Sunday, September 1, 2019

It just seems like a good night to share my reflections and thoughts

The Sunday night before Labor Day; tons and tons of thoughts on my mind.  First of all I can't get my mind off of what has become a massive hurricane.  Although this will not impact us in south Louisiana, Hurricane Dorian is devastating many of the Bahama islands and is still a source of great concern for Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas.  For us, personally, we will be trying to get to North Carolina come Wednesday or Thursday so we need to be incredibly weather aware these next few days.

Labor Day for me and so many others we were so close to was all about the MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon in Las Vegas.  Because of the fund raising of our organization, the Louisiana Jaycees, Wendy and I would find ourselves in Las Vegas for Labor Day often.  One year, I did a different trip and spent time in other parts of Nevada.  Of course I loved and respected the Telethon and everything Jerry Lewis did for MDA.  Over time, that just all seemed to go away and now, with his passing, there does not appear to be any nationally televised fundraiser.  Yet, the MDA Telethon is a source of great memories for me and my introduction to the state of Nevada and Las Vegas.

Labor Day also was the last picnic of the summer when I was a child at my aunt & uncles place.  This now seems like a million years ago.  When the picnic was over and all went home we had a sense of no more summer and school was here in full.  One final Labor Day memory; after we moved to Abita Springs I recall fondly the big Labor Day pig roast and party hosted by neighbors right across the street in this idyllic little subdivision in the country.  And this too is another fond memory of Labor Day's past.

Labor Day weekend means we finally have made it to September and that can be a good thing.  Now make no mistake, September in southern Louisiana really does mean hot.  We will not see relief from summer heat doldrums until probably late October.  It truly is not fall or autumn at all during the 9th month of the year.  But, at least we are headed in the right direction.  September does mean football and at all levels.  The high school games began the other night and college football returned yesterday with both LSU and Tulane securing big time opening season victories.  The New Orleans Saints have completed the pre-season and opening game is just a week away.  Football will be on my TV often throughout these next 5-6 months.  We actually have high hopes for both LSU and the Saints.

September brings more activity at the Church and for me that means the return of an adult Bible study program.  Starting next Tuesday and through December we will undertake a 10 week study of the letter of James.  Now we began doing this at St. Jane about 4 years ago and have covered a lot and the Bible study just keeps growing.  As of this very evening I understand we have 85 adults signed up an paid up!  That is incredibly rewarding that our adults or that interested in following the Bible that they get involved in these kind of numbers.  September also brings a program of CPT for deacon candidates so two of them are participating with me at Rayburn Correctional.  They both have already experienced the first night of the program and got to witness the Baptism of one of the adult men currently incarcerated at Rayburn.  Over the next few months these men will have an opportunity to interact with the inmate parishioners and learn more about the importance and presence of prison ministry.

Finally, the abitadeacon has finally decided that enough is enough and I will pursue a full right knee replacement. The pain was so bad last week that I actually had to use a cane to get through Mass and a couple of days at work.  My doctor and I have decided to treat the acute pain now with cortisone and ice and that will delay the knee replacement until December 2nd.  Date is set.  I will get a full cardiac workup before the procedure and do a couple of weeks of exercise the month before.  If you know me at all, it took everything I got, mentally and spiritually, to decide it is time to do this.  So as this gets closer, you all will be hearing my progress toward full knee replacement.

So tonight, incredibly relaxed in my home on a pretty nice Sunday night in late summer and await Labor Day and the start of our next drive to North Carolina.  I am keeping at least one wary eye on Hurricane Dorian and holding all impacted folks in my prayers, especially tonight the good folks of the Bahamas.

Enjoy your Labor Day and always remember, summer is almost over; thanks be to God!

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