Thursday Update from Alice and Brown 5-17-07

Dear friends,
Brown was reading this morning from Romans 5, and he wanted to share this portion with all of you."Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us."
Today we enjoyed a fairly quiet day. For Brown it included some telephone time - big surprise - and two nice walks around the neighborhood though the temperatures never raised above the lower 50's. Despite the cool air, it is still spring time in the city, and spring is such a time of life, hope, promise, and a future. There are some lovely raised garden beds about 3 to 4 blocks away, and it reminded Brown of his own enjoyment for vegetable gardening. He also was thinking about the fruit trees that have been planted near the parsonage.Fruit trees, as you well realize, are a work in progress. Though you plant them in good soil it takes water, fertilizer, pruning, tending, and much time in order to bear fruit. They are a symbol of promise. If we invest in them we are investing in a future harvest if we do not weary of the job at hand.
For Brown it is a little like that right now. He is investing in the promise and hope of the future by ambulating around the neighborhood, drinking 3 times as much water as he has ever been accustomed to in the past, resting, praying, and generally making every good effort to regain his strength. At times he has to be reminded that he isn't even a week past surgery yet, and so he has every reason to feel weak, but that he should not be discouraged, or weary of doing well. Pray that he will not be discouraged as he rebuilds his strength and his constitution.
Thanks to all who have sent cards and those who have responded with a "blog" on Brown's web site. It is so encouraging to know how so many are praying and caring about him. It is so overwhelmingly sweet and beautiful to have friends like all of you.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you week me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29:11-14
In His peace,Alice and Brown