Oh, how times have changed in the tournament bass fishing world. In the last 20 years, tournament bass fishing has had several things that have taken the sport to another level. The first being the most obvious, electronics and forward-facing sonar. But there have been a few other things like how anglers get information today.

“Back in the day” as we old timers would say, getting information was sitting down with another angler and a paper lake map. You would use a highlighter to mark spots on the map where either he had caught bass before or places you might want to check.

Anglers would spend hours staring at a waterproof paper map like it was the Holy Grail. We brought them along with us in the boat to make sure we hit every spot marked. We made notes on the map as to what we caught, what time we caught fish, what bait we caught them on and what depth the fish were. We made notes on the water temperature as well as wind direction.

Maps were our main source of information on how a lake would set up for how we wanted to fish. Maps today are still very important, but now they’re on a screen, on our I-pads, cell phones and electronic units on our boats.

But there were also other ways anglers got information just like they do today. Who has more information than an angler who guides on a particular body of water? It’s that guy that spends every day of the week taking people out fishing. This person is full of information that can be a real asset to a tournament bass fisherman.

Also back in the day, we would meet a friend for lunch who maybe fishes a certain body of water frequently. He would tell you about spots that he knew about or had caught fish before. So, word of mouth was also a way we got information.

Fast forward to 2026, and the information highway is insane. Today, there is so much information that the younger generation has grown up with that it’s mind blowing. Someone asked me before, “Can you get too much information?”

Yes, too much information can create confusion and sidetrack you on what you need to be doing in order to compete in the tournament. Also, information is only good for so long, as bass fishing can change daily or even hourly.

All anglers process information differently, and personally, I don’t like talking to a lot of anglers about what, how and where I need to fish. Over my 30-year career, I can only think of maybe twice that information actually paid off with either a win or cashing a check.

To this day, I feel confident in my ability to find fish on my own. One of the first lessons I learned was that it’s hard to go and catch another angler’s fish. Even with good information about a certain spot, you still have to figure out boat positioning and the best way to approach the spot.

A lot of people complain that today’s anglers are networking together and forming their own little information group, especially the rookies on tour. The young anglers today have come up through the ranks with college and high school fishing teams, where they communicate a lot.

This is nothing new. Ever since professional bass fishing started, anglers have been forming partnerships with other anglers. That’s why anglers form small groups that travel and eat together, while developing true friendships and trust.

But the younger generation of anglers today are doing some things that I feel may not be in good spirit of the sport. They have budgets they use to purchase weigh points or dots as they call it.

That’s infringing on the integrity of the sport. This, in my opinion, is going too far and should not be allowed in tournament competition.

Of course, just like so many other things today, money is a factor along with how much you have. Some of the younger anglers have budgets of $30,000 plus (provided by parents) to spend each season for weigh points.

This is an unfair advantage whether you want to admit it or not. It’s proving the point that if you have money, you can compete for the win rather than just trying to cash a check.

It’s really hard to make it as a pro on your own. Today, you need that support system of information and money because it’s so difficult to fish against the best anglers on the planet on your own. It’s a different game today than it was 20 years ago.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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Through the whole season of Lent, I work on answering the question, “What am I giving up for Lent.”

A friend told me recently, “I’m simply frazzled.” Now, when a minister says “frazzled,” my imagination goes straight to cartoon mode. I pictured him with his hair standing straight up, soot on his face, clutching a smoldering Bible in one hand while trying to answer a phone call and a text message with the other. Ministry does that to us. Then I looked at my own calendar—those blank spaces I had optimistically filled in with “rest”—and I understood exactly what he meant.

There’s an old saying: “I’m so busy I don’t know if I’ve found a rope or lost a horse. “Some days, that feels less like a saying and more like a spiritual condition.

Our culture practically demands frazzled, frenetic activity. If we’re going to play the game, we’re expected to check email, Facebook, Instagram, and X like we’re on some sort of digital scavenger hunt. I left Facebook, I never tweeted, and my computer only checks email a couple of times a day. I do peek at Instagram—because that’s where my family hangs out—but even that can feel like a part-time job.

