Happy Tuesday! I finished my mid-term! I took the test online. I am allowed 2 ½ hours to take the test. There is a timer that once you begin does not stop. I took the test in 149 min and 28 sec. About 7 minutes before time ran out I completed all of my answers and set about checking the answers and running the spell check when the ecollege window popped up and said I had a user error. I then almost had a stroke. I saved all of my answers and called my professor. Dr. Jones told me not to panic and he gave me extra time and a possible solution to the problem. To make this long story short, the test logged me off and instructed me to logon again. Praise God! When I re-logged on to the test all of my answers were still in place. I submitted the test and called Dr. Jones to let him know I had submitted the test. Now all I have left is the final belief paper and the remaining class sessions.

Bruce left this morning for San Antonio for the funeral of our friend Buck Wunderlich. He as a former Marine and had a military funeral. Bruce then went to see Carme and Dave. He says they are doing well. The funeral of my friend and co-worker Mechelle Berg’s mother was today in the Fort Worth area.

Luke 1: 78 says, “With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will dawn upon us.”

On our way to Denton last night Bruce and I were talking about all the people we know whose lives have been claimed by cancer since October. Since losing Casey we have had six friends who have lost their battle with cancer. And two more who have battled the disease and are currently in remission. Praise God!! My principal and I were talking this afternoon and she has had a similar experience with this disease seeming to be all around us. You know that experience of when you buy a car and you have never really noticed that make of car before and now they are everywhere. It makes me wonder if I have just been so self absorbed that I have not seen the suffering of my friends. Have I been blinded somehow and not seen others in need? As I said to Bruce, “Does it seem like we are surrounded by this devastating disease?”

Tonight I read this scripture and it lifted my spirits. This disease may be all around us, but God’s tender mercies are inside of us. God loves us so much that all He wants from us is to be in relationship with us. We can choose to let the things of this world get us down or we can seek out God’s loving kindness to fill the broken places and seal the cracks in our souls with His love and healing grace. God’s grace is merciful and He promises us a new day from heaven. When I think of heaven I think of a place that is so filled with light that darkness can never reach it. God tells us in His Word that His loving mercy will bring a new day from heaven. A day filled with light because it is filled with God’s light.

When there are times it feels like the darkness is never going to end remember the psalmist says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” This scripture from Luke echoes the Old Testament promise. God will send a new day; a day filled with love, light and God’s tender mercies. Trust God to bring the dawn of a new day.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, 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 Please pray travel mercy for Bruce as he is travelling home tomorrow from Carme and Dave’s. Thank you, gc