August 23, 2025 – Blameless
I had to wait a few extra hours to see the blue skies yesterday because our plane had a flat tire [glad they found it while the plane was on the ground], but I did finally make it to DC in time for supper with Carrie and with my sister in Alexandria before going to see the new “Freakier Friday” movie. I haven’t laughed out loud like that in a long time. It’s a well-done sequel (which you can’t always say about sequels).
As we drove back into DC after the movie, I was watching our progress on my phone map and noticed for the first time how close Carrie and Adolfo’s apartment is to the National Mall…walking distance (for some people). What a wealth of interesting options there are for them in this city and most all of them so nearby. Carrie and I only took advantage of the culinary options today though. After walking Mote to the groomers, we Uber’d (thank you Carrie) to Old Ebbitt Grill (a veeeery crowded and popular landmark restaurant) for a delicious lunch at the bar and then went to the top of Hotel Washington for a drink overlooking the White House and the Washington Monument. I’m finally getting to my devotion time since Carrie and Adolfo went out for dinner and then they’re going to a musical at The Kennedy Center (before she is housebound for a while after the ankle surgery). Mote and I have big plans for relaxing with a book or a movie on the couch after I eat my lunch leftovers (Chesapeake Bay crab eggs benedict – yum!)
Utmost – Matthew 6:6 talks about prayer closets. Chambers writes, “Prayer is an effort of will….We cannot get our minds in working order, and the first thing that conflicts is wandering thoughts. [I definitely know about this!] The great battle in private prayer is the overcoming of mental wool-gathering. We have to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful prayer….Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything.”
Streams – “Too many of us want to see our way through before starting new enterprises. If we could and did, from whence would come the development of our Christian graces?” I think wanting to have all of my ducks in a row is why it took me so long to start the blog. Being prepared is one thing, but putting off important things because we don’t know all the answers isn’t really the best plan, at least for a Christian who can look to and trust God for guidance.
I bought a new book, during my airport delay, that seems like it’s going to be very helpful in this new blog endeavor (and in agreeing to co-lead a small group and in whatever else God has on the path ahead for me, that I’d really like a glimpse of.) I will do my best to just enjoy the ride as He makes the way clear to me. The book is Successful Women Speak Differently by Valorie Burton.
When I travel, I usually take a few different entertainment choices (a book, my journal, a magazine, a handheld game, etc), just in case, but since this was barely going to be a two hour flight, I decided to go light and only carry my computer. I packed my books in my suitcase and planned to just listen to a book on tape which surprisingly wasn’t possible on the plane. It was so loud in the cabin for some reason. I don’t know if it was the plane noise or a poorly designed speaker system, but I couldn’t even hear the pilot or the flight attendants over the speaker system. How can humans design planes to fly through the air loaded with people, luggage, and equipment but they can’t design a speaker system that can actually be heard by all on board a plane? If they said anything important, I didn’t hear it.
Since I didn’t bring all of my books (and only copied pages from one of them), I looked a couple up online:
From Joyce Meyer’s website devotion – Psalm 101:2 – “I will be careful to lead a blameless life….” This does cross my mind as I sit in front of the computer each day opening myself up to “the world”, even if it’s just to a small portion of it. Joyce writes, “When I first read this verse years ago, I thought I had better straighten up. But then I learned that to be blameless in God’s sight does not mean to perform perfectly….It simply means to have a sincere, heartfelt desire to obey God’s Word and to live in a way that pleases Him.” Glad to understand that better.
From “In Touch Ministries” – “God’s will may not always be easy, but it’s always best for us….while some of His decisions may not be to our liking, we must believe His promise to work all things for our good. [My favorite verse, Romans 8:28.] Will you trust God enough to hand the reins over to Him?”
Psalm 31:19 – “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You.”
(Note: Time to take Mote for a quick walk and then enjoy the sunset on the terrace with eggs benedict!)