Maybe a good Lenten discipline would be to give up the tyranny of the immediate. If it doesn’t get done today, I’ll get to it tomorrow. And if it’s still sitting there tomorrow, maybe it didn’t need doing in the first place.

Now, I’m not suggesting you shirk your responsibilities. I’m suggesting we learn something about living for the long run, something our souls have been trying to tell us while we’ve been too busy checking notifications.

God took the seventh day off. You, however, will not—because I know you. So let me offer a substitute: two peace pockets a day.

A peace pocket is a ten-minute break where you turn off the phone, turn off the computer monitor, close the door, and do absolutely nothing. If anyone asks, tell them you’re about to “work very hard for the next ten minutes on doing nothing.” Only we could turn rest into a job description.

If you can’t take a day off, take two peace pockets and call me later.

We spend so much time ruminating over trifles. The disciples once “lost” Jesus—not because He was lost, but because they were. They finally found Him praying alone. Breathless, they announced, “The whole town is looking for you!” Jesus calmly replied that He had other places to go. In other words: “I’m not ruled by your urgency.”

Jesus had priorities. He didn’t let the trivial masquerade as the essential.

If God rested and Jesus set priorities, maybe we should take the hint. Maybe Lent is the perfect time to let go of the things that make us feel frazzled, frantic, and spiritually threadbare.

Then, perhaps, we can finally decide whether we’ve found a rope or lost a horse.

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Lowell K. “Sandy” Robinson was a deputy for the Tulare County California Sheriff’s Department until he was elected Sheriff in 1951. From that election until the election in 1966, Sandy had easily defeated all others who vied for the office. The November 8, 1966, election day was a disaster for Sandy because he received only about half as many votes as his contender received. On January 1, 1967, he turned his office and the title of sheriff over to the incoming sheriff.

One of Sandy’s daily tasks was to retrieve his mail from post office box number 510 at the Visalia Post Office. It was a task that had become so routine that he performed it without much thought. It was just one of the routine details of his daily life such as putting on his shoes and grabbing his car keys. Soon after the election, Sandy decided to leave Visalia, California and move to Baxter Springs, Kansas to be near his parents and siblings. In the chaos of moving, Sandy forgot to return his post office box key. It remained on his keyring. Sandy was still getting things settled in Baxter Springs when a local hotel manager resigned and moved to another town. The hotel owner offered Sandy the hotel manager position and he quickly accepted. Sandy had not set up his new address in Baxter Springs when he was hired for his new job. When he visited the post office, he requested the same post office box which had been used by the previous manager just in case any mail intended for the hotel was delivered to that box. After completing the necessary paperwork, the postal clerk gave Sandy the box key. Stamped on one side of the key was the post office box number. Sandy was surprised when he looked at the key and saw it stamped with the number 510. Sandy had the same post office box number in Baxter Springs that he had in Visalia some 1650 miles to the west.

Sandy shrugged off the coincidence. He made sure the new key worked, retrieved a few pieces of mail from the box, then put the key on his key ring with little thought. Nearly two years went by, and checking his mailbox at the Baxter Springs Post Office became just another item on his daily routine. Then in August 1969, Sandy pulled out his keyring and opened box number 510. He retrieved the mail and was in the process of locking his post office box when he noticed that another key on his key ring was stamped “510.” That is when he finally realized that he had forgotten to return his key to the Visalia Post Office. Then, he wondered which of the two keys he had been using for nearly two years to get his mail. Other than normal wear, the keys were practically identical. Sandy tried both keys in each of the mailboxes in the Baxter Springs Post Office. Although they would not open any other box at that post office, both keys opened post office box number 510.

