Extra day, success, wisdom

I left work yesterday after being there only an hour or so. I was hurting too badly to sit. When my diverticulitis pains me that much there is little I can do except be ready to get to the bathroom every time the cramps require it. That is unpleasant while at the office. At home, it is not pleasant either, but it is less stressful. The pain started to abate in the early afternoon. I have found that if I can find something to do that keeps my mind and body active, I can deal with the pain more effectively. So, yesterday, I changed and started doing some small things around the farm.

Mama and Victoria took the kids to Gainesville to visit the zoo. They had a great time there. While they were out I put down fabric on the ground between the fence and the driveway. Mama and I have talked about covering that entire area with gravel, so I started yesterday. It was mostly light duty work. The tractor does a lot of the work. All I had to do was put prepare the area for the gravel. There is so much gravel to choose from in the gravel yard nearby that it took me a while to stumble upon the form of crushed stone I was looking for. While doing so, I found a pile of rocks the size Mama is looking for to landscape the circle entry to our property. I also found a plie of fine gravel to help with the project. Getting to the pile will be a challenge, but I think we can work something out when the time comes.

To cover only half of the area I eventually need to cover took four bucket loads of the gravel I had selected. The pile was a bit further into the massive gravel yard than what I had gotten over the weekend to fil in the area opened at the shop when we moved the fence. Each trip took about twenty minutes, so I was not exactly setting a blistering pace throughout the project – but I did get off to a good start. At least it looked like I had done something big by the time Mama, Victoria and the kids got back from their outing.

Cori and Nate reported that they had found the house they wanted to start off with in their ministry in Honduras. I have not seen pictures yet. Those are on hold because, as I understand it, the house is a tad rough. Victoria explained that Cori and Nate want to give the presentation of the home to the kids with lengthy explanations of how each room will be finished, furnished and decorated and which of the children will stay in each of the rooms. I will share pictures as I get them. What I would really like to do is go with them to get the house rehabilitated – but, at present, I cannot see that happening. Now Cori and Nate will get the paperwork, the payments and all other pertinent items taken care of so that they can occupy the house in only a few short weeks. They will fly into Houston tomorrow and be home late that night. All will be packed up from the farm and they will head down the road for their final meetings Saturday afternoon. They will probably not be back to the farm again before they relocate to the field. It has taken a little less than two years to get them to this point, but it feels like it happened very quickly.

We are in a Soul Winning conference at church which will continue tonight and Friday night. We desperately need to do better in that area of our faith but there is still a strong disconnect between wanting to be a good witness and being a good witness. Prayers for God’s wisdom have been a continual request on my part and God has generously answered those prayers – especially as I have been faithful to go out witnessing.  Proverbs 11:30 says, “The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.”

I have always wanted to be wise. Here is a clear thought on how I can be.