“I think I am about 5 for 500 when it comes to successful ideas vs flops.” ~ Jerry Schoemaker, popular blogger

Good morning and welcome. It is Friday, the last day of July, the 31st, 2020, or perhaps I could say it is stardate 3,386 since that's how many of these I've hurled out into the vast reaches of the worldwide information network. Thirteen years later and after nearly 250,000 page views, I open up the place where my thoughts originate and see, first, if anything is there, and secondly, if anything there is worth sharing. I've never touted the page views because even though that's a fairly large number it really isn't even a drop in the bucket compared to the postings done by famous folks. I have long guessed how most of those page views came as a result of an accidental landing on my blog when someone was searching for something else. Hey, that sounds a lot like how I get to finishing my blog each day. I typically am on the lookout for something to write about and in the process, I accidentally end up with something to post. From the outset, I have announced myself to be an observer of all the things that pertain to the living out of my life, one day at a time. You know. As I see it as in The View From Here. I've actually been the person in the cartoon sitting at the keyboard. It would go something like this, "Hey, I need to brief executive management on what we intend to accomplish over the next quarter. Maybe you could put together what we are thinking and I'll look at it in the morning." That went on for years. But, I know God gave me an ability to put stuff together and in many ways He allowed me to use it for my development and good. I won't go that far in terms of my blogs each day, but, you at least get a sense of my background in coming up with stuff.

Tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, is the day we will be remembering our dad on his birthday. He had a good long run here on earth, August 1, 1930 - July 1, 2017. Here is a Father's Day tribute I wrote for him 10 years ago: Happy father's day, dad! I can't think of anyone I would rather share a cup of Community Coffee with than my stepdad. Sunday is the day we set aside to honor our dads, and believe me, our family has much to be thankful for in the man God sent to us so many years ago. Our real dad left the scene for his heavenly home all the way back in 1954. And, we honor him also on this special day because he was used by God to give us the life we have. Our stepfather is a man of integrity. You can put a period behind that my friend, or you take it to the bank because it is not a sentiment, it's fact. A career military man, he served in both Korea and Vietnam. A career civil servant he worked to make sure our fighting forces were prepared. Since his retirement, he has served the local community in many different ways including fire chief and as a town council member as far back as I can remember. As a devoted husband to our mom, you will not find a better example. A common pulpit theme today you hear is how that a man can do more for his children than almost anything else in the way he treats their mother. I believe that is true and dad has set a wonderful example in taking care of our mom. Dad walked into a mess when he married into our family but he has never looked back and he has never let any of us down. What do I attribute all of this to? I believe in my heart of hearts, it's a God thing, and I thank him for our wonderful dad.

Mentioning Community Coffee is always in order for me. The other day I needed to do some work in my office upstairs. It had been a few days since I was up there. I got the computer up and going and I noticed a lonely coffee cup sitting on the desk. It still had some Community in it. I smelled of it and it still smelled like Community. It didn't have anything growing on top of it yet. I remembered seeing Paw Paw Mac swigging down the leftover Seaport Coffee that had been left in the pot from the day before. I thought about how the taste of the now aged, cold, thick, super-black Community would be better than what you can buy fresh anywhere I know of, and, I have tried, the good Lord knows I have tried. So, I said to myself, waste not want not, which I know was part of my granddad's matra, and I finished it off. I know. I am way over the top when it comes to me writing about my coffee. A smidgen of it is for fun, but, the overwhelming feeling expressed is on target. I still remember maybe 25 years ago when I made the switch from the big tub on sale to Community. Cost more? You betcha! I had one thought at that time: Life is too short. I'll leave you to ponder this profound revelation as we anticipate our Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. Be blessed and may none of us forget to thank God, the ultimate Source of all our blessings. Amen. .....More later.

“Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.” – Unknown

Good morning and welcome to today's visit. It is Thursday, July 30, 2020, and I bid each one a hearty hello to get the day started. I am pretty much homebound these days. The wife still gets out and has lunch with her Bible study friends and runs quite a few errands, but, I spend most of my 15 plus waking hours here on the plantation. Mr. Bentley and I. I wanted to explain that in light of how often I mention him and the frequent photos I put up of our pup. The caption on the photo above reads, "Mr. Bentley receives a friend request." You look at that and might think I am in the early stages. Come to think about it, people have thought that for years. Early stages of what? I'll let you fill in that blank. I will tell you this. Mr. Bentley has been good company throughout this self-imposed solitary confinement. I dare say he has been a blessing. He is very smart and he keeps us all laughing. One of the things I notice about him is how he has his own special love for each of us here individually. It is as if he has customized it based on our personality. No. I have not become a dog whisperer, but, I do know I am super fond of one dog, in particular, Mr. Bentley!

Like I say, being isolated has its challenges. I can only imagine those in hospitals and elderly care facilities who are severely limited in their contact with family and friends. We really don't have to imagine since we read about these situations in the lives of those we know, each and every day as they share their plight on social media. Last week I watched a streamed service from the famous Brooklyn Tabernacle Church located in Brooklyn, NY. The pastor, Bro. Jim Cymbala was talking about the overall impact during the past six months on 'Church in America'. He quoted from some private polling information and the results were scary. One stat that really hit me was when pastors were polled anonymously, a total of 20% indicated they will leave the ministry when this cloud is lifted. They would leave now but didn't want to leave their congregations in the lurch. The other things were predictable, financial challenges, losing contact with the flock, and a concern for those who may not return to the work and ministry when the all-clear is sounded. This is pretty disheartening stuff but I then remembered this promise from our Lord and Savior, "I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18 from the New Heart English Bible) It's His Church and He will preserve it! Amen.

We are continuing to be thankful for the good rain we've received beginning last Saturday. We haven't watered since last Friday. Yay! When I do the watering of the plants, it is a 30-minute proposition. When the wife waters it may take her up to an hour. She adds the caring to her watering time and I just water. That's all. We, humans, are a funny lot. Here are a few observations about people: ~ “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” —Jack Handey ~ “Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell ~ “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” — Phyllis Diller ~ “Someone asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island what book would I bring: ‘How to Build a Boat.’”—Steven Wright ~ I chose those but there were dozens more. My point? In the midst of the stuff that tends to drag us down, look around, and find something to smile about because we can be very entertaining comedians. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen. ....More later. 

"Proverbs 25:14 ~ A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it is like clouds and wind that bring no rain."

