The real Day of the Dead: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." ` 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

It's Thursday, October 31, 2019, and it's Candy Day for kids of all ages. You know. For so many, it will be Trick or Treat and all the other stuff that goes with Halloween. For local baseball fans, well, we have no choice but to sing the chorus to 'Wait Until Next Year!' Someone told me there are area cemeteries that will be allowing Day of the Dead celebrations on their grounds this year. This is a special Mexican celebration and has now been transported to many Hispanic communities here in the United States. I found this overview: "On October 31, All Hallows Eve, the children make a children's altar to invite the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to come back for a visit. November 1 is All Saints Day, and the adult spirits will come to visit. November 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives. The three-day fiesta is filled with marigolds, the flowers of the dead; muertos (the bread of the dead); sugar skulls; cardboard skeletons; tissue paper decorations; fruit and nuts; incense, and other traditional foods and decorations." — Frances Ann Day, Latina and Latino Voices in Literature. Disney actually made an animated film, 'Coco' that featured this celebration. I think I will stick with what God says about death. For believers, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) For unbelievers, "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Jesus speaking, Matthew 25:46) This makes clear that having a party at the graveside of a loved one will not alter their eternal destiny. It's only in this life where we can be made right with God. Amen.

Outhouse laid on its side.

As a kid growing up, we celebrated Halloween. We had to come up with our own costumes and then we would travel around knocking on doors and picking up treats. As far as I can remember we never dwelt on the dark side of the celebration. For us, witches and goblins were fictional characters in the same way of dressing up as a cowboy or soldier. The older kids may have done some pranks. I always get a little fuzzy when it involves my participation in stuff that may have been less than appropriate. I had a lot of pressure on me as a kid. When I was caught in the middle of something less than appropriate (a term I came up with to spare any incriminating details), the teacher or the adult would say something like this, "These other boys I can understand, but you? I never thought I would see the day you would be involved in something like this." Yikes. I was supposed to be the good kid. That expectation pretty much dogged my steps and made it very hard for me to be a party to something less than appropriate. That is unless I was pretty sure I wouldn't be caught. Do you have any idea how tough it is to hear folks name their suspects in your presence, leaving you out with you knowing you were one of the ring leaders? What's a kid to do? Nod in agreement and move on. I didn't say I was proud of it, but, life could get complicated even in our little version of Mayberry.

I've mentioned many times about what I know to be my large volume of suppressed memories. There are some I wish I could add to that book. While many might say kids will be kids, I was raised up with a strong influence of right is right and wrong is wrong. Taking something that doesn't belong to you can't be spoken away by saying it was just kids having fun. I knew that back then and I still know it today. However, as the Prophet Jeremiah assessed the human condition, he counseled, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) That's why we need the forgiveness God provided through the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The song I've heard throughout my entire life comes to mind, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus". Why is it that I often feel like when I've written my blog that I must have done so from the confessional booth, and, while I've never been in one of those, I have had, in my sojourn on the planet, plenty to confess. Yep. Sure have. There's even some good news for that: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) That was written to believers. And, I am first in line to say I need His cleansing power each and every day as I continue my journey. What about you? Amen. ....More later.

Game 7!

This month is quickly coming to a screeching halt. Yep. That was a not so veiled reference to Halloween. It is Wednesday, October 30, 2019, and I do bid each one a hearty hello and warm welcome to today's episode. If you are looking for something that will scare you, just watch the stuff coming out of Washington D.C. The President himself can be pretty scary at times. At the same time, even as outlandish as he can be, he is no match for the petrifying horror represented by those running against him and even more, those currently scheming to bring him down. This means, as of today, I am still of the opinion that we, as a nation, are better off reelecting the President to another term. Could that change? Certainly! But, thinking about the impact of the progressive agenda with its socialist leanings, well, I just can't go there. And, yes, as is my typical opinionated self, I am unanimous in that assessment. That's my unpaid political scary Hallow's Eve status check for everyone to consider. I do see people writing things challenging the faith in God of anyone who would support the President. My answer to that is simple. Compared to what? And, would we just stay home and not vote because there are no candidates that line up with what we see as a Bible-based worldview? Sadly, this has happened before and liberalism gained as Bible folks sat out the election. The bottom line: You do what you feel led to do and I will do the same. And, may God help our United States of America. Amen.

My grammar checking program has a new feature. This is a new thing. The previous paragraph was flagged because they deemed the tone to sound mostly disapproving. They have an emoji for that. It popped up. When I clicked on the box it indicated maybe I might want to change some of it. Really? I can tell you that to the best of my knowledge I was not angry at all when I wrote that paragraph. If concern shows up as part of their algorithm, the entire verbiage was saturated with it. I haven't researched this new feature. It might be well-intentioned, but, given the political correctness cabal that currently rules the world under the ruse of everyone just being nice, my guess is there could be an undercurrent of influence at work in that utility. I know many of you will want to know what I did in response to this enlightened 'Big Brother' tone monitor. I turned it off. Thank you very much. And, for the record, I do stand by my thoughts as given in my opening paragraph.

I do anticipate my writings will be under increased scrutiny as technology gurus work alongside the thought police to find ways to suppress points of view deemed inappropriate and unacceptable for publishing. One of the foundational principles of our Republic is found in our commitment to free speech. ~  Constitution of United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992) "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." ~ At the same time, I currently use a utility to record and publish my blogs provided by technology at no charge to its users. Those who own this technology and make it available for use will eventually decide what can and cannot be published with or without regard to our free speech rights as guaranteed in the Constitution. I do see that coming, but, meanwhile, I will continue to share fun stuff, real-life stuff, and, yes, on occasion, my opinions. As always, agree or disagree, thanks for your support and encouragement over these many years. May God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.

Proverbs 6:9 "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?"

Mr. Bean in Church.

