“How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” ― Thomas Jefferson

Good morning and welcome back. It is Monday, August 24, 2020. I do hope everything is well with you and yours. We felt privileged to be a part of a baby shower for our first granddaughter, Tiffany, over in the Humble, Texas area provided by some of her and husband Brandon's good friends. They had driven over from San Antonio along with our first great-granddaughter, Madelyn Joy, who is 10 now. It was our first time seeing them since Christmas and it was a sweet reunion. We join them in seeking God's provision as we all await the soon arrival of Ava Ramona.

Here are a few odds and ends. The latest crazy forth and back about voting by mail and specifically mail delivery by the US Postal Service has brought up a lot of stuff to think about. Some suddenly have developed a huge surge of confidence in the service itself. Really? One person offered this advice to those who feel that way: If you feel that confident, take five $100 bills, put them in a stamped envelope, and mail them to yourself. Another thing. The Houston Chronicle after much reflection has decided their initial fact-checking of former first lady Michelle Obama's speech to the democratic party convention may have been too harsh. After a thorough examination of the exact words, they have decided her exaggerated grievances against the current administration were true. Now we have a new thing. We have a fact-checking review of the fact-checking previously done. That process produced a new perspective. An inquiring mind might wonder what brought on this review of a review. I will give us all three guesses and the first two don't count. I cannot say I am a 'Trump' man, but, I can continue to state, unequivocally, to vote for the other side would be a wipeout conflict regarding the fundamental beliefs I hold true regarding government. Just me. My poll result: 100% in my own opinion. You can come up with your own viewpoint.

I close with this interesting historical note. ~ This prayer is read aloud each day at Mount Vernon's public wreath-laying ceremony.

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have the United States in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Devine Author of our blessed Religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.  Amen"

Note: Prayer adapted from Washington’s Circular Letter to the States, which he wrote on June 8, 1783, as the commander in chief, at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York. This circular was directed to the governors and states of the new nation. His reference to them has been replaced by the words “the United States.” Otherwise, the words and the spellings are those of General George Washington of the Continental Army. ~ Amen and Amen. .....More later.