Evendays

Yes, here she is, the beautiful blonde in the middle, in a dress (YES, in a DRESS!) thrilled after having her High School diploma.

She’s a gem and we’re proud of her, for more reasons than I can tell you in just 200 words. 

May 1 was May Day, Ascension Day, and Wife’s B-day all wrapped into one. Plus we were at the Ascension retreat with 120 Christians in Ardèche, France. Wife got cake, kisses, cards and champagne, along with praise and hugs, from the whole group. She is much loved and held in high esteem.

We came home on Saturday evening, fired up the grill, started the lawnmower, and prepared for Sunday’s events. Although it wasn’t a "car show" (check out what the College church of Christ did in Fresno), after our Sunday worship, about 60 people from the church, from Geneva and from the neighborhood gathered to celebrate Wife’s year of jubilee. It was great fun. It was instructive to see how the different "circles" tried to mix…

Son 2 is left for Tunisia today. He and two others will spend some time with contacts in Tunis and elsewhere, visit with a ministering Christian family and discover the spiritual life of the country. God willing, he’ll be back in Europe early next week.
 

Happy birthday, Wife.

Yes, It’s wife’s birthday today. How old? Can’t tell you, but check out the last chapter in Genesis, or count your U.S. states, or think "year of the biblical Jubilee".

But, sorry I can’t tell you how old she is. 

Son 2 is back from Marseilles (the spiritual internship program). He leaves on Saturday. I have been unable to post as there were studies to prepare (still are) for a retreat and lessons to get ready for the weekend. Wife and I are both doing a race on Saturday. I will attempt the 20K of Lausanne, a huge event here in town, very hilly, quite tough. Wife will run 55 minutes earlier, tackling the 10K. She’s either run the 10 or 20K race every year we’ve been here, not counting “birthing” years.

Last night, Sons 1 and 2, Daughter and Wife and I all went to a restaurant in a nearby village and had a 5 or 6 course meal (I don’t know if you count the sorbet which “cleans your palette” as a course… Help me out here please) which was great fun. We were 3 hours around the table. It was a fun way for us to celebrate together 25 years of marriage.

Mom lost a very dear friend on Sunday. Her sister, Aunt Mary, died suddenly, unexpectedly, in her home that afternoon. I do not know why it happened.

Mom and Mary would call each other several times a week, burning up the phone lines between Arkansas and California. They talked when Pappy was bad. They discussed Nana’s failing health. They comforted each other through struggles and mourning. And they would laugh.

Though Mom’s been out of Arkansas for 50 years, all it took was the magic of a phone ring for her accent to reappear. When the laughing started, and I’m talking about unbounded, pure joy, go-look-for-another-place-to-read-your-book type laughing, you would think to yourself: nothing can be that funny.

Every three years in the dark of a summer night we’d drive up Jess and Mary’s driveway where two rooms were always waiting for us. She’d greet us with a late night hug and a comment like: Did you see if the Best Western was open on your way in?; or, Was Uncle Terry’s place locked?

I regret I never got to be her host. I’m very sad for that. I owe her and Uncle for Spring breaks and Fall Thanksgivings, for unlimited supplies of chips and breakfast cereals, for long chats around the table. I will miss my Aunt. But mostly I miss her for my Uncles, for Cousins and their families. For Mom. For those to whom she was indispensable, for death has left a crater in their hearts.

We do not grieve as all do. Not because there is a silver lining to death, but rather because there is a glorious one. Auntie died unexpectedly, but ready. She died in the Lord. 

18 years ago today, early on a Sunday morning, Daughter broke through into the light bringing sunshine to our lives.

Girl, we love you. And your faith, commitment and perseverance, inward and outward beauty, along with many other qualities, have made it easy to be your parents.

Happy Birthday…

Dad.

Singer, reader, worker…
turns 70 today.

Keep on walking!

(Sorry about the picture. I had some pretty good ones from our time in Normandy, but you were wearing a funny hat (not cowboy) and dark glasses… This shows you a bit better…)

Tomorrow, Son 1 will be 21. Amazing!

He’ll celebrate with a big breakfast in a nearby village (the have a "bread festival") and then have some buddies (and a buddiette) over for lunch.

And we get to celebrate with him. What fun!

In Switzerland, at 16 you can buy beer. At 18 you can buy wine and other drinks that are bad for you, get your driving license, vote and shoot a bazooka (do military service).  And file your own taxes.

But 21 is still a big deal. Or so we think… 

Son 2 came into our life with a smile. He waited till the jams were cooked and their lids tightly clamped on, for me to finish the lawn and then to quickly rinse the sweat off… 5 run-red lights and 25 minutes later, he was born bald and happy. He has given the family much joy.

Yesterday we brought our 19 year old to Marseilles where he will spend a year in the Spiritual Internship that Son 1 finished a year ago. If God allows it, next year in late summer he will start university in the USA.

We will see him again in November and December, and he’ll only be 320 minutes away (by car). Not far, I know, but a definite break. A part of growing up. And a part of being a parent too.