I suppose it was bound to happen. It may have been caused by the rarified air breathed by the aged. The wife sent me a text from the choir this past Sunday. It simply said: Wake Up! I didn't see the text because while my phone was on vibrate, it was in my coat pocket and I didn't feel it. I will go ahead and confess that I may have dozed off, but, will only give a full statement if I am allowed to think up some explanatory rationale for it happening, that is, if it did, and I'm not saying with a high level of certitude that it did. Welcome to Tuesday, October 29, 2019, where I am attempting to do my best to sort our current issues both domestic and any others that happen to make their way onto my personal radar. When we talked about the so-called snoozing incident, I quickly assessed a number of explanations. I knew that sleep apnea would likely not work, therefore, I did the only respectable thing a man can do. When confronted with the implied threat of corroborating evidence, I decided to blurt out my excuse: It's the dog. It's his fault. He got me up at 4:15 a.m. To head off any prolonged discussion, I did say that maybe I should drink an energy drink before the services begin. She said I did need to do something. See how things get settled around our place? (If I go to my truck and sneak a drink and someone sees me, well, they may not think I am imbibing an energy drink and that could lead to all kinds of trouble. Note to self: Do not put energy drink in a brown paper bag.)

This is my solemn rebuttal look.

I heard what he said. My name is Bentley and I am not too happy about being dragged into this sleeping controversy. I suppose he's too old to say I ate his homework so he blames his sleeping in Church on me. As for me getting him up too early, well, I have my own little story to tell. He is the one who got me started on eating ice. Even as a little pup he would gnaw it down and feed small pieces to me. Now I can gnaw it for myself and he knows I love it. I'm pretty sure he did not do all that well in science but I do have some facts for him. Ice is frozen water. When I eat a lot of ice it becomes water. I'm only halfway through the book on bladder control, so, what does he expect me to do? I have first-hand experience in how both of them go berzerk if I have what we call in puppy lingo, an accident. I've heard them talk about our neighbor, the lawyer, and how she is an animal rights champion. I know where she lives. I know her dogs. I could get a message to her. I'm not making a threat just trying to let everyone know where I am coming from. It's not easy, but, I suppose I will give him another chance. After all, he did get up and I did make it to the yard. He deserves some credit. And, oh yeah, I do love the ice. And, while I am here, let me say how much I appreciate those who enjoy my blog input. Thanks for your support.

If you tuned in today not knowing what to expect, welcome to my world. As far as dozing off goes, I remember how Paw Paw Mac could be gone into dreamland almost mid-sentence. That used to impress me because I thought how neat that was for old people. To be honest, I'm not quite as impressed when I hear the wife use the exact same words about me. My grandfather entered glory land at age 71. He was a role model to me. I am now 73 and counting, therefore, I could see anything said about me that resembles him as a compliment. Truth is, I know better than anyone that I could never measure up to his unspoken testimony as presented by his day by day living. However, I obviously can fall asleep in a similar way and maybe he passed some of that on to me. It is, by the way, a good thing, except for when I am driving or sitting in Church. I did see a joke where the fellow in Church was wearing a collar and was being shocked each time he fell asleep. That would be one remote I would never want a certain choir member to have in her possession. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings to us all. Amen. .....More later.

"Jesus loves the little children All the children of the world Red, brown, yellow Black and white They are precious in His sight Jesus loves the little children Of the world."

From the promos I did back in August.

Good morning and welcome. It is Monday, October 28, 2019. This week is somewhat of a countdown for us as we anticipate the official start of our seasonal Santa Enterprise work. We will be in the studio for photos on Friday with one professional and with another on Saturday. I do look forward to getting started while also having a smidgen of dread into the mix as well. This will be my 10th season to wear the red. The wife has always been with me and supported me, but, I think she didn't become Mrs. Claus until my second or third year. She obviously has been a great asset and at times she has been the star. We make a good team. I might be the jolly ole elf, but, she has an innate connection with people that draw them in. So much so, I really have grown to dislike doing solo work. I do quite a few of them but I always, always prefer us to work as a team. Any reservations and reluctance to begin the Christmas themed work will fade away when the children appear. The work itself can be grueling and stressful with all the expectations operating on overdrive, but, the little ones, they truly are, as the song goes, precious in the sight of our Lord, and, in my eyes too!

Last Thursday evening we were pleased to host another gathering of folks in our home to enjoy a meal together, to sing songs of our shared faith, to pray one for the other, and to hear from God as His Word was shared. Ten of us showed up to reunite our hearts in love. We had good testimonies and beautiful fellowship. I do thank my wife for all of her hard work. (I did help some.) We moved out into the area where we live in 1976. We've lived in the house we have now for over 35 years. We've known many of these folks for nearly as long as we've been in the area. Many were a part of the same Church fellowship for many years, therefore, we've served together, we've raised our families together, and, we've helped bear one another's burdens together. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, many of us changed our Church affiliations, and our gatherings began as a way for us to stay in touch. Over time, we've had new ones to come and they too have been a blessing. We've all become in so many ways slaves to the clock on the wall, and, it was so refreshing to let the schedule take care of itself while we enjoyed the presence of the Lord and each others' company. Some say these types of get-togethers are a preview of heaven. I don't know that to be a fact, but, it does sound about right. Amen.

We are also anticipating this week's Haloween festivities. We don't celebrate Halloween, but, we are going to be a part of a program called Light Shine. We are teaming up with some folks and will be at one of their homes because they do have the potential for more children. On Thursday evening we will be doing a Christmas themed trick or treat and yours truly will be there as a fall festival Santa for anyone who may want to make photos. We will be passing out candy along with Gospel tracts and information about our local fellowship and all the events and activities coming up for the holiday season. These Light Shine homes are scattered all over our county and are designed to reach out to folks, giving them what we know to be the Source of hope for them and their families. The Santa portion will be like a preview for our work coming up on Friday and Saturday. We may be older but we are still staying occupied. Or, at least, we are acting like it. Let's hope I don't overtax our bones in the process. Have a great day and let's all remember to thank God for His blessings. Amen. ....More later.

If this week has been a chapter, today, Friday, contains its closing comments.

It's Friday, October 25, 2019. Whew! What a busy last few days. You too? At the same time, as the late great gospel singer-songwriter, Rusty Goodman put it, "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now...." I say that because, despite my best efforts to pretty much make a mess out of things, God has never failed to be right there with me, every step of my journey. The other day I was reading the verses for the upcoming Bible study and one of them hit me like a bolt of lightning. Ephesians Chapter 4, Verse 28: "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need." In this passage, the Holy Spirit moved through the Apostle Paul to share some differences that should be seen in the life of a believer, the after impact of the individual giving their heart and life to Christ. Verse 28 says the person who was a thief needs as a believer to change his or her ways and become a worker doing honest labor. I get that. No problem. But, look at the purpose part of the verse, 'in order for them to be able to become a giver to those in need.' That struck me. It made me wonder where that particular motivation for working was on my list. I'm not talking about the tithe. I'm talking about the reason we labor. I'll need some time to sort all of that out in my own life. What say you?

