Overcoming Worldliness       

    

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,

and of their followers who approve their sayings. 

Like sheep they are destined for the grave,

and death will feed on them.

Psalm 49:13

And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.

Psalm 50:6

Thank You, Honest Abe    

   'Deep state' conclusion   

   William Seward's son delivered to Lincoln his father's order that conflicted with the president's order to the warship, Powhatan. Apparently trusting his secretary of state, the president signed the order without reading it.

   Gideon Wells, secretary of the Navy, discovered the ruse and alerted Lincoln. According to history professor Dillon Carroll, the president blamed himself for "carelessness, heedlessness" on his part - he (Lincoln) "ought to have been more careful and attentive." 

   While Lincoln could have chastised, embarrassed and fired his secretary of state, he said that he, "and not his Cabinet," was "in fault for errors imputed to them." The president offered that (what Seward did) was his own embarrassing mix-up. Wow! 

   Says the professor, Lincoln protected his administration, personal reputations of his staff, and he generated loyalty. 

   We know from history that Lincoln met privately with subordinates to reason with them. And he was patient with General McClellan for a year despite his failure to go on offense. 

   He forgave mistakes, lapses in judgment and insubordination, in order to advance his mission. We don't know that Lincoln's example is entirely applicable for today's far different times, as the professor claims. We don't don't if there were qualified people to call upon. Our own civil rebellion was unprecedented.  

   We do know that William Seward's political survival led to one of the most important deals in American history. 

   In 1867, Russian Alaska was known for fish, furs and gold. Also, since Europe meddled in American affairs, might Russia do likewise? 

   As President Andrew Johnson's secretary of state, Seward arranged to buy Alaska for a mere $7.2 million ($113 million in today's money). This enlarged U.S. territory by 20 percent and protected the Oregon Territory. 

   Canada, a colony of the British Empire, was not a factor. Seward didn't even know about Alaska's oil. 

   Americans called the purchase a "folly." Can you imagine the Soviet Union in Alaska, or even Putin's Russia? 

      Jimmy

   

Lincoln's 'deep state'     

   So, intrigue in the White House is nothing new.

   Abraham Lincoln, an outsider, arrived in Washington with seven southern states already gone. He wasn't taken seriously in the swamp. If Las Vegas existed back then, his odds of success might have been 100-1. 

   His subordinates expected their agendas to prevail over this lawyer from Illinois. One of his first decisions: What to do about federal forts and armories in the South, especially Sumter in South Carolina and Pickens in Florida? 

   In his inaugural address, Lincoln promised to "hold, occupy and possess" all federal properties. This was a test of his leadership and resolve. He resolved to resupply Sumter with provisions only.  

William Seward

   That horrified his secretary of state, William Seward, also pro-union. But Seward wanted to compromise on slavery and other issues, hoping the South would  
reconsider.   

   Seward already had made promises, sending a message to southern friends that Sumter would be abandoned. 

   On April 1, 1861, Seward's memo to Lincoln criticized him for failing to put forth a coherent "policy either domestic or foreign." He suggested calling other nations to account for meddling in our hemisphere, even going to war on Europeans as a way of uniting North and South. 

   Isn't history fun? 

   Undeterred by Lincoln's private rebuke, Seward pursued his secret plan. He ordered the warship Powhatan to relinquish Fort Pickens, while Lincoln had ordered Powhatan to accompany relief ships to Fort Sumter. 
 

Tomorrow: What happened next? 

      Jimmy

Our Deadliest Battle        
      We know about the American cemetery at Normandy, but did you know about Meuse-Argonne, in northern France? 

   One hundred years ago yesterday, September 26, 1918, the Meuse-Argonne offensive began. It became America's deadliest battle ever, with 26,000 U.S. soldiers killed. More ammo was fired there than during the entire Civil War. 
 

Largest American cemetery in Europe

   Seven weeks of combat - and superior tank power - helped convince the Germans to quit, after four years of horrid, senseless war costing the lives of 8.5 million soldiers and more than 12 million civilians. In a year and a few months of American participation, we suffered 1.2 million casualties. 

   For Germany, the war wasn't over. On June 20, 1940, Hitler, a WWI soldier, forced France to surrender on the same railroad carriage that the Allies used in humiliating the Germans, November 11, 1918. 

   Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was deposed on November 9, lived in the Netherlands until 1941, long enough to see Hitler accomplish what he couldn't. Wilhelm was a grandson of Queen Victoria, United Kingdom. He was also related to King George V of the UK and emperor Nicholas II of Russia, his foe on the eastern front.

