On the Road Again

I enjoyed a great evening last night with the other Elders of Hope Christian Fellowship last night. We met for our regular meeting but ended up spending a couple of hours chatting about everything under the sun -- from where folks are at in their spiritual journeys, to the intricate relational dance of marriages, to surviving earthquakes and dealing with lawyers and how fun it was to watch Tim lose control of the announcements segment to a joyful, interactive church family this past Sunday. I treasure these guys -- their friendship, their wisdom, their commitment, and their dedication to the Lord. It's such a blessing!

After the meeting, Tim and I swung by the hospital for a very late visit to Peggy Ward (who was sleeping peacefully, so we left a note) and Morgan Garihan (who was enjoying the wonders of pain medication as she fights off a nasty infection). Bart & Eden were there as well, so of course our time quickly turned into an opportunity to laugh. (You'll have to ask Bart about his choices in hospital television viewing some time...)

Tomorrow our family is taking off for Tulsa to visit my mom while she's at the Cancer Treatment Center of America there. She was admitted yesterday and apparently spent a day filled with testing. I am REALLY looking forward to being with her, especially with all that's been going on. It will be a really loooong drive, but with Ben and Beth having permits we'll get to share the load nicely. The drive will also give us a chance to have lunch with Margo's mom and dinner with her sister on the way home, which will be terrific.

When I get back, we're launching our new Sunday morning series on the letter to the Galatians. Since the beginning of last November I've had this sense that God wants us to explore this letter as a church family, though I admit I'm not entirely sure where he is taking us in this. Galatians is one of the few books I've never taught before for some reason, so I'm really eager for the fresh discovery the Lord has in store. I've already been enjoying what I'm learning about grace and freedom in this letter!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get packed for our trip...