July 7 - “Where’s Cantore?”

I “enjoyed” my enforced extra day off from walking. The blood blister on that toe on my right foot might be infected. It was all good, though. I used the opportunity to go put gas in the truck, just in case. I also interspersed texted weather reports to Waco. Felt just like Jim Cantore. Well, maybe not JUST like him. For that I would had to go in the backyard and had Chris spray water on me with the hose while I pretended to sway in the wind. Hmm. I might just do that. Oh, for those who don’t know, Jim Cantore is the Weather Channel’s most famous reporter who always goes to where the weather is expected to be the worst. He’s also a bit of a “worst case scenario, doom and gloom” guy. 

We had some time before the Astros game to make a quick Walmart run. Sam had some meds to pick up and … we needed bananas. Can’t face a storm without a few bananas hanging around. 

 Last night Chris and I went to the fundraiser for the Jamaica Beach Volunteer Fire Department (Just the two of us. That makes it count as a date, right?). It was their annual affair with live music, dancing, silent auction, and a barbecue plate full of chicken, sausage and brisket. Lauren told us they were now calling it a hurricane party. Woohoo! We tried to make the rounds, so to speak, and say hi to the people we knew. We got our barbecue to go, though. Had to take some back to Sam. Pretty good stuff. 

Today … we wait. She’s a’comin’, but supposed to hit south of us. Puts us on the dirty side, but far enough that it should just be tropical storm force winds and tides. Headed to church early so we can get Sam’s car and batten down her hatches. 

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭55‬-‭57‬ ‭ says, Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Father, thank you for our volunteer fire department. Keep them safe in the course of their duties. Amen. 

July 6 - “YWD”

We had a YWD (yard work day) yesterday. Well, more like a yard work morning. Well, OK. For me it was more like a yard work two hours. Got started mowing at eight. Followed that up with tree and bush trimming. By ten I was done. Exhausted. Hot. Sore. Ready to stop. So I did. Of course Chris didn’t. She finished up all the sweeping and any other of the externals. So I stopped. No easing into it. Just stopped. The yard looks pretty good. At least good enough to greet ol’ Hurricane Beryl. 

Freddy got her bath after lunch. She wasn’t all that impressed, but she’s ready in case there might be an evacuation in her future. 

Speaking of which, it looks like ol’ Beryl is bouncing all over herself out there. She was heading to Mexico, but after a trip to Cancun, she decided she had enough of that country. Now she’s shifting to Texas. Maybe. Keeping our eyes on her, to be sure. 

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ says, For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

Father, once again, please protect whoever ends up affected by the storm. Amen. 

July 5 - “A Coney Islands Fourth”

Walked our two miles in spite of my pain in the toes. Chris gave me some special tape to wear to protect them. I think the tape did help. 

Our big Fourth of July lunch celebration consisted of none other than coney islands. Can’t get any more ‘Murcan than hot dogs, right? And to follow that theme … baseball. The Astros game started at noon. We missed out on the trifecta, though. No apple pie. So sad. But the Astros victory assuaged our grief. 

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬  says, Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Father, thanks for you for the freedom we do have here. Amen. 

July 4 - “Happy Birthday, USA (and Nathan yesterday)”

Wished Nathan a happy birthday. Had to just send him a text since he had to work days on his day. Sorry about that, youngster. 

We did walk our Two-miler. I had to try some different socks, though. My “Roast beef” toe on each foot has become bruised for some reason. Not sure why, other than our daily attempt to get our time into the 17 minute per mile mark. The thicker socks did seem to help. I’ll keep on plodding though. 

We started a tentative list of things we might want to include on an evacuation list. We found one from 2020, so this one kinda became a game. See how many difference there are. Strangely, baseball cards were on both lists. Huh. Imagine that. 

Last night the report was that the storm was most likely to go inland further south of us. That’s good news … if somebody will just tell the hurricane that … 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ says, Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.”

Father, please be with the people who are or will be in the path of the storm. Amen. 

July 3 - “Unfortunately … fortunately”

The day started off as has become sort of our “usual.” We walked. Two miles. In the heat. Checked off our 35-40 minutes of workout. 

Back home Chris headed right out to get the sprinkler going on the grass in the front yard. Actually the grass is doing as well as can be expected. The azalea bushes … not so much. But they perked right up with the drink of water. 

Meanwhile, I actually worked on a couple of sermons. I’ll be preaching for Kel on July 28 and August 4.  Woohoo!

Kel came by in the late morning. He stopped by to pick up a package that was delivered here for Christina. They have been trying to get that straightened out for a long time. 

