If the Stick Moves, Don’t Foot It

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”~~Harriet Beecher Stowe
(BrainyQuote)

Today’s word of the day, from Dictionary.com, is stelliferous, “having or abounding with stars.”

Today is Tick Tock Day. This is a somewhat rude reminder that you probably haven’t accomplished everything that you set out to do this year, and you only have two days left to do it. Unfortunately, my response is typically, “Why bother, at this point??”

Christi went out and bought herself a new car, yesterday. We don’t actually have it, yet, because their detail department was kind of backed up, so they sent her home with a loaner, and we will go pick it up today, while we are getting new tires put on my car. I should have a picture to upload tomorrow. She’s getting another Hyundai Elantra, because she really likes those. This one will be blue, so we won’t both have the same color car, now.

I pretty much played Fallout 4 all day. I know I have barely scratched the surface.

After I finish this, today, we will take my car to the local tire place for new front tires (the rear ones seem okay), and then go pick up Christi’s car while they put new tires on mine. We might need to make a brief trip to the grocery store, but that’s pretty much all of our plans for this day.

On this date in:

1170–Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, was assassinated by followers of Henry II, subsequently becoming a saint and martyr
1813–British troops burned Buffalo, NY, during the War of 1812
1845–Texas became the 28th U.S. state
1851–The first American YMCA opened in Boston
1890–U.S. troops killed more than 200 Oglala Lakota people at the Wounded Knee Massacre
1966–The Beatles began recording “Penny Lane” at Abbey Road Studio

Today’s birthdays include:

1800–Charles Goodyear, American inventor
1808–Andrew Johnson, 17th U.S. President
1936–Ray Nitschke, American football player
1936–Mary Tyler Moore, American actress
1937–Barbara Steele, British actress
1938–Jon Voight, American actor
1941–Ray Thomas, British musician, The Moody Blues
1946–Marianne Faithfull, British singer
1947–Cozy Powell, English drummer
1947–Ted Danson, American actor
1959–Paula Poundstone, American comedian
1959–Patricia Clarkson, American actress
1970–Kevin Weisman, American actor
1972–Jude Law, British actor
1973–Theo Epstein, American baseball general manager

Marianne Faithfull turns 69 years old today. Here is a recording of her singing a Kurt Weill song, “The Soldier’s Wife.”

Thomas Beckett and Grigori Rasputin are among notable deaths on this date.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

(From Daily Guideposts 2015)

But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
Acts 16:28

Pam Kidd writes of an experience in rural Africa, saying, “There’s nothing darker than a moonless night.” She describes the sky as “vivid stars that sparkle on black velvet.” She is following a friend down a steep path with many rocks. They walk in quietness until her friend says, “Pam, if you see a stick that moves don’t foot it.”

When she inquires as to what, exactly, this “moving stick” would be, she is told, “Black mamba.”

“What if there was a moving stick and I did ‘foot it?” she asks.

“Oh, Pam, it would be very, very unfortunate.”

The black mamba is one of the world’s deadliest snakes, and the people of Zimbabwe teach their children to fear them and to stay away from places that they would go. They even build their huts without chimneys in order to keep the snakes out.

They also teach their children to run away as fast as they can when they see a black mamba.

What are our “moving sticks?” What do we teach our children to run away or keep away from? Moving cars, deep, rushing water, rude friends, cruel attitudes. As adults, we should learn to run away from negative influences and attitudes, rampant selfishness, and other harmful attitudes. Pam’s friend, Paddington, had some wise words. Avoid the “moving stick.” Run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Don’t “foot it.”

Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.
Proverbs 11:27
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16

Father, help me to avoid the “moving sticks” in my life; selfishness, negative attitudes, and the like. Those things that would seduce me away from the glory that is yours, as was discussed yesterday, should be avoided at all costs. As 2016 approaches, I pray for a closer walk with you, more intimacy with you through Christ and the Holy Spirit. May the Trinity come alive in my life this next year.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.