Some sad news came my way....

.........Saturday night. Let me preface by saying sometimes I get awfully caught up in my own stuff. Really? This may be news to you! Anyway, as I sat working on the photos for the Flock Board, my friend, Judy R., called. We had spoken on the phone only a week ago, almost to the hour. This was not a welcome call, however, as she bore some scary news. My dear friend, who volunteers in a mammogram clinic, has herself, been diagnosed as having a lump---cancerous. By initial testing and such, it appears to be encapsulated, self-contained, we pray, and it may be a simple proceedure to deal with this beast. We pray. She has great people around her, especially her JerBear plus friends galore, including a man who is a radiologist. He has offered to be Judy's middle-of-the-night person to talk to should fears overwhelm or questions arise.

*

She asked me if I had had a mammo recently and informed her that only a day or two before a postcard came in the mail from the clinic telling me it is nearly time for my update. I will go! I will run to the clinic. Judy's lump was found via routine mammo and she cannot feel it at all with her fingers. She is already becoming an expert on the topic, reading as much as she can about breast cancer and its treatment, asking the questions that need answers, and taking it to the Lord for His handling. Please, I ask you all to do the same, as next week she will have a procedure to remove the cancer.

*

So, while I am all concerned and whatever about what my financial future holds, the Lord offers a reminder that there are bigger "issues" or circumstances to be dealt with this side of heaven, and that is the life of my dear friend. I pray the Lord will preserve and heal her on earth, assured that Judy is known personally by our Savior!

A wildly productive day!

As I write this morning, the sun is shining on me in dramatic contrast to yesterday's rise. The river is pulled away from the shore, exposing the yukky stuff no one is ever supposed to see--algae, boards from previous tropical storms or hurricanes, miscellaneous ickiness. It will be nice when the water comes back in and hides all that. This is why we do not walk around unclothed---the fabric covers what the world does not deserve to see!

*

We have Bible study today and am afraid it will be a smaller group. Twila is sick and Jackie has a doctor appointment. Next week it will be me who is absent because I have a date! A Court date! Ha, had you there for a minute, didn't I? Twila called last night and sounded just awful from a cough and head cold. She wants to postpone Ladies' Group for a week because so many will be absent tonight. We can hardly conduct business with only three or four people, with three major players not in attendance. I will speak with Pastor about it this a.m. at Twila's request. Now, what will I do if I have a free evening???

*

Believe it if you will, but I declined an invitation to join Suzanne and family for lunch after church. I was totally caput! Tamara and I worked feverishly--she being under pressure because her little ones were waiting while we did the Flock Board. The spacing of the photos is a bit whack because it seems we did not allow for so many pictures in the first rows, so, as Tamara described it, the Flock Board is shaped like a Christmas tree! Of course, things can be moved and rearranged another time, perhaps even by another person, but it is, for the most part, done! Suzanne and Kathy were counting the offering and finished about the same time as Tam and me, but I was too weary to go have lunch. My loss!

*

I got the heating pad out once home and took a rest before getting busy on the machine. Somehow or another I managed to get The Palace Press and another church newsletter done, with one finally printing as I write. The last one goes in the mail to military, folks away from "home", and some shut-ins or "seldom-seens", the term I prefer to 'delinquents'. That term makes me think of "naughty" when it might not be a situation like that at all. That reminds me---I will need to get some stamps today......

*

Toward late afternoon, I decided to rest myself flat on the bed instead of in the chair at my desk, and put in a movie I had purchased at Christmas. The Christian bookstore offers movies of this ilk for $5.00 at the register so I took one. It is called "Facing the Giants", made by the same church that made the well-known "Fireproof" movie making the rounds. This one has no famous names in it, no Kirk Cameron in the lead role, but the message is excellent and left my pillow wet with tears. A high school football coach, through the Lord, was able to lead his team of losers to a State tournament and win, focusing on how whether they win or lose, the glory is God's alone. Great story! We had thought about it for Youth Group movie night so I watched it in advance. It has decision theology in it, but I think that can be addressed as we watch. Good story!

*

Joanne came home after church and work just as I turned off the bedroom lamp. Her plans to fly to Atlanta today were cancelled due to the weather, and does not know if she will go up this week or not. The tickets are already purchased to see King Tut so I hope she gets to go. Joanne, a Realtor, had a full day of showings and such, has some clients ready to buy, which makes my heart happy. Come on, folks! Buy these houses, buy the standing inventory so the builders can start over fresh when the market comes back!!!!