   So much for family ties. 

   We no longer expect any war to end all wars. Do we?

Sources: Smithsonian, Wikipedia

      Jimmy

Rich in Spiritual Wealth     

   Proverbs, Part Two. God is loving, forgiving and full of grace. 
   He is also truth and just. Solomon continues:

He whose walk is upright fears the Lord, 

but he whose ways are devious despises him.

v. 14:2

A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, 
but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

v. 14:16

He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress,

and for his children it will be a refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

turning a man from the snares of death.

v. 14:26-27

Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.

v. 15:16

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

v. 15:33

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.

v. 16:6

The fear of the Lord leads to life:

Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. 

v. 19:23

Humility and fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.
v. 22:4

Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious.
v. 24:21

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
v. 31:30

   

What Do We Fear?     

   We have a list of 80 American fears, everything from A to Z ... that would be air pollution to zombies. But one fear we should have is not listed. 

   King Solomon's wisdom in Proverbs truthfully is God's wisdom. Proverbs nails it: practical issues of life probably more true true today than 3,000 years ago.

   My sister and her late husband read a chapter of Proverbs with one or more of their four children every day. 

   Consider daily bad news. How much could be avoided by a healthy fear of the Lord on our part and those who impact our lives? 

   Solomon, the world's greatest king in his day, had a reverent awe of God. Centuries later, believers (in Acts chapter 9) were "living in the fear of the Lord," and therefore "were encouraged by the Holy Spirit." 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

v. 1:7

To fear the Lord is to hate evil. 

The fear of God causes us to avoid evil 

and to hate sin that He hates, which destroys us.

v. 8:13

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

v. 9:10

The fear of the Lord adds length to life,

but the years of the wicked are cut short.

v. 10:27

Tomorrow: More of the Lord's wisdom

People to Pray For   

   On Saturday you read our blog about senators who follow different sets of rules, and how their "leadership" unleashes contemptible behavior by some Americans. 

   Since then, we received an article by Marvin Olasky with additional details of the Kavanaugh hearings. 

   Cory Booker and Kamala Harris issued fundraising appeals. Richard Blumenthal told Judge Kavanaugh weeks ago, "You don't belong in this building as a justice. I will be a 'no' vote." Later, he said he needed "more time to review documents."  

   Peggy Nienaber of Faith & Action, a group that prays for officials, attended the hearing. She reported that left-wing activists handed $50 to each person who signed up to scream and shout in the hearing room. 

   On cue, professional protesters stood and screamed. If they were slow to play their part, they received text messages: "Now. Yell now. Yell louder. Yell more." 

   Nienaber says some protesters asked her what she was doing in the hearing room. Her answer, "I pray ... I silently pray and don't look to get arrested." The protesters, confused, walked away. 

   Olasky concludes, "Praying may be the best thing we can do during our age of confusion." 

Help for Poor and Needy
     Since Michael Jackson's death in 2009, his estate's inflation-adjusted earnings total $2.1 billion. In 2017, 17.5 million plastic surgeries and other cosmetic procedures occurred in the USA, costing about $16.7 billion. 

   There is money to help the 2 percent who are truly needy, if we Americans choose to apply our discretionary money differently. It wouldn't have to come from government, which keeps more than half of what we give it. 

      Jimmy

Tuesday: Should we fear God?

Sin Is Crouching at Our Doors      

   What James Madison said about civil government also applies to church government:

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

If angels were to govern men, neither external nor 

internal controls on government would be necessary.

"In framing a government which is to be administered 

by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: 

you must first enable the government to control the governed; 

and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

   Who shall govern our church governors?

Source: WORLD magazine article on

abuse occurring and sometimes

covered up in both Catholic

and Protestant churches. 

Tomorrow: The hearings, behind the scenes 

Controlling Contempt   

   Just when something is going right, a contemptible person bursts the bubble...muddies the waters...sours the music. This is one observation about life, sometimes, not a particular person. Although there are persons fitting the description this week. 

   We've never seen destructive politics this widespread. They call this blood sport, but in sports people play by the same rules. 

   Partisans - grown men and women - are not giving Judge Kavanaugh the American benefit of innocence until proven guilty. And they judge the accuser "credible." How do they know? They don't.

   Then, on cue, contemptible members of the public begin foul-mouthed assaults and (reportedly)death threats on both Mrs. Ford and the judge's family. 

   Nice going, boys and girls.

   Do we have contempt for the partisans, or just their actions? For Christians, there is a difference.