Okay. Another day and another dollar. This another day happens to be Wednesday, July 29, 2020. That saying typically is used to say everything continues pretty much in an ordinary way, the same routine. It was also the theme of a song by country singer Wynn Stewart featured as a single in 1962. I hasten to add that while everything pretty much is normal, we do know the times we are living in are pretty extraordinary. I won't go further than that because I'm trying to not speak much about anything associated with the pandemic during this week's visits. I've written before about how I, as a young teen, became sweet on a lovely Pentecostal girl. I even attended a Saturday evening service so I could sit beside her. One of the things that happened during that service was a large number of folks did some holy dancing. I believe that is what they called it. One of those who participated was an older lady that I knew because I occasionally would mow her grass. I was surprised to see her moving about with her arms flapping a little and the fat on them going ninety to nothing. Here's what a young teenager thought: You can dance all you want, you can call it a Spirit-filled holy dance, but when I mow your grass and you agree to pay me a certain amount I don't respect how you always find something frivolous you don't like and use that as justification to give yourself a big discount. In her version of another day, another dollar, as it related to me it became another day, another 50 cents. 

I don't think I am still hanging onto a grudge against this lady, but, it is interesting how we all do remember the negative that occurs in our lives. Those get recorded in a place that's like the Fort Knox of our heart. It's the truth. I still remember being embarrassed in the third grade. My mom dressed me in short pants and the legs flared a little and one could see my underwear. I was self-conscious about it and one day the teacher commented to the class, "It's okay Junior, everyone wears them." The rest of the kids laughed and I nearly exploded. We come from a long line of red faces and my guess is mine on that day was purple potted meat. I could go on. I could. I know some of you might enjoy hearing some other notable mishaps that crushed my spirit. My point? When we carry them as the focal point of our living we end up self-actualizing our status as a victim. I'm not talking about those who have suffered all kinds of horrible abuse. That's a different matter entirely. I'm talking about allowing stuff to keep us from our best life now. One day I was thinking back on something some other guys did to me as a prank. I can remember it vividly. Here's the reality. Three out of four have already moved on to their eternal reward. The real question becomes, have we moved on? I love looking back, as most of you know, and I even enjoy joking about some of the slights and embarrassments that define my journey. I know what it means to carry a grudge. It is a load that's too heavy. For me, for you, for anyone. Now I will go and try to see if I have any idea at all what self-actualization means. I have no idea where that even came from.

Ten years ago we bought a Cadillac CTS. It was used but in excellent condition. We traded in an old Cadillac we had purchased from mom and dad. I had not planned on buying the car on that particular day so I did not have the old Cadillac title with me. When I got home I found it and called the fellow at the dealership to arrange to drop it off. He told me not to worry about it because they were going to send it to auction and it would likely have a salvage title. That was how it all went down in October of 2010. Last year the old Cadillac surfaced and was using the toll road system frequently. It was still in my name so I began to be bombarded with toll bills. I did what I could to convince the people at the toll authority that we hadn't had the car in ten years. That did not keep them from sending me new bills. The other day I received a bill from a collection company for nearly $10,000. It seems the driver of the old Cadillac ran into someone last December and left the scene. The $10,000 did get my attention. I talked with the dealer and they were able to get me copies of the original contract proving I traded it in and they also furnished me a copy of the bill of sale where they had disposed of the old Cadillac. I have emailed this information to the collection company. I said all of this to tell everyone to be aware that things like this happen, and I understand they happen often. My eldest told me there is a form that can be filed if the title is not officially transferred and that form shows the car has been either sold or passed on to another entity. I do hope this is the last I hear about the old Caddy, but, we shall see. We shall see. Anything to keep me stirred up because it's always something! May God bless. Amen. ....More later.

"Life is so boring when you don't have an online order to wait for." ~ copied

Hello everyone and welcome. It's Tuesday, July 28, 2020, and the journey continues. I took the old fliver, (pick-up truck), in for a state inspection and oil change last week. I always breathe a sigh of relief when it passes the inspection. It will soon be at 197,500 miles and I actually said a little prayer of thanks when they signaled it was ready to be picked up. I came home and logged into the state motor vehicle website to renew my tags. Once you put in the VIN and Tag number, the rest is pretty easy. Having completed the first part, I was happy because they gave a $1 discount for renewing online. Once I got to the payment part, I paid, but at the end, they added a $2 handling fee. I suppose it's their version of now I give and now I take away. I printed out the renewal receipt just in case I were to need to show proof. I recently went through a similar procedure to renew my driver's license. It was very easy to do. However, one forgets what the photo looks like on the current license. When I received the renewed license in the mail it looked like what might have been expected, a copy of a copy of a really notoriously bad photograph. I showed it to my middle son and said to him, "Would you like to see a preview of what I will look like when I die?" I was just glad they renewed the cotton-picking thing online. I know when you get older they have to eventually retest you or maybe even strip search you. I heard one older person telling how they got theirs renewed much to the surprise of their kids. The eye test machine was broken and they were able to renew without having the test done. Lucky for them, I guess, but, maybe not so lucky for other drivers in their area.

When we eat donuts, we prefer, always, Shipleys. Fortunately, we have one less than 10 minutes from our home. The other day I got there around 6:30 a.m. I've known the older Hispanic ladies who work there for many years. (Not because we are in there that much, because we are once a month buyers and they have been there for years.) They are always very pleasant. As I was checking out, one of them asked me, "You are Santa, right?" I told her I was. She then wanted to know, "What will you do about the upcoming season?" I told her I didn't have a clue and that after 11 years we are more than ready to sit out any appearances if that is necessary. She was disappointed, "Oh no. I hope not." I gave her the we will have to wait and see and they smiled and waved as I left. I tell you, I really appreciate working with the same folks over time. Who would have ever thought? Two little Hispanic ladies who were concerned about Santa. They brought it up and when they did I pulled down my mask to show my full beard and they were happy. Life can be interesting at times.

Our pastor mentioned it might be a good idea to go for a few days in a row without paying a lot of attention to or making a lot of comments about the pandemic situation. He went on to say what he had been seeing posted by good God-fearing people made it clear they must have gotten their education from Facebook Univesity. I couldn't agree with him more on that one. He said if he gets one more of those that say you better read this before they take it down, he thinks he might head for the hills. Those always amuse me as well. You know. If someone says Facebook took this down, well, that makes it true. Right? Why else would they have taken it down? When I see the one taken down posted by 100 people back to back to back, it makes me wonder if it ever was taken down, to begin with. But, whether it is true or not true has nothing to do with what caveat is added by the one posting. If something cannot be independently verified then it might be best not to share it no matter how much you might think it supports your viewpoint. Most people on 'our' side decry fake news as a greater plague than even COVID, however, anything posted that's not true, regardless of where it comes from, is still either unfactual or fake. I saw a fire breathing God-loving person complaining about people personally attacking him on social media when the stuff he put up wasn't even his own material. He said he did nothing more than to pass it on. Read that one again and think about it a little. Okay. I could go on, but, I'll put a plug in it for now and catch up with you again real soon. Have a God blessed day. Amen. ....More later. 

