Good evening, Father. Thank You for enabling me to get so much done today. Everything is ready for Sunday for the most part and I even had the opportunity to get ahead a little!

Skunks! Argh! From a distance, they may seem cute but you sure don’t want to get too up close and personal, though somewhere growing up I knew someone that had a de-scented skunk as a pet!

They come to mind in that I’ve had a couple of Facebook friends whose dogs have gotten a little too up close and personal in the last week or so. And then in the middle of the night, last night, the smell woke me up – it was overwhelming! When we got up this morning one had been hit on the other side of the road. I shoveled the remains into the opposing ditch but, oh how that smell lingers!

All this got me thinking, what aroma do I leave when I’m around people. Is it pleasant? Or is it something people would rather avoid. All of us cast forth an aroma of some sort – and it is one that bathing has nothing to do with. It has everything to do with who we are – and we can’t get rid of it. And my friend with the pet skunk? Even though the animal’s scent gland had been removed it still smelled like a skunk!

In reality, we can all be pretty stinky. How we treat people, our attitudes, the way we do certain things…they can be offensive. Again, I am definitely a work in progress, but Lord I know that You (and You alone!) have enabled me to be less stinky. You have helped me to develop the habit of stopping…and thinking before I do or say something. Quite often I change what was going to be done or said. And it always flavored with You. I welcome it, Lord. May I been less “skunky” and more like You. Amen.

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. 2 Corinthians 2:15

Aug 10th, Thurs, 9:22 pm