Monday, November 30, 2015

FOOT DOCTOR

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.Psalms 119:111

The fount of joy is the Lord Himself; he gives it to His own,
His word is our heritage, and we know we are not alone.
The statutes of God enrich us; they are food for the soul,
To hide them in our heart is our persistent and joyful goal.(RP)

Margie's regular appointment with the foot doctor was to be tomorrow, but they ache so badly we changed it to a day earlier. In fact the doctor returns from his vacation today, so this is the earliest she could get in. She will be glad when this trip is over. We plan on doing some shopping after the appointment which is at 9 AM.  Yesterday was a blessing at church.  Ron Buchinski, head of Bellingham Lighthouse Mission, preached. He is a member of our church. Pastor was away on vacation. This week things return to more normal, so we will be in the countdown preparation for Bible class and the book of Genesis. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, November 29, 2015

HOW WAS YOUR THANKSGIVING?

Psalm 147:1 
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.

Why is it so hard to praise the Lord and thank Him for all He has done,
Is it because we are lazy,and our heart is wrong, and this wonderful thing we shun?
God says praise is pleasant to Him and us, if we would just practice it now,
So why not start,and praise the Lord and at His feet humbly bow.(RP)

We wonder how your thanksgiving was. We had a good one. And we remembered to thank the Lord for all his blessings.  We trust that this morning at church, your heart will be blessed as you study God's word and worship. It was 29 degrees here this morning. I'm glad and thankful we have heat in the house. Thanks for praying.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

ALL WEEK

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!Psalms 133

A cry from the Psalmist to all who will hear; this message is the best,
And God-fearing ones should quickly align; none should really detest.
Living in unity is ordained from above; nobody should ever decline,
Unite with others,depend on the Lord,and then your light will shine.
It is good and pleasant to be unified as your serve the Lord each day,
So give it all you have by trust in the Lord, and His word faithfully obey(RP)

We were pleased to be able to spend almost the entire week working on chapters for our future Shepherd's book. As I refine the documents, Margie proofreads them and sends them back to me. Then I make the corrections she has found and put those chapters in a file we call "to edit."  That will come later when our finances permit. We are not in a hurry and I would like to add more chapters to what we have written already, but that will take another read of our journals, trying to find more subjects about which we can write. Margie and I are pleased we can work together on this enjoyable project. Thanks for praying.

Friday, November 27, 2015

HOW WAS YOUR THANKSGIVING?

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Today we need encouragement as we work and toil for the Lord.
And we find it here in words so plain nothing can be ignored.
Jesus who loves us and gives us so much,consoles us and gives other things,
By His grace and comfort He establishes us and to us His joy brings.
God does all this to help us work,and speak for Him every day,
And surely we can do this day after day keeping Jesus by our lives on display.(RP)

We wonder how your Thanksgiving was. Our was a blessing, spent with family in Stanwood.  Margie made her well-liked Jello salad, and sweet potatoes. Gina and Nathan did the rest, and they did a good job of it all. We had an enjoyable time. then returned home around 4:30, arriving before it was dark. Margie prefers it that way.  Thanks for praying. 


Thursday, November 26, 2015

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

1 Thessalonians 5:18
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Prayer is acceptable always, and thankfulness ranks very high,
And as we pray, to our Father we always to our Lord draw nigh.
His will is for us all to give thanks in everything we always do,
And obedience to this always brings us joy through and through.(RP)

We give thanks to God on this designated day for all His blessings to us. There are many. We plan to be with our family for an afternoon Thanksgiving meal. We look forward to it.  The weather report is about the same: cold clear, and some wind. Temperature should be 46 today. At 7:30 AM it is 32 degrees. We trust you all have a great day. Thanks for praying.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

PROGRESS

Ephesians 5:20 
Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How thankful are the Christians, the ones for whom Christ died?
Are they living close to Jesus and in His safety securely abide?
It is easy to forget to give thanks for all things; did you forget?
It is much easier to pray when with problems we are beset.
Today give thanks for All things when you go to Him in prayer,
You'll find sweet consolation and know that for you He will care.(RP)

