The past month has been an arduous journey, for which we have very much been dependent upon your prayers. Nancy wound up being in the hospital for nine days with the c diff infection, during which time she was severely weakened. When we returned home, Lee was able to help her slowly step up the first flight of stairs to get to our yard, but she had to crawl up the final flight of steps to our porch, and once inside collapsed on the floor for a half hour, until she had to crawl up the next flight of steps to our second floor with the bedroom and bathroom. Recovery of appetite, health, and energy has been very slow. We have had home health nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists, all of whom have been very helpful, and Nancy is just now starting to regain strength and appetite. She was able to attend worship this past Lord's Day for the first time, but it wiped her out for the rest of the day. Being so weak confronted us with the reality that our house is not user-friendly for the weak, with laundry in the basement, kitchen on floor one and bedroom and bathroom on floor two, with access to the street dependent on two flights of stairs. With both of us getting older, it has made us realize that we either need to put on a first-floor addition with a bathroom and small bedroom, or else move to a new house with bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, laundry, and street access all on one level (which in hilly Cumberland, is almost impossible to find).  Pray for wisdom for us as we consider what to do in this regard, as either choice is a bit overwhelming.  
     Lee has been stretched thin in caring for Nancy, and is currently struggling with respiratory issues; please pray that he recovers soon as we enter the start up of fall ministry, when he really needs strength and alertness, especially since our new associate pastor is out with a new baby for a few weeks. We are learning more of what it means that God's grace is sufficient, that his power is made perfect in our weakness.  Nancy has just been invited to share her testimony of God's grace in her life as the keynote speaker at our presbytery women's conference to be held the second Saturday in November; she has agreed because it is an honor to be invited and she senses that God has opened this door for her to serve, yet she is also nervous. Please pray that God would use her in a wonderful way to encourage the women in the churches of our presbytery.
     Again, thank you so much for your prayers.  Nancy has come far, but still has a ways to go to getting her full strength and normal schedule back.