Many people are suffering in this record-setting heat.

Some visitors to our national parks have died recently.

You may know people who don’t have relief.

Two groups of people you know may need some help.

Those groups are co-workers and help who work in your home.

A fan and plenty of water could help them cope.

Ask them if they have some means of avoiding heat exhaustion or dehydration.

It’s not enough to care only for family.

Everybody does that.

O yes, there are moments and situations when we feel alone.

The question becomes, “Although you feel alone, are you?”

If there is anything I’ve learned about God, it is that we are given overwhelming freedom.

This freedom includes the right to make terrible decisions that bring terrible consequences.

At that moment God does not burst into our lives.

He must be invited.

So, if you feel alone, it could be that you haven’t invited God into this moment.

There have been times throughout my life when I have simply said, “Dear God please help me.”

You and I don’t have all the answers, but God stands ready to help us.

Just ask!

If not today, when?

I’ve often wondered why we celebrate the baby instead of the mom.

After all, the baby did nothing on its birthday and the mom did everything.

To prove my point, one of our grandchildren was born sound asleep!

Think of all that a mom goes through.

For many women it begins with morning sickness.

This is followed for the next nine months with numerous physical and emotional adjustments.

Finally, the delivery arrives with a painful day only known by moms.

And yet we only celebrate the baby on a birthday.

Go figure!

It’s not easy.

For some reason, too many of us think of a glass half empty rather than half full.

Does that describe you?

Today, all day, I want you to think of your greatest blessing.

Tomorrow, I want you to think of your greatest blessing and your second greatest blessing.

On the third day, think of your greatest, second and third greatest blessing.

Get the point?

Just a quick word about misfortune: LEARN FROM IT!

Have a BLESSED DAY!

If not today, when?

(Photo: Ukrainian grain farmer)

Yesterday, Russian bombs destroyed 90 tons of peas and 20 tons of grain at the Ukrainian port of Odessa.

Putin has repositioned the Russian fleet in the Black Sea to the northwest quadrant so that it can sink any merchant ship carrying food from Ukraine. (New York Times)

It is predicted that millions of people will starve with 40% of the world’s food supply gone.

The destruction of this much food does not hurt Ukraine alone.

No, the poor countries of the world will be hurt the most!

When will the evil stop?

The great crooner, Tony Bennet, is dead at 96!

He was loved around the world!

What else can I say?

I will miss him.

100 year old Henry Kissinger made a personal visit to the top decision makers in China this week.

He said he was not representing the American Government, but was acting on his own as an American citizen.

His message was that China and America should treat one another as equals.

This would necessitate that each country must demonstrate respect for the other.

Kissinger, of course, is well aware of the growing animosity between both governments and hoped he could act as a mediator.

I can’t imagine how grueling the flight all the way to China must have been for a person 100 years of age.

But, that’s what PATRIOTS do!

He is an example for all of us.

100 year old Henry Kissinger made a personal visit to the top decision makers in China this week.

He said he was not representing the American Government, but was acting on his own as an American citizen.

His message was that China and America should treat one another as equals.

This would necessitate that each country must demonstrate respect for the other.

Kissinger, of course, is well aware of the growing animosity between both governments and hoped he could act as a mediator.

I can’t imagine how grueling the flight all the way to China must have been for a person 100 years of age.

But, that’s what PATRIOTS do!

He is an example for all of us.

Do you send greeting cards anymore?

Many of us have decided it’s easier and much less time consuming to fire off a text or email.

It, however, just doesn’t make the same impression as a greeting card does.

It takes NO EFFORT to text or email.

My wife does and always has sent greeting cards for various occasions.

She goes to the Dollar Store, takes her time to find the perfect card and pays 50 cents per card.

Of course, she then has to address the envelope, include a personal message inside the card and mail it off.

Yes, it requires more time and effort, but it is greatly appreciated.

I don’t recall so many people making so many bad decisions.

It’s like the earth is spinning off its axis.

You know what I’m talking about.

So, how do we deal with it?

I really believe we must not allow bad decisions and their consequential bad results to affect the otherwise daily beauty of our lives!

So, the way we can cope with chaos is not to let it walk through the front door of our lives.

We cannot and should not allow the chaos to keep us awake at night nor disrupt any other facet of our lives.

Although the world around us is chaotic, can’t we bring some orderliness to way we conduct our personal lives?

I say “yes.”

If not today, when?