We worked almost the entire day on Shepherd stories for the chapters. Margie also dedicated her time to proofreading. Together we got much done. Today we will be repeating that process.  It is a cold clear brisky wind-filled day thus far. It did not snow as predicted yesterday. I also was able to get some more done on our Genesis study also.  I enjoy working on it. Yesterday Margie made a delicious meat loaf which we enjoyed much. I think we will repeat that menu today. Thanks for praying. 

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

PREPARING

Romans 10:17 
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is by grace we are saved through faith; God tells us we get faith one way,
Faith comes by hearing God's word, which is forever with us on display.
So we must get His word to the world, so all will hear His message plain,
And receive the faith that only God gives, so that the lost, salvation will gain. (RP)

Today Margie starts preparing the things she plans to take to Thanksgiving meal with our family in Stanwood.  We are glad we are able to be home, because a cold front is moving in and the winds are picking up already. We are supposed to get a sprinkling of snow also, they said. We are taking advantage of the extra time to work on the Shepherd book chapters. We have 50 ready for editing, and are working on 116 others.  It all takes time. Thanks for praying.


Monday, November 23, 2015

CHANGE OF PACE

Now may the God of peace... make you complete in every good work to do His will. Hebrews 13:20-21

Our God of peace does miracles still, and we love to watch Him work,
And every believer should heed these words, and never a duty shirk.
God desires to help us work for Him by helping us always to do His will,
So begin right now and be determined to obey, and for you it will be a thrill.(RP)

This week we have a change of pace. I will not have to work extra time getting ready for the Bible class, because Friday the Senior Center is closed. Instead Margie will be gearing up for Thanksgiving by preparing the things she has been asked to bring to  the afternoon meal at our son's place in Stanwood.  We look forward to that. The weatherman says it probably will snow here tomorrow but it will be very light at best. I continue this morning with more chapter reviews for our next book.  Thanks for praying.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

VISIT

Galatians 6:7  
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Sometimes we may think that God does not know; we are so deceived,
He is sovereign Lord of all, and because of this with our sin He is grieved.
God is not mocked by the actions we take; He knows each thing we do.
For Him all our words, and thoughts, and intentions are open to His view.
So be careful fellow traveler down this road you are taking just now ,
You will reap whatever you sow, and what you do God will not allow.(RP)

We are pleased with a surprise  visit from our son yesterday afternoon. It is nice when he takes the time to drop by for a few hours. He will return this afternoon later. Yesterday I worked almost the entire day refining chapters of our next book. Margie also did proofreading on them. Together we will get the project complete some day. We are investigating publishers, because we do not want to use the same one that did our first book From a Canoe to a Chevy. This morning we look forward to Sunday School and church. It is very cold outside (for us old folks). We are thankful for a heated house and do not take it for granted. Thanks for praying. 

Saturday, November 21, 2015

BELL PEPPERS

Luke 6:12 
Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Sweet music to our ears, when we hear of our Savior's prayers,
He teaches by example and believe me He really cares,
Just think that He spent the night in that mountain top to pray,
And this is how He prepared Himself for the duties  next day.
It is hard for you and me to spend a much less time in prayer,
Let us come to Jesus now, and learn how to leave our burden there.(RP)

For a long time, I used to prepare bell peppers every Saturday and keep some and distribute others. We finally had to slow down that project. Today I will prepare 8 peppers. Two we will have for lunch, and have enough for 3 more meals. Our Bible class went well yesterday. The class participation is great and we all learn as we go in the wonderful book of Genesis. It is cold this morning and all the roofs are snow white with frost. The sun is shining brightly so that will soon change.  We are processing more chapters in our future book on Shepherds. It all takes time, but is enjoyable as we recall the wonderful experiences of those years on the road representing that place. Thanks for praying. 

