Well, its been a couple of years and I've changed addresses, so I'll try this again.

A Friend of mine Googled my name and it took her to this site, she wrote me and encouraged me to write again. I was pleasantly surprised that it was still up and running. Also, so a dear friend found me through it and started writing me. Carol was my sixth grade teacher, then in my teens she was my boss. Her and her family are special memories for me.

So it's been so long I'm not sure where I left off, so we ill just play catch-up. As I said I moved back to Lieber in the low state for awhile, I'll put my address at the end if anyone cares to write. I'm hoping to get into the CIU program next year. You earn your Associates of Arts degree. It's a very positive two year program sponsored by Columbia International University. They train inmates to go out in the prison mission field to help others come to know the Lord. So that's definitely on my prayer list.

I also finished copying the Bible on July 4th this year. I wanted my grandchildren to have something nice from "Papa Joe" to remind them not only of me, but of the importance of studying the word. I wish I could inspire you to try copying at least one book, it really is an effective way to study the Bible. It took some time, but I've got the time huh?

I really do love to study. I suppose that's one positive thing about prison, I've found an opportunity to read and study in a way that might have passed me by on the outside. I like to learn new things, I guess not paying much attention in school has had the opposite effect on me as an adult. I found out that I like history after all, as well as fiction.

Most of my adult life I loved to read, but with so much time on my hands now I suppose in the seven and a half years I've been locked up I've read well over a thousand books. For a while I was reading three books a week. You have to keep your mind occupied in here, otherwise you just sit around thinking of the past. That can sometimes gratify you but mostly it tortures you.

John Greenleaf Whittier once said, "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: What might have been". So you have to dwell on the positive so you don't go spiraling down that rabbit hole.

Ok, I'm stopping now so as not to bore you any further. I'm happy to be able to blog again. If anyone cares to write, my address is:

Joe Gaillard 331557
Lieber CI CB12
P.O. Box 205
Ridgeville, SC 29472

God Bless,
Joe