move . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/gods-mysterious-pops/
The wind has finally subsided and today I’m going fishing. I haven’t had fresh fish in a month or so due to the relentless wind and look forward to loading up on them today. This is not to say I have made a vow to bring home a large mess of them. I prefer not to hear the chiding I’ll endure if I come home empty-handed. It would be relentless. I have learned the hard way not to boast about success, especially success that has not yet occurred . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/tomorrow/
The other day a prospect looked at the property that I have for sale that was formerly part of Honey Lake and afterwards he was telling a friend about it. He told his friend that it was located near Tallahassee which prompted him to inquire as to the name of the place he was looking at . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/small-world-or-god-thing/
So, I’m watching the sun beginning to appear on the horizon this morning and the coconut trees can be seen slightly swaying and it appears to be another peaceful lazy day in the keys. I hope to make the most out of today and I’ve been planning what it will entail since long before daylight. The problem is I haven’t come up with anything exciting, significant, or profound . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/what-is-god-up-to-today/
While I lived at Honey Lake Plantation, my best friend and hunting buddy was the late great TK Wetherell. I spent the last several days riding around Honey Lake and at practically every bend in the road something reminded me of him. We hunted, we fished, we prayed, we attended church and Bible study, we laughed, and yes, we cried together . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/he-went-first/
So today I drive home from Honey Lake after a great couple of days of turkey hunting. Heading back to the keys with a long drive facing me. I need to make it back before dark due to my eyesight but it shouldn’t be much of a problem . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/friends-2/
I’ve been up at Honey Lake turkey hunting with a friend. I got rained out opening day but went yesterday morning. We had a stellar day and old Tom’s were gobbling everywhere. They seemed anxious to come meet what they thought were hens and came running when called . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/shine-like-the-firmament/
I have been blessed to have extensively traveled to gorgeous places throughout the world, and even live in some of the most beautiful locations imaginable, and the glory of God never ceases to amaze me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/the-glory-of-god-2/
I was reading Proverbs today. It has 31 chapters so it is convenient to study a different chapter every day of the month. (I just read additional chapters to make up for those pesky months with less than 31 days . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/what-would-you-ask-for-2/
Not long after I opened our resort at Honey Lake a friend came by to see me. He asked directions from a storekeeper at a store down the road from us and they told him the craziest story one could imagine. According to my friend when the “sincere looking” storekeeper was given my name and the name of our resort she went into this story with gusto . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/church-buries-bodies-for-the-mob/
A friend of mine whom I’ve enjoyed serving alongside in prison ministry used to be one of the toughest prison officials in the state of Texas. He is a very big man and as mean as those whom he was watching over and he disliked inmates and what they had done immensely. He treated them accordingly. Then along came Jesus Christ and my friend’s hardened heart was repaired by Jesus. He went on to theology school and became an ordained preacher and began leading inmates to Christ both in his church and in the prison pods and yards . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/hope-can-be-found-anywhere/
I read an interesting book about atheists entitled, 8 Absurd Things Atheists Must Believe Before Breakfast. The 8 absurd things atheists must believe are as follows . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/white-collar-conservative/
It has been too windy to go fishing in the keys lately and the natives are getting restless. I’m one of them. I miss being out on the water, but I am getting a lot done prior to my move. So, the local weather prognosticators are predicting a good break in the weather next week and I’m sure I will head offshore . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/hanging-up-fishing-rods-and-reels/
One day I was home when an afternoon thunderstorm came up and lightning hit a tree about 150 feet from my house. The dazzling white flash of lightning flooded my living room and was amazing in its brilliance. It emitted an extremely loud BANG! And the impact was so jarring that it could be felt in the chair in which I was sitting. It was very powerful . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/lightning-does-strike-twice-2/
I have a friend who loves Indian artifacts, and he goes and looks for arrowheads at every opportunity. Throughout my many years spent afield hunting and so forth I collected quite a few points myself, and whenever I find one in a field or creek, I try to imagine what the Indian who owned it might have been shooting at. Was it an arrow loosed during a fierce battle, or perhaps merely a misspent arrow shot at a whitetail deer or wild turkey? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/send-utes-to-honey-lake-2/
I was asked recently by a reader if I ever get tired of reading criticism towards me for writing Words for the Day. I don’t get that much criticism anymore and I hope it is not because of inadvertently softening my stance on sins such as homosexual sin and especially homosexual weddings, abortion, atheism, Satan worshippers, and the like. I will maintain until my dying day that those are dark evil sins and sin, according to the Bible, does not escape consequences . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/i-dont-like-tornados-or-big-mouths/
Recently I had a couple of people send me emails indicating that my thoughts concerning my retirement plans were unrealistic and one termed it: “pie in the sky”. I usually don’t ever give a second thought to the many pseudo-intellectual wannabe genius debaters that have written me over the last 25 years, but I suppose this got under my skin a little . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/lemon-meringue-in-the-sky/
I have increasingly found myself wondering what day it is. Writing Words for the Day helps in that regard because I don’t post it on Saturday or Sunday. So at least a couple of times a week I am aware that it is either Saturday or Sunday . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/only-the-now/
My wife and I drove down to Key West last night to eat dinner and attend a concert. On the way down she mentioned that last weekend our former church had baptized about 15 people in the ocean behind the new church. What an experience for them, I’m sure it is indelibly stamped in their minds and those in attendance . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving-4/
A few years back I spoke at length with one of the most well-known race car drivers in the country, Morgan Shepherd. Shepherd has four Cup Series wins and 15 Xfinity Series victories in a career that has stretched to 1,027 national series starts. He has accrued 19 wins in NASCAR’s top two series, capturing checkered flags for some of the sport’s most famous car owners . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/dance-skate-your-blues-away-2/
Thanks for all the positive feedback on our impending move to Costa Rica. One reader wondered if I might be running from the New Orleans mob from my bad old days and offered his farm as a refuge and hideout just in case. I reassured him that they were all probably dead or in jail, but I appreciated his kind offer. LOL . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/03/pura-vida/
Yesterday I looked at some houses here in Costa Rica. (Yes, the adventure continues, we are moving again.) While it may seem unorthodox to some, we are comfortable with our decision. There are American language Spirit-filled churches here. The weather is great and best of all there are no hurricanes down here. The sunrises and sunsets over the mountains and the Pacific are gorgeous . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/again/
Well, the world is certainly in upheaval, and it is a dangerous time. Many believe that we are closing in on the end times that will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon during the great tribulation . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/misplaced-fear/
Yesterday I went fishing with my youngest son and family. He and I set the record on our charter boat for the biggest black marlins ever caught on it. Mine was estimated at 550 lbs. and his 450 lbs . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/the-insanity-of-sin/
My wife and I have gone to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks several times. We have observed beautiful trees surrounding lush green meadows full of wildflowers with a backdrop of majestic snowcapped mountains greeting us. We have seen geysers shooting up against a bluebird sky, eagles soaring and beautiful waterfalls, crystal-clear streams, and pure blue lakes. Herds of antelope, elk, and bison are abundant throughout the park . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/forest-fire-metaphor/
Soon after I was incarcerated in Parrish Prison in New Orleans way back during my dark years, I had a conversation with another inmate. I had discovered that everyone has a story to tell of how they ended up in prison and some were very interesting and even humorous . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/do-you-have-an-escape-plan/
When my kids were in high school one of their friends was being treated terribly by his single mother, and one day she decided to make him pay rent or leave and live on the street. He had an afterschool job stocking the shelves at a grocery store at night that paid a small amount of money, (all of which he was saving in order that he might go to college). His father abandoned their family and was nowhere to be found, and if he were to pay the exorbitant amount of rent money that she was demanding, it would have taken most every penny that he was earning and he would not have been able to attend college . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/reminders-everywhere-2/
Yesterday we drove down the Costa Rican coast to sightsee and our 32-year-old Costa Rican driver was fascinated by the fact that we had been married for 51 years. He asked my wife how we managed to stay together for so many years . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/what-a-team-we-are/
There is an interesting little book about motivation by John Capozzi entitled: “If you want the rainbow . . . You gotta put up with the rain!” I believe this to be true. Most people who fail, do not understand this concept. Sometimes it takes the example of a leader who is undeterred when obstacles of life, (“rain”), are encountered and they fight through them to obtain the goal to help lead others to obtain success, (the rainbow), in similar fashion . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/hypocritical-yapping/
So yesterday we were going fishing and our mate told us three of his young female friends had died the previous night and four more were in the hospital fighting for their lives . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/a-dangerous-day-indeed/
The cold hard reality of dirty politics came out with the revelation this week that Hillary Clinton’s campaign with her approval paid for hackers to spy on Donald Trump just as he claimed a few years back. Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation has “accelerated,” and more people are “cooperating” and coming before the federal grand jury trying to save their own hides and they are implicating her . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/chickens-come-home-to-roost/
Fishing has been great so far in Costa Rica. My son, a friend, Dave Demos, from the keys, and I, caught 15 out of 16 big Pacific sailfish day before yesterday, and yesterday we fished exclusively for marlin and caught 2 out of 3 blue marlin. Both were super days of fishing . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/living-it/
I had a slack day in Costa Rica yesterday. My son and a friend from the Keys didn’t show up until late afternoon and there was no fishing today. So, I decided to scan the news and see what was up . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/hey-remember-freedom/
I saw a video clip one time of people being asked to name as many of the Ten Commandments as they could remember. To my surprise, none of the people could name even one. Young and old took part in the survey at a mall. Now when they were asked to name ten brands of beer, they immediately rattled them off with precision and when finished acted quite proud of their accomplishment . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/name-ten-beers-2/
I was fortunate enough to make the trip to the 80-acre compound that serves as Chick-fil-A headquarters to meet with billionaire Chairman and founder Truett Cathy. Although he was getting on up in age, he was as mentally alert and as sharp as any 20 year old you might meet. It was one of the most interesting meetings that I’ve ever attended . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/giant-of-a-man-2/
Throughout life I have encountered more than my share of lazy people. It seems that some are so lazy they feel that they must rest before going to sleep. Laziness is soundly condemned in the Bible. It started in the very beginning where God said in Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/too-lazy-to-crow-for-day/
I am in Costa Rica and every morning I sit out on my veranda. As usual today a big flock of scarlet macaws descended upon a tree right in front of me. They were happily and loudly squawking and jabbering away in macaw talk and stretching their brightly colored scarlet wings in the sun. Soon enough they found what I assumed to be a weaker member of the flock and start picking on him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/peace-and-harmony/
My daughter-in-law’s father passed away last week. During some of his final moments, she asked him to send her a ladybug when he made it to heaven. So yesterday she walked into a room and sure enough, there was one ladybug in the room . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/comfort-from-above/
Sorrow is a monster! Worry is its companion. Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it compounds it. I experienced incredible sorrow and was grief-stricken when my brother committed suicide. I’ve never gotten over it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/sorrow-is-a-monster/
So, I’m no Sean Penn fan, in fact, he is so liberal I can barely stand to look at him, but recently he said some things with which I agree in a TMZ article as well as a couple of UK-based publications. Below is an excerpt from one article published by TMZ . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/climbing-the-stairway-to-heaven/
By the time most of you read this, my wife and I will be on a jet heading to Costa Rica for a month of fun in the sun and the enjoyment of fishing some of the world’s most bountiful fisheries. When not fishing we will walk the sandy beaches, stare at the azure blue oceans, colorful wildlife and tropical rainforests and of course take a siesta or two . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/02/join-me-on-a-trip-to-paradise/
Let me begin by saying to my Catholic friends that in last Friday’s post in which I said Catholics must pray through a priest that I was referring to Catholicism doctrine that requires that confessions be made through a priest which is indeed unbiblical. But as some of you wrote, non-confessional prayers are encouraged by the Catholic church. Even there they go overboard and encourage praying to Mary and Saints. The Bible tells us to pray directly to God, not to departed flesh. To those of you who wrote thanks for writing and allowing me to clarify my position and interpretation . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/what-rules-your-life/
I was on a plane one night several years ago and was seated next to a scientist. I was very tired and preferred to sleep; however, he was very talkative and preferred to talk. He won the battle due to his being such an interesting guy, so we talked the entire time of the four-hour flight . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/questions-that-stump-us-all/
Imagine eating a meal, but not being able to see it. Dressing in the morning but not having the ability to see the color of your clothes. Needing to have someone else drive you everywhere you go. Hearing voices but not seeing faces. Tripping over a pair of shoes left in plain sight on the floor. Navigating down a staircase in total darkness . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/imagine-2/
A friend of mine sent this commentary on The State of the Union: “In the coming New Year, 2022, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address will occur on the same day. This is an ironic juxtaposition of events. One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication . . . The other involves a groundhog.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/truth-and-patriotism-dinosaurs/
It was bound to happen Russia and China see a weak befuddled President in Biden and are looking to take advantage of the situation and invade their neighbors and expand their power base. Russia is determined to rebuild the USSR and China wants to dominate the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/it-was-bound-to-happen/
We are told not to worry in the Bible by Jesus Himself. Thus, to do otherwise is to sin. God knows everything about you including all your inner secrets, fears . . . everything! In fact, He even knows the number of hairs on your head, and He loves you. If you love God, you can be assured that He has a plan for your life, and it is a good and perfect one . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/shes-scared/
I went pheasant hunting in Iowa one time and we had a terrific hunt. Prior to taking to the fields and our first hunt, we decided to shoot some clay targets to warm up. One of my friends owned the farm and recounted a hilarious story about a guy that went hunting with them who was very arrogant. This dude could not say enough about how great a shot he was and on and on ad nauseam . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/firing-blanks-and-fighting-buckets-2/
So, what does Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “pray without ceasing,” truly mean? Obviously, it cannot mean we should spend the entire day with our eyes shut and heads bowed, we could not serve God. or our families, or fulfill God’s plan for our lives, if we did . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/pray-without-ceasing/
The company that repowered my boat offered to issue me credit for the old engines that I replaced. A friend decided he wanted them and offered to buy them for the same price as the credit that the repower company was offering. I agreed and notified the company that I was going to forego the credit and sell them to him. So, he went to pick them up and the props were not on the engines. He was told I received a credit for them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/go-slow-so-you-look-like-you-know-2/
My prayer list is so long that I can no longer remember all the people for which I’m praying, not to mention the nation and the world that has gone bonkers. Most of my friends seem to take it in stride, but I remember better times and pray for revival daily . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/unheeded-warning/
Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”There is no reason not to take this literally, that God’s new earth will not contain vast areas of saltwater spanning the globe. Freshwater for sure but no oceans . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/it-will-be-for-the-best/
I went fishing with three longtime friends last Friday and I caught a magnificent African Pompano. Remarkably I caught it on 15 lb. test on a light spinning rod and reel. The fish was in the 50 lb. plus range. and it took me almost an hour to get it in the boat. Every time I would get it beside the boat, off the fish would go stripping out 100 or more yards. My arthritic hands were aching as was my back before I finally got it close enough to gaff . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/what-might-have-been-or-what-is/
Everyone is tempted to do the wrong thing from time to time. How we react to temptation, particularly if we are Christians can make a big difference in our own lives, and as is often the case, will affect other lives as well. The following true story submitted by Robert Davis demonstrates this point well . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/just-testing-2/
The Georgia Bulldogs finally won the National Championship last night against Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The last time our team won the National Championship was 40 years ago. It was a dogfight for the first three quarters and then The Dawgs pulled away in the fourth quarter and handily won 33-18 . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/let-the-celebration-begin-2/
Some time back I had a conversation with one of my best friends, Al Cuneo, who along with his son George, diligently take my word document posts and recordings for WFTD each morning and design and put them into the proper format and send them out and archive them into a database. Recently Al and I had a conversation as to who, if anyone, would continue writing Words for the Day after Jesus calls me home. We couldn’t think of anyone, and I suggested that we take the archived library of the past WFTD’s and spend some time on our antiquated website to modernize and employ today’s technology to it including a keyword (s) search for topics of interest . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/always-on-his-mind/
I began writing Words for the Day many years ago because so many of my employees, friends, and acquaintances were experiencing dark trials and tribulation in their lives (just like I was) and I deduced that they needed some encouragement. Many did not seem to study the Bible daily as I did every morning and I decided to begin detailing my daily experiences, thoughts, questions, discouragements, encouragements, etc. as they related to the answers that I found in the Bible . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/finding-light-when-darkness-comes/
I have a rather tough assignment due to one of my New Year’s resolutions. I have decided that my warped sense of humor must go the way of the dinosaur and die. When it comes to chiding people, I can use my rapier wit to slice through the thickest bone with ease. Mind you I only engage in this folly with the people that I love the most in life, and they give it right back to me, and for the most part, it is merely viewed as good fun and banter. But I just don’t feel it is what Jesus wants me to do . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/the-death-of-a-dinosaur/
Several years ago, I agreed to assist my son. My mission was clear: I was to fly up to NYC to try and help my son navigate through an important meeting. So, I drove to a nearby city to catch an early morning, (7 a.m.) direct flight the next day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/in-spite-of-and-not-because-of/
I met hall of fame pro baseball player Brett Butler some time back and he has a fascinating story of triumph over many obstacles in his life including making it to the major leagues in the first place due to his tiny stature. He played for the Dodgers and later the Atlanta Braves and was an all-star player and won numerous awards throughout his career . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/twin-calls-sister-an-idiot-2/
We have a brand-new year looming ahead of us and I’m excited just thinking about it this morning. I wonder what great opportunities and adventures lie ahead. I’m friends with one couple and they take the opposite view and dread it, and even wonder whether they will live through it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2022/01/brush-your-teeth-first-thing/
Quite a few years back I was recording Words for the Day for the audio feature and my radio segment and unbeknownst to me one of my granddaughter twins had gotten up early and come downstairs and overheard me recording it. Later she reported to her mother that, “Papaw was in his office talking to his computer about God.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/get-your-mind-right-2/
I heard an interesting song recently. Its lyrics alluded to those throughout history who at one time or other had been derided for their beliefs and later were ultimately vindicated and finally had the last laugh . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/get-your-mind-right-2/
One of the things I enjoy most in life is conversing in virtually any format, (verbally, phone, or e-mail), with intelligent people. I’ve often counseled junior managers to try and hire the most intelligent team members they can find, and that one can always spot this characteristic by looking into their eyes. I call this phenomenon having “bright eyes”. It doesn’t matter what other physical characteristics they might possess, or what they might happen to be wearing when you look into their eyes and they seem to be “dancing” with life, then chances are good that they will be a “keeper”. The Bible refers to our eyes as “windows of the soul” and “bright eyes” illustrates that concept to me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/hole-carved-in-my-soul/
One time I wanted to buy some land adjoining mine. The old man selling it needed to clear exactly $90 thousand dollars to pay off a loan and position himself for retirement. After some intense negotiations and haggling over the boundary lines, we finally agreed on his price. But when I had it surveyed, I discovered that the boundary was not where he thought it was, and unfortunately, he owned approximately 100 feet less than what he thought he owned, which meant the price would have to go down . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/bested-by-an-ass-2/
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas; I know I sure did. Through a plethora of friends, I miraculously found four brand new 350 HP Mercury engines in Fort Myers to replace my old worn-out engines. I hauled my boat over there and had them installed and brought the boat back to the Keys all in just seven days. The average wait just to receive new engines is 63 weeks and getting someone to install them during Christmas week, well that is unheard of . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/doing-the-right-thing-is-not-what-is-easy/
Well Christmas day is here again. What a great day of celebration. Kids, (adults and otherwise), everywhere are opening presents and enjoying themselves, but the real celebration is the birth of Jesus. The only day that is better is Easter morning. Christ arose on that day and a new beginning emerged for all of humanity . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/merry-christmas-3/
I am most perplexed with the absence of truth in this world. The situation is not unique to today, even Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”. We could ask the same question today and on occasion do. Some folks call the lies of politicians and the media fake news, others call it spin, but the net result is we don’t know what to believe . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/and-the-truth-of-the-matter-is/
My wife and I attended a life celebration service for a dear friend last night. It was held on her birthday and of course, Christmas is just days away which doubled the pain of her leaving us. She was just 56 and was sweet as she could be and loved the Lord with all her heart. It was unusually cold, cloudy, and rainy for the keys last night, and I suppose it was fitting for the circumstance . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/dont-make-the-same-mistake-twice/
I was conversing with a friend recently who could be defined as a “party animal”. He attends more parties than anyone I know, and in the Christmas season, it is non-stop. I have harped at him concerning his drinking which he seems to do night after night. He claims he has cut back on his drinking, but every few days or so I see him pictured on Facebook at another party with another half-empty glass of wine in his hand. It is so frequent a half-empty wine glass has begun to look like an appendage has grown into his hand . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/stumbling-along/
In the year 2000 I received the following from a reader: A wealthy widower and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/saving-the-best-for-first/
Recently a spate of my newer friends have found out about my book, Miracle on Luckie Street, and have begun reading it and/or have watched the video of my testimony given at all three services at First Baptist Church Orlando several years ago . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/fairlie-luckie/
Yesterday I received some wonderful news concerning my boat woes. Most regular readers know that upon returning home from the Bahamas the other day I lost two engines. They were getting very old, and I’ve fished them hard for many years and have been concerned for some time that they might be reaching the end of the line. They now need major expensive repairs to fix them, even if I could find the necessary parts to do so in this Biden age of shortages . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/friends-galore/
I began writing Words for the Day five times per week in 1998. At first, I did not have a program that would keep up with subscribes and unsubscribes but convinced one of my programmers to write one for me in his spare time. This was quite the feat because he was an atheist and despite a relentless effort on my part to lead him to Christ he still is . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/words-for-the-day-2/
I went to a Christmas party in our neighborhood last night. It got dorky in the end when they played a game of trivia. The theme for the trivia was Christmas and it was all about Santa Claus, with questions about who played the bad Santa in a movie, how many reindeer in Santa’s sleigh, what kind of “spirits” are mixed in some Christmas celebration drink, what is the main ingredient in ginger cookies, and so on . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/christmas-grim/
Yesterday I drove for six hours to see an eye doctor and get back home. I waited an hour and a half in his waiting room only to have him tell me I needed to see a specialist because my ailment is beyond his expertise. Wat? I have all but lost my vision at night and dark situations such as restaurants, closets, etc. and was hopeful that something could be done . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/speeding-meteor-or-slow-moving-sloth/
Smash and grab robberies, racism, soaring inflation, open borders, murder rate at an all-time high, China threatening Taiwan, Iran threatening Israel, Russia threatening Ukraine, political polarization, tornadoes, government mandates, propagandized education, mind-boggling national debt, homosexuality dominating every facet of society, inept leadership, abortion – It’s enough to make one gag and/or go nutty . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/what-can-we-do/
Yesterday I went to the Bahamas for a day trip leaving two hours before dawn. The fishing was spectacular, and we caught all the big wahoo we wanted. We encountered several big sharks that had breakfast on us and one of them, (an 8-foot bull shark), got accidentally foul hooked in his dorsal fin when he attacked on of the fish we were reeling in . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/sparrows-and-such/
I was counseling a woman the other day and she was tormented by her past. I can relate because I’ve had a hard time refraining from reliving my past as well. Hers was a sad story of sexual abuse and rape conducted by her own father over a period of years followed by a series of unspeakable things that various evil men perpetuated upon her again and again . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/rear-view-mirror-a-bust-2/
I glanced at the headlines of several news sites this morning and I was thinking about what the biggest threat to our little planet might be. With the Trump presidency out there is lots of saber-rattling going on with both Communist China and Communist Russia seemingly intent upon invading and taking control of Taiwan and Ukraine by force. A nuclear confrontation of planet ending proportion would be likely if either or both occur . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/birth-pains/
Yesterday I went fishing with some new friends on their boat. I don’t allow political discussion on my own boat because I just want to fish and have some fun. Such was not the case on my buddy’s boat and a husband-wife team that he asked to come along were in a political ranting mode for much of the trip . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/think-2/
It is with a heavy-happy heart I report to you that another God-loving friend went to be with the Lord yesterday morning. Bill Glass was my hero, mentor, and good friend of many years. His health had been declining over the past several months and the Lord mercifully called him home . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/heavy-happy-heart/
Yesterday I left home long before daylight in my boat heading for the Bahamas and some fishing. It was pitch black dark and I had to use radar and a huge light recently installed on my boat to get out of the harbor. Once in the open ocean, I turned off the light and we cruised in the inky blackness of the night traveling 45 miles per hour through the open sea for the two-hour trip . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/no-cheap-substitutes-necessary/
I had a buddy who joined the Navy during the Vietnam War. During training a defective hand grenade went off in his hand. Fortunately, the blast went away from his body and didn’t kill him, but he lost his hand in the process. This guy had been a football player, basketball star, and pitched on our baseball team. Now he had a nub where he once had a hand . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/play-with-the-hand-youre-dealt-2/
Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” I used to plant Longleaf pines on my property. Other trees grew much faster and could be harvested and make the most business sense, but Longleaf Pines . . . well they are beautiful. In fact, these trees are the most beautiful of all pines in my estimation. I also love them because they are hardy and resilient and can weather-controlled burns from seedlings until fully mature . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/12/seeds-are-quite-the-phenomenon/
I don’t know why but it is great to see the sunshine. Walt Whitman once wrote, “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you”. This reminds me of Psalms 23 – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me . . . This verse has always appealed to me and should remove all fear of death for all of us. Think about a shadow for a moment. It is nothing more than a silly black image that light obliterates whenever it makes contact . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/sunshine-destroys-enemy/
I’m sure that like me, most, if not all of you, are sick of the disheartening news being vomited upon us by the click-happy media hour by hour. Just when you think it cannot get worse and perhaps there is a glimmer of hope shining through, we read of another tragic situation like the slaughter at the Christmas parade . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/saints-and-aints/
