Wednesday Musings

“I have a great need for Christ: I have a great Christ for my need.”

English pastor and author, Charles Spurgeon, was born on this day in 1834 (died 1892)

Today is Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day. It commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865 Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas. Ironically, this only applied to the former Confederate states. There were enslaved people in states who did not withdraw from the Union until the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution on December 6, 1865. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.

I’ve told y’all it would be good to learn some history.

But I’m not writing a history lesson today.

One, because I’m not a history teacher, and two, because Juneteenth is not my story to tell.

I have plenty of my own stories to tell, and I’m working on them.

No, seriously.

We’re more than halfway through June and I’m here counting down the days until retirement from the day job.

That also means that I’m in this transitioning phase to figure out what I’ll be doing after retirement. I plan to keep working. But so far, this blog isn’t paying the bills.

So I jumped on a webinar yesterday. Much the same story. I did take notes and there was some good information. But the best information, of course, including the “freebie” she teased about at the beginning, would cost me $177 for the next three months.

I’ve ranted about this before. I understand that people have to make a living. But so do I.

I’m sure that some will invest in this program and be successful. I wish them well.

It’s like those “do this before bed to cure diabetes” or “drink this every morning to lose weight” videos that

Published one year ago today, and still available for your purchase on Amazon.

are on social media. You have to watch an extended video on the social media site, and then when you get to the webpage, there’s another video before you get to the sales pitch for the product.

Or you have to hear about a toddler’s life history before you get the final ingredients.

Just post the recipe Amber.

I may not always give you quality content, or brilliant writing. But I won’t make you wait for it.

In this process of transitioning, I’m reexamining this blog and the reasons I write here.

I can’t tell you exactly what that means yet. Mainly because I don’t know.

But rest assured, when I do, I’ll tell you about it.

It won’t cost you a thing.

IN OTHER NEWS

Baseball legend Willie Mays dies at 93
ABC News
Willie Mays, widely considered to be one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the game, has died at 93.

Henrico Schools’ theater teachers raise concerns about after-school pay
Henrico Citizen
“I feel utterly disregarded and devalued as a professional, and I’m really disappointed with the lack of movement on something that is clearly in desperate need of attention,” she said. “I understand things take time in public education, but two contract cycles must be time enough to rectify such an egregious inequity in compensation.”

Governor Glenn Youngkin Releases Statement After Senate Democrats Fail to Consider Changes to VMSDEP
Governor of Virginia
“I stand with our military heroes, first responders, and their families today who are stunned that Senate Democrat leadership failed to even consider a simple bill, supported by a bipartisan majority of Senators, to reverse the changes to VMSDEP by fully repealing the language, and addressing this in the full light of day. These men and women deserve so much better,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Scientists Torn On Whether To Blame Heat Wave On Climate Change, Trump, Or White Supremacy
The Babylon Bee
Though arguments were made within the scientific community on the legitimacy of each cause, no consensus had been reached, leaving researchers to look for ways to maintain climate change, Trump, and white supremacy as joint causes for the hotter weather.

Also born on this day:
1914 – American bluegrass singer-songwriter, guitarist,and mandolin player (died 1979)
1915 – American actor Pat Buttram (died 1994)
1939 – American miniser and theologian, John MacArthur
1947 – Indian-English novelist and essayist, Salmon Rushdie
1948 – American Actress, Phylicia Rashad
1954 – American Actress, Kathleen Turner
1962 – American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, and presenter, Paula Abdul

Available on Amazon.

BENEDICTION


 

Get away! Get away!

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965), delivered his “Finest Hour” speech on this day in 1940.

According to the National Day Calendar, today is “National Wanna Get Away Day” and “National Splurge Day” and “National Go Fishing Day.”

Roughly translated I think that means we’re supposed to splurge on equipment and run away on a fishing trip.

I don’t fish. I’ll have to settle for Captain D’s.

I mean, I’d go to Red Lobster but we can’t do that anymore because y’all ate all the shrimp…If you know, you know.

The news experts tell us we’re heading into a heat wave…a tropical heat wave, if you will.

For reasons that remain my own, I’m not at the office today. After taking care of some things this afternoon, I’d go to the pool, but it’s closed for a swim meet.

I remember the days of swim meets when it was so nasty hot outside that, between the swim heats, parents would jump in the pool in our street clothes, just to cool off.

Alas, no children of swim meet age in our household, and the neighborhood pool has been filled in and replaced with four very fine houses.

Where was I going with this?

Maybe it’s in the category of “I need something to talk about.”

I could talk about my next children’s book, actually two, currently in development.

But I won’t.

I could talk about my next theater project, but it’s not announced yet.

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nilolaevena of Russia was born on this day in 1901. She died with her family in 1918. I always wanted to believe the stories of her survival.

So, I won’t.

I could talk about the latest episode of The Chosen. But I won’t spoil it for you.

So, I won’t.

Then again I heard an interview with Jonathan Roumie who said “What spoilers? There’s a book!”

Both the series and the Book would do you good.

It’s a weird week, and I’ll leave it at that.

I find myself wanting to get away again. I love our spring break weeks at the beach, but I’m missing the warmth of the sand, and the sunburns, and everything that comes with the beach in summer.

But that’s okay.

There’s probably a clever way to wrap this up.

If I think of one. I’ll let you know.

IN OTHER NEWS

The Obama/Biden arm-grab wasn’t just a senior moment — it was the moment everyone realized the president’s not fit for office
Piers Morgan in The New York Post
When the last Democrat to occupy the White House has to literally grab the current one because he notices he’s had yet another “senior moment” and appears to be paralyzed like a statue on stage, it has to be the wake-up call everyone in the party must urgently heed before it’s too late, doesn’t it?

Read into it what you will, but if you’ve never seen the movie “Dave” now might be a good time to watch.

Democrats’ denialism of Biden’s cognitive decline isn’t just unconvincing, it’s cruel
New York Post
Enough denialism: Democrats (and their media enablers) need to face the facts on President Biden’s cognitive decline.

Inside Biden’s 48 hours at the G7 where alarmed allies noticed he was ‘losing focus and tired’ after missing dinner, wandering off and snapping at the press
Daily Mail
But outweighing the good have been moments that became PR disasters, strengthening perceptions that his health and mental capabilities have gotten worse during his three years in office – a perception the White House strongly denies.

Sir Ian McKellen falls off stage during performance
BBC
Sir Ian McKellen has been taken to hospital after falling off stage during a performance of Player Kings at the Noël Coward theatre in London.

 

Available on Amazon.