Here and Gone

Yes, I could be referring to the year, since this is the last day of 2009, but I'm actually referring to the coming and leaving of our daughter, Lynne, and granddaughter, Joanna. They came to visit us last Saturday (the day after Christmas in case you have lost track already), and left yesterday. We truly enjoyed their visit and now its back to the routine.

We are always happy to have family visit our home. We do not have the facilities to host people as we used to, but there's always a way to do it. We also had some of my extended family here to visit us one evening while Lynne and Joanna were here - my nephews, Jay and Kevin and their wives, and my niece, Marianne. What a fun evening that was. It was noisy in our living room, but I enjoyed their visit so much. Like me, these folks have no living parents. I commend the "Plank" family for getting together once a year as they have done since their parents passed away. Our family would like to get together once in a while and we're finding that more difficult all the time. Grandchildren get married, have children, jobs, schedules, etc. making it more difficult to get everyone together at one time. And so we have found that it is often more plausible to have smaller groups meet when they can.

As to the year 2009, it truly has been an eventful year, both personally and nationally. Since this is not a "Christmas letter" I won't go into detail here. I'm just wondering if the way we say the year will change now that we're leaving the "0's" and going to "2010." I guess time will tell that.

So for this year I will bid adieu to you readers (if I still have any left) for this year and continue on my journey into a new year.

Pilgrim on the way

Peace On Earth

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those who have his good will!” (Luke 2:14)

This week we watched the Mormon Tabernacle choir Christmas program on a PBS station. It was not as "traditional" as I expected, but nevertheless a good program. Featured during the program was the telling of the story of the song, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day," which was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I was almost brought to tears as I listened to stories from Longfellow's life, many of which were filled with tragedy and sadness. Longfellow wrote the words to this song at the close of the Civil War. In addition to the sad events in his life, Longfellow fell victim to some events of the war. Its no wonder that he became bitter at one point, which the words of the song he wrote indicate. But he also found a way to conclude the poem on a positive note. I quote here all seven verses of the song, and if you know the tune I invite you to sing this song and note the emphasis on the words, "peace on earth." One wonders what a peaceful world would be like. Perhaps all those who "have his good will," will know some day.

"Christmas Bells"
(The original poem, complete with all seven stanzas)

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"


Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Pilgrim on the way

Advent

We are currently in the what we as Christians call the advent season. In fact we are already near the end of that season which ends on Christmas day. Many, or perhaps most, Christian churches include something in their morning worship services during the advent season which emphasises our anticipation of the coming of the Christ child. I wonder if perhaps most of us are missing the intent of the advent season when we think only of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The anticipation most of us share during advent is that which pertains to Christmas day events. For the Christian, however, there seems to be a missing element in our observance of advent.

"Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas." The suggestion that we as Christians should be anticipating another "coming" of Jesus comes from the meaning of the Latin word "adventus." "Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word "parousia", commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for the second coming of Christ."

Sadly the second coming, or parousia, of Christ is seldom referred to at all in a lot of our churches. Our hope as Christians is based on the promise of Christ's second appearance, a promise made by Jesus Himself, by the angels at His ascension, and by many of the writers of the New Testament. I fear that we shy away from this important subject because of the controversy that has surrounded it for so long. That's tragic. In this world of hopelessness, we need to be reassured again and again that Jesus is coming again to take us to the home He is preparing for us, to the blessed inheritance that awaits us.

I'm seeking in my own way to use advent as a time of renewing my hope in the parousia, the appearance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May all who so fervently await Christmas day and all that goes with that remember also to look forward with as much anticipation for the return of our Lord. I await His coming, do you?

Pilgrim on the way

Peacing It Together Foundation

Peacing It Together Foundation is an organization founded by my friend, Anthony (Tony) Brown. I share here a bit about this foundation and call your attention to my Blog List for their web site address. "The Peacing It Together Foundation plans, organizes and subsidizes musical events that promote peace and social justice throughout the world—expanding the work for peace that our founder, Anthony Brown has done since 2002."

As noted above, PITF was begun by Tony Brown. I learned to know Tony on a personal basis when he did a vocal concert in a nearby town a couple of years ago. We see each other only on scarce occasions, but I have come to appreciate Tony very much. He recently came to visit me in our home when I learned to know much more about him and his passion in life. He also spoke to our Sunday School class recently about his personal life, including his ancesters who were slaves in this country. While I was not present there I used a tape of his talks to hear his story, and came to appreciate Tony more.

I give here a quotation on the PITF web site that describes Tony's work and calling.

"Internationally acclaimed baritone Anthony Brown is a promoter of peace and goodwill around the world. As a licensed psychotherapist and professional singer Anthony uses music to promote peace and reconciliation in countries where people’s lives are torn by war and civil strife.

His peace work has taken him to political hot spots such as Bosnia, Northern Ireland, China, Japan, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Uganda, South Korea and Ethiopia. In each venue, Anthony’s stirring performances connected people across race, language, religion and culture—and helped them focus on how we’re all one in the family of humanity. He also partners with other noted musicians who share his passion for peacemaking."

When I first heard Tony sing I was not all that impressed. However when he sang at the concert I attended something happened inside of me. As I listened to the words of his songs I was touched in my spirit in a way that I find hard to explain. That has happened each time I have heard Tony since. I shared this with Tony and he expressed much appreciation for that. It seems to be what drew us together in a very unique way. We have two of Tony's CDs and I play one of them quite often. The title song of the CD is "Each Other's Light." The words and music of that song are quite meaningful and nice.

I appreciate the work that Tony Brown and Peacing It Together Foundation are doing around the world and wish them God's blessing and continued leading as they carry the message of peace to others.

Pilgrim on the way

Invitation

Invitation is the title of a new CD being produced and distributed by Third Way Media, a merger of Mennonite Media, and Third Way Cafe. This CD, as are many others, is a reproduction of some of the music that was sung by the Mennonite Hour Chorus, Triple Trio, and Men's Quartet. The Mennonite Hour radio broadcast began in 1952 and continued until the late 1970's.

All of the music sung by the Mennonite Hour musical groups was done acapella. Much of the music was of the most familiar hymns that many people knew and which were sung in the churches of many of the listeners. This made the music something that people liked to listened to, and with which they could identify.

Through the years Mennonite Media took some of these hymns and reproduced them on CDs. We have some of them in our home and truly enjoy listening to them. In the November 3, 2009 issue of The Mennonite, a magazine distributed widely by our denomination, a new CD entitled, Invitation, was introduced. Brochures announcing this new CD have been printed and distributed widely.

