It's Happening

Since I've been home I found that Frances had an interest in Lee University's new ENCORE program - through which those who are 60+ years of age may go to school and take two classes per semester for the incredibly low price of $50. One may audit (take the course for personal enrichment with no obligations as far as testing) or take the classes for credit. Therefore, it happened that I agreed, and we have signed up and are auditing "Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament", taught by Dr. Rick Moore. We missed the first class because I was not back from my latest trip to Kenya. I'm really enjoying the time with Frances in the class. Also two of our friends, Eddie and Irma Williams are auditing the class with us. It has been a habit of mine for several years now to read one chapter of Proverbs each day. Of course Proverbs is only one of the "Wisdom Books". The others are Ecclesiastes and Job. Did you know that Job was considered to be Wisdom Literature? I confess that I did not. I had to make several trips to the book store before finally getting the books for our clsss. Thank God I got the books USED! The price? $103.00 The titles: Character in Crisis by William P. Brown; The Wisdom Literature by Richard J. Clifford; and Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. Of course that price is for two copies each.

Yesterday, the 30th of August, we drove up to the Summit View nursing home near Lenoir City to see Frances' Mom. Frances' brother, Dewain, came to our house and rode with us. On Wednesday we had received a call saying that "it looks like the beginning of the end for Mamaw" because she was unable to swallow. However, after we arrived a speech therapist came in and was able to get her to take some small amount of nourishment. Please pray for Frances and the family as they go through the inevitable passing of their mother from earth's toils to Heaven's Rewards!

My friend, Eddie, came over to borrow my lawn mower trailer to help his son move. While they were at the house we discovered that wasps had made a nest (about 4 and 1/2 inches in diameter) directly under my boat seat! They sloshed gasoline on them and removed the nest, but when I looked later in the day there were about 6 wasps that had survived and were trying to re-build. Don't worry, I'll carefully examine the entire boat before launching next time. You know, I haven't put that boat in the water but one time in two years now, but when I mentioned selling it (can you believe) my wife said, "NO, Fred! Don't sell that boat. When you retire you will want it." Maybe. Maybe Not. Anyway - it's paid for.

By the way, I now have a new set of ratchet tie-downs for the trailer. Although I heard his father tell the son, "Be sure to tie those straps together!" the son either did not hear or did not think it important - so one of the straps got loose, fell under the trailer wheel, and broke. Nothing would satisfy Eddie but for him to buy me a new set of ratchet tie-downs. Not everyone would have been as thoughtful and considerate.