We have been gone in the business of life, but this post is to signify that this blog has not been forgotten. Since my last post as the summer of 2011 was drawing to a close so much has taken place. I can only summarize the highlights with times of celebration, times of change, and times of sadness, all part of this big family who were once altogether in this small house. Andrea and Cherith did leave for seven weeks to work with Harvest Teen Rally out of Indiana. A few short weeks after they left Ricky and Karlyn moved to Baltimore to begin serving the Lord in ministry at Arlington Baptist Church. Ricky had to close down his electrical business and make that work transition. Karlyn had to make the transition especially from having close friends to unknown friends. A few weeks then after that Lois, Eunice, and I left for Michigan to go to the Allegan County Fair, my first time in 28 years. On the way there we had the privilege to stop and help in the first Harvest Teen Rally of the fall. Then on to Michigan we went for Lois and I to serve in the Child Evangelism Fellowship booth at the fair. We made time to visit Aunt Rose a couple of times as well as be with my family. It was our last time to see Aunt Rose alive. Andrea and Cherith finished their time with Harvest Teen Rally at Bob Jones University Farmfest. Josh and Hannah had an unexpected opportunity to visit Cordoba, Argentina for ten days in October. Shortly after their return to the United States Josh graduated from ECPI in Website Development. At the same time in early November Lois completed her therapy after her rotor cuff surgery in June. Thanksgiving was celebrated twice with family since Josh and Hannah had previous commitment for Thanksgiving week. So we celebrated Josh’s graduation, Thanksgiving with Josh and Hannah and family, then Thanksgiving Day with Ricky and Karlyn in town. For Christmas many of the family went to Michigan with the Blaha family. Lois and I spent Christmas with Jesse as he was notified he would be leaving for marine boot camp early in January 2012. He did not have his car to be taken care of as it had been stolen from the side of the interstate where it had broken down in the late fall. Many of the family where home to go to our somewhat traditional New Years Day visit to Chimney Rock, NC. Jesse found out the Wednesday before he would be leaving for MCRD Parris Island January 2, 2012. Once our last child left to pursue his next step of his life the business of life did not change. Josh and Hannah left for their planned visit to Argentina this time visiting both Buenos Airies and again Cordoba. Shortly after their return Andrea left for St. Vincent for a five week mission trip. Next Cherith was able to begin working at the Calvary Baptist preschool. As our income tax return came in and Lois’ settlement for the accident in early 2011 also came in we were able to payoff our unsecured loans and other outstanding debts. We were also able to purchase a very nice automobile to replace the vans that had become unusable the end of 2011. We also had the blessing of replacing our heating and air conditioning unit that had been dead for almost four years. Much excitement grew in anticipation as the time for Jesse to graduate as a new United States Marine quickly came the end of March. Ricky and Karlyn came in the week before as did my sister Ruth and her husband Rick. Andrea flew in from St Vincent on Tuesday morning. My sister Karla and her husband Todd came Tuesday night. Lois, Eunice, Andrea, and I left for Parris Island early Wednesday morning. The others all came the next couple days for Jesse’s graduation on Friday morning. It was a great time of celebration. The next couple of weeks we enjoyed having Jesse around on liberty. Then we took Jesse and PFC Cobb to Camp Geiger at Camp Lejeune, NC. We are hoping now things will not be as busy, but I doubt they will. God has blessed. God is good. God is love.

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Some of the first Sweet Gum leaves have fallen, an indication of more to come, much more. The Yellow Poplar (Yellow Wood, Tulip tree) has been dropping its leaves since the beginning of July. There is no surprise there.

So much has happened this summer. There was camping with Grace Bible Church families, Lois’ surgery and continued recovery, celebrating birthdays, Ricky and Karlyn being accepted and preparing to move to Baltimore, MD to minister to people out of Arlington Baptist Church, Lois and my 34th Wedding Anniversary which we celebrated with all our family with great friends Tim and Beverley Roberson and their daughter Kelly, and so much more. Jesse now owns his first automobile. Andrea and Cherith have left to work this summer/fall with Harvest Rally out of Indiana and are enjoying prep work to begin.

Also, Lois’ brother Bruce and his wife Deirdra and their son Zack moved to minister in Montana. We went to spend a Saturday with them the weekend before they moved.

It is fun to look behind, but there is so much ahead. Welcome Autumn!!!

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A parent’s pride in their children when they make a great accomplishment should be obvious. Our youngest son Jesse graduated from high school Tuesday night May 24, 2011. We are proud of him and very excited for him. We love you Jesse. We do have proof outside our say so that he did indeed graduate from James F Byrnes High School in Duncan, SC. (As you watch please note that no one in our family was escorted out or ticketed. Yes, we all had tickets to get in. We were happy we weren’t given one as we left.)

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From our local TV station:
Graduation Guests Ticketed For Loud Cheering

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When you see Jesse please congratulate him!

On May 31, 2010 the first graduating class from Brashier Middle College Charter High School began their commencement ceremony just after 10:00 AM. Cherith was one of the graduates in that very first graduating class. We are so proud of her.

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Cherith’s senior project was a collection of thirty-six Bible lessons for five year olds that she wrote herself. Each senior had a mentor for their project. Cherith’s was Pastor Ben Ice of Calvary Baptist Church in Simpsonville, SC. The senior project grade was the overall graduating grade. She with sixty-eight others made their passing grades and are now the first graduated class of Brashier Middle College Charter High School. We are thankful for her testimony in the two years she has been at BMCCHS and for the difference she has made. Again, for graduating from BMCCHS we congratulate you.

Been awhile since the last post. Was it because of inconvenience? Lets see… Labor Day at Bruce’s but some had other plans… Jesse’s birthday and outing to Chimney Rock, but not all the family was there because some had already made plans… Thanksgiving Day meal as a family on Sunday because Thanksgiving Day meal came and we were in three or four different geographical locations… Then Christmas… Two days before Christmas our white van died… possibly the fuel pump… the van Andrea planned to take to Wisconsin. Christmas eve evening after at time with family at Ricky and Karlyn’s new house on the way to Eunice’s new home our blue van quits in the middle of the road. Christmas day, when Eunice was planning on taking us to Michigan, was spent at Eunice’s home. The day after Christmas Jesse and I spent five hours fixing things that require fixing, but do not get the blue van running. And inconvenience?

And this is Christmas… That first, as we tend to call it, Christmas… Was it not inconvenient for Mary to be told she would be pregnant, not by man, but by God. How do you explain that? Joseph wanted to at least hide her shame as much as he could, but it was inconvenient to be told by God to take her without shame to be his wife in the face of all criticism they would face. It too was inconvenient to be nearing the end of Mary’s pregnancy and be required to travel on foot or donkey about a hundred miles to register for the Roman government. It was inconvenient to get there later than so many others and find room for birthing in a stable. Then within a couple of years to have to flee for the life of their son to Egypt traveling the same way. Was it not inconvenient for so many families to have their children under two years old to die because of that one child? that one child whose ultimate purpose was to die on this earth for the sins of all who would ever live.

So tell me, was your Christmas inconvenient for you?