Thanks for the many Thanksgiving Day well wishes. I simply couldn’t answer them all, but I do value them and wanted you to know how much you are appreciated for sending them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/have-you-forgotten-how-to-enjoy-life/
I got an email from a friend in Montana who wrote: The wife of a fine Christian couple we have known for years died from COVID yesterday. She was lucid until the end, saying, “I know where I’m going and I’m ready to go”. The husband has Alzheimer’s and when brought to the hospital didn’t recognize her. Sad situation, but as we say in our men’s Bible study, she just graduated . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/what-to-be-thankful-for/
So yesterday I had some visitors whom I knew only through Words for the Day communications that have spanned some ten years. This couple is from California and were vacationing in Key West and wanted to come by and say hello and put faces with names. They are nice folks, and we enjoyed their brief visit . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/tolerance-or-intolerance/
I just finished my study of the book of Isaiah, and I came away from it with a profound appreciation of God’s holy attributes and power. I also am bewildered at the enormity of what God has created. I thought about this at length and then I thought of the place, (heaven) where I will reside for eternity. Then I asked myself, so, just how big is heaven? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/mind-boggling/
In a couple of days, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy your turkey feast with all the trimmings, and the turkey sandwich feasts for the days thereafter. Also, enjoy non-stop football and, if you are fortunate, spending time with friends and relatives galore . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/dont-ask-but-thank/
I was reading Isaiah chapter 62 as my Bible study chapter today and in verses 1-5 it speaks to Jerusalem and the return of its people from exile. The passage is a partial fulfillment of those times but will find greater fulfillment at the second coming of Christ. “You shall no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall your land any more be termed Desolate: but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for Jehovah delights in you, and your land shall be married And the Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory: and you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/sweet-beulah-land/
I awoke this morning thinking of two of my best friends, TK Wetherell and Jack – “Murf the Surf” – Murphy, who have both gone on to be with the Lord. It seems I would get over their passing and move on, but I just cannot seem to manage it. I think of them every day of my life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/im-thankful-they-lived/
I did not agree with much said by Beatles superstar musician Jon Lennon, but I agree with one of his quotes: Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. Another terrific musician said something along similar lines. Check out Reggae superstar Bob Marley: Open your eyes – look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living? I find it sad that both were cut down at such a young age, Lennon by an assassin and Marley by Melanoma. I feel sure neither thought that life would end so prematurely. With that said even in the short time they lived they did accomplish a tremendous amount . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/dont-turn-off-the-grill-just-yet/
I received a letter from a reader who has learned that God’s immeasurable love and healing can change one’s life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/doctors-and-jesus/
The Bible indicates that in the time of Jesus tax collectors were reviled and governments were corrupt. Not much has changed in 2000 plus years. Indeed, many find themselves struggling like a sea turtle leaving its ocean home and laboriously making its way through thick sandy beaches to lay its eggs . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/struggling-like-a-turtle/
I read a rather humorous story the other day. A fourth-grader celebrated his birthday on crutches, so he couldn’t carry his birthday cake into school without help. His mother asked his older brother to please carry it in for him. “I could,” he said, “but I’d prefer not to.” Spotting a teaching moment, her husband asked him, “What would Jesus do?” he answered, “Jesus would heal him so he could carry his own cake” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/clever-but-get-with-the-program/
Today I go under the knife for skin cancer again. I still have stitches in my back from the last time I visited him, and they are going to remove the stitches and then cut another malignancy from my forehead today. My doctor tells me I experienced too much sun in my youth and now I’m paying for it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/live-life/
I read of two young boys who were at a youth baseball game standing in line at a concession stand. One of the kids made fun of the other and a shoving match ensued. One of the boys grabbed a baseball bat and hit the other in the knee and then a full swing to the head. It instantly killed the boy . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/civility-and-common-sense-gone-and-forgotten/
What are the reasons that so many reject God? Speaking for myself is all I can offer. At one point in our lives, both my mother and I were both atheists. Later in life, we both turned to God and became solid believers. I cannot speak for others including my mother, but I can tell you what changed my mind . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/what-holds-them-back/
I think the biggest turnoff to my way of thinking are the lies. I wonder if anyone in Washington D.C. can tell the truth about anything; politicians, media, bureaucrats are congenital liars with few exceptions. The progressive press tries to use propaganda at every turn to cover for Biden . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/lets-go-brandon-fever/
I’m still getting blowback from one individual about my comments on Catholics the other day. He wrote this morning: Wow – it would take me months to respond to all of the Catholic/Pope bashing . . . I can’t rewrite history – nor do I know the reason the pope didn’t address the abortion issue with Biden and Pelosi . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/catholic-blowback/
I slept hard last night, a rarity for me. So, I stumbled into my office rubbing my eyes and muttering to myself, and read an email from a reader of Words for the Day that was a demonic attack and discouraging. I was thinking I would respond in kind but decided to walk out on my deck for a moment and think it over first . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/dark-cloud-surprise/
Well, here we go again with the Keys receiving a tropical storm warning and prediction that the storm that is currently in Cuba would hit us on Saturday morning. Lots of wind, heavy rain, lightning, and possible tornados are predicted . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/here-we-go-again-2/
I asked my wife yesterday what she thought we would look like in heaven. She gave me a weird look and didn’t seem to understand the question. I elaborated and asked if she thought we would look similar to how we look now or like an apparition or some other form of glorified body. She said maybe we would look like angels. I said, so you think we will have wings? She looked exasperated . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/musings-about-paradise/
The Catholic Pope recently met with both Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden. Despite the Catholic church’s teaching about abortion being an abomination, the Pope allowed them to keep receiving communion and according to them, the Pope told them they were good Catholics. He has since been slammed by many Catholic priests all over the world because no one is working harder to kill unborn children than these two. They have innocent blood on their hands, and it is an unholy sin of which neither has shown the slightest propensity for repentance. They should not be applauded for it, but that sin should be condemned . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/11/is-the-pope-leaving-you-at-the-bus-station/
My Bible study partner has assumed the role of a pilgrim and is currently walking the 500-mile “Camino” trek in Spain. His incessant whimpering and whining about his aching feet every day has been driving me crazy for almost a month. He has six more days to go, and I will be elated when he finishes. I don’t understand why he would subject himself to it, of course, I’m sure he has similar feelings about my obsession for fishing . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/im-not-like-you/
Yesterday I went fishing and had a great time. Today when I awoke, I walked stiff-legged for my first twenty or so steps groaning like my old lab Bear did when he reached the ripe old age of 14. I was talking to one of my fishing buddies about growing old and I told him that when I was young, I couldn’t wait to get older, but this isn’t what I expected. He told me that I really wasn’t that old. I responded by asking if he would buy a car that had 500,000 miles on it, even if it wasn’t “that old”. “I have a lot of miles on me”, I smiled . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/headline-for-the-day/
Unfortunately very few people escape discouragement. I heard a story the other day about a baseball game. The score was 14 to nothing. The players on the losing team understandably appeared dejected and somber, except for one player. He was sitting on the bench with a big wide grin on his face. When asked if he wasn’t discouraged, he replied, “Heck no, we haven’t even been to bat yet”. You gotta love it!" . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/you-gotta-love-it-2/
Our world is divided and polarized by statistics. We are divided by every aspect of our being, financial status, race, gender, political affiliation, religion, education, where we live to name a few . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/one-percenter-is-a-100-percenter/
I went to a new church yesterday and when I walked in, I heard someone call my name. A young friendly guy walked up to me and told me he was the senior pastor and that he had known me from the church I attended in Key Largo. He used to go there too but had moved on to Islamorada and became senior pastor there. I didn’t recognize him but vaguely remembered his name . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/gods-team/
Yesterday I had my experiences with Jack – Murf the Surf – Murphy recorded for use in a four-part documentary being put together by Ron Howard and his Imagine film making company. The interviewer who was one of the co-producers had scheduled it for one hour, but it ended up being three and a half . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/murf-the-surf/
A friend sent me the following beautiful photo that he took in Louisiana on a fishing trip for redfish. As I viewed the photo I couldn’t tell if the sun was rising or setting . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/no-need-for-electricity-or-light-bulbs/
I received an email from a longtime reader last week and it is as follows: I hope you don’t mind, but I have a question for you regarding sin and forgiveness. I know I am forgiven of my sin by GOD’s Grace, through the blood of Christ . . . And I know we all sin, even after we have been forgiven . . . and that we should try as hard as possible NOT to sin . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/i-cant-stop/
I received some correspondence about yesterday’s post and found one letter from a longtime reader and Christian brother. It is as follows: First, my reply/question is not about the rapture. I believe it and hope. My question is about Paul’s statement in 2 Timothy 3:16. When Paul wrote that verse wasn’t Scripture considered to be the first 5 books of the Old Testament, or conceivably the Old Testament in its entirety? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/are-apostle-pauls-thoughts-irrelevant/
I got an interesting letter the other day from a longtime reader. The gist is as follows: “There is no rapture . . . Darby and Scofield have it wrong . . . I am in good company . . . the list is long so I will be brief . . . others that follow my belief include Matthew Henry, John Gill, Charles Spurgeon, Alfred Barnes, Adam Clarke, Martin Luther, etc. The spirit of this world has corrupted the word of God.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/who-what-you-gonna-believe/
Yesterday I had surgery on my back for a malignant skin cancer and if that wasn’t bad enough, he found two more places on my face that he biopsied of which he said he is “deeply concerned“. That is in addition to the 20 some odd places he burned off my arms, back, face, and neck, with liquid nitrogen. My skin is a mess and there are more potential killer barnacles on it now than ever. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if skin cancer takes me out. I’ve already had a melanoma and several other forms of aggressive skin cancer . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/killer-barnacles/
Yesterday I attended a virtual board meeting for the Jesus Alliance. I heard of all the wonderful things being accomplished such as disaster relief efforts, incubator for helping new ministries get up and running, and my personal favorite, distributing evangelical and teaching materials to persecuted churches all over the world via a streaming device that we smuggle in that can be shared by cell phone to home church pastors . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/the-unbeatable-combo/
Yesterday some friends sent us a welcome home gift. We were gone nearly three months and had sent these friends a photo of us standing by a plane that had just landed on a glacier near Denali Alaska. They had the photo blown up and put on a frame and sent it to us out of the blue; we will treasure it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/the-gift-2/
I took my boat to get it serviced this morning and left just prior to sunrise. As with most mornings it looked like it might rain with high dark clouds but when the sun came up as I maneuvered out of the harbor it was glorious. Black clouds were quickly adorned with a silver lining which yielded to the reds, yellows, and oranges of the sun reflecting on clouds as far as the eye could see . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/eager-anticipation/
Yesterday I visited a new church. It was so bitterly cold in that auditorium my lips were turning blue; well maybe that is a slight exaggeration but at least that is how I felt. I told my wife I wished I had worn my Alaska parka. It felt so good to exit that building and walk into the warmth and bright sunshine that I just stood outside for a while basking in the sun before getting in my car . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/patience-and-kindness/
Yesterday I had a good workout in the morning. It was so strenuous in fact, that I decided to lay down and rest for a while. In a little while a buddy came over and interrupted my rest so he could talk. Ugh . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/no-name-pub/
I used to give my testimony somewhere nearly every weekend for many years, actually decades. During this time, I often spoke individually with some of the thousands of people in the audience and I almost always asked them what they wanted most in life. Most responded that they just wanted to be happy . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/the-pursuit-of-happiness/
I read some commentary that was made by former Patriots legendary quarterback Tom Brady, whereby he answered questions concerning whether fans were being forced to choose between him and his former coach Bill Belichick . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/calm-before-the-storm/
My Bible study partner and I are totally transparent with each other and invariably discuss our own shortcomings, weaknesses, frustrations, strong points, highs, and lows, etc. as we write each other seven days per week analyzing each chapter of the Bible. It is amazing how the Bible details these same problems and offers advice on these subjects . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/i-tell-of-great-things/
I rolled into the Florida Keys mid-afternoon Thursday and it’s great to be home in this paradise of turquoise water and to sleep in my own bed. I traveled far and wide on this adventure that began in mid-July, and we saw the beauty of this nation from the Florida Keys to the Arctic Circle and back. We saw some unforgettable terrain that was just short of heaven . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/not-all-was-beauty-and-splendor/
The Bible tells us quite a bit about tough times and how we should endure them. The Bible teaches that we should actually be happy when we endure hard times, as it builds our character. It is very hard for most of us to do though. Just as it is difficult not to be discouraged by the whats going on in the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/10/keep-your-head-up-3/
Yesterday a reader sent me the following in response to a post I wrote concerning choosing friends wisely: “I was teaching a young married Bible study a few years ago and we came to the passage in Matthew 7:1 where Jesus tells us not to judge, “Judge not, that you be not judged” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/judge-or-judge-not/
Well, my whirlwind trip is almost over. It’s hard to believe that I left mid-July and am still not home. I’m going fishing for Wahoo with one of my really good friends and fishing buddies this morning here in Stuart Florida and I look forward to being with him. Whether we catch any fish or not, we will catch up with each other on what is going on in our lives. Then I will head to home sweet home! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/bathing-in-filth/
I was sitting on the plane and they were getting ready to close the door when in walked a drop dead gorgeous young lady that everyone on the plane stopped whatever they were doing in order to ogle at her. I feel sure that she’d waited until the last moment in order that everyone could see her as she made a big production in getting seated on the plane . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/lovely-except-for-the-snout-2/
So, I received a letter from a lady that simply asked me to tell her how I raised my kids in such a manner that they turned out so well. Hmmm . . . That might take writing an entire book to do a proper job with it, but I tried to think of the most important lessons I taught my kids . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/raising-kids-2/
My latest adventure has taken me all over the country. I’ve seen beautiful sights and experienced the glory of God’s creation over thousands and thousands of miles. Someone asked me the other day what my favorite thing I’d done so far has been. Was it California and catching giant bluefin tuna, or catching salmon in the Columbia River Gorge, or the breathtaking immensity of Alaska, or the mountains of North Carolina? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/no-better-legacy/
I once had a training office in Las Vegas and thus spent considerable time there. One day I was in Caesars Palace and was killing some time by checking out one of the most expensive stores located there, and a salesperson came up and told me I would have to leave for a little while . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/plastic-delusion/
One of my biggest regrets in life was not spending more time with my mother while I had the chance. She was tragically taken home by God at just 52 years old with no warning. She had a very bad headache one day and she mentioned to my father that something was bad wrong. So, even though it was Sunday she insisted upon seeing the doctor right then. When she walked into the doctor’s office, she let out a little gasp and then collapsed and died. It turned out she had an undiagnosed brain tumor and it had burst a blood vessel in her brain . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/no-time-for-goodbye/
It seems I misquoted a verse yesterday I humbly apologize. The correct verse should have been Matthew 22:9 instead of Matthew 2:29. Thanks to all you eagle eyed friends keep up the good work . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/sick-soul/
I have nearly completed my latest adventure. I’m going striped bass fishing today in Georgia and on a float trip for trout in Tennessee later in the week with my son Michael and then I’m heading south to visit two different locations in Florida. I’ll be stopping at Carrabelle Florida for snapper and grouper with a good friend who lives there in the panhandle and then further south to fish for Wahoo in Stuart with one of my pals there, as I fish my way home . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/dead-or-alive-2/
The most difficult time in my life, (and I have had many), was when my brother committed suicide. I have not experienced such grief nor wept like that before or since. After his death, I remember lying on my bed with the shades drawn all by myself and rethinking our life together. We faced tough times and good times together. We had our sibling rivalries to be sure, but I can say that we always deeply loved each other . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/the-most-difficult-of-times/
I met a man one time who was of Jewish descent, and upon my asking, told me that he “tried” the Orthodox and Reformed Jewish religion, explored Buddhism, Tao, spiritualism, and even attended a couple of Christian services. He said that he found them all to be paths to enlightenment, but he had none that he favored over another. He then described his personal belief system as being a “humanist” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/talking-coconut-strategy-is-nuts/
I was telling a friend that I just had a couple of more weeks and three more fishing trips and then I had to return to the “daily grind” of the Florida Keys . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/delight-god/
I awoke this morning thinking about the Prez coming out with his silly looking “angry face” and giving his “really scary” ultimatum, YOU WILL DO AS I SAY OR ELSE! MY PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN! All it did was make me want to put my fist in his stupid-looking face. Egad, he is so-o-o obnoxious. It almost makes me wish I was never vaccinated so I could tell him to take a flying leap . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/burning-stinking-hair/
Prior to his passing I sent my good friend Jack – Murf the Surf – Murphy a manuscript from a book I had written about the Last Days (in which we are currently living) and getting the Word of God out to every nation as foretold in the Bible that it must happen. The novel is fictional concerning “how” the Word will be implemented to reach every nation, but is based upon Scripture as to it must happen before Christ returns . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/its-begun/
Someone asked for my opinion on Covid a couple of days ago. My opinion is probably similar to yours in some ways. It’s difficult to get a grip on what is true and what is not true about anything in these days of lies in which we live. It seems that those who control the media have made this issue political and thus it is a giant spin machine. I’m convinced that if someone came along with a total cure that worked 100% of the time and was not in the right political party they would be portrayed as a crazy person by the other side of our divided nation . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/reflections-on-covid/
I was conversing with a friend, and he lamented the fact that I’m traveling and having a ball. He said he was too poor to do what I’m doing. Huh? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/whistler/
One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is how I maintain such a high degree of faith and how they can attain the same level. I am perplexed by this question because I believe everyone has a high degree of faith. When we hop on a plane, we have faith in the pilot and the equipment and that it will arrive . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/world-tour-is-over/
Lately I’ve been besieged with requests for money from both long-time friends and acquaintances whom I barely know. Many don’t understand that I am keenly aware of how it feels to be broke. There was a time when I was homeless and the transition from that stage to where I am today was not an easy one . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/its-not-as-bad-as-it-seems-2/
I watched a television show on archeologists who were digging up dinosaur bones and selling them to various museums. It was amazing to see the size of these beasts. The Bible does not spell out much about that time period prior to what we might refer to as modern times . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/chaos-to-order/
So, I’m presently at remote Denali National Park and I have no Internet service. Hoping my phone will have enough power to send this out. I had a crazy dream last night. Senator Diane Feinstein was hitting on me and rubbing her leg on mine and it was bizarre. As I looked at her in disgust, she smiled a devilish wicked coy look and I almost hurled on her. She looked very old and had so many wrinkles I could barely see her eyes. She had way too much lipstick and was wearing hunting boots and a black dress . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/senator-feinstein-nightmare/
Thanks for the many letters of encouragement, which coincidentally are mentioned today. Some of the names for Satan right alongside Discourager is: Father of Lies, Murderer, Accuser, Adversary, Destroyer, Deceiver, Thief, and Wicked One. This list is incomplete, but we get the drift . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/we-live-in-a-world-of-opposites/
Okay enough with the chastisement for sending the fake news prayer request out – No more letters . . . I was trying to do something good but made a mistake by not double-checking the source of the request. I have apologized and that should be sufficient to any fair-minded person . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/09/are-you-jesus/
My Bible study partner and I just finished studying the book of Proverbs and now we are beginning Ecclesiastes. Written by King Solomon, he was only second in wisdom to Jesus of anyone who ever lived or ever will live, this according to the Bible . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/final-words/
Well, a reader said my emergency post yesterday about the missionaries was a hoax according to Soros funded SNOPES. I apologize if that is the case and SNOPES is accurate; normally I do check things like that prior to sending them out, but in all honesty, I could not imagine anyone lying about something like that. But welcome to social media . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/is-this-america/
I read an update for relief efforts in Afghanistan and an impassioned plea for help by Franklin Graham famed son of the Reverend Billy Graham and President of Samaritans Purse this morning. As one might imagine Afghan terrorists show no mercy to Christians and it is a shoot-on-sight situation . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/not-all-americans-are-idiots/
Yesterday we went on an Alaskan one-day excursion on a large vessel to see the fiords of the Kenai peninsula. It was breathtaking to view the glaciers, towering mountains, deep blue ocean, whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, colorful puffins, and other birds . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/too-much-rain/
I have recently read of Haiti’s latest plight that has struck that tiny nation with it experiencing yet another earthquake with close to 2000 dead. The impoverished nation has also just experienced a major coup with their leader being murdered. Additionally, they have been lashed with tropical storms recently adding more misery. It is one of the poorest countries on the planet and their wretchedness just keep intensifying . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/voodoo-downfall/
I arrived in Alaska and as always was in awe of this beautiful state. We drove down to Seward from Anchorage and stopped at various snow-laden mountains, glaciers, and crystal clear streams and other scenic spots along our route . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/gps/
Today I’m in a confession mode. I confess I thought the people in Oregon were a bunch of radical liberal crazy people and the folks in California were far worse. But having spent some time in both those states in the past few weeks I have come to understand that people are people wherever one goes. There are good people and evil people and it’s been that way since Cain and Able . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/i-confess-and-repent/
I just caught this beautiful Bluefin Tuna in California yesterday. I sent this photo to a couple of friends back home and one told me that at my age I should be fishing for bream. I told him at his age he should just stay in the recliner. He agreed . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/i-may-be-old-but-i-aint-cold-2/
I have a friend who has been financially blessed by God as few others whom I know. Unlike so many others, he is fully cognizant that his fortune was indeed a blessing from God. Consequently, he is very grateful which is demonstrated by his generous giving and his dedication of much of his personal time to furthering God’s kingdom in every manner. And as the Bible predicts, since he adopted that philosophy God has blessed him even more . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/ten-men-healed-one-saved-2/
I was thinking this morning that I’ve enjoyed startling success in life and achieved most of the things I wanted to accomplish. I named my book Miracle on Luckie Street because it is a miracle of God that I’m even alive much less successful . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/the-secret-2/
A friend wrote this morning and said that after reading yesterday’s post it looked like I’d started to read the news again. I admit that I did read the news to find out more about the Taliban fiasco and couldn’t help but note the flood of other problems beseeching our beloved country as I perused the news. I’m disheartened with the catastrophic condition our once highly esteemed country has become . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/cancel-the-silver-alert/
I’m very saddened as I watch helicopters trying to evacuate desperate people from Kabul Afghanistan. America looks like a country in complete disarray, weakened to the point of worldwide ridicule for the actions of our stupid leaders. Poor old senile Joe Biden sits in Camp David on vacation with his family trying to remember where and who he is while throngs of people are in chaos trying to catch a flight out before they get beheaded . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/america-the-beautiful-in-ruins/
I have been enjoying the Pacific Northwest on vacation and haven’t paid much attention to the Florida Keys lately. Yesterday I was sent this beautiful photo of the Keys from the vantage point of the location where I live . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/dreaming-2/
Greetings from an undisclosed location close to Portland Oregon. (LOL – I’m trying to lay low from Antifa thugs since I cannot have a weapon with me in this evil place.) I was appalled yesterday to see a local school that had a sign stating that free breakfast and lunch will be provided for the entire year for every student . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/gimme-gimme-gimme/
Pontius Pilot famously asked Jesus Christ, “What is truth?” The response of Jesus was fascinating. Jesus answered as recorded in John 18, “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” He said in effect that He was truth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/what-is-truth-2/
I just finished reading a true story about a woman who was raised as a preacher’s kid. I was utterly amazed at the patience and love her parents demonstrated toward their daughter. She was unbelievably promiscuous at a very young age and throughout her life. She combined her uninhibited sexual desires with drugs and alcohol and went on to become a serious drug addict to include using crack cocaine for some 28 years . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/not-the-intent-2/
Yesterday I flew into Portland Oregon. It is a beautiful city, however, on the ride out of town to the countryside we saw homeless camps with trash and litter strewn all over the sides of the road. Not since I was in India have I seen such a disgusting mess. It is akin to a third-world country . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/are-the-monkeys-winning/
My wife and I spent some time in North Carolina this week and enjoyed the cool weather and even sat around the fireplace and stared into a crackling fire. This might not be much of a treat to some of you especially my many friends in the heat of the Florida Keys, but it was special for us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/stop-look-listen-3/
So, a friend wrote and told me of all the bad things some people in his life had exacted upon him in just a short period of time. It was a grueling time for him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/closure/
First let me say that I was not talking about the series “The Chosen” yesterday; (please no more letters). I haven’t watched that one yet. The name of the series mentioned in my post is Jesus: His Life and I stand by my comments . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/the-only-truth-left-in-the-world/
So a friend of mine urged me to watch a Prime Video series about the life of Jesus “as told by His closest friends”. Though I appreciated his thinking of me, I was appalled by the series . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/the-only-truth-left-in-the-world/
There is only one instance of anyone teaching anyone how to pray in the Bible and it is Jesus teaching the disciples. They asked Him how to pray, but before He would tell them specifics, He made it clear where they should pray and that was in secret and not in public. This is something that I have not thought about much but has puzzled me from time to time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/08/secret-communication/
Weakness is seen as a terrible thing in our society. “Only the strong survive” is the accepted mantra worldwide and most everyone spurns the weakling. Many are ashamed that they are weak. Many pray that their weakness will be removed by God. Paul did just that in 2 Corinthians when he pleaded with God three times to takeaway an infirmity from him, he referred to it as a “thorn in the flesh” being given to him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/weakling/
Yesterday we took my grandkids to the aquarium. It was fascinating to see God’s creatures, each with their unique characteristics and colorations. It was crowded to capacity, and it was also very interesting to observe the collection of people walking around, each with their unique characteristics and colorations . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/groaning-for-god/
I have an acquaintance with whom I simply cannot effectively communicate and/or get along; this despite determined, sincere, and well-meaning effort on my part to do so. Recently we had another telephone melee, (one of many). After we hung up, in total exasperation I went whining to my wife about it. She had heard this about this fellow many times in the past and apparently was annoyed that yet again I was interrupting her to complain about this same issue . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/barnacles-have-buddies/
So yesterday my wife and I were discussing our upcoming trip and she suddenly said, “Uh oh!” I replied, “What is it?” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/friends-we-need-them/
