Ministering to a growing population at
Seaside. We had 62 people there this
past Sunday, after 67 on Christmas Eve.
Lots of them have been newcomers to Jamaica Beach or the West End. Many of them mention the church website. Lots of children. Exciting stuff.
Continuing my efforts to connect with the
team of firefighters here in Galveston. It
has been fascinating to watch the teamwork at the two fires I have been to so
far. If I can get my strength up enough,
I really hope to go on a ride-along this next year. It’s hard to establish a routine schedule to
visit the stations, since there are three shifts. I’ll keep doing what I can when I can.
Caring for Mom through her struggles with
aging. She did pretty well through the
holidays, but they also really took a toll on her. When the last of the kids left the other day
and it was just the three of us sitting on the couch, she asked, “Well, when can
we go home?” It has been hard for her
ever since Hurricane Ike to understand that she is home with us now. Then just the other day she asked me again when
we were going home. I assured her we
were at home already. She answered, “No,
I mean home. Back to Galveston, Texas.” Again, I assured her we were in Galveston,
but she was frustrated by then and just replied, “Oh, you know what I mean.” I wish I did, Mom. I really wish I did.
Dealing with my own aches and pains from
rheumatoid arthritis and bulging disks (OK, go ahead and summarize that as my own problems with aging). Actually, the arthritis fight is going pretty
well. The doctor added a twice monthly
shot of some kind to my regimen. That,
in combination with the water therapy has helped a lot. The bulging disk, on the other hand, has been
a different kind of problem. It is in
the lumbar region, so when I stand straight with my shoulders back (yes, like
you are supposed to stand), my right leg immediately begins to go numb. I can twist slightly at the waist and bend
just a bit forward, and the tingling goes away.
Sadly, that is a sensation I remember quite well from the three neck
surgeries I have had (Except the numbness was in my arm then). I am not looking forward to another visit with
the neurologist or another MRI. That
means I’ll have to pay all of our deductible at one time, and after paying our
taxes and insurance in January, we do not have $1500 laying around.
Trying to be there for Chris as she takes
care of Mom’s practical needs and deals with her own array of family ups and
downs. They seem to be close to
reconciling her mother’s will, finally. But
now her Dad is having health issues. Looks
like her brother will be making arrangements to move him to Victoria near
them. All those issues have really taken
a toll on her. She a strong one,
though. Gotta love that woman.
Keeping up with the grandchildren
developments. We are still helping take
care of Cailyn when Nathan and April both have to work. We do our best to take in a football or
baseball game or two when Jachin and Micah play, or at least be the place where
Josiah and Noa can hang out rather than sit around in the weather. We are poring over our calendar to set aside
some visits to Waco to see Zak and Caleb play basketball and to just hold Luke
before he gets too big to cuddle with.
There’s a lot of life to live next year,
and we plan to jump in with both feet and enjoy every minute. Can’t imagine any other way.
Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to
have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God
has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Father, walk with us next year. One project at a time. One day at a time. Amen.
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