Left Unfinished

I am bad about starting something and not finishing it.  If the project turns out to be too long in finishing, I tire of it and usually leave it unfinished.  If a project is turning out to not be what I expected it to be I usually leave it unfinished.  Most times what happens is that I begin a project and before getting it finished some other project captures my attention and the first project goes unfinished.  I think if you asked most crafty people, they would tell you the same thing.....that they have TONS of unfinished projects or TONS of projects "in the works!"

But, not so with my sweet husband!  He was not crafty, so he didn't have my problem.  (He used to stand in the door of my craft room and begin gazing around the room s-l-o-w-l-y from where he stood in the door around and back to the other side of the door and then would say to me, "I think my eyes are bleeding!")  If you've seen pictures of my craft room, you totally know what he means.....unless you are crafty, that is!  :)

Tim was a brainiac (the red squiggly line under that word tells me it isn't actually a word, but it should be!).  He ALWAYS, always had a book and pen or highlighter in his hand.  He read books for Bible sermons or lessons that he was preparing for, whether it was current or future lessons.  He underlined or highlighted the things that spoke to him and would then transfer those underlined words to his lesson plans or database.  And eventually they would end up in his sermons or lessons.  (Have I mentioned that he was TOTALLY organized, too?!)  My craft room.....not so much!

Today, I found a book on his computer desk down in the man room.  It was opened to a page that he had obviously spilled a drink on (that happened quite frequently towards the end as his motor control became less and less).  I picked up the book and scanned its pages.  Yes, there was the evidence of his underlining sections of the book to later be recorded in his database.  But, the book was only partially read.  The spilled drink was on pages 54 and 55.  There are 146 pages and then a Study Guide begins and runs through page 202.  This book is obviously a project left unfinished.

The difference between Tim's unfinished project and my unfinished projects is that my unfinished projects were choices I made.  Tim's project was unfinished not because of his choice, but because his health failed to allow him to finish it.  Otherwise, I can guarantee you that it would have been finished!  This is the project that was left unfinished:

After I read the title, I found the book is not at all what I imagined it to be.  I assumed one of the ten struggles of the book would be health related issues.  Well, that may be included in it, but here is what the back of the book states:

"Can the Ten Commandments help you finally break through?  Do you struggle with busyness?  With a temper?  With dishonesty or discontentment?  Whatever it is, find help where it may surprise you:  the Ten Commandments."

"In The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life, Pastor Colin Smith opens up the Ten Commandments to show how there is more to them than meets the eye.  Moving from do's and don'ts to matters of the heart, they become barometers of your love for God.  You'll discover areas of your life that are out of sync with His will, and you'll receive wisdom for living with greater love, strength, and freedom in Christ."

At the beginning of each chapter, one of the Ten Commandments is quoted and then a question is asked.  For example, for the first chapter on the first commandment, this is the quote and question:
"You shall have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:3  Then the question - Do I love God unconditionally?"  Here is one of the things Tim underlined:

"You will never be ready to embrace God fully until you are convinced that He is good.  You may submit to raw power, but you will never love raw power.  That's why it is so significant that God invites you into a relationship of love."

Another portion underlined:
"The same God who spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses speaks to us in Jesus Christ, who has come down to bring us a greater deliverance than God's rescue of His people from their Egyptian holocaust.  Christ came into the world to set you free from your slavery of sin, death, and hell.  Imagine the risen Lord Jesus Christ holding out His nail-pierced hands and saying, "I am the Lord your God.  I gave Myself to deliver you.  Don't put any other gods before Me."  How could you resist such an appeal?"

The last marked portion in this first chapter:
"When Jesus said, "Follow Me," His disciples did not know where He would lead them, and you can't know that either.  Making Christ Lord of your life could get ou into some tough situations.  The nine commandments that follow describe the life God is calling you to lead.  Every one of them will be a struggle.  But God is calling you to take a step of commitment based on trust, because you know that He is God and that He is good.  Are you ready to embrace the Lord as your God unconditionally?"

I'm pretty sure that Tim was headed in the direction of teaching lessons on the Ten Commandments, but we will never know because this project, this book, was left unfinished.  I think I will take up the mantle and read the book and see what I can glean from it to share with you.

In other news, today I left our church after Sunday School to drive to Rockwell, NC to witness the baptism of our granddaughter, Hannah.  One of the first things Tim asked when he came out of the recovery room after his brain surgery on May 8th was whether or not Hannah had been saved yet.  So, since I'm not totally sure that he is able to see what is going on here on earth, I wanted to witness it for his sake.  He loved his grandchildren and prayed for their salvation!  The four oldest ones have made professions of faith, so almost half!  Thank You, LORD, for Your tender mercies and for Your grace You have seen fit to extend to our grandchildren!  I pray you will continue to do so!  I know it will be a grand reunion for Tim if ALL of his grandchildren come to heaven!

The pastor is in the white shirt.  The youth pastor is in the blue shirt.  Five young people were baptized today, Hannah being the first one.  The pastor would ask each candidate, "Hannah, have you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?"  "Yes, sir!"  "Hannah, do you want to follow the Lord in scriptural baptism?"  "Yes, sir!"  "Upon the profession of your faith, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit."  At this point, the youth pastor would begin to baptize the candidate while the pastor continued to speak, "Buried unto the death of sin, risen to walk in newness of life!"

Trust and Obey

1. When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey. 

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

2. Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]

3. But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]

4. Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]