I received the (lightly edited) letter below from a concerned reader that asks a question that I’ve been asked numerous times. She wrote in response to the analogy I raised about running out of rope and tying a knot in it and hanging on, but then brought up a perplexing problem that haunts many parents . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/our-children-leaving-the-church/
Not so long ago I met with a friend who the last time I saw him was sitting on top of the world, but when I met with him, he looked sad, haggard and defeated. He told me he’d been going through dark trials and tribulation in his life and everywhere he turned he was getting pounded . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/bury-the-past-with-the-rest-of-the-dead/
So today I’m in Valdosta Georgia and will soon leave go to visit my old home Honey Lake and many friends in the area from Honey Lake all the way to Tallahassee. My wife and I left the Keys early in the morning yesterday, stopped in Miami to see a neurologist who told me I will need surgery on my spine again with a three-month recovery. Ughhh . . . We spent 12 hours on the road and were spent by the time we finally ate dinner and got settled in our room and went to sleep . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/i-may-be-old-but-i-aint-cold/
I was reading 1 Thessalonians and it presents a concept that seems puzzling. We are told in the Bible that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” and Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “this day you will be in paradise with Me” and there are many other similar verses in the Bible. Now comes Paul Chapter 4 telling us that we “sleep” when we die and when Christ comes back, we shall rise first and those Christians alive will follow . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/ugly-caterpillar-gets-big-wet-sloppy-kiss/
Several years ago, I was at the airport and got my shoes shined prior to boarding. I normally tip 20%, but I tipped this guy 100% as I could see myself in the mirror-finish that he put on my shoes. They literally looked better than they did when they were brand new, and I was beaming at the superb shine he put on them. I walked around the corner to the airport security line which was no more than twenty steps away . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/fight-the-beast/
Yesterday I took three friends and a tourist I barely know fishing. I had just met the tourist while standing in my front yard in my neighborhood where he is renting a house for a week or so. He was going to buy some ice and asking directions to the closest vendor, and I told him to save his money and time and just bag some up out of my ice machine . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/contagion-that-needs-to-spread/
This has been a very sad week for my wife and me. The loss of our little dog is with us practically every moment. A friend wrote and said, Dogs are so special in our lives. So sorry to hear about yours. They give so much and ask so little. They seem to live life so simply. Wouldn’t we be more pleasing to God if we could have the unconditional faith in our heavenly Father that our dogs have in us their owners? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/sad-times-2/
I have fished near Cuba for many years; it’s only about 80 miles from where I live. Several times through the years I’ve seen Cuban refugees on makeshift boats trying to cross the oftentimes dangerous waters of the Florida straits. The people donned straw hats, many were barefoot, and wore what appeared to be handmade clothes. In a word, they looked very poor and were dressed shabbily and my heart went out for them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/cuba-suffers/
I had a longtime reader write and ask me to get back on the warrior trail to attempt to stem the decline of America. He wanted me to go back on the speaking tour and fight for America the beautiful. He has followed Words for the Day and realizes that I no longer follow the news and believes that if we are to save this great country, we must not drop out, but intensify our efforts to fight for her with every ounce of our strength until we just cannot fight anymore . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/on-the-brink/
Yesterday’s post was very meaningful to me, but as is often the case, the ones I think are the best and should be printed and put away in our Bibles for future reference seem to receive the least response. It seems the ones that are less meaningful to me personally often get a rousing response . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/allowed-intervened/
My twin granddaughters watched the movie Greater on Netflix with my wife and me the other night. If you have not watched it, I would advise you to do so. It is about a youngster who wanted to play football for the Arkansas Razorbacks . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/are-you-submerged/
A friend of mine has daily studied the Bible extensively with me for well over a year. When he started, he knew practically nothing about the Bible, but now knows more than most. He has been a devout Catholic for most of his life and attributes his prior lack of understanding to that church’s failure to preach the word of God . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/a-church-is-not-a-church/
Occasionally I send out a rerun of a Words for The Day. I wrote this one several years ago and received a ton of mail both pro and con. When I originally published it, some who could relate wrote, “Right on bro’ – Good job.” But this WFTD also stimulated some hate mail and in fact holds the record for the most canceled subscriptions and nasty letters of all time. One reader wrote and asked that I remove all Christian-related stickers from my car so as not to demean the good Christians in the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/baring-my-soul/
My youngest son, his wife and my grandsons have been here for the past few days. Every meal a different person has said grace. All of us have participated without hesitation. This is done at restaurants or at home. It has been my experience that saying prayers in front of others is not the norm for most families, but it is in our family . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/my-friend-forever/
We’ve had a hurricane/tropical storm watch and warning here in the keys for the last few days. In fact, the hurricane passed through Cuba last night and moved north into the Gulf of Mexico downgraded to a tropical storm. It is to the west of us, but outer bands passed through the Florida Keys. Currently, we are still under a tropical storm warning as it is passing by us at this very moment . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/adrenaline-junkie/
A friend told me he wanted to be a weather forecaster. He said it was the only job where you could be wrong 52% of the time and still retain a job. Hmmm . . . I wonder if he has thought through what that has to say about the quality of his work and ambition . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/i-wannabe-a-weather-forecaster/
It’s a beautiful morning in the Florida Keys today. My son Jon and his family are set to arrive early Saturday morning for a week and then my middle son, Michael’s 15-year-old twin granddaughters will arrive on Wednesday . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/beauty-and-the-beast/
Yesterday I talked at length with a friend who makes films and he told me about his latest film which is about sex trafficking. He has secured funding and has a couple of academy award winning actors lined up and will be ready to start filming soon. He knew I was active in fighting child sex trafficking and wanted some information on my efforts concerning federal laws pertaining to those who engage in it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/07/on-watch-24-7/
Famed evangelist Charles Spurgeon once said, “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” One of the signs of clinical depression is those who suffer from it cannot seem to get out of bed. Sleep seems to be a defensive mechanism to avoid facing the realities of life (which often translates into hardships of life). I’ve had plenty of hardships, but I found that trying to sleep my way through them didn’t help one darned bit . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/the-buddha-diet/
I spoke with a friend who is struggling to beat cancer and the myriad of serious health issues that accompany it. Understandably his attitude has progressively gotten worse as of late. Yesterday he was down, and I tried to help him as best I knew how . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/gazing-beyond-the-stars/
George Burns once said, You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old. Some of us didn’t get that memo . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/fighting-the-inevitable/
I live on an island, and they are working on the bridge that we must use to come and go to our home. So, due to a 4 ton load limit big heavy trucks cannot cross the bridges and that means I must take our household garbage to a temporary dump a few miles from my house in my pickup truck . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/garbage-juice/
When it comes to being a good artist. I always felt I was borderline. However, judging from the financial success that I had in selling my artwork, one would conclude I must have had something going on because I was very successful in that arena . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/what-are-you-chasing/
This week we had out of town guests and I took them fishing both days of their visit. The first day was excellent and we loaded up on fish including one trophy slammer, but the second day was, well, dismal. We fished the same area under similar wind and weather conditions, but they just would not bite and we caught the bare minimum . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/you-are-not-stuck/
The Bible is very clear that we should not quarrel and argue. Some people seem to thrive on argument. In fact a well known attorney recently wrote a popular book on how to argue and win. Indeed many television shows now exclusively center their themes upon hosting”experts” from the right and the left with heated arguments as the main course. Personally I dislike hearing arguments and/or participating in them. I think most people are in that category . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/quarrel-not-3/
Have you ever wondered why the Lord created humankind in the first place? It seems that we create more problems than we solve in this beautiful world and sometimes seem to be merely an ugly blight on the paradise God created for us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/why-did-god-create-us/
I have a fishing buddy who voted for Biden because he didn’t like some of the snarky things Trump said to demean his antagonists. Now he spends most of his time complaining of high unemployment, our government blowing trillions of dollars on freeloaders, increased taxes, our leadership daily fanning the flames of racism, promoting transgenders, opening our borders to one and all, and on and on . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/hope-he-likes-my-hat/
Did you ever wish evil upon your enemies? I read Psalms 109 this morning for Bible study. David asked God to give payback to someone who had wrongly accused him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/avoid-king-davids-list/
I am amazed at how fast our economy is sinking. My youngest son called yesterday and He was livid. His paycheck was decimated by taxes to nearly half of what he earned. The government took 44% of his pay! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/too-many-pauls/
I told one of my sons yesterday that his mother and I had never been happier than we are right now at this stage of our lives. We are enjoying life to the hilt and we are most definitely standing on one of life’s peaks . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/he-took-me-to-that-place/
Dante once said that “Heaven grew drunken with its universal laughter.” I had never thought about laughter in heaven until I read that quote. The Bible tells us there will be no tears in heaven, no sadness, no sorrow, no grief and it tells us that no eye has ever seen nor ear heard the awesome wonders of heaven . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/drunkenness-in-heaven/
I was on the boxing team in several of the schools I attended. I had a huge advantage in that I was ambidextrous. I write, shoot a rifle, shoot pool left-handed but throw a ball and bat right-handed and my right arm is the stronger . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/the-real-power/
About a year ago, I started allowing our little dog to eat table scraps. It is probably not as healthy for him as his normal dog food but he is so old I figured why not allow him to enjoy what he loves as he lives out his last days. He is almost blind and cannot hear anything and has some aggravating cysts on his body that are inherent in the genetic makeup of the breed. I can relate to him as I’m old, I’m nearly blind, I cannot hear, and I have barnacles on my skin from sun damage that a dermatologist routinely removes . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/the-stare/
I suppose I am an efficiency nut, but I was thinking the other day about effective and efficient prayer. Are there any guidelines as to how to pray? The Bible is full of suggestions about prayer and the answer is yes; however, it would take a book to present them all. I will make a few observations that my research about prayer is beginning to yield and encourage you to conduct some research of your own. It is an important subject as we are instructed to pray constantly and there are ways that we can pray more effectively . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/prayer-tips/
I heard from two of my good friends yesterday that they were worried about me because they haven’t seen any Words for the Day posts published lately. They both view it on Facebook and therein lies the answer. I’m still writing it five days per week just as I have for going on 23 years now, but apparently, Mark Zuckerberg and his minions don’t want you to see it. I suppose his algorithms are busily censoring anything they don’t like which is most of Words for the Day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/stamping-out-the-word/
I have been witnessing extensively to a fishing buddy of mine who is a non-believer. His concept of Christians is all too common. He thinks most Christians are hypocrites and he dislikes hypocrites immensely. No doubt the reason for his disbelief, in part, is a result of some unfortunate incident in his childhood with someone who purported to be a Christian whose poor non- Christian behavior subsequently let him down . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/loving-guidance/
Once upon a time there was a King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/which-wife-do-you-love-the-most-2/
Many people have problems with the Scriptures as questions still remain unanswered no matter how much they are studied. Why do you suppose God did not provide more answers? I believe that the biggest reason is that the answers to some questions are too difficult for us to understand. It is particularly problematic since we are not endowed with being able to see into the future and understand God’s overall plans for us and how everything fits together perfectly according to His larger plan . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/mind-is-already-made-up/
I had a dream one night that upon returning home from a trip I discovered that my wife had tattoos all over her body. Her entire arm was covered with a tattoo that looked like a dragon walking through vines with roses hanging from them. She had tattoos of every type on her ankles, legs, arms, head, everywhere . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/tattoo-woman/
So a friend of mine asked me to go on a Christian retreat with him to Montana next week to do some trout fishing, shoot skeet, and blast a few nuisance prairie dogs. I have several construction projects going and on short notice it seemed to be too much. He implored me to go saying his other Christian friends could not go and he wanted someone to accompany him, so I made some plane reservations . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/06/let-go-and-let-god/
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/window-of-love/
Not long after I became a Christian, I still would drink alcohol most every weekend. I knew a man at work who had a serious problem with drinking and I’d been witnessing to him day in and day out. One day we were having a big party at our house and we ran out of beer and wine. I was elected to go get more, so I went to the grocery store and just as I rounded a corner with a buggy full of the stuff, I nearly ran into the guy I had been witnessing to about drinking. He looked at me and then down at the buggy and back at me and he didn’t have to say a word, “You lousy hypocrite” was written all over his face . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/so-called-christians/
Over the past few years, I’ve come to the conclusion that our society lives in a constant state of discontentment. We’re not happy with our leaders, all our family members, our income, or the things that we have. Our house is too small, our TV is too and is an older model, and our car isn’t as sleek as our neighbors. So what’s a person to do in order to find contentment in such a restless world, and why can’t we seem to find the contentment that we’re looking for . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/content-nah/
A young lady named Sally, related an experience she had in a seminary class, conducted by her professor, (Dr. Smith), who was known for his object lessons. One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/the-darts-we-throw/
I had some communication with a brother in Christ yesterday and he was lamenting the fact that he had started a Christian businessman’s group and out of the 12 guys he had signed up, only 3 were actually “walking the walk” instead of “talking the talk” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/why-doesnt-god-bless-me/
Does God ever directly intervene in our lives? After all He has to be incredibly busy. The latest scientific estimate indicates that there are 100 billion trillion stars in the universe. It is hard to imagine how such a project could be effectively managed and we don’t even know the true extent of it including what is beyond the universe . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/does-god-directly-intervene-in-our-lives/
There is an old American proverb that states: “It’s easy for a stingy man to get rich – but what’s the use?” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/scrooge-and-lose-2/
I often receive e-mails from people who say they are concerned about not having faith as they should. So how does one measure whether or not they have enough faith or indeed have faith at all? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/wanted-dead-or-alive-2/
My wife and I were both sick and feeling lousy a while back and I mentioned it in Words for the Day. A so-called “friend” responded and sarcastically told me that my little pity party was so moving that he felt sorry for me and that it was all he could do to keep from sending me flowers . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/kick-em-while-they-are-down-2/
My oldest son is coming today for a week-long visit and some fishing and I’m really looking forward to it. He lives outside of Portland Oregon and has been unaffected by the antifa thugs, radical liberals, and anarchists living there. He states there is a small enclave of conservatives in his suburb community and they are separated from the radical crazies . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/you-are-not-alone-3/
I was standing by a swimming pool one day and saw a little boy fall in. He sank to the bottom like a rock. His mother was screaming that he couldn’t swim and immediately I dove in and swam down to the bottom of the deep end of the pool and grabbed him and swam towards the surface . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/rescue-someone-3/
I can hardly believe it – Friday is already upon us – Seems like we just had one. Time is racing by and quickly moving towards its own demise. I get a small inkling of what that is like because time is not so important to me anymore and I rarely even know what day it is. They call it “island time” down here in the Florida Keys and no one seems to be in a big hurry. We have all heard the expression fast as a New York minute, but down here it is slow as a Florida Keys minute. I prefer the laid back mellow approach to life these days . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/the-death-of-time/
One of my readers wrote and asked me to write Words for the Day about his friend’s dilemma. It sounded pretty interesting and I don’t think this fellow is alone. I edited it a little for brevity but here is the dilemma . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/attitude-of-non-gratitude/
I have a young friend and fishing buddy who appears to have everything going for him. He is handsome and has a drop dead gorgeous wife and absolutely beautiful children. God has blessed this young man with a strong work ethic and he’s smart . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/a-bird-in-a-snare/
I have many friends who are preparing for the terrible days of judgment predicted in the Bible. Many modern day prophets and Bible scholars are predicting disaster beginning in September of this year. They point to blood moons, shemitah, and the Jewish calendar lining up in a similar configuration to previous years, when disasters such as 9/11 and stock market crashes struck, as precedent for huge world impacting events looming just ahead . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/survival-guide-2/
My wife never seems to worry when I go offshore no matter how far I go or how stormy it might be. The only thing she harasses me about is not focusing on watching where I’m going. I have enough electronics on the boat that it is like monitoring a Boeing 747 so I do have to look at the instruments quite often. I have on occasion been guilty of not looking ahead while doing this . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/the-adventure-continues-3/
So my wife went to Lowes to buy some supplies and needed to read a label. The problem was that she cannot see without her reading glasses which she couldn’t find. So she set out on a journey throughout Lowes looking for some reading glasses to buy . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/who-you-gonna-call-2/
I’m heading my boat to the national park the Dry Tortugas this morning. Fishing on these islands 70 miles west of Key West is renowned. I have several buddies going and it should prove to be fun . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/greatest-gift-2/
My wife took me to task over some comments made to a friend whose wife is suffering from cancer. My friend told me he was angry at God. I told him that disease and other maladies facing humanity including death are caused by sin and he should not be angry at God because his wife is enduring liver cancer and instead direct his anger at sin and the author of it Lucifer . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/taking-me-to-task/
There was a gorgeous sunrise this morning and life is good. I can’t imagine a place I’d rather be than right here in Duck Key. The problems of the world seem far removed from me and I really don’t even know what the crazies are railing about now as I haven’t watched or read any news. My hunch is they are still driving the racism card and WOKE insanity to the brink . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/pigsty/
It is rare for me to be in a bad mood, but the last couple of days I’ve been like an old angry bear – It has been hard to be around me. My lower back hurts, my hearing is all but gone, but worst of all is losing my eyesight. I’ve resumed wearing my hearing aids which helps to prevent me from being stone deaf but nothing can be done about my fading eyesight and macular degeneration. Take it from me it is terrible to lose one’s eyesight and is as frustrating a situation as I’ve ever encountered . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/05/tail-wagging-happy/
Good morning – Early update my back appears to be better after the spinal injection yesterday and the same holds true with the bone graft and gum surgery I had day before yesterday. Going fishing today. The spine shots usually don’t work for 2-3 days but it is feeling a little better already today so I’m optimistic and will be going offshore shortly. The seas are not real calm this morning; I hope the bouncing and jarring around doesn’t hurt me more. Nurses said I should be fine – (Just what I wanted to hear.) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/hope-abounds/
Yesterday I went in to get an implant tooth that was sore looked at by an implant/periodontist expert. and the guy decided to operate on it for an hour including a bone graft. He talked incessantly while he was slicing and peeling my gum back to scrape the metal on the implant and sewing stiches in my gums. He would stop every now and then and ask about my career and when I told him he said it sounded very interesting and I should write a book. I told him I did and he wanted to know the name . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/johnny-appleseed-goes-to-doctor/
When I was young, I worked on cars, did carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, landscaping, and a myriad of other things. I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older it is as though I never knew how to do any of that stuff; hence I pay others to do it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/the-worm-fights-back/
I don’t watch the news at home anymore but saw a few clips of it at a friend’s house a few days ago and it appears that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats stand to lose the mid-term elections and the majority in the House. I wonder if it will make much difference; I hope so . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/king-davids-remedy/
Several years ago a friend had nowhere to store his motorcycle and asked if he could put it in my garage for a while. I told him no problem and he told me just to treat is as my own and ride it anytime I wanted. It was a brand new Kawasaki 1000 and was like sitting on a rocket ship and faster than the wind . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/120-mph-a-dog-a-vow/
I spoke with two of my three sons last week, the youngest and the eldest. Both remarked independent of each other how fast time seems to be moving. Last night we drove down to Key West to go to a Japanese steak house and my wife mentioned it too. Geez, what’s going on with this . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/do-you-love-love-bugs/
I’m facing a real dilemma. Practically all of my fishing buddies are heading back up north for the summer. It kind of caught me by surprise; I knew that they would migrate but I didn’t think they would do so this early. After all the best fishing of the year in the keys is in May . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/friend-dilemma/
I have a friend who is absolutely terrified to die. He is about ten years younger than me and he talks about it every time I see him. He just cannot get over the fact that I’m not afraid of death and cannot understand any risky adventure that I embark on such as going fishing in rough seas . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/the-adventure-continues-2/
I have many friends involved with all sorts of ministry. God called different people to use their Christlike passion for all sorts of needs in His kingdom. I was blessed with many gifts but I’m elated that God’s primary gift to me was evangelism . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/evangelistic-bonanza/
I went to a concert at an amphitheater in Key West Saturday night and I was impressed with the demeanor of the people attending. Everyone we encountered was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed. We went with some friends and ran into some of our other good friends while there. The weather was perfect and the music was great. And yesterday I missed church in order to go fishing with a friend and his six year old son Mikey . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/mikey-and-the-big-fish/
Friday has arrived and the weather is terrific here. Not a cloud in the sky or whisper of wind which leaves the ocean looking like a sheet of glass. Now most folks might think that is a good thing, but invariably along comes someone who finds something wrong with it; it’s gonna be a hot one today, fish don’t bite well in calm seas, etc. etc. . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/cringeworthy-words-for-the-day/
My son visited last week and we went fishing on Friday. He insisted that he clean the boat and stated he needed no help and could clean it faster without me. I thought that was a nice gesture and thanked him. When he finished cleaning it, he needed to finish raising the boat on the lift . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/strangle-comes-to-mind/
I had some fans in my new house that were malfunctioning. So I went in and tried the in wall switch and the fan remote and nothing happened. So I got a little bent out of shape and started violently pushing buttons as fast as I could . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/mystery-fans/
So I went to a new men’s group Bible study last night with a friend and lo and behold it was being taught by an old friend from some time ago who attended the same church I did when I lived in Islamorada. It is interesting that he is now the pastor of the church where the Bible study was held . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/i-dont-want-to-but-i-do/
Another of my friends, a true warrior for God, entered heaven a few days ago. Bill Fries was one of the gentlest souls I’ve ever me and a true gentleman. He was one of the good guys. He graduated from the Naval academy and served on a submarine for his sterling career and then he entered prison ministry . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/another-warrior-has-fallen/
I think I accidentally misled some of you in yesterday’s post. I wasn’t talking about stopping writing Words for the Day, rather that I might quit sending it via Facebook due to Facebook being one of the most biased companies in the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/greatest-joy-in-life/
Happy Thursday my friends. I hope today is the best day of your life. My son deleted all of his social media apps about a month ago and this week deleted all of his news apps. He quit watching the news on television some time ago. I asked how he would know whether or not we were in a war. He just grinned and said I suppose someone will tell me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/changing-focus/
I once read an interesting book on motivation by John Capozzi entitled: “If you want the rainbow . . . You gotta put up with the rain!” I believe this to be true. It has been my experience that most people who do not succeed, do not understand this concept and at the first sign of trouble quit and accept their defeat . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/do-you-push-or-pull-2/
I haven’t watched the news on television in over a year now. Sometimes I scan news websites to see if we are in a war and I always come away madder than a hornet knocked off its nest . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/red-sky-in-the-morning/
I was talking to a buddy of mine recently and the subject of divorce came up. He was laughing that three of his four kids were either divorced or going through one. This seemed odd to me because he has been married over 50 years. It seems he could have passed on some of his secrets to success and he would be dismayed about so much heartache in his family, instead of laughing about it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/one-of-lifes-toughest-puzzles/
A question that used to really bug me was along the following lines: Jesus foretold the length of time He would be in the grave as a sign that He was the Messiah. But that time simply doesn’t fit between a supposed Good Friday crucifixion and burial and an Easter Sunday resurrection . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/does-it-bug-you/
We had dinner with some new friends last night and we discussed the time I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I related to them that my transformation was immediate and I felt the Holy Spirit fill me with His presence literally from head to toe. My entire mindset changed in a moment and I no longer wanted to do the former things which were evil through and through . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/04/sorrow-to-joy/
We are fast approaching the most important day of the year and it’s not about Easter bunnies laying brightly colored chicken eggs and having little rug rats running around everywhere to look for them, (as fun as that might be.) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/what-exactly-are-we-celebrating/
I was reading a letter written by famed intellect and former atheist C.S. Lewis this morning. It detailed his musings concerning a conception of heaven. He wrote, “The symbols under which Heaven is presented to us are (a) a dinner party, (b) a wedding, (c) a city, and (d) a concert. It would be grotesque to suppose that the guests or citizens or members of the choir didn’t know one another. And how can love of one another be commanded in this life if it is to be cut short at death? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/seeds-dreams-and-butterflies/
Last night I was walking up the steps to my new home in the back yard and I saw the full moon rising and reflecting the sun to make it appear orange . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/full-moon-rising/
So several of you have inquired as to how my move into my new home is going. Actually it has gone far better than anticipated, albeit it still looks like a hurricane came through . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/it-never-happened/
From a very young age I was made fun of and was the main focus of derision in my family and later by others in a position of authority. I was often told that I would never amount to anything and I was a black sheep and an anomaly to the good Williamson name. Anything positive I did was glossed over, while the negative was magnified . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/who-do-you-listen-to-2/
Yesterday we hauled three moving trucks by barge for my move. It was extremely difficult work to get the trucks there and then the furniture had to be taken up stairs and much of it was HEAVY! The movers sent seven big guys and they were dragging when we finally unloaded the last item . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/when-you-stand-before-god/
Well today is moving day. Three moving trucks should arrive from Jupiter between 8-9 and then the hard work of unloading, unpacking, organizing, and putting things where they belong will begin in earnest. It will likely take at least a couple of weeks to accomplish . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/shadows-are-fleeing/
Our little dog Cooper is getting up in years. He is nearly 13 now and his activity consists of sleeping all day and only getting up to eat and go to the bathroom. His exercise is limited to occasionally moving from one favorite sleeping spot to another and he visits with us for maybe an hour a day. Gone are the days of tearing around the house and pouncing on his stuffed toys and violently shaking them until they squeak . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/make-the-call/
One time I went hunting with someone whom I barely knew. We entered a vast swamp and we walked a considerable distance looking for a new place to hunt. Everything began looking the same in this overgrown swamp and soon we were completely lost. When I announced that I didn’t have a clue as to which direction our vehicle was located my companion completely panicked . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/lost-and-found-2/