"My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened." ~ Michel de Montaign, 1533 - 1592

Hello and welcome back. It's Monday, July 27, 2020, and, that means it's the birthday of our daughter-in-law, Sherrie. She is wife to our eldest, Chris, for the past 34 years. We thank God for Sherrie. She is mom to three of our granddaughters and several greatgrands and with a new great-grand soon to make her appearance. Chris and Sherrie have made a good team and both reflect a good work ethic, a record of serving through their local Church, and, a demonstrated long-term commitment to family. Happy Birthday, Sherrie, and may God continue to bless. Amen. 

Fanny Crosby

A study done by Penn State University in 2017 concluded a whopping 91% of the things people worry about never materialize. It also indicated for those things that did come about almost all of them were less than what worry had envisioned. I mention this because we are living in worrisome times. I am not surprised by the number of folks I know who have trouble sleeping. They talk about it a lot on social media. I am a little taken aback by the number who say the times we are living in are the reason for them losing sleep. I've written enough about all the scary stuff going on to show I am aware of the issues and impacts to many people in our society. However, the worry I express has not been and hopefully will not become a worry without hope. Can we be concerned about all of these things and still be at peace? I would answer that in the affirmative, not because I have come up with some magic system or formula, but, it is because of being able to rest in the arms of the Prince of Peace, our Lord, and Savior, Jesus, the Christ. As is my wont, I thought of a song that occasionally comes to my heart and mind. It's one written by the blind but gifted and Spirit-inspired writer, the late Fanny Crosby:

Safe in the Arms of Jesus

1

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

Safe on His gentle breast,

There by His love o’ershaded,

  Sweetly my soul doth rest.

Hark! ’tis a song of heaven

  Borne in the sweetest voice,

Echoed by saints in spirit,

  Making my heart rejoice.

Chorus

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

  Safe on His gentle breast,

There by His love o’ershaded,

    Sweetly my soul doth rest.

2

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

  Safe from corroding care,

Safe from the world’s temptations,

  Sin cannot harm me there.

Free from the blight of sorrow,

  Free from my doubts and fears;

Only a few more trials,

  Only a few more tears.

Chorus

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

  Safe on His gentle breast,

There by His love o’ershaded,

    Sweetly my soul doth rest.

3

Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge,

  Jesus has died for me;

Firm on the Rock of Ages

  Ever my trust shall be.

Here let me wait with patience,

  Wait till the night is o’er,

Wait till I see the morning

  Break on the golden shore.

Chorus

Safe in the arms of Jesus,

  Safe on His gentle breast,

There by His love o’ershaded,

    Sweetly my soul doth rest.

I heard that song quite often growing up. Our family did not protect us children from the reality of death. That would have been hard anyway since we were born to experience a lot of death even from a young age. I mention that only to say that song was played often at memorial services. What kinds of songs were typically chosen? Songs of comfort. Today, we all stand in need of the comfort that comes from being safe in the arms of Jesus. Amen. .....More later. 

"You have to think anyway so why not big!" ~ Donald Trump

Good morning folks. We have arrived at today's itinerary entitled Friday, July 24, 2020. I listened to our Governor yesterday and based on the questions he was asked, it's clear he has taken a political beating on his most recent responses in trying to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Leadership can be a lonely job. The old saying may apply. You have it pretty much in the ballpark when people on all sides are a little less than happy with your decisions. I got the idea that much of the negative response is due to his closing of bars and watering holes serving alcoholic drinks. He continues to believe preemptive protective action is the key to dealing with this issue. He also believes if there were more cooperation in the areas of wearing masks, handwashing, and social distancing, we could get a handle on this disease. As we all have agreed throughout this ordeal, finding accurate information has not been easy, however, I continue to believe as a person of faith, I am responsible to follow my understanding of what God has called submission to the governing authorities. We live in a world where chest-thumping and mean spirited postings is the typical knee-jerk. The bottom line to me is there seems not to be one. And, we continue. 

Speaking of the price one might pay as a leader, I found this tidbit from 13 years ago: ~ My Favorite Challenge: "It Can't Be Done!" Coming up through the ranks I always was interested in how things could be made to be more effective, more efficient, especially on a large scale. Because of this I often found myself engaged in many battles over the years against the “status quo” and the entrenched “powers that be”. Many of the projects I pursued and many of the stands that I took were not for the fainthearted. But one of the things I learned and learned to love is that when you go after something big you get big results. Sounds simple enough but it just happens to be true. Let me say that when you do attempt to make a big change for all the right reasons this does not mean you will be appreciated, or that your motives will not be trashed from many different directions. In trying to make things better I’ve been accused of grandstanding, being contentious, or intent on personal adulation. I look back now at the many big projects our staff tackled and the many innovative changes that literally rocked the boat. I feel blessed that in leading my staff to do big things to make a big difference we contributed much to the effectiveness of our Company's operations. ~

I feel like I wobbled through the week but glad to have had our times together. Thanks for not reporting me to the blog standards association. There's always hope for our next time. With God's provision, of course. We are adopting a game-time decision approach to attending in-person services at our local Church for this upcoming Sunday. One of the things our Governor stressed was for seniors to stay home as much as they possibly can. Hopefully, we will get some sense of direction or we will be attending from our living room and most likely, still in our pajamas. I do hope you have a wonderful Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I will do my best to wobble back for our next scheduled visit. Until then, enjoy and be encouraged by this traditional Irish blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Amen. .....More later.

"Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere." The late humorist Erma Bombeck.

Morning all. It is Thursday, July 23, 2020. Hello and welcome. As it relates to seeing what's happening out and about in the news world, I do come up for air periodically. Mostly, I watch the local news and they typically throw in any national stuff that might be perculating. Covid still dominates. But you knew that already. There appears not to be an end in sight and we all are fatigued by this ongoing disrupter of our lives. I'm not sure I've heard a lot about one development that I see in this pandemic. There seems still to be a lack of humility as it relates to our human capacity. I know prayer and God is mentioned in some circles but there does appear to be a need for us all to acknowledge our limitations. All the king's men and all the king's horses can not always put things back together again. The other day I was talking to a fellow riding his bicycle on the road by our house. He was talking about how all these things had him thinking maybe the end is near as revealed in The Scripture. He appeared to be nervous and upset. I reminded him that being a child of God by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ means we belong to Him, we have a home and it is not in this world and He can be depended on, no matter what. He rode on and I couldn't help but wonder who needed to be reminded of that more, him or me? What say you?

