I'm feeling just a wee bit hyphenated today.

Well, here we are again, and today's edition lands at your doorstep on this Friday, January 31, 2025. There are still a fair number of folks who get to Friday with the TGIF approach because party time, rest, and relaxation follow. For many years I ran a 24x7 worldwide computing network service and we learned that Friday was nothing more than just the day before Saturday. I'm not saying this is the best, but, for nearly 25 years it was my life. On the other hand, we have so many of our families today strapped by the most recent inflationary economy that one or more of the breadwinners are having to work more than one job. I know that one too. After the arrival of our first child, I actually, at times, worked three jobs to make ends meet. I was young and very much able to do so. Many today are not young but because of circumstances they are making it the best they can. My heart goes out to them. As President Clinton used to say, "I feel your pain." I do applaud the American Spirit reflected in someone being willing to do whatever it takes to get by. At the same time, I am aware how my work environment of the past often conflicted with my spiritual well being. Too many fourteen plus hour days. Too many seven days a week. It's so easy to not make God the first priority in life. I know. That's easy for me to say now. Yes. While that is true, it is also an old white haired observer at large handing down something I learned. The hard way. There are many "don't be like" commercials, but, I am being sincere when I tell you not to be like me in forgetting to put God first in your life. Amen.

About yesterday's blog, how ironic that I made a mistake in the immediate vicinity of talking about proof reading. Thanks to a reader who pointed it out. And, thanks to my wife for seeing it also, but, alas, after the fact. Try as one might try, being your own proofreader leads to a wrong word or misguided keystroke here and there. You can search this out on your own, but, there are a number of wars started because of a mistaken communication or an error in a letter. Hopefully, mine will never rise to that level of seriousness but you must admit how the language has suffered as a result of the social media postings one sees today. I can hardly believe my eyes sometimes. People who by education and background should know better, sling stuff out there that is almost impossible to read. Whatever happened to clarity in written communication? I'm not just talking about spelling mistakes. That can happen to anyone. But, could someone please buy a vowel and make a complete sentence now and then? So often we are left to do our best to fill in the blanks. That bugs me. It doesn't bug you? Fine. There are plenty of soap boxes and you are welcome to yours. (Dated reference: The term "soapbox" comes from the wooden crates used to transport soap from manufacturers to stores. Public speakers would stand on these crates to address crowds.)

Our dear Sir Bentley Barksalot, Esq. (2019-2024)

I thank those who read my blog. I thank those who respond. I had one this week who said she could hear my voice when she read my posting. Would it surprise you to know that's my goal? I will admit how rusty I am at doing these but I can only hope they will get better. No promises. I do hope each and every one will be able to spend time with your brothers and sisters in Christ at the meeting place coming up on the First Day of the Week, Sunday, and that we all will hear from our heavenly Father as His Word is shared. Until next time, I remain, your white haired blogger at large. May God add His blessings. Amen.

Praying for all the families impacted by the horriffic plane and helicopter collision.

Good morning folks. It is Thursday, January 30, 2025, a sad day as we all watch the news about the commercial aircraft collision with a military helicopter that occurred last night at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, VA. In one of my past work experiences I frequently traveled by air. While crashes are rare, they do occur. I've been in some scary situations while in the air during a huge thunderstorm and once we were nearly on the tarmac in Dallas when they had to immediately take the plane back up. That was a little unsettling as we were preparing to get off the plane and suddenly we were going back up again. The German lady sitting next to me did not speak much English but she made it clear that I should tell her what was going on. I say all that to say this. Life is fragile and one never knows what a day might bring. What I know for sure is what God's Word tells us. Luke 13, verses 1 - 5, as rendered in the New King James Version: "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." I pray that many of those that perished had put their trust in Jesus. I also pray for God's comfort for every hurting heart. Amen. 

