I'm looking forward to the weekend. (And not because it's Super Bowl weekend.) Today is my birthday, so what I've asked for is... a family night. It will be a good night at home. I have a suspicion that my wife is cooking some of her ought-to-be famous shrimp and grits, and Emily is cooking me a made-from-scratch cheesecake. We will probably play a game or maybe watch "Secretariat". I have a little bit of a surprise for them, maybe.
This morning started off bad/good. In my quiet time this morning I prayed for Bill Helms, a godly older man in our church. I knew he was close to passing away. I felt the Lord remind me during my prayer time that If Bill died today, he was going to have a much better weekend than me. His wife called about an hour later to share with me that he had just passed.
Tomorrow, Donna and I are going to go out, something we rarely do on Saturdays. For Christmas I had purchased cooking classes for her. That was the one thing I knew she needed least but would enjoy the most. So that is our date tomorrow, taking a cooking class together. Ironically, Jeff and Angela Salyer are going with us. Angela is the second least likely person in the world to need cooking classes. It will be interesting. Maybe Donna and Angela can just teach the class. Jeff and I can handle the eating.
I've been mum on my sermon focus this Sunday because this is going to be one of those difficult messages, but it is important, and I am ready to preach it. It's messages like these that will have the least positive-feedback, but perhaps the most significant impact.
We've got some new church members coming over for lunch Sunday and maybe also some prospects. Still mulling over my Super Bowl plans...
It will be a great weekend!
Noel
P.S.
The Pletchers, some friends who have been in Ukraine for the past two months trying to adopt three little kids, finally return to Ohio tonight. I think they are scheduled to land at CMH at 10:15 p.m.. I can't wait to meet their new children!
