Greetings from Austin St.

Auto update. Insurance company called about Geni’s car. Things will probably be finalized next week. Travis is driving the Corsica until his car can be fixed. Bruce took my car to the Ford house today and they repaired the problem. The prior mechanic did not do a thorough job so the job had to be repeated at twice the cost. Serious bummer! But it is fixed and we will pick it up in the morning. Praise God!!

Viking update. The mighty Vikings lost their final game of the season tonight. It was hard on the boys to be seniors and to leave the field in defeat. They played hard and just were outscored. Seniors, you were courageous and played the game with your hearts. We will never forget how your have been such a wonderful support for Travis during the time of the hospitalization of his brother, Casey. You truly have the determination of Vikings, but the hearts to be good friends. Thank you all once again.

Psalm 119: 169—171 says, “Hear my cry to You, Lord. Let Your Word help me understand. Listen to my prayer, save me as you promised. Let me speak your praise, because You have taught me Your demands.” I am not a Bible scholar, but I am learning. This is what I have learned while spending the last year in a daily Bible reading and meditation. The Bible was written to share the story of how God works in the lives of people. It proclaims from the time of Moses, His intent of salvation. The plan for salvation begins when God, through Moses, brings His people out of Egypt into the promised land of Israel and His final plan of salvation ends with Jesus on the cross.

God enters the lives of His people through the gift of faith. Faith begins to grow as we continue to read His Word and serve Him in the Kingdom. We get to know God more as we continue to have conversations with Him. We speak to God in prayer and then we listen to His response to us. We hear answers to prayer through His Word in scripture, through His spoken Word in church on Sunday, through His people. I hear His Word in music and songs (imagine that!!). It is sometimes not easy to praise God especially when many things just do not seem things worthy of praise. I try to remember that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. So there must be some good in even the hard situations with which life presents us. Praise does not have to come right away, for sometimes it takes a while for God to reveal His perfect purpose in our lives. But I believe He will only guide us to a place of peace and joy as we continue to have and exercise the gift of faith He has so graciously given to us. God can do this because He promises that once He enters our lives He will never leave us or forsake us. That means that no matter how awful everything gets, God will still be here and never abandon us.

I don’t think I am to give thanks for the death of Casey. But I do give thanks that God was merciful and did not ask him to suffer long after a final diagnosis was made. I give thanks that we were witness to so many people who were Casey’s friends and how he, because of the life of Christ within him, had effected their lives. And I do give thanks that Casey lived a life of faith and that God rewarded that faith by allowing Casey to go before the throne of grace unafraid.

As I have said many times before our journey together is far from over. I still have much to learn and God demands that I never stop learning, praying or caring about His people. I love you all and give thanks for you daily.

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.

PS I plan to take my midterm tomorrow sometime. I certainly need knowledge beyond myself to do well on this test. I need your payers.

I am also praying about the journal becoming a literary work. I am looking for a literary agent. I would like for someone who does not know me to read the document and give me an objective opinion. If this is an avenue God wishes me to pursue then I pray He will place me and the journal in the hands of the one who can make it happen and that the resulting book will be helpful to others. I need your prayers for this pursuit.

Update on my friend Sharon who had the double mastectomy today. Did you know that mastectomies are a day surgery now? Incredible!! They would like to send her home tomorrow, but she is holding out for Sunday. Sharon, Jeff, Kathie and Charlie all need your prayers.

Thanks again mighty and powerful prayer warriors. Love you, Gaylene.