It's a rainy Sat. afternoon in the Pacific Northwest as I enjoy a visit with my friends, Mike and Mira and their kids' families. This is another place that Joyce and I came to many times in the last 18 years. Every once in a while I glance next to me where she would be if she were still here. I'm missing her presence - not quite with the pain of a couple months ago - but more just the memories of the fun times we had up here with our good friends...and realizing that new memories are being made this trip without her - and it seems still sureal.

What a wonderful last three days out in Borego Springs. It was the annual "Huddle" for the ministry leaders of churches and outreaches in relationship with Horizon Christian Fellowship in San Diego - pastored by my friend and mentor - Mike MacIntosh. Most of our pastoral staff were able to attend (along with about another 400 folks) and we were all refreshed and challenged for the work ahead. The Lord has so much more He desires to do in each one of us!

Had a good visit with my family back in the Chicago suburbs. My brother Mike is doing better - recovering from over 6 months of cancer treatments - we had a real nice time together and some meaningful conversations about life and suffering and family and God - good stuff!

Well I made is safely and uneventfully from SD to Dallas to Chicago and got to my brothers house just as dinner was being served... and the Chargers were handing a victory to the Patriots.

I'm flying to Chicago in the morning to visit a few days with my family. Appreciate your prayers for a fruitful visit. Be back Thursday.

Last Friday evening the church's website began a move to a new server. As a result, my blog and many other items associated with ccesco.com were migrating thru cyberspace for the better part of this past week. As of yesterday, everything seemed to have found it's new home and we're up and running again.

It's been a pretty busy week. Still no date for my surgery - because it's considered "routine" it's about a 2 month wait from the time of referal from the doc. So it's been about 5 weeks now and so assuming I won't hear from them til the end of the month, I've decided to take a couple of short trips this month - God permitting. In the middle of the month I'll be flying to Chicago to visit my family for a few days. The at the end of the month I'm making a short trip to the Seattle area to visit with some close friends - and go to a Mariner game or two :-)

In between, I'm either back at the church or doing stuff with the police dept. pretty much every day and I'll be teaching this Sunday in Luke 22. Terry and Nancy Clark will be leading us in worship Sunday morning and I'm looking forward to a sweet time of gathering together with my church family to glorify our Lord.

I've also found this past week the Lord giving me opportunity to minister to many folks facing cancer....some near the end of their battle and some just starting. Tho my wounds are still pretty fresh, the Lord has given me strength and peace to encourage and counsel those who are hurting and fearful - I can look them in the eye and say, "I really do know what you're going thru!" I'm so grateful for those opportunities.

I just want to encourage all of you to stay connected to your church family and seek opportunities to serve one another. Pray for your pastors and leaders and keep a tender heart towards the lost and lonely in our communities.

Have a blessed weekend!

In His Arm's,

Pat

Well we're into September! Nice 'n hot here in So Cal. Labor day weekend has come and gone and now Fall begins - except it's still hitting 100! On Sunday I sorta split my time between 2 churches. Started and finished at CC Escondido but in the middle, decided to visit CC Hidden Valley on the south side of Escondido. Shawn Stone is the pastor and I knew a lot of folks there. I was blessed by Shawn's study in Acts and the worship was sweet. Finished the day with the Sunday evening prayer time at CCE - again, just a blessed time with brothers and sisters lifting up each other, our church family and our community before the Lord.

Today I drove out to Carlsbad and walked for an hour early in the morning - it wasn't as hard as the last time I was there alone, when Joyce was in her last couple of weeks. Ran into a brother in the Lord I hadn't seen in at least 10 years - he walked with me a while and we had some good fellowship - he didn't know that Joyce passed away and it shook him....that kind of encounter still happens several times a week - I find myself having to bring comfort to them - even while I'm still grieving - and that's OK - just strange - sort of an "out of body" experience!

Anyway, it was a good morning and this afternoon my daughter drove down from LA to spend the rest of this week with me - the house is just too quiet when I'm the only one there. Glad to have her here!

That's about it for now. I'm the duty chaplain for the Escondido Police Dept. thru September - should be an interesting month!

Love to all of you! Stay close to Jesus!

In His Arm's,

Pat