Better Hurry...

Or I'm not gonna get my September post in! *sheesh*

OK, I get it that I'm not getting it about this being a daily thing or something anywhere close to it! There have been so many things I've wanted to write about this month, and I just keep thinking, "I don't really have time to write now." I need to JUST DO IT, or it's never gonna happen. Maybe I will try to get some shorter posts going this month...and maybe I'll actually have time to do them! :-)

One of the main things I wanted to write about was the hurricanes that have brought so much devastation to our country in the last month. How well I know about that! It's been six years this month since Hurricane Floyd flew through NC and changed our lives forever. My heart has really gone out to the folks in LA, MS, and TX, as they deal with it all. I know so well the overwhelming feeling of "Lord, what are we going to do?"...the wonder of looking at your flooded home and wondering "How can this be my home?...of seeing your furniture thrown out like yesterday's trash when you worked YEARS to pay for it...the ruined pictures...the overwhelming stench that just doesn't go away....

The hospital where I work sent a SMAT team last week (???some kind of Medical Assistance Team???) to MS to help man a mobile hospital there. I really wanted to volunteer for it myself when I heard about it, but I have enough fires on the homefront burning that I can't do that. I just kept wishing there was some way that I could send some hope and encouragement to these people that have been devastated because that's what they need most. They need to hope that the future will be different, and that they will be able to get past where they are now. It is so hard to see that when you are surrounded by total destruction. We received help from so many places...It really makes me want to write up my flood experiences and do something with them. Guess that needs to go on my list of things I need to get done & quit thinking about!!!

Update on things here...

Ben is doing OK in Concord, for the most part. He's working a third shift security job that sounds extremely boring & challenging (to stay awake!!!) but hopefully, it will help him to keep his head above water financially until something better comes along. I haven't talked to him in a while, but I read his blog daily (www.demonkilla.com) so I know some of what's going on with him.

Jenny's college classes here are going well. She is majoring in Theater Education at ECU. One of the biggies in theater is participating in different crews. She is with the lighting crew this semester, and they started a show tonight. She is running some kind of equipment for the show, so she'll be gone pretty much the next couple of weeks every night until around midnight. Good thing she is young! Her friend Shannon took some great pics of her this week which I might post here if I can figure out how...

Still hardly any communication from Jonathan of any substance. He dislocated his ankle about 10 days ago....he did give the RA permission to call us & tell us what had happened. He had a trip to the ER to have that put back into place. OUCH He did manage to remember my e-mail address and phone number when he needed some help with follow up medical care, etc. It was good to talk to him even a little, but I want to shout at him "WHAT IS THE DEAL, KIDDO???" I hate the silent treatment. :-( And I miss my son. :-(

Jonathan's 19th birthday was on Monday...I was unable to send him anything since he hasn't sent us his address. I REALLY hated this. Last year's birthday got screwed up, and we wound up doing pretty much nothing. I really wanted to make this year's different...but he chose not to give me his address, so I chose not to make a huge deal of it. His loss. Mine too really...bummer!

John's mom is still with us. She went to the doctor today, and there's some improvement with her. She's gained weight and seems to be doing pretty well, but her short term memory is still very much a problem. I don't know how long she'll be with us or what the future holds for her, but we will continue to take it one step at a time. So far, it's going well, though it has caused a few changes/adjustments here & there. Her being here hasn't really been a problem, except that dh & I are driving to church separately.

Speaking of driving, gas went back up to over $3 a gallon here today! *sheesh* What is up with that??? It now costs as much to fill up half a tank as it used to fill it up when it was between 1/4 and empty. I am hitting the gas station more frequently now so I don't have to fill it up all the way!

We had revival at our church last week with Bill Cloud. Bill is a Hebrew scholar, and he studies the Bible in Hebrew. He has the most amazing insight, and I learned so much in the five services he was with us. I got to spend some more in-depth time talking with him after one of the services, too, which was very interesting. He used to work with a minister whose ministry I've followed for many years, so we talked about him a bit, too. The thing about Bill's insights into the Word, though, are just astounding to me. It makes things so clear...and makes me wonder what I am missing. I have decided I would love to study Hebrew!!! If I can get things together at home more, I think I might just see if I can work towards that. I think that would be totally awesome! :-) Perhaps sometime I can share some of what he shared with us. Check out his website at www.billcloud.org.

I've been studying the Prodigal Son this week (Luke 15) for Sunday School. It's been interesting. I love studying the Word!

John & I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary this week. Hard to believe it's been that many years! Our celebration was very low key, but we were together, and that's what's important. We didn't have service at church Sunday night (when our anniversary was) so we just spent the evening quietly at home (mostly doing our own thing...John hasn't felt well this week. He seems better today.) But there is a calmness and peace in our relationship now that I'm so thankful for. And I'm so glad we're in church together again! God blessed me with a wonderful man, and we've been through some tough places. Our relationship is another proof of God's faithfulness and His Grace.

Speaking of which...I have to share this, too. About a year ago, God instructed me to sever ties with one of my very closest friends. It was very difficult and painful for me, but I did it. It's been something I've struggled with in many ways since it happened. This week, she called me & left a message for me to call her, which was quite unusual. After thinking/praying about it, I decided to call her last night. She told me that she wanted me to know that she wasn't angry with me, and that she did not feel that I had betrayed her...that she was thankful for our friendship and all the things that she learned from it, and that she just wanted me to know that. I was so very glad to hear that, since these are the two things I have struggled with the most. It was a direct answer to prayer. God is SOOO good to me!

Well, this post shows why I don't post often...I get to writing and don't want to stop!I'll close this out for now, and I will try to post more often in October! :-)