My family finally came home from the Philippines late last Friday - with our five year old grandson Zeph, who has been the subject of this whole immigration process. All four of them are still so jet lagged that they are often awake in the middle of the night, and asleep during the day, which has put me off schedule a bit as well. And with the two little boys, they are not sleeping at the same time, so our home has been in time zone limbo.
Now add to that the recent hurricane - and we pray God's mercy, strength and safety for those now reeling from two hurricanes - we did leave our home in Fort Myers to go ride out the storm at my parents' place in Bonita Springs (just a little farther south). All is fine with us, we didn't even lose power other than some flickering off and on. No flooding for us, just the expected tree damage, etc. So we got off easy with these two, unlike Hurricane Ian two years ago. Bottom line is we are grateful - heading back to our home today - and sleeping in my own bed again.
Tomorrow - the last of the aftermath of our home flooding episode, which is that they will deliver our new couch, and with that, I want to say life gets back to normal, but actually this is going to be a completely new normal. I'm feeling much gratitude, including some for the inventor of noise cancelling headphones.
Thanks to all who have inquired as to how things are going. Life is an adventure, and you cannot plan for it - all you can do is discern what is the right thing to do in the moment, and try to be faithful in that moment.
Blessings to all!
- Jim
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
The problem with us men is that often we don't have the wisdom to be a father until we're a grandfather.
This may sounds like some ironic statement that makes you nod your head in agreement but shrug your shoulders in resignation, thinking, well there's nothing we can do about that. But the practical application of that is that it demonstrates how important it is for kids to grow up around their grandparents. But as in our culture the family becomes ever more fractured and spread out, that is harder and harder to do.
Lately I've been thinking that part of the problem is the whole concept of college. It used to be that everyone thought a person had to go to college to make a good living. Not only is that not the case (truck drivers make more money than I do) but now college has gone from useless to actually ruining our kids. But when I went to college, what you were supposed to do is figure out what career you wanted (as if anyone knows that at age 18) and then go away to the college ...
And don't forget, if you would like to read my latest novel:
The Sword and the Clover - just let me know by email.
I'm happy to send you the PDF version, even if you haven't been a monetary supporter of the community - all I ask is that you don't share it with anyone else.
My email address:
Keep in touch!
JIm
If you haven't already signed up - this comes to your inbox no more than once a month, and will keep you updated when new books come out, or when we're leading pilgrimages, etc:
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