PRIDE

Pride is not good. That is what the Bible says.

Pride blinds.

Pride deceives.

Pride robs.

Pride offends God.

Pride precedes a fall.

Pride leads to sin.

Pride hurts everyone it touches.

Obadiah wrote: ³ The pride of your heart has deceived you,...

Rich people have pride.

Poor people have pride.

Religious people have pride.

Sinners have pride.

Young and old fall as its prey.

It sneaks into the backdoor of our hearts with sinister plans. Oh, pride never look so bad, in fact, pride dresses up in the most glamorous attire. It looks acceptable. It looks notable. It sounds reasonable. It is a smooth talker. It makes you think big of yourself. It is shrewd.

Then the deceptive tentacles grab hold and the room goes dark.

Then it is often too late.

The cool plan of death works. The judgment comes. The sentence is lived out.

But, there is another way. It is found in light of God, the truth of His Word, the faithfulness of His Spirit. He pleads. He pulls. He passionately, persistently, pursues and points us to the way of God.

He calls for humility, meekness, and surrender. He calls for trust in Him.

Listen. Be spared.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Wanda asked me Sunday morning if I had done anything yet for her for Valentines Day. I had thought about it but had not done anything yet.

She said she had an idea. "How about a motorcycle ride?"

She had my attention.

"I'm for it."

So off we go on "Big Red."

Of course there will be a nice restaurant and a card and some other nice things.

Yes, a girl who wants to ride. That's my valentine.

STOP

Several months back I was visiting a parishioner at one of our local hospitals which had just gone through a major renovation, addition, and facelift. As I walked out the front door of the hospital on my way back to my car, I turned a corner to walk across the street in the marked crosswalk and was nearly hit by a car driving too fast. The driver of the car didn't see me, and it could have very well cost my life or at least left me with serious injury. I was startled to say the least.

Once I gained my composure, I walked on toward my car. Then it hit me. (No pun intended!) Someone else will go this way and may very well be hit. This is a accident waiting to happen.

I turned around and went back into the hospital. I asked to speak with an administrator and told them what had happened. We went outside when I pointed to the problem. It was a design error that needed to be corrected, and the administrator agreed.

The next time I was back to the hospital there was a stop sign placed to stop cars lest someone get hurt. It was a very needed addition to their improvements. I wonder how many might have been injured if the stop sign had not been added?

I have thought about this every time I go back to that hospital, but from another standpoint. I have spent my life trying to help save people from eternal hurt and mortal injury. I have tried to point people to one who saves from all manner of sin and harm.

I wonder how many have been spared eternal hurt?

I think I will try to find a few more stop signs to put out.

ALL THREE

Mom and Dad and Mom Davis are all in the hospital. Actually, Mom and Dad are in a rehab center after being in the hospital, but Mom Davis is in the Tallahassee Hospital. She had a mini-stroke this past Thursday. Dad is dealing with pneumonia and Mom is rehabbing from a broken shoulder. This has made for a very hectic time for Wanda and me with all three of our parents in physical need.

Thankfully all are mending and improving. That is the good news. Praise God!

It hurts to see your parents in need. I have been touched and blessed to see all their children rising to the occasion to help provide the assistance that they all need.

That is what family is all about. Families care and provide care.

Wanda and I have made repeated quick trips to each of them to do what we can to offer help. We have siblings who are doing their part and those who live geographically close are really stepping to the plate.

So please pray for Mom Davis and Mom and Dad. They are dear to us. We are believing that each one will be good as new soon.

ANOTHER SUPERBOWL

How many Super Bowls have been played?

I have stopped counting, but I watched this last one too. It is the American game passing baseball a long time ago. Millions and millions are spent every year filling stadiums all across America. When the Super Bowl was in Jacksonville several years back, I went downtown to watch the fireworks several nights preceding the game. They had four nights of fireworks to the tune of $1 million bucks. That is a lot of smoke. It was a great show.

The game is changing as more as more players are facing life impacting injuries. More and more are having concussions and the fear of legal issues is making for rule changes. I suspect in another few years that it will evolve a game without has many "big" hits.

To be honest, some of the hits and injuries are too hard to watch even for a die hard fan like me. I don't enjoy watching legs and arms getting broken or players being hauled off the field. Not good.

So, how much longer will the game be like this? Will see. I prophesy major changes coming. Super Bowls are getting to be old hat.

At last, football season is over.

GLOBAL WARMING?

I live in the South, and it is cold, rainy and blue.

So how are you Northern's fairing?

I thought science dealt with facts? Might I add cold facts?

How can you get so screwed up and twisted to ignore reality when it is hitting you in the face? There are too many signs, facts, and data that totally disprove the foolish notion that we are destroying the planet. It all just doesn't wash.

God created the earth and all that inhabit our planet. He has it all figured out. When man puts the earth and himself before God, then things just begin to fall apart. Truth becomes irrelevant. Facts get distorted. Reality turns into delusion. 

In the beginning God.....

I like that. In the beginning God created.

I like that too. He is the beginning and the end.

Global warming? It is not happening in the South!

Brrrr!

AMEN

Sprained or strained muscles hurt. I ran the Acosta and Main Street Bridges on Tuesday afternoon and strained a muscle in my right ankle. Wow, it hurts.

It happened about a mile into the run before I got to the bridges. A friend and I were running along the river walk on the South bank of the St. Johns when it felt a pull and strain. I was able to keep running, but the more I ran the more it seemed to strain.

We continued up and down the Acosta Bridge and then ran past The Landing on the North Bank and up the Main St. Bridge back across to the South Bank. The pain subsided some, though I knew it was still there.

Then we went on to finish the run of about 4.5 to 5 miles. I actually seemed to be okay as we cruised to the completion of our run. Then as we cooled down, I couldn't walk. The ankle muscle seemed frozen. The pain tug in deeper. I limped to the car and drove home wondering if I could walk into the house. After rubbing it and loosening the muscle some, I was able to limp into the house.

Wanda saw the pained look on my face and obvious limp and questioned what I had done. I am almost half way into training for the March Gate River Run.

Please Lord, let this heal quickly.

Amen!