To The Dear, Dear Friends Of Tommy & Elaine, February 2019
It seems we just sent one of these out. But glad to keep you dear folks informed about what’s happening and what’s not happening. And it’s this time of the year that about all that is happening is the cold weather. We’ve had to close our services several times due to snow, ice and low, low temperatures. Up to 2-3 years ago it did not bother us. But we have gotten older.
Elaine & I are experiencing several things that come with age & infirmities. We can’t seem to remember from the bathroom to the kitchen what we went there for. Our apartment is small, but we love it. Elaine hobbles around waiting for a hip replacement which can be 6 months to a year. I’m staggering and shaking more and more because of the Parkinsons. I’m just being truthful, We get aggravated due to our health problems and having to take soooo many pills morning, noon & night. God is still good and our marriage is still the most sweetest wonderful thing to happen to us, earthly speaking. My prostate problem is starting to bother me more and more .
We have two Nursing Homes we attend monthly which are doing great. God just gave me a love for these dear senior folks. Some Nursing Homes are awful a shortage of funding and workers.
Our Sunday morning crowd is encouraging. But too, they are getting older and apt to fall, so they fear going out in the snow and cold. I don’t blame them. The Lord has given us a wonderful congregation of people. Whether 25 or 255, I am prepared to preach to either size as if it might be my last.
We have had a couple of native women to visit or Church in which Bob and I decided to visit one of them. She was strongly traditional. I didn’t know just how strongly until we got there. I said, “Bob, what have you gotten us into?” After about 30 minutes, I wanted to have pray and go. As we finished praying she wanted to pray as well. Woe! She took my hand while I still had my eyes closed. I was wondering what she was doing so I had to look. You know the preacher has to look. As I was peeking, she was casting out an evil spirit from me she said. She took her hand and pointed toward the window for it to leave. Then she says she would need to do this two more times before they were all gone. I wondered what they were that she was casting out. I didn’t feel nothing and I knew I belonged to JESUS! When Bob and I got to the end of the driveway, we stopped and prayed that the Lord protect us and let us not carry any of this stuff back to our homes, Amen! This is some of the things we get into on the Reservation. We do a lot of pleading Jesus’ blood.
Please don’t expect too much out of Elaine & I in these winter months. It’s a task just for me and my health and heart condition along with Elaine’s hip joint to go from the house to the car. We’re not dead yet, just cautious. We still carry a full load of preaching and visiting hospitals and such.
Our holiday season went well. Some of our Churches and individuals sent extra gifts in which we are soooo grateful. I’ve tried to keep an account of who sent special gifts so I could send a special Thank You for such. If we missed you, please forgive. Too, Thank You for staying behind us in prayers and financial help. You are very kind. We would love to visit you and the Church, but I’m just not strong enough yet and then having to be ready when the surgeon calls to do Elaine’s hip replacement.
Thanks again my friend(s). With Love!