Since employment in the so-called secular world has been a huge part of my life, (52 plus years), you will not be surprised I've written much about it over the years. Here is an episode from 12 years ago.

Paid Employment From A Biblical Perspective! (October 28, 2007) There’s nothing like opening a huge can of worms early on a Friday morning. The subject of a believer’s behavior in conjunction with the work they do or the job they perform has been one that I’ve spent endless hours studying and thinking about. There’s a ton of research materials available but most of it indicates we who are Christians are not living it on the job. It seems that most believers end up adapting themselves to a dual morality approach where they apply one set of ethics in the marketplace and another in the home and church. This, sadly, comes as a result of expectations that focus solely on doing whatever it takes including the setting aside of one’s personal values in order to generate profits. When you think about it, that’s really the subtitle of how work is defined in the world. Believe me, I have wrestled with this issue for years. No doubt even companies that portray themselves as ethical push the envelope all day long while walking a fine line in making sure they do not actually break the law. I remember working for a man for a number of years who was an outspoken Christian in his portrayal of himself. He told everyone about his faith, his work on behalf of his church, and his proud family heritage of faithfulness. However, his approach to business was essentially do anything and everything it takes in order to make the deal. His answer for this situation was that God knew that a man had to do what a man had to do. He chose not to see the huge disconnect but most people hated dealing with him because they saw the obvious hypocrisy in his talk versus his walk. In fact, I’ve worked for many other people who were more ethical in their business dealings than he even though they had little or nothing to do with any expression of faith towards God.

I’ll just tell you that whether it’s me or you, it is a bad testimony if we are checking our identity as a believer at the door when we come to work. Many think that work came about as a result of the fall of Adam and it is part of the curse. That’s not true. Adam had a job before he fell as the caretaker over God’s creation. It involved many different responsibilities. What happened in the fall was that work would no longer be without complications, difficulties, and pain. Now you know how your job came to be complicated, difficult, and painful. See, you learn something new every day. Yet the Bible clearly stakes out a standard for those of us who have jobs and work for pay. It first requires that we be who we are in Christ no matter where we are. This doesn’t mean we go around our workplace thumping a Bible since that would no doubt be distracting and even a misuse of company time. It requires that our allegiance be to God first and then we are to be a faithful servant to the enterprise that pays us. This doesn’t mean we will always work with ethical people because there are plenty who operate on the world’s philosophy. However, we are to quietly do what we do as if we are doing it for the Lord. (see Colossians 3:23) If the time comes when we are called upon to break what we know is our commitment to being faithful to our calling, then we will have to deal with that circumstance and try to find a way to meet the requirement another way. We must always make certain that we are on solid grounds for being concerned about a particular issue, but in the end, if we are required to violate our faith, we must make a decision, and leave the consequences in God’s hands.

That’s easier said than done and I’ve been all over the page in how I’ve handled these types of situations. In fact, I worked for seven years for the man mentioned above knowing I should have confronted him and left the company rather than be a supporter of his open maligning of the faith. Why didn’t I? I thought I had to think about my financial obligations and my family and that was my rationalization at the time. However, the truth is the truth. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills which by the way means He owns it all! He knows how to take care of His own and while it would not have been easy because we are not promised easy, I am fully persuaded He would have made a way for me if I had stood up and been counted for what I knew was right. I can’t go back and change that now and I will tell you how wonderfully blessed I am to now be working for a man who is committed to doing his business by the Book, God’s Holy Word. This doesn’t mean he or me or our program is perfect but we try our best to look at our business dealings through the lens of fundamental truths as set forth in God’s word. I can tell you that working in this environment has been a rewarding experience for me. I leave you with one thing and that is an encouragement to not give up the struggle and throw in the towel even before you are engaged in the conflict. It will come but if you have already compromised away your beliefs, you will end up operating no differently than those who are out for themselves only, without Christ, and enslaved by the ruler of this world, Satan himself. You don’t have to be a theologian to know this is not what God would have us to do. This will give you something to think about over the weekend and on Monday I’ll try to come up with something not quite so heavy.

It's worth mentioning how that blog was written during the first month of my new employment. I will soon observe my retirement date after having served there for 12 years. Now we get to Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. My prescription: Don't let the Astros get you down; Enjoy your time off; and, show up at the meeting place on Sunday to show your thankfulness to God for all He has done, is doing, and will do for us all. Amen. ....More later.

I was glad to see my ophthalmologist, in fact, she was a sight for sore eyes!

Dr. Ruhi Soni

I hope today finds each one making it in their journey here on the planet, especially, on this day, Thursday, October 24, 2019. Time marches on. We've been attending a few of our grandson, Brady's, 8th-grade football games. We sit with our son and his wife, typically, at the top of the bleachers. Kids of all ages run up and down those bleachers like the steps are not even there. I can remember when I could do that. It hasn't been that long ago. Not anymore. I have to look before I step. I climb now very gingerly. Time marches on. I saw my ophthalmologist yesterday morning. They do a very thorough examination due to my diabetes. I did have to do those time slice pictures where blinking is not allowed. One of my worst instinctual responses is triggered the minute they say don't blink. "You must not blink because I can't finish these tests if you do." Lord knows I was trying. Got that done. Asked about my current eye situation I had to tell them things are getting a little fuzzy these days. (No. I wasn't referring to my thinking. Wrong doctor.) Cataracts. My night vision is deteriorating. Cataracts. Significant development of my cataracts but they are still not ready to be operated on. Therefore, I received a much stronger prescription for new glasses. Let me pause to say we have some of the finest medical folks I've ever known doing their best to help us along our way.  Taking care of my eyes is Dr. Soni who is first and foremost, a wonderful person and a consummate professional. We also have an outstanding primary care physician. My point? It is true that time is marching on and as it does it's keeping time with my ever-changing cataracts, but, we thank God for those who are there to watch out for our medical needs. Amen.

