I just finished reading a book entitled, FORGIVE US OUR FISH, by my younger brother, Dennis Herman. It is a delightful read, full of short stories from his travels while living in three or four different parts of South America as a Baptist Missionary. There are also blogs, short sermons, prayers, and other periodical writings from forty years of pastoral services to either churches, hospitals as chaplain, hospice, and of course, his fourteen years on the mission field. Some of his stories are humorous ,causing a smile or laughter, others are thought provoking, and still others are sad. Whenever you need to answer some hard questions about life, pick up his book and read the prayers, etc. You can find it on amazon.com.
I was talking to my friend and neighbor, Margaret, yesterday while describing the book. She asked me how I and my two brothers became writers. She asked if this was something in our genes! I don't know about the genes, but it does seem that we enjoy talking about our lives, our work and anything else that comes to mind through the written word! You should see us when we all get together and share remembrances, travels, or any other story. Our older sister Bonnie is a bit more reticent, but has been know to correct us along the way. Her memory is quite remarkable, so from time to time we will ask her for clarification. My younger brother, Dennis, is the good listener. I suppose that comes from being a pastor, chaplain, hospice worker, counselor, all those years. My brother Jim, who is two years my junior is usually in competition with me to see which of us can embellish the same story the best! At any rate, we love our infrequent times together and the memory of those visits will linger with me for a long while after their departure.
While I am on the subject of my siblings, both brothers paint, and my sister was quite adept with yarn, knitting and crocheting many afgans, caps, sweaters, etc. until arthritis robbed her of that ability. I enjoy playing the piano and am thankful today for those music lessons from long ago! Like so many of us as we age, those hobbies become ways of passing time and stimulate the continuing use of all those brain cells that might die as they become dormant.
While I have been writing this blog, Lee has been in and out of the house. It is one of those days when the weather is a bit cool, cloudy and a bit dreary. He moves from the house to his shop behind the house and across from the drive that encircles the house. He will work on his bee hives, or his 31 ford roadster until his right shoulder becomes too painful. At that time, he will come back into the house, use either ice or the heating pad to try and alleviate the pain. This is the same shoulder that he had the joint replacement on in 2006. For the past two years the pain has become debilitating at times, requiring a trip to the shoulder specialist in Charlotte. A torn rotator cuff was confirmed last year, but surgery again is questionable due to his transplanted lung. We will return to Charlotte next Tuesday to see if there is a good alternate treatment.
I have to say he is the most patient man I have ever seen. He has been plagued with a slew of problems, but somehow rebounds with a wonderful attitude. He rarely complains and it is usually after we play a sort of guessing game with me as the questioner and he the responder that I learn what his newest problem is!
I am hoping when he returns the next time, he will relax with my brother's book. It awaits for him on his table beside his favorite recliner.
More Later.......................................Brenda
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