April, 2024
Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, Unto thee do we give thanks: For that thy name is near Thy wondrous works declare. Psalm 75:1
Dear Friends, and family,
Greetings in the name of Jesus, our wonderful loving Savior.
The latest exciting thing in the sky – did you see the eclipse? I wondered if I was going to see it, as the week before the weather forecast was so confusing. It said there was a possibility of rain with the sky overcast. I really wondered what the weather would be like. On Monday morning, the 8th of April, I awoke to an overcast sky and thought “Oh, no, I won’t be able to see it.” I was disappointed along with lots of others too. But around 10:40AM I noticed the sun was out, the sky had cleared, and we had a beautiful day to see the eclipse. It was great! I hope you were able to see it too (if not outside, then from the TV).
Now back to everyday normal life. The boys are in school. My, how fast the school year is going. Only six weeks of this year left. Looking back over the past months though, we had the coldest December recorded. We are not used to such cold temperatures down here in Texas; and it carried on into January! We also had snow. Not very much, but enough to say we had snow. Then spring began to come slowly. We are having March wind now in April, along with April showers. Everything looks so beautiful. The trees have leaves, the blooming flowers are beautiful, and the grass already has been cut. For me, this is the best time of the year. It gives me time to get outside to walk and exercise, which I have not done a lot of, but what I need to do.
I thank the Lord for my steady good health. I am really feeling fine. My eyes remain the same. At my last visit to a new specialist, he said to continue everything the same, and return again in three months. I am trusting that my eyesight has declined as much as it is going to for now. I will always have peripheral vision, so I will not go completely blind. But the center of the retina is destroyed, making it difficult to see correctly. I am very grateful for the vision I do have and pray it continues to stay as is. I have obviously cut down on reading, but still read my Bible daily and prepare my Sunday School lesson each week. I am thankful for that class and the fellowship we have each week.
In Utah, the girls are doing well with their grandparents, who have officially adopted them, so now they are called Mom and Dad. They are doing well in school, and have many opportunities to participate in other activities. The pictures we receive show the care they are receiving, and the fun they are having. As you know, we still have the boys. They too are doing well. They keep Beth busy with school and extra activities. The two older boys ride the bus to school and back, but little Jesse needs to be taken to school and picked up each day. We need prayer and wisdom in guiding each one individually. Isaac, the 15 year-old, has decided what he wants and goes for it. But Gordon, who has just become a teenager, is showing signs of a typical teenager rebellion. While Jesse, a first grader, is trying to copy them both, making it interesting and at times, humorous.
I still attend the Southern Baptist Church here in town. I do enjoy the fellowship and the teaching, which is true to the Word of God. We have lost some in attendance, so we are not many anymore. The fellowship is still great.
I thank each one who answered my Christmas letter with their news and information. I enjoyed hearing from you.
Last but not least, I thank each one of you that is contributing to my support. I am forever grateful for your help. May the Lord bless you richly and reward you.
Sincerely, in Him,
Joan Davenport