Weds., September 17, 2008, 10:18 a.m., Nashville, TN~

Dear Journal~

Bill here.  A very relieved Bill, I might add.  Heard from my wife; she got to Galveston, Texas, safe and sound, which has been a huge answer to prayer.  She is helping out with relief efforts there, in the aftermath of what was once Hurricane Ike, which tore up Galveston pretty badly.

Louie said she is hanging in there, but she says Galveston is a shell of her former self, which made me sad.  We have been to Galveston before, and it was once a pretty place by the Gulf; now a good part of it is a mess, and it will be months, years, before Galveston is returned to her former glory.

I am home today (off from work, in fact, off this week; it will kill the paycheck, but I have to be here with the kids while my wife is gone), and with my in-laws, who aren't in the best of health (my father in law is in his eighties; his wife, in her sixties).  The kids are either living elsewhere or are attending college, or the school age ones are in school, while I only have the three youngest, Arjun, and the twins, Ian and Isaiah, to look after.

Right now the children are napping; they were just put down not even fifteen minutes ago.  They must have fallen asleep; I don't hear any talking or crying.  Good; i can concentrate on writing in here.

My father in law is sitting in the livingroom, catching up with the news, while his wife is sitting across from me, drinking her coffee and eating some of the leftover scrambled eggs I whipped up this morning before the children left for school.  It is very peaceful, save for some occasional meows from "Cajun", our Maine Coon cat (if she thinks she's going to get any eggs, she has another thing coming!!).

"Cajun Gold", the Pomeranian, has gotten over her depression; she is acting more like herself.  She knows her mamma is gone; she might as well make the best of it while she is.  She is watching the cat, thinking about how to jump on her without risk of getting clawed to death; those two love to annoy each other! LOL

I have been praying, seeking God, as I think about the devastation in Texas; I wonder what I can do to help those poor people who were most affected by the hurricane.  Our church is going to have a box where the congregation can donate nonperishable food items, clothes, toys, diapers, shoes, and the like for the people down there.  I plan on donating some of the more "gently-used" clothes, toys, and some extra diapers, baby supplies; I'll take those with us tonight when we leave for church.

We will have a prayer session for the victims of Ike; no doubt, there will be a lot of praying, wailing, and travailing going on, as we ask God to intervene in those suffering people's lives, ease their pain, grief soemehat, give them a sense of peace and comfort amidst all their sadness.

This Sunday at church will be a special service benefitting the Hurricane Ike victims/survivors; there will be special music, a special message, and opportunities for the people to donate their time, money, and so on to help the people along the Texas Gulf Coast.  My wife will be home by then; she will be able to attend.  (She is due to come home in three days, on Saturday, sometime in the afternoon.)

The kids have been busy gathering old toys, clothes that they don't wear or need anymore, and letters of encouragement that they plan on donating to the hurricane victims; they have been wonderful in showing their compassionate, caring side.  I am blessed to have such loving, giving, caring, compassionate kids!

Well, Armand is calling, so I will go now; besides, it's time for him to take his morning dose of medications.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Bill saying so long for now!  May God bless you mightily!

~Bill. :)