HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND!

Today is Lois' birthday. She's my best friend, a godly wife, a godly mother, a godly grand-mother. She is a blessing to me & to my children & grand-children. She has a servant heart. I love you, Lois! We'll be in Lincoln tonight [at my daughter Sarah's], & I think we'll order out Chinese to celebrate.

WHAT I'M READING

Last night I finished reading "The Smoke at Dawn," by Jeff Shaara. It's the 3rd book in a series of 4 books about the western theater of the Civil War. It focuses on the Battle of Chattanooga. "In The Smoke at Dawn, the last great push of the Army of the Cumberland set the stage for a decisive confrontation . . . that could determine the outcome of the war." I started reading "The Fateful Lightning," which is the 4th book in the series. These books are historical novels. [In case you haven't noticed, I really, really like reading about the Civil War.]

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

We're all caught up on our CBS shows, so we've been watching "Heartland" on Netflix. We really, really like this show.

BRRRR!

We got more snow on SAT & SUN. We've been getting a plethora of snow. It's also bitterly cold. Lois told me that when she got up this morning, it was -13--that was the actual air temperature, not wind chill. [I should have done at Temp Challenge.] We are really looking forward to our next . . . 

ROAD TRIP

Our flight to Florida leaves at 6:00a tomorrow morning. We're driving to Lincoln today & will spend the night at Sarah's. It will be a short night, since we'll have to leave her place by 3:30a in order to drop off our car & check-in with plenty of time to spare. We're visiting her 2nd oldest sister Kathy in St. Petersburg. We're hoping to see her younger sister Anita, who hopefully will be able to come down from Ft. Walton Beach for a few days. And we're hoping to see our nephew Nick & his family, who also live in St. Petersburg. We're also hoping to take a side trip to Everglades National Park, which mean we can cross off an item on our bucket list & continue to make progress on meeting my New Year's resolutions. Oh, & just so you know, not that I'm trying to gloat or anything, the temperature is supposed to be 70 when we arrive in Tampa tomorrow afternoon.

OUR PRIMARY MOTIVE

"With us, however, the primary motive is to serve Christ. Thus, if our service to men is frustrated, rebuffed or wiped away, we need not be disheartened. We are merely instruments to render His service. We share His love, not our own, & His love never runs dry." Thomas Hale, Men's Devotional Bible

FED BY THE WORD

"When God's people go to church, they receive God's gifts of forgiveness of sin & eternal life through the preaching of the Word. St. Paul tells us that God sends pastors to preach His Word. He then writes, 'So [saving] faith comes from hearing, & hearing through the word of Christ' (Rom. 10:17). Martin Luther writes, 'The Word & faith are both necessary, & without the Word there can be no faith.'

"Through the pastor's preaching & teaching, God teaches His people how to understand the Word. Having been fed God's Word, God's people return home & continue in that Word. Through the Word, the Holy Spirit nurtures & sustains their saving faith in Jesus Christ. Parents, then, take what the pastor taught, & they teach their children at home, as Luther states in his Small Catechism, 'As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household.'

"As God's people, we desire most what He desires most--our eternal salvation. We yearn & pray that our spouse, children, grandchildren & all our loved ones are in heaven on the Last Day. That is why we return home & continue to be fed in the Word, which includes prayer, hymns, the Creeds & Luther's Small Catechism." Rev. James Baneck, The Lutheran Witness, Feb. 2021

SONGS OF THANKFULNESS & PRAISE *

* LW #88, St. 4

"Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord, Present in Thy holy Word; Grace to imitate Thee now And be pure, as pure art Thou; That we might become like Thee At Thy great epiphany And may praise Thee, ever blest, God in flesh made manifest."

HOW GOOD, LORD, TO BE HERE *

* LW 89, Sts. 4 & 5

"Before we taste of death, We see Your kingdom come; We long to hold the vision bright And make this hill our home.

"How good, Lord, to be here! Yet we may not remain; But since You bid us leave the mount, Come with u to the plain."

LECKBAND TEMP CHALLENGE

We woke up to snow this morning, but it looks like we're not the only Leckbands who are "enjoying" some wintry whiteness. [Oh, I hope that doesn't betray my white privilege.] Every one of us is in a winter weather alert today, so we'll take care of that first, in no particular order & ranking.

* Norfolk, NE, winter weather advisory, 2-4" of snow [Paul & Lois, My daughter Rachel & Derek]

* Eagan, MN, wind chill advisory, -20-35 [My son Nathan & Laura]

* Ventura, IA, wind chill advisory, -20-30 [My brother Mark & Christy]

* Lincoln, NE, winter weather advisory, 2-4" of snow [My daughter Sarah]

* Beatrice, NE, winter weather advisory, 2-4" of snow [My sister Carolyn & Matt]

Now it's time for the temp challenge competition. Rankings are based on wunderground at 8:05a, CST.