Friday, November 20, 2015

THIS IS THE DAY

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose.Romans 8:28

Some may think they have it rough; nothing works for them,
But in this verse is a treasure of truth; this is a golden gem.
For those who love God, everything in life is worthwhile,
And all things work according to His plan; so now we smile.
God called us for a purpose, and we can thank Him for that,
And His plan will always surpass; it will never, ever fall flat.(RP)

We always look forward to the Bible class. It is a joy to teach the class. Margie takes the attendance. It is COLD this morning. I believe it is the first freeze of the season. Tomorrow will be colder, they say. As far as I know, Margie had a good night. She is sleeping as I write this. I will wake her up at 7:00. We trust you all have a good day. Thanks for praying. 

Thursday, November 19, 2015

GOOD SLEEP

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalm 107:21

To give thanks to God is what we wish men would do,
If they did, we also know God would be pleased too.
God is so good and men should praise him for this,
If they do not, we only conclude that they are remiss.
He has really done such wonderful works for his own,
In eternity we will thank Him for the love He has shone. (RP)

We are so pleased Margie had a wonderful night. Sleep is taken for granted by many, but for Margie it is a continual challenge. We are thankful she had a great night. Today she has her hair done and we attend the prayer meeting in the afternoon. We put the last touches to the Genesis study today before the class tomorrow. I have to work ahead in order to prepare study sheets for the class members. This is an enjoyable exercise. Thank you friends for praying. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

WE MADE IT!

John 8:36 
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

There are many ways freedom is expressed; this is the one Christ gives,
When lost sinners come to Him to be saved, He their sin forgives.
Freedom in Christ is the best you can have, so why not seek it today?
When you do you will have joy indeed, and contentment along the way.(RP)

Even though much rain and very windy, we made it through our shopping trip yesterday.  Margie was able to shop in three stores which is a first for her in quite a while. We know the allergy treatment is helping and we are thankful.  Today is wash day so we will be doing that for several hours in between our other planned tasks for today. It was colder this morning and the sun is shining. The weatherman says things will be a little better the rest of the week.  I must get busy and get the church prayer sheet worked up for the Sunday bulletin and the Thursday prayer meeting. 
Thanks for praying.  

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

SHOPPING

Matthew 11:28 
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Jesus calls the weary to rest; in Him is there only true rest,
In this marvelous Person one can truly be spiritually blest.
He calls you today to come to Him; there your heart will abide,
Rest and peace you will receive, because you are at His side.(RP)

Hopefully Margie and I will do some necessary shopping today. We will go easy and she will only go where she doesn't have to do much walking with the roller walker. Yesterday we had a pretty busy day. She cleaned one of the bathrooms and I the other. I continued doing corrections on our Shepherds book and she proofread them. I also was able to make more progress in our Bible study lesson on Genesis. I had a serious computer problem and did some research on it, then consulted our son, Rawlie, who thought the procedure would work. I tackled it, and thankfully it worked and now all is fine. Thank you all for your prayers. 

Monday, November 16, 2015

FORECAST

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

When we are weak, God will give strength; what He promises He will do,
His plan for strength is not what we would think; it is joy that gets us through.
So don't be sorrowful dear Christian; God will help you in times of need, 
When the Lord is your strength because you have joy in Him, you will succeed.(RP)

We received word yesterday that more high winds are expected this week. It said winds to 75 mph could be expected in some places today. I am glad we have a generator, but would be happier if we didn't have to use it. Margie had trouble getting to sleep last night but finally settled down. The night before she did not do well and had to rest yesterday afternoon before lunch, after we got home from church.  But she is doing better in her food digestion since the new medication started. We are pleased about this. Thanks for praying. 

