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.

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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