“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.