This new CD is of special interest to me for a couple of reasons. One, the promotion in The Mennonite included a quote with my name attached. I was surprised at this and contacted Third Way Media to see if it was indeed from me. I was assured that it was and that it had come from one of my blogs. In checking it out I found it to be from my blog done on January 31, 2009. In the new brochure for Invitation the quotation reads: "Mennonite Media had done a very good job in taking the old recordings and making good quality CDs from them. I have learned through the years to enjoy many different kinds of music, but I never tire of the old hymns. There just seems to be something about the words and music that have endured through the years that touches my soul in a deeper way...."

Some of the songs included on this CD are: Open the Wells of Salvation, Spirit of Holiness Descend, The Love of God, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, Redeemed, I'm Pressing on the Upward Way, and 19 other great songs of the faith. This CD may be purchased online at ThirdWayMedia.org or by mail at, Third Way Media, 1251 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802-2434. The price for one CD is $12.95 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. If you like good acapella, four-part singing you'll enjoy this CD.

I these good old hymns and they help me in my journey of faith. And so it is that I remain-

Pilgrim on the way

Follow Christ in Life

The basic tenet of the Anabaptist faith is to "follow Christ in life." That is my goal and it is that for which I strive in my faith walk. I share here today another meditation from the book, Now It Springs Up." This meditation gives some very practical ways to follow the way of love which Jesus taught and lived.

JESUS STANDS WITH ME
Text: Isaiah 50:4-9

If you push me
And I don't push back,
It's not because I can't.
It's because I won't.

If you say bad things about me
And I don't say bad things about you,
It's not because you didn't hurt me.
It's because I refuse to hurt you.

If you call me names
And I don't call you names in return,
It's not because I'm a softy.
It's because I'm strong.

If I say I have a friend who helps me--
It's not because he's imaginary or make-believe.
It's because my friend Jesus has been there, done that.
It's because my friend Jesus stands with me.

Reprinted by permission from Now It Springs Up by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson. Published by WillowSpring Downs, email willowspringdowns@juno.com


Pilgrim on the way

Joanna

Joanna was my closest sibling in age. She was born April 15, 1928, making her 3-1/2 years older than I. Joanna and I played together a lot on the farm where we lived just outside of Harper, KS. I don't have as many memories of that time as I wish, but I know that we had many happy times together.

After we moved to Arthur, IL in 1938 we both grew up as children do, but sadly I do not remember a whole lot about those years. We lived in town then and developed friendships with our neighbors across the street and at church.

During her freshman year in high school Joanna began to have problems with her left knee, and favored that leg when standing. I don't recall that anything was done at that time to alleviate that achy feeling, but knowing my mother, I would suppose that something was done.

Joanna began her sophomore year at Arthur High School in the fall of 1942. Her complaints of pain in her knee increased to the point where serious attention needed to be given. Eventually she was taken to a large hospital in Decatur where she was diagnosed with a rapidly growing tumor. By the end of the year the tumor was diagnosed as a sarcoma cancer. The suggestion was made by the doctors there to amputate her leg, but that was rejected by my parents as being too radical to consider. This was the only known way to treat this kind of disease.

Joanna was then taken to Bloomington where a doctor from Cook County Hospital in Chicago came occasionally. This doctor said he could treat her if she came to Chicago. So early in 1943 my mother and Joanna went to Chicago where they stayed at the Mennonite Home Mission, later to be called Union Avenue Mennonite Church. The pastor there transported Mom and Joanna to Cook County Hospital five days a week for "x-ray treatments," which of course were ineffective. And so after about two months of this treatment they came back home without any hope of a cure for her ailment.

This was indeed a difficult time for our family, and the beginning of a very painful time for Joanna. As the cancer grew, her knee became totally stiff and unmoveable and the pain increased as time passed. Joanna remained a cheerful person in spite of her pain and the lack of pain medication that would totally relieve her. She was a person with a strong faith in the Lord and believed that somehow, sometime God would heal her. I have copies of letters she wrote to my sister Dorothy during their stay in Chicago and following that reveal those qualities in her.

On September 9, 1943 Joanna went to bed for her afternoon nap, and never awoke. While it was obvious that she would not recover from this illness it was still a shock to our family when she died. I remember that I was away at the neighbors playing when my sister, Bernice, came to tell me of Joanna's death and that I should come home. I felt very sad and thought I should cry but I couldn't. I knew I would miss Joanna a lot even though my relationship with her had been changed since her illness became serious. I knew that her death had brought her suffering to an end and that was spoken about often in the hours and days that followed.

It has now been 66 years since Joanna's death. During that time there was much talk among many people about divine healing. I know that I always wondered why God didn't heal Joanna. The idea that if one was not healed meant that there was "something wrong with you" didn't fly with me, or any in our family. We knew better. Since Joanna's death I continue to have lingering questions about God's healing. Perhaps sometime we'll understand.

I'm grateful for the life of Joanna and her spirit that continues to challenge me. I look forward to meeting her again in Glory. Until that time, I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Journey Into the Second Century

Hesston Mennonite Church Centennial

1909 - 2009

During this year our church has been celebrating our 100th birthday. Today was the final one in a series of celebration experiences of the year. The worship service was inspiring and so very well prepared for and conducted. The words spoken and the music sung and played all was put together to make a very wonderful worship and celebration experience. 100 candels were glowing brightly from the table in front of us. What a joyful day it was.

The original history of Hesston Mennonite Church, Upon This Rock, was written by Justice Holsinger. The latest book, To Live In Christ, was written by Roma Garber Schmidt. This book covers the last 25 years of the church's history. These books are both interesting reading and insightful in understanding the events and happenings of this congregation. The first meeting place was in the first building on the Hesston College campus, Green Gables, which no longer exists. Then the congregation moved to the college administration building chapel, and later to Hess Memorial Hall, which also served as the dining hall and gymnasium for the college. In the mid 50's a new meeting house was built on the college campus, where later an educational wing was added. Finally on March 18, 2007, the congregation moved into a beautiful and expansive sanctuary. The congregation now exceeds 600 members.

I want to include here "Journey into Second Century," which includes the scriptures our congregation has adopted as the "guideposts" for the journey.

----------------------

In many hearts and through one hundred years Hesston Mennonite Church experienced the gift of God's patient guidance, unfailing love and unending mercy. We are established on Jesus Christ and sustained by he Holy Spirit. We are inspired by the steadfast witness of our spiritual ancestors. As we journey into the second century we commit ourselves:

To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Mark 12:29-31

To claim the LORD's word--

I have redeemed you:

called you by name, you are mine.

...you are precious, honored and I love you. Isaiah 43:1b, 4a

To call to mind and have hope for the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases. Lamentations 3:17, 21-23

To listen for the voice of Jesus saying, "Come to me all you that are weary"

....and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28-30

To ask, search and knock. Luke 11:9-10

To remember that Jesus bore our sins so that we may be healed. 1 Peter 2:24

To clothe ourselves with love and let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Colossians 3:13-15

To pray that everyone who meets us will catch our faith and learn from us

how wonderful it is to live in Christ. Philemon 6

With God as our Creator, Jesus as our example and the Spirit as our guide, we "press on toward the goal to which we have been called."

