Wed 15th July

Hi Georgie has been on the whole better of late than she used to be. She is coughing a lot the last few days again which is hard for her. Normally now unless she actually has a wog she is pretty settled and comfortable. We get her up in a special chair for about 6 hrs a day. She is more aware at times and definitely aware of our comings and goings and noises going on around her. Without the extra home help we find we can do the bare essentials for her but that's all. It is such a huge strain at times. It feels like our lives are shortened but God knows our feeble frame doesn't He? He provides so much. His word is so rich and so full of His love for us. Glory be to God for His faithfulness. He never tires, He does not sleep that He may watch over us. One day He will gather us all together like chicks under his wings. He cares so much you know In His very essence He is love. Slow to anger, abounding in love.
I've been building some fences at home and I was drilling right through a big iron bark post this morning and you know that tree had probably lived for fifty years and you could see all of the growth rings but then as I drilled through there would be hard layers and then soft layers. The years where the rings were close together were hard to get through and the tree had not expanded much. Those hard years made the tree tough.Then there were good seasons where the tree grew more quickly but they were softer. He spoke to me of the seasons in our lives, the hard times and the easy times and sometimes when we can feel we will almost die, (just like David said "my soul thirsts for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water") times when we battle just to get through but He keeps us nourished when we put our roots down into His good soil. Please keep praying for us.
Ange is a great mum.
We are missing Em a lot after 4 months now and her help too but know she is doing a great job over in Vanuatu. She is planning to go to Sydney Uni next year to study.