For those wondering … yes, we are 

watching the oncoming storm.  Category five is enough to get anyone’s attention. We’re rooting for the high pressure ridge to strengthen over the Gulf. That’ll push the hurricane south of us. 

We did a quick Walmart and  Randall’s run. At Walmart we were strolling down a random aisle when a guy I had just passed nervously said, “Don’t I know you?”  I wasn’t sure at first that he was talking to me. But I’m always up for talking to someone new. So I turned to face him. 

Well, I must say, he looked vaguely familiar to me. No name came to mind, of course, but I felt like I should know that face. He didn’t hesitate, though. He asked my name (as if he hadn’t already seen it on the back of my fire department cap. I told him, and his face lit up. “I think I took care of your Dad when he was in the nursing home.”  

Yep. That was it. John was one of our favorites, too. He genuinely cared for Dad, and was always gentle and affirming with him. We were happy to hear that he was happy in his life after his nursing home gig. He now does private duty nursing care. 

From there we went to Randall’s. Several things on our list there. Two prescriptions. Two cartons of BlueBell ice cream (on sale, but you could only buy two).  We got the pistachio almond version for Chris. 

Before heading home we got some gas there at the Randall’s pumps. Even had a ten cents a gallon off bonus. Unfortunately, on the way home, I remembered that I forgot to tear off the receipt. I couldn’t even remember how much gas we put in, much less what the monetary total was. Chris turned around on the off-chance the ticket was still there. 

Unfortunately, it was not. But on the off-chance it was possible, I walked over to the attendant to ask if I could get a copy. Fortunately, the guy was very helpful. After a couple of tries, he found ours and happily handed over the copy. Phew!  

Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ says, Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Father, please bless John in his caring endeavors. Amen. 

July 2 - “A Butterfly Tale”

We walked together yesterday, and it stunk. No, I don’t mean the experience was bad. I mean it literally stunk. Smelled like smoke - like a fire was happening in the neighborhood. But the fire department app didn’t indicate anything. Chris read about some sand blowing over from the Sahara Desert, but this was assuredly smoke. I saw a news report that it was from an agricultural burn in Mexico. OK. Seemed a stretch. Then the League City Fire Department tracked it to some wildfires in Brazoria County. Makes a lot more sense. Thanks, LCFD. 

We had a rather startling experience as we were eating lunch. We were just calmly enjoying our leftovers and watermelon (great combination), when suddenly our peace was invaded by an explosion from the back glass door. 

I whipped around to see feathers flying everywhere and their former avian employer fluttering away as best he could. But he had left behind a dripping mess of residue along with the drifting mass of feathers. 

Freddy was at the door in an instant. I got up and went outside to see if the terrified critter had made the now-agonizing flight over the back fence and beyond. He was nowhere to be seen. 

Probably good for him, since Freddy was hungrily sniffing at each individual feather. She apparently made a connection, too, because she then lifted her nose to the sky to search for a potential flying treat. Sorry Freddy. You missed by that much. 

Chris wasn’t content to leave everything as it was, though. The guts on the door was simply more than she could handle. She went outside as well, but her task was to spray the door down with the hose. Mission accomplished. 

The backyard action did continue to pick up. As I stood at the door gazing out, I noticed a bright yellow butterfly fluttering about our bushes. Cute little thing. Landed on a blue Mexican Petunia bloom to enjoy some rest and maybe a sip of sap. Bad choice. Little did he realize that lurking just above him, having just completed a round in the freshly filled birdbath, was a large grackle. The bird cocked his head, eyeing the potential prey. And suddenly he pounced. Got him. The butterfly was in his mouth as he touched down on the grass. 

Now the grackle is not a very trusting animal. Instead of gobbling the butterfly treat right away, he placed it on the ground, under his left paw. He then surveyed his surroundings. A cock of the head left. A slight shift right. All seemed clear when suddenly …

That butterfly somehow managed to escape the clutches manhandling (or grackle-handling) him. Free! He shot out from between those toes and was off like a yellow streak into the hot, humid, noontime sky. Fastest -and straightest - I have ever seen a butterfly fly. Nice job, little one. 

Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ says, For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

Father, we trust that poor little bird  to your care. Amen. 

July 1 - “Grillin’”

Great day at church. We had 78 people there. About the only seats were on the front row. Kel had announced last week that he was preaching on sex. Always draws a crowd!

After church we had a houseful for grilling burgers. Kel’s family came as well as the “extended versions.” That would be Micah’s girlfriend and a good friend of his from karate. Oh, and after an extended rain delay, the Astros won a thriller in eleven innings. 

Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬ says, You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Father, thanks for the family time. Amen.