   God has righteous anger and sometimes contempt. But He displays compassion when He can. He knows we're made of dust.

   He allowed Adam and Eve to live on, although at a new address. He gave Cain a second chance to do right. 

   Nebuchadnezzar got credit for seeing the truth. After all, he had (unwittingly) done the Lord's will by conquering the Israelites. Jesus declined to accuse the adulterous woman, through He told her not to sin again.

   Paul wrote, In humility, count others more highly than yourselves. Peter said, Honor everyone. James added, Be quick to hear, slow to speak.   

   Janie B. Cheaney writes: "I doubt God values our ability to skewer Democrats. We are...his agents of reconciliation, sent not to destroy our enemies but to pray for them and plead with them." He might be preparing someone willing to listen.

       Jimmy

Making the Write Right     

   You might like to know, it can take as much time to proofread our blogs as it does to write them, not counting pre-writing study time. 

   It's easy putting words into sentences. It's another thing to make sentences readable, clear and concise. 

   Ernest Hemingway said he rewrote the pages of his novels 13 times before they went to the printer. No wonder he quit at noon and went fishing. And that was in the day of typewriters, when one change required retyping the entire page. 

   I lived in that world during my early career, but two or three drafts was enough work for me.

   With Views By the Sea, I mostly avoid sentences longer than 30 words. It's easy to find words or phrases that can be deleted without spoiling the story. Writers must be sure the active/passive tense is right, and typos and misspellings are unforgivable.

   Today's computer programs let us know when a word isn't recognized, so that helps. The other day I wrote major when I wanted mayor. I had to catch that one myself.

   Poor punctuation, unnecessary words, untended double meanings - these are some of the items. If we refer to a girls' sports team, it had better be high school, or else the women in college and beyond may cry foul.

   Capitalization is an issue - is God He or he? - as is knowing when to use a figure rather than spelling - 2 or two? 

   My gripe with newspaper reporters is their habit of using a long quote before they reveal who said it. When I know the speaker, I have to reread the quote, because it can matter. 

   Well, I've looked this over 13 times, so let's go fishing. 

       Jimmy 

    

Walking in Their Shoes      

   The officer during a traffic stop got up to the car, when they started shooting at him. "I was like, 'Dang!' I had to react. I wasn't expecting that one."

   This "officer" was NFL player DeSean Jackson, and the "shooters" were cops in a simulation training session. A year ago, Jackson and Buccaneers' teammate Mike Evans took a knee during the national anthem to protest social injustice.

   While the NFL tries to figure things out, the Tampa Police Dept. has been helping athletes learn more about police work. Their Social Justice Initiative was created with $1 million in matching funds from the team's owners.

   Players identified four areas that need the most help: police relations, criminal justice reform, racial equality and youth empowerment. 

   Nineteen Bucs attended the latest exercises and Q&A sessions. Tampa's mayor believes this kind of conversation needs to happen in every city. 

   Lineman Gerald McCoy, who has family members in law enforcement, said "When you're right in the midst, in the heat of the moment, it's a lot harder. It's not easy at all, and they take a lot of heat." 

   "But there's a lot, a lot, a lot of great police officers out there," he adds, "and they do a lot in the community...protecting us, going to schools and talking to groups or spending time with kids."

   McCoy admitted he was "stabbed" in his simulation exercise, because he missed with the taser. "It teaches you that you have to make split-second decisions...similar to on Sundays." 

       Jimmy


   

The GOP Workers Party    

   One hundred one years ago, Vladimir Lenin returned to St. Petersburg, Russia, founding a movement that claimed to champion ordinary people, the workers. Wealthy Russians lost their property and sometimes their lives.

   What began in 1917 and spread to much of the world soon became anything but friendly to workers. Dictatorships ruled citizens with an iron fist, while touting the economic justice of Marxism. Economies suffered. Tens of millions of people under Communist regimes have been murdered.

   An author, F.H. Buckley, has published The Republican Workers Party, to explain President Trump's approach. Trump himself used the term "Workers Party" at the 2017 CPAC conference, to describe what he wanted the GOP to be. 

   Trump, Buckley says, calls himself a "right-wing Marxist." He sees public policy "through an economic prism." Trump is far more a friend to workers than Communist leaders. 

   Like most countries, America has different classes, and Buckley thinks this is our revolutionary time. He says, 
 

"It is like 1917, except that now 

it's the Left that is counter-revolutionary, 

wanting to keep things as they are, unjust and unequal."

