Lee-ve Me Alone

I just got back from Mississippi and a visit with my family there. I loved the visiting part, but Tropical Depression "Lee" left me majorly depressed by his appearance in South Mississippi at almost the exact same moment I arrived there. Seriously - it was bone dry for 431 of the 432 miles I drove down there; then about a mile from my destination raindrops began pattering on my windshield. They haven't stopped since. Lee arrived when I did, stayed while I was there, and I drove home in him the whole 432 miles home, only to find he had arrived here before me. And he is still here!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. This was my first trip back to MS since my closest cousin died (other than for his funeral). I suppose the trip was tailor-made trip for a tropical depression, dreary skies, rain, bluster, yuck... To top it off, I missed most of my Bible reading while there. Catching up meant reading all twelve chapters of Ecclesiastes this morning. Old King Solomon really knows how to inspire the down-hearted!

"So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind" Eccles. 2:17.  "And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Eccles 4:4. "'Meaningless, meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Everything is meaningless!'" Eccles. 12:8.  Solomon uses the word "meaningless" about 250 more times in his inspirational epistle. Blech!

The good news is we have begun a new month, Lee has about blustered himself out, Family Fest is less than a week away, and new opportunities abound right here at home. And so, even though "misery may weigh heavily on me" Eccles. 8:6, I think I'm going to follow what Solomon calls the "conclusion of the matter:" "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Eccles. 12:13).  Bring it on world! Whatcha got?