I thought I might miss the cataract situation. It was sounding pretty good until it was no longer sounding good. I used to run down the stairs here in our home. Sometimes I ran down with a grandbaby in my arms. The wife would always proclaim, "One of these days you are going to hurt yourself and maybe hurt one of our grandkids." Thankfully, that never happened but the day did come when I changed from a run to a trot and now I carefully navigate the stairs. You hear folks say all the time they want to grow older gracefully. That would not be illustrated by me climbing those bleachers. It's best to have a good sense of humor about the so-called aging process. President Ronald Reagan was often the subject of folks talking about his propensity to doze off. Here is how he responded: "I have left orders to be awakened at any time during a national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting." Many of us can identify with this little unattributed ditty, "My face in the mirror isn’t wrinkled or drawn. My house isn’t dirty. The cobwebs are gone. My garden looks lovely and so does my lawn. I think I might never put my glasses back on." One older lady seemed to make some sense out of the retirement of her mate, "It's like getting twice as much husband for half as much pay." But we do have even more to look forward to: "First, you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down."

I'll end today's edition with a few of the Church names given to their senior groups. ~ • 4G’s - Grand Guys and Gals Group • Aged to Perfection • Ageless Wonders • Autumn Leaves • Autumn Years Club • Ball Club (Be Active and Live Longer) • Best Years Club • Brunch Bunch • Caring Friendship Club • CDL Club (Christians Demonstrating Love) • Cheerful Club • Ever-ready Club • FBC’s Best • Fifty Plus (50+) • Forever Young Club • Friendship Club • Fun Bunch • Fun-timers • Geri-Actives • Golden Saints • Golden Years Organization • Happy Timers • Hilltoppers • Jolly Elders/Good  Timers • Jolly Jack and Jills • JOY (Just Older Youth) • Keenagers • Leisure Time Group • LIFE (Living In Full Effectiveness) • Lifers • Live Embers/Wires • Love and Fellowship • Mature Moderns • Merry Makers • METS (Meet, Eat, Travel, Service) • Movers and Shakers • OASIS (Older Adults Sharing In Service) • O.K. Gang - Older Kids • Over 50 Club • OWLS (Older, Wiser,  Livelier Saints) • Pacesetters • PEP Council (People  Enjoying People) • Plaza Pilgrims • Plus—Praising and Loving our Seniors • Prime Timers • Recycled Teenagers • Retirees’ Club • Retirement Fellowship • ROAD—Revitalized Older • Roving Retirees • RPM (Retired Persons Ministry) • SALT (Senior Adults Living Triumphantly) • Sagers (Sage Agers) • Saints Alive • Seasoned Saints • Second Winders • Senior Challengers • Senior Friends • Seniors-on-the-Go • SHARP (Sincerely Happy Association of  Retired Persons) • Silver Angels/Sages • Sizzlin Seniors • The BC’s (Before Computers) • The Been There’s • The FBC Trekkers • The Go Go’s • The Happy Hearts • The Piddlers • The Ramblers • The Silverstones • The Speeders (over 55) • TNT (Tried n’ True) • VIP’s (Very Important  Persons) • Wise and Wonderful • Young At Heart • Zesty Zeniors ~ I'm not sure if these will be encouraging or depressing, but, for me, they just made me want to go take a nap. (To be fair, this list was compiled by the Texas Baptists and was presented as names you would NOT want to use for your seniors.) May God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

"Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

Welcome to Wednesday, October 23, 2019. I suppose for those of us who are genetically predisposed to be vertically challenged, the ongoing success of Jose Altuve, major league baseball superstar, and, Simone Biles, now the most decorated gymnast in history, well, it is encouraging. The Randy Newman parody song saying that 'short people got no reason to live' does not apply. For the two transcendent athletes mentioned, it is their sheer talent, determination, and commitment that has allowed them to achieve so much. I played baseball and basketball as a teen and I have first-hand knowledge about competing in a lineup where, looking back now, I realize I was typically the shortest if not one of the shortest playing. I do have one little insight into how it worked for me. You will think this to be ridiculous but it is my story and I will tell it the way I understand it. I didn't know I was short. I knew my other teammates were taller, but, I never was told my height was a limitation. Because of that I just went out and did my thing. I can't remember the exact situation much later on when someone asked me about my height and whether it ran in my family. I was taken aback. I wasn't stupid and I did know others were taller, but, I actually had never seen it as a liability. Of course, as I continued in life I did hear the names, Shorty, and 'Lil' put in front of my name. But, with God's help, I did okay in the so-called world of giants. I'll never forget how my team at the big Company gave me a framed picture of a little general leading his much taller men into battle. It was intended to be a compliment. I've said all of that to say this, who knows how far individuals could go if limitations were not placed on them from their earliest time here on the planet? Something to ponder. And, if you are not into pondering, maybe you could just think about it.

Don't get me wrong. I am aware of the statistics. Even in the business world, taller people have a leg up, (no pun intended), on those who are below average height. I've worked with some who used their shortness as a grudge and tool of motivation as they fought hard with ferocity for their seat at the table. They became known for their scorched earth personality and for some, it worked. They achieved rank and privilege, however, many of them left the scene much younger than their expected tenure. That type of existence does take a toll. At the risk of being called naive or a simpleton, I chose to, on most days, to get up and go about the doing of my best in whatever role or job I had. Yep. From the get-go, that was something either instilled in me or perhaps I caught it along the way. I remember once being asked to take on a project that everyone said was doomed. I had to leave a management position to lead this effort. Why did I do it? My boss asked me to do it because he could not risk another failure in completing it. The scuttlebutt and peer gossip said this would finish my career. Since I never thought I had a career, just a job, I weathered those doomsaying predictions, got the project done and gained recognition and approval from the top management of our Company. When I finished, I no longer had a position to go back to. My boss told me not to worry. It was an uneasy time for me, but, within a few weeks, he reorganized the entire department and put several of the managers including the job I had previously held under a new position he gave to me. My point? Who knows how much could get done if everyone got up every day and just went and did their best at whatever they are engaged in?

