Thursday, January 17, 2019

January 17 – “A Jesus birthday …”


Just thought of something this morning.  Today is my birthday of sorts.  Or anniversary.  Some 48 years ago I made the decision to love God back.  To become a Christian.  To decide for myself to follow Jesus.  There are a lot of ways to put it, I guess, but the end result is the same.  The Holy Spirit lives inside me and I’ll never be the same again.  So glad for that.  Wow.  48 years.  That’s almost half a century.  You would think I’d have this Christianity thing figured out by now, but I sure still feel like a baby most of the time.

I got embroiled in one of those Galveston mini-traffic jams yesterday.  I went up to the church to meet the bug guy very early.  It didn’t take him but 15 or 20 minutes.  And on my way home the traffic suddenly came to a screeching halt.  I could see up ahead a fire engine and an ambulance blocking the road, and one little white truck with its flashers on behind the engine, but I couldn’t see any vehicles that would have been involved in an accident.  I put the car in park and settled in for the long haul to wait it out.  After a few minutes I saw movement in the brush to the side of the road.  And from that brush emerged a firefighter pushing aside weeds and tree branches, followed by paramedics carrying a patient on a stretcher.  I found out later that a single car was involved.  Apparently the driver lost control and flipped several times into the underbrush on the side of the road.  Not a pretty scenario at all.  As I waited, the cars around me started doing what they could to turn around.  And before long a police officer tapped on my window to let me know it was OK for me to turn around as well and take the alternate route. 

Since that alternate route took me right next to station seven, I stopped in to check on the guys of the day’s shift who were doing the fire trailer burn training.  Once again the guys did their best to get me to join them inside the burn.  Maybe next year when I can handle the kneeling a little better …

Later in the afternoon we went up to LaMarque to meet the newest member of that Vaughan family, Leia.  Yep.  After a misfire or two, it looks like Josiah finally got his Christmas present, a cute little dog.  Not sure what kind she is, but it’s something close to whatever Freddy is, only a tad bigger.  She seems to be settling in with the family well.  Enjoys dozing in or near the nearest lap, and doesn’t seem to mind the kids hovering all around her.  She also does well inside her crate so they don’t have to worry about her when they are gone.  Looks like we have a win …

Psalms 130:2 says, “O Lord, hear my voice.  Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”

Father, please be with the victims of that car accident.  Thank you for the actions of the crew of engine 8 as well as the responding paramedics.  Amen.

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