And so as a part of this community of believers on the journey into our next century, I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Peace

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, and a little child will lead them (Isaiah 11:6).

We spent a part of Thanksgiving Day with my brother-in-law and
his daugher and family. My niece and her husband were sort of overseers in their own kitchen while their sons and their wives did most of the work. It was a wonderful meal and the fellowship with relatives was good.

What impressed me again with 17 persons present was that I never heard arguing, shouting, bossing, nagging, or any other such thing. It was a peaceful family gathering. While there was noise at times with that many people close together, it was a "peaceful noise." It illustrated to me again that peace almost always comes in contrast to the noise and clutter around us.

Peace is what Jesus came to bring to this world. Remember what the angels said in announcing the birth of Jesus, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men." Jesus was heralded as the "Prince of Peace." Just before His crucifixion he rode on a donkey, not on big white horse. He came to bring peace to the hearts of those who would commit their lives to Him. All of that in a world that was filled with violence and unrest.

If we had a theme in our home it would center around the Peaceable Kingdom. We have a wall hanging made by Clara, a masterpiece of sewing art, a picture on the wall of a lion and lamb, as well as a small casting of the same on our entertainment center. We want our home to be one where peace is not only talked about but practiced every day.

As the season of Advent begins, my prayer is for peace among us, within us, and peace among the peoples of this world. A special concern for me is for peace in our churches and among those who, in name at least, follow Jesus. We find ourselves separated by walls of political idealogies, racial biases, differences of opinion about people of different religions, etc., etc. The words of a song sum up my prayer: "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."

Seeking to live as a member of the Peaceable Kingdom, I remain

Pilgrim on the way

THANKSGIVING DAY

I'm finally back after missing some days. I apologize for my lack of posts as I had said I would do. It certainly has nothing to do with my being thankful every day. I hope I can always be thankful for God's goodness, grace, mercy, love and just for who He is. I am so thankful that God has made me part of His family and His Kingdom. I'm thankful for the hope God has given us in raising Jesus from the dead and seating Him at the Father's right hand from whence He rules and from whence He will come again. I will never let go of that promise and that hope.

Today I want to share a meditation written by Laurie Oswald Robinson which I read a couple of days ago and which I thought was so very good. Laurie writes as a preface to the devotional, "There is a term in the Celtic spiritual tradition called 'thin places,' where the spiritual and the natural world intersect. It's a place where it's possible to touch and be touched by God and to experience a deep sense of God's presence in our everyday world."

THIN PLACES

There is a place where the lonely

who have lived in a land of deep darkness

see a great light.

It is a place where blue-black sleep of fear

flutters open to the orange-fuschia eyes of dawn

and a new sight.

It is the place where estranged lovers and friends

decide that time is too short

to fight.

It is the place where a son

touches his troubled family

with peace and might.

It is a place where the throne of power

reigns with justice

and makes wrongs right.

It is a place where the Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

brings morning out of night.

-Laurie Oswald Robinson

Reprinted by permission from Now It Springs Up by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson. Published by WillowSpring Downs, email willowspringdowns@juno.com -Devotional for November 25, page 414

More Thanksgiving

Oops, I missed a day. Well I'm here again, even though its late in the day. I don't want to get too far behind in my commitment to thankfulness.

1. I'm thankful for Thanksgiving! I thank the Lord every time I pray but I still think its good to have a special day when everyone is called to be thankful. Thanksgiving is a time to worship the Lord in song and praise. It is a time for families to be together, and hopefully, think and share about things they are thankful for. What many think about at Thanksgiving is gorging themselves with turkey, dressing, cranberry salad, potatoes and gravy, some kind of pumpkin desert, and drinks of one kind or another. Let's all be thankful this year for God's love, grace, mercy and care as we share our Thanksgiving day with family or friends.

2. I'm thankful for the community of people we have here at Schowalter Villa. This evening was the annual Thanksgiving Fest held in the main dining hall and adjoining rooms. There are more than 400 Villa residents, and all are invited to this meal and accompanying program. Many Villa residents come to this event at least an hour or more before the announced time so that they can choose the place they want to sit. The meal is prepared by kitchen staff and served by Villa employees. A program always follows the meal. All of this is done in the space of a little over an hour. I'm thankful to be a part of this community of folks.

3. I'm thankful that I had a better day today than yesterday. Sometimes that's not the case. I need to learn how to be thankful for each day no matter how I feel or what circumstances confront me. That would be in keeping with the scripture verse, "In everything give thanks." Sometimes I find that difficult to do, but most of the time I sincerely try to do that.

Pilgrim on the way

More Things

1. I'm thankful for the beautiful geraniums we have still blooming nicely in front of our house. We have gotten many compliments on them from friends. We have had a number of frosts, but perhaps not a real killer frost. At any rate they add a nice bit of beauty to our place, when all around has now turned to its winter look. I'm thankful God made flowers such as these.

2. No, we're not moving again. This is to show our 1999 Ford van. Its 10 years old now and has some problems which would make me very hesitant to drive any distance with it. But its all we've got and the chances of getting something else are remotely dim. But I'm thankful for our van. It gets us where we want to go and back and drives rather nicely, thank you. I'm thankful for mechanics and service people who can keep cars like our running.

3. I'm thankful for our nice patio. It gives us shade in the afternoons and is spacious enough for patio chairs and various plants and flowers. It also has a large roof overhang which gives us protection from precipitation when we want to get to our car in the carport. I'm thankful for the neighbor who, when we were choosing our unit, said "get the one with the south window." That was sort of the deciding factor in our decision. Thank you, Irene.

Thankful For Things

As some of you readers know I have had some difficult health problems over the last couple of years. Early on I discovered that walking would be more helpful if I had some "walking aids. These items provide my thankful list for today.

1. A three-wheeled walker. At first I borrowed one, but soon found that I was going to need one on a more permanent basis so I purchased one. I use it here in the house some, and on occasion I use it when I go to church. I'm thankful for my walker.

2. A walking cane. We had a cane we got after Clara's mother died and I used that for awhile. Soon however I felt I needed one that was a bit more versatile, so I purchased "Hugo," (that's the brand name on the cane). Hugo folds up and stores in a nice cloth bag so that it can be carried on a plane, or wherever. I'm indeed thankful for my cane. It just simply makes life easier.

