Estes Park, Colorado, 11 PM, Saturday August 26 -- It's hard to believe (with all that we've packed in) that We have only been here since Wednesday. Indeed, it has been an unusually valuable and inspiring trip. We are here with Larry and Deb Harrold, dear friends and ministry colleagues with whom we share a love for the Rocky Mountains. Larry had major surgery 3 months ago or so and had a very tough time afterward, but he has now begun chemotherapy and the doctors cleared him (just barely) to make this trip to one of their all-time favorite haunts. Larry is doing really well, by the way; he and Deb have both been full of courage, faith, heavenly perspective, a spirit of thanksgiving, great generosity to us, and fun. None of these virtues are surprising to the people that know them well, but they are all the more impressive because of their being a matter of course. A remarkable couple.
In our time here, we have relished times in the mountains, drunk in the beauty and splendor of the scenery from drives and long talks on the condo balcony, meals and coffee at several of the Harrold's favorite spots, a little shopping, reading, correspondence, and two trips down to the Front Range for wonderful visits with family: dinner with Dan & T.C. Aylward in Loveland on Friday night and coffee, a museum visit, a farmer's market, and lunch with Ric & Ellen Hartford in Golden today. And tomorrow...recording a brief sermon so the Morans and Allen can use it in the Aksarben Village church service tomorrow afternoon, another trip higher up into the hills, and packing for the trip back home.
Actually, Claire and I will be stopping at Grand Island on Monday evening because we are volunteering for a couple of shifts at the Nebraska Right to Life booth at the Nebraska State Fair on Tuesday. What a week, huh? We are so grateful for the many blessings God has poured out on us in this brief time.
