It seems that there's a lot adding up, for me, for us.
Both Evie and I are convinced that our move into an independent living community, which will happen in November is wise.
We've seen so many people, even people who are prepared financially, end up experiencing disaster late in life.
Today, our 95 year old next door neighbor who's in frail and failing health is in a nursing home with her Medicare benefits about to expire. She has adequate savings but is forced to find any personal care facility that can take her...in four days.
She has no family to assist her and no real friends who are still alive. Only Evie and another 81 year old neighbor are willing to help sort out her mess.
We've been through cancer and open heart surgery and have no children and we're not young, though apparently, we'll be the youngest couple moving in to the place we're moving to.
Neither of us have qualms about the wisdom of what we're doing, but there's little joy in it either.
And, lots and lots to do to get the house ready for sale and the move organized.
So, overall, sad, discouraging.
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At the moment, the most intense cause of sadness and discouragement is the fact that a long-time, very close friend has a very aggressive form of brain cancer.
He began to show symptoms only a few weeks ago and had surgery two days ago, surgery to remove only part of a very large tumor. From what we've heard, it's a matter of time, and probably not much time.
Call him Al, has been among our closest friends for decades. We remained close, when we moved from Enola to Madison, NJ, to Ohio and back to PA and while he and his wife moved to various places in Central PA, to FL and back home.
Al is a very aggressive unbeliever.
The most important part of our lives is our relationship with Jesus. One of the most important parts of Al's life is his rejection of Christianity.
Needless to say, it's always been a very challenging friendship. Perhaps, it's the hard work we've all put into it that makes the friendship uniquely special.
As his demise becomes apparent, the mixture of intense feeling is indescribable. Sad. Heartbreaking.
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We've also been touched, saddened and discouraged by the trouble Steve Dunn has encountered.
Steve and I have never been close but I had respected his contribution to the cause of the Kingdom, more than any of the other people of our generation whom I sometimes facetiously call mountaintoppers.
In 2010, when I rose to speak on the floor of General Conference to express concern about the controversial Credentialing Document, amazingly, the General Conference President said to me, "You can only ask a question." I was flabbergasted, muttered, "What is the capital of South Dakota," and sat down.
But, Steve stood on the floor of General Conference as my advocate. I was, permitted to make my comment. Interestingly, by now even I have long since forgotten what I said that day.
And, I know Steve didn't agree with my position on credentialing.
History has revealed that what I think is immensely unpopular in the CGGC, yet, Steve stood publically for my ability to bring it into the CGGC conversation.
Some who read this won't know the story but we're in prayer for the situation.
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And, mom's holding her own for the moment but her personality has changed. She's gone. Not all the way, but far enough.
Happily, for the moment, she's not mean, to us, at least...
...but she's no longer here.
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