   "It wasn't free-market capitalism that made us immobile," he says. "Instead, it was all the barriers to advancement that liberals created, through statutes and regulations that place a stumbling block in the path of those who seek to rise." 

      Jimmy

Here We Go Again           

   We knew that a judicially conservative nominee for Supreme Court justice would worry Democratic senators, who prefer long-term power in the Court to come-and-go power in Congress.

   Christine Ford is a psychology professor at Palo Alto University. She claims to have been a victim of abuse at a party, which she thinks occurred in the summer of 1982 when she was 15. 

   In 2012, she and her husband attended therapy. She spoke of an attack by two students from "an elitist boys' school." 

   Her husband told an interviewer that (six years ago) his wife used the name Kavanaugh (who was a federal judge then) and was concerned that one day he might be nominated to the Supreme Court. (Really?) Mrs. Ford is a registered Democrat, if that matters. 

   When Judge Kavanaugh appeared on the short list of candidates, she contacted her congresswoman. Her letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein followed in late July. Feinstein didn't ask Kavanaugh about this either in person or during the hearings. Strange.

   A Washington lawyer said Mrs. Ford took and passed a polygraph test. Her story leaked. (Who leaked it?) The FBI received it and sent it to the White House for Kavanaugh's background file. The White House sent it to the Senate Judiciary Committee, making it available to all senators. 

   Friday, Chairman Charles Grassley released a letter from 65 women who say they have known the judge for the past 36 years. They defended his character, integrity and respect for women. Several appeared on TV. 

   Kavanaugh denies the accusation. The other boy mentioned by Mrs. Ford is Mark Judge, today a filmmaker and author. Judge insists Kavanaugh is innocent. 

   We don't know the truth, or whether one woman's (inebriated?) memory from 36 years ago outweighs the 65 women who vouch for the judge over the entire 36 year stretch. She deserves to be heard. 

   We do know it's permissible to be a routine adulterer (and worse) while in the White House - FDR, JFK, LBJ, Bill Clinton. And it's okay to be a powerful senator who drove off a bridge - his female passenger drowning - leaving the scene - Ted Kennedy. 

   Democrats hope to stall this appointment and win November's election. We remember the ugly theatrics in 1991 - Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill. Next Monday...same show, different people.  

       Jimmy



   

How Are We Made?    

      We know how glass is made...how carpet is woven...
how steel is forged. 

   But, how were we made? David wrote in Psalm 139 that God knitted him together in his mother's womb. He admitted to his Creator, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

   The process of embryonic cells knitting into tissues and organs is mystifying, but scientists at the Univ. of California say they have found the key.

   "In a nutshell," the lead researcher wrote, "we discovered a physical mechanism that cells use to mold embryonic tissues into their (three dimensional) shapes." In the study, published in the journal Nature, researchers observed the embryonic development of zebrafish, which grow similar to human embryos.  

   They saw that cells coordinate by exchanging biochemical signals.

   Some cells either latch onto or push away from certain other cells, forming organs such as eyes, lungs and heart. Cells in certain locations have higher activity than others.

    When cells push and tug at one another, heat builds up, which melts foamy tissue into a liquid. When the liquid cools down and begins to solidify again, it does so in a controlled manner to form the organ shape. Researchers likened this to the process of glass molding or 3-D printing. 

   This discovery is far more than a curiosity. Scientists hope to engineer better 3-D organs or understand how cancerous tumors form and invade surrounding tissues. 

   They already know that cancer is a switch from solid-like tissue state to a fluid-like state. They hope to learn more about this switch, and develop ways to combat it. 

   Amazing as this discovery is, imagine our Creator making the first two humans - fully grown! 

      Jimmy

   Wide and Narrow Gates   

   Jesus taught that the majority of people will not follow him on the road that leads to life. His road involves humility, true repentance, self-denial, obedience, faith, love...even love for (the souls of) enemies.

   In his sermon on the mount, He promised great blessings to those who follow him, but also that we can expect persecution on earth. That is the case in many countries, and Christian haters are on the rise here as well. 

Enter through the narrow gate.

For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction,

and many enter through it.

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life,

and only a few find it.

Jesus

Matthew 7:13-14 

Let's Go Out to Play     

   Don't know about you, but in childhood I played outdoors extensively. Scouting offered nice opportunities. Our family camped in a tent - slept on cots - all summer for six years. 

   Even when education, Army service (at a government typewriter), and civilian office work took priority, my thoughts were with my sailboat or canoe and anyplace beyond city streets. 

