A dam has failed in Nashville, Illinois 50 miles from my home. Flash flooding occurred in many parts of Southern Illinois at the time of this writing. Heavy rain continues to fall.

I love rain and am enjoying the downpour today but feel for the poor people in the flood zones. Nature knows excess. We have experienced blistering heat torrential rain and the need for rain recently. Such is life and our pursuit thereof.

The occasional drink of an adult beverage can be enjoyable. An excess of five can be destructive. A great meal is wonderful and even some birthday cake. It is not your birthday every day.

‘Anger endures for a night but joy cometh in the morning.’

Strong political rhetoric is useful at times. When it becomes the norm we are in trouble. The demonization of those who disagree with us is an apocalyptic folly. The old adage that sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me is wrong. Words kill…

We sang a song telling us, ‘Be careful little ears what you hear.’ Little ears are listening to leaders who for political expediency aim heated hateful unfounded accusations at their opponents. There seems to not be an ‘Over The Top’ statement. The gentle manners of Christ have been traded for the Bar Room Brawl.

We shake our heads wring our hands and wonder why things are the way they are. We have placed cruelty on a pedestal. Kindness is considered a weakness. Good is bad wrong is right up is down truth is what you want it to be.

Science Fiction is not strange to us. We embraced the Looking Glass. The alternate universe seems alright if you do not look too closely. God kills one and saves another while we salute and march up the hill…

The rain continues…