I'm not finished on this topic yet. Even more important than all of the things I've shared is being aware of and thanking God for His provisions. I recently had someone tell me how that because I worked hard, applied myself, and did my best, I deserved anything I received. I couldn't agree. I told them I knew people throughout my journey who were better educated, and in many ways, better qualified, who worked very hard, but, I ended up with the promotion. I may not have snapped to it each and every time something like that happened, but, I can unequivocally announce that it was God who helped me along the way. And, His care continues to this very day. One of the worst things I could ever do is to take credit for something He deserves thanks and praise for. I don't know precisely what or if today's edition does in terms of shedding light on short people, however, I do know this. The ground is level at the foot of the cross and the pauper, the king, the short, the tall, and everything else as a qualifier, each one finds perfect equality before the Lord. Again, that's my story, and for a long time now I have stuck to it. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen. .....More later...

"I was born in Waukegan a long, long time ago. As a matter of fact, our rabbi was an Indian." ~ Jack Benny, legendary comedian, (1894-1974)

Good Tuesday morning on this cooler October 22, 2019. Last Friday evening we met with some folks who wanted to talk to us about the potential for a Santa and Mrs. Claus program for their over 55 group at their Church. I knew one gentleman, Jack, a customer from my previous day job. He has been pushing for us to meet for several years. He brought the couple who chairs this Christmas gathering. This couple, Don and Dee, was precious. He is 87 and she is 86 and they have been married for 67 years. We had a wonderful dinner at our local Olive Garden and for nearly two hours we enjoyed some lovely fellowship with these folks. We can't do anything for them this year because they have their date set and we are already scheduled, but, maybe next time. These people are long term servants in doing all kinds of work for the Kingdom. When believers meet, even for the very first time, there is always Christ as our common connection. When I gave them our Santa and Mrs. Claus card, one of them paid us perhaps the neatest compliment we've ever heard. "You guys look better than the real Santa and Mrs. Claus." I could have been a smart aleck and told them how that means we actually look better than ourselves, and, referred them to the back of the card that has my email address, "the_realsanta@yahoo.com". But, that would have spoiled the moment.

To say the least, Mr. Bentley has changed just about everything in how we do life. The photo was taken in the wee hours of my early morning time at the laptop. That would be him curled up where my feet should be resting under the computer desk. He gets up early. He goes outside. He then, typically, is ready for a return to his napping mode. I am pretty much okay with accommodating but it can get old, as Jack Benney used to say, "Well, for crying out loud!" Yes. I am aware I could make him move rather than stretch my legs out to the sides, but, to tell the truth, I'm better off knowing exactly where he is and when he's sleeping he is not getting into stuff he's not supposed to be fooling with. That helps me because I am often told I am responsible to keep an eye on him when we are up so early. He turned 11 months last week and many folks who know a lot more than we do say he is very well behaved for a puppy his age. Last week when I picked him up from the groomer, the young lady who worked on him told me he was a biter. She said when she was plucking hairs out of his ears he tried to bite her. I didn't say a word but that made me angry. Not at Bentley. At her. They run an assembly line grooming operation almost like the car wash down the block. She may have gotten his skin when she was plucking. What would any self-respecting canine do if someone was hurting them? I can hear the boys now. You never took our side when the teacher complained. Yep. Times for us, well, they are a-changin'.

We attended our little great grand Bella's one-year birthday celebration last evening. I'm not sure at what age children actually can recall their earliest birthday experience, but, it is a family tradition for us to celebrate beginning with their very first one. The experts tend to put the normal earliest recollections to be between 2 and 4 years. Don't expect too much from those who analyze these types of matters. They also tend to think the earliest of our recalled memories probably didn't happen anyway. As William Bendix used to say as he played Riley on radio and later on TV, "What a revoltin' development this is!" I wouldn't be too worried about it. In fact, I worked directly with some folks who specialized in psychology while I was employed at the Veterans Hospital. This is not a general assessment of this field, but, my observation of those I worked with could be summarized like this: Them not remembering correctly their earliest childhood memories was the least of their problems. But, keep in mind that throw down assessment came from a fellow who can remember very little about his early childhood. I'm sure they not only would need me on the couch to get to the bottom of my own issues but, my guess is, they would also need to strap me down. Another day of enlightenment furnished by your faithful scribe. Notice I did not say how much enlightenment. That, my friend, is in the eye of the beholder. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

Colossians 3:12-14 New King James Version (NKJV) "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."

Mr. Bentley wanted to say hello to everyone.

Welcome back to our regular visitation here on this Monday, October 21, 2019. The wife and I enjoy helping out with the services at the different memory care facilities. The folks there, mostly elderly, typically reflect different levels of cognition. Some are still fairly alert and they sing along and enjoy the worship. Some perk up when a certain song is sung. Others don't seem to know they are even there. A few walk around and around as if they are trying to find their way. One fellow can't participate except with his feet. When a song speaks to his heart, his feet begin to go full motion up and down. One man, very impaired, has his precious little wife there to help care for him. She is ever so patient. She obviously took her vow seriously. Sometimes, a son or daughter sits with their mom or dad as we conduct our service. When we are done and on our way home, we talk about our time with these folks. We leave with a combination of thankfulness they are being cared for in a respectful manner, but, we can't help but feel a sense of sadness and compassion for the situation they are in. Lastly, we talk about ourselves. At our age, it would be impossible not to recognize how being in a place like that could be in our future as well. We are thankful our life is in God's hands and He will provide, no matter what! Amen.

The photo of Mr. Bentley and I was made by the laptop I use in the wee hours of the morning and it sits next to our breakfast area. Thanks to our eldest Chris for providing this tool for me. It saves Mr. Bentley and I climbing the stairs to my office so early in the morning. Mr. Bently does get restless, all cooped up in the office, and, at times we are in and out which can become a wake-up call for the lady of the house. And, just so you know, that is not always a welcomed development. We also carried the laptop on our recent quest up to Colorado and New Mexico in search of a breath of fresh air. Some folks have very powerful mobile phones and they can use them almost as effectively as I use the laptop. Not my mobile phone. I think its original programming was probably done on parchment. Since I am primarily a desktop personal computer user, (translated: former Underwood Typewriter user.), the laptop essentially does most of the same things. While technology can become almost like an umbilical cord to sustain life, in my use, it's how I transact in many of the necessary areas of life. If I don't have it available which has happened in the past and no doubt could happen in the future, well, I go to plan B, C, D, and sometimes Y. (I threw that last one in from the vowel song.)

