| Archive for The Gathering Place "The Gathering Place" is a web community where people can gather and make new friends, share ideas, enjoy a few laughs and learn about many interesting things together. It is a safe place where friends can correspond with each other about what they love. |
| smokey the dog |
Black flies at Higgins LakeBLACK FLIES AT HIGGINS LAKEBy Smokey the Dog 2 weekends ago I went camping with some men from our church. On a cloudy Saturday afternoon we drove over to Higgins lake state park near Roscommon Michigan. I chose to sit and watch as several from our group went swimming. In hindsight that may have been the better choice. In any case, I had several black flies attack my ankles while I sat there talking with some others from our group. I couldn’t believe it, but they bit me right through my socks! Finally I liberally sprayed my socks with bug spray, and that was the end of it, or so I thought. Almost a week later my ankles began to itch. I tried several things to get it to stop, and the topical ointments, including one with Benadryl, were only partly effective. Then out of desperation I took an antihistamine tablet, and that actually seemed to help. Now I have these red scabby patches on my ankles that itch, but not nearly so bad as before. I was thinking on this, and it entered my mind that the black flies are like sin. They bite through our socks and later trouble develops. Our socks are like out fleshly defenses, ineffective. The bug spray is like our after the fact efforts to correct the problem with prayer, or Bible reading. The only real cure was an internal one. In the case of sin, being filled with the Holy Spirit is the cure, and the preventative, and Bible study and prayer should be done before going out to the spiritual beach. Maybe next time I go to the beach in August in Michigan I will remember to put the bug spray before, and not after. |
| God's Warrior |
 Very wise of you!
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| smokey the dog |
You know what? I sent our pastor some photos from the men's camping trip, and this story. He posted it on the men's ministry section of our church'e website.
see here; http://peopleplace.org/templates/...tails.asp?id=19753&PID=380616 |
| God's Warrior |
That's very nice. I like your pictures on that site too. It's good to know that your pastor appreciates your endeavors. |
| smokey the dog |
I added a photo to the story. Here it is;
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| God's Warrior |
Excellent photo choice! 
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