House Number 2 in the Crosshairs

The Haps

The house we're trying to get now.
Tara calls it a "cottage", but I prefer "castle".

We're negotiating on a different house now, one that we first looked at last weekend. It's an impressive place, much costlier than the other one but without all the issues it has. Tara and I are pretty much in love with it. 


It has a lot of space, including a completely renovated basement with a big "man room" for my instruments and my Total Gym. If I ever record another album, that will be the room where it happens. I'd like to get back into podcasting, too, if my career and family allow me the time I would need.

Tara is 28 weeks pregnant now.
I finally took a good picture of her!

It's looking like church could keep us pretty busy, too. We joined this church last Sunday after our first visit. We attended a membership class at the pastor's house and were pretty hooked. They expect a lot out of their members, so we'll probably be just as involved there as we were at our church in Saratoga.


Thoughts
I hate to complain, but we're so sick of this hotel. They're not even trying to actually clean our room anymore. It's a relatively cheap room, as hotels go, but the cost adds up really fast. We're paying a lot more to live here than we were paying at our nice condo in New York, so it would be nice if our quality of life were a little better than it is now. As it stands, we're very motivated to get outta here.


Today's Scripture
2 Samuel 9 (NKJV)
Key Verse: (1) "Now David said, 'Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?'"


Reflection
This short chapter gives us a strong glimpse at the true nature of David's character. We all know about his incredible relationship with his friend Jonathan. I wonder if he feels guilty over the deaths of Jonathan and Saul. He showed no mercy to the man who confessed to killing Saul at his own request, to end his misery (chapter 1). It was the Philistine army who killed Jonathan and mortally wounded Saul, and it was an Amalekite who struck the death blow. But that man went straight to David, probably expecting him to be happy about it. David seemed to go out of his way to show the Israelites that Saul's death was not at all what he had wanted.


Now David is desperate to do anything he can for Jonathan, and since he can't do anything in life, he wants to do something for his family. How happy he must have been to find out that not only did Jonathan have a son still living, but that this son was lame in both feet and had been cut off from Saul's servants somehow. It must have been a great relief to know that he could honor Jonathan's memory for the rest of his life by showing great kindness to his son.


When was the last time I sought to honor someone or show them kindness when I wasn't expected to? I think about that whenever it's time to buy a gift for a family member or friend. There are so many times when I'm expected to show kindness that I sometimes forget to honor someone because they deserve honor, or that I should show someone kindness because God's word says I should and it's the right thing to do. Maybe I should take a lesson from David and really think about other people once in a while, and not just what I can do for myself and my wife.


Prayer
Lord, is there anyone to whom I can show kindness this week? Whom can I honor who wouldn't be expecting it? What difference can I make in someone's life for Your sake?


Thank You for showing us the ultimate kindness by sacrificing Your Son. Thank You, Jesus, for teaching us how to live for God's glory, and thank You for Your death and resurrection. May we give You all the glory You deserve; we pray in Your name.


Final Thoughts
Ok, it's time for babies to get down. They started out in a yin-yang formation, but they were both breech at our last ultrasound. I read that using headphones to play music for them in the womb might be useful for encouraging them to get down, turn around, go to town and boot scootin' boogie to where they're supposed to be for birth. I wonder if that song would work!