An Appendix to the book of James

For a number of months, Linda has been digging into the book of James.  In the past week, she came to a new appreciation of James 4:13-15:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

James is right: we really don’t know what will happen tomorrow.  A week ago Monday, Linda and I walked for miles along the banks of the Grand River.  By Tuesday night, she was in the Emergency room of Grand River hospital.

We hoped it was just stomach flu; it turned out to be an inflamed appendix.  After a CT scan, she was wheeled into the surgical theatre for a late-night laparoscopic appendectomy.

Over the past week, she’s been recovering at our home.  Being a very active person makes Linda a bit of an impatient patient.  Yesterday, she overdid a bit and so today she’s trying to take it a bit slower. (Although we still were able to peel the apples we harvested from our apple tree–see the header picture above)

Over all, we are grateful to God for His providential oversight through this whole process.  We’re also thankful for the prayers, flowers and meals we’ve received.

Linda is scheduled to lead a special day for Pastors’ wives this coming Thursday (October 10).  We’d ask you to pray that she’d be well enough to host those who are coming.   We’re acutely aware of the truth of James 4:15:  “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”