Back home in Missouri

Last night I got back home after a long drive from Des Moines. The two weeks I spent in Iowa was the most time I have had with my dad since before COVID. While there, I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law. They live a mile from my dad’s care center. It was a blessing to have so many uninterrupted visits. In general, my days consisted of a couple hours in morning, a break for lunch, and then back in the afternoon. Sometimes I would stay for supper, depending on how he was feeling.

Overall, it was a good trip. My dad continues to decline and most of my time was spent sitting and watching him either sleep or stare into space. In his good moments, however, we were able to spend a few minutes talking before he got tired and faded back out. Those conversations happened one sentence at a time, and were sometimes confused, but I will forever treasure the opportunity to be there. Quite simply, the good moments would not have been possible if I weren’t sitting in the room when his good moments occurred.

Thank you to the board for the time away, to Bobby Garner for preaching in my absence, to Eddie Pope for clearing the parking lot, and to Kim Williams for handling all the extra administrative work. It is a blessing to be able to occasionally step away to take care fo family and not have to worry about anything going on here. Thanks for the prayers, cards, and calls. Your support means a lot.

See you all on Sunday for worship and the Valentine’s Day taco bar!!