9:26 p.m. Today's project was to have a nice brunch with retired friends I'd taught with at Pedley Elementary School in the 1999-2006. Afterwards, Terry was going to have a facial.
Four of us were expected, but Cindy had to babysit her infant grandson earlier this week, and Terry had a new grand baby born last night. So, it was our hostess and me, which obviously the Lord ordained, because as Psalm 139:16 says,
Your eyes saw my substance,
being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were
written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
The two of us enjoyed a lovely lunch together, visited her garden, did lots of talking and compared and commiserated with one another about her 90 year-old mother with Alzheimer's and my Steve. The same "mini-mental" exam Steve failed on Monday, her mother gets about half right. As we talked about our sadness, and the fact that our loved one's not the real person any more, I did mention that only knowing the Lord keeps me going through times of frustration. We both tend to keep busy, she with a large property that constantly needs tending, and me with my business, writing, and Bible studies.
Perhaps what we both need to do is grieve the loss we are experiencing. But rather than seek distraction or an emotional cover-up, we need to give it all over to Jesus! Our Savior said in Matthew 11:28,
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
But we must come to Him first!!
This evening, I took Steve to Wednesday night service, which we may begin doing, because he just struggles too much with all of the small group discussion and interactions at the Men's Study on Tuesday nights. Sadly, I'll just have to miss my Piecemakers group that meets upstairs simultaneously. I'm thinking that this is a good solution to his feeling lost, because on Sunday mornings he does well and stays attentive, because it's only one person, Pastor John, speaking the whole time, so he can focus better. Thank you, Lord, for turning on the light bulb of Holy Spirit wisdom!
My plan was also to retrieve 10 copies of Galatians: An Exploration of Faith and Freedom from the church bookstore after tonight's service, to add to the ones I'll need to have on hand to sell on Saturday at my first signing event.
I'd leave a receipt, and any of the church's books that sell, the money will go the them. (Full retail price, unlike the slightly discounted price they offer church members on all of their books. So that will help them out!) Unsold books will go back to them on Sunday.
When we arrived, the bookstore wasn't open, so we went in and were handed Harvest Crusade materials. I had forgotten that it was a training night for ushers, on-field counselors and follow-up workers for the Anaheim crusade August 12-14, and the LA crusade September 10. Okay, that made this service even more exciting, and brought back memories of years when Steve was an usher, and I led the Prayer Tower and did on-field counseling.
We viewed a short video of hurting people who had gone forward at last year's crusade, and then Pastor John gave a sermon on compassion for the lost, like Jesus has.
It is obvious that I need to be more bold in my witness, but not so obvious as to my being an on-field counselor. Where would Steve be during my time on the field? We'd have to make sure we went with another person or couple. But first--let me pray about it!!
After the service, I got the 9 books the store had left, gave the gal the receipt, and Steve and I went home, satisfied with our evening which we both thoroughly enjoyed. I'll close with the rest of Jesus' saying in Matthew 11:29:
Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Forgive me, Lord, for not coming to You with my burdens for the rest that You alone can offer!
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