(1) Ventura, IA, 2 degrees, -14 wind chill

(2) Norfolk, NE, 5/l-11

(3) Eagan, MN, -2/-2

(4) Beatrice, NE, 16/1

(5) Lincoln, NE, Balmiest Leckbands, 14/14

TRENDING

> "Scientists weaving human brain cells into microchips." Drudge Report

> "AOC claims she was killed in the capital riot & is now a ghost." Babylon Bee

> "Panel of 3rd graders to dictate nation's climate change policies." Ditto

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE . . . CALIFORNIA

"Late Friday night, the United States Supreme Court delivered a blow to some of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) Wuhan coronavirus restrictions. In a 6-3 decision, the high court ruled that the state can't outright ban indoor church services but they be capped at 25 percent capacity. The state's ban on singing and chanting indoors can also remain in effect." Beth Baumann, Townhall 2/6

REPUBLICANS

"The temptation to splinter from the GOP might be alluring to elements of both the populists and the Republican traditionalists, but this is a dead end. The Republican Party is the only plausible electoral vehicle for any sort of right-of-center politics in America. It is worth fighting over, and it will be. That struggle is sure to be toxic and unpredictable — except for the fact that at the end of the day the Grand Old Party will still be standing."  Rich Lowry, National Review Online 2/5

TRANSGENDER MADNESS

"In a series of tweets posted on February 3, the ACLU alleged that “trans girls are girls” and that “the idea of sex being rooted in biology is a ‘myth.’” Yes, the ACLU affirmed, “Biological sex and gender are not binaries,” and, “Trans athletes do not have an unfair advantage in sports.” Accordingly, the only reason to deny a trans-identified student the right to play on the sports’ team of his or her choice is “pure discrimination.”

"To this I say – with love and compassion to these young people who struggle with their gender identity – this is a lot of bunk. Of course boys are different than girls. Of course there are biological distinctions. Of course males, on average, have biological advantages over females when it comes to strength, size and speed. That’s why we have girls’ leagues and boys’ leagues, from little league through college through professional sports. That’s why we have men’s and women’s competition in the Olympics, and that why we have men’s and women’s world records."  Michael Brown, Townhall 2/5

"It’s not right. It’s not fair. And, on top of all that, President Biden’s executive order allowing transgender males to compete against girls is going to destroy girls sports in America. David Limbaugh, Townhall 2/6 

TRENDING *

* compliments of Drudge Report

"11 Iranians arrested in Arizona after jumping U.S.-Mexico border." Drudge 2/4 To which I say, let's open those borders!

"San Fran sues district to force in person classes."  Drudge 2/4 There is no place like CA!

"Americans give up citizenship in record number." Drudge 2/5 Remember all those celebrities who threatened to leave the country if George W. Bush got elected? If Trump got elected?

"Off-road, off-grid--Modern nomads wandering America's back country."  Drudge 2/5 This sounds appealing, as long as we could still find hotels that have free breakfasts.

"People who become fat late in life live longest!" Drudge 2/5 Time to go back on a diet holiday!

"Fewer children attending school, remotely & in person."  Drudge 2/5 This would be good news if it included children attending elite, liberal colleges & universities

COVID

"A little-noticed article in the Baltimore Sun on January 29 revealed that the United States has “tens of millions of doses” of vaccines manufactured, packed up, and ready to go . . . but they still need authorization and approval from the FDA . . . "  Jim Geraghty, National Review Online 2/4

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Joe Biden’s tenure may mark a return to business as usual of the Bush-Clinton years. Or, more likely, it will accelerate the current hard-left trajectory. Either way, it seems that Biden is intent on provoking just such a pushback by his record number of early and often radical executive orders — a tactic that candidate Biden condemned. On almost every issue — open borders, blanket amnesties, canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, promoting the Green New Deal, and hard-left appointees — Biden is touting positions that likely do not earn 50 percent public support."  Victor Davis Hansen, NRO 2/4

"As of yesterday, Texas is no longer funding Planned Parenthood, having successfully removed the abortion company from the state’s list of eligible Medicaid providers. The move comes a few months after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas had the right to determine for itself whether or not to fund a particular provider through its Medicaid program."  Alexandra DeSantis, NRO 2/4

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

"The American public deserves the truth -- from its politicians and from any and all media. This should be a noncontroversial statement. But it is controversial, apparently. Not only are we not being told the truth; we are being prevented from hearing the truth told to us by anyone who has it -- or is actively seeking it. We are increasingly unable to even access information we could use to form our own independent assessments of what is true and what is not. This is appalling, and we must demand that it stop."  Laura Hollis, Townhall 2/4

THE WIT & WISDOM OF CAL THOMAS

"Conservatives who want to preserve America from what they regard as incremental socialism should embrace home schooling as a way to rescue the next generation and preserve the country. I have quoted her before, but sometimes repetition is needed for it to sink in. The late Barbara Bush said: "Your success as a family ... our success as a nation ... depends not on what happens inside the White House, but on what happens inside your house." She understood where real power comes from. Now, if more people will only seize that power and use it."  Townhall 2/4

WHO IS JESUS?

