These blogs, they are a changin’…again

On this day in 1918, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his immediate family were executed by Bolshevik Checkist in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

And you thought you were having a bad Monday.

I stand fearlessly for small dogs, the American Flag, motherhood and the Bible. That’s why people love me.

Canadian-American radio and television host, Art Linkletter, was born on this day in 1912 (died 2010).

I’ll confess. I may have even written it before. I’m pretty red, white, and blue.

Maybe it’s because I grew up in a small town and that’s just the way things were. Maybe it’s because my high school colors were red, white, and blue. Maybe it’s because George M. Cohen and I were Yankee Doodle Dandies born on the third of July.

Maybe it’s all of that.

Or maybe I just love this country. Wrinkles and all.

I’m not ashamed of saying that I think this is the greatest country on earth, again, wrinkles and all.

Mugshots
(click the pic)

Granted, I’ve never lived in another country and my travel has been far more limited than I would have liked it to be.

It’s Monday, and things are changing here at the blog home.

Don’t panic. You’ll still be treated to the same level of brilliant and creative writing, but there will be a few additions and some changes.

Not dramatically, at least not yet.

You may have noticed the addition of “Five Things” at the end of these posts. Those serve a couple of purposes. First, there’s the hope that the links to other articles and posts will serve somehow to increase traffic. Second, it allows me to provide a little commentary without actually getting too political.

The thing is, we all need to read different points of view and not just latch on what we see in our Facebook feed. Check out the links with an open mind.

Second, as of today, I’ll be adding the “Verse of the Day.” Just a reminder that it’s always good to go to the Word. And the Source.

The next round of changes are still in development. I’ve talked a bit about this before.

The gurus all tell you that you need a newsletter and a YouTube channel. They’re more than willing to tell you how to do that for the low, low, price of $999, reduced now for the next thirteen minutes to $147 and you get all this free stuff…Now it’s twelve minutes…eleven…

You get the idea.

I don’t want to spend that amount of money to become a gazillionaire overnight. Because well…I could just as easily buy a lottery ticket.

And I don’t want to sell my amazing formula to get rich. I want to provide quality…stuff…whatever that stuff turns out to be. Which, as should go without saying,will of course be brilliant.

That said, sometime this fall I’ll be introducing my own weekly newsletter. You’ll be able to opt in to get a weekly (at least) update of things happening here on the blog, and perhaps more.

And, the current plan is that, Monday mornings you’ll be able to join me on YouTube for a #morningcup, and a few good words about writing.

All of this is subject to change and refinement. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I’ll be here, Monday through Friday.

All is right with the world. At least this one.

But, just a word of advice, if you’re ever invited to dinner at House Frey, send your regrets.

FIVE THINGS FOR YOUR MONDAY

Maggie Walker statue unveiled Saturday in Richmond
The Richmond Times-Dispatch
The 10-foot bronze statue of a 45-year-old Walker standing tall is surrounded by inscriptions tracing the life of the woman who early on helped her mother, a former slave, by delivering clothes as a laundress. She then became a newspaper publisher, teacher, bank founder, businesswoman, civil rights leader, entrepreneur and mother.

NBC: Trump’s Approval Rating at 50 Percent in Counties Fueling His Win
The Republican Standard
Donald Trump is proving one thing correct in time. The only thing hated more than his presidency? Are Democrats themselves.

There’s no ‘compelling need’ to change the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School
The Washington Post
Rather than ignore history, let this be a moment when we teach students, the community and the nation that the life and history of a bygone leader and our complex state and county histories needn’t be reduced to crass politics and sound bites and can be tools to promote reconciliation, education and, most important, love of our unique country and each other.

I’m not sure this is news…

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Weight Gain, Finds New Research
The Independent
The chances of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity are linked to consuming artificial sweeteners, according to the new large-scale study on the effects of the sugar substitute.

But this is…

Jodie Whittaker: Doctor Who’s 13th Time Lord to be a woman
BBC
Jodie Whittaker has been announced as Doctor Who’s 13th Time Lord – the first woman to be given the role.

AND FINALLY…

English hymn writer and theologian, Isaac Watts, was born on this day in 1674 (died 1748). Watts wrote the words to one of Christianity’s most loved hymns. I used the words of the final verse to close the college yearbook I edited way back in 1979.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.


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Verse of the Day selection provided by BibleGateway.com

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