Follow Me!

One Thanksgiving Day after my sister had hosted a wonderful family dinner, she invited me, my honey lamb and a brother to stay awhile longer and linger outside around her pool house.

We took a large fruit tray and a bottle of wine -- leftovers from the big feast. Since it was a chilly evening we had the fireplace lit and enjoyed a hot tub.

When time to go we gathered our things and turned off the pool house lights. In the darkness, my husband picked up the tray carrying the fruit and bottle of wine.  And I asked, "Do you want me to lead the way?"  With confidence he said, "Follow me!"

Within seconds, forgetting the sides of the pool curved, he walked fully dressed into the dark chilly pool, tray floating and fruit bobbing around him.

I know you're supposed to be helpful when something like that happens, but I laughed so hard I was doubled-over. In fact, I couldn't stop laughing because with clothes drenched he had nothing to wear home but an old trench coat my sister had found for him.


my honey lamb

To this day, with great delight we recall that story and somehow it still evokes that same hilarity. By the way, we never found the bottle of wine. Maybe it was pitched over the fence.

Needless to say, that night I did not follow my husband's exact instructions even though his last words before the incident were, "Follow me." I have followed my honey lamb, in a sense, over the past thirty-one years of our marriage and he leads me in the right direction. Just not that night.

In today's gospel, our Lord Jesus says to a scribe, "Follow me..." Mt 8:22 We can certainly count on him to lead us in the way of righteousness. And psalm 103 describes what happens when we walk in his ways. We can trust him to:

• forgive our sins
• heal our diseases
• redeem our life
• crown us with steady love and mercy  

May you be blessed with the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace...as you follow him wherever He goes!

Sheila
p.s. keep your sense of humor