Our Final Week in New York

The Haps
Listening to: A mix of alternative country, sixties avant-pop, soul jazz and general weirdness at Pandora.com.


Can anyone help me with the spacing on this blog? It's weird that this is the default formatting. Why is there so much space between paragraphs? I can't figure out the HTML.


This was a tough week, and I'm still pretty tired since I had to get up at 6:15 today to attend my last Gideons meeting.


Besides packing boxes, I had to spend late hours working on my last project for my current company. If not for Tara organizing the move and finding us a temporary place to live, I don't know how I would be ready to leave town on Friday. Thank you, God, for such an amazing marriage relationship! It's the biggest blessing in my life, by far.

"I'm as hot as ever!"
She didn't really say that, of course.
That's my own opinion.

Tara is about to attend her second baby shower this morning. She hit 24 weeks this week (that's six months for the mathematically challenged like me). Here's a picture! My pictures of her never do her any justice, sadly.

Oh, and a friend and her new baby came up from Manhattan to spend the night with us tonight. Should be fun!


Tomorrow at church Tara and I will be putting on a mini-worship concert with our pianist friend Joel. I've been pretty excited about it. The setlist, our final one at this church, is all about God's love and glory and will go like this (but with keyboard and acoustic guitar only): "God In Heaven", "God's Romance", "Beautiful One", "How He Loves", "Lord You Have My Heart", "You Never Let Go".


We're leaving Saratoga on Friday, so my next post will be from...elsewhere. Wherever I can find an internet connection, I guess. I start work on August 9th.


Thoughts
On future hobbies, if there's ever time for such things again: Anyone can write a book. I've recorded a twelve-song rock album and made it available to the entire world, all for under $25. And it ain't half bad, in my opinion. I've proven to myself it can be done, and I can do it again, even better. If I can find the time and energy!


Copies sold since its release in March: None.


Regrets regarding my achievement: None. Until November, I'll consider it the greatest thing I've ever created.


Today's Scripture
2 Samuel 6 (NKJV) [Right, I haven't read since last Saturday except for church, Monday Bible study and Gideons this morning. That's why I'm doing this!]
Key verse: (13) "And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep."


Reflection
This is kind of hilarious to me. Despite the sad death and marital strife seen here, this is a relatively happy chapter of the Old Testament. David was determined to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem, the center of God's holy land and the capital of Israel. But this was no ordinary box, and God wanted his holy object to be recognized as something that represented himself to his people. The respect you have for his ark is in correlation with the respect you have for him. If he killed a man for disrespecting the ark, it's no wonder he destroyed all of Jerusalem for killing his Son, leaving no stone on top of another!


After God killed the man who tried to save the ark from falling off a cart, David was upset, and you and I probably would've been, too. When he saw that the family who kept the ark in their house for three months was blessed, he decided it was safe to try again. I bet he put it on a better cart this time!


I can just imagine those first few steps. David must have been ready for something terrible to happen, because as soon as they'd gone six steps, he called out, "Stop! Everybody praise the Lord! Get the sheep and sharpen the knives!" (Or something along those lines.)


What happened to our fear of the Lord? We're reading Judges in our group Bible study, and it's so obvious there how quickly we forget God from one generation to the next. We talked the other night about how God really has to shake a generation to get their attention and make them remember the God of their fathers. I believe it's only a matter of time before that happens here in North America and hopefully other places. I believe there will be an ultimate revival around the world and that "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3) when God's  promises are fully fulfilled. 


Based on biblical history, something drastic is probably going to have to take place before that happens. Like David, I might get upset with the Lord when it does, but I will trust him in all things and wait for the glorious end. He loves his children, and we will know victory in a way the nation of Israel never did.


Prayer
Lord, when awful things happen in this world, may I recognize your voice in the thunderclouds and trust in you. May I sacrifice my heart in praise and worship each day, for you and you alone are worthy.