A few years back some friends of mine from church and I went into a prison located about an hour and a half from my home and ministered to the inmates. We were welcomed by one and all, and the place was packed. Prison evangelist and musician Kenny Munds accompanied by Jack, (Murf the Surf) Murphy played some rousing and inspiring music and during their performance offered encouraging words from their life experience. I finished it up by giving my complete testimony . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/stand-up/
So today we’re scheduled to close on our new home. At least that is the hope. At this point I will believe it when I see it. It was supposed to close in early November, then by Thanksgiving, the next promise was before Christmas, then by the first of the year and so on. Lying comes second nature to those involved with its construction and they should consider publishing a book with the title, “The Book of lies for every occasion." . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/patiently-boiling-shrimp/
I am still a big fan of motivational speaker Zig Ziglar even though he passed away in 2012. Once I saw him speak in person and he was as charismatic, funny, and razor sharp as anyone I’ve ever heard. He had a unique way of looking at criticism. He said, “Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember – the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.” I remember, all too well, being criticized for nearly every project I undertook, but it fell off my back like rain on a duck . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/take-a-bath-daily/
I hear many people today complaining about how our American culture has slipped into a morass of amoral behavior. Some blame it on the church, stating that they have become institutionalized and are no longer serving their purpose. People attend for an hour or so a week and then head for the golf course . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/come-together/
I wrote something this week and received zero comments from you guys which seemed odd to me because I thought it was very profound. I wrote that I desire to, Stop trying to calm the storms of life and instead calm myself . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/profound-but-no-one-cared/
It has been said that the people that we want to help the most in life are the very ones who will not allow it. I realize that my job is to plant seeds and it is God that draws them to Himself, but that is small consolation when we love someone and invest all of our time and energy in them to try and help them find their way to the peace, joy, and love of Jesus, only to have those efforts spurned. We are cursed for our love for them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/cursed-for-love-2/
So yesterday we finally got the Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for our new home. We signed the contract to buy this home back in August and were assured that it would be completed and we could move in by early November . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/remain-calm/
I read a quote by Beatles legend John Lennon that rings ever so true, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” I was having a conversation with a buddy not long ago and during the conversation I invited him to come down and go fishing when it reaches its peak in a couple of months . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/explore-dream-discover/
I went out to dinner with some friends last night and the subject of mega preacher Andy Stanley came up. I am not enamored by him due to his rejection and disbelief of certain parts of the Bible. He seems to think parts of it, especially the Old Testament were written by old men and are not to be believed. Stanley argues that our faith is based on the resurrection and not the Bible . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/the-bible-says-god-says/
My wife and I got our second and final COVID shots on Wednesday and yesterday I felt fine but my wife felt lousy. Today she feels much better. We had to go to the Florida panhandle in Madison, Florida for our shots and due to arriving early had a chance to drive out to nearby Honey Lake and check it out . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/misty-morning/
I have written many times about having concern for my kids and grandkids due to the anti-Christ position of so many in the world. The “If it is wrong – it is right” mentality seems to be gaining momentum and I fear that my grandkids might be swayed by their venom especially when they attend college. I have spoken to some young people who themselves have expressed doubt that they should even bring a child into this world with all of its seemingly impossible to solve problems at this time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/perfect-timing/
It’s spooky seeing our Democrat controlled government and their ultra-left-wing radical following going after the freedoms that we cherish. The cancel culture snuffs out anyone who dares speak out against them and doesn’t toe their Communist inspired policies . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/broken-teeth-and-cheekbones/
One time I had a young employee come to my office and ask for counseling. I agreed and she suddenly burst into tears and as I tried to calm her down and console her, she blurted out that her grandfather had told her that if she attended a worship service where musical instruments were used, she would go to hell . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/guitar-will-put-you-in-hell/
One of the things I enjoy about going fishing is leaving the dock early in the morning at the crack of dawn. As we head offshore through the turquoise water to the deep blue I enjoy looking back at the foamy wake and the trail that the powerful engines leave. The spray literally glistens as the boat glides along pushing neat rows of white water aside . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/03/face-lifts-that-sag/
I’ve been watching the Netflix series Heartland and am envious of the family environment in which they exist. Family is everything and though they are beset with all of the problems facing the world they stick together and get through it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/small-town-heaven/
I met a scientist who also happened to be an astronaut on a plane one time. This guy was really fascinating. He was a biochemist and was conducting experiments on the space shuttle. His experiment was to grow crystals from proteins. In essence they grow perfectly in space because there is no gravity . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/killer-anthrax/
I’ve spent far too much time dwelling on the past, particularly my unhappy childhood. I have some friends that spend far too much time worrying about the future. Well what about today? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/lets-begin/
I was sitting at my desk this morning and praying and wondering what the Lord would have me write about today. I went to get a glass of sweet tea and could just barely make out the sun as it slowly began to make its appearance on the distant horizon. I walked out on the deck to get a better look and felt the warmth of the tropics that blanketed me and the humidity of the Florida Keys. (I like it warm and humid) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/no-more-drama/
I have been plunking away on the guitar for more years than I can remember. I have learned that in order to play respectable, (at least for me) it takes years and not weeks or months. Sometimes it is intimidating and downright depressing to see some of the great players playing flawlessly with ease . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/thousand-mile-journey/
I went to the dermatologist yesterday and he did everything but burn me at the stake removing wannabe cancer spots. He didn’t bat an eye as he sprayed nitrous oxide on my hands, arms, back, and face freezing and killing off some 30-40 potential skin cancers. This morning I have blisters all over my body from it that look gross . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/poor-baby/
I read an interesting true story this morning. During WW II a young Jewish girl in the Warsaw ghetto of Poland managed to escape prison and hide in a cave. Tragically she died shortly before the Allied Army liberated the prisoners. But before she died, she scratched some powerful words on the wall: "I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when not feeling it. I believe in God even when He is silent" . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/dying-girls-cave-message/
I get correspondence every day from Words for the Day. I love to hear from readers good or bad and encourage you to keep them coming. Most are very interesting and are helpful in my own life and I consider it to be one of the most valuable rewards for writing it. I especially like the different points of view I receive and trust me I read every one of them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/feedback-2/
As anticipated, I received a flurry of letters about my zealot comments yesterday. One fiery zealot wrote: "He said turn the other cheek, but I’m not sure that means in the collective." . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/fiery-zealot-takes-me-to-task/
I read a poignant quote that seems to resonate ever more loudly in these difficult days. “For all the anxieties, pressures, and disappointments we wrestle with, it is encouraging to remember that God’s people are only on temporary assignment in the wilderness of this world.” – Dr. David Jeremiah . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/are-you-a-zealot/
So is anybody watching the latest impeachment attempt of President Trump or should I say former President Trump. According to a poll I saw last night 96.1% are not watching. Hmmm . . . Maybe American people are not as dumb as they voted . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/what-happened-to-the-america-we-loved/
So to those who wrote to torment me and have fun at my expense concerning my scheduled colonoscopy, I have the last laugh at least for now. Yesterday I found out my insurance is not in the network at the local hospital here and so I postponed the colonoscopy to another day and another hospital whereby I will not have to pay for the procedure out of pocket. I found out just prior to drinking the blowout poison so instead I had a big plate of spaghetti and later that night a big feast of fresh fish and called it a day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/small-still-voice/
So yesterday a buddy of mine and I went fishing and caught some tasty table fare. Thirty four miles out the beautiful deep blue water of the sea it was restless with 3-5 waves. It was difficult to stand there and fish with those big waves crashing against the boat, but we had a great time. I lost the big fish of the day when my braided 50lb line broke and I discovered the ferrule on the rod tip was broken which left a jagged edge that cut the line. Bye-bye big fish . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/nowhere-to-look-but-up/
Yesterday I had a Covid test. They must have used a 24” cotton swab and rammed it half way through my brain. It stimulated a coughing fit and tears began streaming down my face. I had to get the test before being admitted into the hospital for a colonoscopy on Thursday. Tomorrow will be spent drinking foul liquid and sitting on the pot. The only good news is that barring them finding some type of colon cancer with the procedure, I will not ever have to get another due to my age . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/dont-extinguish-the-spirit/
My Bible study partner is traveling all through the west, primarily the mountains but he is drinking in its beauty. Recently he visited the Painted Desert and the petrified forest and yesterday was going to the Grand Canyon. When he is not sight-seeing, he is skiing some of the most beautiful mountains in the west . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/no-excuse-2/
A friend of mine is a talented artist and I have bought a few of his renderings in the last couple of years. When I was living in the Florida Keys, I took him fishing several times and ended up witnessing to him on these occasions. He’d been an alcoholic for many years and that problem combined with his non-Christian lifestyle, had pretty much devastated his life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/fall-and-then-get-up-2/
I returned last night from an arduous trip to Madison County near Honey Lake to get our COVID vaccinations. We elected to drive rather than fly because either way would have taken the same amount of time considering the amount of time it would take if we drove up to Miami airport, plus we had our little dog Cooper to consider, and the risk of COVID from flying with sick people . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/the-unanswerable-question/
After enduring ridicule for as long as I can remember, I became convinced at a very young age that I was never going to amount to anything and finally I just gave up trying. The only thing I seemed to excel in was being a bad boy, so I embraced it. It led to alcoholism, drug addiction, violent antisocial criminal behavior, bitterness and hatred which led to even lower self-esteem and abject failure in every area of my life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/tearing-down-doesnt-build-up-duh-2/
Have you ever heard the expression, “The Lord works in mysterious ways?” It is a derivative of the plethora of Bible verses that speak of the mystery surrounding God. Recently I friend of mine told me that I had been blessed by God and that He has found favor in me and then he gave a couple of examples of things that had recently happened in my life to prove his point . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/that-which-is-truly-life/
In December my wife and I celebrated our 50th year of marriage. Not long ago a reader wrote and asked how in the world we accomplished such a feat in this day and time. She said in that amount of time we surely have had reasons enough to split and go our separate ways . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/02/bend-like-a-reed/
Anyone who knows me readily understands that I have a deep love for the sea. I deem it to be one of God’s most expressive and interesting creations. To me it’s absolutely beautiful when it’s angry and raging or peaceful and glassy calm . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/which-pig-are-you/
Covid seems to be defying the world as it continues to wreak destruction and wage war against humanity and just this week it hit close to home twice. I got news this morning that one of my former longtime loyal employees and friend Steve Davis, died of Covid yesterday . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/after-death-does-us-part/
A good friend called me yesterday and wanted to know what was going to happen to our country. She said, “If anyone would know it would be you.” I told her I didn’t know where she got that because all I can do is guess like the rest of the world. There is no news outlet that I can find that actually tells the truth so we are left in that position of guessing what is really going on . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/youre-in-gods-hands/
I called a boat captain friend of mine whom I haven’t heard from in a while and he told me he’d just returned from burying his father. He died from Covid at 70 years old and had been on a ventilator for 21 days. He told me that a 39 year old man on the same ward with his father and who had no underlying conditions and in fact was in excellent physical condition due to his workout regime died on the same day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/dont-be-cavalier/
It seems that big business is finally beginning to understand that the country is divided right down the middle and catering to one side or the other is costing them big dollars . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/the-evil-tree/
My wife and I were scheduled to get our Covid vaccines, but after scheduling us to get them, they ran out of vaccine and told us they would call us and NOT to call them. You gotta love the government bureaucracy – NOT! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/dwell-on-the-reminders/
Well supposedly we will finally receive our Certificate of Occupancy which will clear the way to move into our new house today. In the Florida Keys getting a home built with a practically non-existent mostly inept workforce and through all of the permits and regulations ever devised is nothing short of a miracle akin to parting the Red Sea. Well maybe not that difficult, but nonetheless a formidable task . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/born-to-be-loved/
Today is inauguration today – Well that sucks . . . Biden is arguably the head of the dumbest administration ever and if that is not enough is preparing to add to it with transgenders and miscellaneous radically liberal nutcases to lead our nation right down to the abyss . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/thats-enough-for-me/
Yesterday I went fishing with a buddy who is about the same age as me. We went in his boat which is located on a canal lined with houses. My friend is past president of the fishing club for the community and knows practically everyone living there. He began pointing out house after house where people he knew had lived that have recently died . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/hop-on-the-meteor/
So today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He was a pivotal advocate for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. King experienced racism from an early age, and those events stayed with him and eventually led him to dedicate his life to bring about change. I remember the days when signs directed “colored” to drink from separate water fountains and blacks had to ride in the back of the bus with whites riding in the front . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/a-man-of-great-courage/
I had a conversation with Orlando 1st Baptist Church mega-preacher David Uth a while back and he spoke of several people in his church who had come to him complaining and bemoaning the fact that there weren’t any Christians in their workplace. I assume they wanted to be consoled, but instead Pastor David loudly exclaimed. That’s wonderful news! What a great opportunity to witness . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/knowing-where-to-dig-for-gold/
Despite the cesspool of evil in Washington D.C. (where Satan resides) and his vacation homes in NYC, San Francisco, and other hell-holes strategically located around the country that he uses to expand his dominion of our society and the world, we, the followers of Jesus, still love God, trust in Jesus, and walk in the Spirit. We still can live Spirit filled lives and for all practical purpose ignore him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/fill-her-up-with-high-test/
A reader sent me the following quote and rendering of one of the greatest stars of all time, John Wayne: “COURAGE . . . is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway . . .” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/well-educated-idiots/
A friend of mine texted me last night and asked “Will you share your insight on the near future of our republic?” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/courage-and-bravery/
Much like a Cat 5 hurricane, 2020 has left a wake of destruction in its path. What would you think is the biggest casualty? Many might think it was President Trump, but that is not even close. We lost something in this country that is far more important than an individual, we lost the truth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/mortally-wounded/
In the past two days I’ve had two friends relate to me that they had a close friend who either attempted or was seriously contemplating suicide. As many of you know my grandfather, two of my uncles, and my only sibling, my brother Jim, committed suicide. Add to that countless friends and acquaintances that I’ve known that have taken that route and I regret to say that I too have contemplated suicide on many occasions in my younger days. I am far too familiar with this evil . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/the-pain-and-gain/
Well our country is deeply divided that is for sure. Half believe the Democrats stole the election and the other half says no. So several thousand people tried to take matters into their own hands and stop the election process and it didn’t work out as planned . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/troubles-i-got-a-few/
C.S. Lewis wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” At first glance I didn’t understand this at all, but upon reading it a couple of times it grew on me. I think his meaning is that the sun is light and because of it we can see. Christ is the light and through Him we can see. Without Christ we only see darkness. Most of the world is blanketed with the darkness of sin and cannot see past it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/the-sun-has-risen/
I’m in Miami awaiting a full battery of tests today including bone scan, advanced spinal X-rays, and MRI. My day starts very early and ends late in the afternoon. Then I will see one of the best spinal surgeons in the country on Wednesday for the verdict . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/perhaps-that-is-the-point/
Yesterday I got up early to study my Bible and then I went fishing with a friend and his better half. My wife didn’t go because she didn’t want to get up early, (a decision she regretted later in the day.) It was a beautiful picture perfect day with gentle breezes and temperatures in the low 80’s and the fishing was good. For the most part I drove the boat and let them catch the fish except for the few times that we got a triple header. It was a little windy very early but dropped down to a gentle breeze by mid-morning . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/misery-is-a-poor-companion/
2020 is behind us and I, for one, don’t regret seeing it go. Not that I anticipate 2021 getting any better, but we are one step closer to whenever things finally do change for the better. It reminds me of riding out a hurricane. Half of it passes causing destruction and mayhem and then the eye of the storm appears for a while bringing tropical blues skies and rest before the other side slams into us and rages on. It is a reminder and gives us assurance that the storm will not last forever and calm will replace it at some point . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2021/01/peace-and-good-will/
So another New Year is nearly upon us. Much like 911 changed air travel for good and set up TSA, I believe Covid will change America for good. Will they establish a CSA (Covid Security Agency)? If Covid is cured will the Chinese just release another deadly strain? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/university-of-heaven/
Our family was discussing NFL star quarterback Tom Brady and his amazing success, and I mentioned that his wife was a witch. It was as though I was speaking in a foreign tongue. They thought I might have said another word that rhymes with witch and I had to explain I was referring to witch as in witchcraft before they finally understood . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/witches-are-all-evil/
Most true believers who are not turning a blind eye to our dire situation realize that fact and that we must repent and return to God. Unfortunately, as Cahn has said: “In these past four years, with all the victories in the political realm, we have not seen a parallel victory in the realm of revival of America as a nation. It hasn’t moved closer to God as a nation. It has moved farther away: spiritually, culturally, morally. America has continued its race to judgment . . . Without revival, without returning to God, America is lost.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/what-lies-ahead-for-the-remnant/
Reading Andrew Carnegie’s, How to Win Friends and Influence People, will convince you that humans are obsessed with self. The book is awesome and was required reading for my executive team in most every company that I owned. It is useful in business because making customers happy is all about them and not you . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/selfhood/
Bernard Manning said, “I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note saying, toys not included.” As we close out 2020, I thought of this quote and it seemed to sum up some people’s feelings for most of the year. 2020 has been mostly one big disappointment, or has it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/toys-need-batteries/
Our calendar changed 2020 years ago with the birth of our Savior. We can only imagine how excited the wise men were as they observed the star shining down on Jesus as they approached the new born King who would change the entire world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/gifts-of-love/
Yesterday I wrote of my wife’s brother’s death from Covid and one of my friends immediately chastised me for not taking the disease seriously enough. He is obsessed with Covid and thinks about it every waking minute. He wants everyone else to be as obsessed with it as he is and since I’m not, he took the opportunity to tell me that maybe this will wake me up . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/too-much-hot-air/
My wife’s brother died this week from Covid. He went into the hospital and immediately developed pneumonia and was put on a ventilator and then his kidneys failed, and a lung collapsed and that was it. He was 75 . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/its-time-for-paradise/
Two of my sons and their families are coming down for a week’s visit the day after Christmas. They will definitely want to go fishing and I’ve been working on cleaning my boat, (which was filthy,) prior to their arrival. I worked 4 1/2 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday cleaning it and I’m heading back over there this morning for round three I’m supposed to meet a buddy over there shortly . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/cussing-up-a-blue-moon/
I saw a quote by Jack Handey that read: "Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes." . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/pray-that-your-sock-slides-down/
Only a few times through the years have I included an entire article written by another author in Words for the Day, but today’s read written by Shawn Akers and posted in Charisma News is an important message that every Christian should read. It concerns a subject about which I am quite concerned . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/the-coming-persecution/
The Bible says in Proverbs 25:28 – A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. In biblical times cities were fortified with huge walls to keep out marauders. When the Jews were captured and hauled to Babylon, Jerusalem had huge fortified walls, a beautiful temple and magnificent city . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/mission-impossible/
Yesterday I took a couple of first timers sword fishing. It was a beautiful day and we quickly covered the 35 miles to the swordfish grounds. We saw a large school of porpoise on the way and it was fun watching them leaping through the water . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/instant-gratification/
My brother did not have one person (other than family) attend his funeral. It was the saddest thing I’ve ever experienced and I think of it often. Imagine spending a lifetime, (52), and not having even one friend . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/when-the-world-bounces-away-from-you-2/
I am constantly astounded at the freedoms being taken away from us in this country, one of the most vital of which is freedom of speech. Unfortunately global media of any format is dominated by far left liberals. Social media outlets are no longer even covert about it and are flaunting their power openly . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/i-wont-shut-up-will-you/
I thought I’d heard it all but during last week’s interview with YouTube sensation and boxer Jake Paul, former ESPN talker Jemele Hill who is black asked Paul who is white if it was “racist” for him to have knocked out his black opponent, Nate Robinson, last month . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/role-models-give-me-a-break/
So this morning I have an appointment with a spine surgeon. I dislike the thought of going through another painful back surgery and the long recovery, but the pain from my deteriorating discs putting pressure on my sciatic nerve has reached the point whereby something must be done . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/no-pain-no-gain/
One of the first businesses I ever founded was a taxidermy studio. I did so because I was such an avid fanatical outdoorsman and I loved wildlife and being able to preserve it in an artful manner. It was something I really enjoyed. I was very successful and soon was taking home close to $100,000 after taxes. This was several decades ago and that was big money back in the early 1970’s . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/another-root/
We all know someone, or are related to someone guilty of having an “enemies list”. In fact many reading this have one. The people on that list are people who have wronged us, (at least in our mind). They are “blacklisted” and are at the very least doomed to remain “unblessed” by our presence as punishment for wronging us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/blacklist-2/
My wife is driving me bonkers concerning our new home. We are building in the Florida Keys and admittedly the workforce and the regulatory compliance people here march to a different drummer than anywhere I’ve ever lived. Obtaining permits and complying with them is archaic and had the Egyptians employed their tactics the pyramids would still not be completed . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/this-aint-disneyland/
I’ve been guilty on many occasions of not praying for things concerning me because I don’t want to bother God with my relatively insignificant needs when so many people in the world are truly suffering with needs that far surpass my own. I’ve heard others express the same sentiment about prayer . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/pea-brained-limits/
As anticipated some Bozo disparaged me for my intended message of encouraging others to serve the Lord in yesterday’s post. Essentially, I related the overwhelming sense of gratitude I have for God allowing me to be a part of serving Him. In fact my wife and I held hands while still on the Key Largo church grounds and prayed and thanked Him for enabling us to be a part of its existence . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/bozo-doesnt-get-it/
Several years ago my wife and I donated a large piece of waterfront property to our church in Key Largo. The project languished for years for one cause or another and I was very disappointed that they didn’t ever do anything with it. So we left for a little over a decade and a year and a half or so ago some friends told us that the church had received the permit to build and construction had begun. We were elated! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/12/richest-person-in-the-cemetery/
I have discovered a quick efficient Covid test that can be administered every morning in the convenience of your home. There is nothing to stick up your nose; there is no need to go anywhere. In fact, you can wear your pajamas while administering it as you lay in bed. The result of the test is instant and the moment you awaken you will know if you have Covid or not. And perhaps the best news of all is that it’s absolutely FREE, I’ll never make a copper penny off my discovery . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/sometimes-the-monster-wins/
Thanks to my many friends who have wished me happy birthday this morning (and yesterday a happy Thanksgiving.) I actually slept in this morning, something really rare for me. Getting up at 7:45 as I did today is as rare as an albino Marlin. (I’ve never seen one.) I was trying to figure out why I slept so long and decided that God just wanted me to relax; (it couldn’t be that I’m getting old eh?) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/just-another-day-in-paradise/
Well we finally made it to Thanksgiving. Lots of liberals trying to force families and friends not to gather together to celebrate this blessed day but most seem to just ignore them. I read where one legislator wants to do away with Thanksgiving altogether. She was shown in a photo beating on a drum. Poor lady is so twisted she can’t even force herself to offer thanks, so she beats on a drum to vent . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/happy-thanksgiving/
There is a beautiful sunrise in the Florida Keys this morning. It is accompanied by a nice tropical breeze and swaying coconut trees. It makes me feel good to be alive this morning. A friend of mine went to see his family up North and sent me a photo of very crowded lines at the Fort Lauderdale airport and gloated over the fact that he was in the precheck line . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/thanks-3/
I went for my daily walk and saw a homeless lady sitting on the sidewalk. She was dressed in tattered clothes and several old looking bundles were sitting beside her, (her total belongings in life.) As I approached her, she was radiantly smiling, and she buoyantly told me good morning with a big wide smile on her tanned and deeply wrinkled face. Her hair was in disarray and appeared prematurely gray . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/humbling-experience/
As hopes begin to fade that God will intervene and demonstrably prove that the election was stolen, many in the nation have begun to look to the future and how to survive, especially business owners. I was astounded when I read recently where economists are predicting that the GDP will drop at least a full percentage point in the first quarter alone . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/getting-what-you-asked-for/
Christ said we could only see heaven by being like children; however, Paul points out, Christ never meant that we were to remain children in intelligence. On the contrary. He told us to be not only ‘as harmless as doves’, but also ‘as wise as serpents.’ He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate, and teachable, as good children are; but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to keep us alert at our job, and in first-class fighting condition . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/keep-swinging/
I read some interesting statistics this morning. Noted pastor Jim Garlow said: “There are approximately 364,000 churches in America: 72%, or 264,000 of them, are liberal, meaning that they really don’t care about the Bible. According to exhaustive surveys, somewhere between 6,000 and 15,000 actually have a bona fide biblical worldview, that is, they see life through the lens of Scripture.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/bubble-in-a-bunker/
2020 has been quite the discouraging year. The coming of a plague on America, division, civil unrest, violence, economic and social deterioration, bitterness, hate, and so on. On top of that one of my best friends Jack Murphy whom I spoke with nearly every day and with whom I routinely exchanged counsel was taken to heaven. Several other good friends are facing tremendous trials including life threatening health issues and I found out just yesterday that once again I will need back surgery sooner rather than later . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/how-to-avoid-catastrophe/
I have been inundated by friends and acquaintances asking if I think Trump will eventually win the election. Basically my thoughts on the matter are that the outcome hinges on prayer and repentance . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/mene-mene-tekel-parsin/