Sources:

1. The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas), August 25, 1969, p.5.

2. The Daily Item (Port Chester, New York), October 1, 1969, p.8.

3. “Lowell Sandy Robinson,” FindAGrave.com, accessed March 1, 2026, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28198671/lowell-sandy-robinson.

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On March 11, 1970, the beginning of the end for one of the most influential bands in music history quietly unfolded. On that day, a press release tied to the upcoming solo album of Paul McCartney included a self-interview in which he confirmed he was no longer working with The Beatles.

Though tensions had been building within the band for months, McCartney’s public comments made what many feared official: The Beatles were effectively finished.

Formed in Liverpool in 1960, The Beatles — comprised of McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — had transformed popular music in less than a decade. From early hits like “She Loves You” to groundbreaking albums such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” the group reshaped recording techniques, songwriting standards and global celebrity culture.

By 1969, however, creative differences and business disputes had strained relationships within the band. Recording sessions for what would become “Let It Be” were famously tense, later chronicled in documentaries and studio footage that revealed the fractures behind the harmonies.

McCartney’s March 11 announcement did not immediately result in legal dissolution, but it signaled to fans around the world that the Beatles’ collaborative era had ended. The official breakup would follow in 1970 after legal actions were filed.

The news stunned fans and dominated international headlines. For many, the breakup symbolized the close of the 1960s themselves — a cultural shift away from the optimism and experimentation that defined the decade.

In the years that followed, each member embarked on successful solo careers, producing enduring hits and continuing to shape music independently. Yet the impact of The Beatles as a collective remains unmatched.

More than five decades later, March 11 stands as a pivotal date in music history — the day the world learned that the band that defined a generation was no more.

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Eugene Franklin Edmonds, affectionately known as Gene, passed away on February 3, 2026, at the War Veterans home in Jackson, Louisiana. Born on February 19, 1944, Gene was a long-time resident of Winnfield, Louisiana. He graduated from Winnfield High School and attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Gene was the son of Eugene Earlin (Bill) and Mae Juanita Edmonds. He spent the majority of his life as a master carpenter, known for his exceptional skill and infectious laugh. Gene had a passion for riding his Harley on sunny days and enjoyed watching LSU football on Saturdays.

He is survived by his daughter, Natalie Jeanne Mixon and her husband Lucien, and his son, Ty Eugene Edmonds and his wife Kathryn, all of Geismar, Louisiana. Gene was a proud grandfather to five grandchildren: Ensign Braddock Russell Lord, Officer Jackson Kenneth Lord and his wife Kiarra, John Champion “Champ” Edmonds, Reagan Lynn Jinks, and Hadley Kate Edmonds. He also leaves behind three great-grandchildren: Alaska Rainn Lord, Maverick Carter Lord, and Paxton Kenneth Lord.

Gene was preceded in death by his father Bill Edmonds, mother Juanita Edmonds, sister Dorothy Lynn Edmonds Gates, and nephew Roger Gates. His unwavering devotion to his Heavenly Father and his dedication to family and friends are the legacies he leaves behind.

A Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Garden of Memories Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home. Friends may express messages of condolence to the family online by visiting southernfuneralhome.com.

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Residents of Winn Parish can expect warm springlike temperatures through the week, with increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms heading into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Wednesday will bring partly sunny skies with a slight 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after noon. High temperatures are expected to reach near 85 degrees with south winds between 5 and 10 mph. Overnight, skies will remain mostly cloudy with lows around 64 degrees.

Thursday is forecast to remain partly sunny and warm, with highs climbing to near 86 degrees. Mostly cloudy conditions will continue Thursday night with overnight lows around 66 degrees.

Rain chances begin to rise Friday, with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms developing after noon under partly sunny skies. Highs are expected to reach near 87 degrees. A slight 20 percent chance of storms will linger after midnight Friday night as temperatures fall to around 68 degrees.

The weekend forecast calls for more unsettled weather across the parish. Saturday is expected to bring likely showers and thunderstorms with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 85 degrees. Rain chances increase to 70 percent during the day and remain elevated Saturday night, with a 60 percent chance of continued storms and lows around 65 degrees.