Our Mr. Bentley visits occasionally with other pups in the neighborhood. It can't be for long because he is just too excitable and rambunctious. When they do talk I can't help but wonder what they say to each other. "Yours too? They're mostly all laid up watching TV? Yep. Mine too." The other day the wife and I looked at our pup all flattened out and looking kind of sad and we agreed he must think we are the laziest folks on the planet. The recliners are often fully reclined and there's not a lot of stuff happening. We do throw his ball, his bone, or his stuffed toys when he brings them to us to play fetch, but he is often left to wander around and to finally give up and join the resting brigade. We talk some about getting back to walking at the mall and we know we can wear our masks and do the distancing thing if we do go. We talk about it. The doctor casually mentioned it because he had noted in his record that we were previously mall walkers. He writes that down but doesn't always remember medical details we discussed? Oh well, it was a good reminder that we do need to get out. Maybe when it gets a little cooler. (October?) When the virus threat is over. (Who knows?) I am officially putting the return to mall walking on my around to it list. Oh. That's right. I need to have a list first. How about a mental list?

I write about the changes we have seen as a result of the current virus world order, but, may I remind everyone there are so many others who are dealing with much more serious issues. After three weeks, our distant kin in Columbus, Georgia has finally regained enough strength to have the tube removed and has now begun to be weaned off the sedation. His early facetime visits with his wife and son were encouraging but also a little scary. He didn't really recognize them. Thankfully, he has as of yesterday come around from that and is out of ICU and in a regular patient room now. That three week saga turned their entire world upside down as both the wife and son had also tested positive. Folks who have lost their jobs. Working moms wondering about the upcoming school year. Those who have lost loved ones. Those who are in strict isolation, like elderly care residents. And, the list goes on and on. My point? I can joke about being bored and missing our 'regular' activities but when it is put into perspective, I have much to be thankful for and I have much to pray about on behalf of others. That's my take for today and I do hope God will bless us, one and all. Amen. ........More later.

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em.” ― Shel Silverstein

Good morning. It is Wednesday, July 22, 2020, and I will be doing a very abbreviated visit for today. I have to accompany our son for his early medical appointment this morning, therefore, I will have to make this short. I am happy to report that I am feeling almost like I was before I felt like I was not feeling very well. And, I did get good responses from the labs associated with my annual physical. My blood sugar number did go up but it is still within the target striking distance. While it is looking back now at my target it was not as bad as it could have been and I was both relieved and surprised. A good surprise, actually. As you know I typically work on my episodes along and along the day before. I haven't been doing that of late. I just couldn't get into doing it, but, I am leaving Funkville now and will try to do a better job on my preparations. Until then maybe you will be encouraged by a portion of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth to help us all during these unsettling times.

Psalm 91 English Standard Version

My Refuge and My Fortress

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say[1] to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge 10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. 14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

May God add His blessings to His breathed out and Holy Word. Amen. .....More later.

“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.” ― Tim Fargo

Good morning. I am happy to report that, while somewhat puny, I am on the mend. It is Tuesday, July 21, 2020, and I bid each and everyone a very warm greeting. Yesterday, I was laid up. Just like my grandfather used to say, I was laid up like a bunch of dogs under a shade tree. But, God is good and I think in a day or two I will have put this 'bug' behind me. I am not altogether pleased with myself to recall how I spent much of my more than 50 plus years in the workplace working whether I was ill or not. That's the reason one day when I didn't show up because I had been in an accident, the joke around my staff was they had better check the funeral homes. That reputation for always being there regardless was not necessarily always in my own best interest and it wasn't in the best interest of my department. I treated Church attendance the same way. My eldest and I were talking about how this is still a thread for some within our local assemblies, those coming regardless, and how this too could be a danger during this virus threat. I remember one time going into my downtown office and once there I had to lay on the couch in my office because I felt that poorly. Unbeknownst to me, my secretary called 'the wife' to come and fetch me. She didn't tell me until 'the wife' was waiting at the curb down on the street. My point? I could have been a wee bit more balanced back in those days. Meanwhile, since I am now retired, being laid up like a bunch of dogs doesn't mean that much.

Why was I like that for much of my working life? It was a combination of many things including a wrongheaded sense of my own importance as if my very good and talented staff couldn't do without me actually being there. Fortunately, I did do some better before I left the big company. And, to prove up the point, when I left they moved on quite nicely. The Bible teaches us we are not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. (Romans 12) We live and hopefully, most of us can say we also learn. Our local congregation reopened again last Sunday for in-person services. This time they set aside the choir practice room for those wishing to attend but needing more isolation. It didn't make sense for us to go and watch the services on a TV screen from the choir room, therefore, we stayed home and watched the live-streamed service. Our county judge has been one of the leading voices of keeping everything open and in exercising individual freedoms regarding the wearing of masks and social distancing. However, late last week he put up a brief announcement regarding the spike in confirmed positive Coronavirus cases for our county. On this announcement, I believe for the first time, he ended by asking everyone to please wear a mask if they go out and to do their best to practice social distancing. His comments did have some influence on my decision to stay put on Sunday and then I became puny anyway, ran a little bit of an elevated temperature, entertained some achy breaky feelings, and I am now on the mend. None of that necessarily fits but I threw it out there anyway. 

I said there were other reasons I doggedly did my best to always be in my place. Much has been written and said about work ethic and in my situation, I was shaped by the example of my mom and my grandfather. Maybe mine was not as balanced as it should have been but I'm thankful it was a part of my identity in the workplace. I've written extensively about how commitment to the job has faded in the working world today. That's based on my firsthand observations. Now we hear that having that kind of commitment is another of the white man's tools against people of color. We had a number of names for those kinds of nonsensical statements and the one I can use goes like this, Hogwash! I saw a list of all of those types of things promoting racism including integrity, responsibility, commitment, etc., and I immediately thought of the Bible itself. Check it out. Read Proverbs. Read the rest of The Scriptures. Those are not admonitions for white people, they are rules for life from our Creator. This means the people using these kinds of statements as recriminations need to take it up with Him. If anyone needs some clarification on my views regarding this matter, feel free to contact me for further exposition. Thanks so much for your support of my blogging efforts and may God add His blessings. Just think. I might do better when I am feeling better. We can always hope. Amen. .....More later. 

