It is so nice to stop running from hurricanes and start having some consistency! Jermale and I joined the local YMCA soon after coming back to Port Arthur so that we could start working out again. Jermale usually goes in the morning and I go to 6:30pm classes after work like yoga, step aerobics, and body fusion. It really feels good to get out of the hotel and exert some energy. We are trying to get back into a routine of healthy eating too. We are getting more creative with our two burner cooking surface and no oven. Jermale usually does dinner during the week and I cook on the weekends. We have also re-introduced Friday as date night! It has been fun trying to find new restaurants and things to do. Last weekend we found a miniature golf spot and went to a Mexican restaurant. Tonight we will try a tapas place with another couple we met. These small routines have helped us begin to define normal here.
Also, we got a second car (praise report)! We looked for a while to find the best deal and ended up getting a 2006 Chevy Equinox. We are really happy with the car and with the deal we got. Being back to two vehicles has mad life so much easier!
As far as the house, we dropped the price and are really hoping to generate some interest. Our realtor has had a few phone calls, but they haven't gone anywhere. The most recent request we had was from a guy who wanted to know what our average heating and eletric bills were after he walked through the house. It seemed like he was pretty interested. We'll see.....
The pix are from last Sunday. We went to a community 20 minutes away called Bridge City to help with the clean-up efforts. There was extreme flooding in this area. The water is gone now, but there had been about a 5 foot water line in all buildings. We spent the day hauling stuff from gutted apartments to the road for Fema to pick up. The other pic is Jermale's "baby locks" which have grown a lot. I finally got my hair pressed too since the humidity is lower (it has been sunny mid 80s all week). I will add a pic soon :)
Below is Jermale's update concerning the church:
Everything with the church is going well; slow, but well. I have to realize that everything takes time, not my time but God’s time. After two hurricane evacuations, many of us have lost a little steam. In fact, we are about a month behind on our planning schedule; and so is everyone else in our area. As a way of getting back to God’s business, we are going to do some Prayer Walks in the neighborhoods around the church next week. I am hoping that by then, we will have some information sheets & business cards to give the people we meet! Lastly, we will be getting our pews re upholstered, new Air Conditioning system and a new sound/video system.
Evangelism Opportunity: Try doing a random act of kindness this week. While at the gas station today, I heard someone say they only had $3 to put gas in their car. I then walked over there and “paid at the pump” $20, so that he could have a little more gas and use the $3 for something else!
“You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
Love,
~The Eddies