"It would be hard to underestimate the significance of Jesus. No other person has had a greater historical impact. Even those who aren't Christians acknowledge this: Muslims revere Jesus as a prophet. Hindus consider him a holy teacher. Even many atheists are very willing to say they admire Jesus; for example, Christopher Hitchens once said he respects "the virtue of his teachings."

"Yet a common skeptical remark you hear is that we can't really know anything about who Jesus actually was. He was probably a great guy, but the early Christians invented so many stories about him that we have no way of separating what's true in the Bible from what's false. Most skeptics don't realize, however, that academic historians take Jesus very seriously. We're talking historians, not theologians; not least, because we have so many historical sources for Jesus. Many people don't realize the New Testament is a collection of books, for example, and represents multiple sources about Jesus. Many are very early—for example, Paul's letters date to the 40s and 50s AD and some of the material he quotes is dated even earlier, to within months of Jesus's death . . . 

"It's simply not the case, in other words, that Jesus's life was invented decades after his death by well meaning Christians. And that means we are forced to take the life of Jesus very seriously—at the very least, we need to read the gospels as we would other ancient literature and weigh them accordingly.

"And that brings us face to face with Jesus himself: a Jesus who made astonishing claims about himself. C S Lewis once famously said that Jesus left us only three options. Either he was mad—utterly insane. Or he was bad—a cynical liar. Or else Jesus was who he claimed to be. Whilst this threefold choice may slightly over simplify things, the broad thrust is right. Jesus forces all of us to answer the same question he asked Peter in the Gospels: "Who do you say I am?" One thing is certain: Jesus has left a powerful footprint on history, too great to ignore. "Who do you say that I am?" The answer each of us gives to that question matters profoundly."  Andy Bannister, Slice of Infinity

A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE

"What does distinguish the Christian from the world is the absence of any anxiety, which might have come as a result of the loss of something he has managed or even God's denial of something he wants. Why? Because the Christian's treasure is not on earth. The world & its temporal toys do not possess him. He is prayerful, but not the least bit anxious about the tremendous uncertainly facing our national & world economy." Ron Blue, Men's Devotional Bible

O GOD OF GOD, O LIGHT OF LIGHT *

* LW #83, Sts. 1 & 4

We are still in the season of Epiphany, so here is another Epiphany hymn.

"O God of God O Light of light, O Prince of Peace & King of kings:  To You in heaven's glory bright The song of praise forever rings. To Him who shares the Father's throne, The Lamb once slain but raised again, Be all the glory He has won, All thanks & praise! Amen, amen.

"Then raise to Christ a mighty song, And shout His name, His glories tell! Sing, heav'nly host, your praise prolong, And all on earth, your anthems swell! All hail, O Lamb for sinners slain! Forever let the song ascend! All hail, O Lamb enthroned to reign! All hail, all hail! Amen, amen."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"In a few weeks, there's going to be a new cookie in town. But don't worry, Girl Scout cookie lovers. Toast-Yay! will never replace perennial favorite Thin Mints. Thanks-A-Lots have been retired to make way for the French toast-inspired variety that is dipped in icing. Cookie sales start Feb. 12 & continue through March 21."  Omaha World Herald, 2/1

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Joe Biden is off to the most left-wing start of any Democratic president in recent memory. The dulcet tones of Biden’s inaugural address already seem an artifact of a bygone era. Republicans will hammer him for the rest of his presidency for failing to deliver on his unifying message, but the fact is that Biden is governing as he promised — further to the left of his own record, further to the left of Barack Obama, and further to the left of any Democrat who made his career prior to the ascendency of the cultural left.

"It’s not new for Democrat presidents to want to tax, spend, and regulate, even if Biden seeks to do more of all three than his immediate predecessors did. Biden layers on top of this a cultural agenda that represents a new dimension of radicalism that would be alien and baffling to past Democrats, who may have wanted to extend the New Deal but never sought to transcend the gender binary." Rich Lowry, National Review Online, 2/2

"White House climate czar John Kerry traveled to Iceland by private jet in 2019 to accept an environmental award and defended his transportation choice to a reporter at the time by calling it, “the only choice for somebody like me.”  Mairead McArdle, NRO, 2/3

Kerry flew to Iceland in October, 2019 to receive the Arctic Circle award, an iceberg sculpture, for his leadership on climate issues and being “a consistent voice pressuring the American authorities to commit to tackle environmental matters,” according to Icelandic outlet RUV.