“In order to write about life first you must live it.”– Ernest Hemingway

Good morning folks and welcome back. Today. It is Monday, July 20, 2020. Last Friday morning I was watching the live practice of the Formula One racing from Hungary. It was raining on the track and they were still running 190 MPH in some parts of the track. There was a lot of fishtailing going on due to the conditions. One commentator said it was greasy wet. The other fellow jumped in. "You are wearing your Brylcreem but it gets onto the wet track. That's how slick it is." I will admit that's the first time I heard that one as an explanation for track conditions. I could identify with that mental image because when I was a teen I used Brylcreem and as the ad implies, a little goes a long way. The cars were slipping and sliding. A more crass way of saying it would have been, the track is slicker than snot on a glass doorknob. Others come to mind, 'slicker than ice'; 'slicker than an oil spill'; 'slicker than a bunch of loudmouth politicians'; 'slicker than grease on a bald head'; and one about it being 'slicker than the stuff Trump puts on his hair'. Based on my brief search, as coarse as it is, dozens of variations on the 'snot' theme dominated the results. At any rate, the Brylcreem image not only made sense to me but it also reminded me of those days when I did my best to imitate the James Dean look. 

Sometimes politicians can really set themselves up. They all do it, but, it's interesting how Speaker Pelosi really opened up the floodgates the other day. When asked what the House priorities will be going forward, she said they had only three: "Children! Children! Children! As we all know she is one of the fiercest abortions on demand supporters in Congress. Even though she claims to be a devout Catholic. At any rate, her emphasis on children has once again pointed out where those lines are drawn. She obviously has no love for the unborn children since more than 470,000 have already been aborted this year. Her position proves the only children she supports are those who make it into the world alive. Or, the wanted children. The others can be disposed of in the trash bin. I obviously disagree with her stand, but, her complete tunnel vision did open the door for a lot of blowbacks. I remember way back when she was first challenged on her viewpoint since her Church at that time was excommunicating people who embraced abortion. She said she had talked to her Bishop and they had decided to disagree agreeably about the matter. Agreeably disagree? I did not know what to think about that then. And, I still don't. For her and especially for her Bishop.

I am running this morning mostly on fumes. I had some type of sudden onset unwell feeling last evening. I was running a temp but never got all the way to 102. Whatever it is, let's hope 'was' is the operative term, and praise the Lord I am some better this morning. This may be the first time Mr. Bentley has dealt with me not being as able to respond to him as I normally do. He acted very concernedly and confused. Today I feel like I have been beaten with a tire iron. But, no temp. When you have a fever, well, THESE DAYS, it does create the thought of the Covid-19 boogeyman lurking in the shadows. Especially, in those who are standing by to help. Therefore, take my condition into consideration as you peruse my prose from today's edition. I close by reiterating how thankful I am to have slept reasonably well, and I no longer have an elevated temp. For the record, I was committed to going to have myself checked if that was needed. May God bless each one. Amen. .....More later.

“If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?” —Will Rogers

I survived. My annual physical has been completed. Except for the lab reports. Those can be pesky, but, I should know something early next week. In case you wondered, I do need to lose some weight, but, I knew that going in. Such is life. And, today's update comes through the woods and over the hills via the internet to wherever you happen to be on this Friday, July 17, 2020. If you have tuned in very much at all you know I am prone to be peeved. One on my radar screen today has to do with these personal stories on social media that prove up a particular point. They start out by saying something like this, "I was at Walmart and this fellow walked up to me." The first time I read one of these they seem somewhat plausible. However, since folks master the copy and paste function as an art form, the same story shows up again and again and again. Isn't it interesting that just within my social media circle over 100 people had the exact same experience? If it was the same fellow who walked up to them he was one tired dude when he finished up his day. The point being made may make sense but doing it that way pretty much cancels it out for me. If they feel compelled to pass it own they should share it instead of making it their own. Okay. That's my gripe for today. I have more. But, you knew that already.

Looking back, I chose some excerpted material from an 11 paragraph blog I wrote on this date, 13 years ago: ~ Growing Up With Folks Who May Not Have Always Been Right, But They Were Never Wrong! I grew up in a fiercely independent, Bible-believing Baptist Church. The people there were for the most part wonderful and sweet. Now I’m not saying we didn’t have issues within the Church. Even as a child I could detect something was surely wrong whenever people would sing “Makes Me Love Everybody” with energy and feeling, but still not speak to a fellow member with whom they had a long-standing disagreement. My grandfather was one of the most respected men in our Church. He was a Deacon in the truest sense of the word, that meaning a Servant of the Church. He was not, however, one who wanted to have anything to do with power plays or politics. He was an intensely private man but his beliefs and what he stood for could be recognized by how he lived. His simple approach to life was often at odds with the other Deacons who wanted to exercise authority and make sure the Church knew they were running things. They were not always pleased with my granddad because he would not go along with anything he believed to be underhanded or out of line.~

My grandfather was more interested in taking a mess of homegrown vegetables to a widow lady than showing the preacher who was in charge. I suspect some of that is further explained in the 9 other paragraphs I didn't use. I did see a posting on Facebook from a preacher we know that has given me pause. He reported they had returned from summer camp up in East Texas. They had 347 kids who attended and a total of 27 decisions for Christ. In the midst of this good news, he also reported they had several involved with the camp who tested positive for COVID-19 including his dear wife. He said they were not running in fear but rather they were running in faith. He attributed the infections to Satanic influence. He also said they were expecting more infection confirmations. He and his wife are nearing their 80s. He did not mention anything about precautions or rules that were followed while at the camp. My dilemma is in trying to balance the running by faith with the biblical mandate to submit to the governing authorities outlined in more than one place but clearly delineated in Romans Chapter 13. I'm not sure one would not have expected to have some issues given how kids function in close quarters and I'm not sure I would agree in this particular instance that Satan was the direct operative force here. (Yes. I know. Fallen world, fallen people including disease.) Just some thick tough steak for us all to chew on. I leave us all to ponder these things as we continue our journey, with God's provision. Amen. .....More later.