 

My chief helpmete and textual critic has read the restart of my blogging venture with this conclusion: "Too wordy and too long. People do not have time to read that many words slung onto the electronic page." That's a rough summation of what she said. One thing I will say for her. She is consistent. When I was department head for a computer and telecommunications group of some 175 employees I made the decision to high a former English teacher as my personal secretary. She actually transferred in from the Public Affairs group where she had been a proof reader for corporate documents. I told my group she would be helping us to improve our communication skills as we corresponded with entities inside and outside the Company. Well, that was great, UNTIL, I gave her one of my fairly lengthy memos. Hello? She brought it back into my office and it looked like someone had bled all over the page. I looked through her changes. They followed the textbook approach where you remove all unnecessary words. I told her thanks for her effort but her corrected page was not me, period, end of story. I related this story to the wife as she read yesterday's edition on our way to choir practice. She was unmoved. I was also unmoved. So, here I am again with the WYSIWYG, (What you see is what you get), with only the slightest of apologies. As that famous comic strip character philosopher Popeye used to say, "I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam." The more things change, it is the more they stay the same.

To show my willingness to hear and respond, I am not going to do a long paragraph to close. Thanks for tuning in today, literally from all over the globe. I will share with you one day how many responses I have gotten along with where they have originated. Amazing! Remember, while we don't know what each day will bring, we do know the One who does. God bless each one. Amen.

Since this is the only day we have at present, let's make the best of it, in a way that brings honor and glory to our Great God!

The model I wear.

Well hello there. It is Wednesday, January 29, 2025, and I welcome one and all to Episode 3596. I am writing this at 11:44 a.m. central standard time, here in the US, and I mention this because for many, many years I wrote my blogs every day between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., religiously. Not anymore. That's what retirement does for you or to you, choose the one you like. Today I slept in a little longer trying to get my CPAP hours up, (continuous positive airway pressure), since we went to bed pretty late last night. We have become watchers of some of the K-Dramas on Netflix, Korean shows with English subtitles and since many of them are serialized, we sometimes finish the episode before retiring. The doctor harps on me getting between 7 and 8 hours wearing that horrible contraption, (mask), which supposedly gives me the best shot at not keeling over during the day when I have this immediate onset of needing a nap. We then listened to the wife reading our daily Bible passage. I, of course, had to throw in a few inputs of commentary kind of like Paul Harvey's, "the rest of the story." I saw the morning news and guesses about the weather. Then I listened to a couple of hours of inspirational singing from an Australian group called ChurchAlight. If you have YouTube, search them out and watch and listen to their rendering of simple God honoring, truth embracing tunes. This is how it goes when you don't have to be at a regular job at a set time. I am aware that much of what I write about can seem to be discombobulated at times but as our Pastor likes to say, "If the shoe fits, buy one in every size." And, I would be remiss if I didn't divulge how the CPAP typically reduces my interrupted breathing occurrences from 40+ per hour to less than 5. 

How am I able to get up and go each day? There was a time in my life when I would have said it has to do with by the grace of God and some handed down old fashioned gumption. These days that question is best responded to in this way: by the grace of God and His provision of a plethora of medical treatments and prescriptions. Here's a confession for you. For nearly 60 years I prided myself on not needing medications to keep me going. I not only practiced that but I also let others know how my mind over matter philosophy ruled my days. A little thing called Type 2 Diabetes arrived as a very unexpected result from a physical examination and the bell rang and I was off to the races. I was in denial for some time, but, the very ever present medical malady became my new testimony along with some humbling in the process. You mean my old fashioned gumption couldn't overcome this diagnosis? I say this about that. Some twenty years later and I am still working on it with a little help from my friends, (see the photo above). The bottom line is this: It is still by the grace of God and He has provided me with what I need to get me up and out of bed each day and for that I continue to be beyond grateful. Add ageing into the mix and that's another story for another day. I know you can hardly wait.

 

Connecting the Dots!

I enjoy seeing short quotes and quips along with short anecdotes as they parade across the screen or one of the social media platforms. It's most likely my short attention span coupled to my mind going in a dozen different directions at the same time. Our Pastor said once that when you get ready to eat choose someone who follows the pattern of Jesus when He prayed over the food, "Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude." (Luke 9:16) That way your food doesn't get cold while someone prays around the world. I appreciate his reminder. Back to the quotes and quips. So, I see this one: We are pilgrims, not settlers; this earth is our inn, not our home. - John H. Vincent  (1832-1920). That reminded me of the song that says this world is not my home I'm just passing through and that reminded me of the words of our Savior from John Chapter 14: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." Well, you connect the dots your way and at this late date, I think I will keep on with the discombobulated method I have developed. Y'all take care now. You hear? May God add His blessings. Amen.

