May 19, 2020

What a change in the weather.  It was party sunny but cooler and very, very windy.  My door mat blew off the porch about 4 times and I had to chase it.  Not a comfortable day to be outside for long, but I did take a morning walk.  Kathy and I did our usual Tuesday morning grocery trip, but instead of going to work afterwards, I went to the historical society.  They were mailing out their member magazines and I helped label, bundle and sort them.  It was like a vacation!  We were safely social distancing, but it was nice to be with friends and talk about each other’s lives and (limited) activities.  From there I did end up getting called to work for an hour or so.  Was able to pick up the rest of the pond stone to finish the herb garden – I hope.  A weekend project if possible.  Made a meatloaf for supper and now I’m watching a favorite Hallmark movie. 

I took advantage of the quiet evening to listen to Greg Pelc’s message at Vanderbilt church.  We are still studying the Lord’s Prayer, and today’s message was entitled Direction and Movement.  ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’  As Jesus taught those listening to pray, he was ‘God’ telling us what ‘God’ wants to hear!  Exactly how to pray.  Jesus will lead us, because we are like sheep.  You have to push cattle to get them where you want them to go; you LEAD sheep.  We often think of tests as temptations, but that is not so.  We are all tempted and we can’t stop that process, but we can control our reaction.  A temptation can be a test, but tests are NOT temptations.  Tests show US where we stand, so we can see where we need improvement or encouragement.  We ask that we not give in to our temptations, but as we wait on the movement that will deliver us, he gives us protection.   The movement is based on our faith; we must stay focused.  Read the story of David’s deliverance from King Saul!

On this day in 1536 Anne Boleyn was beheaded in the Tower of London.  In 2018 Meghan Markle married Prince Harry.  Nathaniel Hawthorne died at age 59 in 1964, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis died of cancer at age 64 in 1994. 

Our faith helps us resist temptation and follow the movement away from evil.  Pray and praise and pray again!  Jesus himself taught us how.  God bless….