“We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it.” ~ Rick Warren, Pastor and Author

Tuesday. Yep. That it is. This one has been id'd as October 9, 2018. The wife and I are concerned citizens. This past Saturday afternoon, we were keeping an eye on the proceedings leading up to the vote for or against Judge Kavanaugh to become our next Supreme Court Justice. My civic inclination was somewhat tested by the fact that I was also watching a NASCAR race and the Astros baseball game. That may have been a good time for me to have paused long enough to thank God for the TV remote because there was a whole lot of channel flipping going on. We were encouraged by the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. The young driver Christopher Bell won the X-Finity NASCAR race, and the Astros won in a very tight pitcher's duel. And, I could be a witness to it all without having to leave the comfort of my well-worn recliner. The wife of my youth would probably add that in addition to channel flipping, she claims I was also able to get in a few quick naps during the afternoon. If I've asked once, I've asked it more than once, "Is this a great country or what?"

I do have my annual ophthalmologist appointment this morning. That's an important examination for anyone who is a diabetic. I have a great doctor who is a top-notch professional and very thorough. She is also a lovely person, a believer in Christ, a wonderful wife, and mother, and very much respected within the clinic where she works. She loves being the eye doctor to Santa Claus and has always made much of it. After I finish with that exam I will be on my way back home to change to get ready to conduct a memorial service for a dear friend's dad who passed away. Her dad was a very beloved man and it will be my honor to do my best to offer God's comfort to those at the service. Don't get the wrong idea. I am not in the business of conducting funerals. I was asked to help and I will do my best, with God's help. Over the years God has arranged it so that I have been given opportunities to serve in this way, therefore, I thank Him for His working in my life to develop me to serve Him in ways I would have never even thought about. We do serve a remarkable God! Amen.

Recently, there was a legitimate security breach on Facebook that supposedly hit 50 million accounts. There is a new one presently making the rounds that is really weird. I don't know all the details but there seems to be a scam on a scam on a scam going on within the Facebook realm. People who think they have been hacked notify everyone they have been even though they haven't been. Like I say, I don't know all the ins and outs of what is happening but I do know that it has created a lot of thrashing forth and back along with much copying and pasting in all directions. In one instance it appeared one individual got a friend request from himself and was puzzled what to do about it. It seemed to be system-wide because I received notices from many folks in my network. It may be a ruse to get people to take their eye off the ball regarding the real threat of real hacking. Who knows what people might be up to? It's been somewhat humorous to watch it sweep through the ranks of users without any evidence that anything has taken place. Suddenly, people have become desirous of protecting themselves from something that isn't real. Perhaps we have finally found the real definition of the well-known phrase, "Much ado about nothing." I decided early on to be an observer and not a participant. Like I say, there could be an ulterior motive behind the faking of a fake scam so I wouldn't advise anyone to let their guard down. Whatever that means. In the meantime, soldier on, and remember that God is in control. Amen. ....More later.