Although Mary Lee, Hannah, Taylor and I arrived back in the States a week ago, I'm still not up to speed for several reasons. First, my computer is in London. We had a couple days in London on the way home and I went in the Apple store and talked with them about replacing my laptop's defective screen. Even though my Powerbook is out of warranty, they said they'd replace the screen and ship the computer back to me here in the States at no charge.
When I asked whether I'd get the same treatment in the US, they couldn't say. So I had them do the work and am waiting for my laptop's return.
By the way, I am delighted with the treatment I received from Apple there in London. It's a huge store and I was referred to the Assistant Manager of the store immediately, who also was the man who said the repair and shipping would be free. (There are reasons I won't bother going into here why Apple might be inclined to extend my warranty.)
Second, there is a lot of work waiting here at the church after being gone for over a month. I'm happy to say that it's a great joy to be back in the yoke of pastoral ministry. I missed our loved ones here, and not only our children and their spouses. What love there is within our fellowship and how blessed we are to have such a church to serve! Only a handful of things are as tender as brothers and sisters dwelling together in unity.
Since this has been somewhat of a personal post, let me share a few things from our family, two for your praise and one your prayer.
Mom Taylor is doing very well since Dad's death. We haven't been able to spend time with her yet, but she was right in there amongst the clan's masses at our annual summer Taylor family reunion, cooking up a storm and relishing being surrounded by family love. Also, we flew into Ohare on our way home and stopped in Wheaton to trade cars.
Anyhow, we peeped into the house and saw that Mom has undertaken an extensive remodelling project in that sacred temple of family evenings, the family room. She is painting the room a much brighter color that is very warm--don't ask me the color, I'm color blind--and putting down a wood floor that will replace the carpet. And on the Richter scale of changes in the Taylor home, it's at least arguable that this would register a seven or eight.
When my own father died almost twenty years ago, Mud added a beautiful room to the back of the house. It has a cathedral ceiling and, facing south, has floor to ceiling windows that make it a wonderful sun room year round. Just two months ago I commented to Mud how much I wish Dad had been able to enjoy that room with us.
So we're very happy that Mom is making her home more liveable and that her grief over Dad's death has not overwhelmed her. We do not grieve as the world does, do we? We have hope in Jesus Christ.
Then, you'll remember that our third child, daughter Michal, was married earlier this summer to Ben Crum. They came over our first evening home and, with joy, told us that the Lord has blessed them with a child due to enter this world next March! What joy!
Finally, would you please pray for the health of our eldest grandson, Jonathan Ummel? Jonathan is the son of Doug (aka 'Archie') and Heather Ummel and lives in Nashville, TN. He is not well and is having a test today that is sobering.
Well, more later when I get my computer back and put my neck in the E-mail yoke again. Until then, God is good and I say that He's allowed us to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world within a fellowship of love and affection that is far beyond anything we could ever deserve.
You can tell we're happy to be home.
