November 4. No rain last night.
Lots of people got back last night after dark. Some of them quite late.
Jevin didn’t show up to ring the bell this morning so Daddy rang the first bell. Max was here for Bible school this morning. Daddy had him ring the second bell. He said he didn’t go to Okapa because he was sick after working in the garden on Monday.
Kelly is fixing up Molu’s house as a couple young lady nurses are supposed to be coming to work here.
Very busy this evening with lots of worksheets to prepare for school tomorrow.
"For my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2Corinthians 12:9 A primary qualification for serving God with any amount of success, and for doing God's work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own weakness. When God's warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own might, when he boasts, "I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm and my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory," defeat is not far distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for "it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall return with their gay banners trailed in the dust, and their armour stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve Him in His own way, and in His strength, or He will never accept their service. That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth He casteth away; He will only reap that corn, the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before He will put His own into thee; He will first clean out thy granaries before He will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in His battles but the strength which He Himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.
"When I am weak then am I strong,
Grace is my shield and Christ my song." —Morning and Evening
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“The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.” Psalm 64:10
Novmber 5. Still no rain. But still water coming from the top of the mountain. Thank you, Lord, for water.
Manila was at the gate and ready for school at 7:00 this morning. I wasn’t quite ready, but started school not too much later than that. It was nice to be done with school early and have a little time before dinner to get some other things done.
Wan worked a while today on getting one of the trees cut down, one that he had cut branches off before. Got part of it cut down, but he got pretty hot so took a break. Didn’t come back today and work on it any more though.
Didn’t sleep well last night and am really tired this evening. Was on my feet for a couple hours before and after supper, preparing greens for dinner tomorrow, making supper, making granola, doing dishes.
“1To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. 2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. 3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. 4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. 5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: 6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: 7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. 8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. 11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. 12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. 13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” Psalm 65
November 6. No rain last night, but a good rain this evening. Praise the Lord for rain! Also a beautiful morning for the clothes to dry. And for His strength today for the many tasks that needed to be done.
There was a pretty good sized rat in the trap in the schoolroom this morning. That’s the first sign we’ve seen of a rat since the day I scared the other one out of the schoolroom.
After lotu there was laundry to do. In between loads, I worked on peeling potatoes and getting them ready along with onions, mushrooms, herbs, etc. for soup for the weekend. Had to use canned vegetables this time. Elisabet’s mother came by this afternoon and said she will bring a pumpkin on Monday. It will be a blessing to have another pumpkin. The people say they are still short on food, particularly kaukau and pumpkin right now.
Nukawai and Mequ also came while we were doing laundry. I talked with them while Daddy was filling up the machine with rinse water; and Daddy talked with them while I got the first load of clothes in to rinse. They came to let us know that they also want to do right and help build a strong Independent Baptist Church. That makes six families now, plus Maraqorena. We thank the Lord for all of them.
The day was already getting quite warm by the time I finished hanging out clothes. Worked on cleaning the bathroom this morning as it is usually a lot hotter in there in the afternoon. Daddy went out and got the clothes in while I was finishing up dinner preparations.
Wan and Gibson finished cutting down the pine tree out back that he had cut the branches off before. Also cut down that scrawny one that had been dead for some time. They have been gathering poles, and are going to make a woodshed out there.
After nap this afternoon, I worked on checking the Pidgin translation of Luke for a while until Daddy woke up. Then we had our Bible reading and prayer time. Then I worked more on Luke, and Daddy folded the clothes. Then I went for a walk around the schoolroom, and did a little work outside. Daddy was out there cleaning out the drum that we had used for catching rain water.
After I came back in, I swept the schoolroom and all the rooms in the house. Washed the bathroom floor and the living room floor. While I was doing that, Daddy ground up rice for rice cereal. Then I cleaned out the grinder; made chocolate cookies for Daddy; and got things ready for supper. After supper, I cleaned up the kitchen, did the dishes, put away the cookies, washed the kitchen floor, bedroom floor, and the linoleum section in the schoolroom. Daddy took care of emptying the buckets for me and cleaning out the mop when I was done washing floors. He did a bunch of other jobs around the house today too.
By that time, I was more than ready to sit down. Played the keyboard for a little while. Then got busy doing printing for school. Trying to get a few days ahead as we will not be needing to run the generator after tomorrow night, as there won’t be anything left in the freezer. I am really looking forward to my bath tonight after a hot, sweaty day.
“Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” Psalm 66:12