Greetings from Austin Street

Blessed Sunday to you all.  We have had a wonderful day here at 811 Austin Street.  Geni and Cody picked Bruce up for church. I assisted in Children’s church and Children’s Worship at RCCC today. We had lunch together with a couple of new recipes of pecan pie cobbler and bacon wrapped  french-fries with a honey butter scallion sauce. And I completed the draft for my second paper and emailed it off to my new editor. After lunch I got a glass of tea and set it on a small table in the living room. I left the room for a few moments and upon my return Geni and Cody told me, “He said your name.”  I missed it, so maybe someday I will hear it again, but for now “darlin’” will do. Tonight Bruce asked, “Where is my flashlight?”  and then He asked, “Did I get it right?” And with near tears rolling down my face I assured him he was absolutely right.  God is good and love wins!

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Psalm 62: 1-2

I have been studying the story in Mark of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years. In this exegesis paper I began to notice the women in the book of Mark. When a woman was attached to a man in marriage, or parents or a relative the man in the relationship would go to Jesus on the woman’s behalf.  But the unnamed women who had no male attachment such as a slave, prostitute, or the woman who was slowly bleeding to death over twelve years would seek Jesus out even in public and tell them what they needed. These women were the outcasts of the town and yet they knew by faith that Jesus would not reject them even though they were breaking laws right and left. These women found healing and restoration in the transforming power of Jesus. He did not only heal their bodies, but restored them to their respective communities. Jesus’ healing is a complete healing. The woman had been slowly been bleeding to death over twelve years with no male counterpart received God’s grace when within the hearing distance of the crowd He called her “daughter.” Jesus claimed her as His daughter, His own child allowing her to be restored and healed. So to whom did Jesus preach the good news? The good news of Jesus for these women and for all of us is that God loves us. God transforms us with healing grace. God is our surrounding stronghold of unfailing love. Take joy in this journey of trust and transformation. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

PS Did I just hear the weatherman say upper 40’s in the morning? Could this be my morning for a sweatshirt?  Maybe….grace and pieces, gc