   My youngest son had a well-paying job in a Chicago skyscraper. When he couldn't take the city anymore, he gave it up and continues exploring the West as often as possible. He spent several weeks touring the lakes and mountains of New Zealand.

   Maybe you are committed to an indoors job, but stare out the window longing for a taste of nature.

   All this may be built into us. What was Adam and Eve's first environment? Probably something like a national park, only more beautiful.  

   Scientific studies reveal the benefits of being in nature. Research shows that time outdoors leads to less impulsive decision making. 

   Exposure to nature - hiking, boating, bird watching, fishing, hunting, etc. - also reduces anxiety and stress, leading to improved health, healthier choices and better sleep. Outdoor activity can reduce recovery time following surgery. 

   Researchers credit evolution (man's early environments) for these benefits. But, the Bible tells of God creating a garden perfectly suited for the children of His design.

   Maybe I should give up blogging and purchase another canoe.

Source: Julie Borg, WORLD magazine

      Jimmy 

Was Congress Ever Civil?   

   Several times during the Judge Kavanaugh 
hearings, someone in the audience began 
screaming, interrupting the judiciary committee 
until security ushered out the protester. 

   No one gets a "ticket" to that room without approval from a senator. Therefore, one or more Democratic senators promoted incivility without appearing to initiate it.  

   But it was obvious. Their questions to the candidate sometimes were more scolding than scholarly. Even liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was approved by most GOP senators in 1993, denounced the charade.  

   Senate rules allow members one week to submit written questions to be answered by the nominee, on top of the many questions they asked in the hearings. Dems submitted 1,278 questions, more than all previous nominees in our history, combined. Presumably Judge Kavanaugh has until the committee votes next Thursday to answer their "questions." (This is our esteemed U.S.Senate.)  

   Was Congress ever mild mannered? Possibly, it was boring throughout decades when Dems held majorities and Republicans were content to play second fiddle...and before television gave members the opportunity to act out. 

   During the years before Civil War, Congress was sometimes violent, writes Joanne Freeman in The Field of Blood, because the nation was violent. There were riots in cities over immigration, and fighting on the frontier. The system of slavery was grounded in violence.

   Freeman uncovered about 70 violent incidents in Congress leading up to the war. Often, they featured a Southerner trying to intimidate a Northerner into compliance. 

   There were duel challenges, shoving and pulling guns and knives. In 1858 an argument turned into a mass brawl in the House...South vs. North. 

   Some men were elected because they played rough. Their constituents sent them to Washington to defend their interests with gusto. 

   This atmosphere helped push the country toward war. The press played up the fighting, creating an endless loop of anger. (Sound familiar?) 

   The Smithsonian magazine article says "This wasn't just about goofy guys in Washington - what goes on in Congress reflects the state of the nation."

       Jimmy 



   
    

Still Undecided?    
This Woman May Help     

   My opinion about child-parent reunification isn't well qualified. 

   Gay Courter's opinion is based on three decades of experience with the system. She was a guardian ad litem for 25 years.

   She wrote "I speak for this Child: True Stories of a Child Advocate," now used in recruiting and training guardians. She and her husband Philip produced more than 50 films on foster care, adoption and other child-welfare topics. Philip served for 10 years as chairman of a Standing Committee for Children and Families. 

   They have been foster parents, and adopted a daughter, age 12, who had been through 14 placements, many of them abusive, over nine years.

   After Jordan's death, Mrs. Courter wrote to the Tampa Bay Times that she watched people like Jordan's mother, herself once a foster child, grow up rootless, uneducated and engaged in substance abuse. Those without safe, permanent homes have gone to jail, been homeless, bore children who also ended up in the system, or died from violence or drugs.

   Jordan, she wrote, was a pawn to the policy of reunifying children at all costs. 

   "The court disregarded the voice of reason, the voice for the child: the guardian ad litem."

   "Even if Jordan had not been murdered, his life would have been dismal. Many youngsters suffer daily from abuse and neglect, and themselves end up in courts, jails and the mental health system. Child welfare specialists have superb tools to determine which families will never be safe," she writes.

   "Jordan's mother may spend the rest of her life in prison, costing far more than the price of protecting her own childhood, and Jordan's as well."

   Gay Courter considers the magistrate (whose signature is a scribble) among the guilty parties.

      Jimmy

   

It's Another Great Great Day    

   About 24 years ago in a Peachtree City, Georgia restaurant, tiny Leah in her high chair looked at me like, "Who are you?" She is our great niece on Mrs. Donut's side. 

   Early Sunday morning, Leah brought her first child - our great great niece - into the world. All is well.

