ZEAL APPEAL-WORK

ALONG THE OHIO

I have been outside off and on trying to get some yard work done in the heat.  Yes,  it is still hot.  It was 93 degrees the last time I looked.  I can only do a little work at a time and then look for shade or come into the A/C and cool down.  Nothing comes easy for me and I put work into work.  Often I have to talk myself into the things that need to be done.  And just as often as not...I talk myself out of that four letter word..."work."   I wish I had the ambition to go with my intentions.

It is said that "work is prayer" or can be thought of that way and offered up as prayer.  If that is the case then I guess I should work a lot more...or pray with more zeal.  I would  get much more done, wouldn't I!   I have  always thought of work as one of those "four letter words" and I try to avoid such vocabulary...hmm.


There is something to be said about  work and the sweat of the brow.  It puts food on the table and a roof over our heads(for most of us) and if we are fortunate...a little change in our pockets for a few of the rewards that may come our way, as "Man does not live on bread alone."

And that reminds me"  I put a jug of honey that had crystallized into sugar, out into the hot, hot sun for a couple of days.  Restored the honey to its liquid form.  If anyone should do this...make sure that the honey has a really tight cap or seal...'cause ants love honey, too.

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IN ALL THINGS

WE SUFFER

TRIBULATIONS,

BUT WE ARE NOT

DISTRESSED;

WE ARE SORE

PRESSED,

BUT WE ARE

NOT DESTITUTE

WE ENDURE

PERSECUTION,

BUT WE ARE

NOT FORSAKEN,

WE ARE CAST DOWN,

BUT WE DO

NOT PARISH.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-

The early Christians certainly were in dire straights...Thanks to Paul himself, who did a lot of persecuting and bedeviling of the first followers of the fledgling church.  Fortunately he "saw" the error of his ways when he was blinded on the road to Damascus.  With his new altered "vision" and cure from blindness, he became a new man and set about preaching the gospel as he then saw it in a new light...so to speak.

Today, in this 21 century, suffering and persecution is a rampant state of affairs in many countries around the world.  I see it in this country as well, and it is starting to ramp up. We call it "hate crimes."  We have been too long at war and feed on violence from every turn on our own road to Damascus.  Buy your self a road map or a good compass.  I have one:  It is called a Bible.

END