Summer Update 2026

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In my previous letter I left you with the marvelous Old Testament verses in Habakkuk 3:17-19. I hope it reminded you, as it did me, that no matter what trials we have (like aging ☹ ) we learn to rejoice in the LORD and trust Him more and more. One who seems to be doing that is Corinne, my dear wife of 70 years.

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights. Hab 3:17-19

About 18 months ago she said, “Write me a song that says thank you to all who have helped me.” I said I could try, but what all did you want to say. She said she would try to write it out. Judy had supplied a packet of yellow dictation paper so that she could learn to write again. Her beautiful penmanship is long gone. She would write a few words here and there, but she can’t see that she is writing 3 or 4 times on the same line. She had fun trying anyway, and it helps her pass the time. So, I said, “You talk and I’ll record it and print it out for you.”

I wanted to get this to most of you as our Summer Update before her 97th birthday tomorrow, on the 9th. Here is her transcribed “My Little Song of Thanks.”

I wanted to sing a little song of appreciation to all those who have helped me since I fell and broke my left hip in July 2022 – I can’t remember what July it was. But anyway, I had fallen many times before and just would get up, and had never broken a bone before this, but this time I got injured. (Finishing breakfast in The Homes of Ethnos360 dining room,) Tom had gone down early to chapel because he was to be playing when the people were coming in. But when I fell they went down and told him and he came up and saw me, and then followed the ambulance to the hospital.
On this road to recovery, so many folk have helped me. I’ve traveled from place to place for rehab, caretakers were wonderful. What would I’ve done without them, nurses, and all…” I thank the Lord for everyone.

One I’d like to thank for helping me since I hurt my hip is my loving husband who has loved me for 69 years now. The next ones I want to thank for helping me are Judy and Jim, and Heather. Even though they were very busy already. They all were happy to have me come, and especially their daughter, Heather. “I’ll take care of Grama,” she said.

Staff members in the Rehab where I was living (for 8 months by the way) said in a meeting, “It’s better to be with family. We think you will be able to leave here, since you’ll be with your family in their home. But we do recommend that, before you move in, something should be done about the step at the front door and the one inside the house.”

When our friends, (Paul and Donna Osborne) heard about it, they said, “We’ll help you with that.” So Paul built ramps (over the steps) inside and outside, and he finished it in the same day,..and a good sidewalk (up from the street).

It’s wonderful living here. We moved 5 times before we got here. My husband, for a long time was having to do every thing in house or room. We brought a lot of stuff with us even though we threw a lot of it away. We are so thankful to the Lord for their love for us and their desire to have us besides having their own children. The house is being bought and we are praying the Lord will provide to us enough to help them with their mortgage payments.

I was in a nice place in the Homes but they sent me to a place for exercises and it was not quite as nice a place. People suggested I stay with my family. You have a daughter who is buying a house – then they all said having a family would be much nicer, and I decided it would be too. So now we are living with my daughter and granddaughter, and Jim, and they all are good cooks and good clinic people, and we are being well cared for. Very sincerely, we appreciate all they are doing for us. Tom has given up his driving now and Jim does the driving for him.

They also took care of our Son David. They invited him to come from Las Vegas to get over hepatitis. I want to thank him too for sometimes helping Jim and taking us to appointments, etc.

I want to thank John Frazier and family for giving me as donatioins the recliner chair and the adjustable bed that wrere his Dad’s.

I thank all our givers who have supported us. Some have written cards, etc. 😊

So, thank you one and all.

THE END of “My Little Song.”

During this long delay dementia has worsened, and now gets very confused. However, she has recently kept asking me for her song. This has been it, her “song.” These 3 verses did kind of fall together for me, to the tune of the stanzas only of Precious Memories

Precious family, always faithful,
To regard my every need.
Start with Burdetts, Jim and Judy;
Heather: “Two more mouths to feed.”

When I fell sick, friends surrounded,
Making sure I was Okay.
Off to haus sik, then to Rehab,
Tom beside me all the way.

Now we’re settled with some family,
Learning how to give and take.
Thanks to Heather’s care for 4 of us!
She serves us for Jesus’ sake.

It is Corinne’s simple expression of thanks for the love and care of her Father God shown through His people.

I read it recently to the family, and we now share it to the rest of our family, to friends, to those who pray for us. It is in this letter to salute her for her 97th birthday, to thank all who have loved us, and to give all the Glory to our God. Since we have been here we have witnessed the fact that a good many of those folk who fall and break their hip do not survive problems afterwards.

Love to all,

Tom Palmer