Answered prayers, cautious optimism, Walter, teaching days

Mama and I have been through a dearth of sorts lately. We have prayed fervently for several issues in our lives. Most of the issues are what would seem small to those who are not directly affected by them, but added together, they have presented a challenge for me and Mama. The constant breakdowns of items in and around the home, the loss of items which have significance to me and Mama, the continuous delays on projects that need to get done at the farm, in the house and in the lives of our children and praying friends. For a time, it appeared that there was no intervention from the Lord. That seems to have changed as of Saturday. Repairs have been made. Items have been found or replaced. Often the replacement a significant improvement over what was lost. Prayers are being answered in the lives of our friends and children. Bold prayers. Spirit guided prayers. We still face the hurdle of overcoming significant delays, but there too, the Lord is moving. We rejoice in that. There are still significant prayer needs in the lives of several of our children; health needs, financial needs, daily needs for Godly wisdom. God will answer each of those in His time. In His own perfect way. Meanwhile, we will continue to apply ourselves to prayer. The recent encouragement has been welcome.

I am cautiously optimistic about our houses in Lawton. Yesterday, after much prayer, I sent an email to our relator, Glenn. It was written in a way that is truly reflective of me. I conveyed our disappointment. I conveyed our sense of wounding that promises had not been kept. It reinforced our continued faith in Glenn to make this happen as he has for many other investors. It was a risk on my part. A risk of being misunderstood or misrepresented. I got the response this morning. It was the response I had hoped for. Praise the Lord! Hence, the cautious optimism. We have two houses in Lawton that need to be finished, marketed and sold before we can move forward. Almost all of our cash is tied up in those two properties. Little has been done to get that work completed despite the promises. Perhaps that will change now. We will see.

Maggie has had some major issues with Walter recently. Anger issues. Serious anger issues. Like many young boys going through the life changes brought about by entering school – the anxiety of learning while competing with everyone around you, the hours of sitting, trying to concentrate on material that is all new. Intent on doing well. Frustrated through and through that someone else understands what you do not. Someone else gets to answer the only question you knew the answer to. Further frustrated and embarrassed by the question asked of you that you did not know the answer to. He does not even realize where the anger is coming from. He does not know how to combat it. He often times does not want to combat it. Anger makes us feel strong. It makes us feel like we have overcome instead of being overcome. And right now, everything going on in Walter’s life makes him feel like he is being beaten. All of the emotions he is unknowingly dealing with will make him a strong and able man someday. So, Maggie and those around her must find a way to help Walter feel like he has some control without giving him control – especially through a manipulative, angry outburst. It is a common, albeit challenging parenting issue. Maggie and Walter (and Cathryn) need our prayers right now.

I will be teaching classes tomorrow and Thursday. I enjoy the teaching aspect of this job. When I am presenting the classes, the day seems to fly by. Each of the four or five classes I teach are eight hours long – more or less. We have had very few complaints about the duration of the classes. In fact, many times, there is feedback that we should have offered more time for the class. That may be forthcoming. There is such a need for the content of the classes we present, but there is also a need to improve and update that content; to step up our game in authorizing presenters to give the class who are industry experts. That too, may be forthcoming.

Anyway, I will be out of the office for the next couple days – doing what I am hired to do.