Here's the story . . .

As I've received e-mails and facebook messages in the last few days, I realize that some of you might have wondered about our safety and the condition of our property. I am happy to report that, though we seem to be water logged, we have remained safe and dry inside. Water got inside our garage and several things got wet. The tornado sirens woke us about 3 a.m. Saturday morning, we got up, turned on the TV and made arrangements to go to our "safe place." Tom went back to sleep when the warning was lifted about 6:30 and I stayed up until I could get in touch with our daytime sitter to tell her not to leave her four year old. Also, roads giving way, sink holes, bridges washing out and flash flooding was already a problem and we weren't sure she could get here. Then I went back to sleep for a couple of hours. Saturday it rained off and on all day, with the emergency management people recommending that people stay off the streets and roads and that all activities for that day and Sunday be cancelled. I talked with two of the leaders in the Humboldt church and one told me his rain gauge registered 16 inches. They weren't sure I could get there from here, so we cancelled our services as well. That night the rain continued and there was a tornado touchdown in Humboldt. About 3:30 I heard my phone signal that I had a text message--Tommy around the corner to see if we were up watching the weather. We weren't, but I stayed up the rest of that night as the severe storms came through all around us. The pump under Tommy's house died sometime Saturday and when the plumber finally got to him at 8:30 that night, he diagnosed the problem and out of the goodness of his heart told Tommy that he would loan him his personal pump until he could get back on Monday to install a new one. Meanwhile, the downstairs, consisting of a shop, a big storage room , laundry and large playroom all flooded. What a mess they have had! Finally things are beginning to come together to repair the damage and I cannot say how generous and considerate the service people have been.

Our friend LaLa, recent graduate of Bama took four of the children to spend the day at her house yesterday. That in itself was a gift, but she also washed, dried and folded six loads of clothes for Liz. (Before the storms came, Tommy had planned to put a new motor in their dryer. The motor burned out last weekend so they could wash, but not dry at home.) I took hamburger patties and hotdogs out of the freezer and we fixed supper. Nobody seemed to care that Paw Paw made the fire too hot and some of the burgers looked like charcoal briquettes. It's disappointing to realize our limitations and how little we can do to help these days. So much of what Tommy knows about fixing things, etc. he learned from his granddaddy who was always the first person we called, either to come help or give advice. Tommy laughed at one point and said: "At times like these, I really hate Dad's Parkinson's. If he could he would be right here next to me doing all he could to help." Tomorrow the schools reopen and hopefully, things will get back to normal.

We went to Corinth Friday and resumed treatment. Dr. Reed decided that three doses of Neupogen to stimulate development of white blood cells this week before the root canal were in order. This is a drug I had taken in California with few side effects, but when taken here last fall, the effects were such that the doctor discontinued it and rearranged my treatments. I have had two of the shots and so far only extreme fatigue and some back ache are affecting me. I was going to have to travel to Corinth three days this week to be given the shots, but our friend Marge who frequently drives us has a retired oncology nurse friend with whom she paints. Through that contact, the nurse has come by my house to give the shots. As a result of the storms Saturday night there are stretches of the highway leading to Corinth that are impassable. Liz commented this morning, Marge is a good friend to have. I couldn't agree more for lots of reasons!!! My CA125 is not as low as I would like it to be, but it did go down about 3 points.

For the rest of the week I'll be busy reworking Sunday's sermon which is entitled, Extreme Makeover. Inspired by lectionary tasks, I've been preaching about the difference that should be obvious in our lives because we have "seen" Jesus or we have spent time with him. Peter was one whose whole being changed after the Spirit was given him by Jesus and certainly after Pentecost. My challenge is tying it to Mothers' Day in some meaningful way. Circle meets Monday and that lesson has to be prepared so I'll be studying---except on Friday when our dear Mississippi friends come for the day. We can't wait to see them.

Two prayer requests to share: Susan at 1st Church, Humboldt who recently had surgery for ovarian cancer and has started treatment and Boyd, retired medical doctor, who left Sunday for a medical mission trip to Haiti. He's from our home church in Mississippi, but has gone with a church in Fayetteville, NC.

This has gotten to be longer than I anticipated, but we had a little more news than usual.

Blessings,
Pastor Margaret