The State of Things
March 15, 2026
“Beware the Ides of March!”
This is a quote from William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Julius Caesar. According to Jill Gleason, who wrote a wonderful essay, entitled “So, What Exactly are the Ides of March?” in the magazine Country Life on March 15, 2019, she writes, “It hints at the eventual assassination of the Roman dictator. When a fortune teller cautions him, “Beware the Ides of March, Caesar makes light of the warning, paying the ultimate price.” [Internet Google search].
Periodically, I sit down and ponder “the state of things.” It seems to do my soul and mind some good just to sit down and write something. In my opinion, we (that is the USA) are in a terrible state! And writing it all down, seems to calm my nerves.
So, with that in mind, let us begin:
We (that is, in the USA) are in a terrible state. The morning news says we are locked in a war with Iran, along with the nation Israel. War generally means that people are being killed. And each day each country involved announces how many soldiers, and also civilians (men, women and children) have been killed. We keep statistics on everything. But these are real people who are dying. We treat them like potato chips and say, “No one can eat just one!” (from a commercial for Lay’s Potato Chips). Surely, we are worth more than that!!
And beyond that, the price of groceries are surging (except eggs) – I read that the price of eggs is down. However, so many more things are up and may go even higher!
For example, I read in the news yesterday (3/13/2026) (that is Apple News), that due to the price of fuel (that is gasoline and oil), farmers may need to plant less corn. In the USA, farmers plant a lot of corn, but the margins of profit are low. So, many farmers who normally plant corn (and a lot of it) are switching to soybeans, as the chance of making profit is better. This is related to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a lot of oil (up to 20% of the world’s supply) travels on the way to market around the world. (China did buy from the USA farmers a lot of corn, but Brazil also sells a lot of corn, too. How much of this is related to the destruction of the forests of the Amazon, which are “the lungs of the planet”, I don’t know, but it is a pertinent question, due to climate change.)
Second, the price of natural gas is also surging. This has been sent to Europe by the USA (due to lots of fracking) and it is sent as liquefied natural gas, since Russia’s Putin made it harder for Europe to obtain their needed supply. This is related to the war in Ukraine, which Putin wants to dominate and so the USA sent Liquefied Natural Gas.
There is also a problem now with not enough fresh water. The USA and Israel are bombing Iran’s oil storage (and making lots of black smoke as well as acid rain). So Iran is targeting the water facilities in their neighboring countries, as they know that in places which are dry, fresh, clean drinking water is more precious than oil!
And then, the warming of our oceans is threatening the coral reefs off the coast of Australia. The warming of our oceans is also threatening the North Atlantic current, which winds around and sends warmth to England. Greenland is warming, too, which affects the polar bears, who need ice to live on. Antarctica is warming, too. The polar ice, both north and south poles are expected to cause sea level rise, which is not good for low islands in the Pacific, and North Carolina, New York and Miami Beach (despite expensive infrastructure changes).
And even more than that, when Arizona is too warm (as last week and this week), South Carolina is too cold. Parts of the USA have cold and snow, but other parts of the USA are too warm and hot! We all get messed up together.
Normally, in our southern area, we have tried to plant our tomatoes on Good Friday, which this year is April 3rd, with Easter on April 5th, but who knows but God if it will be warm (with no frost projected) or cold (which kills frost – sensitive plants). Even my trees are confused this year: I have apricots and peaches (three kinds) which have finished blooming and are developing leaves, but the fruiting pears have not started blooming and seem to be waiting for better days as they have not come out. But my blueberries did come out and were diminished by the frost.
Tomatoes, are my favorite crop, so dear reader, tell me when to plant my tomatoes!
All this reminds me that we are all connected in this small world. We are one planet and one people in God’s eyes, so we really should learn how to live together!
I have often wondered thinking to myself: I wonder in heaven will we have “Beefsteak tomatoes”?
Remember the scripture in Isaiah 2:4: (and Micah 4:3):
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore!”
This text tells of transforming weapons of war into agricultural tools, which signifies a shift from conflict to cultivation, reconciliation and the end of military training.
Would to God, we might learn such a thing!
Bill Wilson, servant of God, by God’s grace and abundant mercies!
Let all the children of God, say, “Amen!”
“Amen! We praise you, most gracious Lord Jesus Christ!”
Closing Prayer:
“Lord God, who made heaven and earth, all beings, all things living and not living, all creatures of this good earth…Heavenly Father, we beseech you to hear our prayers. We don’t know what we are doing. The truth is not in us! We are in need of your mercy and your forgiveness. We have damaged and polluted your good earth. We have damaged and polluted ourselves. Hear our prayers this day and everyday, as long as today is called today. In Jesus’ name our Savior, Redeemer and Friend. Amen and Amen.
Modern Stories of the Way 