Please keep Tara and the babies healthy. Help her blood pressure especially, Father. And please be with us during this move. We need you, and we will recognize your presence as we travel. Please help us to find a good house, too.


Thank you, in Jesus' name.


Final Thoughts
Goodbye Saratoga Springs, New York State, and everyone we know here. We'll never forget you. This was our first home as a married couple, and it will always have a special place in our hearts. Our family at New Horizon Church will especially be missed, as will the amazing family for which Tara worked as a nanny for two years. My company...not as much. I'm just hoping right now that the next one won't be any worse.


Thank goodness for Facebook! Let's keep in touch! Seriously!

Less Than Two Weeks From Moving

The Haps
By now most of our friends know we're moving to Ohio so I can start work on August 9th. Everything's so crazy. Tara will be six months' pregnant soon, and we're moving ten hours away. But we'll be so much closer to family, so it's so worth it.


Tara is having her first of two baby showers right now. This one's in Alabama. She left yesterday and won't be back until Wednesday.

Neavey at just over a pound. Actual size shown?

I packed my first box last night. I had no idea I've amassed so many sweaters! I guess that's what happens when you live in the Great White North for two-and-a-half years.


I decided to write down my thoughts and prayers in a public way because I know this is the most important time in my life for me to be devoting time to God and scripture. I must confess I've not done that much lately. I've been teaching teenagers at church, leading worship on Sundays and serving as chaplain in my Gideons group, but I've not been taking the time to be close to the Lord myself. I'm hoping that will change as this public blog keeps me accountable. I can at least do this for a few minutes on Saturdays.

Abbey, also just over a pound. She's a thumb sucker.

Thoughts
We're gonna miss this place. We've met so many good people. They're different from what we were used to. Most of our church friends grew up as Catholics. It's been great growing with them while we've been here.


Today's Scripture
2 Samuel 5 (NKJV)
Key verses: (23-24) "...So David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, 'Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.'"


Reflection
I've really been into action novels and movies for the past year or two, so it's a great time to be reading 2 Samuel. It's truly action-packed. The Lord was strong with David, even though he had many wives and concubines (v. 13). Does the Bible ever actually say it was wrong of David and Solomon to have so many women? Not that I'm looking for a harem--I love Tara very, very much!


I'm amazed at the clear direction God gives people in the Bible, including the New Testament. Very rarely does it ever tell us what it actually looked or sounded like. God said it, and his people responded. If someone in the future writes about my life, will they say that God told Scott to move to Ohio to raise his new family, and Scott obeyed the Lord? Did the Bible heroes ever feel unsure whether they were actually hearing God's voice?


"Circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees." The Creator of the world said that to David! Our Father, who is one with our Savior, Jesus the Son. Such clear direction. Yes, God ordered a lot of fighting and killing, but his people didn't complain about it much. I have no doubt that these were truly evil and horrible people that the Israelites were removing from the land God gave them.

My amazing wife, Tara! 
The parties pictured above are enclosed therein.

Anyway, I want to be this close to God! There have been times when I felt I was almost that close. How could I let that go? Paul said that married people have less time to devote to God. I can see why! But Tara is definitely the kind of wife that is a help in my relationship with God, rather than a stumbling block.


Prayer
Lord, when you speak, may I be close enough to hear you clearly. May I look to you in all things.


Thank you for your incredible blessings. I could never deserve them.


Please bless Tara for her hard work and faithfulness. Help her and the babies to be extremely healthy throughout this move. Please show us the house you want us to live in, and the church you want us to serve in. And please direct Tara to the best doctor for her. Also please help my mom and Uncle Randy to be healthy. In Jesus' name.


Final Thoughts
There is so much to do, and I still have to work hard for my current employer until August 4th. What would I do without my Tara? Even pregnant, she's such a hard worker. I don't know how I'd make this move if not for all her help.


Time to have some leftover Chinese takeout, put on my favorite music and go pack boxes until I'm exhausted. Until next time, be well!