There must be many good people on Long Island.  We were spared Hurricane Henri, which was predicted to make landfall at the Hamptons as a full force Category 1 storm.  I expected the worst.  Instead, it veered toward Rhode Island as a tropical storm.  The holiest woman I know said she prayed to be spared.

Mayor Di Blasio, who predicted the worst for NYC, was also surprised.  We have to capitalize on this new image of being good.  Maybe NYC is not as secular as reputed.

There’s something to be said for being uncomplicated and religious.  It gets things done, especially in an undistracted manner.

I have a hand-generator with a radio and a flashlight attached, so it never needs batteries.  I thought I’d never need it, and now here we have hurricane Henri and I didn’t buy new batteries.  With the grace of God, things work out for our benefit.

It’s happened before, the happy turn of events that I can’t explain, but that leaves me happier than I was moments ago.  It may be symbolic; at least I must confess my life never was as bad as it could have been.  The Lord wants us to go for the big prize.

I don’r mind that.  Anything that’s not a big gamble, that reflects steady work, is right down my alley.

Tonight I’m going to be an executioner, a killer, of some beautiful but dangerous creatures, the hornets in a nest.  I have the spectracide, and in twenty-four hours I’ll dispose of the paper nest (a wonderful creation).

I have some guilt for this operation, but by opening my front door, I disturb the guardians of the nest.  They should have chosen a better place, but how could they know?  How do I justify my behavior?  Judeo-Christians know that God gave them stewardship over the lower animals, and as long as they don’t abuse this right, they may do what they want.  I do want to protect my visitors from hornets’ stings, and in that respect I think I am right.

We have a remarkable Judeo-Christian, Western Civilization, and its benefits outweigh most of its liabilities.  Would you agree?

You never know how much influence your good example has, but the Taliban are now promising they’ll respect some of women’s rights.  Good for the Taliban women if their leaders keep those promises.  And good for the Westerners who gave that example.

Our examples go back to Roman times, when the upstart Judeo-Christian influence started to change Western civilization.  Some of these changes took almost 2,000 years, but God is not skimpy about time.  Look at how long it took for mankind to appear on the face of the Earth.

“Give us this day our daily bread,” we pray, and know that in this Judeo-Christian Western Civilization, that request is likely to be fulfilled.  What if I want to help the others?  I am limited by my income, except for small amounts.

But that counts, too.  There is the story of the widow’s mite of a donation in the New Testament, and that penny or quarter did wonders, at least for her.  In the eternal view of things, a quantum amount may make the difference—sustain an army!

We don’t really know how large a size the adjective big denotes.  We are not used to the proportions contained in galaxies.  To us, a soup bowl full is a lot.  But I take my cue to size from the Creator—His measurements are mine.