Greetings from Austin St.

Happy Election Day to all. I hope all of you were able to vote today. I did not get to vote until around 6:45 this evening. You know it is really dark in front of Wimbish Elem. at 6:45 pm. I tell you that only to let you know that “The Old Girl” whom we thought was repaired is obviously not as it sputtered and did not wish to start this evening. It finally did start and I did get home but not without a great deal of prayer. I am sure we will figure out the problem and will get the necessary repairs done soon. In the grand scheme of things it is an aggravation and inconvenient but not life changing.

Lamentations 2:13 says, “To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin, who can heal you?” This scripture is a bit dramatic, but it seemed appropriate for today. Three weeks ago tonight Casey went to be with the Father. And I am here to tell you grief is the pits. For a while I will think about Tuesdays in a different thought and the 14th of each month will serve as a reminder of the day of the month in which we lost Casey. This month will be especially different as the 14th is my birthday and Casey will have been in heaven for a month. I actually do pretty well most of the time as long as I am moving or engaged in doing something productive. I still think about Casey and the events of the past year. The times that are hard are when I am driving to school or home or somewhere by myself home or in the few moments sitting at the dinner table after the meal is finished. For the last year our thoughts and actions have surrounded Casey and now there is a big hole not only in our hearts, but in our lives. Not that we do not have enough to do and think about, but the emptiness and loss is still very fresh and very tender.

The question asked in this scripture is “For vast as the seas is your ruin, who can heal you?” We are not ruined; we are sad and feel the overwhelming sense of loss, but ruin, never. As to the question “Who can heal you?” That is easy. God, through the healing blood of Jesus and the promise of the resurrection has us in His healing process. There is no amount of work or busy-ness that can heal any of us of this wound, but Jesus has promised in His Word that He will heal us. And each day brings moments that are tough, but they are just that - moments. Maybe we are still under “God’s anesthetic” as our friend Sarah Sue says. I am not sure, but I do know that God is with us and will never leave us even when the anesthetic wears off. Maybe by then we will have exercised our faith enough that a lot of the soreness will be worked out. I know He will still be there because His Word will be there, I can still pray, I can still sing a song of praise (which always strengthens me), I can look on my prayer list and pray for others, I have all of you to pray for me, Bruce, Geni and Travis.

We (and I mean all of us) have a loving and merciful God who has promised in His Word to comfort the mourning ones. There is nothing I can do to heal myself or my family, for outside of God and His son Jesus Christ, I am nothing and have no power. But with the loving, grace filled heart of Christ I will be taught new lessons, be led down new roads and be taught new ways to live my live for Him who first loved us.

If God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Father of Jesus Christ would seek me out to receive the “good news”, then my hope is in Him who is the “good news.” For if God is for us who can ever be against us? Will God heal all of our broken hearts? Absolutely! Will it happen quickly? I don’t imagine so, but I am resting on His promise of comfort given in His Word.

The journey is not over my dear friends and prayer warriors. Take joy in the journey.

Love you, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.