The end of one year and the beginning of a new year should be a time when we review what has happened in the past and concentrate on the things that are to come. And so in today's blog I want to pause and share my thanks for those who have helped me this past year.
As I shared in our annual Christmas letter, 2021 has been a year of special challenges. Because of covid we have isolated for most of the past two years and I am especially thankful for the few who have called, written and visited during these months. Your friendship and fellowship has been very appreciated and needed. Thank you.
The past year has involved about 145 medical visits, tests and procedures. Of these 145 appointments, 19 involved weekly trips to Hershey for my treatments. I am thankful for my wife who provided the transportation, even when she didn't feel well.
I'm also thankful for the many excellent doctors and specialists that are available near us to provide help, even in a time when covid has been dangerous to them as well. We are very fortunate.
Our morning newspaper is always "delivered" at the end of our driveway. A good friend and neighbor, Rick Miller, faithfully walks to our home each morning to place the newspaper on our doorstep. This gesture has meant so much to us and we can't thank him enough.
Then there is Rick Grimm, my brother-in-law, who is a retired electrician. Twice he showed up to help us with two serious electrical problems, eliminating potentially dangerous situations and saving us large expenditures. One did eventually require a new main electrical box and he gave us a good contact to get this done.
Another neighbor, Carol, and her friend did our weeding for us. They did an excellent job at a very reasonable price. She also led us to a man who did our shrubbery trimming. He also did more than we expected at a very reasonable rate. We've reached the point where we now need to hire folks to do much of the work that a few years ago we could do ourselves. Now I wish we could find an honest, reliable cleaning person for a few hours a month.
Then there is my grandson, Zachary, who is presently working online doing editing. He has been a tremendous help coming almost every week to cut grass, clean up our leaves and do all sorts of household tasks for us. I don't know what we would have done this year without him.
Unfortunately the fine young men who did all of our snow removal the past few years have now moved. I am so thankful for them. The Lord provided them as an answer to our prayers and we will miss them greatly. We have been praying for replacements and I think our neighbor might help. We have a snow blower but with our heart problems we may not do it ourselves.
And I am especially thankful for some cousins who are real prayer warriors and encouragers. Such folks are few and far between and we know from our communications that they really are praying. Some folks say they pray but I know these really do. How wonderful that is especially during a year like 2021 has been.
And I am thankful for a former neighbor who is a widow but calls Dianne once in awhile and prays for her over the phone. Then there is a pastor friend from Allentown who has called several times to pray with me over the phone What a blessing it is to have somebody pray for you over the phone.
I am also thankful for a loving family who has done so much for us. We appreciate their visits and calls. They have helped with some chores and have provided some food. They have helped with our loneliness. It makes me wish that we had done more for our parents when they were still alive.
But most of all I thank the Lord for his guidance, protection, provision and peace. We are facing several serious new and continuing challenges in 2022 but we know that He is in control and will continue to take care of us.
So, on to another new year and more of God's provision and care!
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