Sometimes our excuses fail. Hillary in responding to wiping clean the information on her email server: “What, like with a cloth or something?” (August 18, 2015)

Good Friday morning and welcome to today's time out where we can sit a spell, enjoy our coffee, on this November 11, 2016. This is the official day when we pause to remember those who have worn the military uniform of our nation. Armistice Day was first set aside to honor those who fought and helped win WWI. Later, it was changed to Veterans Day where we honor those who have served. May God bless them all is my prayer. Amen. The Trump upset is still reverberating from sea to shining sea. I listened to three New York Times reporters who were attempting to process exactly what had happened. First of all, these folks are on the far left end of the spectrum but they profess themselves to be unbiased and fair, yet they could not hide their shock at these results. What had happened? How could they have totally missed this outcome? It was as if the America they envisioned had suddenly been destroyed. These folks were talking almost real-time in terms of when the declaration of Trump as the winner was announced. Talk about total dismay to the point of being disoriented. The American people had spoken but why was it they and 99% of the rest of the media, the polling experts, and the professional political punditry had all missed it. They expressed more concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for them as reporters than they did for trying to get in touch with the angry sentiment of those who agreed the swamp needed to be drained. They contended that Trump had portrayed them in such a negative light that people may never trust them in the future. My thought was how they had pretty much earned the label of biased and in the tank for Hillary, therefore, their moaning and complaining had little resonance with me. Not even a whisper. I'm not taking sides here, just reporting this 30 minutes of recorded conversation among three very disillusioned reporters who wondered how they just got run over by a train but had not seen it coming.

The wife continues to make slow progress from her fall and we are so thankful to God for that. This has been some week, but when you think about it, most of them are. I heard folks in my circle saying they had pretty much stayed up all night awaiting the election results. We didn't. We actually didn't watch any of it, choosing to stay on channels that feature reruns. I didn't even look until Wednesday morning around 4 a.m. What is happening to our young men and women today? Report after report is coming in that tells about how college-age kids who ended up on the losing side are unable to function. Universities are granting them special considerations as they work their way through these mental and emotional distresses. Are you kidding me? These are the folks who will be taking our places. I've been disappointed many times after an election but never would I have dreamed that folks would need some kind of therapy because of their inability to cope with the results. While Mr. Trump will end up with a commanding win in terms of electoral votes, Ms. Clinton will likely end up slightly winning the popular vote nationwide. I mention that to say this, we are a divided nation. We as individuals have different worldviews. It's a fact of life in these United Sates. We need to come together where we can to serve the common good, but, we can't do anything for ourselves or anyone else if we are disabled by the results of an election. That's how I see it.

Another week has come and gone. I so much appreciate those who tune in each day. I occasionally get some comments about what I have written and I appreciate those who take the time to do so. I heard the press secretary for the President say yesterday the administration is open to consideration of a pardon for Hillary Clinton. Is that remarkable, or what? Does that seem odd to you? The story that refuses to go away. We do live in a messy world, one where God was the answer before, during, in the present, and in the future. I'm not expecting our new president to bring a spiritual revival. That doesn't mean we don't need one, beginning with me. I do know that God is always ready to hear, heal, and forgive. Talk about a turnaround! If you, I, and all those who know the Lord would begin to be all that He would have us to be. Wow! Now we are talking about changing the world. Okay. That should be enough for this week. Enjoy your Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday, and I will do my best, Lord willing, to catch back up with you come next Monday. May God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.