Sunday, November 15, 2015

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Mark 13:22-23 
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

The enemy wants to defeat us, and does everything to make it so,
False christs and prophets abound, and they are always on the go.
With signs and wonders they try to deceive those who are the elect,
But believers must always be on the ball, and never their duty neglect.(RP)

I was asked to teach one of the adult classes this morning at church. I enjoy doing this and will continue my study in the book of Jude.  It is a windy wet day, but we look forward to going. Margie, as far as I know right now, had a good night. The new allergy medications she received a week ago have helped her tremendously. She is even surprised how much difference it made in her health. We are grateful. Thanks so much for the prayer support. 

Saturday, November 14, 2015

GREAT DAY

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

God's sheep, the Christians, hear His voice as they listen to him,
He never leaves them without recourse - or way out on a limb.
I am so thankful that He knows us; He always knows and cares,
And is attentive every day as we come to Him with our prayers.
We follow Him our great Savior; what joy to daily have Him lead,
Because with our heart in tune with Him, we know we will succeed.(RP)

We always enjoy the Friday Bible class in the book of Genesis. After the class Margie's brother, Spud, and his wife Margaret, went to Bellingham and brought their sister Barb to our house. We invited the Stewarts also for the meal at our house where each one brought something for it. We had such a great time.  They left at different times but we were still visiting at 5 in the afternoon. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Margie had another good night for which we are grateful. Thanks so much for praying. 

Friday, November 13, 2015

STORM

Psalm 40:1 
I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

Patience pays off when you walk with the Lord; see what it did here,
When David waited for God that day he discovered that He was near.
It is special when God inclines toward us, and He does it all the time,
So wait for the Lord patiently, and to new heights you will soon climb.(RP)

The forecasters call it a wind and rain storm. It is indeed. Many people are without power in our county. We pray it will not happen to us, but if it does, we have a generator. It is noisy, but keeps our place warm, helps cook the meals and the  cold stuff keeps cold. In a couple of hours we will go down the hill to Bible study and we always look forward to this. After class we will have a fellowship time at our home with family and friends. Margie is doing much better already on her new allergy medications. We are pleased and thankful. Thanks for praying. 

Thursday, November 12, 2015

RAT TRAP

Job 37:5-6 
God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.

God's handiwork of nature is a wonder to behold,And skillfully enacted and by His hand controlled.
His voice like loud thunder, rumbles in every storm,
When He commands, the snow and rain perform.
Through these things His strength is readily shown,
His children know so well, that He is on the Throne.(RP)

I could hardly believe it when I detected a pile of plastic and rubber at the base of the freezer door. Inspecting it more, I discovered that a rat had tried to eat through the gasket. I guess it was after the food in the freezer. Thankfully the damage was low enough on the door not to hinder insulation. Only one attempt to rid ourselves of this nuisance may have paid off. We have never found, or smelled, the rat or the trap. It was the kind of trap that when stepped on has a powerful adhesive, so that the animal can't release itself from the sticky stuff. Now to another subject. Marge had a wonderful rest last night. The new allergy drops she brought back apparently are helping her. We are thankful. Thanks for praying. 

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

VETERANS DAY

John 13:34  
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Jesus gave a commandment that is a very practical tool,
Any who reject it today can be rightly identified as a fool.
He expects us to love Him first, then others you'll also love.
And all this because His love has come to us from above.(RP)

I listened to a moving program to honor the veterans this morning. It is produced by a man who is a believer and his Christian touch to stories is refreshing. We have a quiet day planned for today. Margie is on her new regime of allergy drops and already feels better. There is still more testing to do but she doesn't know when she will return for those. The predicted high winds arrived last night and more are on the way. This week end we should have plenty of rain. Thanks for your prayers. 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

DAY AFTER

Ephesians 3:12  
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

God is available to all his children, every single day,
Through Jesus we can go to Him, there never is delay.
We should boldly go to Him; he sweetly calls to us,
With confidence enter His presence; there is no fuss.
We praise Him because He is accessible; I am so glad,
To His gracious invitation there is nothing we have to add.(RP)

Yesterday was quite a day.  We arrived at the allergy doctor's office 10 minutes before our appointment time. The new "toll road" got us partly there, but we confess it was confusing. Margie was tested for only 5 items yesterday. They take a long time. She had violent reactions to three foods.  She will have to return for more testing, because they were unable to complete the process. Margie laments this due to the high price of testing, but I assured her it must be this way. As I write this she is still in bed. I believe she had a good night. I know she was exhausted when we arrived home. Thanks so much for praying. 

