December 31 – “Out with the old …”

We had a great visit from Mom’s two closest friends in the world yesterday.  Betty and Mildred (a.k.a. “Granma Texas”) came by for a visit.  Betty comes over at least once a week for our home group Bible Study.  Mildred, however, lives in Arkansas, so her presence was a special treat.  Mom really seemed to remember her, too.  And that is always a treat for us. 

Last night I was back at the hospital again.  My Uncle Jerry was admitted again a day or two after I got him home the last time.  This time his hands were so swollen that he couldn’t even pick anything up.  My cousin was able to be here for the bulk of the hospital stay, but he had to head back home to Florida, so I got the call for the ride home.  The doctors were baffled this time.  They did find a small blood clot in his shoulder.  He has had some trouble with clots before.  But they also said that was not what was causing this particular problem.  They were leaning toward “a rare and just-being-researched blood disorder.”  I’m not sure if that is just the university medical school version of “I dunno” or if there is really something to it.  After all, April ran into the same kind of thing when she was hospitalized with her strange illness.  I could do with some simple colds and flu for a change. 

So … New Year’s Eve … It’s out with the old and back to … well, the same old grind, actually.  I have water therapy today and Thursday.  Our property taxes and house insurances are all due this month.  Yes, that’s not a typo.  Here in Galveston we are “blessed” to have three separate policies to purchase for our homes.  The regular homeowners policy covers all the usual stuff (like fires and baseballs through the window), but it specifically excludes any damage from wind or flooding.  For those coverages we get to go through the state for windstorm (that would be any damage from high winds as tend to happen in a hurricane), and through the federal government for flood (that would be any damage from flooding as tends to happen in a hurricane).  Sigh.  Ah, the joys of living on a barrier island near the coast of Texas. 

So it’ll be a simple welcome to the New Year for us here at this Vaughan house.  Praying for a slow night for the fire fighters on duty.  Watching the Aggies play football.  Maybe a bowl of ice cream.  And to toast the New Year in?  I think we still have some grape juice in the fridge.  I know there’s some chocolate milk.  Or perhaps we could get really frisky and run up to Sonic for a cherry limeade slush.  Now that would be a real treat.

Philippians 3:12-14 says, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 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, you showed yourself often in 2013.  We could sure use your presence again for this new one.  Amen.