May 17, 2020

Today I played things backwards a little bit.  After my happy, sunny morning walk, I showered, had scones for breakfast, and took the wheel barrow over to Nate.  From there I stopped at Lowe’s for pond stone.  That was a fiasco.  I got in line, which was 20 people deep, and when I got to the check out they couldn’t find the scan number.  I waited 10 minutes and no one showed up, so I went back and took pictures of the bar code and got in line a second time.  By the time I paid and drove over to the pick up area, a truck pulled in to unload.  It took some moving around, but finally got my stones and got home.  It was a beautiful day!  75*  and a bit breezy.  After lunch I tackled week whacking the yard.  That weed whacker is my nemesis!  We have NEVER gotten along.  It takes me hours to weed whack; 25 minutes to mow the entire yard!  I go through 3 or 4 spools of thread before the job is done, but after blowing everything clean the yard looks wonderful.  I spread the stones around the edge of the herb garden.  I may try to get enough bags to finish that section, maybe next week.  The backward part of my day was that I did my chores in the morning and listened to church in the late afternoon.

I listened to three messages this afternoon, and today I will share the thoughts of Bramwell Kjellgren from First Baptist Church in Greensburg.  I met Bram at a YOUNG AT HEART event in February, and was very glad to hear they were going to live stream their service.  The message was Jesus with us through the storms of life.  As Jesus slept, a fierce storm swept across the sea.  The disciples were experienced fishermen and boaters but could not handle the boat in the wind and waves.  They woke Jesus, and ask him if he didn’t care that that could drown.  He asked them about their faith – he rebuked the wind and the waves, and immediately the sea was calm.  Even though they thought they knew Jesus, they were surprised, asking themselves ‘Who is this man that the winds and the waves obey his voice?’  Jesus does not prevent the storms of life, but he has promised to never leave or forsake us.  He will be with us through the storms of our life.  We are often frightened and uncertain, but Jesus is always beside us.  He does’t calm the storm; he calms us through the storm.   

On this date in 1881 the revised version of the new testament was issued;  in 1944 General Eisenhower sets D Day for June 5th.  In 1886 John Deere (founder of Deere corporation) dies at age 82, and in 2015 Taylor Swift wins Top Artist of the Billboard Music Awards.   

This COVID virus has everyone’s lives turned upside down; some of us are frustrated at the restrictions still existing around us, and some are frustrated that so many businesses and activities are opening.  So in the midst of all the uncertainty, remember that God is beside us during these storms;  he can calm us through our storms.  God Bless.