3. A mobility scooter. I purchased this scooter about 1 1/2 years ago from an elderly lady here at the Villa. Her husband had used the scooter some, but not a whole lot. They had in turn purchased the scooter from another lady here at the Villa. I had know this man and had seen him use this scooter many times. I think he had purchased it new. The scooter gives me mobility to go to the wood shop in the Villa, to the Wellness Center, and even to the stores here in Hesston on occasion. I have also used it to go to church, but only a few times. I'm very thankful for my scooter and hope it will last me for awhile. I remain--

Pilgrim on the way

A Thankful Sunday

My thanksgiving today comes out of the events of the morning, namely our Sunday School class and the morning worship service at church. Here are the three that came to me during the worship service.

1] I'm thankful for artisans, one in particular, Paul Friesen. Paul is a member of our church, a menber of our S.S. class, and an art teacher at Hesston College at the age of 80+. He has retired but somehow is still teaching. Paul has many works of art made of clay and wood and I'm sure other items. He recently finished a sculpture made from a cedar log for the centennial celebration at Hesston College. He has made a wood sculpture for our church which is always on the platform on Sunday mornings. I looked for pictures of these two but could not find one that would scan on my computer very well. Paul has taught me that one can "preach a sermon" from such works of art. I appreciate that and what he has done over the years to open the eyes of all who have heard him to the world around us in new ways. Thank you Paul for your influence in my life. And thank you Lord for giving Paul, and others, the gifts to bring such things to life in new ways.

2] I'm thankful for baptism. Our morning worship service included the baptism of four high school students. It is always good to see persons of this age make a commitment to Christ and to the church in baptism. I appreciate the way in which our pastors emphasize what this experience means in their walk of faith. My prayer for these youth is that they will grow in their commitment to Jesus and learn to follow Him in their lives.

3] I'm thankful for my own baptism. During the baptism service I was made to think of my own baptism. At the time I was baptized it didn't really mean all that much to me. I did it at the prompting of my parents and because others of my age were doing it. I was only ten years of age and didn't understand what baptism meant at all. I regret all of the following years when I didn't follow the commitment I had made very well. However at the age of 19 I renewed my covenant with the Lord and the church and began to grow in my faith. At that time I would have liked to be rebaptized but that was not something that was done in our church at that time. And so I needed to rely on my baptism nine years preceding that time and seek to follow the commitment I had made. I'm thankful that I was able to do that and to begin a new life with Christ that has continued to develop through all of the ensuing years. And I'm still a --

Pilgrim on the way

Still Thankful

I hope I never forget to be thankful. I know the Lord takes note when we're thankful and when we're not. Remember the ten lepers who were healed by Jesus and only one thanked Him? How could anyone not at least say "thank you" for receiving such a gift as healing from a dreadful disease? So here's my list of things I am thankful for today:

1> I'm thankful for a warm house when its cold outside and a cool house when its hot outside. While our heating and air conditioning system is man-made I still thank the Lord for giving someone the wisdom and training to make and service such systems.

2> I'm thankful that I am able to sleep well through the nights, at least most of the time. I like snuggling up in our nice bed and dropping off to sleep rather quickly and sleeping through the night with only a couple of breaks to make my "little trip."

3> I'm thankful for the wonderful fall time of the year we've experienced this year. Not always do we have such color, so many warm days in November, and enough rain to make the winter wheat look nice and green. The only thing I don't like about the fall is that winter will soon be here, but again I don't need to be out in the cold weather much anymore so that makes it not so bad.

I give you this little song which we learned at Fisherfolk Community in Woodland Park, CO many years ago. The first line is the starter then many verses can be added by supplying your the thing for which you are thankful. Wish I could give you the music, but here are the lyrics anyway.

Thank you Lord for this fine day, thank you Lord for this fine day, thank you Lord for this fine day, right where we are. Hallelujah praise the Lord, Hallelujah praise the Lord, Hallelujah praise the Lord, right where we are.

Supply your thing for this fine day and you can go on and on.

Pilgrim on the way

Faith or Fear?

Faith or Fear for the title to a thanksgiving blog post? If you continue reading I believe you will discover that it makes sense.

1.} I'm thankful that I do not need to fear December 21, 2012. In case you haven't heard any of the "prophecies" regarding that date, you can check it out here. Briefly stated, some persons are saying that on December 21, 2012 the world will come to an end. On the link I gave you above this is tied to an ancient people who seemed to have insight to many events that were to come. Since the date above marks the end of their calendar, along with their "prophecy" that the world would end then, these pseudo-prophets are saying that the world as we now know it will indeed end. As I read my Bible I don't find the world as we know it ending that way. You can check that out by turning to 2 Peter 3:3-14. My faith is in the Word of God, not in some ancient group of people who lived in Mexico or Central America. Sadly, many people will believe these so called prophets and become fearful - I suppose a bit like those who thought something really bad was going to happen on January 1, 2000.

2.} I'm thankful that I do not need to fear a terrorist attack. That's not to say that another one won't happen, perhaps even much worse that 9/11. To be sure some kind of terrorist attack could be unnerving to say the least. But fearing a great catastrophy in this country is not in the books for me. Check out these verses, which I have read many, many times when ministering to people who were facing a crisis, or even death: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging" (Psalm 46:1-3). Terrorists cannot turn the mountains upside down, but they are capable of destroying life as we know it. Jesus questions, "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8). Will you be faithful, will I?

3.} I'm thankful that I do not need to fear death at all. Death for me will be the transition from a temporal life to eternal life with God. Many hymns speak of this in terms such as "crossing Jordan," or "passing through the veil," as well as many other such terms. Some fear the dying process but not what comes after this life is over. Some fear a long, painful, or perhaps lonely existence before death comes, such as alzheimers disease or perhaps parkinsons or MS. Overcoming these kind of fears may not be easy by any means. Listening to good hymns or uplifting christian music, or by reading, or having read, the scripture daily, along with prayer, can all be a means of maintaining our focus on the Lord rather than on our physical or mental conditon.

Fear or faith - which will it be for you. We can choose which it will be. I hope we can all make the right choice.

Pilgrim on the way

Thankfulness continued

1.} I'm thankful for God's love. Almost sounds trite, doesn't it? But its not. There is much I could say about God's love, but I'll just sum it up by quoting the key verse of the whole Bible, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." And I need to add the words of the most sung (my idea) children's song - "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

2.} I'm thankful for the hope I have in Jesus. Again the scripture says that without hope we are of all people most miserable. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in this world without the hope of Jesus' return and the ensuing inheritance He has planned for all who follow Him in this life. The words of a hymn pretty much say it all -- "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."

3.} I'm thankful for the everyday presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. God's presence in me and with me is beyond my understanding, but I know He's there. He leads me, comforts me, encourages me, and convicts me when I do not follow His ways as I should. He is also my intercessor, pleading my case before the Father. How can I ever thank Him enough?