Sunday will remain cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely throughout the day. High temperatures are expected to cool slightly to near 79 degrees, with rain chances around 70 percent.

Residents are encouraged to stay weather-aware, especially this weekend when storms may become more widespread across the region.

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You ever notice how life has a way of barging in like a neighbor who doesn’t bother knocking? One minute you’re minding your own business, sipping coffee, feeling almost in control of your day—and the next, life taps you on the shoulder and says, “Scoot over, I’m sitting here now.” Around here, we treat interruptions the way we treat seagulls at the beach: we try to enjoy the view, but we keep one eye on the sky because we know something unpleasant might fall at any moment.

But what if we’ve been misreading the interruptions? What if the things we label as nuisances, delays, and potholes are actually holy things—God’s way of nudging us, slowing us, or getting our attention before we wander too far down the road of selfimportance and illusion of control?
We usually treat interruptions as spiritual speed bumps—annoying, jarring, and always arriving at the worst possible moment. But have you considered that the interruptions in your life might be holy things?

They might be God’s gracious way of getting your attention, redirecting your steps, or opening a door you didn’t even know was there.

Lent is a season of selfimposed interruption, if you observe it. It disrupts our usual habits and routines. Asking someone what they gave up for Lent is a bit like asking about New Year’s resolutions—we don’t always want to admit how fragile our commitments are. We resist resolutions and Lenten disciplines because they interrupt the normal choices we make. They threaten the illusion that we are in control.

But Lent brings us the gift of holy interruption. By intentionally letting go of our triedandtrue rhythms, we make room for new life to spring forth in the garden of the Resurrection. Lent is a minorkey season that unsettles the usual. It prepares us for the massive interruption of human history called the Resurrection.

Everything about Jesus was an interruption. His life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and reign as Lord and Savior interrupt human selfishness and sinfulness. Following Him certainly changes the course of your wellplanned life. He steps into our stories not to tidy them up but to transform them.

So, the next time you are interrupted, be encouraged. God may be allowing you to put aside your need to control and opening up an opportunity to experience His love and grace. God often shows up when we are not looking for Him. His love and grace can be found in holy interruptions.

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Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now — writing emails, generating art, passing professional exams, and promising to “revolutionize” just about every industry. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the greatest productivity tool ever created or the beginning of the robot takeover. But for all the headlines about automation replacing human jobs, there’s a quieter truth we don’t talk about enough: some skills just can’t be downloaded. This week’s cartoon plays with the gap between tech-world hype and real-world reality, reminding us that while algorithms may be impressive, there’s still plenty of value in good old-fashioned hands-on know-how.

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Each and every day we wake up and make a decision in the first five minutes to either be happy, angry or sad. It’s a choice! Now, there are exceptions for those who have a mental illness or might be going through some tough times, but in general, everyone else makes a choice.

As anglers, we also have choices to make when we’re on the water whether it’s in a tournament or just out fun fishing. So much of the time, the choices we make say a lot about who we are as a person.

Today, having so many boats on the water means there are a lot of eyes out there — people who are watching every move you make as an angler.

That’s why it’s important to set a good example and use discretion when fishing around other anglers. Over the last few years, I’ve had a few encounters that had me shaking my head in disbelief. Anglers do dumb things that make everyone scratch their heads and ask, “What are you doing?”

To quote the famous line from the 1994 Tom Hanks movie Forrest Gump as he was told by his momma, “Stupid is as stupid does.” This quote pretty much sums up how too many boaters and anglers alike handle themselves on the water today.

Here are a couple of examples: Last year while on Toledo Bend, I had two incidents on the same day! While fishing a point in the back of a cove, I was casting my Carolina rig directly up on the point in five feet of water. On this day I was scouting for an event I had coming up in three days.

