I can't claim to be prolific, but wordy, yeah, and then some!

Today would have been my baby sister, Kayla's 66th birthday. God had a different plan for her life. She succumbed to Leukemia and went home to glory in June of 1979. That was young in years and I've been around quite a few folks in my time and I will say this about our Kayla. The way she dealt with and handled her illness along with her testimony for her Savior and her faith in God ranks up there with the faith champions mentioned in the Bible. She did leave behind her girls, Stacy, Kelly, and Marybeth to carry on her legacy. We honor her memory on this, her birthday. Amen.

Good morning. Another survey and another finding for us to consider on this Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Coffee. Again? Yep. They just can't leave it alone. This latest one tells us the optimum number of cups per day should be five. The news readers I saw reporting this latest information seemed to question if that could be correct. I know why they would feel that way. Coffee is really bad for you. Coffee is really good for you. Coffee is okay but only if you are very careful about how much you drink. Coffee may be linked to heart disease. Coffee helps prevent heart disease. When I saw that report on the news the other evening it really didn't do much for me. There will no doubt be a new one coming to a newscast soon that will alter those findings. By the way, I looked up the survey that said 5 cups and was impressed with the number of people included in the survey. The number they gave was 347,077. Not 347,000 or over 347,000, but, exactly, 347,077. I'm not sure what that means in terms of the validity but they did call it massive. It said it listed the benefits to be experienced as a result of taking in 5 cups per day. I didn't read it because, like I say, stay tuned. Oh yeah, I did see another headline that indicated the 6th cup brought about a 22% increase in the risk of a heart-related issue. Five standard cups at 8 ounces each would equal 40 ounces per day. Since my intake size is maybe 4 ounces or less because of how strong I make mine, well, do the math. I should be taking in 80 ounces to get the full 5 cup benefit. That's just a lay person's interpretation so you might want to use something a wee bit more scientific to guide your individual consumption.

Last Thursday, May 9th, marked my 12th year of this seemingly perpetual blogging adventure. On that anniversary day, last week, I published my 3,065th episode. Here, once again, is how it all got started:

May 9, 2007

Well, it took me over sixty years to get here and as Yogi Berra reportedly said, "You sure can observe a lot just by watching". That observation stuff, however, can be both good and bad especially if you are determined not to revise any of it, that is, if that's possible since reflections and memories over time tend to take on a life of their own as they all become fused together. Some days it's "Wow, I can't believe the life I have enjoyed!", while another day might be, "Hey, I'm not sure I can make one more day!". This is how it works in the so-called real world and we have trouble because the roller coaster ride can start without notice at anytime even right smack in the middle of one of those really great days and suddenly you find your heart pounding and breath interrupted by the crashing ride. Okay, maybe not quite that dramatic but with age, maturity, family, more family, relationships, issues, challenges, and chaos all around, it can be quite daunting.

However, I call this blog The View From Here because when it's all said and done, it's the way I see it. You most likely see it differently but that's what blogging is all about. We can speak from our viewpoint, our way of interpreting all the things we have to deal with, and in general, the viewfinder through which we see the world, and especially our world.

One final thought in this opening monologue: I know that without God as the foundation of my life through my identity with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, there would be little hope in all the ups and downs encountered in this journey called life.

It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, this activity has consumed a fair amount of my time. When I started I was closing in on my 61st year and now I'll soon land on the square marked Number 73. I am so thankful for those who have read along with me on this journey from the get-go, and for those who have joined along the way. I do continue to receive feedback from time to time and I appreciate the comments. Short of what I said in my first blog, I really have never had a 'plan' for what I do in the space each day. It comes down to: Sharing. That's it. Just sharing. Thanks again and may God continue to bless as we pursue the life He has given to us. Amen. ...More later.