"A writer must be a lifelong reader to be good. And if you want to be a great writer, I’d suggest trying to live a long life by reading the ingredients of the foods you buy." ~ Jarod Kintz, Author

It's Friday, October 10, 2014, and I bid you a hearty hello as we begin our day. I know you may not have the same reading interests that I have but I was recently reading some of the statistics that looked at life expectancy here in the USA since 1900. Not your cup of tea? Well, it really is interesting because it has changed dramatically. Just this week they announced an all time high in terms of the length of life projected for those born in 2012, and that is 78 years plus 9.5 months. Think about it. In 1900 that number was just 50 years folks, actually it was slightly lower than 50. That's a remarkable increase no matter how you look at it. I did notice that early on the numbers for male and female were much closer together. The women folk had slightly higher life expectancies when they began collecting the data but not the several years difference it became. That newly announced number reflects this difference. Boys born in 2012 can expect on average to make it to 76.5, while the girls start off on a journey that on average will have them around for 81 years. Okay. Here's where it gets tricky. I know most of you are really wanting to know my thoughts about why these differences exist. Rather than do my own guessing I scanned the web to get some ideas of why this is how it works. ~ This one might not be politically correct nowadays but it was at least one fellow's opinion: It's because they don't have to live with a wife. ~ Another one speculated they live longer intentionally so they can have the last word. ~ One stream of thought indicated perhaps the man died first to get out of his misery. ~ Several used photos of men doing stupid things like laying under vehicles, messing with electrical wiring, and hanging off of shaky ladders. ~ I'll not add my two cents worth. I will tell you the gap that's been around for so long has been and continues to shrink, slowly but surely. They predict it will one day be very close again. That's kind of sad when you think about the loss of so much funny material.

I don't know about your week but ours started last Friday evening and since then we've hardly had time to catch our breath. I don't even know what burning the candle at both ends really means but I do know that it's likely not a good thing when they meet in the middle. Don't write me with the appropriate explanation because it's just my attempt to provide some lame humor. I do lame pretty well. You don't have to tell me. I know that I have had plenty of practice. We have been on the run, so to speak, but all in all, we come to Friday and we offer thanks to God for giving us both the desire and the strength to get up and get done the things we have on our agenda. Mom and dad have had a good week. Dad is doing well recovering from his surgery this past Monday. I think he's more than ready to put away the thought of taking it easy so that he can get back to his daily grind. He may be 84 but I wouldn't want to keep up with him each day. We do thank everyone for your prayers on his behalf. They appreciate it and we do too.

I do hope you will have yourself a most wonderful Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. ~ "Doctor, can you help me? Every time I sit down I see visions of Mickey Mouse and Pluto, and then when I stand up I see Donald Duck!" "I see. Tell me, how long have you been suffering from these DISNEY spells?" ~ Liz goes to her first show at an art gallery and is looking at the paintings. One is a huge canvas that has black with yellow blobs of paint splattered all over it. The next painting is a murky gray color that has drips of purple paint streaked across it. Liz walks over to the artist and says, "I don't understand your paintings." "I paint what I feel inside me," explains the artist. "Have you ever tried Alka-Seltzer?" ~ I couldn't resist leaving you with a couple of corny jokes. Until next time I'll also share this as my prayer for us all, this wonderful blessing that Moses pronounced upon his people, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." (Book of Numbers, Chapter 6, Verses 24-26) Amen. .....More later.