August 17, 2010

Sang for Dan Marshall’s memorial service on Sunday. The simplicity and surety of his spiritual life–as everybody spoke of it– made me think hard, as I have always had an adversarial relationship with the Lord. The reflex to think that everything is for the best, and that all things happen because God is watching out for me and that is exactly the right thing to happen is so far from my nature that I can barely think of it except to wonder. Or to assume people are making it up, and fight with the dreadful heavens as much as I.

Hired Patrick, who advertises himself as Tarzan the Tree Man, to trim the great sweet gum so Kelley isn’t nervous, and a few pine limbs that look ready to fall in Carolyn’s parking lot. He is the cutest boy in the county, all tanned and muscular young male energy. I gave him the job without getting a second estimate. A bit of a chatterbox, but one endures that for the sake of all else. Just looked on his business card to discover his last name is Purdy. That’s too good.