The air this morning is crisp and cool. I'm glad the newspaper wasn't any further away from the front door than it was. Yesterday I noted when I went out to get lunch that lots of trees in the neighborhood have turned red. That means another trip downtown to see if the ghinkos are yellow yet. We've never traveled up East to see the fall leaves, nor to other places famous for their color, but have been content to enjoy the beauty around us. Sometimes when Mom and Dad would return from some place where "the leaves were absolutely beautiful," Tom would reply, "Mississippi has beautiful leaves." Then, he might go on to comment on the ghinko in our front yard, the pear trees in the mall parking lot or the varieties of trees on the Natchez Trace. I guess we have always been content with the beauty that surrounds us wherever we are.

I haven't given a "grandchildren update" lately, so here's the latest. Nine month old Christopher looked up at Marty one day this past week and said "Mama." All you mothers out there know how special that is! Mallory has been helping Marty with sewing projects. That was fun for both of them. I don't remember Marty being particularly interested in sewing at that age. Jacob is still loving band. I told him over the weekend I was going to put a book on his head, he's growing so tall and might I say "good looking?" Drew has been learning to ride a bike without training wheels. He came to our house a week ago Saturday to practice on our driveway. (Ours is longer and has a large parking area behind the house--perfect for bikes, scooters, etc.) Getting on and getting going is the hard part. I don't know how many times he got on, tried, fell, got up and tried again. Then I noticed the front tire was low and that kept him from steering straight. His determination reminded me of when I learned many years ago and I knew in a instant where he got at least some of that determination. Meredith has always been very verbal, but now we can actually understand much of what she says. She is so cute, bouncing through the house, curls bobbing on her head. Elisa will be a year old next Sunday. Where did the year go? She has only to smile and the day is brighter! Sarah, who in family order comes between Jacob and Drew, has been adding to her cooking accomplishments. Friday Tommy planned a special dinner with homemade ravioli stuffed with crab to go along with veal, red pepper cream sauce and asparagus. Sarah made the pasta and cut it into shapes ready for me to stuff. Saturday she and her dad made pizza and created one with chicken, alfredo sauce, peppers and onions. Friday night her daddy was bragging on her, telling us she had made the pasta and reminding us that she had already learned to make a roux. She piped up and said, "I can make hot dogs too." She has her priorities in order. In other words, forget the gourmet stuff and get on with the basics.

Tom will see the neurologist Wednesday and we pray for some understanding of what has been going on with him the last several weeks. Watching him become weaker and more confused is difficult. You know after the Apostle Paul had prayed for his thorn to be removed and it wasn't, he prayed for grace to accept and deal with his problem. People with chronic illness need to do the same. Jesus spoke to him those words that keep us going: My grace is sufficient. That, my friends, is the bottom line.

Blessings,
Pastor Margaret