Having previously committed matrimony, sometimes stories about relationships that go the distance catch my attention. So when I saw a headline about how Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood credit none other than former First Couple Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter (married for a whopping 77 years!) for inspiring their marriage, I was intrigued.

Come to find out, Brooks and Yearwood have worked with the Carters for the last 15 years, volunteering their time at Habitat For Humanity.

To quote the Garthster: “They’ve inspired us in a lot of ways, in the ways you expect: humanity, humbleness, work ethic. But they’ve also inspired us by their example as husband and wife. We worked beside them for the last 15 years, and you notice right away they bicker back and forth about the right way to do things. That kind of works for us too!” 

Wait….what???

I have so many questions.

The funny thing is, that was pretty much the extent of the comments as related to the headline. The rest of the article was mostly about the great work that HFH does and how rewarding it is for country music’s power couple to help give back. Apparently we’re to believe that bickering is the key to a long, happy marriage huh! I mean who wants to just get along all the time anyway? BORING.

Something tells me that what Brooks described as bickering, he’s probably referring to playful banter. That’s gotta be it right? Then again, what do I know – I’m certainly no Love Doctor.

Ok what the hell – pick a fight with your spouse or partner tonight to spice things up! You can thank me later…

Mid October. Cooler temps, colorful leaves, fall harvests, Halloween parties. With Thanksgiving and the holidays right around the corner, this is typically a special time of year!

It still is special, but for the last couple of weeks a heaviness has permeated the air, growing ever thicker on a daily basis. It’s all too easy to choke on.

Houston, we have a problem. Or to put it more accurately, Earth.

To say that the war in the Middle East has been a buzzkill during a time of year that’s usually celebratory is an understatement. I can only speak for myself obviously, but damn.

The stage is being set, the players are picking sides. Is World War 3 a foregone conclusion? It sure feels that way. China, Russia, Iran – and all of the arabic terrorist groups, against Israel, the US, and our other allies – talk about a house of cards!

Things have escalated so crazy quick since the initial, barbaric attack on Israel on October 7th.

Sometimes diplomacy just isn’t an option. When it comes to dealing with barbarians, bloodshed is the only language they speak.

There will be some extremely violent, fatal ‘conversations’ before all is said and done.

For all of the problems we have in the U.S., and there are plenty, we’ve had it pretty good in my generation. Aside from the horrors of 9/11, the biggest threats we’ve faced have mainly been from each other.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was tough to wrap my head around. No matter how much Putin has tried to spin it, the reasons for the conflict are obvious to most. Putin wants Russia to reclaim territory and power that it lost during the dissolving of the Soviet Union, and Ukraine is just one of many countries that he wants to take over. The Ukrainian people have the right to live independently as they have for the last 30-plus years, They have the right to live in peace, which is exactly what they’ve done – and in no way have they been a threat or enemy to Russia. On the contrary; they’ve been a peaceful neighbor, and many of them have family in Russia and vice versa.

Putin is a certified power-hungry madman who shares some fanatical DNA as Hitler had. It was bad enough that he decided to invade Ukraine to begin with, but he didn’t stop at simply targeting military assets. He’s openly targeted civilian buildings and the civilian population, which puts him in a specific class of evil.

What Hamas has done to Israeli civilians since their brutal attack last week almost makes Putin look tame in comparison. I just can’t fathom the psychological impact that the atrocities have had on Israelis, and of course Hamas’ goal is to eliminate the entire Jewish race. Sound familiar?

There are certainly two sides of the story and Israel has severely restricted Gaza citizens from having normal freedoms over the years. I don’t know all the complexities as there are multiple layers but one thing is certain – this will get a lot worse.

Tensions are one thing. Military aggression often seems inevitable. But what we’ve seen and heard has been incomprehensible. The carnage, the savagery, is like nothing I can recall hearing about occurring in my lifetime.

The Middle East has always been a powder keg. Prayers for all involved,that civilian casualties can be kept to a minimum, that the hostages can escape harm and be rescued, and that the week-old war doesn’t grow into a wider regional, or global, conflict.