Thursday, April 24, 2008

Shade Tree Wisdom 4/24/08

Bracing this morning, and the walk was quiet. Now and then when I am coming toward the end of the morning walk, two students are still waiting for their bus. I raise a bored hand in greeting, they wave bored in return. So, amenities taken care of, the bus comes and sweeps them up.

All sorts of things in the news to comment on. Here is the report that Houston is home to 58 Fortune 500 company corporate headquarters, but it is also beginning to feel more of the housing pinch that other parts of the country are mired in. And now authorities learn the phone call that started this whole mess with all those children was based on a hoax by a person under court order not to make any calls for a year.

And, jobs for teenagers will be harder to come by this summer.

And the Congress has honored 99 year old Dr. DeBakey of Houston, premier hearty specialist, with its medal of honor, the highest honor congress can bestow on a citizen. I am glad for this recognition for a man who has done so much pioneer work with heart ailments and surgery. etc.

Five years ago the Congress ordered the IRS to get 80 percent of all tax payers to file electronically by 2007. Last year 58% did so, the rest still used paper. Problem is it costs the IRS $2.67 to process each paper return, while to handle an electronic return costs but 29 cents. What will happen next is your guess.

Turns out the golden years really are more golden. An eye-opening new research shows older Americans really are happiest, and also are more active socially than the picture of lonely old age seems to indicate. Yes, years do bring aches and pains, but the study shows the years also bring more contentment with life as it is. Younger people strive more for “having it all”, and baby boomers, now retiring, have yet to learn that contentment means satisfaction with what there is, not with what one yet has to do to reach fulfillment.

So, yes, “Godliness with contentment is great gain”. As Scripture teaches us.

“Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way,
Thou are the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.”

GPD 4/24/08

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