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good morning. It's still hot here in these parts in case you have not noticed. It is Thursday, July 16, 2020, and I bid you a hearty hello. A lot of what I do here each day is to share my observations but I don't have too many new ones and consequently, my writings have lacked some in variety especially over the past several months. I've been here in the house for more days 24x7 than any other time in my entire sojourn here on the planet. The wife goes much more than I do. I go only when I need to. The dog and I keep the old truck going by taking it for a 10-minute drive each morning. Other than that, it has to be important for me to leave the premises. Like today. I do have my 11 a.m. doctor's visit. I'm not real happy with that time since I will need to fast until I get all the labs done. When I tried to make my appointment online they only could give me afternoon time slots. I called and the nurse got me in at 11 a.m., saying it was the first available morning appointment. I will give her the benefit but that sounds a little far fetched to me. Three weeks out and it is the only morning appointment available? Oh well, you do what you have to do. They sent me all the things they will need to screen before I can come into the facility. They will be asking questions and taking my temperature. And, I should be aware no one is allowed in unless they are wearing a mask. Again, these are the rules and I am going to do my best to follow them. Following the rules is what good clubbers do. (That's what I used to tell our inner-city kids in our Bible club.)

We've been watching a variety of programs on TV. We found a detective series from Australia, 'Call to Murder' that's pretty good. We are also watching some of the Agatha Christie Poroit episodes, the Sherlock Holmes Jeremy Brett series, and related things like those. We do watch quite a lot of music on the YouTube channel via the laptop connected to our big screen TV. Music from all over the world. Literally. We do watch a lot of Gospel music, country Gospel singing, and hours of Southern Gospel Quartet videos available online. We see some preaching as well. I like big bands from back in the 1940s. We even watch several of the early shows from TV back in the day. 'Burns and Allen' is still golden with the banter, the timing, and the situation comedy portrayed. Peter Gunn, Matlock, Dragnet, and a number of the old variety TV shows are also entertaining. The Dean Martin Show, Carol Burnett, and all kinds of TV specials are enjoyable as well. All of this is well and good and I am pleased we have the technology to see these shows. However, we are somewhat growing more and more restless due to the lack of family contact we've always enjoyed. This wall of separation seems to be dragging on and on. Phone calls are good. Social media helps. But, it saddens us and we fear the long term implications of our families not being able to be together. And, I hasten to add, they do it out of an abundance of caution for the wife and I. We do so look forward to when they announce the all-clear on this situation. 

One reason I write as much about Mr. Bentley as I do is because he too is quarantined with us. I'm pretty sure he has us figured out. He is good company even though we do have a fair amount of overhead to keep up with and take care of him. He does do something that we had not expected. He gives us something to laugh about many times throughout the day. We never realized how funny a dog could be. Or, maybe we are just getting older and a little funny ourselves. We try to be thankful for how God has provided for us during these difficult days. We know He has been faithful even when we have been frustrated and wavering. We are also reminded that as His very own, we will be okay no matter the outcome. Knowing that and holding onto it does not make each day an easy day, but, it gives us hope as we continue to make our way forward. Amen. .....More later.

“I admit that I live in the past, but only because housing is so much cheaper.” — Matt Wohlfarth

Another day and another update. This one originates live and in-person from my location to yours on this Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Not to belabor the point but by way of emphasis, we did receive word yesterday that another nephew who works in a medical clinic has a co-worker who has been confirmed. The protocol calls for our nephew to stay home for four days in isolation before being tested. We had received some guarded positive news from our nephew over in Georgia earlier in the week. The last posting indicated he had taken some steps back and they are dealing now with additional heart and blood pressure issues. Our eldest is a manager and he was told yesterday that three of his key people have the potential, therefore, they must do what they can from home until they work through the protocols. The debate continues about any and all things coronavirus related, meanwhile, individuals, employees, and families are being turned upside down. I don't know what to believe about the purported facts being shared from the plethora of news and social media sources. I do know the personal testimonies of people we know and love clearly shows the seriousness of this disease. 

These days of concern reminded me of just how carefree we were growing up. God has given each one an instinctive ability to sense danger, but, as we grow up we tend to learn about a lot of dangers. So much so, it can impact our view of life and how we operate in the world. A pastor who grew up near the place I did and is a couple of years older than me wrote the other day about how they literally went everywhere barefooted. The exception being Church. That means they went into stores and attended school barefooted. I did that same thing, maybe not to his extent since he actually lived way out in the country or it was to us. I have written before about us even going to the creek barefooted. In the summertime, we had to hot foot our way across US Hwy 171 to get to Brushy Creek. We had several thickets to traverse. When we got to the creek we had to deal with all the sticks, stumps, knots, and other foot traffic obstacles. We would sometimes wade in the water without even a thought. Sure, we would see a snake now and then but the rule was to leave them alone if they left you alone. My point? We didn't give any of it a second thought. Did we get cuts, scratches, and a few punctures along the way? You betcha. But mom had methylate, iodine, and mercurochrome. It may have taken someone to sit on me while she poured it on, but, that's how we rolled, back in the day. 

I am aware that trips down nostalgia lane can be fraught with revisionist thinking. I hear my boys giving their version of growing up as contrasted to the 'easy' life of their kids. It's the 'walk a mile in a foot of snow to school' template that impacts us all. However, I believe most of what I recalled in my throwback recollection to be very much accurate. There may be some stylistic embellishment but the fact that we didn't fear stuff out of not knowing we should is exactly my point. Could that be dangerous? Of course, it could. And, at times it was. We had a kid playing with a rope who accidentally hanged himself. We had a couple of kids playing in a shallow cave and it caved in and they died as a result. We had a few who drowned. I found out the hard way why no one should ever dive into a swimming hole they have never been to. I busted the top of my head wide open when I hit an underwater stump. It made a good-sized hole towards the back of my head. What could be done? They carried me to a nearby neighbor's house. He held me down and poured iodine into the wound. When I finally got to the doctor he said it was actually fried and there was no way any germs could have survived. Then he sewed me up. I know what some of you are thinking. Being hit that hard on top of my head may explain a lot. It might, but, it doesn't keep me from remembering that's how we rolled, back in the day. May God bless. Amen. .....More later.

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” — Audrey Hepburn

Another song line came to me, "I'm only human." That's how you write a blog about the H-O-T hot weather and put January instead of July on it. In my defense, I did get the 'j' and the 'y'. I started to say I was getting ready for the dyslexia competitions coming up but that would not have been accurate or funny. I have changed the electronic document of record to avoid any confusion in the future. Having said all of that, I do bid you welcome to another edition of life as I know it here on this Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Finding the right balance in these uncertain days is not that easy. We do not want to be those who live in fear because in God we trust. At the same time, we want to act in a way that is prudent and one that takes into consideration the facts as best we can know them. There is no shortage of opinions about every angle of every iota of information pertaining to the coronavirus. Because of social media, nearly every day we hear about another new exposure or confirmation within our sphere of family and folks we know. Our granddaughter was exposed where she works but she has tested negative, same for our daughter-in-law. One close family member had a family member of a co-worker who was confirmed. That brings into focus what they call contact tracing, trying to find those who may have had contact with those exposed. I heard a new one the other day: Those potentially exposed to someone who was potentially exposed. Meanwhile, for the wife and I, fully vested as septuagenarians, we continue our journey and doing life, one day at a time, with God's help, and doing it the best we can. Amen. 