The Holy Trinity is past my (our) understanding [Father, Son, Holy Spirit]. Jesus prayed to the Father, and following His ascension, sent the Holy Spirit to live with all believers. That truth surpasses the reasoning of the human mind. Only by faith can we accept such concepts. "For it is by faith that we are saved, not of works lest any one should boast.

I close this post with the benediction I used most when closing a worship service: "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever more. Amen."

Pilgrim on the way

I'm Thankful ---

1.) Today I'm grateful for better health. It has been one week now since I've had one of those dreadful headaches. Along with that I have been experiencing renewed physical strength, which had deteriorated drastically at times. I went about six weeks without working in The Little Wood Shop. However in the last week I have been able to be out there every day. I'm very grateful for that. I also have been driving our van again, mostly locally, but today went to Newton by myself. That felt good for a change. I don't know what is responsible for all of this but I'm just rejoicing and thankful that better health has come to me.

2.) I'm thankful that some experiences I've had in the past allow me to help someone now. I received a phone call today from a friend who needed help in figuring out how to operate a new gift he had received, so he brought it over. Why can't the manufacturers put nomenclature that will actually show you which button to push to operate their product? Anyway, we finally figured it all out and my friend went on his way.

3.) I'm thankful for the little Chinese date tree in our yard. That's right, a date tree. It (or a seed) was brought here from India by a college prof many years ago. There are two of them in our town. A Chinese college student became so excited a few years ago when in passing by she discovered that tree. She exclaimed, "Chinese date tree" several times. Another friend of ours who grew up in India said that there they call them jujube trees. This year the tree was once again loaded with fruit, to which a number of neighbors have been helping themselves. We like them best candied. Want to come over for some? There are plenty to go around!

When things are going well its easy to be thankful for something. I've often thought though about how hard it is to be thankful when one isn't feeling good, or when life brings some unpleasant experiences. The words of Scripture apply here when it says simply, "in everything give thanks." Not that we're thankful for everything, but that in everything we can find something to be thankful for. I want to be able to do that better. How about you?

Pilgrim on the way

I'm Thankful ---

Here are my three "I'm thankful" selections for today:

1.) Good Christian music. There are many kinds of Christian music around these days. I have learned to appreciate most of them, but I still have a problem with "Christian rock." My preference still is good four-part acapella singing -- does that date me? It doesn't always need to be acapella - I like it with piano and/or organ as well.

I have sung in men's quartets, college and seminary choirs, and led worship with a guitar. I began leading congregation singing when I was 16 years of age. Singing was always a part of our family life when I grew up. We used to have family worship every morning at the breakfast table. One of the most used hymns was "I Owe The Lord A Morning Song," and I can still sing all four verses of that song by memory. We have quite a few CD's with varying types of music, most of which I play a lot. We often have music on while getting breakfast in the morning. I play music when I'm working in my woodshop. I also put music on when I take my regular afternoon nap. Good Christian music helps me keep my focus in the right place, and often lifts my spirit from the dolldrums.

2. I'm thankful for Sundays. Its not that I work all week and say TGIF on Friday. Its not that I am actively involved in the Sunday services anymore. I just enjoy going to Sunday School when I can and to the worship service following. I go to the worship service to worship. I enjoy seeing people there of course, but my focus is on worshipping the Lord. I like to sit and meditate and listen to the pre-service music in preparation. I look forward to the congregational singing and to the sermon. I have been saddened a bit in the last number of years to see the pulpits moved from the center of the platform to one side or the other and the communion table in the middle. There's something symbolic about that for me. Anyway, Sundays are special days for me as I seek to enrich my walk with the Lord.

3. I'm thankful for my extended family. I don't have many nearby that I can relate to but there are some - a brother-in-law, two nieces, two nephews, and three first cousins. I was able to learn to know my brother's two daughters and two sons in Oregon after they grown to adults. That was special for me. I always enjoy being with these people when the opportunity comes and hope that this will continue.

My "thanksgiving list" may change somewhat in the coming posts. Perhaps some might reflect on other types of things. I guess we'll see. But for now I remain

Pilgrim on the way

I'm Thankful ---

Well, its been another good day for me. I could write about that this evening but I'll do what I set out to do earlier. I had started a post, then in trying to get a picture on it, I lost everything, so now I'm back again. Anyway, the things I'm thankful for seem to be coming faster than my commitment calls for. Perhaps by the end of the month I'll be searching for material to write about. So here are my three things:

1. I'm truly grateful that I have a hobby. I have worked with wood most of my life. I've worked for a contractor, built two new houses for our family, worked in three cabinet shops, and tinkered with hobbies using wood for many years. My current hobby is making pens and pencils from different kinds of wood. Of course I need to buy the hardware required, but I use many different kinds of wood for the pens/pencils.

Some of the various woods I have used are osage orange, gnarled walnut, mulberry, lyptus, cocobolo, Indian rosewood, maple, purple heart, as well as some that included more than one kind of wood. I thoroughly enjoy my hobbie and am glad that I have been able to do this again after several weeks of not being up to it.

2. One of the blessings I receive from my hobby is to give some of these pens and pencils away. I use this as a means of blessing the recipients. Sometimes though I feel that more blessing comes my way than for others. Most of my medical care givers have been recipients of my pens. Others are some of the "special friends" I am blest with. There are some of my pens on display in the Villa Gift Shop which I donated to them. And I have also sold quite a few. I don't know how many pens and pencils I have made since I began this, but it would no doubt be 150 or more. I did not start this as a business, and I intend to keep it that way.

3. Having enough money to pay my bills each month and to live quite comfortably is a blessing I am thankful for. That isn't to say that we are overflowing with money. We live on a small, monthly retirement check, Social Security, and some that Clara earns working part time. But for now its enough, and I'm truly grateful for that. Living costs are rising but my income isn't keeping up. But I do not worry about that right now. We have been taken care of all of our lives and I expect that will continue in some way. We have been through some harder times, and we have also had some better times. We are trying to live out the teachings of Jesus, in particular when He said, "seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." Worry gets one nowhere. So we are trusting the One who is our Shepherd, as Psalm 23 states, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

That's all for today. Tomorrow will be another day.

Pilgrim on the way

I'm Thankful ---

This is starting to be fun. Thinking about what I'm thankful for is causing me to have many pleasant thoughts about many different things. I'll begin today with my family.

Family. This includes my family of origin, my immediate family, and my extended family - nephews, nieces, cousins, etc. My family of origin included my parents, Henry and Anna, and siblings Estella, Leland, Dorothy, Bernice, and Joanna. I am the only one remaining from this family. (picture on left taken 1938) My immediate family is Wayne, Clara, Carol, Gordon, Ron, and Lynne. (picture on right taken in 2004) We also have eleven grandchildren, and four greatgrandsons, one of which we have never seen. I have some extended family living near here, some in Wichita, and others scattered from Michigan to Oregon. I am indeed grateful for the family with which God has blessed me.

