I have arrived in Louisville, KY, for the conference, after two flights — and a tearful farewell.

Less than an hour before I had to leave for the airport, our i year old little dog, Jenny, ran from the house right into the street — where she was struck by a neighbor’s car. She died within 10 minutes. Our son Daniel was playing in the front yard, and was first on the scene. He bravely tried to carry her out of the street. (Later he would share that he could tell her bones inside were broken). I laid Jenny on the grass as she breathed her last. She looked like she was asleep. Most of the kids came to pat her and say goodbye. Our friend and vet, Dr Mark Johnston, took care of arrangements for us and I made it to the airport in time.

The flights were fine — but my heart and mind were with the kids back home. I was able to have long stretches of quiet, and even caught a sunset from the plane over a blanket of white, puffy clouds stretched completely across the horizon. Magnificent!

I’m sharing a room here at the conference with an old friend — one of my ‘oldest’ friends, going back to my teens — now known to the world as Dr. Ronald L Giese, Jr.! Ron was a professor of Hebrew (and other stuff), but now serves a large church in the southwest. It’s been almost 10 years since we’ve seen each other. (I hope my snoring doesn’t end our friendship; Joe Meadows knows how bad it can be….!)

I will try to post each day on what is happening here, and hope it is some benefit to you.

Pastor David Bissett