Raven

Last Friday night we did the cleanup/resetting shift at the Mennonite Relief Sale.  We stopped at Babbitt's Books in Normal first, which is going out of business.  They had everything at half price so we came away with a few more books for our overflowing shelves.
Working the late shift got us home later than usual, so we bought our donuts first.  Unfortunately, the ice cream booth was shut down by the time we finished our job.

Saturday night we had family come to town for Kayla's testimony and baptism.  We had an overnight guest, chores in the morning, and then had to be at church early Sunday because we served lunch.  The Saturday evening testimonies and the Sunday baptisms made for a blessed weekend, but also a very full and exhausting weekend.

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—

On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—

Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”

               Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Because of my appreciation for good literature, I found it very interesting to hear Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" summarized and quoted in one of the sermons.  It was used as an antithesis to the hope that faith in Christ offers us.

With two farm meetings and two visitation/funerals, this week looks to be busy.

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
2 Corinthians 1:12