Sunday School class. Yes, we still call it "Sunday School" class, but obviously it is no longer a "school." I was able this morning to attend our class for the first time in several months. It was a joy to be there and to share in our time together. This class is made up of some college professors, some retired professors, some retired preachers, and other professionals such as teachers, administrators, etc. At times I have felt uncomfortable in such a group, but no longer. These people are my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and people who truly care about one another. I'm certainly thankful for each of them.

Our church. We belong to, and attend Hesston Mennonite Church. This is the largest congregation we have ever been a part of. We were sort of "lost" in this church at first, but now we feel like we really belong. I was privileged to be chosen an elder only two years after coming here - I'm not quite sure how that happened, except that I was told my peers were responsible. I think it was our S. S. class. We now know many of the people who attend there, but there are more that we don't know. We are not alone in this as there are many people who attend our church who do not know a lot of folks also. I'm grateful for our church because it is a place where I can go to worship, fellowship with other believers, and hear good messages from God's Word. We heard such a message this morning as a visitor, Clarence Rempel, brought the message. It was just a very basic word to all of us, entitled "Essentials." His points were 1)Follow Hard After Jesus, 2)Commit Heartily to the Church, 3)Pursue Vigorously God's Mission. I'm thankful I can be a part of a church where the Word of God is preached.

While my thankful list dwindles as I cross items off each day, it also continues to grow as I think of more things I want to write about. I trust that you my readers are also thinking more about the things you are thankful for. Have you made a list, and do you thank the Lord daily for His goodness and love? I hope so.


Pilgrim on the way

I'm Thankful ---

There's much to be thankful for these days. All one needs to do is take inventory of your life looking for things for which you are thankful. If you are like I am, it isn't hard to find many things. Here's my list of three for today:

1. The weather. Wow, it is such a nice day again today. I know that the weather is a topic for discussion whenever and wherever, but when there are as many really nice days the first part of November that we have had this year, it is worthy of mention here. The weather does influence our lives more than we might like to admit. For instance, sunny, bright warm days like we have had tend to make us feel more chipper, positive, and like doing something worth while. I am grateful for nice weather - its harder to be grateful for damp and chilly days or cold, snowy days. But I know we need both rain and sunshine - God planned it that way. I always thank the Lord for the rain even if I don't feel like it sometimes.

2. I mentioned the world of nature yesterday, but I am truly grateful for the world as I can view it here. There are so many sights that we can see that its hard to pick out any one and say that I'm truly thankful that God allowed me to see that. But there is one sight that Clara and I were privileged to see recently that is worthy of special mention. It was after our evening meal and the sun was about to set in the west. It had been cloudy all day, but now at sunset the sun made a brief appearance. We had gone outside just to look at the trees, etc. as the sun was shining on them. In our front yard we have a large locus tree that is about half dead - dead limbs stick their heads out even when the trees are fully leafed out. But now the leaves were about half gone and those that remained on the tree were a bright yellow. As I looked around, all at once I looked at that locus tree and the top looked like it was on fire. Brilliant colors seemed to glow from those ugly, scraggly limbs, and the leaves themselves glissened. Indeed God had transformed something that we called ugly in nature to something almost beyond description in beauty.

There are a couple of lessons to be learned from this experience: 1) it is good to slow down and "smell the roses," take time to enjoy the small things God has placed around us. In our fast paced world it seems that it is too easy to speed past some of those things and miss the beauty that God makes. 2) God sees all people as those who can be transformed into persons of beauty even if they may appear to us to be "scraggly, dead limbs on a tree." All it takes is for God's light to shine on, and in them for that transformation to take place. I'm grateful for that and for God's work in me.

3. For the last month or so I have been experiencing some fairly severe headaches. Many tests have been done to determine the cause, and I am being treated for a very stubborn infection in my sinuses and mastoids. Today is the third day now that I have not had a headache, and I am so thankful for that. Severe headaches simply sap the life out of me. I hope that I am finished with those things, but if not, I know that I will be some day, hopefully soon. Being able to go outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, and do some things I have only been able to wish I could do gives me much pleasure. I continually praise the Lord for His goodness, for His grace and mercy, and for His presence with me no matter what my physical condition may be. I am committed to follow Jesus as long as I live, and by His grace I will always seek to do that.

There's much more I could say about these things, but that will suffice for today. May God bless you as you think about the many things for which you are thankful. Don't be afraid to tell others how God has blessed you, and you will receive another blessing for doing that. I know I have.

Pilgrim on the way

Thanksgiving

Hi there, folks! Some of you readers must have thought I died and went to heaven, but no, I'm still here on earth. I have been inspired to start up my blog site again by one of my granddaughters, who is challenging her readers to blog about things they are thankful for. I decided that it would be good for me to do that, so here I am.

Thanksgiving. Indeed we all should always find things to be thankful for, and not just at Thanksgiving time. Joanna's challenge is to post three things every day that we are thankful for. For suggestions of what "things" means, check out her blog site here. This "project" was to start on Nov. 1 and continue through the month, so we're already late getting started. I may or may not try to catch up.

1. I am grateful that God has accepted me into His family, made me a part of His eternal kingdom. God has redeemed me from a life that could have been much different, and saved me by His grace through Jesus. God has called me to a life of service for Him, and He has been faithful in providing for my (and our) needs through the years. I know that I am loved by the Lord and am grateful for the years of service I have been blessed to have given.

2. I am grateful for my wife, Clara, and for the wonderful family God has given us. Our four children are a rich blessing to me, and our 11 grandchildren and 4 great grandsons (another on the way) enrich the blessing of our family. My wife is my lover, companion, nurse, cook, and many other things which I appreciate so very much. But I just love her for who she is and would be lost without her. I wish I could see our children and their families more, but such is the result of marriages, jobs, God's calling and other circumstances. My prayer is that all in our family will be a part of God's eternal family in glory.

3. I am grateful for the place where we live, Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Kansas. Of course I was born as a Jayhawk in Harper, Kansas, about 90 miles to our southwest. I never ever thought I would end up here (I guess that's where I'll be, but who knows), but here we are. We decided to come to the Villa for a number of reasons, which I'll not enumerate here, but we are in a place where we know we will have a place to live for the rest of our lives, and where we know we will have the care we need for that time as well. I am thankful for the beauty we are privileged to see here, for the particular living unit we have which is so well located, and for the many friends we have around us - people who truly care about us. I am indeed grateful for the opportunity to engage in hobbies and other activities available to us. We are happy here even though we are many miles from our dear loved ones. When you are ready to think about living in a retirement center, why not consider Schowalter Villa - you'll like it!

