Spanish New Testaments

How does a drunken party lead to the puchase of a case of Spanish New Testaments? 

Recently, I had a dream.  In it, I felt God was preparing me for spiritual warfare to come. 

I know some of my unreached readers find me very frustrating.  Everything, to me, is spiritual warfare. 

I do a lot to spread the Gospel - I'm saying that, not to toot my horn, but as a factual statement.  The average Christian does not get out...oh, I sound so horribly bloated with pride.  That is so embarrassing, but I will leave it in there just to show I can be an ass sometimes!  [grin]

How's this: I'm out in the trenches, sharing Jesus, almost every day of my life.  Some days I literally share Him with dozens of Bible recipients.  Other days I may share a single New Testament or some testimony; and you can't forget Ron, ever warning people "Don't take the mark" (of the antichrist). 

One day, he warns, the world will be in severe chaos.  A wonderful new leader will appear and get everything back together.  As part of his program, he will require everyone, "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."  Revelation 13:16-17   NKJV

Ron then warns, "If you do that, God will kick your butt" (Revelation 14:9-11).  He then laughs and says "I know you think I'm crazy, but if anyone comes to put a mark on you, remember 'Don't take the mark!'"

I imagine Bad Things don't like that - any day of the week.  And, since God did warn me something was coming I was expecting something.

It was a pretty quiet weekend.  I slept in, got up, and mowed the yard until the rain stopped me.  Then I did some organizing and watched TV for a while.  Happily, I did get a short nap for a few hours. 

I am a little manic, not too bad, just tearing through my "Heather-do" list, the one I make when I'm depressed and can barely bathe myself.  I was happy I had done a lot of my chores. 

Ron slept most of the afternoon, which, I think turned out to be a good thing.  Ron and I had planned to go to church this morning, and meet a friend for lunch. 

About 7 PM, I got a message - he couldn't do it.  As it turns out that worked out pretty well for all of us. 

About 8 PM, the music started next door.  Another rowdy party at the Hoarders.  Ron started calling the police after 10.  One officer told him "We can't make them turn it down, we just suggest it.  We can make sure they aren't pointing speakers at your house but other than that we are really limited on what we can do.  If they tell us no we can't make them stop." 

Well, I'd rather know the truth.  This guy likes to have loud and drunken "birthday parties" for himself every year.  It's my birthday, so I'll keep up and torment, all my neighbors, because it's my birthday!   He is at least in his late 20's. 

I obviously view him as a pretty selfish fellow.  Last year the party went until 5 AM.  This year was more of the same, except he had a microphone and tried to do Karaoke around 1 AM.  Have you ever heard a loud, drunken, latino guy bellowing lines to a song, forgetting lines, mumbling, yelling into the microphone, etc?  I wanted to get the hose. 

I didn't.  I tried my best to turn my feelings over to God and turn the neighbors over to God.  Shower them with your love.  Lead them to You.  A good quality of sleep for me, if I can't get the quantity.  Take care of Ron, muttering curses in the next room. 

He and all his friends were very drunk - Ron made an audio file. The guy let all his drunken friends drive home with their little kids at 3 AM.  I hope everyone made it home alive. 

Ron kept asking why God had allowed this.  I came to 2 conclusions:  1.  We needed to write another letter to the landlady.  He is a severe hoarder, and she asked to be notified.  I hadn't done it because I felt he was "pretty" quiet and better than some of the other tenants we'd seen, but not after this.  Letter is written and will be mailed tomorrow.  She can come out, make an inspection, and make her own determination. 

The lease is up in August.  She may evict him.  It may be a good idea.  I just want quiet neighbors, no dog, stay out of my yard, OK with cats.  He has been nothing but trouble in the last 3 years.  He never mows the yard, the property looks bad, it's hoarded, etc. 

I could have written the letter in the context of "This guy is a jerk and see how he is bothering us".  I didn't.  I have read enough Dale Carnagie.  I wrote. using examples, "You asked, so I'm letting you know, I believe he is causing you some liability and property issues.  Come see for yourself." 

It's ironic, because a lot of my recent yardwork has been preparation for my homeowner's insurance inspection.  I can only imagine how that would go next door.  They would drop her. 

So, I decided to do that.  I have been afraid that the next tenant might be "worse" in some way.  I have been pretty frustrated the last couple years, because I prayed, for months for the "right person" to move in next door.  Instead, I got many trials. 

I'm not having a pity party so I won't reiterate.  I have awesome, quiet, people behind me at least. 

Last night, while I was online, I had a lot of angst.  Someone had sent me some money for Bibles.  I have been seeking God's will on this, because I want to get the right thing and be a good steward of this person's money. 

I had narrowed it down to either children's New Testaments, or Spanish New Testaments.  Last night, as I lay in bed, hearing people screaming drunkenly in Spanish, keeping me up, I realized God's will: 

Spanish New Testaments. 

They should arrive sometime this week.  If they are as popular as usual, they will be gone by the end of the week. 

Take that,  Bad Things.