As I’m fishing this point, another boat with two anglers (who looked like tournament anglers) came around the backside of the point (opposite from me) and gradually started to turn and fish their way in my direction about 100 yards away. Now at this stage, I’m really OK and feel like there’s not really a problem since I’m thinking this boat will go behind me.

Then he did the unthinkable as he turned his boat 90 degrees and ran right over the spot I was fishing! He literally trolled right over my line between me and the point! Outranged at his stupidity, I threw my hands in the air and asked him, “What are you doing? How dumb are you?”

He turned and looked at me like I had three heads and seemed bewildered at my question. So, I repeated my question where the entire north end of Toledo Bend could hear me.

As I lectured him on right and wrong and the dumb decision he just made, he turned his trolling motor on high and got away from me as quick as he could without even a response to my lecture. It was as if he never saw or heard me! I mean I was the ONLY BOAT fishing this point after all; how could he not hear me?

Later that same day, I had another incident with an angler who was fishing with his grandfather and his son. Basically, the same situation; I’m fishing a spot just off a bluff close to the boat road when this boat came running down the boat road and shut down behind me about 30 yards away.

As I’m fishing this spot just off the bluff, this boat starts to idle behind me and is going away from me. So, at this point I’m thinking he’s doing the right thing and fishing away from me … or so I thought!

But no, that’s not what he did! He actually turned his boat 180 degrees and cut between me and the spot I was fishing about 20 yards in front of me, right where I was throwing my lure!

Once again, I’m dumbfounded and about to lose my mind by his action. I told him it was a good thing he had his young son in the boat because otherwise he too would have gotten a verbal tongue lashing like the other angler I chatted with earlier that day! Again, I asked him the same question, “How dumb are you?”

But during these times we live in, it’s just another day on the water and incidents like these are now commonplace. Anglers and pleasure boaters continue to do the dumbest things I’ve ever seen.

At the end of the day, I’m exhausted pretty much every time I go on the lake as I’m always on high alert for anglers cutting me off or someone doing something else dumb.

The problem isn’t just on the lake, it’s also at the boat ramp, as people have totally forgotten what the word courtesy even means. So many boat owners have no understanding of boat ramp etiquette and the process of launching a boat! IT’S NOT HARD, PEOPLE!

If you want to be entertained one day, take the time to go to a boat ramp and watch the comedy show of people who can’t back a boat down a boat ramp or load a boat on to a trailer. It’s hilarious and makes for great entertainment!

So, my advice today to all boaters/anglers who understand how to act on any body of water is to have patience and be prepared to help people launch their boat while teaching them how to do this the right way.

On the fishing side of things, you’ll also need patience as other anglers continue to cut you off as you’re going down a stretch of boat docks or a tree line.

So many boat owners and anglers have no idea about the unwritten rules of the water, or as I call it, common sense! I guess it’s up to us old anglers to teach and share our knowledge because they aren’t going to learn it from anyone else. Good luck, good fishing and stay safe!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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In 1965, Washoe was born in West Africa. Ten months later, she and four other youngsters, Dar, Pili, Tatu, and Moja, were brought to the United States to be raised by foster parents Allen and Beatrix Gardner. Allen and Beatrix played with them, talked to them, fed them, chased them, ran from them, gave them a comfortable and intellectually stimulating home, and all the other things most parents do to bond with and raise their children. Washoe and the others acted very much like children of their age with one exception, they could not speak. Fostering Washoe and the others was difficult because they were unable to communicate vocally, but Allen and Beatrix both worked as scientists at the University of Nevado in Reno and understood that getting the desired result usually took a long time to achieve. One of the most important tools in their arsenal as scientists was patience. Most doctors concluded that they would never be able to communicate because they all lacked a specific gene, the FOXP2 gene, which is essential for the normal development of speech. They would never be able to speak. They accepted the prognosis that the youngsters would never be able to communicate verbally, but Allen and Beatrix were determined that they would be able to communicate.