Monday, November 9, 2015

ALLERGY TESTING

 John 16:33 
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Most people experience hard times in life; this is the lot of us all,
Jesus brings us His peace; it is given to those who upon Him call.
He told us we will have tribulation, but tells us to be of good cheer,
The world He overcame, and we take comfort because He is near(RP)

We leave shortly for the trip to Redmond, WA where Margie will have more allergy testing. Our main concern is the travel to and from there. A new carpool lane system has been started which appears to be complicated and we are not sure what we are getting into. We have always enjoyed this privilege, but now it has changed. It is a toll road and entry and exit of the lanes sounds difficult, with checkered lines for entry and curved lines for exit. If done incorrectly there is a $136.00 dollar penalty. Our car will be photographed so they know we are on the highway. We'll see later and report to you. Thanks for praying. 


Sunday, November 8, 2015

HOME

Mark 10:45 
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Jesus came into the world to serve; He also came to save,
Lost sinners came to Him, and all their sins he gladly forgave.
He gave His life to save lost souls, all who come to Him will be free,
Come to Jesus and be made whole, the resulting joy you will soon see. (RP)

We are home today. Yesterday Margie started to feel the symptoms of a cold, so she thought it best to stay home today. She wanted me to go to last night's special service with Dr. Tom Hoyle, but I dare not leave her for too long, so stayed home. Today will be the same. We will watch several church services via the TV and listen to others on the radio. The reason for this extra caution is because we are supposed to leave in the morning around 7:30 for Redmond, WA where Margie is scheduled to have allergy testing done. We ask you to pray about our trip and the testing. Thanks so much. 

Saturday, November 7, 2015

WIND & RAIN

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:6

Help me find the secret place Where I may pray to You,
And surely find your blessings Which I know will not be few.(RP)

It is raining and windy today. This is a good day to be inside. Margie did not have a real good night, but finally did get some sleep. Yesterday's Bible class went well and there were 35 present. We were pleased. Tonight at our church Dr. Tom Hoyle will be presenting a science and Bible message. He is always good. We will say more about it later. We appreciate prayer for our trip to Redmond, WA Monday morning, to take Margie to the allergy doctor for re-testing.  Thanks for praying. 

Friday, November 6, 2015

CLASS

For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. 
Hebrews 12:6

Kids never like a whipping; I never found any who thought they were any fun,
Parents do it anyway because it is their duty; what joy when they were done!
God's love for us is divine, and we know His discipline is hard for us to take,
His scourges and chastening are based on His love; He never makes a mistake.(RP)

We are always glad for Friday to arrive. The Bible class is a blessing. The attendance varies because with a wide-range of students, that's the way it is. Genesis is a rich book and the class is learning it contains so many spiritual lessons.  Margie continues her preparations for allergy testing next Monday. Before the test she is supposed to eat food items she normally avoids. This will help in the test to determine to what degree she is allergic to each food. We appreciate your prayers for our trip to Redmond, Washington on Monday. Thanks for praying.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

REGULAR SCHEDULE

Proverbs 3:9 
Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

When we honor God with what we have, we know His blessings come,
It is so much better than hoarding goods, and to selfishness succumb.
Learn, my friend, to give Him His portion first of all the money you make,
Because He will bless you immensely when you of this principle partake.
If you do this from the heart, a new world of blessings will come to you, 
You will soon see that you have enough for living, as you His will pursue.(RP)