The other day I went down to Key West and went through an old cemetery. It was quite interesting to read the inscriptions on the headstones. Some dated back to the 1800’s. By far the one that I enjoyed the most is pictured here . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/the-adventure-continues/
So yesterday some friends drove down to Key West with us and we enjoyed some good food and listened to some live music last night. We were the only people in the place not drinking alcohol, but we compensated the waitress heavily for our Cokes and waters. It was great to relax and enjoy life for a change . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/evil-disappears/
We have all seen evil unrighteous people triumph over good. When it happens, people question God and it even leads some to lose their faith. I read a sermon about this one time and the writer said . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/need-your-bones-refreshed-2/
When my son Michael was about one and a half years old, I was feeding him applesauce. He would sit in his high chair at the kitchen table and I would feed him spoon after spoon of the sweet tasting concoction and he loved it. I do not know why, but one day I decided to play a trick on him. I was eating a sour pickle and instead of the sweet tasting apple sauce I gave him a bite out of my sour pickle . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/dont-be-a-sour-pickle-hater/
Democrats are howling at the moon over the election vote-counting being challenged in courts. I say let ’em howl! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/i-say-let-em-howl/
2020 has been quite the bad year with Covid19, riots and looting, the disgusting election, fires in California and hurricanes galore. My beloved Dawgs even went down in flames to our arch rival Florida on Saturday. It has been a dismal year and it’s not over yet . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/2020-go-away/
I’m still fervently praying for Trump to win but God’s answer to my prayers is beginning to look more and more like the answer will be NO! It is sad to think that dead people are mysteriously voting for Biden, large numbers of ballots are showing up with 100% votes for Biden while Trump votes are vanishing, and GOP poll watchers are being denied entry to watch the vote being counted. Trump told us this would happen, and he was right . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/walls-burning-down-around-us/
I had an interesting conversation with a friend last night. He maintains that the teacher of his Bible study group states that the Bible does not tell us to ask for forgiveness. Immediately I thought of the Lord’s Prayer, . . . And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us . . . This was a red-letter-Jesus quote that occurred when He was teaching His disciples how to pray . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/it-just-seems-like-the-right-thing-to-do/
Well it was not a good night. It appears that the relentless campaign against Trump by the media and in particular social media took its toll. His New York coarse personality hurt him badly. I read that exit polls revealed that more people voted against Trump than for Biden, but the net result was not good for the country. In the end the propaganda won the day over accomplishments and our country will suffer . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/remain-steadfast-2/
Well the election is finally upon us. It is sad to me to see businesses in cities all over the United States boarding up their windows and doors in anticipation of rioting and looting. But seeing a climb proof fence being erected around the Whitehouse is beyond the pale. It has been reported that 1000 people will try to storm the Whitehouse if and when Trump wins. So sad . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/wheres-a-redneck-when-you-need-one/
So tomorrow is the big day. A Las Vegas oddsmaker is now predicting that Trump is the favorite by a landslide. I don’t know if that is significant or not, but it is my belief that Trump will win big! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/11/las-vegas-trump-by-a-landslide/
A buddy sent me the following story. Though it is a whimsical tale its implications to us are real . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/when-the-campaign-ends/
A politician friend of mine is trying to be reelected and he told me he is running on “fumes.” He is working as hard as he can, and just yesterday told me that after a full day of wall to wall meetings and a slew of political events was out waving signs with some of his supporters in the pouring down rain until dark. He is bone tired . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/a-different-song-altogether/
I believe one of the reasons that we are in the mess we that are in is because so many of our pastors aren’t courageous enough to speak up from the pulpit. I’m enclosing a link that every person in the country should watch. Yes, it will take a few minutes, but this Virginia pastor is highly intelligent, articulate, and makes the case for Christian voting. It is the best sermon I’ve watched in quite some time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/a-preacher-after-my-own-heart/
It seems that early voting is exceeding all expectations with a huge turnout. A friend told me this morning that those who love Trump and those who hate him are responsible. He is no doubt correct on his hypothesis . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/everybody-has-something/
I’ve always been a huge fan of football legend Hershel Walker. If you asked 100 American football fans to name the most impressive ever to play the game, most would put Herschel Walker on the short list. Walker, now 58, had a prolific three-year college career at Georgia. He rushed for 5,259 yards and 49 touchdowns in 33 games and is widely considered one of the best college football players ever. And then he went to the NFL and continued galloping . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/there-is-only-one-of-those/
I watched the debate in its entirety last night. Biden seemed to hold it together under withering difficult questioning about his and his family’s illicit gains from China, Russia, and Ukraine, but towards the end he seemed to get really tired and confused and could not put his thoughts into words . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/party-of-death/
I’ve been on stage with and spoken alongside all-time winningest college football coach Bobby Bowdon and had him come to our church on more than one occasion. The man is amazing and is as dedicated to Christ as anyone I’ve ever known. If you want to find him on Sundays you can be assured that he is somewhere preaching and teaching the love of Christ unless he is too sick to get out of bed. Recently he contracted Covid 19 and when I heard the news I immediately began praying for him. He is 91 years old but in true Bobby Bowden fashion he beat it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/covid-19-defeated/
I receive a litany of letters from the Words for the Day platform seeking advice. My life is all but completely free from stress and drama, but many of those writing have some of the most difficult problems that I can imagine; (every form of addiction, suicidal tendencies, marital disputes, depression, anxiety, financial problems, family problems, career problems and so on.) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/help-2/
Yesterday I had to drive up to Miami to purchase some light fixtures for my new home. I listened to Rush Limbaugh part of the way and he gave a report on his lung cancer. Basically he said he is stage four, and he reported that the doctors told him that he was going to die from it. He is fighting it with chemo but had a recent setback and the cancer has spread . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/rush-is-dying/
In just a few more weeks the election will be over, and our short term fate will be decided. However, as polarized as our nation is it will certainly not end conflict and there will be no such thing as unity . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/floating-rooms/
I’m going sword fishing today. I’d love to stay home and watch the news . . . Yeah right . . . Lol – Lol. The sweet smelling sea, tropical breezes, and monster sword fish beckon me. . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/i-cannot-answer-why/
There was an interesting article in the WSJ this morning in which the writer alluded to a comment by Senator Diane Feinstein to Amy Coney Barrett which was intended as an insult but was actually perhaps the best compliment anyone could ever be awarded. She said: “The dogma lives loudly within you.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/let-the-dogma-live-loudly/
I have moved back to the keys and it hasn’t taken me long to get back into the island groove; No hurries – No worries. It is very different than anywhere I’ve ever lived. Residents are super friendly and why shouldn’t they be? They live in a tropical paradise with beautiful turquoise and deep cobalt blue waters, gentle trade winds, coconut trees, and abundant seafood restaurants . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/no-hurries-no-worries/
Well the hounds from hell Democrats will torment Amy Coney Barrett again today as they grill her about everything but her qualifications to become a Supreme Court justice. The problem they have she is so much more intelligent than they are, she makes them look silly. The hounds of hell can only voice conjecture of made for TV outlandish scenarios far removed from fact in an effort to strike fear into those uneducated enough to believe them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/hounds-of-hell/
Recently I spoke favorably of someone that I consider to be a friend. Another friend pointed out to me things that this person has done that are sinful. I asked if this person believed in grace. He said, “Well of course”. I just looked at him without saying a word until he slowly turned away . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/vessel-of-wrath-or-mercy-2/
I had several people respond to yesterday’s post. Most mentioned the Bible verse Matthew 5:13 that believers are to be as “salt and light.” So what does that mean exactly? Salt was and still is used as a preservative. Believers in Christ should preserve the Holy Word of God from the evil that is inherent in ungodly people whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/i-hope-you-are-salty/
I gather from my reading that Mike Pence did well in the debate last night. I didn’t watch it as I cannot stand listening to Harris and worse the commentary from the media concerning Biden and her . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/it-will-take-jesus-to-do-that/
I boxed during my youth and I remember I was getting badly whipped in a boxing match. After the first round my coach told me to “roll with the punch.” I looked at him like he was crazy and was wondering if my head might go rolling across the ring the way the guy was pummeling me. Nonetheless I looked across the ring and decided I was going to aim for his jaw and focus there. We went to the center of the ring and I had an opening and suddenly I hit him with all my might, and he fell to the floor like a goose in a hailstorm and landed with a big thud. I knocked him out with one blow much to the amazement of onlookers and ME . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/knockout-punch/
I think I’ve developed PTSD. I just finished my move to the Keys and am permanently traumatized. I dislike moving almost as much as my feelings about the media and associated pack of liberal Democrat socialists hell-bent on destroying this country . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/rattlesnake-bites-lightning-and-bad-whiskey/
A friend of mine wrote me the other day and suggested that I should not use words like ‘Jeez’ as he believed that they were disrespectful of Jesus. Hmmm How far should we take this kind of logic. Jiminy Crickets’ could be interpreted as Jesus Christ. Darn/dang as damn; holy smoke as holy spirit; shoot, well you can guess that one as well as the next John Brown, Gosh almighty, and so forth. Can we use Great jumping Jehosophat’ or phooey? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/big-sin-little-sin-2/
Well the President and first lady tested positive for Covid. I prayed for both of them as soon as I heard the news. I have often wondered why the radicals are called the “left.” I was thinking this morning that perhaps it is because all common decency, conscience, remorse, and love “left” them long ago. I say that after reading some of the Twitter remarks made. I would dislike being so filled with hate that I would say some of the things being said but that is the environment that we live in. These people get up in the morning spewing venom and are consumed by their hate . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/there-is-more-to-the-left/
I’ve been trying my best to be more mellow. It is difficult for this Christ transformed street fighting sociopathic maniac to do, but I’m making an effort . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/10/be-nice-2/
Well the highly anticipated debate was held last night and what a disappointment. All they did was talk over each other and call each other names. There were no surprises and I don’t think anyone won and no one will be swayed by this performance . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/god-of-the-plagues/
Do you have any enemies? I, for one, don’t want enemies, but I know there are some folks out there who probably consider themselves to be enemies of mine. I don’t waste any time thinking about them much. Personally, I don’t consider anyone an enemy and just live my life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/friends-of-enemies/
I noticed that the attacks on Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett as a replacement justice for Justice Ginsburg are getting viler by the moment. They are attacking her for adopting kids and for being a Christian primarily. Good luck with that. I pray for her to have the courage to stand up to the bullies . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/understanding-sober-while-drunk/
I’ve had my boat in storage now for several months, but today I pick her up. I will load up all my equipment over the weekend and prepare for the drive by water to the Florida Keys. It is a beautiful drive from Jupiter down the east coast, especially the Miami Ft. Lauderdale beaches and on down to the keys . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/punking-out/
It seems the rule of law is fast disappearing in our nation. I read where a commentator said that it has reached a point where the expectation is that if a police officer is being shot at or facing a knife attack and the assailant is black that they should just stand there and be killed . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/they-rage-in-vain/
Twenty years ago, I made this post. It seems to fit right into this year of troubles, Covid, fires, hurricanes, election rage, and riots, and forms an antidote to the poison . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/changing-your-world/
My wife and I have been packing up for our move to the keys. We should be finished in the next few days and will be moving to a rental home for a couple of months while construction is being completed on our new home . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/you-are-different/
I read in American Minute by Bill Federer where a congressman who helped ratify the United States constitution, Fisher Ames, way back in 1789 said that our republic was like, “a raft that would never sink, but then your feet are always in the water.” He also said, “A democracy is a volcano which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction.” He then elaborated on the dangers to American liberty . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/a-raft-that-will-never-sink/
I was encouraged this morning as I read of a gigantic event and global broadcast coming out of, hold onto your hat, Washington D.C. I imagine the demons are howling their heads off at this news as those streets have belonged to them for a long time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/tsunami-of-the-holy-spirit/
Teamwork is essential in a business and I constantly promoted it throughout my career. Someone has well said, “No one is as smart as all of us”; therefore it follows that we should put our heads together to create a better world, family, career, et al. Individuals can excel but teams can DOMINATE . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/room-for-the-maroon/
A cat 2 hurricane is pounding the gulf coast and slowly moving inland causing billions of dollars of damage not to mention lives lost; fires are destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of land on the west coast with many of those poor people suffering the loss of everything they have including their lives; rioters are destroying cities across our country; the Covid 19 plague is taking lives; people are losing their businesses and jobs; it appears that God is trying to get our attention . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/thumb-your-nose-at-your-own-peril/
I received a ton of condolences in response to the Jack Murphy post yesterday and though I could not answer them all I am appreciative to all that wrote, texted, or called . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/bon-voyage/
It was a tragic weekend but came with blessings. One of my closest friends Jack, Murf the Surf” Murphy unexpectedly died Saturday at 1:30 a.m . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/tragic-blessing/
Having just written a post yesterday about the idiocy of the term “Mother Earth,” I was not at all surprised this morning to read the following quote from Nancy Pelosi, (The mother of all idiots) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/birth-pangs-have-begun/
I read an interesting piece by C.S. Lewis concerning earth, heaven, and hell. He opined about earth and his analysis is quite contrary to the worldview of many of earth’s inhabitants: “But what, you ask, of earth? Earth, I think, will not be found by anyone to be in the end a very distinct place. I think earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only a region in Hell: and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the beginning a part of Heaven itself.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/the-mother-earth-illusion/
I was appalled to learn from friends of mine that they were being persuaded with the recent nonsense that President Trump disparaged our vets. He loves our troops. As usual some reporter quoted anonymous sources who claimed that they heard him say it while people who were actually with him deny it publicly. Including John Bolton who certainly is not a Trump fan who said it was a fabrication and that he was there. Why would anyone choose to believe anonymous sources over eye witnesses . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/common-sense-running-on-empty/
A friend of mine who has been hospitalized in Johns Hopkins hospital for a week miraculously got out yesterday and is feeling fine. He suffered kidney failure and a heart attack and has more ailments than Bayer has aspirin, but he’s recovered enough to be able to go home. His medical team at Johns Hopkins consisted of twelve or more top physicians who were literally from all over the world . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/answered-prayer/
Many folks have the wrong idea about Christians. They expect that Christians should always act like Jesus and they become disillusioned with all of Christianity when they observe Christians engaging in sinful behavior. It is a heavy burden that we bear, and we should do our utmost to avoid such behavior, but alas we are after all fallen creatures . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/when-i-say-im-a-christian-2/
Well I’m back in the Florida keys once again. It sure is nice down here with coconut trees gently swaying in the tropical breeze and beautiful turquoise waters on both sides of the single road going smack dab down the middle of this 100 mile long chain of islands connected by a series of bridges. I’m convinced that God spent extra time creating this mini-paradise . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/king-of-the-keys/
I was sickened to learn that California has passed legislation that would ease the criminal punishment for LGBT adults who sodomize or perform oral sex on underage teenagers . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/green-light-for-pedophiles/
Okay this time the Black Lives Matter thugs have gone too far; last night they vandalized Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion’s walls with graffiti with their usual hate slogans: “F” the police, Defund the police, “F” the mayor, and many other disgusting slogans . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/dont-mess-with-elvis/
I was thinking about all of those people who are not gun owners this morning. I cannot imagine not having a gun for protection in these days. Just this morning I read of a guy being smashed in the back of the head with a brick because he happened to be white . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/09/no-one-wants-to-but-you-gotta-do-it/
Twenty years ago this was the Words for the Day post. To so many carrying burdens I pray it will make you smile and lighten your load some. A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona submitted by Donald May . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/look-to-the-ant/
I’ve been searching for a new home in the Florida Keys for some time now. It has been extremely difficult to find anything suitable to meet our needs. Property down there is selling so fast that inventory is very low, and prices are very high. Every home we have found that we like has been bought out from under us and they are experiencing a seller’s utopia down there as more and more people want to move there . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/everyone-does-it/
As I write this, Cat. 4 Hurricane Laura is slamming Louisiana and Texas and millions are fleeing its path as it heads across the United States. So with the Covid virus, rioting and looting, economic devastation, fires, storms and other problems we currently are undergoing, America is under attack. It is reminiscent of a world war . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/it-didnt-have-to-be-that-way/
It looks like America has regressed to being a third world country with no hint of a moral compass. Rioters in cities burning, looting, and shooting. Fires eerily glowing as businesses, cars, churches, and government buildings burn; thugs smashing windows, looting, and attacking police, firemen, innocent bystanders and EMT responders and other innocent men, women, and children being shot and killed by masked criminals . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/our-somalia-home/
There is an interesting book on motivation by John Capozzi entitled: "If You want the Rainbow . . . You Gotta Put up with the Rain!" I believe this to be true. Most people who do not succeed, do not understand this concept. Sometimes it takes a leader who is undeterred when obstacles of life, (rain) are encountered to help lead others to reach their “rainbow”. Some people need to be dragged all of the way to success, while kicking and screaming every inch of the way. . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/nearly-forgotten-principles/
I heard an interesting song recently. Its lyrics alluded to those throughout history who at one time or other had been derided for their beliefs and later were ultimately vindicated and finally had the last laugh. People were mentioned in the song like Christopher Columbus who went against the prevailing opinion and believed that the world was round and not flat . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/no-one-laughing-now/
Did you ever say I wish there was something that “I” could do for my country in this dangerous time in its history? One of my readers wrote yesterday and told me her contribution . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/now-is-your-time/
I remember Walt Disney from my youth. He created the most wholesome products one could imagine and took the world by storm. As a child I used to love to watch him as he introduced his fascinating show. Well wholesome is gone at Disney these days. They just released an animated series about a bisexual character involved with witchcraft. The Owl House features a bisexual teenager who is exploring her sexuality while dabbling in witchcraft. Perhaps they should have named it, The Outhouse, because it is an exercise in depositing filth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/owl-house-or-outhouse/
I have been joking with some friends lately about dreading have the “hammer” fall at any moment. Why? Well most folks understand that life is comprised of valleys and peaks. One preacher I know states that we are either coming out of a valley towards a peak or we are getting ready to descend from a peak down into a valley. So if you are on a peak should you be anticipating a valley and be looking over your shoulder? Is a valley coming today? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/blue-skies-and-white-puffy-clouds-2/
I found out this morning that the DNC has started . . . Yawn . . . I didn’t watch and after reading the recap I’m glad I didn’t. It sounded like a melting pot of crazies and attention-seekers in a mosh pit. The recurring theme was more Trump bashing. Does anyone really think we need any more Trump bashing? I read yesterday where ABC, NBC, and CBS had over 700% more negative news aimed at Donald Trump than Joe Biden. After nearly four years of this drivel I get it – They don’t like “The Donald!” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/convention-of-the-crazies/
Twenty years ago I was building a software development company. When I wrote Words for the Day on this day, I wrote this message to my followers . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/the-arena/
A reader sent me a partial quote, “Gloriously Dark” by famed pastor Adrian Rogers, so I looked it up and here is some of what he had to say: "How can it be gloriously dark?" . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/gloriously-dark-2/
I’ve been enjoying the Florida Keys for the last several days. The weather is nice, and the beauty of this place is unparalleled. It was really nice to get away from total seclusion of our home and come down here and enjoy this tropical paradise. I’m heading back to Jupiter today but am resolved to venture out more, maybe heading up to North Carolina next week . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/idiocy-or-genius-of-evil/
Sadly I have several friends who are self-confessed agnostics. I visited with one recently and we had a conversation about it. I’ve been looking at homes in the Florida Keys and told him I was not going to buy there until I sold my other home in Jupiter. He wanted me to buy right away, stating that there are no guarantees that I will even be alive tomorrow and time’s “a-wasting.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/the-most-important-question/
A friend sent me the story below and it reminded me of when I first decided to go into business for myself. When I told my friends about my ideas everyone ridiculed me and threw cold water on my ideas. It was plenty discouraging but I tenaciously persevered . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/discouraging-the-apes/
A.W. Tozer once wrote: “It is doubtful whether God can use a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply”. David Wilkerson preached: “In order for someone to have passion for Christ, they must first be baptized in anguish” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/persecution-blessing-2/
Fear can be a life altering problem. Too many people allow fear of the unknown to completely dictate their lives. God designed things whereby we cannot see what is around the corner for our lives. Undoubtedly, He did this so we would rely on Him. God, who CAN see around the corner, will keep us safe, provided we will put our complete trust and faith in Him . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/fear-not-2/
A friend of mine is encountering some very rough times. His construction business has tanked because of the economy, one of his kids is rebellious, his wife is raising holy heck at him because they can’t make ends meet anymore, (as though he has control over the construction industry and economy). The list goes on and on . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/yeah-but/
I received this from a reader some time ago and have held on to it for some time. It made me think and I hope it will you . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/memo-from-god-2/
I read a Bible verse yesterday that seems appropriate for the moral insanity in which we find our nation where crime rates especially murders are increasing at astounding rates. As Christians watched Portland thugs burning stacks of Bibles on top of an American flag over the weekend with nearly all of the media and Democrat politicians cheering them on, they are appalled and have grown weary of it all . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/moral-insanity/
As I mentioned last week, at the beginning of each new week I intend to send out a Words for the Day post that I wrote and sent out 20 years ago on the same day. It’s interesting to me and I hope to you to see what was on my mind two decades ago . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/08/this-is-it-2/
I have been studying 1 Samuel during my Bible study this week. King Saul said in Chapter 26:21 “I have sinned . . . Indeed I’ve played the fool . . . ” He started out so well, but after he became king, he drifted away from God to the point of acting similar to an atheist and even consulting with a witch at one point. He was severely wounded in a battle with the Philistines and he fell on his sword to avoid being taken captive and humiliated even more. All three of his sons were killed during the same battle . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/death-of-our-nation/
I returned home from the doctor’s office and without thinking of it I laid my handgun (that I carry with me at all times) on top of my Bible. When I came in my office later, I noticed my 9MM Browning semiautomatic handgun sitting atop my NIV Bible . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/guns-and-bibles/
I was reminded of the title of an old song, I fall to pieces, this week, only I’m not falling to pieces over some gal, but from getting old. I had to get two epidurals in my back because my L3, L4, and L5 are essentially shot. My sciatic nerve has been letting me know where it is with constant pain in my leg . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/i-fall-to-pieces/
I have been perplexed for some time by the behavior of one of our best friends. We had the best of times together and she and her husband shared many meals together, went on vacation together, kayaked, went to church together, prayed together, went to Bible study together and so on . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/you-can-forgive-what-happened/
Each week I intend to publish a post that I published 20 years ago. As with today's re-post it is amazing to me how little things have changed including my perceptions of events so many years ago. You might not agree with me but you must admit I am consistent . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/dont-believe-eveything-that-you-read-or-see-on-tv/
As I talk to friends of mine from around the country, I’ve discovered two mindsets which I consider dangerous concerning the Covid pandemic. One faction has thrown all caution to the wind stating that the virus is all a bunch of poppycock and media hype. They go where they want to go and never wear masks and defiantly brag about it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/fear-and-the-lack-of-it/
I sent this Words for the Day post out on July 24th in the year 2000. It seems that I needed to hear it again. Hopefully it will resonate with you today as well . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/simple-but-inspiring-words-3/
I had a guy come out and service my air conditioning units yesterday. And when I was paying his invoice, he began a rant about the state of the country. He said he is thru with watching the news. He said that he got so angry the last time he watched the news he almost threw his cell phone at his television set. Seeing anarchists running around destroying anything they can get their hands on while liberal mayors and the media defend them has him incensed . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/controlled-burn-is-no-cause-for-worry/
Yesterday I was going bonkers from boredom. I’m sure I feel like many of you. It seems as though we are perpetually stuck in Groundhog Day. Each new day repeats itself with torturous repetition . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/is-going-bonkers-helpful/
Saturday my daughter-in-law got a call from one of my former employees. She wanted my wife’s number and acted really upset. She was calling on behalf of my good friend and Pastor of the church our family attended for many years when I lived in Atlanta. She said she was now working as his administrative assistant and was very sorry about the “circumstances” concerning me and said she needed my wife’s phone number because he wanted to talk with her. My son, daughter-in-law, and twin granddaughters had all been to their mountain home retreat in North Carolina . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/the-rumors-of-my-death/
I’ve heard many of my friends expressing worry that Donald Trump might not get reelected and that if Biden wins radical leftwing socialists will destroy our country in short order, beginning the day after the election. Abortion, freedom of religion, military defense, police being defunded and disbanded, increased taxes and recession, open borders, shutting down the energy sector are issues that are causing many “thinking people” to get ulcers . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/what-goliath-do-you-face/
I was standing in a prison yard giving my testimony and I asked my “captive” audience if they could have “anything” they wanted what would it be. To a person all of them immediately chose wealth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/no-jesus-no-peace/
I was talking with a friend the other day and she did not seem perturbed at all by the Covid 19 plague, violence, mayhem, racism, hate, looting, arson, economic chaos, polarization, abortion, pornography, sex trafficking, murder, rape, and other evils currently ravaging our country and the rest of the world. She cheerfully and optimistically told me not to worry because we are merely getting that much closer to the End Times and she emphasized of course that the rapture of Christ followers would occur prior to it and we would be spared those dreadful events . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/knocking-on-heavens-door/
Have you ever been unhappy with You? I have! I was mulling over some thoughts yesterday concerning improvements that I needed to make in me. The list was long and discouraging because most of my faults I have fought against most of my life with little success and they are are still hanging around . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/have-you-ever-been-unhappy-with-you/
As protesters around the country are demanding that communities “defund the police” even as shootings of children pile up in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and other liberal cities run by Democrats, Joe Biden declared he would “absolutely” be on board with redirecting police budgets to fund other Democrat priorities . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/is-the-son-of-destruction-already-among-us/
Norman Vincent Peale once said, "Drop the idea that you are Atlas carrying the world on your shoulders. The world would go on even without you. Don’t take yourself so seriously." . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/drop-the-idea-that-youre-atlas/
