September 7, 2004

Labor Day has come and gone without any actual labor (birthing) beginning yet, so we are still working on the "things to do before baby" list that Doris created. My little brother was born on Labor Day.

Over the weekend, I was able to spend Saturday with my roommate from college (Keith), and his famil. I also helped Rodney hang some drywall on a studio room he is working on in the basement and we attended a picnic with some of our neighbors on Monday afternoon. It was good weekend, except I didn't get the lawn mowed. I started it after the picnic, but it rained on me.

I'm going to commit to pray more seriously, and regularly for Keith. He is looking for happiness in all the wrong places, and hardened himself to the message of Christ. Wade's sermon on Sunday was about Jesus' parable of the soils. Keith is the hardened, compacted soil that is very difficult to for seeds to grow. He'd drop everything to help me or anyone else for that matter, but he doesn't want to admit to anyone that he is lost and hurting. I'm burdened for him.

This afternoon we are expecting Doris' parents to arrive for three weeks or so to help with the baby. They will be bringing their new camper trailer along and parking it in the yard (that is not yet mowed!). I love my in-laws, and I'm glad they are coming, but I'm sure that at the end of three weeks, we are all going to be ready to have some space between us. A goal I'm setting for myself- share my recliner and the remote.

Still enjoying reading in Samuel. Have entered II Samuel now and David has had a couple different opportunities to kill Saul and refuses to cause harm to "The Lord's anointed". It's interesting to ponder on Saul's inner battle. At times he recognizes the Lord's sovereign plan and his imminent fall from the thrown. Yet he continues to try to delay, prevent, and thwart it in attempting to eliminate David. He consults Samuel from beyond the grave through consulting the Witch of Endor. Power and wealth are SO much a potential enemy to complete obedience. Latter David will struggle with the same issues.

I function in a leadership position at church, and therefore hang on to some power. Are my motives always pure? If God's plan is to remove me from that position, will I happily cheer on the new "anointed" predecessor? I pray that I will be fully surrendered to the will of God, no matter what it is.

D-Fresh