Job 18:11

Terrors frighten them on every side,

   Pursue their scattering tracks.

 

Yesterday, my lunch caught on fire. I also saw a bison and some deer while I was riding my bike back where I used to as a kid. I also worked and saw many sides of people who can be frightened and scatter. All in all, it was a series of learning opportunities, and hopefully, I learned, and helped others do the same.

‘Frighten’ was also ‘assail’, ‘assault’, and ‘straddle’. ‘On’ was also ‘from’, ‘every’ was also ‘all’, and ‘on every side’ was also ‘all around’.

‘Pursue’ was also ‘dog’, ‘chase’, ‘drive’, and ‘send’. ‘Their scattering tracks’ was also ‘at their heels’, ‘their every step’, ‘to their feet’, and ‘their feet flying’. The second stitch was also ‘scattered/strewn at their feet’. I could not eliminate the two different actions of pursue and scatter, so ignored the idea of one or the other.

One of the aspects of loving my neighbor that I can overlook is the opportunity to encourage other believers. I had a great opportunity last night and put all my story telling into the attempt. My story about burning my lunch was not my best effort, but looking back on it, I was super cool under fire (pun intended) and simply put it out and tried to keep the smoke detectors from going off successfully. But at a minimum it was a chance to thank God that it wasn’t worse.

On my bike ride, I saw two warning signs. The first was loose cattle. The second was bison can be aggressive. I was praying the bison were on the other side of the fence. And right then the first deer jumped out of the brush and ran across the road in front of me. I wasn’t afraid of it hitting me but almost fell over having been caught unprepared. The bison I did see was over the fence and the rest of the deer stayed on their side of the road. Very thankful God pushed me to get out and exercise.

One of my new coworkers told me a rumor. I knew it was not true as I had more information that they did, but it was fun to see the leap of logic that others have with limited knowledge and limited security. I hope many of them will confide in me as we work together so I as the outsider can help improve everything. Not only am I not doing this to pay the bills like they are, I am trusting in God to provide and not me or my savings of His provisions.

 I feel that each activity we pursue, or at least those when following the guide of the Holy Spirit, is an opportunity to share the outcome with others. I feel that God uses our circumstances to mold us into the tools to meet the needs of our neighbors as we meet them. When I lived out here as a kid, I was not supposed to have the wealth of experience that I have now when interacting with the kids around me. I just needed to be the best kid I could be. I messed up a lot, and I do not want to waste time worrying about it. If those kids haven’t forgotten or forgiven by now, they won’t. So, hopefully as this work opportunity continues, I can encourage others who knew me back then.

Written 10/1/25, Posted 10/22/25, Job 421/~1070