Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest and Paul Chong Hasang and Companions, Martyrs
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
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On the way to Texas. Watching the green trees fly by, listening for messages in the air. Is it 5:30 yet? What time is sunrise? I just checked: today the sun comes up at 6:55 am in Little Rock.
Arkansas is beautiful. Many rivers flow through it. The forests, in places, are undisturbed. Hot springs abound in the aptly named national park, just south of Little Rock.
Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases him, he directs it.
Scoundrels have had their way in Arkansas – in government, in crime, in the Civil War. On the other hand the most famous Texas Ranger of them all spent much of his life in Arkansas, cleaning up things. His name? Reeves, Bass Reeves. A black man who lived to the age of 71. Certainly the model for the Lone Ranger. Hiyo Silver! Away!
All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the Lord who proves hearts. And to do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
I thought, “Why not live here?” Inexpensive rents and houses and land, halfway between Illinois and Texas, not far from the famous Current River. When I stopped at two rest areas in a row where I felt like a guest, with hosts that cared about me and offered their help in many ways, I thought this was the place for us.
When our kids were little we stopped to dig for diamonds somewhere in Arkansas. We could do that again; maybe we would get rich and buy Teslas for all our grown up kids. But those are made in Texas – is there a car made in Arkansas?
Those ideas have faded; now I just drive through back and forth on the way to Texas or Illinois. Perhaps that’s best. Our people are in those places, not in Arkansas. So what if you’re only eight hours away instead of sixteen?
Leaving Illinois this time was more difficult than usual because Marc is all crutched up and also dealing with people problems in his life. I want to help him, rescue him the way he finds himself trying to rescue others.
In life saving class I learned never to approach a drowning person from the front because in their panic they would grab me and pull me down with them. This rescue business is complicated. You have to approach them from the back, surprise them, put your arm over their chest and pull them along with you, back to safety. Then they can relax and let you do your work. But without the class, forget it. You’d be dead in a week.
The road pulls me along on south. I’m glad I could spend some extra days with Marc. We watched several episodes of The Chosen together. Jesus inspired us both.
My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.
Family ties.
(Proverbs 21, Psalm 119, Luke 11, Luke 8)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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