That's all for today. I'll do my best to keep up with my "thanksgiving posts" the rest of the month.


Pilgrim on the way

We're Here

We're here - in Arizona that is. Yeh, its hot here during the day - about 107 or so today. But its nice in the morning, about 80-85 or so - nice for taking a morning walk, or whatever. One just needs to be inside most of the time during the hot part of the day, much like we do in Kansas sometimes.

I visited the neurologist yesterday at Phoenix Neurological Associates. He had a very nice office in a new, not fully occupied, office building. We could look out and see Camelback mountain through the spacious windows there. Nice. The doctor was also very nice and intelligent. They had no nurses there so the Dr. came to the waiting room to call me in. There was no scales to weigh, no blood pressure or temperature taken. The Dr. got right to the point.

We were pleased with what happened there, for the most part at least. After a few normal reflex tests and many questions, Dr. Levine gave us his analysis, a good part coming from reading the medical reports he received from our family doctor, and from hearing me answer his questions. There will be a neurological text next week, I gave a blood sample this morning, and there will be a change in at least one of the medications, plus a couple of things to do after we get back home. Hopefully things can change for the better as a result of all this.

We're enjoying our stay here with our daughter and her family. We're hoping that we can be together with all of them sometime while we're here. Our son in law Brad went to London today on business but the others may all be around over the weekend. Then there's Bogey the dog who sleeps most of the time but who barks loudly when the doorbell rings or someone comes in the door. Jazmine the cat will go live with her master this p.m. sometime. She's been around a long time, but she is Whitney's cat and she's picking her up to take her to her new apartment near ASU where she'll be a senior this year.

Hope all is well with all you readers wherever you may be. We all know that God is with us wherever we are, which always gives me much comfort. May God's peace be with you wherever you may go. I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Time and Space

Phoenix, AZ is a beautiful place as one comes in over the mountains and sees the vast city in the valley. However, one is reminded of the way we are polluting the environment when you can see the pollution ring at the horizon. Landing there brings a new set of experiences in this great city.

We leave in a couple of days to go to Phoenix, as I stated in my last post. We leave Kansas at 3:25 p.m. and arrive in Arizona at 3:50 p.m. Not bad, huh, for such a long trip. But wait! Did I mention that there's a two hour time difference between here and there? I guess not, but well, there is. So we will get to change our watches, and our body clocks! That's the hard part. I can change my watch in just a few seconds, but it takes my body clock several days to get adjusted to that kind of change. And by the way, how does Arizona get by with not changing their clocks twice a year like we have to? Why do we need to do that anyway? Whatever happened to "God's time?" Oh well, adjust we must, and we will.

We like the sunrises and sets here in Kansas, but this one from Arizona isn't too bad is it? One usually thinks of it being hot in Arizona and that's true a lot of the time. Right now though they say its the monsoon season there, and it's been raining and a bit cooler, even with thunder and lightning. So Kansas is not the only place where it does that? I hope the rain continues until we get there, but then it gets muggy and hot again, so take your pick - Kansas or Arizona in the summer. As we know here it can get quite hot, and windy.

Whatever the weather, or the environment, we will enjoy being with our family while we are there. Our kids run their own business and are doing quite well. Check it out at here. It keeps them both very busy but that's what businesses do, isn't it? But being their own bosses gives them freedom sometimes to take off for personal things, like picking up your parents at the airport and taking them back. And taking them to the doctor, etc. We appreciate all that and thank them much. We'll see their girls too, but much less frequently since one teaches school, one is in college, and one in high school. We love our family, here and elsewhere, and pray God's best for each of them.

So its off to the southwest soon, and hopefully it will be a good time for us. We are praying for God's leading and His blessing of healing and hope.

Pilgrim on the way

Going South

I guess after exactly a one month "vacation" from doing a post its time that I got back into that again. I have finished some of my commitments in the little wood shop and have "closed" the shop for a couple of weeks. We're going south.

"Going south" is as we know a phrase that describes a deteriorating condition of some sort. That's not what this blog is about - at least that's what I hope. Rather its about taking another trip south, and west, to Arizona, to the valley of the sun. That's just what one needs this time of year, huh. Well its not for the weather we're going there but rather this time its for something we hope will prove to be helpful.

This trip is for a visit to the Phoenix Neurological Associates. This group of neurologists have a clinic that specializes in every kind of nerve disease one can imagine. I hope to be able to learn what has been causing my increasing weakness and hopefully find some answers that will be helpful. While I'm optomistic I'm also aware that the tests and consultations there may not produce the results I desire. I guess we'll see.

The picture above was taken when our oldest son and four of their five children visited us a few weeks ago. Gordon's wife Chris is a practicing family physican in Ohio and was a source of some helpful consultation while here. Her suggestions and ideas have proven to be helpful along the way. Chris is a very fine doctor and also a very much loved and respected member of our family. Gordon is a physical therapist so his council and suggestions along the way have also been quite helpful.

We will be staying with our daughter again and we will enjoy being there with her husband and family. They only have one daughter living at home anymore and she is in high school so we will probably see her a limited amount of time. And since Brad and Lynne have their own business to run we will have a lot of time to do "whatever" during most of the time there. Its only a guess as to how many visits I will have to the clinic. We're only planning to be there a couple of weeks so there may not be many.


And so it is that I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Measuring Things

My grandfather, Christian K. King, was a carpenter. He built many houses and other buildings in his day. One of the houses he built in Cass County, Missouri is in the National Register of Homes. There are other buildings he built which are still in use.

In this picture Grandpa is showing someone how long a board he wants, "about this long," he seems to be saying. I'm sure that Grandpa measured things most of the time with his rule, but my Father, Henry J. King, worked with his dad a lot and said Grandpa could be pretty accurate with his estimates.

We measure a lot of things from day to day. Growing up we measured our height occasionally to see how much we had grown. They still measure my height when I go to see the doctor. I don't know why they do that once in awhile, maybe to see how much I'm shrinking. I know that I'm not as tall now as I used to be. At least that's what the measuring stick at the doctor says.

Measuring things is a way of making things we work with straight, the right length, width, and height. I have at least three tape rules in my workshop and use at least one of them often. We have two yardsticks in our house, plus another tape rule, and a couple of 12" rulers. My wife does alterations and has a couple of measuring tapes in her supply of things. Yes, we like to measure things we work with.

There are other things people measure like weights of things, altitudes of planes etc., distance to the moon, etc., and how far it is around the world. I've often wondered how we do some of those things. Now we have GPS units that tell us how far it is to our destination, when to turn, when to go straight, etc. And I'm sure that there are many, many more ways that things are measured that I cannot even mention here.

