Dear Family,

• Congratulations High School graduates—so proud of you!  Seven Rivers Christian School graduation is Friday night at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited. 
• It was a wild week for the Corteses. Diane had been in Harlingen, Texas for two weeks awaiting grandson #2, which makes things wild enough (how do you turn on the washing machine?) Then, last Tuesday, heading to Orlando for a day of meetings and dinner with my daughter—I got a text that my son (Tony) was having emergency surgery in Tallahassee (he needed a fasciotomy for acute compartment syndrome in his thigh muscle), so I rerouted to Tallahassee for the day. Wednesday, I flew to Baltimore for an annual pastor's meeting (okay, that meeting did involve some golf), and my daughter, Amy, went into labor in Texas. Thursday, Tony had a second surgery to close his leg, and Amy labored throughout her second day, finally giving birth on Friday morning about 2:45 am to Barrett Jefferson Beale. Last Thursday was one of the most anxious days of my life. It's been a long time since I cried out to God with such desperate concern for my children. Friday and Saturday I was in Lancaster, PA for my niece's wedding (and to see my Mom, siblings, long lost cousins, etc.), and Sunday, after church in Baltimore, I flew to Texas to meet my new grandson. I'm tired, but everybody's healing, Diane's coming home Sunday, and I got to hold my grandbaby for hours!

• Read a fabulous book while traveling, “Destiny of the Republic:  A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President.”  It's the story of the killing of James A. Garfield and a part of American history of which I was woefully ignorant. Garfield's rise to the presidency is astounding and his death deeply tragic—he was killed not by the assassin's bullet, but by his doctor's mistreatment. 
• This weekend, we begin our summer sermon series on the book of Judges. The crux of the preaching is—how to live as a believer in an increasingly secular culture. This may be new for American Christians, but is the way of life for most disciples of Jesus throughout the ages.  The book of Judges is filled with “rock-em, sock-em” action and will yield a fresh call to follow our God and not the idols of our culture!
• This weekend, we'll also receive new members into the church.  Should be a great Memorial Day weekend in worship! So good to be home with you guys!

Love,

Ray