I keep reminding myself that I have never been a pet person. People get attached to pets. I have too many other things to be attached to. You would be correct to assume that Mr. Bentley is in the process of changing my opinion on this subject. Last Thursday, Kennah, our eldest son's family dog, passed away. She was a huge black lab of about 90 plus pounds. She was closing in on 15 years. She was perhaps the best family dog anyone could ever imagine having. They got her at a shelter. She has been a mainstay in their home for all these years. See what I mean? I never wanted to get attached to a pet. Period. I used to love to be there and mess around with Kennah because she was such a good dog. She was excellent around children, even infants. I could always leave and not worry about being attached. As my son told me about Kennah's death, I found myself thinking about Mr. Bentley. I didn't sign up for any ole Yeller type of connection when I purchased the wife a pet. Now, look at what has happened. Someone here observed these encouraging sentiments, "Don't worry dad, maybe you will go first." Things turn out really different than what one might have expected, as they say across the pond. Oh well, even at my age, I suppose I can be taught new tricks. Or, a close facsimile. Take care. Enjoy. Be thankful to God. Amen. ....More later.

Today's agenda: A little of this, that, and a smidgen of the other too!

Just checking to make sure the coast is clear. That is necessary on some days, therefore, I decided to reenact it just to stay in practice. Good morning and welcome to Friday, October 18, 2019. We do at least 95% plus of all our business transactions online. I don't know if that means we have qualified as being web aficionados or not. And, yes, it is a concern regarding security, hacking, and all the other malfeasance churning away on the world wide web. The bottom line regarding the reasons for doing stuff online has to do with a huge reduction in overhead, processing time, and costs. Convenience. As to what we do with any saved time, well, that is something worth considering. Maybe there's an online program to help me evaluate that question. Joking only. I can remember mom and dad as they dealt with all of their business by phone and by mail. Because of their advanced ages, they spent hours chasing down medical stuff, bills, and trying to get things corrected. Dad actually seemed to enjoy spending a few hours every day working on those projects. He was a meticulous note-taker and he would make call after call until he got things straightened out. That approach worked for him. Me? I would rather sit at the computer and spend a few minutes instead of a few hours taking care of the same types of issues. To each his or her own. And, just so you know, I do still know how to write checks and to mail things if I need to handle something in that way.

Twelve years ago I put the following blog together. There are some interesting tidbits included. ~ WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2007 First Boomer Files For Social Security! I read this week about the lady who was born in early January 1946, identified as the very first baby boomer, and she has now officially applied for her social security benefits to begin at age 62. Wow! That means I am now officially in line. If the estimate is close, it means I’m one of the early boomers with only 79,999, 999 in line after this lady. Eighty million folks. They estimate this massive group will add to the social security rolls to the tune of 10,000 people per day! It reminds me of a joke told by Bob Hope one time. He said that with the Chinese producing a billion people they bound to have been doing something other than playing ping pong. Obviously, the post-WWII baby boom means that we as a nation will now be entering into unchartered waters. I could be a smart aleck about it and send notice to each of the 3.3 workers that support one social security recipient and tell them they to need to work harder and longer hours as we boomers come on the scene. The stats indicate back in 1950 there were 16 workers supporting each recipient. The times they are a-changing. I think the current estimate is that with the additional strain on the system, it should be solvent until 2043 and then it will go belly up. That concerns me because I will turn 97 that year. Man, there’s always a catch!

I know it has become fashionable for the younger generations to joke about how social security will be nothing more than a footnote in the history book by the time they reach retirement age. This has been a concern kicked around for a long time but while liars do often figure, actual figures typically do not, although it might be wise to consider the source in this instance, that being the United States Government. We can only hope they do their usual miserable job of forecasting!

Thinking about really crazy misses in forecasting, here’s a few notable ones from fairly recent history:

“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year.” The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957

“But what … is it good for?” Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” Ken Olson, founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” Western Union internal memo, 1876.

“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.

“I’m just glad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling on his face and not Gary Cooper.” Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in “Gone With The Wind.”

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.’” Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.

“Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy.” Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

“This fellow Charles Lindbergh will never make it. He’s doomed.” Harry Guggenheim, millionaire aviation enthusiast.

“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.” Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

“The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.” Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria, 1873

I guess at this point and time it’s better to hope the predictions concerning the demise of the social security trust fund, (it’s not a real trust fund, it’s like the famous Al Gore lockbox), will end up like some of these famous miscalculations. But there is that thing called the inevitable and it usually has the last laugh. But for me and those who have our trust in God, our hope is in the Lord our God and He will provide for His own. That’s really the only way we can be assured of anything, period, end of story. ~

I can say Amen! to that last paragraph. What say you? Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday and I will do my Baby Boomer Best to show up come next Monday. Amen. ....More later.

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” ― George Washington, our Founding Father

Welcome one and all, from wherever you happen to connect, via a personal computer, mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or other devices. It is good to be able to greet everyone this Thursday, October 17, 2019. I do appreciate those who have kept up with my musings since I started this venture back in the summer of 2007. I've lost some of my most devoted followers over the years as they have gone on to their heavenly reward. My mom was always my number one fan and she loved reading my blog each day as a part of her morning routine. She would read parts of them to dad so he could smile if she thought something was funny. Dad didn't laugh much and if you were able to get a spontaneous smile from him, that was pretty much it. I had a Church buddy who would read my blogs each day and often he would send me an email to encourage me. Especially, if he thought my writing indicated I was struggling a little. He left us way too soon, but, that was God's call, not ours to make. As for the struggling part, hey, it not only is what it is but, I've become convinced over the years it is how life goes because in one way or another we are all fellow strugglers. I've also had more than a few critics. Literally, from all over the world. These have sent comments mostly challenging my views concerning Bible teachings, and, a few that took issue with my politics. I may have been bothered by these at first, but, when I thought about it, folks are free to have their views, just like me. That's why, very early on, I changed my blog from The View From My Pew to The View From Here. Now you know. Yes. I am aware you did not ask.