Rather than trying to get Washoe and the others to speak verbally, the Gardners stopped using verbal communication around them altogether. When in their presence, Allen and Beatrix communicated with each other using American Sign Language (ASL). The Gardners feared that trying to communicate with them verbally and with sign language simultaneously would be confusing. The Gardners hoped the youngsters would learn by watching them communicate with each other. Washoe was especially interested. They used the proper sign language to each other when Washoe was eating, bathing, and while she was being dressed. They invented exciting games; introduced new toys, books, and magazines; all of which were designed to stimulate sign language. They made scrapbooks of Washoe’s favorite pictures and used the proper sign language for whatever was shown in the photos. Dinner time began with Allen and Beatrix shaping their dominant hands into a flattened “O” with the fingertips touching the thumb then tapping the fingertips to their lips once or twice. In American Sign Language, this is the sign for “food” or “to eat.” Then one day at dinner time, long after doctors and other experts had given up hope that she would ever be able to communicate, Washoe told Allen and Beatrix that she was hungry by signing the word “food.” The Gardners were overjoyed. Within a short time, Washoe could tell the Gardners that she was thirsty and that she wanted to play with her toys by using sign language. She quickly learned the sign for “more” to let the Gardners know she was still hungry, still thirsty, or that she wanted more toys. Her vocabulary continued to grow. Then she began to learn to answer questions such as “Who is that?” and “What do you want?”

As her vocabulary grew, the Gardners noticed something extraordinary. Washoe began teaching the other youngsters the sign language she knew, and they were signing back correctly. With the help of the Gardners, Washoe and the others learned a sign language vocabulary of hundreds of words and expressions. Washoe became the first of her kind to learn a human language and teach it to another primate. Washoe and the others were all chimpanzees.

 

Sources:

1. “Friends of Washoe,” accessed February 22, 2026, https://www.friendsofwashoe.org/learn/chci_history/project_washoe_begins.html.

2. “Meet Tatu and Loulis—the last of the ‘talking’ chimpanzees,” National Geographic, accessed February 22, 2026, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/chimpanzee-sign-language-experiments.

3. “FOXP2 gene,” MedlinePlus.com, accessed February 22, 2026, https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/foxp2/.

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March 4 holds a unique place in pop culture as National Grammar Day, a lighthearted observance that has grown in popularity thanks to social media, memes, and the internet’s enduring fascination with language.

The date itself is a playful nod to grammar rules, sounding like the command “March forth.” Over the years, it has become a day when grammar enthusiasts, writers, educators, and casual word lovers alike celebrate the quirks of language.

Online, March 4 often brings viral debates over Oxford commas, homophones, and common grammatical pet peeves. Brands, news outlets, and public figures frequently join in, posting tongue-in-cheek corrections and wordplay that engage audiences in a way few other observances do.

National Grammar Day also highlights how language shapes pop culture. Catchphrases, slang, and internet shorthand evolve rapidly, reflecting how communication adapts to technology and social trends. What was once considered “incorrect” grammar often becomes widely accepted usage, blurring the line between rules and cultural norms.

In an era dominated by text messages, emojis, and memes, March 4 serves as both a celebration and a reminder: language is alive, constantly changing, and deeply connected to how people express identity and humor.

From classrooms to comment sections, National Grammar Day proves that even the smallest details of language can spark big conversations — and plenty of laughs.

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Mr. Alan Scott Clingan, age 55, of Winnfield, Louisiana, passed away on February 28, 2026 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi after a brief illness. Scott was born August 1, 1970 in Little Rock, Arkansas to the union of Warren Don and Rose Marie Stinnett Clingan.

Scott loved the simple things in life- spending time outdoors, fishing, and hunting, Arkansas Razorback sports, Nascar and relaxing while watching TikTok videos. He found comfort in the familiarity and joy of everyday moments. He was deeply loved and will be missed more than words can express.

