Jim and Louise

This is from a Presbytery missive:
Jeff


Sisters and Brothers –

Many of you have asked for updates about Jim and Louise Palm. This morning, I received the following email through the wonders of technology and Presbyterian connectionalism. It will come as no surprise that, despite difficult challenges, Jim and Louise are thinking and planning positively. Here's the news as I received it through Raquel and Tony Welty, who received it through friends:

"Louise and Jim are together a Franciscan Rehabilitation Center near Chicago, as Jim described it, is a beautiful center, like SPC, with facilities for conferences, but also with rehabilitation, spiritual support and medical care.

"Jim is recovering from his two broken ribs, with controlled pain from lesions. He has an excellent spirit, full of gratitude to a God that provided protection to the family in a very serious accident. He was driving his sister's car. Somebody hit them.

"Louise is recovering, with proper medicine, exercise and care from the fracture of her pelvis in three places. Her pain is being controlled with medicines. On Monday Louise will see the doctor and will be told if rehabilitation could be continued from their home in Wisconsin. Louise is determined to walk again with the support of an admirably strength and spirit, determination and by all means her faith and our prayers. Jim and Louise are both in an excellent high spirit and full of gratitude and hope. Having survived the accident, they consider, was an act of a merciful God.

"The whole family, children, and extended family, now all together, will celebrate Jim's birthday on Monday, August 9th in the Center where they are staying. They don't have access to emails, and because they hope to go home soon they are not expecting cards, letters or telephone calls. They know and feel that we, all together, are with them in love and support. They ask for our prayers and continue loving support that they feel is surrounding them.

"They are expecting to come to their home in Cornwall in September to finalize previous arrangements and plans.

"We all feel, with them, that we too are part of their family, in loving and caring mystical love in God's mercy."

We give thanks for God's guidance, for strong spirits, and for the gifts of community -- bound together by prayer even across misfortunes and miles.

God's grace and peace,
Chris