Friday, dangerously close to the end of the week.

Thanks to all of those who expressed their care and concern for little Gideon, we are very appreciative. It turns out that after a series of X-rays at Hershey Medical Center, they could not find whatever it was that appeared on the X-ray at our local hospital. Hmm... whether a miraculous answer to prayer, or a medical mess-up by the doctors at our local hospital, I'm just thankful that my boy is alive and well.

I'm reminded of how fragile we humans are. As infants, we very well may be the most helpless creatures on earth. As toddlers, our disproportionately large baby heads can be cause for some treacherous moments. As we grow to walk on two feet, we... well... walk on two feet! Think about that one for a minute. Would you sit on a two-legged chair? Climb up a two-legged ladder that is not propped up against something? It is much safer to be at least a tripod, but alas, we are mere bipods, teetering on the brink of destruction with every step. And have you ever considered that every time you eat something your food is just inches away from your airway. It's amazing we don't choke on every bite. John Calvin once preached in a sermon that we would pray more, and more earnestly, if we would consider the dangers we are subject to on a daily basis. Yes, indeed. In a split second, our littlest one went from happily playing to not being able to breathe.

The next day, when Gideon returned from the hospital, we read this Psalm during family worship:

Psalm 91

1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Amen.

In other news: We bought some new creatures for our aquarium. We promptly killed the fidler crab, but he was neat while we had him for those two days. The snails keep climbing out of the tank and into the filter... I understood this a little better when we found the one snail doing something that appears to me to be laying eggs. Our other two fish -- another guppy and a catfish, are doing just spiffy. Or is that spiffily?

In more other news: I'm digging the DVD burner on the new 'puter. I just got done archiving about 4.5 gigabites of blues mp3's onto one DVD.

"I do not play no rock and roll, y'all. I just play da straight natchal blues. ~Mississippi Fred McDowell.