What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual. Two languages? Bilingual. Only one language? American."

Hello and welcome. I bring you greetings from here at the blogger ranch, on this  early Tuesday morning, and it's a new day, October 9, 2012. I love it when I'm around when someone really gets a huge surprise. The other day I was out and about and I dropped by a food joint to get a sandwich. A typical scene was transpiring up at the counter. There were maybe 7 or 8 Hispanic fellows in line ordering. Some spoke some English. Others brought up a buddy to help make their order. What they did not count on was the response of this huge African American manager that was manning the register. As the Hispanic fellow was stumbling through his order with his buddy's help, from out of nowhere, the black guy began to engage him in perfect Spanish. They all nearly fell out on the floor. Me too. It was one of those glad to be there when it happened moments. It reminds me of back in the mid 1960's when I worked for an Air Force Tech Sergeant. He had been all over the world literally and had a real inclination for picking up new languages. Our work included working with foreign military pilots coming in from a variety of countries. It was a blast to see them greeted by the Sarge in their native tongue. It always made for a good welcome. Okay. Here's my attempt: "Y'all come back now, you hear!"

You've likely heard some of those he's so dumb jokes over the years. You know. He's so dumb he thought Taco Bell was a Mexican telephone company. ~ He's so dumb he thought Gatorade was some kind of welfare for alligators. ~ He's so dumb he thought Jungle Gym was Tarzan's brother. ~ He's so dumb he thought wildlife preserves was some kind of jelly for bears. ~ He's so dumb he asked me to meet him at the corner of Walk and Don't Walk. ~ He's so dumb he once returned a necktie because he said it was too tight. ~ He's so dumb he actually thought Manual Labor was a dignitary from south of the border. ~ He's so dumb he thought a quarterback had something to do with a refund. ~ He's so dumb when offered a hot meal he refused because he thought it was stolen. ~ He's so dumb he sold his car to get gas money. ~ Okay. Bad. How bad can they be? Just so you know, there were some I wouldn't even think about using.

Variety. It is, after all, well established, that it is the spice of life. While this concept must be ancient in terms of people's view of life in this world, the actual specific figure of speech, variety is the spice of life, is thought to have originated from a poem written by William Cowper in 1785.  In that poem he describes a fellow who dates a different girl every week, thus, "...variety is the spice of life, he claims." But we are aware that we do live in a world driven by diversity. I happen to enjoy watching NASCAR. I keep up with it. I have some very dear friends that think NASCAR shouldn't even be called a sport since to them it is so boring. See what I mean? That's okay. The image I used to illustrate this paragraph was one I found that is used by the Pacific West Quilter's Club. Enough said. We all have those interests that appeal to us as individuals. Yet, we also have a common bond. We are a part of the human family that God created. That bond is one that shares a common need and that is to make peace with our Creator. He has provided a way for us. In fact, Jesus said it like this: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14: 6) That's how we are able to find our real purpose in life. May God help each of us to do that very thing! Amen.     ....More later.