The point I would like to leave in this post is that we are being measured every day, not by rulers, scales, or other devices, but by our Creator God. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He measures our souls, spirits, attitudes, thoughts, plans, and of course our actions. He knows our hearts, our desires and our wills. We will be judged for eternity by the measuring stick of God. How will we stack up under His measuring tape? How will I? How will you?

Pilgrim on the way

Family

Today was a special day for me. I was privileged to be with extended family. The Plank family, sons and daughters of my oldest sister, Estella and her husband, John Plank, with their families were here in Hesston as part of their annual family reunion. There were six children in that family (sorry Kevin, I didn't have a pic that included you), and now there is an extended family of close to 40. In addition my brother-in-law, Mervin Troyer, his daughter, Elnor, husband Don, and their son Dalton with his family were also present. And my wife, Clara, was there also.

It was a day of getting re-acquainted with nephews and nieces I had not seen for 24 years, some I had seen more recently, and learning to know some in their families I had never seen. It was a day of worship with a band of 22 from this family, and singing some of the old hymns we used to sing in the Mennonite churches we grew up in. I am extremely grateful that these people came to Hesston and invited us to be a part of their family get together.

These people are part of my family, our family. Family ties are so important in our broken world. Being with those we love and truly care for gives stability that is hard to find elsewhere. I'm so grateful for the bonds that exist in Clara's and my family. We have not found a way to come together annually, but we do come together in some way as often as possible. I hope that when I'm no longer here our family will continue to give importance to being together, and I'm confident they will.

This day has left me "spent," but its something I wouldn't have wanted to miss. Thanks again Max, Dennis, Jay, Marianne, Linda, and Kevin for taking the time and making the effort to be with your extended family here in Hesston. And God's richest blessings to all of you is my prayer. I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Green Rivers, etc.

Ever hear of "green rivers?" I'm talking about a soda fountain drink, not the kind of rivers that flow like a stream. The picture here is of our two daughters drinking green rivers at one of the very few places that serve them. That would be in Dicks Pharmacy in Arthur, IL. At our family gatherings in Arthur the time would not be complete for our kids, and grandkids until they had a green river at Dicks. If you've never had one and find a place where they serve them, try it! Plain drinks are delicious and the green river sodas are exceptional.

This picture was taken last week when my wife, her three sisters, and our two daughters were in Arthur for a Mast family reunion. One of Clara's two brothers lives near Arthur, but the other one lives in Ohio and came to Illinois a day after the reunion. This picture was taken at the R&I restaurant we used to frequent a lot when living in Arthur, and where Clara's nephew, Tim, works as head cook.

It is interesting that our grandchildren think of the green rivers when thinking of Arthur. They also used to like to walk the streets and window shop at the many shops on main street. Arthur is a tourist town now, much different than when we grew up there. The Amish community is a large attraction for tourists and many come there year around. I'm glad that I was able to finish my pastoral ministry there and that we were able to live there for nine years after that. It was hard in some ways to leave there five years ago, but we are happy that we are where we are. I hope to go back to Arthur sometime, but I'm not sure that will happen soon. I am glad that Clara was able to go and be there for the fun times she had with family.

One more thing - today, July 2, is our 55th anniversary. We are so happy to have been blessed with the family God has given us and the years we have been able to be together. We hope there will be many more. And we're glad that our children remembered our anniversary and sent us a very beautiful, and large, bouquet of flowers. We are blest!

Pilgrim on the way

Alone

There are many people who live here at Schowalter Villa who live alone. I would guess that there are more women than men in that category. Most of the ones I know are alone because their spouse has died. I have always thought that losing one's spouse would be a very difficult thing, especially if their marriage was a long one. And not only the immediate sorrow and grief that's experienced, but then the reality of living alone.

I'm alone this weekend. My spouse is coming back in a couple of days. I don't do well alone - meal times and bed times are perhaps the most difficult, but the silence in between isn't easy for me either. When there's no one to talk to what do you do? Well I don't always just sit there, I soliloquize. If you don't know what that is, look it up. Oh well, I'll just save you the trouble - it means talk to your self. Singing is another helpful activity. If I watch a ballgame I can always talk to the players, umps, or whomever. Once in awhile I can talk to a face that happens around. Yesterday I ate in the Villa dining room and easily found an audience for my blabbering. I also listened to a few words from my friends there.

Actually no one is ever really alone. God is always present in the person of His Spirit. That's comforting to me and I talk to Him on a regular basis. God doesn't make any noise though, except when it storms outside. He's letting me know that He is very powerful, and artistic. I actually smiled not long ago when we had a very active, and loud, lightning and thunder storm. I know it says that God speaks with a still small voice, but I think He also speaks in thunderstorms.

One can be alone and be in the middle of a crowd. Ever have that happen to you? I have, and it is almost worse than being alone by yourself. I'm glad my wife is planning to return soon. I would have liked very much to be where she is today, back in our "home community" in Illinois, but circumstances would not allow me to do that. But I'm glad she wanted to, and could go, and be with her three sisters, two brothers, and our two daughters.

I remain

Pilgrim on the way

She Knows Her Pop

I'm not talking here (in the title) about soda (pop). I'm talking about a Dad "Pop." But before I get into that, go back to the soda idea. What do you in Kansas call "soda?" In some places they simply call it "pop." In other places they call it "soda." And still in other places they call it "soda pop." How do you refer to it?

Now back to the "Dad Pop." I think most of my kids know me pretty well. I fool them once in awhile I think, but most of the time they know what my response is to different situations.

Take watching baseball games for instance. This Fathers' Day card is an indication that my kids know me well when I'm watching a Cubs game. I guess they know that I yell at the umps, managers, and players from both sides at times. I still do that once in awhile but not as often as I used to. And that's only when I'm watching on TV and not when actually at a game. I don't go to many games anymore - can't. Although I did go to one in Phoenix this spring - had to leave early though. But watching Cubs games on TV is one of my "hobbies" - one that will probably be over after this baseball season is over. My interest just isn't there as strong this year, and that's probably good. That's one point where my kids probably don't know me as well as they think they do. They think I'll continue to buy MLB extra innings every year as I have for quite some time now. I don't think that will happen next year, but I guess we'll see how well I know myself then.

We don't live close to any of our children anymore - never did except for a short time once. The closest one is about 7 hours away, the others a couple of days of driving time, if one was to go that way, which we can't anymore. It would really be nice to be closer to all of them, but when they live a couple of thousand miles from one another, how would one do that?

How well do you know your father, or children? How well do they know you? Hopefully each of these questions could be answered "very well." Perhaps a better question is, how well do you know your heavenly Father? We know that He knows us inside and out, all the time. Learning to know our heavenly Father can be done only by spending time with Him, communicating with Him, reading His Word to us and doing what He says. How well are you doing these things? How well am I?

Pilgrim on the way