Yesterday my day began well but ended badly. First a friend who runs a ministry that I’ve donated a ton of money to went back on his word on a verbal agreement concerning some property and it cost me $125,000, thus proving that no good deed goes unpunished. This began a series of events throughout the day that were just as disturbing . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/village-idiot-2/
I love the mornings. I’m an early riser and really enjoy watching the sun come up in the mornings. There is a song based upon Psalm 118:24 that I enjoy and in part its lyrics are actually the verse, “This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” I catch myself spontaneously singing it on many mornings, especially on those with spectacular sunrises that nearly take my breath away . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/stinking-thinking/
I have been thinking lately about how disgusted I am with the behavior of many of those in this nation. It is almost nauseating to watch or read any form of media. Their world of paid clicks and television ratings drives them to focus on whatever disgusting thing is trending or bias they might have. So we read and view the degeneracy, degradation, and prejudice of societies all over the world. As of late here in the USA we are served up 24/7 examples of the hate and anger of various races . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/adversity-love-it/
How are we supposed to love despicable people who reject and ridicule everything that we hold dear and stand for? The Bible tells us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek when persecuted . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/mired-in-quicksand/
Mark Twain once stated, “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” I suppose the 1800’s weren’t much different than today where lies travel faster than a speeding bullet . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/faster-than-a-speeding-bullet/
I have an arrowhead that I found in a field near Honey Lake that is really beautiful. It has a dark purple streak that runs the length of it and is light mauve on one side and light maroon on the other. I’ve imagined that a chief might have owned it and I would guess that it was one of his prized possessions . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/look-who-has-it-now/
I have a scar on my head that serves as a reminder about why one should never attempt to resist arrest. When I was about 20 years old and as far from knowing the Lord as the East to the West, I got into a bar fight in New Orleans and a policeman tried to break it up. He grabbed me from behind and I turned and hit him. He promptly responded by knocking me out with one swift blow with a slap jack, (Spring loaded leather covered piece of metal used similar to a Billy-club.) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/07/violence-begets-violence/
Sadly the liberal wing of the Supreme Court and its so-called conservative John Roberts voted in favor of unrestricted abortion in a case in Texas which simply required that the doctor performing the grisly act to have admitting privilege at a hospital close to the clinic where it was performed. It would seem to be common sense to do so in order to protect the women who are undergoing these operations. But of course they want zero restrictions on this murderous act which takes the lives of over one million babies per year . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/supreme-mistake/
My wife and I went offshore for some fishing yesterday. It was unbearably hot without a hint of breeze. I was slowly trolling some lures to make it cooler, but the bite was non-existent. After a couple hours of that I decided to switch to live bait and slowly drift and literally as soon as I got two lines out, both rods bent double. Teresa took one and I took the other . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/insatiable-appetite/
The Lord tells us that The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/look-to-the-sky/
I have several very interested potential buyers for my home, but when it does sell, my plan to visit various locales around the country and world and rent for months at a time for the next couple of years has run into a serious roadblock. Covid-19 has most of the countries that I want to visit completely shut down. The few that are open require a mandatory 2-week quarantine . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/love-2/
Humankind left to its own devices results in unimaginable sin. One of the descriptors for Satan in the Bible speaks to his lawlessness. The root of all lawlessness is rebellion. Satan, who personifies the ultimate rebellion against God, will one day empower the Antichrist, called “the lawless one,” whose rise to power “will be in accordance with how Satan works.” An example of this principle appears in II Thessalonians 2:9-12, where Paul warns of a future Man of Sin who deceives the spiritually weak . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/rhymes-of-the-times/
Recently a couple of people I know have attacked God because of human suffering. I’ve heard this argument many times and have done my best to explain it and not long ago came across a C.S. Lewis’s book (The Problem of Pain,) that addressed this subject, and I thought he addressed the core problem very well . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/human-suffering/
This weekend proved to be a bloody one. Chicago recorded at least 11 killed and 67 wounded during an outbreak of violence. The deaths included a 3-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. The 3-year old was with his stepfather at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday when he was struck in the back. The teenage girl was home Saturday night when she was struck in the neck from the shot fired from outside. Chicago reported that eight of those shot were children and teens, four of them died . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/facts-or-fiction/
I have been watching the latest project of the left as they try to erase history. It reminds me of the Taliban destroying all of the antiquities in the cradle of civilization. Anything they disliked they destroyed including the destruction of a centuries old carving of Buddha on the side of a mountain which was blown to smithereens with a bomb . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/oh-no-not-aunt-jemima/
Yesterday I went sword fishing and hooked up with a big one at 1600 feet deep. The fish fought like the dickens and at one point had pulled out nearly a half mile of line. I would gain on him and then he would take off like a raging bull screaming line off the reel. I stood in the hot sun fighting the fish for 2 1/2 hours . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/winners-and-losers/
David Hoskins is a good friend of mine and he wrote the following: “Having lived in the former Soviet union for over 16 years I had the opportunity to extensively study communism. One of the first strategies of the Bolsheviks was to turn the population against law-enforcement. Do not believe for one second that this is not an orchestrated maneuver from either China or domestic left-leaning politicians to destroy this country and everything it stands for. The Trojan horse is inside the walls. Pray, love and vote . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/the-policeman/
My wife and I pray together twice daily; once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. She leads the prayer thru one session, and I lead during the other. So yesterday it was my turn, and I began my prayer as follows: “Dear Lord this is Bob Williamson . . .” Suddenly I realized what I said, and I broke out laughing as did my wife. We laughed very hard and it was several minutes before I could resume praying . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/big-medicine/
It seems we have the moving bug again and we have our house in Jupiter up for sale with two very interested potential buyers. This would make six moves in the past four years. My wife and I have discussed putting some of our things in storage and selling the rest and not even buying another house, at least for a couple of years, and living in different areas . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/moving-again-wat/
Daytime sword fishing is the most complex type of fishing that I have ever done. It is incredibly difficult. Most swordfish are caught at a depth of 1500 feet or more which means here in Florida we must travel 30 miles or so offshore to reach a suitable location . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/victorious/
One of my sons is on vacation and came down to Florida for a visit, and enjoying the beach and some fishing. He told me that he has unsubscribed from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and all breaking news notices due to the lopsided coverage. He wondered aloud if anyone else was doing the same . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/the-solution/
Yesterday and today have been frustrating days for me. I like things to work and nothing seems to work. Yesterday I went sword fishing and my electric reel had issues with the power that required teeth grinding frustration to make it functional. Then I had issues with my outriggers and then my depth finder. Fishing is supposed to be fun, huh? This morning doesn’t appear to be starting off much better. My Internet was down, and after working on it for an hour, I had to use the hot spot on my phone to send/receive messages and then at a critical moment my phone went dead . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/frustration/
One day while deer hunting I learned an interesting lesson about anger management that I shall never forget. It was such a beautiful day that I really didn’t seem to care whether I saw a deer or not. I was sitting on my deer stand high up in a tree enjoying the warm morning sun and observing the various wildlife in close proximity to me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/peace-serenity-and-obnoxious-jerks-2/
I was lying in bed this morning thinking about the mess our country is in and gritting my teeth. I began to imagine what it would be like to live without freedom of religion, speech, disbandment of police forces, not being able to own guns for protection. Should I move to some remote section of the country and build a bunker, or perhaps even move to another country? Then I reminded myself that God does not want me to worry and that He is working everything out for good. I should just rest in the Lord and keep the faith . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/up-down-up-down/
I have been praying for the press to get off the Covid19 bandwagon and sure enough He answered the prayer. Little did I know that riots and looting would take its place. Ugh . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/no-christians-remain/
I just celebrated my 22nd year of writing Words for the Day. What began in 1998 as a simple devotion written daily to help my handful of employees cope with their problems by applying spiritual solutions currently reaches people I don’t even know in faraway places . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/free-will/
I take guitar lessons online and the instructor yesterday admitted to all his many thousands of students that he had been a victim of anxiety most of his life. He went on to say that he is really suffering with it right now. My wife even mentioned that with all that is going on that she was on edge. I imagine much of the world feels the same. We are in the midst of an all-out demonic assault. With the virus, economic ruin, riots and looting, not to mention the continuous vicious hate-filled political attacks on our President, it is understandable . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/tropical-blue-skies-and-puffy-white-clouds/
I have tried to understand the liberal and anarchy apologists’ mindset and have come to the conclusion that it is impossible for me to do so. It’s incomprehensible! We are seeing mobs of lawless thugs destroying our country neighborhood by neighborhood and yet the liberal’s applaud their effort and even donate money to help anarchists with their legal fees and bail. Vice President Biden’s staffers are among those who are raising and donating money trying to bail out anarchists in Minneapolis . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/incomprehensible/
I was watching a Crocodile Dundee movie and it reminded me of the dilemma many of us face. When the character Dundee was far out in the bush of Australia and sitting around a campfire one night with his client, she asked his opinion of matters of great import in the world. She seemed aghast that he didn’t seem the least bit interested and didn’t have an opinion . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/06/americas-heart-problem/
I met a man one time who was of Jewish descent, and upon my asking, told me that he “tried” the Orthodox and Reformed Jewish religion, explored Buddhism, Tao, spiritualism, and even attended a couple of Christian services. He said that he found them all to be paths to enlightenment, but he had none that he favored over another. He then described his personal belief system as being a “humanist” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/talking-to-a-coconut/
Most everyone has heard of and appreciates the work of the genius Albert Einstein. American Minute posted daily by William J. Federer recently recounted many of his quotes and it was fascinating. Einstein taught himself calculus at the age of 14. In 1921, He earned his doctorate from the University of Zurich, and wrote papers on electromagnetic energy, relativity, and statistical mechanics. He won the Nobel Prize in Physic . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/einstein-atheist-or-believer/
A couple of years back I got a call from a longtime friend who had done extensive surveying work for me through the years. He frantically told me his handicapped son was in intensive care. The child was initially sick with an infection but unbeknownst to the parents had also experienced several seizures. He ended up in a deep coma, barely hanging on to life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/the-four-angels/
Lately I’ve run into more and more people who are discouraged by current events. I decided to send out a rerun of a Words for the Day that I first sent out nearly two decades ago that should instill some confidence in you that things can and will turn around, even when things seems their worst . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/the-sky-is-falling-4/
Stonewall Jackson was the personification of courage, especially in battle and it’s interesting to learn from his own words where he derived it. With fear out of the picture, we can be as courageous as lions . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/stone-wall/
I used to be very afraid of heights. It stems back to my childhood when we were living on the island of Guam. My father was stationed there with the military and I lived there for two years. When I was about 10 years old our family went on an outing and we went to a popular place high up on a cliff with an overlook. We were standing atop it with about a 200-foot drop to the ocean. We’d been watching two really big sharks down below working in unison to ambush bait fish. One would herd the fish towards the other and it would tear into them which panicked them into trying to turn back allowing the shark that was pursuing them to rip into them as well . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/i-aint-skeered-3/
I read about a man who was attacked by a gunman and he returned fire and got off ten rounds and hit the man who attacked him with every bullet killing him on the spot. Thank God for “conceal-carry” laws that protect us from criminals. I was reading some of the comments regarding this article and someone quipped that the assailant coughed prior to dying and they attributed the cause of death to Covid19 . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/covidiots-in-full-force/
Will we know each other in heaven? Many people are anxiously awaiting the chance when they die to be reunited with those who died and went before them. C.S. Lewis wrote the following after the death of his wife . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/no-cigars-in-heaven/
I am bored beyond the pale and decided to watch a movie the other day. All the titles seemed violent, debased, and just dark. I wanted to see a movie that was more upbeat, and I decided upon Groundhog Day. The movie reminded me of enduring this stupid lockdown – every day is the same. Bill Murray, the actor who played the mean and arrogant weatherman, woke up one day and discovered he had to relive Groundhog Day – over and again – day after day – week after week – month after month. Though the movie didn’t overtly say it, I assumed God was determined for him to get Groundhog Day right before allowing him to move on to the next day . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/groundhog-day/
So I sent out a photo wearing my Trump hat Friday and most of the responses were positive with a few of you saying you were ready to come out of the closet and wear your own Trump hat or get one soon. So some guy who supports the Democrats came out criticizing me for polluting my devotional with this photo. He said I looked like I had been “rode hard and hung up wet,” and then commented on the intellect of Trump supporters being akin to an uneducated swamp redneck . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/missing-link-discovered/
As I write Words for the Day today, I’m wearing a Trump MAGA hat and have a Trump flag flapping on my boat. Some of my friends have expressed fear that someone will be offended. I’m not worried about it, if folks don’t like it, they can look the other way . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/support-your-country-all-the-time/
I’ve always focused on trying to put the failures that I’ve experienced, and tragedies lived through behind me and have given zero thought to ditching the great wins that I’ve experienced in life. But Paul is not saying that we should merely focus on leaving our failures and tragedies behind us, but he said that we should forget the victories as well??? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/24-hour-rule/
A tropical disturbance is located in the proximity of the Bahamas this week and the seas are churning and producing huge waves. Fishing will cease until the storm passes. I can’t cry over being land-locked as it would do no good, so I decided to make use of the down time to get my boat engines serviced, so I’ll be ready to go when calmer seas prevail . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/royal-law-is-for-everyone/
Part of my daily reading includes C.S. Lewis. He was a brilliant man who had a deep perspective of life and God and an eloquent way of presenting our Father that is entirely unique to him. Lewis was an atheist for a time but eventually turned to God and when he did the Holy Spirit opened his beautiful mind to heavenly things . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/dirt-and-gods-presence/
Most everyone has some memorabilia in their home and I’m no exception. Having moved six times in the past three years I have trimmed down on it substantially and all, but the most special items have been given away or discarded. I have a feather from a passenger pigeon. There used to be millions of them, but they were hunted to extinction at the turn of the century. A friend who worked at a museum had one mounted and gave me a feather from the mount many years ago . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/gone-like-the-passenger-pigeon/
Musician Joe Cocker recorded what would become a hit with a song with lyrics written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The Beatles recorded the first version which was more upbeat in tempo than Joe Cocker’s slower and more soulful version. If we listen to the lyrics, it suggests that the words, “a little help from my friends” referred to drugs and alcohol. John Lennon claimed this was not about drugs, but many people didn’t believe him, including US vice president Spiro Agnew, who once told a crowd that this song was a “Tribute to the power of illegal drugs.” He said the lines, “I get by with a little help from my friends, I get high with a little help from my friends,” “Is a catchy tune, but until it was pointed out to me, I never realized that the ‘friends’ were assorted drugs!” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/a-little-help-from-my-friends/
I thought I’d heard it all, but nope, Democrat Governor Cuomo of New York in all of his wisdom has declared that all out of state health workers who traveled to New York to help the state reeling from the coronavirus will have to pay state taxes including the Christian organization Samaritans Purse who built a temporary field hospital there . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/spend-spend-spend/
I have a friend who calls himself an evangelist. I’ve known him for many years and even invited him to speak at Honey Lake Church in its early days. I couldn’t make the service that he conducted but after he spoke, several members who heard him asked me to never invite him again. Basically he told the congregation that few if any would ever see heaven because they did not follow the rules set forth in the Bible to the letter . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/my-way-or-the-highway/
Jesus began His earthly ministry by calling certain individuals to follow Him. The twelve disciples that he chose literally walked on earth with Him daily and were continuously by His side . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/the-heart-of-christs-call-2/
Recently I’ve been introduced to a spate of new babies. It’s an interesting process to view a baby; everyone stands around oohing and ahhing and making remarks like, “How precious”; “How cute”; “How beautiful” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/iguana-or-purty-masterpiece-2/
Ecclesiastes 7:20 states that there is not a righteous man on earth. Psalm 14 states that there is no one righteous. So why does the Bible say that Noah, David and others were righteous? It seems to be a contradiction . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/05/is-anyone-righteous/
There is a jingle that has lyrics that say, sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. That my friends is pure poppycock to the vast majority of people that I’ve met. It probably should read: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will only cause permanent psychological damage. Words are often devastating to those on the receiving end, especially when they come from someone you respect . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/not-a-question-of-what-is-deserved/
Today a friend of mine is in ICU. His heart is racing at 160 plus beats, (mine is 50.) They tried several medications yesterday to lower it but none of them worked. He has been undergoing chemo treatments for lymphoma off and on for quite some length of time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/not-today-lord/
After full consideration I have come to the opinion that the most dangerous virus we have in America is the media. When I was growing up, I would never have believed that our country could end up where it is today when it comes to having truthful media. I see little difference than communist countries such as Iran, North Korea, China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia and this country, where methods may vary, but in reality, virtually nothing we read, hear, or see can be believed. It has been given the name “Fake News,” and it is the norm rather than the exception . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/most-dangerous-virus/
I wrote the other day of the difficulty, if not impossibility, of understanding God’s plan for our lives before it matures. I got a microscopic glimmer of that while I was building Honey Lake Plantation and Spa. When I bought the property it was nothing but 5000 acres of undeveloped land loaded with big pine trees, gently swaying sage, Florida swamp-heads, an 80 acre crystal clear spring fed lake and several ponds. I used to drive my pickup to the crest of a hill making my way without benefit of a road through the pine-studded field winding around stumps and obstacles to get there until I finally reached the summit . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/puzzling-reflections/
DURHAM, N.C.—A brisk day in North Carolina. A little overcast. Chilly outside. But you don’t know much about the weather because you are a 10-year-old boy, stuck on the fifth floor of Duke Hospital. You have myeloid leukemia . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/just-say-thank-you/
A friend of mine sent me a very funny Lewis Grizzard video yesterday stating that I was due for a laugh as I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Grizzard was a hilariously funny southern comedian based out of Atlanta and he wrote a host of humorous books too. I enjoyed the video and laughed all of the way through it. My friend was right, I did need a laugh. I then went to You Tube and searched for funny videos and laughed so hard at them that tears streamed down my face. It was good medicine. If you are sick and tired of hearing the media’s dire reflections and watching politicians try to score points off our misery, you might give this a try . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/thinking-vs-reacting/
I often wonder if going through a life-threatening event similar to the one my wife just went through is a test or perhaps, she is simply a casualty of war. The Bible is clear that followers of Christ are in a war. Ephesians 6:12 discusses the warfare of spirit, saying, For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens. The Bible is similarly clear that our faith is tested . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/choose-the-side-you-want-to-be-on/
It is said that the night is always the darkest just prior to sunrise. This was meant to imply that after trying times the sun will rise upon a new day. I was thinking about this today and it reminded me of God. Light is used to symbolize God, faith, or holiness throughout the Bible. Apart from God there is just blackness. In Genesis it was God who said let there be light and there was light. And it was Jesus who said I am the light of the world whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/sunsets-not-allowed/
There are many commands that seem difficult if not impossible to perform in the Bible. Forgiving those who have wronged us greatly to include even those who are outright enemies and have avowed their hatred for us and even acted it out. We of course must remember that we have sinned against our Lord and yet He forgives us and even gave his life for us so that we might live. But He is God and we are but mere humans . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/mind-bending-command/
I decided to do a special Saturday edition of Words for the Day in order to give you an update on my wife Teresa. Thank you for the huge outpouring of prayers and words of encouragement yesterday and last night for Teresa and for me. We feel your prayers and they help us in coping with this situation. The response has been overwhelming and helped lift both our spirits considerably to read them all . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/uncertainty-to-certainty/
I write this with a heavy heart this morning. My wife of 49 years, Teresa, is in the hospital in serious condition. Yesterday she was fine, and we had our morning coffee and talked for a couple hours as usual and then she took her shower, got dressed, and sat down to put her makeup on. Suddenly she began violently coughing and had trouble breathing. She went and laid down for a moment and I rushed to her side and she said her chest was very tight and was “rattling” when she breathed. She asked me to listen to it and it sounded terrible, so I told her we were going to the emergency room . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/urgent/
Yesterday a friend and I went to the Bahamas in my boat. We’d heard reports that yellowfin tuna were around and we wanted in on the action. The weather was predicted to be good with 3-4 foot seas and 10-15 knot winds. The weatherman was drastically wrong. About midway on the trip the wind started picking up as did the waves. We forged on and finally got to a place about 20 miles to the north of the last Bahama island in the north Atlantic ocean . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/my-poor-angel/
I’ve been bouncing off the walls with the coronavirus lockdown while my wife contentedly plays computer games and reads books. I don’t like computer games and I’m sick of reading. I’ve resorted to talking to my dog out of loneliness to talk to someone other than on the phone. I’ve gone bonkers and Sunday I tried to get my wife to have an Easter egg hunt between the two of us and she just looked at me like I’m weird and ignored me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/making-sense-of-it-all/
After days of planning, charting a course, loading fishing tackle, water, and bagging ice I was all set to cross the Gulf Stream and fish an area close to the Bahamas Saturday. Without warning a big problem developed and that was the weather. A cold front came in faster than forecast and the seas were whipped into a frenzy making it dangerous to even cross much less try to fish . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/and-then-it-hit-me/
I read an interesting poll the other day that stated: “By many accounts, Americans are living in contentious times. Yet they report being happier in 2017 than they were in 2016, according to the 2017 Harris Poll Survey of American Happiness.” That’s not to say that Americans are especially happy overall; only 33% of Americans surveyed said they were happy in 2017. In 2016, just 31% of Americans reported the sam . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/are-you-happy-2/
The results of my MRI were excellent. I dodged yet another bullet and am good to go. The 7mm spot they found on my liver with a CAT scan turned out to be a blood vessel and is nothing abnormal. The more detailed MRI showed that blood was filling it which could not be seen on the CAT scan. So I passed another test . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/the-jonah-sign/
When we consider the Ten Commandments the very first commandment insists that [followers] must worship and adore God ALONE. (Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20: 3.) I assume that since this commandment is listed first, that it is the most important of all commandments. So I read an interesting article with this verse in relation to the virus, and it’s one in which I agree completely . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/hulk-hogan-nailed-it/
We live in such a troubled world with so many things going wrong that it is exceedingly difficult at times to cope. In fact the leading mental illness is stress with billions spent treating it annually and in spite of the best drugs and therapy treatments that man can devise, the suicide rate, addiction to mind altering substances, cutting and self-mutilation and other ills of our modern society have never been higher . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/no-problem-too-big-to-solve-2/
The Bible indicates that Satan never rests. He commands his vast demonic army to go all over the world creating discord, bitterness, and hate. One of the headlines this morning was that Nancy Pelosi has opened yet another investigation. She has an insatiable appetite for creating discord fed by her hatred for President Trump. What a time to be playing politics; it makes me want to gag. She seems to never learn or perhaps she is learning from a demon inside her . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/not-breathing-a-solution/
Yesterday I received a large number of e-mails from those who are praying for my upcoming MRI test and that the result would be good. Thank you from the depths of my heart for your support and I want you to know that I can feel those prayers and I’m appreciative. One reader wrote: I have no fear of dying. I know where I’m going. I do have a fear of suffering just before that whether from Cancer, Coronavirus, or something else. How do we believers handle that? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/how-do-we-handle-suffering/
It seems that sometimes when it rains it pours. Recently I went in to get a colonoscopy for my 10-year checkup. In the preliminary filling out of forms etc. I notified them that I had contracted Hepatitis C in 1970 after a devastating car wreck and having received seven blood transfusions. Back then blood was not screened, and I got the virus infection . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/time-running-out/
A friend of mine, Tom Bonus, sent me a well-written piece concerning the Coronavirus and Easter . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/04/blood-on-a-door-jamb/
So the President had My Pillow founder speak at his press conference yesterday and at the end he went off script and made the following statement: “God gave us grace on Nov. 8, 2016 to change the course we were on. God had been taken out of our schools and lives; a nation had turned its back on God.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/remember-where-you-are-from/
The Coronavirus saga continues, and the confirmed cases and deaths from it paint a solemn picture. Thomas Paine coined the expression, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” He later said, “the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” While this was written during the Revolutionary War it applies to the war on Coronavirus today . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/suicide-watch/
I have a friend who is either an atheist or an agnostic, or maybe is just mad at God. I have tried on numerous occasions to tell him of God’s love for us, but he shuts me down immediately. I consider him to be one of my best friends and it saddens me that I cannot reason with him about it. I don’t know what might have happened to him in his younger years that might have turned him against God and the church, the few things he has told me seemed to indicate some unpleasant experiences with hypocrite churchgoers in his youth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/seeing-clearly/
President Trump has coined the Coronavirus as “The invisible enemy.” We can’t see it and yet it lurks almost everywhere one can imagine ready to invade our bodies and cause us pain, discomfort, sorrow and even death. And it spreads from person to person with ease . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/the-invisible-enemy/
Most everyone is getting cabin fever and looking for some vestige of normalcy in their lives due to the virus lockdowns. Here in Jupiter Florida some people have been trying to break the monotony of being cooped up all day by going for long isolated walks on the beach, others like to go offshore for a day of fishing on the ocean, and others can be seen on the golf course or jogging and trying to stay healthy . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/lunatics-rule/
There are so many things going on in our country that are unjust that it is nauseating. Politicians are corrupt, the news media is dishonest, the rich and powerful elude paying for crimes, scammers cheat people out of their life savings, illegal aliens rape and murder and are protected by sanctuary cities, perverts force kids to accept their wicked lifestyle, innocent babies are slaughtered in abortion mills daily including now even with Coronavirus shutdowns – It is sickening to observe . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/be-patient-with-injustice/
Our world is in a mess and I wonder if God is trying to get our attention by allowing Satan free rein. Just when you think things are getting better, something else disastrous happens. Now is the time for Christians to rise up and be Christians . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/dont-look-inward-look-outward/
