Thad

My friend Thad, from Hope Lodge, died this past Tuesday.

Thad and his wife, Martha, were the first people I met when I went down to NYC this winter. They were friendly and encouraging. They had been there for quite a while. They were a wealth of information to each of us new comers on the ninth floor. We learned about where the Fresh Market was and the best way to get there, the bus route and the best subway route to Memorial, different local sights that were free and the good restaurants around the area. And they were always at the social gatherings that Hope Lodge organized every week. If it was nice weather we would sometimes meet on 67th street as we walked back and forth from the subway to the hospital.

They had a wonderful faith and optomistic trust in their Lord and Savior, Jesus. The last time I saw him, he was in the hospital himself, struggling with an opportunistic infection, but his concern was for his roommate who was in his twenty's and gravely ill. The last thing we did together was pray with each other.

He had a cancer that only young men in their twentys get. He was in his sixties. They were puzzled, they had not seen this type of cancer in men his age. The same protocol, which is very successful in young men, was prescribed, and it seemed to be working. They had to send him home after six months though when his tumors started to reappear.

A. B. Simpson said that, "the greatest need of our souls and bodies is to know Jesus personally, to touch Him constantly, to abide in Him continually." Thad continues on that journey he had started and I know someday I will see you again, my friend. The hope of the resurection, it is precious to us. But it is still sad to be without him for family and friends. And I pray now that Martha would feel His presence and continue to grow in His love and mercy.

HELP! I'M STUCK.........

What a day!

It started with a very violent affair.

I thought it would be easy. They said it would be, but the reality was something quite different.

They showed up with chain saws and bobcats and chains. And the things I thought could be saved were quickly buried deep under mounds of dirt and debris.

The operation? The removal of the 20 year old lilacs around the previous old deck and the current kitchen garden. The hope of more sun on my garden was the reason for the removal of the beloved lilacs.

After two hours of noise, and pulling, stacking, shaking,and total destruction of the 7 large lilacs, and tire tracks across the side yard, the space was devoid of the old friends. Sad. But I'm moving on to some subsistence gardening. (Now all I need is my little chicken coop!)

The next step was to take the truck to the manure pile across from the local horse stable.

I knew exactly where I wanted the truck to be. Right next to the huge pile so I could stand on top of the pile and just shovel it into the bed of the truck. I've done this many times before and it's hard work but more convenient then loading up a wheelbarrow and push it up a wooden ramp to the truck bed.

I eyed the squishy approach to the pile. It has rained almost continuously here for the last week or so. Could I make it in and out? I have a 2 wheel drive truck now instead of my standard 4 wheel drive.

I tried. I failed. And I was stuck! Down deep to the axles. Oh, no! No manure and I'm stuck too.

A quick call to resident neice. "Help, I'm stuck in the manure pile!". "What, where are you?" she replied. Directions and then a little loading of a bit of manure and then I was rescued.

And later, resident Dad and son took the trusty Suburban and rescued the grey Dodge.

And I'm off the the manure pile again today. I'm sure there will be a better approach to the prize!