"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress." ~ Ronald Reagan

Good morning and welcome to our version of the one and only Tuesday, July 8, 2014. I believe I am right in saying that this particular day and year will never be repeated again, therefore, I suppose the cheer leading thing to do is to encourage us all to get out there and win one for the Gipper. (Knute Rockne gave his "Win One for the Gipper" speech to the Notre Dame players at halftime of the 1928 Army game. A 1940 movie starring Ronald Reagan played up the life of Coach Rockne.) I didn't want you to think I had chosen that phrase out of thin air. What's that? Yes. You are correct. Ronald Reagan later used that "Win one for the Gipper" quote when he ran for President. I often hear folks, at least in my circle, lamenting over the fact that we don't have a 'Ronald Reagan' to lead our nation. Of course there are others who would paint his administration and his time in office as a disaster. One thing I know. He made many Americans including myself feel good about being an American. That was something sorely missing in the spirit of our nation when he took office. I know it takes more than inspiration to get a nation moving but as a way of kick starting the perspiration process, it's a pretty good place to start. In fact, I would settle for some of that today as a way of helping our hurting nation. What say you?

I make jokes about watching my wife's plants while she is out of town. One evening when she was in Louisiana she asked what I had been doing. I thought I would make a joke. I told her I had been outside watering her dead plants. Bam! Zoom! To the moon! I got her attention. Which ones? Just tell me where they are located so I can know which ones. Having gotten her attention I continued to try and console her. I told her it was only the ones that had turned brown. This was not a soothing comment for her. I finally took the pressure off and told her that to the best of what I know in my extremely limited knowledge of horticulture, that I believed that all of her little darlings were alive and well. On Sunday evening I mentioned to my Bible Study class that I was once again on plant duty. One lady said out loud, "That's right Brother, 'The Plants'." I do appreciate all the support given in my quest to accomplish the task at hand. Maybe that was a little over the top. I've been known to go there in the past and I will likely do so in the future. Let me try to clean this up. "Helping these plants to survive and thrive is one small step for man but more importantly, it is a leap forward for mankind." Still too much? I'll work on it and meanwhile, thanks so much for your concern.

I am a huge fan of the PBS Masterpiece detective series of any and all stripes and flavors. The wife and I have watched nearly all of them but we especially enjoyed watching the work of Chief Inspector Morse that ran from 1987 to 2000. They have a new series called 'Endeavor' that tracks the early work of Morse as a beginning police officer. This past Sunday evening I watched one that was a little bit on the scary side. I don't care at all for anything horror related but occasionally there are things that happen in a program that causes me to jump. I had one of those moments while watching this most recent episode. I really don't know how to describe it. You are watching and then suddenly something happens in the scene and it gets you and you feel this sudden chill shake your bones beginning with your face and going down to your toes. Back when I was a kid they used to call this kind of tremor, "A cat ran over your grave." This so rarely happens it surprised me and maybe I even felt a little embarrassed about it. But, it was only that designated trio watching. You know the one. Me, myself, and I, therefore I didn't have to explain myself. I'm not sure that's good for people my age. When I have time I will try to research that and get back to you. I know you are glad you are not me. Okay already. Joking only. Have a great Tuesday and I'll try to compose myself and my thoughts before we meet again. May God bless each one. Amen.   ....More later.