PRIORITIES! One of life’s necessities and yet often overlooked because we are tempted to just float along in life with no sense of what’s really important. I know one thing---when this life is over, we’ll take a glance backward and be glad we took the time and effort to choose wisely how we spent our days on this planet.

I agree with Ben Patterson who wrote in “The Grand Essentials”: “I have a theory about old age…I believe that when life has whittled us down, when joints have failed and skin has wrinkled and capillaries have clogged and hardened, what is left of us will be what we were all along, in our essence.”

Exhibit A is a man I read about who spent all of his life seeking riches. He spent his last days on this earth very comfortably, drooling and babbling constantly about the money he had made…When life whittled him down to his essence, all there was left was raw greed. This is what he had cultivated in a thousand little ways over a lifetime.

Exhibit B is Edna, a woman who lived well up into her 90’s. She impacted my life greatly. When I became acquainted with her, she was a retired school teacher. She directed the choir in our church, taught Sunday school, and served in multiple leadership roles. I remember her smile, positive attitude, and deep faith. She had a severe case of arthritis, which made it difficult for her to even walk, but I never remember her talking about it. What an example! When she had to go into a nursing home, she made the best of it, organizing a Bible study for the other "older" residents. Edna love Jesus and she used every opportunity to brag about Him to anyone who would listen.

When life whittled her down to her essence, all there was left was love: love for God and love for people. I’d say she got it right when it came to priorities, wouldn’t you?

MY BROTHER HAS CANCER! To be honest, when I heard the news, I was a bit shocked. After all, he’s the only brother I have. But here’s the good news: He has a strong faith and a positive outlook. He told me he was leaving it all in God’s hands. “If He wants me now, that’s okay,” he said. “On the other hand if He wants to keep me here for a while longer, that’s fine with me too.”

What an attitude! We discussed the importance of attitude in the healing process, especially as it relates to prayer, and agreed that one cannot overemphasize its value. There is a great deal of research in the medical field supporting this.

And so, he submits himself to the care of physicians and begins the chemo regimen. It seems the right and prudent thing to do, remembering all the time that the Great Physician is really in charge.

I reminded my brother (as if he needed reminding) that he had already cheated the Grim Reaper twice—once when he was in a terrible automobile accident in his early twenties and another time when he had open heart surgery in his fifties.

Who knows, perhaps the sickle will have to be put aside again. After all, even the Grim Reaper is in submission to our Eternal Father. Do you believe as I do that calamity cannot touch us unless it passes by the permissive will of God? He is our Rear Guard. He has our back!
My sincere prayer is that when trouble visits me, I will continue to trust in my Father’s will.

Unlike many in our world today, Lloyd has a great deal going for him—a very loving and supportive family, friends who are standing by him and a whole host of folks (many of them strangers to him) who are lifting him to the throne of God. Who could ask for anything more?

Yes, my brother has cancer, but cancer does not have him!

I WAS WALKING IN THE MALL RECENTLY and when I rounded a corner, I heard someone singing. At first I thought it was a recording being played over the PA, but then saw that it was a cleaning lady singing loudly as she worked. She was singing in Spanish, but the tone and melody was beautiful. Obviously she enjoyed her work and was not intimidated by myself or the other fellow walkers. This set me to thinking about the power of music, to move people in the positive sense. It reminded me of the song, “Whistle While You Work,” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Remember it?

Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace

And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom is someone that you love
And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune

(Spoken: Oh, no, no, no, no! Put them in the tub)
When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work

*(Another version)*
Just whistle while you work
Put on that grin and start right in to whistle loud and long
Just hum a merry tune
Just do your best and take a rest and sing yourself a song

When there's too much to do
Don't let it bother you, forget your troubles,
Try to be just like a cheerful chick-a-dee

And whistle while you work
Come on get smart, tune up and start
To whistle while you work

Research has shown that music has a profound effect on your body and psyche. In fact, there’s a growing field of health care known as Music Therapy, which uses music to heal. Those who practice music therapy are finding a benefit in using music to help cancer patients, children with ADD, and others, and even hospitals are beginning to use music and music therapy to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits that music and music therapy can bring. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways. Consider some of effects of music, which help to explain the effectiveness of music therapy: Breathing and heart rate can be altered—can be slowed; relaxing effect can be a great stress reducer; put one in a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay; lower blood pressure; boost immunity; ease muscle tension. These are but a few benefits to the body and mind, say nothing of the spirit.

I can tell you this. I felt better and my gait was accelerated. There’s just something about a happy sounding song that makes you feel good.

There an old Jewish legend which says that after God had created the world, He called the angels to Him and asked what they thought of it, and one of them said, “One thing is lacking—the sound of praise to the Creator.” So God created music and it was heard in the whisper of the wind and in the song of the birds. And to man also was given the gift of song. And all down the ages this gift has indeed proved a blessing to countless multitudes.

SOMEONE ASKED ME WHAT “APRIL FOOL’S DAY” IS ALL ABOUT? Where did it come from and what does it mean? Well, as near as I can decipher, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day cannot be pinpointed with any degree of accuracy. It’s not like Halloween, where despite an interesting history, most people just put on costumes, get candy, and leave it at that. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this observance was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

Sometimes, elaborate pranks are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees.

In any case, perhaps it can be said that after a long winter in Michigan, it’s a way of letting off some pent-up steam and just having some good fun. As long as no harm is done, why not? It sure beats grumbling and complaining about the weather.