JanBeek

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

We’re looking to thee Lord to direct our paths.
It has been a miserable two weeks in the Beekman household.
First Bob picked up a bug on some path somewhere,
and then a few days later,
the bug very generously crossed my path.
We tested for COVID, but it was negative, so we did a little research.
Here’s what we discovered:

Meet Mr. Paraflu!
What is parainfluenza?

Parainfluenza is a broad term
that healthcare providers use
to describe human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs)
— a group of infectious organisms (pathogens).
Parainfluenza viruses cause
many types of lower and upper respiratory illnesses.
Respiratory illnesses cause mild to serious symptoms,
like sore throat, cough and shortness of breath.

Nasty bug attack
Caused us to lay low eight days
We’re vulnerable

For those under five
And us folks in our eighties,
Paraflu attacks

The symptoms linger
A terrible hacking cough
Listlessness, fatigue

In others’ interest,
Hunker down and stay at home
Hydrate and get rest

Bye bye nasty bug
We missed the July 4th fun
But we have survived

Now go and begone
Let our health return to us
Keep our loved ones safe

Trusting in the Lord
And not leaning on my own
Understanding’s hard

Devotionals help
To keep a wise perspective
“How to Walk Wisely”

In the midst of our paraflu aches and pains,
we turned to the Lord in prayer, and
God gave us 6 tips about how to “Walk Wisely.”
Today’s In Touch devotional had this to say:

“Living committed to the Lord calls for following His wisdom.
Here are six attitudes necessary for a Christ-centered lifestyle:

1. Determination. Walking in wisdom doesn’t happen automatically. We must wholeheartedly pursue righteous living.
2. Focus. To stay on the path of God’s will, we must fix out attention on His Word. As we meditate on Scripture, our mind will align with Christ’s.
3. Sensitivity to the Spirit. With determination to live a holy life and close attention to Scripture, we become more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
4. Trust. At times the Lord’s choice for us doesn’t appear sensible. Trusting in His perfect wisdom is necessary if we’re to walk according to His plan.
5. Courage. Some things God requires may cause us to react with fear. As our trust in Him deepens, our courage will grow, and we’ll discover the joy of embracing His choice for us.
6. Perseverance. By depending on God, we can persist and choose wisely no matter how long our challenges last.

Walking in wisdom requires that we practice a few basics: Know God, trust Him, and obey. Is this your pattern for living? Remember, a lifetime of godliness develops one choice at a time.”

In Touch Ministries, Inc. Many thanks to Founder: Charles Stanley and President C Phillip Bowen

Thank You, God, for our return to health.
Bee well, my friends.
May this nasty paraflu bug pass you by!

Love,
JanBeek