I have my annual physical coming up on Thursday. I am running a little behind but I held off on the teleconference approach until I could see my doctor mask to mask. I am not looking forward to this visit. Last year I agreed to lose some weight and I did, around 20 pounds. When I arrive at the medical center I will have reclaimed those 20 pounds and added another 10. I could be facetious and say since the last visit I have only added a net of 10, however, I know 30 is the right answer. We all know the virus and all of its permutations has become the readiest excuse. I've been searching around for something different since I know he hears that one every day. ~ At my age, I really didn't want to invest in a new wardrobe. ~ If a worldwide famine hits I am prepped to hang on for a good long while. ~ I think someone has hacked into our bathroom scale and it really is no longer trustworthy. ~ Maybe some new descriptive terms would help: plump, stout, solid, portly, paunchy,  meaty, and fleshy. ~ Losing weight might cause me to become light-headed and dizzy. ~ I would have lost weight but I really do hate losing, period. ~ It may not be weight gain at all, it could be food retention. ~ My final answer may be this nugget: I am Santa Claus and I do have an image to live up to. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Maybe the CPAP machine has interfered with my metabolism. Oh well, the labs typically end up being my window on my world. One thing is certain, we can't always control the things that happen along life's way, but, with God's help, we can do something about how we respond. As I write this, it is closing in on 5 a.m. and I have now used up some 26986 days, or 647664 hours, or 38859840 minutes! That my friend is a good long run, but, I will be the first in line to say I have not always made the most of the time God has given to me. Essentially, if life before God can be boiled down to the best life possible, it would reflect the words of our Savior, as recorded in Matthew 22, 37) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38) This is the first and great commandment. 39) And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Oh my, I still have much work to do in being who God would have me to be. Amen. What say you? Until next time may He provide for each one. Amen. .....More later. 

“Never marry when under the guise you need to 'see if it'll work', but rather marry because in your mind you want to make it work.” ― Criss Jami

I woke up this morning and when I carried Mr. Bentley outside there was a definitive hum in the air. It reminded me of that line from the old lullaby, "skeeters are a hummin on the honeysuckle vine." Then it hit me. Even at 5 a.m., we have a cacophony of humming emanating from the A/C systems along with the electric meters. I thought I would throw out a little heat-related humor to start our day here on this Monday, July 13, 2020. We did have us a beautiful small wedding for our granddaughter Amanda Faith and her groom Manuel this past Saturday afternoon. It was, again, as the song puts it, "hotter than a pepper sprout." It was a lovely ceremony and God was good. There were maybe 50 people there with many who didn't make it because of the Coronavirus situation along with the heat. I think they call it an intimate private affair but it was family and the older I get it is the harder I have dealing with stuff like this. Our little Amanda. It just doesn't seem possible. Reality is often portrayed as a slap in the face and that's how it seemed to me as I watched the proceedings. So blessed to have the wife's sister to do the music, and our Chris to do the ceremony. The heat index was around 105 and while I don't think I was directly in the sun for long at all, I did come home with some red sunburn on my face. Reflection I suppose. They are on their honeymoon and we continue the journey as our family undergoes change after change. I think that's the way it goes for every family. May God add His blessings to this new family. Amen. 

Hello folks. Bentley here. I wanted to jump on to bring you up to date on my view of how the world turns. It has been very challenging around here for the past few weeks. They began by turning everything upside down to get ready to have Amanda's wedding in my home. By the way, Amanda is and has always been one of my favorites because she is what we in the dog world call a human who loves to have her face licked. I can count on one paw those who allow me to do that and it does not include he and she who must be obeyed just so you know. They love me dearly. But, no face licking for them. Suddenly, the house was being torn apart. New paint. New decorations. Then, they found out how many intended to attend the wedding with an estimate of up to 100. Whew! That meant the house wouldn't work. During all the uproar, Aunt Dorothy was here several times and she typically brings her little princess, Dotsy, a Chihuahua mix, with her. That presents some issues. She is a cute little thing but they don't want me to be around her too much. Nope. Too aggressive. Too rambunctious. Here's how it typically goes down. They come and I get excited, you know, wanting to meet and greet and I end up in the sleeping kennel. In the middle of the day. In my own home. It's not easy but these are the people I have to work with. And, another thing. At that wedding, Amanda's little pug was a part of the program. I couldn't believe they had the audacity to talk about it in my presence. You've seen pugs. Right? They look like they have spent way to much time slamming their faces into parked cars. They didn't even mention my name. I could have really upped the anty for that affair, but, they settled. And, we all know what happens when one settles. You don't get the best. Okay. He says I have burned enough keystrokes for one day. As you can see in the photo what they could have had at that wedding gig. I do love that old pick up truck. It's actually mine. I direct him each day to chauffeur me around the neighborhood. They have made a lot of progress but they still have a ways to go. I'll catch back up with you soon.

Mr. Bentley's chauffeur.

Typically the funniest things in life have a ring of truth to them. Mr. Bentley's assessment from his point of view surprisingly does reflect a whole lot of our reality. I read the other day a lady saying studies have indicated that Shih Tzu's think themselves to be human. I haven't seen the studies but I have observed up close and personal the actions and antics of our Shih Tzu, and, at times he certainly shows some of those tendencies. And, to a certain extent, our world has had to account for him and it does often seem to revolve around him. Having never had a pet in our house and never one like Mr. Bentley, well, he has, as the saying goes, rocked our world. Observers no doubt have different ideas about whether it is all positive but we have grown to understand just how much of our world he occupies. It's one of those, 'things will never be the same again'. I do hope you have a wonderful rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen. ....More later.

