Church conference, completing the move, Becky and Charles

Last night I asked Mama if she would come home today but today is the day they have to go to Denton to make purchases at Sam’s and Costco; no way we can get out of that.


I was in church until after 9 pm last night and it was a struggle to get up this morning. We are having a conference on the Constitution as it relates to the Bible. It was good last night. Tonight the speaker will get into things that are going on in America that few people know about and how many of our liberties have been taken away already.

He spoke about the first time our congress met, that they met for three hours and did nothing but read slowly through Psalms 35 as they prayed and wept for the future of the country they were seeking to establish. They prayed for God’s wisdom, protection and guidance. If we would take three hours today to repeat that exercise today, what a difference it could make. The conference will continue nightly through Sunday. I am sure to be thoroughly worn out be then.

I have given up any idea of making a quick run to Bowie to work there Saturday. I will be too worn out and from what Mama is telling me, Grandpa will need a few days to rest up after the move. He has had to work with two cripples and Mama. The fact that neither of the cripples, Victoria and Grandma, like to move only added to the load he had. But as of last night, the move is complete. Grandma and Victoria will clean in the rental home and Mama and Grandpa will go shopping; Grandpa would rather move again.

Becky and I talked briefly yesterday. I am having a difficult time following the storyline. They are off again-on again with a new twist each time. Last night it was him denying her the use of the car so she could go get to class and later to her clinical training, so she was walking. He, according to her, resents the fact that he had to get a job in order for them to be able to pay the bills, etc, etc, etc. I think the car issue was to keep her from staying with a friend who lives some distance away, but I cannot be sure. Like I said, it is difficult to follow. They need your prayers.

I have told by children repeatedly that, next to salvation, who you marry will have the greatest outcome on the direction of your life. Maybe with Becky I did not pray as hard as I should have but there is no way to know. Every one of my children will have to make those choices as they see fit. I can have very little direct influence on those decisions. With Becky and Charles, we did not even have an indirect influence. It is sad to watch the marriage struggle regardless of how obvious the outcome of that union seemed at the beginning.

I am not sure if it affects my ability to pray for them because I fall into the “I tried to tell you” frame of reference when I consider the hurt they are both doing to each other. I need to back up and see this from God’s perspective. He recognizes the marriage. They are husband and wife and should remain so according to their vows.

I have a coworker who is married to a “raging alcoholic”. The husband was recently hospitalized and gave every appearance of being near death. He lashed out at her for putting him in the hospital, for taking his booze away, for denying his freedom. He abused the nurses and doctors in the same way, yet she begged us to pray for his recovery and his salvation. He is on the mend now and should return home next week. Does she have a reason to not welcome him home? In the world’s eyes, yes; in God’s eyes, no. We are still praying for his salvation.

As I was going through some of the mail that had been placed on the table just inside the front door I came across a door hanger threatening us with a fine if we did not mow our lawn soon. The specific time frame was “in the next several days.” I have no idea who put it there or when, it was not dated but it seemed like an awful waste of time for local law enforcement. As far as I know it was a lawn care company that hung it on our door.

I saved it so Mama could see it.