COVID

"Happy Groundhog Day. Today we begin with the math that says we probably won’t finish vaccinating the most vulnerable until May, look at vaccination appointment websites that keep crashing and state health officials who apparently forgot about seniors who aren’t tech-savvy, and wonder why hospitals can remain open in bad weather but not vaccination centers."  Jim Geraghty, NRO, 2/2

"CDC:  Use noisemakers instead of cheering."  Drudge Report, 2/2

TRENDING *

*compliments of the Babylon Bee

> Google deletes 100,000 negative reviews of Planned Parenthood from unborn babies"

> "California declares Christmas caroling a felony"

> "New evidence suggests Jesus encouraged disciples to loot city after flipping tables in temple"

> "Local atheist demands evidence for God, besides entire universe"

HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH

"Get a flu shot every year. One of the best ways to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot every year. (Some children may need two vaccines in one season.) There are over 200 trains of flu viruses, & they can mutate, which is why a new formula is created every seasons . . . If you're hesitant because of an egg allergy, there are two egg-free caccines available--Flucelvax & Flublok."  Reader's Digest, Nov. 2020

DEPT. OF SHAMELESS JOKE-STEALING *

*compliments of Reader's Digest, Nov. 2020

"Astronomer discovering an asteroid coming to destroy earth:  'This will make me famous but not for long.'"

"If aliens ever attack, we will probably be fine unless they realize how easily we are influenced by traffic cones."

"My review of our solar system:  1 star."

"If you're ever feeling down on yourself, just remember how in 2018, when I hosted Thanksgiving for my family, I told them to park in the wrong spot & every single person's car got towed."

MINNESOTA ODYSSEY RECAP

We had an uneventful trip home from Nathan & Laura's yesterday. It was hard telling the kids & grand-kids good-bye. We had a great visit with them. It only took Claire, the one-year-old, 4 1/2 days to warm up to me, but before the end of the week she was letting me hold her & walk her around. Lois bonded with her almost immediately. Calvin & I watched episodes of PJ Masks & Veggie Tales, & I played super heroes with him. On Friday night we ordered out Chinese from LeeAnn Chinn's. Not bad! I had egg rolls, steamed dumplings, shrimp & vegetables, & shared cream cheese puff--crab Rangoon--with Laura. * Probably the next time we'll see them in person is when we have our family reunion in Omaha toward the end of June.

* There I go again, posting comments about food.

ROAD TRIPS

Lots of road trips in January. We visited David & Carmen in Texas & made a side trip to San Antonio. We spent a little over a week at Nathan & Laura's in Eagan, MN. We're well on our way to meeting our goal of at least 8 road trips this year. A week from tomorrow we'll fly to Florida & spend 3 weeks with Lois' sister Kathy in St. Petersburg. Hopefully we'll also make a side trip to the Everglades. In March we plan to visit John & Wanda in California & make side trips to several national parks.

COVID NEWS

Lois & I were able to register for the vaccine with both the State of Nebraska & Madison County. We're really hoping we'll get the first shot before we leave for Florida.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

While we were at Nathan & Laura's we watched Hamilton. Several years ago I read his autobiography, written by Ron Chernow. We found it very entertaining. For the most part it was faithful to the book.What a surprise to find out that George Washington was African American!

WHAT I'M READING

I finished reading "A Blaze of Glory:  A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh," by Jeff Shaara. It's book 1 of a 4-book series about the Civil War in the West. [I read the first 2 books out of order.] Now I'm reading "The Smoke at Dawn," which focuses on the Battle of Chattanooga. The last book in the series is "The Fateful Lightning."

RESOLUTIONS REVIEW

Here's my progress report about my 2021 New Year's resolutions.

> At least 8 road trips. SEE comments above.

> Give up French fries. So far, so good.

> Get a DNA report from Ancestry.com. I've sent in my DNA sample. Now I'm awaiting the results.

> Do my PT exercises at least once a week. I've really sloughed off. I only did them once while we were in TX, & I only did them once in Minnesota. I need to get serious about them.

> Avoid useless FB comments. It's been a challenge, but I think I've managed pretty well so far. And if I post something political from National Review Online or Townhall, & people take exception, I just have to refrain from responding their specious arguments.

> Add to our National Park & bucket lists. We visited San Antonio last month, which was on our bucket list. [I'd been there before; Lois hadn't.] Hopefully, it will work out for us to visit the Everglades while we're in FL. Hopefully, it will work out for us to visit Yosemite, King's Canyon, & Sequoia while we're in CA.