I've always wanted to be a part of an exclusive club. As of April of this year, there were an estimated 7.5 billion people breathing air on the planet. There are only a few thousand Santa's. I think I made it.

Santa with training wheels from 2009.

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday, September 13, 2017, here at the ole blogger ranch. It got here much earlier this year. I am working on doing my best to do my best to get into the Santa mode for tomorrow afternoon's promotional photo session. The wife retrieved The Suit and it appears to be well rested from its sabbatical. This will begin my 9th year in what we call The Santa Enterprise. When I decided to get started I knew I wanted to put my best foot forward. I didn't even know if I could find somewhere to show up as Santa, although, I figured surely someone would allow me to do charity work. I told the wife I wanted to buy a quality uniform. It was around $400. I can't remember if she rolled her eyes or not, but, she supported me doing it, with some reservations. I knew I could grow the beard. I knew I could wear padding. I knew I loved children. Since I had worked one Christmas season as a department store Santa back in the early 1970's, I also knew there was a lot of work involved in being the Jolly Old Elf. My grandson and I drove down to a novelty shop near the Gulf coast where I purchased my first uniform. The grandkids thought it was pretty exciting. Our children, the three boys, wondered if it was time to check out a place to put me, just in case. The business of being Santa took off. All word of mouth. A couple of years later I talked the wife into joining me to portray Mrs. Claus, we purchased her uniform, and we were off and running. We've done more than 100 events and I'm glad to say we have done our best to bring joy to children of all ages. The professional photographer I will be working with tomorrow will have some kids there to be in the promotional photos. The kids. If anything can get me into Santa mode, it's the kids, they can do it!

Things do not always appear to be what they seem. President Carter told a joke to an audience while in Japan and everyone burst out laughing. He felt very proud of himself. He asked the translator about it. The translator told him exactly what he had said in Japanese to the audience, "President Carter told a joke, everyone must laugh." Embarrassment is something that stays with you a long time. I well remember returning a warm greeting on the full elevator only to find out the person was greeting someone behind me. I sometimes forget that I am vertically challenged. I read about an organist lady who had a very busy schedule one day. She had three funerals and a wedding to do. The wedding was early evening and last on her schedule. By the time it started she was so tired she automatically began playing a funeral song during the processional. Being pranked as a child, this fellow had been told that when he whistled, no one could hear it except him, inside his head. He finally learned this was not true. In the 7th grade. Sometimes it's best to keep what you don't know to yourself. Like the fellow who overheard someone explaining why the forensic examiner character on NCIS is called Ducky. His name, after all, is Dr. Mallard. He had to admit he didn't know that. (I didn't either, but, I am okay with not ever having given it any thought. Had I given it any thought, which I hadn't, I may or may not have caught it. I think I would have caught it. I'm pretty sure. If it matters at all, I do like Duck Dynasty.)

That pie chart may not add anything to that little story. I get feedback at times about my choice of graphics. Let me see if this one will work. It was the best I could do on short notice. Looking at the pie chart, it's obvious there's a lot that any of us does not know. I Googled "what you don't know will" and I got mostly sermons on that subject as in, what you don't know will hurt you. Let me flesh that one out a little. Many people actually believe that when the end of life comes they will face God and He will determine their eternal destination based on what they have done, good or bad. What if they are wrong about it being that way? See what I mean? There are not only serious but eternal consequences at hand. You know. Heaven or hell. That's why knowing the truth is crucial. The truth about how all of this works can be found in God's Holy Word. On a personal note, I think I'm more comfortable today in admitting what I don't know as compared to my younger years. Maybe that's wisdom or maybe it's the reality of the age I have attained. Or, maybe I don't know even about that. Now I am confused. That means it is time for me to say 'Goodnight Gracie'. Take care and may God bless each one. Amen. ...More later.