Reinstated, God’s training method, schedule

Apparently, Cori felt that I had been displaced when the second recliner was removed so it got inserted back into the floor-plan. She was perhaps more correct than I was willing to admit, but the layout still works as intended. Fortunately, we have a very large room to work with. We even got a chance to test the arrangement last night when we all sat down together to watch something on the repositioned television. It worked out well – even with Seth added to the mix. As I understand it, Seth will be staying in Texas while Norman goes back for the last load from West Virginia. Maybe the success of the layout last night is a portent of how well the new layout will work out when everyone is here at Christmas. I am not sure where we stand on how many of our kids will make it but it should at least include Chase and Makaila in addition to Cori and Nate and the grandkids, Victoria, Seth and Norman, Grandma and Grandpa and anyone else who might show up. I have some time off over Christmas that I plan to thoroughly enjoy; even though I will still have to monitor the company emails.

Over the years, I have learned to trust the Lord when things are not going as I had expected or anticipated. He has an unusual way of getting us trained. When I take time to look back at those circumstances that have given me the most trouble emotionally, spiritually or financially I find that each of those times were preparation for some future need. None of them were experiences I would have volunteered for but having endured (sometimes with a less than thankful attitude) the experience and seeing God work through it, there is always a sense of awe in the intimacy with which God makes all things work together for our good and His Glory; not just for me, but for so many who benefited through the testing/trials – the proving of our faith. It has often been said that what gets measured gets managed and what gets exercised gets stronger. So, it would not be a stretch to assume that our faith will be measured and exercised. I feel like I am in one of those testing periods now, but time will tell. If I am in one of the periods of testing it will be interesting to see what the outcome is; what I am learning, why I am learning it and who will be affected by it. The Bible says that the trying of our faith brings patience and patience brings experience and experience brings hope. More than that, because in that hope we will not be ashamed. (Rom 5:3-5 loosely translated) Individual, intimate, life changing training. Only God can provide that kind of training.

Starting tomorrow we will be busy every evening for the rest of the week – until Monday evening to be exact. Most of those activities are related to Christmas; cantata practice, Sunday School Class party, work Christmas Party, then church – during which we will be doing the Christmas play with the choir accompaniment. We have been working on the choir numbers for several weeks and I feel fairly confident that we will do well but Thursday night’s practice will begin to tell. That combined with additional practices on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon should give us the full confidence to get through the program. It is not that we did not start early enough. The issue has been getting a pianist. Hopefully, we have worked that out and in the short time left to us we will get everything ready. 

That has been a bit of a trial also, but not one I am going through alone.