Nelson’s journal 3/13/22    

Nelson isn’t feeling like his regular self these days, and symptoms of “sickness,” as he calls it, seem to be increasing. The only thing to do is start visiting doctors to find out what’s wrong.

Baby is 11 days overdue, but that doesn’t seem worrisome.

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March 13, 2022    

I’ve had this sickness for the past couple weeks, and it doesn’t get any better. I stopped exercising altogether because I’m trying to listen to my body so it gets better. Not like anything I’ve had before. Just lingers on, lots of symptoms, just generally feel “sick.” Lots of aches and pains.

Maybe I have this sickness so I’ll spend more time here at the house with Mom and Annso, instead of working. It seems to be fairly spiritual. I did a bunch of blood work yesterday so we’ll see what comes back from the doc about that.

Anyway, I’m preaching next Sunday, and it’s probably going to be one of the last times. We will probably turn the church over to the people who own the property, which means we won’t even be going there anymore—not a partial thing, but nothing.

For some reason, I don’t have a problem with it and actually feel quite relieved, like there is a burden off my shoulders. I think Mom and Annso hold onto it more than I do. It’s been 6 years.

Mom is here for the birth of our little baby boy, but he’s taking his sweet time. Almost 2 weeks overdue. People ask constantly, but all we can tell them is “nothing yet.” It’s like we are celebrities and people are all over us about the details of our lives. But those same people are the ones who’ve given us so many gifts that we have no need whatsoever.

We haven’t spent anything at all on our baby except the fee for the midwife. Funny, the birth would have been free if we went to the hospital because we have the insurance that covers it. But we are doing it this way at home because we want it to be more peaceful. I’ve never been through it, but I’ll make an assessment once we’re on the other side of it.

Doors open and close. I was thinking I would work for Tim, the electrician, and preach at the church as a bi-vocational pastor, but now I’m leaning the other way and just going with the thing God seems to keep calling me back to, a full time YWAMer. Annso and I like “YWAM Days” and in that calling, you don’t have the “Sunday Scaries” as Klaus [brother] called them last night, where people dread going back to work for the week. I guess I should go with the thing I’ve always gone with. A job is always there and always waiting. I learned that with Tim. If you work hard, you have nothing to worry about. It will always be waiting for you.

Thank you Lord for the life we have here and for the baby boy who is about to be born. I pray against fear and sickness that tries to invade our lives constantly. Thank you for Mom being here and how we were able to hang out yesterday and shop and talk about stuff. I pray we can make the most of the 2 weeks we have here together.

I pray for the service this morning, that we can meet with you, praise you, worship you, and do the best we can at the end of the Little Red Church, as we know it, as it changes hands.

What is next? I pray for Hans [brother] as he is trying to make the decision about being a pastor or not. I pray you would show me what to do for him if there is anything you would like me to do in the way of encouragement or anything. Please direct our steps today. Amen.

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“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Nelson’s journal 3/10/22    

As their overdue baby boy continues to stay snuggled within Ann Sophie, Nelson continues to struggle with the leap from YWAM work (no two days alike) to electrician work (all days much the same). He’s aching to make the right decision at this pivotal point in his life.

He still has 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 on his mind as a new day dawns, focusing on his dilemma by tapping out the pros and cons on his laptop…while staying close by, in case this might be the day he officially becomes a father.

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March 10, 2022 

From 2 Chronicles 16:Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand… Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing…”

This passage might be applied to a person who is making a plan where his own idea or way out of a situation takes precedence over relying on God. I have this scenario set up to start working for Tim as a full time electrician instead of what we are now doing, which will include moving to Kama’aina Hale instead of Hale Ola (both on the Big Island of Hawaii).

Annso and I differentiate days from one another by whether they are “YWAM Days” or not. YWAM days are full and unpredictable. You don’t get paid and can’t amass a pile of treasure for yourself, but you have lots of people in your life, and it’s a little more complicated.

I look forward to the work of YWAM days and dread the regular working days. Working days are simple. You trade time for money and get a skill out of the deal. YWAM days are “Jack of all trades, master of none” kind-of-days. The working days are “master of one.” I’m just writing it out because it helps me process it, so I don’t make a mistake.

We have plenty of everything. We lack nothing. Mom came in last night. She’s here to meet our little guy when he comes. He’s already 8 days late and they’ll let him go until 2 weeks I think. I don’t mind how long he takes, just so he’s ok in there.

Mary Helen from church said her second born was 1 month overdue. Mom said last night that most of her friend Katey Warton’s babies were 10 month babies, too. So what do I know? All I want is a healthy baby. Everything else is ok.

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“When you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand.” (2 Chronicles 16:8)

Nelson’s journal 3/9/22

Nelson started every day with Scripture and prayer. He didn’t always have time to journal, but this early morning hour with his heavenly Father was the impetus for the rest of his day. It put the Lord’s agenda at the top of his own, and after that first-hour, he counted on God’s guidance through the hours that followed. 

Today’s entry is a scriptural quote that powerfully influenced him on that March morning. He wanted to be that verse 9 guy, the one with a heart fully committed to his Lord. 

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March 9, 2022 

2 Chronicles 16:7-9:

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen?

“Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”

I was just reading a journal entry from March 6, 2014. What a different time. I had no idea what was coming. I was asking you for wisdom, Lord, just the same as now.

You have done so much for and in me since then. Even just that recently life was so much simpler, no masks to wear, not as much control coming from authority.

Love the verse above. “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (v.9)

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“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)