I know. I most likely ran out of anything to say a long time ago. But, that hasn't kept me from keeping these blogs a'comin!

Hello Americans, I bring you greetings, for the 1300th time coming to you live from here at the old blogger ranch. That was what I would have said since last week, for me, it was Friday the 1300th. So, I am a little late but I'm still thinking about it on this Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Thanks so much to those of you who take the time to read what I write each day. I am well into my 6th year and it has been a wonderful journey for me. I also thank so many who have commented on something I have written about. I especially appreciate those who have said they have been encouraged in their day by day living, challenged to seek God in all things, and for those who have been entertained some with my foolishness. I've never promoted my blog through the commercial means available to me, however, just through searches and other quirks, I've had over 58,000 page views where people have landed on my blog. As you can tell, I am very much focused on the images I choose. These images are the reason many folks land on my blog as they search for certain subject matter along with illustrations. I've had some really neat comments from folks who live in far flung places. I've also shed a few tears as I have shared times of sorrowing that have come into our lives, knowing that they come into all of our lives as well. Over the years I've had some folks suggest that I should write a book. I think 1300 pages may meet that test. But, it has been a wonderful experience for me. My longstanding hope has always been that God will use some portion of the things I have written to touch a life. I thank Him for providing to me the evidence that He has done exactly that. Thanks again folks and I will just keep on spinning that big huge wheel each day and where it will stop no one knows, including yours truly.


I also had too much to cram into last week but I did notice that the 25th anniversary of the now famous Ronald Reagan speech in Berlin was celebrated on last Tuesday, June 12th. That was the speech in 1987 where President Reagan confronted the Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev with the words: "Tear this wall down." He was speaking about the Berlin Wall which stood as a symbol of Communist oppression. That wall eventually did come down and now historians are making the connection to Ronald Reagan's stand for freedom. It is the now famous speech but it wasn't that way at the time. Even among his own team he was strongly urged not to use those provocative words. The news media pounced upon his words and some even questioned his desire for peace. When one national reporter challenged the President by saying that some were thinking perhaps Gorbachev was more of a man of peace than he, looking back over his shoulder the President responded, "They just have to learn, don't they?" And learn we did and they did and the world did. What we have learned is the power of one man standing up for the principles that define who we are as a nation. Would to God that we had someone like him standing up for us today. Amen.

Over the years I have learned what Yogi Berra meant when he said you can observe a lot when you are watching. Maybe that's a good way to describe what I am doing here in my daily visits, reporting the results from my watching. That's not to say that I do not know the difference between those in the stands and those out on the playing field. We all need to be active in those areas where we can make a difference, where we can influence others, and yes, if needed, where we can take a stand. I didn't watch the recent boxing match that led to the judges announcing a winner that literally the entire world disagreed with. One of the complaints was how that the judges had little real world experience in boxing. They were trained judges but not people who had ever taken a blow themselves. They awarded the win to the loser, or at least that's how the masses who paid to watch the bout saw it. I heard one commentator say he thought it was interesting that no one had come to the defense of the judges. That's how bad their decision was. A good lesson for us all and especially for me. It is easy to criticize from the stands when perhaps all the details and experience is not fully understood or recognized. I do try to not jump on bandwagons because often folks lead with their predetermined notions instead of the facts. I do try. That doesn't mean I have always been right about everything I have written. I recognize that. I work on it. In the end, this is why I do my best to emphasize the opinion orientation of my way of looking at things. For the 1300th plus time, at the end of the day, it is still The View From Here. Nothing more. Thanks again for tuning in and may God bless us all as we seek to honor Him with the life He has given to us. Amen.          ......More later.