“Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.” – Unknown

Good morning and welcome to today's visit. It is Thursday, July 30, 2020, and I bid each one a hearty hello to get the day started. I am pretty much homebound these days. The wife still gets out and has lunch with her Bible study friends and runs quite a few errands, but, I spend most of my 15 plus waking hours here on the plantation. Mr. Bentley and I. I wanted to explain that in light of how often I mention him and the frequent photos I put up of our pup. The caption on the photo above reads, "Mr. Bentley receives a friend request." You look at that and might think I am in the early stages. Come to think about it, people have thought that for years. Early stages of what? I'll let you fill in that blank. I will tell you this. Mr. Bentley has been good company throughout this self-imposed solitary confinement. I dare say he has been a blessing. He is very smart and he keeps us all laughing. One of the things I notice about him is how he has his own special love for each of us here individually. It is as if he has customized it based on our personality. No. I have not become a dog whisperer, but, I do know I am super fond of one dog, in particular, Mr. Bentley!

Like I say, being isolated has its challenges. I can only imagine those in hospitals and elderly care facilities who are severely limited in their contact with family and friends. We really don't have to imagine since we read about these situations in the lives of those we know, each and every day as they share their plight on social media. Last week I watched a streamed service from the famous Brooklyn Tabernacle Church located in Brooklyn, NY. The pastor, Bro. Jim Cymbala was talking about the overall impact during the past six months on 'Church in America'. He quoted from some private polling information and the results were scary. One stat that really hit me was when pastors were polled anonymously, a total of 20% indicated they will leave the ministry when this cloud is lifted. They would leave now but didn't want to leave their congregations in the lurch. The other things were predictable, financial challenges, losing contact with the flock, and a concern for those who may not return to the work and ministry when the all-clear is sounded. This is pretty disheartening stuff but I then remembered this promise from our Lord and Savior, "I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18 from the New Heart English Bible) It's His Church and He will preserve it! Amen.

We are continuing to be thankful for the good rain we've received beginning last Saturday. We haven't watered since last Friday. Yay! When I do the watering of the plants, it is a 30-minute proposition. When the wife waters it may take her up to an hour. She adds the caring to her watering time and I just water. That's all. We, humans, are a funny lot. Here are a few observations about people: ~ “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” —Jack Handey ~ “Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.” — Will Ferrell ~ “I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.” — Phyllis Diller ~ “Someone asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island what book would I bring: ‘How to Build a Boat.’”—Steven Wright ~ I chose those but there were dozens more. My point? In the midst of the stuff that tends to drag us down, look around, and find something to smile about because we can be very entertaining comedians. Have a great rest of the day and may God add His blessings. Amen. ....More later.