"Can you hear me now?"

We are spinning the wheel this morning. Where it will stop no one knows on this Thursday, January 23, 2020. When considering what to write one must take into account the reader. I am first to admit that I do not always do that. On most days I'm doing all I can to come up with something to write about, period. However, if one writes and publishes, that assumes the material is intended to be read. Here is some information that might be helpful to me as I try and consider how to put words onto the electronic page: "It is a fact that the popular blockbuster novels are written at the 7th-grade level. People like to read recreationally two grades below their actual reading skills. The average newspaper is written at the 11th-grade level, the tolerable limit for a 9th-grade reader." There are essentially four types of writing styles: ~ 1) Expository – Writing in which the author’s purpose is to inform or explain the subject to the reader. 2) Persuasive – Writing that states the opinion of the writer and attempts to influence the reader. 3) Narrative – Writing in which the author tells a story. The story could be fact or fiction. 4) Descriptive – A type of expository writing that uses the five senses to paint a picture for the reader. This writing incorporates imagery and specific details. ~ Since I typically write off the top of my head, my guess is that my stuff ends up being a blend and mixture of all of the above. I do like the concept of painting word pictures. Over the years, I have written oodles of Bible handout materials. They were typically a four-page tall greeting card format handout with an article about the lesson material along with illustrative images. A lady told me one time that when she read my lesson handout she could hear me talking. I think that's what I shoot for when I write. My reader can hear me talking. Maybe I should walk around like the aggravating TV commercial, "Can you hear me now?"

Another former classmate from my high school graduation class has passed on to his reward. This fellow was a tall guy. Maybe 6' 2" or more. He was tall but I can remember how he looked up to me, a little guy, I suppose because I was typically a leader in the class. Not always by choice, mostly by default, but, I did it anyway. This fellow mostly stayed in the little town where we grew up. According to what people are saying, he was a family man, a God-loving man, and a man of integrity. I'm trying to remember if I ever saw him again after we left that area to come to the Houston metroplex in 1969. I don't think I did. We had recently become friends on Facebook. He was born one year ahead of me. We were always friendly but I wasn't as close to him as I was to some of the other fellows. He built a large family, a long marriage, several children, many grandchildren, and, I believe seven great-grandchildren. He left behind a testimony and a legacy. Based on what I saw on Facebook he was beloved by his family, even the little ones. One could do worse. Reading about his passing did remind me that time is getting away from us all, and, if we are to leave behind a legacy we have to live it now. Amen.

It is good to have the wife back from her visit over to Louisiana. She was gone for four days. We went walking yesterday and on our way back home we stopped at the grocery store. She had her list. I went and found some treats for Mr. Bentley and when I returned she said, "You know what I am thinking about doing? I feel like fixing us a really good meal." She then began listing all the things she could cook. I thought at any second angelic voices would begin singing over the PA system. They were all good choices, pot roast, pork chops, chicken, and too many trimmings to mention. She then said, "How about something we haven't had in a while, an old fashioned catfish dinner?" That caused my mouth juices to go into overdrive and I hurriedly agreed. We had to go to a different store to buy the fish. Fresh, never frozen. She has this little deep fryer. She used peanut oil. The hushpuppies were so light they would melt in your mouth. Literally. The fish was perfect. The french fries crisp and delicious. Welcome home to me. To top it off? I hope you are sitting down. She made me one of my all-time favorite desserts from my growing up days. Butterscotch pudding with layered Vienna Finger cookies. It was just like my mom used to make for me. The good news for me growing up was how I was the only one that really liked butterscotch. Talk about hitting the jackpot! When we finished, I had to say it. I couldn't hold back. I told her, "Sweetheart, thanks for preparing a wonderful Father's Day meal for me." She just laughed. I never guessed when I started out yesterday I would be writing about my homecooked meal, but, that too turned out to be one huge blessing. Amen. ....More later.