To make sure everyone is clear: I have not and continue at times to not always be right about everything I say or write. That has led me to issue a number of retractions over the years. I smile now about one incident from several years ago. I was teaching on the passage about the Apostle Paul and his helper Silas being in jail in Philippi as preserved in Acts Chapter 16. As I  was teaching I came to the part about the earthquake that opened the prison cells. Caught up in the moment, I said that area rarely has earthquakes, therefore, it was a spectacular miraculous event. One problem. I had a fellow in my class whose ancestors lived in that area which is now a part of modern-day Turkey. He got my attention and said based on his understanding of that region, they have numerous earthquakes in that area. There you go. Eyewitness correction. I didn't miss a beat as I told the class what I had meant to say was they had earthquakes in that area on a frequent basis. Everyone got a big laugh and it reminded me to make sure I have checked my facts before saying something. That is only one example and I am more than sure there have been many that people have spotted that didn't amount to much so they didn't tell me about it. I am flawed. And, unless you missed it, you are too. Hopefully, I would never try to intentionally mislead by distorting my reporting on something, however, I think you get my point, I can be wrong. I really can.

That concludes this segment of true confessions. I'm pretty sure nothing I said surprised anyone. The wife continues to deal with the aftermath of her stomach bug. The bug may have been finishing its course, but, the medication they gave her at the ER has continued to deal her misery especially as it relates to her restless legs syndrome. That means she was up when the slight cool front came through in the middle of the night. She reports it was quite stormy for a couple of hours. I didn't really know anything about it since I suppose I was in the grips of that rapid eye movement deep sleep when all that was going on. In fact, when Mr. Bentley and I went out around 5 a.m., I was surprised to see some rainwater in our ditches and everything was wet. Duh! Since I am a self-appointed shade tree weather prognosticator I dubbed the front as only a slight cool one because if it can't get us into the mid to low 40's I'll not call it a true cold front. (It's currently 55 degrees and they predict a 52 by 6 a.m. before it begins to warm some.) I do look forward to a really nice cool down. You know. That's when I can parade out some oldies like, 'It was so cold the hitchhikers were holding up a picture of a thumb.' 'We had to cut up the piano for firewood but we only got two chords.' Don't use the hook, I'm leaving the stage now. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings to it. Amen. .....More later.

The closing paragraph from an article assembled by the 'top thinkers' of Fordham University, (February 2017): "The key point is that there will always be ugly truths in our past since mankind has and always will continue to be imperfect. As difficult as it may be given today’s politically correct zeitgeist, we must face these harsh truths head on, simultaneously taking pride in all that we’ve overcome and yet mindful of the complex legacies of some flawed, but great, men in our history."

It's Wednesday, October 16, 2019, and I suppose we should be glad to put Columbus Day behind us. One thing about President Trump, he doesn't mind going against the flow. Today's politically correct craziness wants to wipe Christopher Columbus and his discoveries out of the history books. This historical revisionism has gone completely off the rails. President Trump said Christopher Columbus represents the exploration fervor that is a part of our makeup and our history as a nation. Yikes. You are not supposed to say anything positive about Columbus. There are still people wanting to open a war crimes prosecution against President Harry Truman for his role in using the atomic bombs on Japan to end WWII. Do I think historical figures have always done the right thing including our founders? Absolutely not! Seeing the world through the lens of hundreds of years of evaluation and academic review produces these revisionist theories. I don't think we should cover up the truth including known character flaws. However, the history itself must be left alone and reported as it actually unfolded, not with the campaigning hindsight to advance someone's political agenda. Interestingly enough, as a side note, many of those wanting to vilify any and all who contributed to our history cannot bring themselves to call those currently actively plotting to destroy us as terrorists. Think about that one for a while.

The other morning at daybreak, while at my brother-in-law's place, I walked down the road to the little house where the wife's parents spent their last years. There were still a few flowers blooming from those scattered here and there by my mother-in-law. I paused and looked at the swing on the front porch where the man of God, Bro. Rawles, (passed from this life to the next in December of 1996), having finished mowing, came to take a break. At age 80, he sat on the swing and suffered a major catastrophic stroke. We had visited many times on the different porches where he lived. We had spent hour upon hour talking about the Bible. He had been one of my most ardent encouragers over the years. He always saw me being much more capable than I saw myself. Mom Rawles, (passed away in May of 1998), was a unique individual. A shade tree poet, she left us many volumes of her homespun verses. She could sew with her hands faster than many machines and we also have a number of the quilts she made. Around the back of the house, her little shack or greenhouse still stands where she would use her green thumb to grow a huge variety of plants, many, she found on the side of the road or in a field. These folks were never famous or newsworthy in a public sort of way, however, they lived their love for their Lord and they have had and they continue to have a significant impact on all their large clan of descendants. As I stood in the coolish morning air, a special sense of blessedness came over me and I couldn't help but thank the Lord for allowing me to be a part of this family. Amen.

Yeah. I know. I do tend to spend a lot of time sloshing around in the muddy lane of memories and recollections of days gone by. I suppose I can't write about what hasn't happened yet because it hasn't happened yet. I'm pretty sure you knew that. In fact, the only certain things about the future are the facts God has chosen to reveal to us in His Word. We can count on them. Yep, we can even stake our eternal destiny on thus says the Word of the Lord. And, lest I overlook the obvious, there is the 'here and now' for us all to engage in and to do what we can to use it to honor the God who gives us the next breath we breathe. On Monday, we went to do our regular ministry at the apartment complex, but, the meeting room was locked. It was Columbus Day and the staff was unavailable. What to do? Cancel it? Nope. We moved to the lobby of the building where a number of our regular attendees live. We sang. We prayed. We studied God's Word together. Meanwhile, the elevators were going up and down, or down and up, people were coming and going, and it turned out to be one of the most wonderful blessings as we not only had our service but, we also were able to see new folks slow down long enough to hear us. That was one of those impromptu 'here and now' events that blessed us all. I know what many of you are thinking. That fellow sure does seem to count a lot of blessings. I hope I do exactly that and I hope you will also. Enjoy. Be blessed. Yep. Count your blessings and thank God. Amen. ....More later.