Margie had a good night. We are thankful. This morning she gets her hair done. She would do it herself but her arms don't work that well to finish the task. In the afternoon we go to prayer meeting. Last night we were honored again to have an invitation from Armond Daws and his daughter Linda and son-in-law Carl for a delicious meal at Anthony's in Bellingham.  What a treat and delight to be with these dear friends. We trust you all have a good day. Thanks for praying.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

MORE TESTS

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 
James 5:16

When we sin against others, James instruct us here, on what we ought to do,
We should go to them and confess our wrongs and see our problem through.
Prayer for each other is a must you see, for by it many hurts are healed,
And as we do, we give proof to our friend, that to God we submit and yield.
As Christians, we all have the duty to pray, and our heavenly Father repays,
By giving results to the prayers of His saints and we marvel at His loving displays.(RP)

Margie called yesterday for another allergy testing session with her allergist. Lord willing that will take place Monday morning in Redmond, WA.  We ask for prayer for the trip and the testing. It will be a long day. Yesterday Margie's sleep doctor gave her some more suggestions on how maybe to improve her ability to sleep. She certainly has problems with sleeping. Today we are washing clothes, and I also work up the weekly prayer sheet for our church. This will keep me going most the day. Margie had a pretty good night for which we are thankful.  Thanks for praying.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

SLEEP DOCTOR

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

God's promises are rich, and are all so tested and tried,
And always work for Christians who in Him faithfully abide.
How wonderful to think God helps us in our daily needs,
And always works on our behalf; He strengthen and feeds.
We ask according to His will; these are the things he gives,
And what a blessed truth is this: in our hearts He ever lives.(RP)

This morning Margie sees the sleep doctor. She can no longer use the sleep apnea machine, so we are returning it. She scheduled an appointment with her allergist for next Monday. She needs to be retested. Maybe this will help her sleep better. Yesterday was a more leisurely day, however we did get more done in preparation for future Genesis classes. I also wrote a number of e-mails that needed to be sent. There is never a dull moment even in leisurely days. We are glad. Thanks for praying.

Monday, November 2, 2015

FAMILY

Titus 3:5 
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Man can never save himself; Jesus does it all,
We all are sinners, and upon Him we must call.
Because He is merciful, He will save us right now,
If you will just come to Him and at His feet bow.
Jesus' blood washes clean all who will come to Him,
And the Holy Spirit renews the soul that before was dim.
Trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, and He will save your soul,
Your sins will be forgiven, and he will make you completely whole.(RP)

Rain, sunshine, wind and even a trace of snow. These were all present at different times yesterday. The best part of the day was when our three grandchildren and daughter-in-law sat with us in church. Later in the day Nathan and Gina visited us. It was very nice. At our welcome room at church after the service Benny ate a cookie but did not know it had cashews in it. A violent reaction followed. A quick trip to the drug store for some Benadryl and soon he was calm. We heard encouraging reports of the Saturday night Trunk or Treat ministry outreach at the church. Over 400 New Testaments were distributed plus many other pieces of literature containing the gospel message. People were personally witnessed to also by faithful church members busy evangelizing. Thanks for praying

Sunday, November 1, 2015

AFTER THE STORM

Hebrews 12:1 
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...

The heroes of faith we read in God's Word give courage to us today, 
Their dedicated lives and devotion to the Lord, are lessons on display.
In this life we are in a race, and to succeed there are things we must do,
All things that impede our run, should be cast aside as His will we pursue.
We need God's help to endure, and be faithful in this race we are in,
And if we neglect to press on, we know that for us it's because of sin. (RP)

The weather was threatening to hinder the trick or treaters, and at our church a big event was all set up. Fortunately all worked out well, as far as we know. We attended the memorial service of our good neighbor Pastor Bud Lee. The church was filled for the service and what an inspirational service it was! Margie did not have the best night but still plans on going to church this morning. She will rest this afternoon. As I write, the sun is shining. It looks great out there, even though they predict more rain today. We thank you for your prayer support.