All over the world people are scrambling to find a cure for the virus and other calamities and yet it seems unstoppable. Lives have been thrown into utter chaos and the natives are getting restless. Renowned scientists, researchers, experts and doctors are leaving no stone unturned, but coming up empty. It reminds me of all of Pharaohs and Jezebels advisors trying to do the things done by God’s Holy men. On top of the virus locusts are eating up Africa and moving into the Middle East, many areas of the world are experiencing drought, and other calamities such as the massive earthquake in Utah this week . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/secret-cure-discovered/
Many of us are going through spiritual warfare right now and Satan is filling minds with uncertainty and fear. I received this e-mail yesterday and it is indicative of the mounting pressure . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/my-only-desire/
Some people are saying that the virus, the stock market crash, and forced isolation are evidence that the End of Time is upon us. Not true! We must look to Israel as it is the key to the prophecies concerning the End Times to be fulfilled . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/is-this-the-end-of-the-world/
I have been amazed to see the media stop bashing Trump 24/7. Prior to Coronavirus it was non-stop, but lately only moderate amounts of criticism from a few who lamely claim he isn’t doing enough. It would otherwise be a welcome relief, but the virus news is disheartening . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/god-is-with-you/
So I’ve spent the past several days fishing. What a joy to be out on the water. I have been catching tasty Snook inshore and some tasty ocean fish offshore including the Golden Tile fish caught at 700-800 feet. Tasty means I’ve been eating a lot of fish lately. It reminds me of the song about living is easy – The catfish are jumping – and the cotton is high. I couldn’t go to church Sunday but not to worry I watched it on-line. The sermon was concerning anxiety and how to overcome it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/the-catfish-are-jumping-and-the-cotton-is-high/
What would you suppose is the worst sin that has ever plagued all creation? It is pride and it began with Satan when he was in heaven and cast down for it. This sin has plagued all of mankind beginning with Adam and Eve when they were told they could be like Gods if they ate of the forbidden fruit. It has continued through today . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/worst-sin-imaginable/
President Trump ended travel from continental Europe last night for at least a month. China and other countries have already been banned. I have a friend that was hoping to leave for a two-week vacation to Europe beginning in Prague next week. He is singing the blues and said he would go to plan B, “whatever that was.” Last night I went to a group Bible study and the founding pastor said that they were having extreme problems getting our church members out of Israel (where they have been on a church-sponsored Holy Land trip.) This is because their flights have been cancelled. My wife and I were scheduled to leave for Israel toward the end of the month, but I guess we will go to plan B “whatever that is . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/uh-oh-here-come-the-frogs/
So it looks like Bernie Sanders bit the dust yesterday. Joe Biden handily won Michigan and some other states, and it appears that he will run against Donald Trump. I admit the Dems didn’t have much of a choice this year, but Joe Biden??? Geez he told a man in an auto plant he was full of Sh*t yesterday and called the AR15 an AR14. His cognitive function is frazzled or in plain English the dude is senile . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/enemy-of-the-people/
Much of the hoopla about the coronavirus from those trying to calm the masses is centered on telling people that youngsters are at little risk. I just received an update from a Holy Land trip I’m signed up for stating that things were fine over there and it was trying to reassure me by telling me that only the elderly are actually dying from it. Uh huh – The problem with that is I’m an elderly person . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/the-idea-is-to-die-young-as-late-as-possible/
It seems the media has found something new to write about daily. They have effectively panicked much of the world with the fear of the Corona Virus. I’m not trying to make light of the pain of grieving families who have lost family members to it, but I think we should all take a step back and look at the facts and put it in perspective . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/tmi-for-corona-sheep/
A friend of mine, Michael, is suffering from some serious health issues – cancer. He just finished some extensive treatment for it and for all appearances it seemed the cancer was in remission, but instead it seems to be back with a vengeance. If that wasn’t enough to endure one, of his investments has gone awry and he cannot address the situation with this company due to his medical condition . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/great-power-and-wonderful-results/
I enjoy reading C.S. Lewis. He was a very smart man and a deep thinker. Early in life he was an avowed atheist but became a devoted follower of Jesus and a prolific writer who attempted answering a variety of Christian questions. I particularly enjoyed hearing his take on what we should consider the highest of virtues . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/mud-pies-in-a-slum/
It looks like Joe Biden might have a chance for the Democrat’s nomination for their presidential nominee. I don’t personally know anyone voting for Democrats this go around, at least no one has told me they plan to do so. I would imagine as they look at their choices they aren’t exactly overjoyed. Poor Joe Biden is really getting senile. Someone should tell him what day it is . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/does-anyone-really-know-what-day-it-is/
So in a little while I will be heading offshore in my boat to enjoy a day of fishing with some buddies. The world is in turmoil with the Coronavirus, stock market, Super Tuesday, Netanyahu trying to cobble together a majority, and so on, but the only thing I will focus on will be finding and catching some fish in the deep blue waters off Jupiter . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/the-end-is-the-beginning/
I met a man the other day who had been in and out of jail and prison all his life. He was a hard charging alcohol/cocaine powered fighting machine at one point in his life. He didn’t seem to learn much in the numerous stints in prison he served. He had been sent to solitary confinement for fighting and selling drugs etc. numerous times, and one day he got sent back again, this time for 28 days, and his reading material was a Holy Bible. He read it cover to cover and ended up asking Christ to forgive him his many sins and vowed to follow Him from that day forward . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/03/tougher-than-leroy-jones/
I boxed when I was in high school and later after I got married went on to become a boxing judge for several years. I actually judged Evander Holifield when he boxed Golden Gloves and “Smoking” Joe Frazier’s son who got knocked out in the first round. Smoking Joe hopped into the ring to check on him and was laughing as he did so . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/deepest-darkest-loneliest-hole-in-hell/
I had an enjoyable time spreading the Gospel yesterday and telling those in attendance of God’s hope yesterday at two events. The morning event was held at Pinewood studios where many of the top grossing movies including the Marvel movies are made. Someone said they made 400 movies there and it has surpassed Hollywood’s studios as the preferred location to make movies . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/just-an-illusion/
So today I’m in Atlanta. I will be speaking at a prayer breakfast this morning for a group originally put together by Dan Cathy of Chic-Fil-A. Though I understand he will not be able to personally attend, his part in founding this group lives on. Then tonight I speak to a rehab group of some 100 plus men. I’m told they have an outstanding program and have a remarkable success rate in getting people on the right road . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/repentance-is-freedom/
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my annual checkup. I still have to get some bloodwork done, but his early prognosis was excellent – I think . . . He told me I was in great shape and then added, for someone your age . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/life-is-short-make-it-sweet/
It seems Bernie Sanders is headed for winning the Democrat’s nomination. I didn’t think I would ever live long enough to see a socialist even get on a national ticket, much less win. This man spent his honeymoon in Moscow and states that Cuba has accomplished many good things. Tell that to the political prisoners Castro lined up before a firing squad and those tortured by him in prisons . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/socialism-a-new-american-norm/
Stephen Spielberg. is an American filmmaker who became a household name as the director of Jaws followed by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Jurassic Park, and many others. He has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice. Some of his movies are also among the highest-grossing films, and his total work makes him the highest-grossing film director in history. His net worth is estimated to be more than $3 billion . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/my-body-my-life-my-income-my-choice/
Last night I attended our small group meeting and the group leader who happens to also be the founding pastor of our church read the passage in Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 2 – “Honor your father and mother . . . “ Some discussion proceeded and we were getting ready to move on to the verses dealing with the armor of God and I asked a question . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/worthy-of-a-gladiator/
I was by myself driving home from my plantation yesterday and for whatever reason I began thinking about the subject of suicide. My only sibling, my brother Jim, my grandfather, and two of my uncles all committed suicide. I was suicidal for most of my early life and it was not until I became a Christ follower that those tendencies diminished . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/hope-booster-of-all-hope-boosters/
So I came up to Honey Lake yesterday to check on a prescribed controlled burn for my property. In Florida we have to burn the underbrush every year or two to keep it from getting overgrown and becoming a fire hazard not to mention making it useless for hunting or anything else . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/burning-the-undesirable/
So Bernie Sanders and an array of other socialist thinking candidates are leading the pack of kooks running for the White House. I assume censorship will get worse If they win . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/bad-grass-2/
If anyone reads the book of Exodus, they are familiar with plagues sent by God to convince pharaoh to allow the Jewish people to leave Egypt. Pharaoh was not about to allow all those slaves their freedom and when he refused God’s emissary Moses, the plagues began. Could God be warning the world today that sin will not indefinitely be tolerated? Check out some recent activity . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/let-my-people-go/
A reader wrote recently that he had a deep fear of dying in spite of the fact that he’d accepted Christ as His Savior. I won’t bore you with the details, but I’ve had numerous near-death occasions in my life, and can unequivocally say that I do not fear death in the least, even when confronted with it. So, what is the difference between us? Since we are both followers of Christ, intellectually we should understand what happens to us when we take our last breath? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/are-you-afraid-of-your-shadow/
My column yesterday stimulated some interesting conversation. One guy sent the following hilarious video concerning his options regarding spending the rest of his life with his wife . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/cremation-versus-burial-for-christians/
I have a friend that is anxious about knowing whether or not he will know his wife in heaven, He does not like the fact that the Bible says that we will not marry in heaven. (Jesus was posed this question when asked about a woman who hypothetically got married but her many husbands kept dying off until she had married and remarried several times. They wanted to know whose wife she would be in heaven and Jesus said there is no marriage in heaven, and we would be like the angels. Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Sorry Mormons but the Bible negates your belief system. . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/egad-eternity-with-your-spouse/
I lived on beautiful Honey Lake for many years. The 80-acre lake is spring fed and thus is always pure and clear. There are several other ponds on the property that are not spring fed and when it doesn’t rain for a long period of time these ponds get stagnant and filled with algae. My favorite fishing pond had a 15 inch well adjacent to it and the pure water pumped from the well into the pond was used to refresh it during those tough dry spells. Likewise, I pumped water into a few of the other ponds on the property during long droughts to keep them fresh and vibrant . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/the-stagnant-pond/
I noticed after the impeachment ruling that Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell and minority leader Chuck Schumer thanked all of the pages, the capitol police, the Chief Justice and so on for their contributions during the impeachment trial . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/break-the-teeth-of-the-wicked/
The other day Rush Limbaugh was quoted as saying the Democrats lacked joy. He hit the nail on the head with that one I tell you. Anyone who watched the State of the Union could easily understand that . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/mighty-casey-has-struck-out/
Did you watch the halftime show at the Super Bowl? Egad it reminded me of being in a strip club on Bourbon Street way back in my dark days. I turned it off. My wife was still talking about how evil it was this morning. I also got a few e-mails about it with folks wondering what the heck is going on with the NFL . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/super-payday-for-super-strippers/
Sports commentator Jim McKay used to say: “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports . . . the thrill of victory . . . and the agony of defeat . . . the human drama of athletic competition . . . This is ABC’s Wide World of Sports! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/peak-or-pit/
There is an old adage that we should give until it hurts. I say that is just so much poppycock. God loves a cheerful giver and if it hurts you to give you are better off not giving. When God’s tabernacle was being built to house the Ark of the Covenant a list of needed materials was sent to the people. The Bible describes them as coming forth in great numbers and soon they had so much that Moses had to ask them to quit coming. It describes them coming with great joy to give away their silver and gold . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/02/if-it-hurts-dont-do-it/
Most partnerships are destroyed due to divisive partners. In fact, I’ve never had a partnership in business that worked. Invariably one of the partners thinks they are putting in more money, time, effort, and business acumen into the business than the other. This resentful behavior acts like poison and will effectively kill the business dead as a flying goose in a hailstorm . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/dead-goose/
Last night I attended a small group Bible study in West Palm Beach. Actually, it wasn’t such a small group, but maybe 40 people were in attendance. The attendees were some of the wealthiest residents of the island and it was encouraging to see them pray for those who live on the island whose gods are money, power, and fame. Make no mistake Jesus was the focal point of the event and traditional indicators of success, (money, power, fame, and significant accomplishments) were disparaged as being incapable of filling the void or of bringing peace to their often-chaotic lives without Christ . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/and-then-there-was-no-veil/
NFL Football star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers is not on good terms with his family. Why? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/aaron-rodgers-is-confused/
I broke down and watched some of the Trump defense team shred the Democrat’s impeachment case over the last couple of days. I have been anticipating the Democrat’s next dirty trick and sure enough on the first day Trump’s team launched their offensive the New York Times broke their “bombshell” report of John Bolton’s derogatory comments in his upcoming book that will not even be released until March . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/fighting-dirty/
I’ve been an insomniac all my life, sleeping 2-4 hours per night. Lately I’m sleeping more, and it is a curious thing to me. I generally wake up early as always, but I continue to lay there for a while and sometimes drift right back off to sleep. I’ve been actively dreaming as of late. Last night I dreamed I got into a fight and handily won the contest. I was basking in my victory and enjoying it with several onlookers and did not want to wake up . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/fight-dream/
I was talking with a friend, Bryan Hickox, yesterday and he told me he’d blown out his knee. He had just endured a knee replacement and it was very disheartening when he was coming down some stairs and that same knee went out. Bryan is a true warrior for Christ and one of the leaders in the Jesus Alliance and will be attending the National Religious Broadcasting convention coming up. Earlier I’d spoken with another friend Ross Mason founder of the tremendous organization HINRI who was going to the event to meet Bryan and also our new CEO Michael Phillips in order to plan a large Christian event in Atlanta as well as work towards helping the persecuted church. All of these gentlemen have actively fought for Christ for many years on many fronts and we all have suffered extreme satanic attack . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/you-are-not-alone-2/
After purchasing Honey Lake Plantation, I learned that after John F. Kennedy’s assassination Jackie Kennedy spent about a week there. She later moved to another plantation near Thomasville Georgia and stayed several weeks as she recovered from that traumatic event. Subsequently she married Greek shipping magnate Onassis. The wealthy lifestyle this woman led was surrealistic to most people on this planet. It is said she would take a nap in the afternoon and though she had simply laid down for a few minutes without turning down the covers she insisted that fresh sheets be put on the bed on such occasions instead of simply smoothing out any wrinkles . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/how-great-are-you/
Last night I received word that the father of a friend of mine passed away a few days ago. I attended a family dinner with them about a year ago and remember him as being healthy and full of life. His entire family spent most of the conversation that evening talking about God and spiritual matters. He and his wife seemed to revel in the fact that the family they had raised was so engaged with Jesus . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/the-key-to-having-faith/
Most people have a hard time paying taxes. It is a plague that has haunted mankind since the dawn of civilization. In the days of Jesus, tax collectors were despised. In my case I would not mind paying taxes if I knew that the money was going to be spent on roads, defense, schools and the like, but it is when it is squandered that I get steamed. Ronald Reagan put it best when he said: “The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” This is the greatest President that ever lived saying this . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/whats-worse-than-a-taxidermist/
Yesterday I flew to Atlanta for our Jesus Alliance Board meeting. My plane was 2 1/2 hours late but time passed quickly, and I made it just fine. When I left the temperature was in the high 70’s and when I arrived in Atlanta it was so cold, I thought I would bite off my lip from shaking. People think I’m strange because I like the heat and humidity; I think they are strange because they like frigid weather . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/more-like-me/
I’m happy to report we made it back from the Bahamas in good shape. We caught a boatload of fish and had more fun and laughs than a barrel of monkeys. Much to the chagrin of my highly competitive fishing partner, as luck would have it, yesterday morning I caught the largest Wahoo of the trip . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/light-doesnt-mean-bud-lite/
I’ve only really loved a very few people in my life, but my brother was one of them. The most difficult time in my life, (and I have had many), was when he committed suicide. I have not experienced such grief nor wept like that before or since his death. After his death I remember lying on my bed with the shades drawn all by myself and rethinking our life together. We faced tough times and good times together. We had our sibling rivalries to be sure and I cannot say we always got along, but I can say that in our own way we deeply loved each other always . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/appreciation-2/
This morning I’m making my way to the Bahamas. The wahoo bite is supposed to be red hot and tasty yellow eye snapper abound. Three of us will cross the gulf stream and hopefully reach our destination by 9:00 a.m . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/bahama-bound-i-think/
Yesterday I received a letter from a reader who is living out his version of what Job endured. He was unjustly fired from his job when the company changed hands; shortly thereafter his wife divorced him with 3 kids in high school while in the midst of building their dream home, and if it weren’t for Godly friends, he might have just decided to end it all . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/are-you-any-better-off/
So, my wife asked if I was enjoying retirement yesterday. I told her not really. My life has been filled with non-stop frenetic, action-filled raw stress for the last 50 years and to go from that to a relaxed, mode of “if I don’t get to it today, I’ll get it tomorrow” attitude, has about driven me stark raving mad. Most of the time I don’t even know what day it is and don’t really care except for writing Words for the Day and Sunday church, and more often than not I’m bored silly . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/stark-raving-mad/
I’ve made several goals and resolutions for the New Year. As is customary I have already violated some of them. One was to get back on my pre-holiday diet. I went out last night and had prime rib and a monster size baked potato and then came home and ate some dessert, a big bowl of ice cream. I only gained five pounds over the holidays and prior to last night I’d already lost 3 of it, so it is not an earth-shattering event in my life, but nonetheless, it irks me to no end that my willpower was so weak . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/satanic-formula/
The LGBTQ community is making progress in infiltrating and taking over churches worldwide. Breitbart news recently published some material about what is happening in Sweden . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/jesus-in-high-heels/
Yesterday I went fishing with a friend of mine. The water was beautiful, sparkling clean, and azure blue and the weather was just right. Sailfish were abundant, and we had loads of fun . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/listen-to-the-sky/
So now after years of infighting the United Methodists are going to divide over the ordination of homosexual priests and conducting same sex weddings. The move to split one of the largest denominations in the United States comes after last year’s special session of the United Methodist General Conference after strengthening its bans on the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/no-nation-like-this-one/
I was initially flabbergasted that there are so many people who put politics over the defense of our country, especially when we were able to take out a ruthless murderer with American blood on his slimy hands. After some thought I realize that those in politics are even worse than ambulance chasing trial lawyers, they aren’t concerned about anything but themselves . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/are-you-a-woke/
My family had photos taken in my back yard during their Christmas holiday visit. In the photo are me, my wife, sons, daughters in law and grandchildren. The smiles are genuine, and we are a happy group of people . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/generational-curse-broken/
I had a strange dream last night. I was applying for a job as a teacher and setup an appointment with a client who said he had some women employees, and none had even high school degrees. My job would be to assist them in getting them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/weird-dream/
Another year has passed and a brand-new one will begin to unfold beginning today. What will it bring? Good times? Bad times? New life? Loss of life? Lost pounds? Increase in pounds? Good health? Poor health? Financial gain? Financial loss? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2020/01/all-good-questions/
A little boy is telling his Grandma how “everything” is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/if-god-had-a-refrigerator/
It is amazing to me to look at all my children and grandchildren. I did not think I would reach the age of 25 and yet here I am with a large tremendous family celebrating Christmas and the New Year holiday. My wife, sons, daughters-in-law, grandkids, and in-laws all came to my home in Jupiter. There are 17 of us in all and it’s been loads of fun to be together with laughter galore . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/the-important-things-in-life/
I read yet another deeply disturbing article this morning about Pope Francis. I have several friends who are of the Catholic faith, many of whom read this column daily. If the below article proves to be correct, it would be the most wicked heresy I’ve ever heard a spiritual leader utter. Hopefully it is miscommunication, or something lost in translation, but in light of some of the other things this Pope has said during his tenure I’m concerned . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/spiritual-leaders-good-and-bad/
I read this morning that holiday depression has arrived for many people. The holiday season should be a fun time of the year filled with worship, parties, celebrations, and social gatherings with family and friends. For many people however, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/holiday-depression/
I was awakened this morning with a call from my spiritual son a pastor in Ghana Africa. He prayed a beautiful prayer and offered a prophetic vision that he had of me dressed in military gear shooting arrows at the enemies of God. He said in his vision that I had a multitude of arrows and I was shooting them one after the other so fast and furious that my face was covered in sweat . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/merry-christmas-2/
I had a friend and his wife who live in the Florida Keys visit our home yesterday. He recently read my book Miracle on Luckie Street cover to cover. He is probably in his early sixties and has been an atheist all of his life. He is not one of these antagonistic atheists, but one that just cannot seem to convince himself that God exists. He is adamant that he will not fake believing and will only commit if he truly believes. Then he told me that I was one of those who truly believes, and he wishes he could . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/indescribable-christmas-gift/
A Christian leader friend of mine left me a blistering voice mail the other day concerning the Democrat’s impeachment sham against Donald Trump. He went on and on about it and it sounded as though he might be foaming at the mouth, so I decided to give him a call and calm him a bit. I missed him but left him a voice-mail and told him that God was still on the throne and things were moving along as He ordains and to do what he could but let God take care of the rest for we know that the final outcome will be delightful for Christians . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/cool-it-2/
I’ve had some wonderful times with friendships, businesses, churches, marriage, and nearly every aspect of my life and those are very happy memories. Unfortunately, I’ve had some very bad experiences along my way too. So much so in fact it will cloud all my good memories to the point of not even remembering them, IF, I allow it to do so . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/regrets/
I went with a friend not too long ago to a correctional facility, (prison,) in Okeechobee to speak with the inmates. This man volunteers to go there every Wednesday to teach Christian leadership. He is a graduate of the Naval Academy and is well-qualified to do so . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/lets-get-better/
I heard the other day that one thing that is guaranteed is that there are 3 types of liars in the world, politicians, media people, and weathermen. At any rate it is a sad commentary upon our nation that lying has become accepted in our society . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/only-simpletons-do-that/
I was talking with a friend who is involved in a nasty lawsuit with a non-Christian. They have lied about her and virtually destroyed her business that once thrived with lies and deceit. She has not withdrawn into seclusion nor is she entrapped in dark depression. Instead she told me she had drawn closer to God due to this ordeal and some health problems she has undergone than most any other time of her life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/not-a-time-for-weeping/
The Hallmark television Channel has now found itself caught in the crossfire between traditional conservatives and progressive activists for canceling an advertisement in which two lesbian women shared a kiss after One Million Moms launched a petition in protest and they pulled the ads . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/why-not-100-million-moms-and-dads/
I was reading about the Universe the other day and read with interest about the mysterious “black holes” of outer space. Apparently entire constellations are sucked into these extreme gravitational aberrations and their light just disappears as if they were never there. I was thinking how it seemed to be a metaphor for sin. Entire nations seem to get sucked into an abyss of sin prompted by extreme lust for the wrong things in life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/how-to-throw-it-away/
So today is my anniversary. We’ve been married 49 years. A friend wrote to congratulate me this morning and told me that my wife should be nominated for sainthood for putting up with me for so many years. Hmmm . . . I’m thinking he is right of course, but it was very unkind of him to point it out . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/guns-knives-fists-arm-wrestling-or-water-pistols/
We serve a mighty God and when we worship properly and believe it enables us to be blessed in mighty ways. The true story below shows the faith of a young child. The Bible states: Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/our-miraculous-god/
So yesterday one of my twin granddaughters sent me a list of questions for a school project she is doing. Don’t be shocked because the questions refer to worshipping God. She goes to a Christian school . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/im-devastated/
I heard a song, Heaven help us all, by Stevie Wonder while driving home from deer hunting camp yesterday. Stevie was imploring people to pray for the afflicted in this world but also to pray for those doing the afflicting. In short, he prays that heaven will help us ALL . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/heaven-help-us-all/
Does God ever directly intervene in our lives? After all He has to be incredibly busy. The latest scientific estimate indicates that there are 100 billion trillion stars in the universe. It’s hard to imagine how such a project could be effectively managed and we don’t even know the true extent of it, such as what might lie beyond the universe . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/god-is-not-limited-2/
Why can’t some people surrender to Jesus? Well it ain’t easy bro! One of the best statements concerning what it means to completely surrender to God comes from David Wilkerson: “Surrender.” What does this word tell you? In literal terms, surrender means to give up something to another person. It also means to relinquish something granted to you. This could include your possessions, power, goals, even your life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/yikes-i-need-to-surrender-2/
Many years ago a friend and his wife invited my wife and me to go bowling. I bowled some as a kid but hadn’t been bowling in many years and the same with my wife. Our friends on the other hand went at every opportunity. In fact they owned their own bowling balls, matching shirts, gloves, and embroidered bowling ball bags and jackets . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/be-cool-in-the-end-zone-2/
My wife came home from Bible study not long ago and said a lady wanted to know why we should pray, since God has already determined the outcome. It seemed like a waste of time . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/god-has-already-determined-the-results-so-why-pray/
Some of us could take a lesson from the little squirrel pictured below. He took some time off from work to smell the daisies. Judging from its expression this obviously meant a great deal to it. The little critter had to stand on its hind legs to reach the best area to smell the fragrance. It shut its eyes and put its ears back and when the fragrance reached his nostrils one can see its total delight . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/12/stop-and-smell-the-roses-uh-daisies/
I must confess to the sin of gluttony today. Turkey and other Thanksgiving fare is my favorite meal. It is such an ordeal to cook, my wife will not prepare it but once or twice a year and though I hate that, it’s probably a good thing because I would weigh in at 400 ponds on the hoof . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/stink-bombs/
Thanksgiving should be a time of joy. And it is at my household and yesterday we had a great time. We looked at family photos on my smart TV and laughed ourselves silly at old family photos. All the girls went to the salon to get spruced up and the men went for a long cruise in my skiff up the Intercoastal waterway from Jupiter to West Palm Beach and back. It was perfect weather, and many people were on the waterways just enjoying life . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/too-much-drama/
The devaluation of human life in this country is manifesting itself every day. Florida authorities are trying to identify the person who posted an ad on Craigslist that appears to be selling a newborn baby for $500 . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/newborn-for-sale-500/
