Greetings and salutations my friends.
It has been a couple of weeks since my last update so I thought it was about time for another.  I have spent the past couple of weeks getting better but not nearly as fast as I would like.  My body keeps overruling my brain!  I did get out to the golf course last Tuesday and was able to spend some time on the golf simulator with two of my friends.  It actually felt pretty good.  It will take some time to get the strength back so that I can hit my irons their usual distance, but even if it doesn't come back I will just hit a longer iron.
The last couple of days have had a couple of highs and a real low.  A I mentioned a few weeks ago I had another PET Scan scheduled for this week as well as a MRI on my brain.  [Contrary to what my sister stated, they did find a brain!]  The brain scan was due to the fact the the PET Scan only goes "knees to nose" so they did not have any indication as to whether or not there were any problems.  I am happy to say that I passed both tests with flying colors.  [I wonder where that expression started?]  The final result of the MRI stated that there is "no evidence of metatastic disease" and the PET Scan concluded that there is "no evidence of hypermetabolic metatastic disease".  So I am happy with those results.
The downer of the past few days was a funeral I hoped to attend in Duluth today but I did not make it.  The lady that died was my secretary/bookkeeper at St. John's for the 12 years that I was there as a pastor.  She help the same position for several pastors.  By my calculations she worked for the parish for over 40 years!  Less than two weeks ago she was diagnosed with colon cancer.  It was evidently at some very advanced stage because she was in terrible pain last weekend and they took her to the doctor.  The doctors did what they could but there was basically nothing they could do.  They took her home where she died amongst her family.  [That cancer is some horrible stuff!]
I was sad that I missed her funeral today, but what makes me even more sad is that the parish never had a chance to say "Thank you" to her for all those years of service.  The whole thing unfolded with such great alacrity that they had no chance.  There was no retirement party; there was not gift; there was no outpouring of love; there was no thank you.  She was just there one week and gone the next.  As I think about Anny I wonder how many other people there are who have worked for our parishes for years and years or have passed through our lives and never been thanked properly.  Don't just sit back and think we can thank them when they retire.  As in Anny's case, you might not have the chance.  Do it now!
I will go going to visit my sister and brother-in-law in St. Joseph, MN for a couple of days next week just a change of scenery and the fact I love them both and they feed me very well.  Until the next update, God bless and keep the prayers coming.  If I don't need them I am sure there are others that do!