PREACHING TO MY PEERS

So this past weekend was a very busy one. We were having an On Mission Celebration at church and in the Red Fork Association. What that means is that every church who was willing would have a missionary in their church on Sunday morning and then we would all meet in Vernon on Sunday evening. This would also coincide with our Red Fork Annual Meeting, we always have a 4pm session that is more of a business type meeting and then a 6pm session that is more of a worship service. Well we always bring a speaker in for the 6pm session, but for the 4pm session we have one of the pastors in the Red Fork speak. And this year it fell to me to preach in the 4pm session, now I was asked a year ago, so I had a full year to get ready. Now this sets the stage for our weekend, by the way, the missionary coming to our church stayed with us, which was great, but that meant getting everything ready, for me that meant the yard, but for my wife that meant the house.
Friday plans: Get a new edger blade and edge the yard, I had not edged it all year, I had just used the weed-eater, which looks good - but not as good as an edger makes it look. Weed-eat around everything else to dress it up and make it look good, and then crank up the riding mower and mow and catch the grass. And have a great looking yard in about 4 or 5 hours. Right? And then work on the house some for my wife, you know, be a good husband. Best laid plans of mice and men....
Friday morning: Get up, strip sheets off bed and wash. Amy needs to get her hair cut, could I possibly watch Zoe for an hour or so, how could I say no? After all I can still be done with the yard by mid-afternoon. So I get to hold Zoe for an hour, best part of my day!!! After Amy and Zoe leave I go get an new edger blade, get it on, edger starts on the first pull, first time it has been started all year. I start edging, about half way done it dies just like it was out of gas or something, it wasn't but I fill it anyway, no good. So the mechanic in me kicks in and I begin to check everything, nothing, still will not start. So fine, I'll just finish with my Weed-eater. I weed-eat about 20 min. and it starts running bad and dies, so once again mechanic me goes to work, no good, starts and dies. I go to Wal-mart for a new spark plug, try it in the edger, nope, in the weed-eater, nope. OK, I'll just mow, riding mower won't start. By now it's getting dark, all day, no yard work. Put everything up and sleep on it.
Saturday morning: During the night I thought about what was wrong with the edger, the carb sits right on top of the gas tank, it must be a plugged screen, therefore no gas. And the weed-eater, must be bad gas, hence start and die. So I drop the gas tank off of the edger, blow our the screen, re-install gas tank, edger starts and runs good, finish edging, day going good. Dump bad gas out of weed-eater only to discover that the plastic tube with the gas filter on it is no longer connected, no gas. take tube out and go buy new tube, install, man I'm good, two for two. Pat myself on the back way too soon, still start and die. Give up and put charger on riding mower, charge and get yard mowed, blow off walks, put cars back where they belong and as I'm walking my very dirty self back into the still not finished, but close, house, although Becky and Amy have been cleaning, I see the missionary drive up, 2 hours early. Can you guess who was in trouble? The yard could have waited, and I really should have been helping inside. But what can I say, it only took me 2 days on a 4 hour job. But it worked out, while Becky and Susan (our missionary) went to the store I mopped the floors and took a shower. That evening we went out to dinner with the missionary and the deacons and wives and Amy and Zach.
Sunday: Had a great service, Susan spoke, gained two new members, and will baptize 3 next week.
Now on to Sunday evening, 4pm session; by the time I got up to preach I didn't have much time left, but it was good. God had given me my scripture text last year at this time.
And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the LORD is God. Joshua 22:34 (NIV)
God gave me a message that was right on key for this year and for the early session and everything that followed, that's the way God works if we will let Him.
Now was I nervous about preaching to my peers, some, but I was more excited to bring what God had given me to bring.
Just another week-end in the Wilson household? I hope not.