The wind often blows straight out of the west. When this happens in the winter, State Route 13 between North Manchester and Wabash becomes a tricky road. With the wide-open fields and no wind breaks, snow is whipped along as fast as the wind is blowing. This covers SR 13 and makes the road quite hazardous, especially as the snow is packed down and turned to ice. Going home one day I felt the wind pushing my car sideways and the car sliding because of the lack of traction. I hit a patch of dry pavement and got the car fully under control, but I really hate that feeling of sliding.

         When I got home, I got on the computer and started looking for vehicles with all wheel drive. I do not need all the bells and whistles that it seems most people need, I just wanted to see the cost of a simply equipped, all wheel drive. I finally found a site that let me ‘build my own.’ It gave me the base model and then let me put all the stuff on it I needed. Everything I needed was already in the base model, so no bells and whistles for me. It also let me figure my probable monthly payment. That was when I decided I did not want a new car. My seven year old, front wheel drive, 42 MPG that I have named Betsy is not so bad after all. In fact, this week I am treating her to a new set of tires and a brake job. I am just going to keep her.

         And that was all I did. I got supper ready and sat down to watch a documentary (a real wild life).

         By noon the next day my e-mail inbox was full of all kinds of offers and deals on new and used vehicles. Trucks, cars, even motorcycles. I also got a note from the company I use to monitor my bank accounts and credit status to watch out for identity theft. They told me that there had been some inquires on my credit. I responded to none of it and it is finally easing up. I had not filled out an on-line credit application or anything like that. I was just looking at cars.

         My mistake in life was buying a jacket, on-line, a few months ago from my old seminary. I got it and haven’t worn it because I don’t like it. It is different from the picture. (I should know better) Other than that, I don’t buy anything on line. So that purchase was all it took. My financial information and, for some reason, my credit scores are all out there.

         Then, and I don’t know if this is related, I got my statement from my credit card company telling me I have been upgraded to a rewards card and I now have 30,000 miles. I don’t know what that means. They cannot be frequent flyer miles. I have been on five flying trips in the last 45 years. Once you have seen clouds from the other side, the thrill of flight is gone. And once your plane has been struck by lightning, it no longer feels safe. So, I am not a frequent flyer. I can go months and months without using a credit card. One for gas, one for general use. And a debit card, which I do use but the only reward there is that it lightens my checking account. So now, to be told I have 30,000 miles is baffling. I do know that the circumference of the earth at the equator is in the neighborhood of 25,000 miles. So, does this mean I can travel around the earth for free and still have miles left? I think I would do that trip.

         The point is, our personal information is all over the internet. Very few really worry about it. The attitude is, “So what? I have nothing to be ashamed of.” But then, when it cost you money, it becomes a bother. And the noose is tightening. My son is a smart young man. Instead of using a credit or debit card to make on-line purchases, h would go to Wal-Mart and get a Wal-Mart Visa money card. Then he would make his order that way. No way to trace his information. But now you have to activate those cards on-line, so your information is still out there.

         People have their identity compromised on Facebook and other social media platforms all the time, and still use them. We buy on-line on a regular basis without thought. It used to be that our social security numbers were not to used as ID, but now it is a standard thing.

         And with all this information, the primary goal is to separate you from your money. No one is trying to help you. No one is looking out for your best interests.

         About fifteen years ago a woman came to me. She had been phished. It is pronounced as ‘fished’ and referred to someone gaining your banking information and then taking money from your account. I don’t know if this is still a thing, but for a while it was something everyone was afraid of. This woman was distraught as she told me her tale. We talked about how easy, even then, it was for someone to do something like that. “Pastor, its almost like they are God and know everything about you. That is what has always bothered me about God. So creepy. He knows everything about me!” God being ‘creepy’ had never entered my mind. Santa Claus, yes but not God. I explained that God knowing us was like a parent knowing what was going on with their children. But she insisted that it was creepy. This told me that there was something going on with her that she wanted to hide from God. She got phished again about six months later. She was more worried about God looking out for her than she was about someone stealing from her.

         In Matthew 10 Jesus refers to the hairs on our head being numbered, or counted. This is in a portion of Scripture telling us of God’s care and love for us. God is not being ‘creepy.’ He is just being a better parent than any of us will ever be.

         God knows my need before I ever do. God knows I am going to start to slide and puts a patch of dry road in place. God knows I am going to run into someone I haven’t seen in three months and he is going to put that person’s name on my tongue. I don’t mind that God knows me so well, because I know He is not going to hurt me or cheat me or steal from me. To tell you the truth, it really bothered me that I was suddenly deluged by car ads. But God took that concern away and gave me peace about how to deal with it.

         I am just going to continue my relationship with Betsy.