He was preceded in death by his parents Warren Don and Rose Marie Stinnett Clingan.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 5 years, Melinda O’Neal Clingan; his sons, Brett Clingan, Christopher Clingan (Bri); his grandchildren, Acey and Aliza, who lovingly knew him as “Big Papa”and where truly the love of his life; his beloved fur baby Ellie; and his cat Jasper who was his TikTok watching companion. He also leaves behind extended family and many friends who will cherish his memory.

The family wishes to extended special thanks to Lagniappe Skilled Nursing Facility in Bastrop, Louisiana as well as the doctors and staff of St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi for their kindness, compassion, and care.

Scott’s wishes were to be cremated. Services are under the care of Southern Funeral Homes of Winnfield. A private family memorial will be held at a later time.

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The National Weather Service is forecasting warm temperatures and gusty winds for Winn Parish through midweek, with rain and thunderstorm chances arriving Thursday before sunny skies return for the weekend.

Wednesday will be partly sunny with a high near 77 degrees. South winds will range from 10 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph, creating breezy afternoon conditions.

Wednesday night will turn mostly cloudy, with overnight lows around 61 degrees.

On Thursday, there is a slight chance of showers during the morning hours, followed by a higher chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Skies will be partly sunny with a high near 81 degrees. The chance of precipitation stands at 50 percent.

Thursday night brings a 30 percent chance of showers before midnight, then mostly clear skies with temperatures cooling to around 50 degrees.

Friday will be sunny with a high near 74 degrees, while Friday night will be mostly clear with a low around 47 degrees.

The weekend forecast looks bright and pleasant. Saturday will be sunny with a high near 79 degrees, followed by mostly clear skies Saturday night and a low around 51 degrees.

Sunday continues the sunny trend with highs near 79 degrees.

Residents are encouraged to remain weather-aware Thursday afternoon as scattered thunderstorms could develop across the parish.

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I did not put my sense of humor away for Lent. Honestly, I’m not sure I could if I tried. My sense of humor has a mind of its own and occasionally needs to be told, “Hush now, we’re in church.” I once preached a funeral with the “Exit” sign burned out over the doors we’d be leaving through. My brain, unhelpfully, started processing the symbolism — we all exit eventually — and before I knew it, my mouth was dangerously close to sharing that observation with the grieving family. That’s when I realized: for Lent, I may fast from many things, but my sense of humor is apparently not one of them.

And speaking of Lent, that little moment of funeral foolishness reminded me how this season always brings out our quirks, our questions, and our wellintentioned attempts at spiritual discipline. Many congregations observe Lenten practices, and you can usually spot us by the annual question: “So… what are you giving up for Lent?” Some of my Roman Catholic friends give up meat on Fridays, which has sparked many a conversation — and, fun fact, is the reason McDonald’s invented the fish sandwich. Stick with these Ponderings long enough and you’ll be ready for Jeopardy!

Which brings me to one of my favorite Lenten stories.

John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big, juicy steak. Meanwhile, all his neighbors were dutifully eating cold tuna fish. This went on every Friday. Finally, the Catholic men decided something had to be done — John was tempting them beyond what any human should endure.

So they set out to convert him.

They talked with him, brought him to church, and the priest sprinkled water over him saying, “You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are a Catholic.” The men rejoiced. Their Lenten temptations were over.

Until the next year.

The first Friday of Lent rolled around, and just as the neighborhood sat down to their tuna, the unmistakable aroma of steak drifted through the air. They rushed to John’s yard, ready to remind him of his new commitments.

And there he stood, sprinkling water over his steak, saying, “You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish.”

It’s funny — and it’s also a gentle reminder. It’s not what our neighbors call us that defines us. It’s not even what we call ourselves. Our actions, our habits, our quiet choices — those speak louder than our reputations or our labels.

Lent invites us into that quieter truth. Not the showy kind, not the “look what I’m giving up” kind, but the kind that shapes us from the inside out.

This Lent is Jesus shaping your heart and your journey to Easter?

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