Commenting on the hectic pace of life: “We have the St. Vitus' dance, and cannot possibly keep our heads still” ― Henry David Thoreau

It's Tuesday, October 15, 2019, and I am still enjoying the brief memory of last week's wee bit of cool air. Last Friday morning around 5:30 a.m., I went out on my brother-in-law's carport and sat in the swing. It was a cool, crisp, 48 degrees with a nice breeze wafting its way and doing its feels like duty. I was barefooted and with my Community in hand, (I did purchase a bag just to be sure I had some), and, I was reminded of that old cliche about how nice it would be if you could bottle this experience up and take it with you for a later day. There I was. Enjoying the quiet, cool, rural, off the beaten path and I couldn't help but thank God for my wife's brother and his influence on us all over the years. At 84, he is in a different phase of his time here as he deals with memory issues and other related aging stuff. There are some things that have not changed. He is a most genial host and he still visits folks in nursing homes. These folks are not blood kin. Just family connected or people he has known for years. He still keeps up with his cattle, his property, and all the odds and ends it takes to function. He and I did a lot of reminiscing the three days we were there. Lots of water under a plethora of bridges. Good times, challenging times, sad times, and I recognized his theme for life. Faith in God and love of family and in his case, showing that unlike the lawyer who asked Jesus, brother-in-law knows and serves his neighbors. Amen.

We made it back into our neck of the woods late Saturday afternoon. It's about 325 miles, but, mostly through a lot of little towns and villages. It's a long enough ride to get all the old people ailments stirred up. The wife made the trip even though she has been fighting a stomach bug for over a week. This stomach malady came to fruition Sunday morning. I left her in tears to go and teach my class. She wasn't crying because of the pain although she was in pain. She was crying because she hated to miss being at the services with her beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. I finished teaching and then returned to get her for a trip to the emergency room. We spent five hours which is not bad at all by comparison. They checked her out. Complete lab workup. Ultrasound on her stomach and surrounding organs. Cat scan just to see if they missed anything. (I couldn't be sure if the dinging sound was the elevator or the cash register.) They put in an IV and gave her some morphine for pain. It did help the pain. We will be getting her in to see our primary care early this week. The morphine was good, however, it triggered a wild version of her restless legs syndrome. She was up most of the night. I guess that will be added to the list of things she can't tolerate. It reminds me of my granddad's remedy for pain. He would offer to hit me on the other side of where it was hurting in order to move the problem. He was always so willing to help.

My public service announcement for today.

I will say one more thing about our visit to the ER. We had an excellent response, service, and the people who helped us could not have been nicer. It probably helped that they were not overrun with sick people, but, we were very pleased with the service they rendered. I suppose a whole lot of folks are happy. The Texans won. The Astros came back and won game 2. Me? Don't watch the NFL and call me what you will, I left the Astros game at my bedtime. Why? I was stick a fork in it done. That's why. The trip home on Saturday. Up very early Sunday to finish preparing my lesson. Five hours in the ER. And, all the other duties as assigned. Sure. I am gratefully thankful to God that I am able to do those things, but, I also am aware when my body speaks his mind on the subject. The result? I was up and ready to go at 4:30 a.m. checked the score and felt that very small release of endorphins or whatever it is that gets released when you experience something good. (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Saturday evening I  was in switching mode. Astros game. LSU football game. Live PD.) You know. It was an eye, hand coordination activity. Even the remote control was ready for a nap. Enjoy. Be blessed. And, better yet, know that if we are God's own child, we, regardless of our situation, are blessed forever and ever. Amen. .....More later.

To quote the famous late Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, aka Minnie Pearl, "Howdy, I'm Jest So Proud To Be Here!"

Yep. It's me. Again. Welcome to so many who cringe at the dreaded first workday of the week, Monday, October 14, 2019. We had such a great visit with the wife's brother and we were able to make it back in time to teach my class on Sunday. Thankful for traveling grace. (More about our visit with her brother later.) There are not really many days that I don't think about mom and dad. They were such iconic figures to our huge blended family. I never saw them leaving this life for the next as being tragic in any sense of the use of that word. It was more of a natural transition. Or, that's the way I saw it. Of course, we wanted them to stay as long as God would permit, but, we were so over-the-top blessed to have them for so many years, and, for that, we are overwhelmed with thankfulness. They both made their departure in the summer of 2017. Earlier in the year, I went over on a Saturday morning to see them. Mom was home recovering from her hip surgery. Dad was still going strong, at that time. The photo was taken on that Saturday morning. It's one I treasure. Their devotion to each other was legendary. That's what I think of when I look at that photo. Devotion. Through the good, the not so good, the bad, and, yes, even the most difficult of times, devotion. I do thank God for giving these two to us all. Amen and Amen.

Recently, we had the opportunity to babysit our little great grand Bella. She will soon be one year old. She weighs 24 pounds and she is one of the most precious little ones I've seen. Typically, in good spirits, but, always ready to move quickly and explore. Mr. Bentley has had some trouble adjusting to the reality that he is not the 'only' center of everyone's attention. We tried to remember when we last took care of one this young. It may have been all the way back to when another great grand, Madi, was an infant. She turned 10 this year. My point? Bella is a very active and while we so enjoyed her being with us, it was obvious we are not as physically functional as we were 10 years ago. The good news is how pleasant and sweet she is. She is a joy to be around. Having a baby to rock and to play with, well, it not only brought back sweet memories but, it also reminded us of God's blessings through the family. She was here only a short time, but, just how wonderful is it to have her crawl over to you and ask you to pick her up? That is a very short trip to Great Grand Poppy's heart. Very short indeed! Full disclosure demands that I give full credit to Great Grand MiMi who actually did the lion's share of caring for our little Bella.

One of the things I notice on Facebook is how many people continue to try and win a battle that was engaged in and concluded many years ago. This happens often in relationship matters where everyone has put everything behind them except for the fact they haven't. We all have our own baggage. I've shared enough about the tragedies we experienced as a family and many have said it is a wonder any of us survived. However, trying to score points on a game that was over a long time ago, well, that mostly hurts the person who is attempting to do it. I rather doubt it has little impact on the previous warring opponent. Sometimes, it is to convince everyone and the person doing the postings that the choices were right and just and now everything is hunky-dory. No one wondered, but, there is a continuous need to prove the point. This is one of those circular buzzsaws that has mostly new wounds as its result. People can post what they want to. Well, not really. If you say the wrong thing as interpreted by the social media chieftains, you can be quarantined, but, for the most part, people can share whatever it is they decide to share. My heart goes out to those who, so many years down the road, are still fighting unwinnable battles. Just a throwdown observation to close today's edition. Take care. Enjoy. Be thankful. Praise God. Be blessed. In Jesus Name, Amen. ....More later.