My eldest quoting a news commentator, "We may not know who won tonight's debate but we are clear who lost. The American people."

Made it to Friday. That's always a good thing. Welcome. It is October 14, 2016. The other day when I pontificated about typographical errors I actually had a big one in that episode. The space probe was Mariner-1, not Marina-1. I must have had boating on my mind. I actually saw that one flash before my eyes as I hit the send key. But it was too late to stop the presses. It just goes to show you whatever it goes to show you. I read the other day where some leading evangelical ladies are very unhappy with evangelical men for giving Mr. Trump a pass on his long record of objectifying and demeaning women. These are influential women like Beth Moore and I suppose they are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the daily revelations that seem to keep coming. I get that. I can appreciate their concern and their stand. On the other hand, I would be equally concerned if they followed up by saying they will support Ms. Clinton. To my knowledge, they have not done that. We all have to take our own decision but their stand for the reasons they give is certainly in keeping with how our system is supposed to work. As for me, I am still out in left field waiting on some kind of directional signal to help me decide what to do. Sorry. But, that's the truth. I will cast my ballot. I believe I have voted in every presidential election since I became eligible to vote. I have never skipped any part of a ballot but I may consider just sitting out the presidential portion this year. None of the above. That thought came to me as I was writing this paragraph. I said I was waiting for a signal. Food for thought. At least, for me.

I made an exception to my ban on most political stuff because of the stand taken by those believing ladies. I thought their viewpoint was one worth discussing. I have been thinking some about the little quips I used to share that may no longer be applicable. At 70, I'm not sure joking about wanting to find out what I will be when I grow up is still appropriate. It may still be true but the use by date may have expired. Also, saying one is only as old as they feel may have lost some of its luster. One fellow commented that you have moved into the older age when you no longer have an urge to throw a snowball. Here's a truism, ~ "In youth the days are short and the years are long; in old age the years are short and the days long." ~ Nikita Ivanovich Panin  Here's an excerpt written by an older gentleman from yesteryear that we all might aspire to, ~ "Some of you will perhaps be surprised — though not those who best understand that nothing is surprising in the human spirit — when I say that life never seemed so beautiful as it does now, when to many others it begins to be a burden. May God, who has brought me to this age, transport me from this vain mortal life to the true eternal life, as now I prize higher one day of this ripeness than do most young men prize a year of their bloom…" ~ Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch), letter, c.1366–1367, translated by Morris Bishop, 1966 ~

I know what some of you purists are thinking. Age is not a number. In fact, it happens to be a word. The other day I mentioned how that people are paying a king's ransom to have their animal companion cloned. In a somewhat related subject, I noticed an outpouring of testimonies, recollections, photos, sympathy and support on Facebook for the recently deceased Bengal tiger who had formerly been the mascot for Louisiana State University, (LSU). I am not anti pets or anti animals. In fact, I've been so conditioned by all the emphasis on protecting Bambi that I've nearly wrecked out more than once trying to dodge a runaway squirrel, raccoon, or armadillo. What is this world coming to? I'm thinking about proportionality here. Nothing more than that. How about it being none of my business? My response, I plead my first amendment rights. You know. My opinion. Nothing more than that. Just food for thought. I think I've slung enough keystrokes for one week. I do hope you enjoy your Saturday and that Sunday, we call it the Lord's Day, will find you and yours joined with other believers at the meeting place to seek and hear from our Great God. This is the blessing the Lord gave to Moses that he was to give to Aaron as an instruction in how the Lord wanted the priests to bless His people. I haven't used it in a while, so I want to leave it with you today, "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26) Amen. ....More later.