Things are really heating up around the world. Hong Kong protestors on the rampage, the same in Chile, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Iran and so on. Russia is working on the world’s most devastating weapon as is China. Iran is threatening to take Israel off the map again and of course who can forget North Korea’s dictator who is still running his mouth . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/one-fire-escape-thats-it/
We are rapidly approaching the end of another year. I don’t know about you, but it went fast for me. I heard an intriguing question the other day. It began with a lady relating how she and her husband at Christmas time had donated a well to some Africans who had no clean drinking water. This was done in lieu of giving their usual pickup truck full of presents to their kids, each other, and various loved ones . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/can-you-remember/
We are fast approaching Thanksgiving. It is a special day that was set aside by the early settlers to offer thanks to their creator. Like Christmas and Easter, the true meaning is being distorted and it has become a secular holiday about turkey and all of the trimmings, huge discounts and sales of merchandise, and football. But it was originally about thanking God. Thanking someone is like bacon and eggs to the giving process. I can only imagine how it makes God feel when we display an unthankful attitude, especially for giving us His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. I know how it makes me feel for someone not to thank me for something I’ve given them or done for them and I suspect God is hurt by it too . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/feed-a-rat/
The older I get the more I adhere to the old adage: “Never say never.” Invariably as soon as one makes that vow they do what they swore not to do. I will never: be overweight; speak to so and so again; vote for Donald Trump; remarry; get drunk again; eat jalapenos again; go to church; and on and on. People change, situations change, inhibitions are raised and lowered, and temptations abound. A lot can happen on the way to never . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/a-lot-can-happen-on-the-way-to-never/
I was disgusted to see Chic fil A cave to the LGBTQ in the last few days. Their foundation will no longer support the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Paul Anderson’s Home for Boys and others. This was done to appease the gays and is a disgusting display of unadulterated corporate greed. They want to expand their stores into areas in places like Chicago, NYC and other godless communities that are more sympathetic to non-Christian world views, so they decide to sellout the Salvation Army and other great Christian based groups. In other words, the almighty dollar wins the day with this former Christ centered family owned business . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/chic-fil-a-money-grubbers/
Wow the weather in Jupiter is just right. Lows in the 60’s and highs in the mid to high 70’s. The weather will be like this for some time to come and it is the reason so many people come here to south Florida in the winter. I was thinking of heaven this morning and wondering what it will be like there. I like warm weather and high humidity, but I know folks who love the freezing cold and no humidity; I don’t like snow and they seem to love it. Will we have seasons or not? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/quail-and-grits/
I received this email yesterday and thought it was very poignant. Divorce rates are soaring and the wake of it is destroying lives, especially children . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/just-like-mating-snakes/
I’m nauseated beyond the pale by Democrats who make their living lying and manufacturing evidence to try and get rid of Donald Trump. They have nothing of substance and are offering up a bunch of people as so called “witnesses” who have never even met President Trump and merely suspect him of doing things with no actual knowledge of anything he has done wrong. We went through two years of this with Mueller and now as we approach the election with a bunch of communist leaning misfits as potential candidates the Democrats and media, are totally desperate to find something, anything, that might help win them a few votes and/or disqualify Donald Trump . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/landslide-lyndon/
So yesterday I woke up and my head was spinning so fast I began to think it would twist off. I’d never experienced vertigo and I did not like it. I was nauseated beyond the pale and could hardly walk. I went to the doctor and almost threw up on him during the examination. I’d experienced a vicious headache prior to the vertigo, and he was concerned that I might have had a stroke. My left ear had been hurting over the weekend and I felt I was getting an ear infection and possibly my inner ear might be causing it. Today I go for a CAT scan for the stroke angle and an eye, ear, nose doctor is checking out the inner ear thing . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/my-heads-spinning-3/
I had lunch with a couple of good friends of mine yesterday and the subject of going to church came up. One of them has stopped going to church. Now don’t get me wrong this man is a Godly man who faithfully goes every Wednesday to a prison and teaches inmates about the Lord. I have no doubt that he loves the Lord and will walk on streets of gold in heaven when he departs this earth. I was encouraging him to go back to church and reminded him that Church attendance is not just a “good suggestion”; it is God’s will for the lives of believers including his . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/dont-blame-the-holy-spirit/
When I was a youngster my brother and I had a Spanish class together. I was a freshman in high school and already wild as a stallion who thought rules were made to be broken and I was always trying to get attention the wrong way. I was reviled by teachers as a trouble-maker and my brother Jim was just the opposite he was always the teacher’s pet. One day each student had to get up in front of the class and give a speech in Spanish. Jim sat on the front row and I sat as far back in the room on the back row as I could get. We had small translation booths to sit in, I suppose they muffled the sound as we practiced Spanish while listening on headsets . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/rules-are-made-to-be-broken/
So yesterday I went to a men’s prayer breakfast, The Gathering, in West Palm Beach. The breakfast started at 6:30 a.m. It was at a hotel way out by the airport and I had to leave so early I didn’t have time to write Words for the Day unless I waited until I returned. I called my friend Al Cuneo and asked if he and his son George could send out a rerun of an old post and they did . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/bad-news-bad-sports-teams/
One time I was returning from the Bahamas in my boat. It was a very long 260 mile trip and was rather monotonous riding along with the boat on auto pilot. The water was very smooth with little wind and we made great time. As we entered the final 82 mile stretch of our trip and began crossing the Gulf Stream, I noticed a storm on my radar screen. In the summertime it is quite common to have thunderstorms pop-up here and there especially around the warm river of water called the Gulf Stream that constantly moves in a Northerly direction . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/certain-death-2/
As we flounder along watching the people of our country divide into separate camps with leaders intent upon destroying each other, our nation is sinking into the mire of bitterness, immorality, loneliness, hopelessness, addiction, uncivility, sexual perversion, and corruption. Homelessness abounds in major cities with streets littered with human feces, dirty needles, garbage, and stoned drunken broken people strewn about laying in the streets awaiting death. God is openly mocked, and righteousness is twisted to mean what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/no-more-oceans/
Not long ago I received four letters from folks who are suffering. One guy was beset with worry over his finances. Logically he knows what the Bible says about it being a sin to worry and to trust God. Worry accomplishes nothing save harming our health. Most of the things he fears will never happen, but he worries himself silly about them as though they have already happened anyway. I told him to put his faith in God and buck up . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/11/egad-i-thought-i-had-problems/
I read somewhere the other day that “Some people are so poor, all that they have is money”. It is the converse of what one would think especially for those who do not have much money. It is ironic really because so many people will go to virtually any lengths to obtain it including stealing, selling their bodies, and even committing murder. And yet there is nothing of the flesh that gives you true joy . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/give-up-what-you-cant-keep-anyway-2/
I have not been fishing in several weeks, nor have I gone hunting since the season opened. I have been totally immersed in moving into yet another home. I was thinking of this the other day and counted up the moves I’ve made in the past three years and it is mind-boggling. I left Honey Lake Plantation and moved to Sarasota, then moved to the other side of the state to Port St. Lucie Florida and after a few months moved to another house in Port St. Lucie, and then moved back to Honey Lake, then to the Florida Keys for 3 months, and from there to Stuart Florida, and am just now completing moving to Jupiter Florida. A friend told me that he needed an ankle bracelet to keep up with where I am lately . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/are-you-normal/
Friday I was the keynote speaker at a prayer breakfast down in New Orleans, (Jefferson Parrish LA to be precise.) Thank you for the prayers; by all accounts it was a tremendous success. My good friend Michael Phillips, the new CEO of The Jesus Alliance, came to the event and afterwards we had some time to catch up and spend some time planning the next steps for the ministry . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/compound-interest-of-good-and-evil/
I have been following the fight with Planned Parenthood for some time now. I received this update from my good friend Mat Staver last night . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/murderous-greed/
Someone once said: “All things are difficult before they are easy.” It goes hand in hand with something that General George S. Patton once said: “Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/enjoy-the-climb-2/
Yesterday I wrote about the controversial subject of women preaching to men from the pulpit. I expected to be bombarded for making the statement that the Bible states it is wrong, but instead only received a light shelling. Interestingly I received one comment from a man who derided me for being too hung up on rules . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/withering-leaves/
Should women preach/teach men? Not according to God. The Bible is quite clear on the subject that they should not. This is not just Old Testament teaching, but the New Testament strongly makes this case in several passages. The church I attended in south Florida began allowing the pastor’s wife to preach on a rotating basis and I could no longer attend. That was very unfortunate because I have many friends who still attend that mega church and I would like to be a part of it. However, I want to be obedient to God first and so we go to a different church now . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/women-pastors/
We began as the United States of America but sadly have become the Divided States of America. We have endured one civil war that ended government sanctioned slavery and now there are those who warn about another civil war looming ahead of us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/the-divided-states-of-america-2/
I have stressed time and again with the leadership at the Jesus Alliance not to overemphasize “works,” (a form of niceness,) compared to evangelistic effort. If we were to create a utopia of folks who lacked nothing; everyone would be well-fed, have decent shelter, clean drinking water, material possessions, recreation money, a beautiful spouse, perfect health, and all of the niceties of life, but lacked Jesus Christ as their Savior, they would die and go straight to hell and what would we have accomplished . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/niceness-not-what-its-cracked-up-to-be/
We tend to think of Jesus as a simple Galilean carpenter, itinerant preacher, girding himself with his garment to wash the feet of His disciples, and as a martyr dying a horrible death upon a cross. My daily Bible study has progressed one chapter a day as we have marched through the Bible and today we have finally reached Revelation. All I can say is Wow Oh Wow! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/wow-oh-wow/
I’ve had the seven deadly sins on my mind lately. For some strange reason I’ve heard that expression all my Christian life, but really didn’t know from whence it came. I’ve never read it in the Bible, and I wasn’t sure how one sin is worse than another, (save blasphemy of the Holy Spirit,) which is called out in Scripture as being unforgivable . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/dante-was-a-dreamer/
Wouldn’t it have been fun and interesting to be a fly on the wall and been able to watch God create man. It would be pretty neat to understand His true and complete purpose for designing us the way that we are and listen to Him explain the logic of His design criteria and human specifications . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/stop-look-listen-2/
One of my sons took his wife and twin daughters to the Georgia Bulldogs game Saturday. The Dawgs were favored by 24.5 points and lost in overtime. They played terribly and it was a nauseating game. I quit watching it when they started their freefall . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/i-hate-sports/
Last night I attended a fundraiser for the ministry of a dear friend, former waterski world champion Kristi Overton Johnson. Her missive is to deliver magazines to prisons in order to give those incarcerated Gospel driven hope primarily through the inspiring stories of former inmates who have turned from their sins and now follow Jesus, as well as practical advice on how to cope with life as an inmate and how to lead a life filled with peace, joy, and love. She also has forty volunteers who write letters to those who write the ministry which provide personalized hope to thousands weekly . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/a-most-powerful-weapon/
Lust – The word itself generally makes people cringe and with an embarrassed look glance down. Most dictionaries define it as intense sexual desire. What does the Bible have to say about lust? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/lust-lust-lust/
I have many bad memories from New Orleans and have avoided going there like the plague. I believe the entire city is corrupt and under the sway of Satan and is a demonic stronghold of epic proportion. I lived there much of the time I was addicted to drugs and alcohol, committed many crimes, practiced witchcraft and other sins while living there and my brother committed suicide there. It is a morally debased capital of sin and it reminds me of visiting death row as one can actually feel the demonic presence of evil and darkness there . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/bad-memories-of-the-big-easy/
One night I went into Jefferson County Prison with some buddies from church to witness to the inmates. Our pastor Kenny Munds did a good job advertising the event as there was standing room only in the auditorium. The inmates sang several songs that moved me deeply, and then our guys performed a few numbers. Afterwards I gave my testimony and at the end asked those who wanted Jesus in their lives to allow us to pray with them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/stunning-enigma/
I get thousands of letters and some of them are just beyond the pale. Atheists, perverts, abortion nuts, you name it write and tell me off year in and year out. I’ve had more than one death threat. One atheist wrote just recently F God, FJesus, and F*** everything about Christians like you. I admit I wanted to put a fist in his blaspheming mouth and told him so. I do however, expect this from unbelievers. 1 Cor. 2:14 – The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/big-mouth/
One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/impact/
Most Words for the Day can be listened to using the link to the audio for the day, but today’s post is filled with photos and I urge you to refer to the written version to receive the full impact. Kindness comes in many shapes and forms as evidenced by the array of photos below. The uncivility of modern society stems from many different sources, with politics and the ruthless pursuit of power leading the list. I have reached a point whereby it is just too nauseating to follow the lies and character assassinations and I thought that you, like me, might need to take a break from it today . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/kindness-lasts-forever/
Lately I feel as though I’ve lost my sense of direction. It is an unusual place for me to be; it seems as though God has withdrawn to a faraway place. Generally, I set numerous goals in virtually every area of my life. I prioritize them and work diligently to achieve them. But I just cannot seem to get on a track that feels comfortable. I cannot decide what to work on first . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/feeling-dusty-read-on/
I have begun to wonder if there is some strange magnetic field that surrounds me that is akin to a magnet that attracts pyschos. Being a pyscho magnet is interesting but not always fun. If you could take a peek at my email sometime, you would easily recognize that I seem to attract a litany of nuts. I attract unbeliever pyschos the most. Many have been disillusioned by the church and often by what they perceive as the shortcomings of God. The irony of this line of thinking is that they are appalled by the way creation runs and rant about a God whom they say they don’t believe in . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/10/why-not-consider-bathing/
A friend recently sent me a collection of sayings that were mostly written decades and even centuries ago, but have remained timeless. In fact, it gave me some comfort in knowing that we are not the first to face our nation’s current problems. Importantly former governments and their societies were shaped and ruled by miscreants too. Read this and see if it sounds familiar . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/been-there-done-that/
Yesterday I wrote concerning the auto reply of the man who had died and gone to heaven. This spurred a reader to send this message from oil magnate T. Boone Pickens which was written prior to his passing on September 11, 2019 . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/speaking-from-the-grave/
I did a mailing to announce that I was stepping down from being the CEO at the Jesus Alliance and I received notice that two of the people on my list had died. One of them had this auto-reply on his e-mail: “I Have Passed On To My Heavenly Reward. God does not have an email server so your message will never be seen.” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/no-more-e-mail/
One time I tried to help a disillusioned young man who was working on my house with a construction crew. He’d broken up with his girlfriend, quit his job, started drinking and (of all things) had begun smoking cigarettes. He’d moved to the Florida Keys (which is about as far south as someone who is trying to escape their problems can go and still remain in the United States) and was all alone . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/do-or-done-away-or-to-2/
Well I got a ton of response yesterday when I announced that I have stepped down as CEO of The Jesus Alliance. In fact, I got a mailbox full of wonderful correspondence from happy, joyful, Christians filled with peace and goodwill and just one from a foul-mouthed stinking atheist. Why these guys follow me is beyond me. I suppose it gives them a way to vent their frustrations against the God who loves them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/poking-a-simmering-coal/
An atheist/agnostic friend went to Miami with me Saturday. It is a 1 1/2 hour drive each way and we stopped for lunch which provided a great opportunity to witness to him again for the umpteenth time. He is a good friend and it breaks my heart that he solidly refuses to even discuss the possibility of God’s existence. I have been praying hard for him since I met him a couple of years ago now, but yesterday as I prepared to yet again pray for him I was really discouraged . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/hes-your-problem-now/
I was eating lunch in a small restaurant in the tiny community, (population 90) of Escarpment Wyoming one weekend a few years ago now. This establishment could have been right out of the movie set for Jeremiah Johnson and the owner fit the part. He could have played any of the mountain men in that movie and he did not need a costume or coaching. He was a big man and rough looking. He had on dirty blue jeans, cowboy boots, a dirty tee shirt with the arm sleeves ripped out and had giant tattoos all over his huge arms; (even though it was 40 degrees outside) . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/tarzans-limo-2/
I have been extremely blessed and privileged to live in some of the most beautiful settings on earth. I’m an early riser and I rarely miss blazing sunrises and glorious sunsets not to mention moonrises . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/open-doors/
Yesterday I was talking to one of the painters that has been working on my house. He was sitting outside on his lunch break smoking a cigarette. I smiled and told him that those things would kill him, and he smiled back and said he knew it and kept right on smoking. I rode down the street and saw a kid on a bike riding along vaping. He couldn’t have been more than 15. I’m sure he must be aware by now of all of the serious lung ailments and disease that has become a vaping related national epidemic . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/the-stuff-that-will-kill-you/
Over the weekend an article ran concerning Justice Kavanaugh. It involved yet another salacious accusation of an alleged incident that occurred at a party many years ago. Immediately practically every Democrat presidential hopeful indicated that he should be immediately impeached as did the degenerates in Hollywood. So, this morning it was grudgingly revealed by the New York Times that the woman who allegedly was the victim of Kavanaugh’s behavior has no recollection of it and has refused to discuss it. Sound familiar? We were tortured with this same junk during his hearings . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/agenda-of-hate/
I was awakened last night by thunder, lightning, and pounding rain. Yes, yet another tropical storm is heading our way and we are in the leading edge of it as I write this post. Those poor souls in the Bahamas who just got hit are in the cone too and I feel sure they are getting rain as well. They are located just 56 miles from where I live. There is nothing much left for the wind and rain to destroy in the Bahamas. Over 2500 people are still missing and the homes and businesses located on the Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands were completely destroyed. Just when they think it is over and it could not get any worse, another storm is heading their way to add to their misery . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/when-it-rains-it-pours-3/
I heard someone say the other day that if the progressive socialists are so concerned about overpopulation perhaps they should just abort themselves. Some are probably nutty enough to give it a try. They love their goddess Planned Parenthood. Most blindly accept it as a bastion for women’s rights; however it was established to control populations of primarily black people by Margaret Sanger. The media has done an effective job of condemning many people who have an association with the Ku Klux Klan — but one exception to this seems to be Planned Parenthood’s “beloved” founder, Margaret Sanger . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/sandwich-anyone/
I think that one of the most important blessings of God in this life is friendship. It is a gift that adds laughter, beauty, good counsel, and joy to our lives, and it’s a welcome relief in times of suffering. According to the Bible, friendship is a key ingredient to our success. Wise old King Solomon knew the value of friendship . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/get-yo-rear-end-back-2/
I’ve been reading about the many Democrats who are anti-Semitic and how they lash out at this tiny country daily. That led me to wonder about people all over the world that hate Israel and act similarly. To me Israel is one of the greatest proofs of Bible truth that exists today. Consider the size of Israel. It is about 473 times smaller than the United States. Israel is just 263 mi long from north to south, and its width ranges from 71 miles to, at its narrowest point, 9.3 miles. Can you imagine a country just 9.3 miles wide? . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/tread-lightly-on-this-subject/
I was traveling in India several years ago and saw for the first time people with leprosy. I shall never forget looking into the haunted eyes of a beggar who had lost his ears, fingers, and had other open wounds where the disease was ravaging his body. I stopped our taxi and gave the man some money as he stared blankly into my eyes, almost as though he was looking through me . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/third-world-misery/
Being an Atlanta Falcons fan since their inception I have never been enamored with the New Orleans Saints. There is a great rivalry between the two teams and its fans. I’ve never been a fan of their quarterback, Drew Brees simply because he has been a nemesis to the Falcons for as long as I can remember and I for one wish he would just retire already. This is not to say I don’t respect what this man accomplishes on the football field. He is simply put one of the best quarterbacks to ever walk on the field – darn it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/foe-no-mo/
I returned home from mandatory evacuation yesterday. My wife and I drove straight through from Atlanta and it was a long grueling trip. Today I have to get my hurricane shutters removed and try to get things back in order. When driving up to Atlanta to evacuate I saw convoy after convoy of ambulances, electric power company trucks, and fuel trucks heading south getting ready to assist. Yesterday I saw convoy after convoy heading north; I assume toward the Carolinas to assist due to the fact that their services are no longer needed down here, and the danger has passed for us . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/dawn-of-hope/
The Bible is clear that we are to respect those in authority over us. To me this is one of the most difficult commands to follow. I admit I do not respect people like former President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and don’t see how I could respect VP Biden if he is elected. Many cannot respect President Trump, much less honor him. Not much has changed since this was written and during New Testament times Christians were taught to respect the Roman occupiers that brutalized them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/for-the-sake-of-the-lord/
It’s hard to imagine the terror that those poor souls in the Bahamas are feeling at this very moment. Trapped in the dark with howling wind and rain, their homes destroyed, cars overturned, power lines gone, food and water scarce, and danger at every turn. When will it pass? Hurricane Dorian stubbornly sits atop this little island chain and keeps beating them with such a vengeance that it is hardly imaginable and refuses to budge. Most reports claim it will begin moving again later today; let’s pray that it does! . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/crisis-2/
I am in Atlanta due to a mandatory evacuation from my home in Jupiter, Florida. I tried to secure my house and boats as best I could, had shutters installed and made the grueling drive to Atlanta. Now I’m relegated to watching the storm head for my home. This morning the hurricane sits about 60 miles away and we are getting pounded by outer bands coming through as we pray that it will turn North and go out to sea . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/09/hurricane-tragedy/
When I was a young man a buddy and I were staying in a little dump next to a nice motel. Occasionally we’d sneak over there, pretend to be guests, and lounge around their swimming pool. One day we spied a couple of good looking babes sitting on lounge chairs and we walked over and asked them if they’d mind if we joined them . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/dead-flies-stink-2/
Some face tremendous trials and tribulations throughout their lives and others seem to have it fairly easy for a while, but sooner or later we ALL face adversity. I don’t know why God designed life to consist of valleys and peaks; I quit asking. These days I just focus on getting through the dark valleys and on to the next sunny peak . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/sometimes-its-better-just-to-allow-someone-time-to-cry/
I get really frustrated with my wife because she doesn’t “get” my jokes. I work my way through a hilariously funny joke and when I get to the punch line and start guffawing, she looks at me as though she’s expecting more. I begin to go back and “patiently” explain the joke line by line and when she finally, (mercifully), understands the meaning, she just looks at me without even smiling and says, “I don’t think that’s very funny You’re weird” . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/its-a-joke-get-it-3/
One day while whitetail deer hunting I learned an interesting lesson about anger management that I shall never forget. It was such a beautiful day that I really didn’t seem to care whether I saw a deer or not . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/ignore-them-and-theyll-fly-away-2/
I’ve been studying 1 Thessalonians this week and it presents a concept that has been puzzling me for some time. We are told elsewhere in the Bible, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and Jesus said to the thief on the cross, this day you will be in paradise with Me, and there are many other similar verses in the Bible. Now comes Paul Chapter 4 telling us that we “sleep” when we die and when Christ comes back we shall rise first and those Christians alive will follow . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/ugly-caterpillar-gets-wet-kiss/
I receive a wealth of requests to explain different passages from the Bible almost on a daily basis from folks I don’t even know. I’ve always felt uncomfortable about this because my education has not been formal but came through decades of reading and studying the Bible and various commentaries on my own. I feel the same sometimes about attempting to write books, especially on difficult passages . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/quit-holding-back/
It seems like I get an e-mail or two a day from folks all over the world offering me huge amounts of money provided I will just hurry and send them some money to pay for transferring it. Of course these are nothing but scams and one of many nefarious schemes of crooks trying to get rich quick by preying on the gullible . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/you-are-a-billionaire-2/
Yesterday I was picking out wood floor coverings for a room I’m renovating in my house. A very nice young man was helping me, and I was in a hurry because I needed to meet with the superintendent who was managing my job. As he was typing up a quote for the sample I picked out, he asked for my e-mail address. It contained the words: @JesusAlliance.org and he asked me what the Jesus Alliance was. I explained that it was a ministry that I founded that is dedicated to being a part of the Great Commission which entailed preaching the Gospel and disciplining the nations all over the world and that we were attempting to do so via technology . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/goosebumps-the-size-of-marbles/
I have a rough draft of a book I wrote several years ago that remains languishing on my computer and lately I’ve felt the urge to get it finished. It is a fictional novel that is filled with intrigue and mystery and is fascinating to read, or at least that is what I’ve been told by the few people I’ve shared the rough draft with. The problem with the book is the ending. A good friend of mine who is a very successful writer told me that if you want to write a great book, come up with a “killer” ending and then write the book around it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/whodunnit-2/
I tend to think often of my failures in life and not my triumphs. I was thinking of this problem this morning and my thoughts went to some of the positive things, indeed miraculous things I’ve accomplished, and some are very impressive. I do not say this to boast but to encourage. I truly believe that most people are held back by their low self-esteem. I had an especially bad case of it . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/petunia/
Tomorrow I leave for Waco Texas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bill Glass prison ministry. I spent several years traveling around the country speaking at prisons with this ministry and saw many men and women come to know Christ and also served on his board of directors for a while . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/a-hint-of-wisdom-finally/
Six police officers were shot by a drug dealer in Philadelphia this week. As the police called in reinforcements the crowd that assembled jeered at them, threw objects, shoved them, and otherwise showed utter contempt for those brave men and women who risk their lives to protect them. It is yet another disturbing sign of the times . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/and-the-real-problem-is/
I tried watching a highly acclaimed movie on Netflix the other night and after just a few minutes turned it off in disgust. It was filled with profanity with the “F” word being used over and again. The lead actors and actresses were constantly drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes and literally a half dozen people were depicted as being violently killed by the” heroes” of the movie in just the first few minutes . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/weve-been-deceived/
Today I was studying Ephesians and the passage about putting on the full armor of God stood out to me. The real enemy in our lives is not any particular person. No matter how evil someone might be, rest assured they received their direction from Satan. Spiritual warfare is a WAR between two opposing forces. As with any war there are serious casualties and it’s a serious battle. Some of those people Christians love to hate are themselves casualties of spiritual warfare . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/armor-of-light/
So, pedophile billionaire Jeffery Epstein is dead. There are many very powerful men in Washington and indeed all over the world breathing a collective sigh of relief over his demise today. The spin machines of these men of wealth have been spinning faster than a washing machine gone haywire to distance themselves from Epstein. Heads of state, Saudi Princes, mega powerful business owners, politicians have been identified by Epstein’s sex trafficking victims who were raped by these men of privilege when some of them were just 14 years old . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/index.php/2019/08/whodunnit/