The project of preparing the residence for Madalynne is just about completed. What remains is the baseboard and window trim and the cottage will be ready for occupancy. We know that’s true because Bonnie and I have been sleeping in the cottage for the last week and making sure that there’s a place for everything that is needed. Oh, sure, some small tweaks will be made but by and large the cottage will soon have a new resident…and we hope and pray that she quickly adapts to the new environs and will enjoy her new digs.

So, with that time now here, we decided to hit the road for a week and take a much needed breather. Besides, now that we are seniors our lives are becoming much more ordered with medical appointments that need to be kept and Bonnie has one such appointment the next week. But, I believe that it’s of the Lord that we are taking this time to take another look at the immediate future and make some more decisions regarding the future yet to be in the remainder of the year.

You see, we have some things laid out for us in coming days that urge us to keep our calendars flexible. Bryan and Vickie and family will be in from Russia to Clarkesville in early June (the 12th) and Daniel and Dia will be in from California to Clarkesville the end of June. Then the Daniel Joyces will fly back to California and the Bryan Joyces will motor up to Michigan and Minnesota to see family and the school Andrew will attend in the Fall. The Art Joyces (that’s us) will keep them company on the road to Michigan and then begin heading west, as was the plan a few months ago. We’ll take the northern U.S. route as we head west and then the southern U.S. route as we head east coming back.

I guess the question could be asked, “Why it is that since this is only four months after I retired in February, why am I so tired?” I think that it’s because retirement doesn’t mean a 24/7 vacation. While we had some relaxing times prior to arriving in Georgia, we’ve had some exhausting times doing manual labor for the last couple of months. I have had the thought run through my mind that I needed to go back to pastoring in order to get some rest. But there are other stresses in that occupation that can be just as or more tiring physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. I did have a chance to share the Word on a Sunday evening recently and it was a little strange to me to be preaching again. But I know that God ordered it ...and blessed it too.

So, that catches you up to date on what is going on for us right now. I must say too, that Flat was more than a little excited to be on the road again. He’s been sitting in the car, with that silly grin on his face, not complaining, but just content to sit and wait until we were ready to go again. Sometimes I’d like to be a little more like Flat…you know, just keeping the smile on my face, content, and not complaining but simply waiting on the Lord for His direction. May all of us have such an attitude day by day!