Statue of Jesus covered with mud in the devastated Saint Ann Catholic church of Empire after the 33-foot storm surge accompanying Hurricane Katrina. The church was lifted off its foundations and moved. (17 September 2005 / Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, USA.)

Thank You for a beautiful day with Karen yesterday, Father. Our day spent in Amish Country was filled with peace and love. Your presence and touch were felt throughout the day. I am truly blessed! I look forward to sharing this day with You as well.

Lord, how soon we forget…Houston reeled under the effect of Hurricane Harvey in August of 2017, and Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans back in August of 2005! Has New Orleans fully recovered? An NPR report from 2025 stated that New Orleans still hasn’t fully recovered. Many people who left never came back. The city has about three-quarters of the population it had before the storm. The lower 9th ward was an oppressively poor area, and people could not afford to return.

When was the last time any of us has put any thought into the aftermath of either storm? It has been years, but people’s lives have been changed forever!

Do we remember those amongst us who have lost loved ones and have had to deal with life-altering changes? Have we forgotten those who have been victorious over overwhelming health issues but are still dealing with the aftermath of their battle? How about those who were vibrant members of our churches, and things happened, all kinds of things could have happened, and they are nowhere to be found…do we care?

Lord, how soon we forget…

In thinking of forgetting, an old hymn, Lead Me to Calvary, comes to mind. Its refrain reads,

Lest I forget Gethsemane;
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

We tend to move on with our lives. If it does not directly impact our daily comings and goings, it falls away in our rearview mirror and is soon forgotten. But, Lord, we must not forget these things. And most importantly, it is surely to our detriment to forget You. We go through the motions of worship and churchmanship, but do we focus so much on the “things” of life that we forget You and all You have done for us?

Without You, we have no meaning… Without You, we have no future… Without You, we are lost… Lord, help us to remember. Lest I forget Gethsemane; Lest I forget Thine agony; Lest I forget Thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary. Amen.

(Sept 1st, 2017, Fri, 6:57 am)
May 19th, 2026, Tues, 10:10 am