Scarf

STORY
Last night Jennifer and I went for a motorcycle ride with Larry and Beth
It's usually safe, but as we learned, could possibly lead to death.
Jennifer was cold, so she wore a black leather jacket with fringe....
A scarf for warmth and goggles for protection..
all of which made her cringe.
On the ride to eat, Larry's lights blew a fuse....
neither the other drivers nor Beth were amused!
A quick stop and Larry got it fixed,
He really does know so many tricks!
So, off we drove to the Lodge for a hamburger and all was all right!
However, when we stopped at the light, Beth had such a fright!
Jennifer's scarf had slipped, and just above the back tire it dangled.
Jennifer pulled it up, so it wouldn't become entangled.

Whew, safe again...and so we went to eat! (beth’s poem)

STORY con’t…
Well… the scarf must have fallen again
We could not find it
We went back down the road to look for it
After returning home
We found it wound up in the rear tire
It could’ve ripped Jennifer’s head off or jerked her off the bike
But all that happened was that it gummed up the motorcycle a little – with hardly any notice
We laughed in amazement
Jennifer said in the middle of the night she thought about how she could’ve been on the next 1000 ways to die

REFLECTIONS
thankful for the Lord’s protection
amazed we didn’t even notice it was there
surprised that the scarf is still intact after unwrapping it from the bike
On the bike…the scarf was right there and didn’t see it – it was dark… didn’t look on that side…
it slowed it up the bike
“Was in the dark”
Great remembrance, symbol, souvie
Lord’s banner that goes before us
The Lord loves Jennifer, protected her, she is special, she is loved, so cherish her as one of God’s beloved

SCRIPTURES
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Deuteronomy 11:18
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, Hebrews 12:1
The Lord is my banner – Exodus 17:15

RHYMES
Always keep it close or lose your neck in the spokes
Keep it worn tight or lose your neck in the night on the bike
Keep it tied around your head or you might crash and you be dead
Scarf in wheel / Achilles heal

Gadfly

Horse flies, at certain times of the year, when I run at flatwoods are on the backside of the loop, around the 5 mile water station.  They annoy, attack, and bite, causing me to run faster, iradic jumping and lurching from side to side, swatting as I go, really messing up my routine, pace, and enjoyment of the run, often draining much energy in the struggle (but probably looks pretty humorous to onlookers)  I don't like it and it discourages me from running back there.  And since they are around the water stop, I often miss out on some rest, shade, and cool refreshing.

Jeremiah 46:20
"Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly is coming against her from the north." 

Here’s a  “heifer that has never been under a yoke, having never been conquered, and brought under the power of another; and like a beautiful, fat, and well fed one, abounding in wealth and riches, in pleasures and delights, in wantonness and luxury…”  Then  comes along a small fly, annoying, upsetting, buzzing, biting, sucking blood hard to swat and won’t go away, a constant irritant… the gadfly

The heifer is a reference to Egyptian bull worship.   

Insects are often used to symbolize an attacking enemy.

Etymology:  "fly which bites cattle", from Old Norse gaddr (“spike”).

I tend to lean towards ignorance about a lot of things.  Apparently the people here did too and over time and compromise, tolerance and ignorance were prime beef for supper. Even tho I am somewhat disciplined in some things I still tend to be lazy, rebellious, maverick, a selfish consumer that wants to do it my way.  The verse seems to be reminding me to watch out. 

It is always good to get away from the gadfly and such a relief.  I don’t know what I would do if it was constant.  I do know that flies and locusts were one of the plagues.  That must have been horrible.   O Lord, help me never to be a gadfly toward others.

Info found online from: Wiktionary / wikipedia / meriam-webster / Biblestudytools.com