“Democracy is not simply a license to indulge individual whims and proclivities. It is also holding oneself accountable to some reasonable degree for the conditions of peace and chaos that impact the lives of those who inhabit one’s beloved extended community.” ― Aberjhani, Splendid Literarium: A Treasury of Stories, Aphorisms, Poems, and Essays

Hello everyone and welcome. It is Friday, July 10, 2020, and we open up the envelope and find this nugget of truth to help us get on our way, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." I know that's somewhat of a 'duh' in the same way you always find what you lost in the last place you look, but, in all fairness, while it may sound trite, it is the day God has given to us and with His help, we can make something of it. Reading the first-hand accounts of some folks we know who are battling Covid-19 is quite chilling. This virus is a beast and it represents a life-threatening situation for many who contract it. We have a distant nephew over in Georgia, nearing his mid-fifties, who was confirmed and admitted to the hospital with some minor breathing issues. Within hours he was rushed into ICU and shortly thereafter he had to be intubated. That was a week ago and he is still sedated and struggling to breathe. His wife was also admitted but she has since been released. Their son, in his mid 30's has been confirmed and is confined to his apartment. They have a grandson who has down syndrome and other health complications and he too is hospitalized but praise the Lord he is some better. This one situation has pretty much turned their lives upside down. The other grandkids were sent to Florida to stay with relatives while another daughter and son-in-law are quarantined at home. Another fellow we served with in Church a number of years ago was just released from the hospital after 16 days. He posted a daily journal detailing his experiences. It seems his story was one step forward and two back along with a number of 'you forgot to say may I's' along the way. My point? It may not seem serious in a material way to those of us who have escaped, thus far, in having to deal with it, but, whatever any of us can do to help control the spread, I say, let's do it!

Here's a Friday Flashback from July 10, 2007, ~ Blog Fatigue? Today I am going to take a break from sharing some great revelation of new facts, information, stories, and intrigue as it relates to the life and times of this blogger in his sojourn here on earth. Why? Have I run out of things to write about? The answer to that question reminds me of my mom driving over to our huge city many years ago. She had never driven in a downtown situation like the one here. I don’t know how, but she was able to get within six blocks of where I worked. She parked her car, found a phone, and called me. I was finally able to figure out the general area where she was and left immediately to meet her. When I arrived she was exhausted but very pleased she had made it. When we got to where her Ford Pinto was parked she was right up against a large sign which read: “Don’t Even Think About Parking In This Spot”.

This is my answer to whether I’ve run out of material or not. In fact, this morning I started several different stories but they did not resonate and I ended up scrapping them, for now. There’s so much material, so many memories, so many unforgettable experiences, people, and places, but so little time. This week has been somewhat hectic since here at the workplace we are a little shorthanded and it is vacation season and I have been very busy running here and there. Hey, that sounded almost good enough to make that the excuse for not doing a blog today! At any rate, I’ll never forget an elderly gentleman at a Church we attended many years ago who always said the same thing when you asked him how he was doing. He would look directly at you with a gleam in his eye and say, “If I kicked, I ought to be!” Guess that’s a good way of putting it. This is the day that the Lord has made and we have the opportunity to rejoice and be glad in it, this very day, and if given all that God has done for me, I kicked or complained, well, I guess I deserve to be kicked myself! ~

Reading that flashback from 13 years ago only reinforces my often mentioned assessment: The more things change, it is the more they stay the same. That's okay because it reflects life. Thanks for hanging in there with me this week and thanks for the several emails I received talking about some of the things I mentioned. It's always good to hear from folks and it is also good to know someone is paying attention. Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I ask you to whisper a prayer for our granddaughter bride, Amanda Faith, and her groom, Manny, as our eldest son Chris, will conduct the wedding ceremony tomorrow. Take care and know we all, each and everyone, need the Lord every step of the way. Amen. ....More later.

“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.” ― Martha Washington

We don't need the heat index to tell us how seriously hot it is, the actual temperature is quickly closing in on 3 digits. Remember week before last when I was announcing how the good rain had erased some early yellow-brown near the asphalt, well, it's back with a vengeance. It is Thursday, July 9, 2020, and I hope the A/C endures because it rarely gets a break. This in the midst of the Pandemic Part II. All of that as we get ready for an outdoor wedding for our granddaughter Amanda Faith this coming Saturday afternoon. I believe Saturday may be the first 100 degrees reading of the year. Amanda and her intended, Manny, are not responsible for all of these circumstances, but, the tension is there as the planning goes forth. I think there are around 60 confirmed to attend and that will make social distancing very interesting indeed. We do pray God's blessings on this couple. We know, by experience, that doing it on your own is not good enough. God must be there to provide every step of the way. Sure, it does seem impossible since it was only yesterday I was sitting on the couch with Amanda and her twin Alesha and the three of us were glued to Emeril Legasse's cooking show anticipating his next BAM! so we all could chime in with him. As for the ceremony, they will be furnishing masks for all those attending along with individual hand sanitizers. That should make for some good photos.

If this edition tends to drag a little, take note that I am working on it the evening before publication. I do not do that well brain-wise in the evenings. But, we are pretty loaded up with stuff to do and all the other rat killing we chase each day, therefore, I jumped on the laptop when I could. One of my regrets from my past, especially early on in my management career, is in not giving more deference to people who operated on a different cycle than my own. I was at the top of my game by 5 a.m. or even earlier each day. If I had a special project I would call a meeting at 6 a.m. and I required all of my key people to be there. After a number of these shenanigans, the technical support manager got up enough nerve to challenge me. "I hope you know you kill off the day for about half of my team when you make them come in so early. They work nearly every day, typically until after midnight and you like to tell everyone how we have the brightest of the brightest on our team. You are making it hard for them to do their best." Fortunately, I got over the 'who's the boss?' quickly and changed my tune. We all are different. I am a long term, committed, consecrated early morning person. Many are not. They can do good work too. There. I said it. I now feel better. 

It would be really easy to get down and out regarding all that is going on in our country today. I've never seen so many people recommending to their friends and family to just stop watching news media sources. It is clear there is an agenda for most of the news outlets and it has to do with defeating the current occupant of the oval office. If you don't see this, I'm not sure what you are seeing. It is that clear. To be fair, the President declared war against the media and it did help him to get elected in 2016. Back then the media spent a lot of time arguing about their fairness and balance. Not any more. It's as if they all have agreed. He wanted war and he is going to get it. In the midst of this anger-driven environment, add the Coronavirus, the tanked economy, and the racial tensions and you end up with a more difficult situation than before. I actually think, regardless of how weak his opponent is, this is an uphill battle for him. I did hear one pundit saying there's some indication that the silent majority is growing. He will need as much of that as he can get. The bottom line, from my perspective, remains the same. Like President Trump or not and there's much not to like, people of faith, people who believe in the principles of our founding, people who care about values, they still could not in good conscience vote for the overt destruction of these things we hold dear. Yes. I will hold my nose if necessary, but, I will vote for the candidate that leans towards these treasured beliefs. Just me. We all will have to make up our own minds. Amen. .....More later.