"On Wisconsin"

          Last week we traveled to Wisconsin, a state that we have learned to appreciate because of its beautiful farmlands, mountains, lakes and friendly people.  We have really learned to especially enjoy the town of Rhinelander which is in the hills of northern Wisconsin, not too far from Canada.  The pace there seems so much slower than ours here at home and, as I previously mentioned, folks seem so nice and friendly.
           But the main reason we have enjoyed our visits there is because that area has been the home of my Aunt Ellen and Uncle John for over 20 years.  And my cousin Nancy and her husband Bill also live there.  All four are such special people who love and serve the Lord and it is always a blessing to be with them.
         But this time our trip was a little different, for back in January my aunt passed into Glory.  She was almost 96 and had been married to my uncle for 73 years.  Because of the cold temperatures in northern Wisconsin they were not able to bury her body at that time and they had to refrigerate it until the ground thawed.  We were not able to travel there in January for her memorial service but we were glad that we could at least be part of her burial on May 23.
          There were only ten of us at the burial service but the service appropriately honored Aunt Ellen for the Godly woman she was.  And more importantly, the service honored the Lord who she served most of her life.  The pastor's short message shared thoughts on some of her favorite verses and the hymns which we sang were some of her favorites -" Great Is Thy Faithfulness", "Like A River Glorious" and "Praise the Name of Jesus".  I thought that it was interesting that the first two of the three which she had selected were ones which we also sang at the service of her only brother, my father.
          Despite his age, Uncle John has a great memory, and for almost an hour he spoke, without any notes, sharing the beautiful history of their lives together.  He talked about how they first met when she was placed in his eighth grade homeroom because the one she should have been placed in was full.  He shared how they got married just before he was sent over seas and out of the country for three years which included being part of the Invasion of Normandy.  He talked about the various places they lived and how they were bound and held in their home while robbers emptied the safe in the store he managed.  He talked about their move from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when they were 75 and he shared their final moments together on this earth.  It was an amazing summary of how the Lord continually provided and led them for all those years.  It was easy to understand why they selected the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness", for that indeed was their experience.
          The trip provided us with special hours of fellowship.  Bill and Nancy are such gracious hosts and it was a blessing to spend time with them and my cousin Jerry and his wife Marianne.  We seldom see each other because we all live so far apart but we have so many precious memories of times together when we were growing up.  We have a unique heritage and a special bond even though separated by miles.
          Upon their retirement last year from managing Honey Rock, the Lord provided Bill and Nancy with a beautiful rental home in the woods along a lake.  We enjoyed the scenery and watching the wildlife during our visit.  Two evenings four deer appeared in their backyard and we missed, by about five minutes, seeing a large black bear.
          Each time we leave Rhinelander I have done so with tears, realizing that this could be the last time that we are together on earth. And, last June was the last time that we were with Aunt Ellen. Time marches on and life changes.  But we also realize that we will someday be reunited in heaven and that is the knowledge and hope that carries us through.  
          Before returning home we had one more special thing to do.  We drove over three hours to Madison, another one of our favorite spots in Wisconsin.  There we were able to spend time in Obrecht Gardens, a beautiful 60 acres dedicated to all sorts of gardens.  We always try to visit here when we are in the area.  It was another great visit, although since our visit was earlier than previous visits, there wasn't too much in bloom.  But it still was a wonderful way to end our visit.
           As I reflect upon our visit I thank the Lord for safety in travel and for the beauty of His creation.  But I especially thank Him for the special Christian heritage He has given me.  He is so good!