Sleeping in, proper focus

It will be a relief to sleep in tomorrow morning. We still have Soul winning in the morning and services in the evening but it will be nice to catch up on a few hours of sleep before it all starts. I have a lot to do to get Mama and I on a proper bed, but we are making do with what we were able to set up quickly the day of the move, so there is no desperation in the desire, only the need to be finished with one more project in putting this house in order.


I have been hammered this month financially with final bills, transfers of service fees and deposits to begin service at two locations. The Lord has been good in providing all the needs we have but there is not much left over. I can remember praying as I drove from the interstate to the farm in West Virginia, if I could make $25, 000 per year, Mama and I could make it. At the time I did not have a steady job. The kids were still young. Victoria was just out of diapers. It would not have taken much. Those days are long gone. There was nothing left over then (speaking strictly of money) and we had just a little more than nothing. There is nothing left over now and we have quite a lot.

Fortunately we have always been happy. Most times we have been thankful. Sometimes we have wondered if we missed God as we muddled through. Never did we question our faith to the point of despair - only our faithfulness. Looking back now we can see how God was always good beyond our ability to understand; carrying that forward, for God never changes, we can rest in the fact that He will always work to our good and His glory.

I have a Google image of the farm hung up in my office along with the recent tax bill we got, a prayer list that goes along with the development of the farm, and a prayer list for my wife and children. Rarely would anyone come in close enough to inspect them so I can keep them close enough to keep things on my mind. I am mostly thankful at what God is doing. I have to admit to some degree of worry because His time is not my time and my time is the only time I can reason through. Since I am not ahead of this looking back I have to remember I have been here before and God always exceeded my expectations.

Today is Friday, Maggie and Aaron’s day. Maggie and Aaron have some very specific needs; some of those needs feel quite urgent. I do not write them on the prayer list because they are too personal for just anyone to see, but when I do not write them down I struggle to remember to pray for them as though they were urgent to me - personally. I am too caught up in the things I can see rather than the things I cannot see. I struggle to remember that what I see will pass away. It will die. It will rot. It will rust. What I cannot see is eternal and deserves the focus of my attention. Boy, have I been off on that.

Leading up to Matt 6:33 is a long list of things we think about too much; food, clothing, shelter, savings accounts, etc. We are admonished to seek first the kingdom of God and let Him add all these things to our lives.

God knows that is difficult but He expects us to do it anyway.