Today's Episode: A little of this, that, and the other.

Good morning and welcome. Today is Tuesday, January 28, 2025. It's a good day to still be breathing air on the planet. I say that with a hint of sincerity since I am foraging ahead to my next number designation coming up in August and it will indicate my 79th year of sojourn here on earth. Yes, I know I typically add in the 9 months my mom carried me because I do believe that life begins at conception, therefore, I would be 79 years and 9 months on my next birthday. This reasoning makes me already 79 and 3 months, but, I wouldn't want to further confuse the issue, although my head is spinning a little even as I put this to the electronic page. Recent actuarial assessments indicate the average lifespan of an American male is 74.8 years. Now you can appreciate my appreciation for still hanging around nearly 5 years longer than the average. Ladies, on the other hand, still manage to report in with a lifespan on average of 80.2 years. Wow! The combined average in America is 77.4 years. We can thank our womenfolk for bringing up the average. I do know that as I have grown older I'm even past many of the jokes told by comedians about age. They typically like to tell jokes about new aches and pains in their forties. Ha! We have a beloved neighbor in her mid 80's. She, unfortunately, has begun to take some tumbles in her home. I can sympathize. Just this week I was leaning on the bed putting my jeans on. My left foot caught in the pants leg and I found myself on the floor. Just me. Falling. And, the floor. I landed on my left hip but unlike the  old commercial, in this case I am so very thankful to have been able to say, "I've fallen but I can get up." Praise be to God. Amen. 

I used the picture at the top of today's episode on Facebook to highlight some important verses and how they have played a role in me getting to where I am today, hence, the Then and Now scenario. One thing is clear. As a believer in Jesus the Christ and as one who trusts my future into the hands of The Almighty God based on the finished work of my Savior, well, verses become more and more meaningful as each day passes. Yes, I am privileged to still be teaching and I do know that puts me into The Word perhaps more than others. I am so thankful how this endeavor can grab hold of me at times. Only God the Holy Spirit can illuminate the truth to our hearts and while I have been a student of The Word for sixty-plus years, none of that work can replace what happens when I hear from God as I take in His Word. Maybe, its less distractions. Maybe its an acknowledgement of me being in the fourth quarter of my sojourn. Or, perhaps its the blessing God has promised on those who seek to hear from Him. Whatever, I give Him all praise for any insights He provides as I read and study The Book. What a great God we have folks. Amen. 

The wife and I recently observed our 60th wedding anniversary. In case you didn't know, she is a remarkable woman and I actually don't think anyone would debate that statement except maybe for her. We do not brag about how great we are and how wonderful we must be to have been together this long. Can't do it. Only by the grace of God. Period, end of that story. And, today, we continue to have our own challenges but we have them together. I would not be who I am today had God not put that woman in my life. Yep. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Truth is, it's one of the things I thank God for often. I started to say daily, but, I don't always remember everything I should be thankful for as I commune with our Father who is in heaven. And, I am aware of the Scripture that tells us "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1st Thessalonians 5:18, New King James Version) Many of the verses in the top photo are familiar. Some may not be. Look them up. It will be time well spent. Until next time, may the Good Lord bless us all. Amen.

Looking Back, All I Can Say is, "My Redeemer is Faithful and True". Amen.

Greetings folks, it is good to know there's someone out there reading my stuff. Today is Monday, January 27, 2025. Welcome. I started this little writing adventure many years ago. Here is my very first attempt: 

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

May 8, 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.

 

That's how it all started. I obviously was very committed to this enterprise since I ended up with nearly 3600 episodes with 432,000 views. Based on the stats provided by the Blogger utility, they have been read pretty much from all over the world. I prayed back then and I pray again, that, my testimonies along with my Word of God references will have an impact on those who intentionally or accidentally land on my blog. For those who have any interest, they are available to click and read. I am no doubt a little rusty but hopefully that will get better as we pick up and move forward. Y'all take care now, you hear? And, may God add His blessings. Amen. More later ...........