   Haddie is a nickname for Hadassah, Hebrew name of the Jewish woman known as Esther, in Persian. She is No. 6 and counting in this up-and-coming generation. 

   Haddie's cousin Ellie was adopted by Leah's sister and husband almost three years ago, in Kansas. 

   On my side, there are two great great grandchildren, Callie and Liddy, in Ohio. And back in Georgia, we have great great nephew Dylan followed by his sister, great great niece Audrey. 

   Given our generation's relatively good health - eight of us - more children will be born having great great grandparents, aunts and uncles. There are some 17 of our greats who as yet have not married, or started families, so our two family trees have potential to branch out. It's all evidence of longer life expectancy. 

   We pray all the kids will flourish, especially spiritually, and that some day one of them will take over Views By the Sea, but not too soon. Wouldn't that be great?  

Tomorrow: Jordan's story

       Jimmy

Words of Wisdom        

     
   If men of all nations came to listen to Solomon, we might be interested in what he said.

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,

and a breadth of understanding as measureless

as the sand on the seashore.

I Kings 29:4

   We list key words from Proverbs, chapters 1-3, to summarize Solomon's use of contrast. 

   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Prov. 1:7.  Other words in chapter 1:

                  GOOD                                                      EVIL

understanding  insight  prudent  right         sinners  entice  plunder  sin   

just  fair  discretion  learning  discerning     ill-gotten gain  mockers  schemes

guidance  instruction  teaching  advice        disaster  distress  waywardness
rebuke  safety                                           complacency  troubles  

                   
                   

   For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Prov. 2:10.  Other words in chapter 2: 

victory  upright  shield  blameless                wicked  perverse  dark ways  evil

faithful  straight paths  covenant                 crooked  devious  adulteress

paths of life  righteous                                seductive  unfaithful 

   Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov. 3:5-6  Other words in chapter 3: 

prosperity  truth  favor  health                      despise  resent  violent 

nourishment  honor  blessed  precious           envy  shame 

profitable  pleasant  peace  grace

sound judgment  confidence  humble

                                      

Exhale...the Exhibitionism Has Ended    

   An exhibition can mean a public display of artwork, collections, or skills.

   Exhibitionism can mean the act of behaving so as to attract attention to oneself. 

   The latter is what America saw this week, when the Senate judiciary committee pontificated for hours with Judge Brett Kavanaugh in their cross hairs. Senators opposed to his appointment hoped to hear him say he might vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. That would flip two Republican women, enough to sink the candidate.

   Failing that, they tried to pry out any hint of support for the president - especially while the Mueller investigation continues - regardless of the Constitution or laws. They also tried to postponed the hearings, hoping to gain a majority in the senate next term. Three strikes, and Kavanaugh won the week.

   In their half-hour opening statements, senators droned on with fine-sounding expositions of democracy, the Bill of Rights and other cherished ideals. Maybe those were learning moments for students who don't get such information in schools.

   But, we know, don't we, that the real purpose of televised congressional meetings serves not to open the window into representative government, but to give most politicians a free opportunity to impress his or her voters.

   A survey shows Kavanaugh with a mere 37 percent approval, worse than most every modern candidate except for Robert Bork. Meaning...

   Democrats spent all summer telling their base how scary he is. Then they point to a poll they largely influenced, as proof that the public doesn't want him. Clever. 
   
      Jimmy  

We're On the Hot Seat      

   Not for anything we've written on Views.

   Not like Judge Kavanaugh's hot seat before 
the judiciary committee.

   No. Our air conditioning went out this morning. We're making do with our 6-inch portable fan, still waiting for the technician at 1:50 pm. 

   Our thermostat reads 87. 

   Meanwhile, Jimmy Procrastinator failed to check our yard sprinklers for many moons. We use well water. Tuesday we got around to it. 

   No less than 23 of them, about two-thirds, needed replaced.

   After three trips to the hardware for various components, and several hot hours of work - with temps in the 90s we can work about an hour before dark and two hours after daylight - we've replaced half the faulty sprinkler heads. 

   A common problem in our neighborhood is the lawn-mowing company, which is real good at nicking sprinklers just enough to crack them. 

   We hope you are cool and that this impromptu message reminds you to be thankful for your comforts - and that no one on national TV is asking you trap questions about something you said 16 years ago. 

      Jimmy  

Update: 7:30 pm

The technician got our AC running again,

But we need a new model plug, whatever that is.

We're hoping to stay cool until the fix is complete,

Friday or maybe Monday.