Another beautiful day, Father! Thank You for the opportunity and the ability to get outside and accomplish a few things. All are blessings from Your generous hand!
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One of the challenges with driving in our area is the very healthy population of white-tailed deer. They are usually more active at dawn and dusk. Of course, as I am pulling out of the bus compound for my elementary route, the sun is just beginning to color the horizon. I see a lot of deer in one general area specifically.
This morning, I saw deer cross in front of me two times, close enough that I could see them in my headlights but far enough away I didn’t have to slam my brakes – though I did apply them some because they are known to travel in twos and threes. I also saw a nice-sized buck standing on the side of the road. As I came upon him, he bounded off into the field from which he had come.
In my time bus driving, I’ve only hit one and the bus wasn’t damaged. The doe didn’t fare so well. But depending on how you hit them, it can damage the bus.
The thing is there is no way to prepare for it. You’re rolling right along and then “bam!” out pops a deer. Sometimes you can avoid the collision, but other times you’re just blindsided!
One of the challenges in life is that there is an overabundance of temptation. The bad thing is that it is active all the time – every waking moment there is a chance that we will be accosted by temptation. Deer are beautiful animals, but you don’t want one taking out the front quarter panel of your car. Temptation can be incredibly alluring, but we must be careful that we don’t allow ourselves to come to the point where we fall flat on our faces, covered head to toe in sticky, gooey, impossible-to-remove guilt and remorse. The damage is done…but thank the Lord, it is not irreparable if we come to Him!
You’re rolling right along, and temptation crosses your path. Sometimes we’re good at slamming on the brakes – throwing up a quick prayer for the Lord’s intervention. “Nope, nope, nope, I don’t want to think that, see that, do that! Lord, help me!” And oft times before we know it, another temptation and possibly another temptation follows close behind on the heels of the first one.
When the temptation just will not depart, I’ve gotten in the habit of throwing my mind in a totally different direction. I have to do something to take my mind off of whatever is attacking me. For me, a song usually helps! Words of a hymn or recently I even sang the words to “Jesus Loves Me”! The Holy Spirit is there to help us, and literally, He is a thought away! Breathe a simple prayer and He is at work. I’d say that He is the one that prompts me to sing!
We can only do so much to withstand the attack of temptation, but with the Holy Spirit at our side, we can conquer whatever comes our way! Amen – so be it!
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Oct 25th, 2022, Tues, 5:07 pm
