Y’all come
September 25, 2008 (Thursday)
I received a call yesterday, informing me that power has been restored to my residence and the church in Houston. I presume this means we will have Sunday School and worship services in the Timbergrove Baptist Church Sunday. I don’t know of anything that might keep that from happening, and I’m looking forward to it.
There are still hundreds of thousands of people without electric service in the Houston-Galveston area. My sister in the Woodforest area of east Houston had power restored for two days, only to see it suddenly cut off, and she is still without power today. Kind and helpful neighbors have provided her with a generator, which makes possible the use of her refrigerator, fans and the television set. When she, our sister and I were growing up, living with our grandparents, we had an ice box, cooled by a block of ice, no electric fans and certainly no T.V. We got used to that, back in those days, but life has changed, hasn’t it?
While in Rockport, Pastor Scott Jones invited me to have Birthday cake with the church staff Monday morning. Scott’s birthday was Sunday and mine was Wednesday. Before we enjoyed the cake, Scott presented me a beautiful framed document which officially designated me as “Pastor Emeritus” of the First Baptist Church of Rockport. Now I have a beautiful memento of the action taken by the church last January. How very, very gracious of him and the church. My deepest thanks to all who helped to make that happen.
Yesterday, residents of Galveston were allowed to return to the island. Many found their homes in ruins, and some discovered an empty plot where their homes had stood. Most are without power, water or sewer. Mosquitoes are relentless in their attacks. Let us keep all the suffering folks along the coast in our prayers, and do what we can to help.