In Bosnia

On the Mission Trip

We are here in Bosnia on the trip. You can read all about it on our blog site.

I'll post personal stuff here as I get time.

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane

Off to Bosnia

Tomorrow we head off to Bosnia. You can follow our adventures on the trip blog site.

Prayer Helps

I've sent a couple of e-mails asking people to pray for me and for our trip. I believe it working. This week I've felt much more serene than I have been before. Thank you all who are praying. I REALLY appreciate it.

Gracie Cuteness

This photo was sent by Avery of Gracie. A grandPOP can't help himself...

With a Little Help from my Friends

Barron - my friend
Barron has been around all through the illness and my journey since. He is an agent for artists so we talk much about music now and of music of the "golden era" '68 - '75. I go watch his band play at a bar-b-que and jive to the blues. Barron is one of the friends who have been a great support for me this year.

Anniversaries
It's starting - the anniversaries. This week marks the first anniversary of Trudie's first doctor appointment. The blood tests came back and the doctor said "there's something wrong with these numbers." - no kidding.

Good Grief
One of the things that was suggested to me when I first started this grief journey was to go to the Grief Share web site. I did and signed up for their e-mails. They send out a daily e-mail of encouragement to us going through this process.

Yesterday's message said in part:

Good grief is accepting the fact that your loved one has died, accepting the sorrow and pain, and knowing there is more to come. Good grief is getting through the days, the months, and, eventually, through the years.
...
Your life will never be the same again, but you will get through the grief. The grieving process is a transition into your new life.

"He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age" (Ruth 4:15).


This really resonated with me. I'm still in the middle of the grieving process. It's not easy. But, I will survive and eventually move on.

Avery Visit

Avery Visit

Avery visited last week for a few days. But what she got done was so helpful. She went through the studio and got a lot of the cloth-for-the-millennium out of there. She also found her old baby book which we feared was lost.

Avery also showed me her phone which a treasure trove of Gracie photos. I got her to send me the one to the left. She is so cute!

Avery posts the latest Gracie story on her blog at The Blig on Live Journal.

Grave Marker

I had finally ordered Trudie's grave marker last month and they sent me notification that they had delivered it.

I went by on Saturday to see it. It's the first time I had been able to get up the gumption to go there. I couldn't find it at first so I had to ask at the office but the nice man led me right to it.

It's been a sad time for me. I'm leaning hard on Jesus the last couple of weeks. I know this is part of the normal grieving process and I'm glad I'm going THROUGH it and not around it. But it is not easy. "This too shall pass."

Bosnia

Most of you know that on July 26th our team leaves for Bosnia. We will be updating the Bosnia Youth Festival '08 blog to let you know how we are doing. Put your e-mail address in the side-box and you'll get updates to your e-mail.