Happy Friday!

Today was my last class day. As we were leaving class today we were saying good-bye’s and wishing each other a wonderful remainder of the summer. We discovered that several of us will be in the same class together in the fall. This class has been so wonderful that we are looking forward to being together once again.

Psalm 27:5 “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me.”

This week the task before me is to write an 8-10 page paper about the movie Ordinary People. I am not quite sure how to craft this paper so I will begin on Monday morning (after Matlock!) to begin to dissect this movie and write about the places in the script where pastoral care would be appropriate. I will also be trying to ascertain the style of pastoral care which would be most appropriate. I learned in my last two weeks of study that it is not my job to tell someone how to grieve, but to care enough to ask how I can help.

This coming week as I write this paper, Bruce will be gone for the Emmaus Weekend beginning on Wednesday and ending Saturday evening. Bruce and I share a partnership in my writing. I write and he edits. My editor is not going to be here so I am going to have to be extra careful and critical as I write this paper and my nightly blogs! I sort of need that hiding place as I write to focus to write an account of pastoral interventions this movie family needs to heal over the loss of one son and the attempted suicide of the other. As I pray before I write and while I am writing I will ask for a measure of knowledge that I do not have as I am very, very novice at this pastoral care. I ask you to be in prayer for me.

Know that we have a powerful God. Trust in him. He offers the safety of His tabernacle as His hiding place out of His love for us. I ask you to pray for Bruce as he prepares to serve on this Emmaus men’s Walk over in Fort Worth. I pray that God will hide these pilgrims and team members away from Satan’s grasp as they walk the journey of this weekend. May their campus become as holy ground within the tabernacle of God.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes, count your blessings and say your payers. 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.