We are almost on football overload. It started Thursday night with the on-slaught of televised college games. Thus far in three days we have seen four SEC teams play. Three out of four have been runaway victories for the SEC; the fourth, the team of our choice is once more embarassing itself by making mistake after mistake and we're headed for a loss. I know it's only a game, but I'm tired of "waiting until next year."

The best part of the week was a visit today from special friends from Mississippi. They drove up among all the folks from Louisianna who were evacuating. Our friends said that basic supplies were already sold out in Jackson and that they saw at least two service stations already out of gas. It would seem that people would rather be safe than sorry. But, I digress. We loved being with our friends, seeing pictures of their grandchildren and hearing about their family. Tommy and four of his children came down to say hello. It was a great afternoon.

Tom had his follow up appointment with the neurologist Thursday. Since he was seen the first of August he has had blood tests, an MRI and an x-ray of his skull and spine. The first two were fine, but the x-ray showed bone spurs in the neck area and a couple of bulging discs. The doctor thinks we have discovered the root of Tom's headaches and has ruled out a jaw problem. Now we know what we think might be at the root of his headaches, but no promise of solution. I did have a really thorough discussion with the doctor and believe he clarified some things. A slight change in medication will begin next week and we're hoping that might be helpful overall for the Parkinson's.

We continue to keep our eye on the storm headed toward the Gulf Coast and we continue to pray for all the many people in its path. How well we remember the storms in our lifetime! Before we lived in California we wondered how people could be content living with the threat of earthquakes. When we lived in California we learned that the people there wondered how we could live in tornado prone areas or in those places affected by hurricanes. I have compared illness to storms in other blogs I've written and once again, I think of the similarities. Before cancer I might see a person in treatment or struggling with it and say to myself: "I could never do what they are doing." Then, cancer knocked on my door. Whether there is a storm, an illness or some other unsettling situation, the only way to get through it is by trusting in the One who is more powerful than the storm, more present than the illness and more gracious than that which disturbs us. I am thankful that I know that One, but more importantly, I am thankful that He knows me and calls me by name.

Blessings,
Pastor Margaret