Splat!

          I had big plans for this week.  We only had one appointment scheduled so I planned to do some writing for this blog as well as my hymn blog.  But it wasn't to be.

          We have a second car, a 2009 Toyota, which we seldom use.  And during the pandemic it basically sat on our driveway and collected all sorts of dirt.  It hadn't been washed in over two years and really needed it.

          Our auto mechanic kept suggesting replacing all four tires.  They had adequate tread and looked fine but he felt that due to their age they weren't safe.  But I kept putting it off because we used the car so seldom and tires were expensive.

          Then we saw a good tire sale and decided it was time to buy.  But I was embarrassed to take the car in without it being cleaned.  I was afraid that the automatic car wash would not be good enough so I chose to do it by hand at the local car wash.

          After several times around the car I was almost satisfied.  Except for one spot it looked great.  So I decided to use the brush on that area.  I finished that, returned the brush to its holder and went for a final rinse.

          Suddenly I found myself on the concrete, flat on my face.  It happened so fast.  I don't know what happened.  Did I trip?  Did I slip?  There was blood everywhere and my glasses were broken.  I don't know how I got up, but I did.  My wife got out of the car and tried to help.

          Thank the Lord there was a MedExpress close by and we headed there.  They took me in right away and a nurse began to clean me up.  Finally a doctor came and two hours later I left with 12 stiches in my nose.  The next two days my eyes began to get black and blue and I looked like a raccoon.  I still need to have the stitches removed this weekend but I have no idea how long I will have the black eyes.  And it will take a few weeks to get new glasses.

         I thank the Lord that it wasn't worse.  No broken bones.  No broken teeth.  No concussion.  No damage to my eyes.

          But I have missed a week that I needed for writing.  However, the Lord is in control.

A Godly Heritage

In her casket were two bottles of Old Milwaukee beer and a cigarette.

We certainly were surprised as we viewed the body of the mother of one of our Awana leaders.  We heard that she had told her family that she wanted to be buried with her beer and her cigarettes and the family honored her wish.

 

I imagine that her son was probably embarrassed by this family decision and it made me realize how difficult it must be to be the only Christian in your family.  As we drove home from the viewing my mind was directed to Psalm 16:6 that proclaims, “Yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

 

Yes, I am so very fortunate to have a goodly, Godly heritage, and so are you.  Please don’t ever forget it and never take it for granted.

 

Your heritage begins with your parents.  Your dad and your uncles, Craig, Ken and Tim, all came to know the Lord as children.  The Lord allowed all three to marry wives who knew the Lord as Savior.  All have tried to raise you and their families to honor the Lord.

 

Grammy and I also asked the Lord to be our Savior while we were young children.  We have tried to live lives that please Him.  On our honeymoon the Lord led us to Psalm 92:13, “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.”  We have tried to follow this promise all of our married lives.  Elsewhere in this book you will find the principles that we have tried to model and pass on as our legacy.

 

Your parents also had uncles and aunts who loved the Lord and were active in many areas of service and ministry.  Uncle Terry, Aunt Kendy and Aunt Sue also accepted Jesus as their Savior when they were children.  Uncle Leon served as a pastor in several churches after completing Bible school.

 

The goodly heritage also includes your great grandparents.  Grammy’s parents – Gramps and Muz Bickle - both loved the Lord.  They made Him central in their family life after Gramps accepted the Lord as his Savior later in his life.  They loved to entertain visiting preachers and missionaries.  Muz taught Sunday School.  Gramps (Glenn Bickle) had a special gift of evangelism and was responsible for leading many people to the Lord.  Sharing the Gospel with others was his greatest joy.  He was very active in Gideons, taught Sunday School and led prayer meeting.  He and Muz were very faithful in their prayer life and they prayed daily for their children, their grandchildren, and their great grandchildren.

 

Muz  (Mary) was a Deitrich and was the youngest of five children – Ray, Bob, Ethel and Hattie who died as a child.  In the latter years of his life, Grandpa Deitrich lived with Gramps and Muz until he died. His father was a preacher. Gramps had two sisters, Ruth Lewis and Miriam Hubler and one brother, Floyd, who died when he was young.  Your dads might remember Mom Bickle who came to know the Lord in her later years.

 

My parents, Grandma and Grandpa Kauffman, were charter members of our church, Faith Bible Fellowship Church, in Lancaster.  They were very instrumental in getting the church started in 1950.  Grandma taught Sunday School, was active in Womens Missionary Society and Awana and had a CEF club for children in our home.  They took us to almost every church service, all of our lives, even when it meant going by train or bus or driving 40 miles to get there.  For well over 50 years Grandpa (Horace Abraham) taught Sunday School, was an elder, served as church delegate, handled the church financial records, and served as financial secretary for the Bible Fellowship denomination and worked in Awana.  He also served on the boards of Berean Bible School, Lancaster Christian School, and Calvary Homes.  His life was devoted to serving the Lord and setting an example for his family.

 

Grandma (Aletha or Dolly) Kauffman was a Wise and grew up in the Herndon area before moving to Sunbury.  She was one of seven children born to Mammy (Alice) and Pappy (Lloyd) Wise – Sis Neidig, Anna Mahlon, Phyllis Gaugler, Bud, Sam and Richard Wise.

 

Your great great grandfather, Grandpa Kauffman’s real father, Horace Abraham Kauffman, died during the flu epidemic of 1918 when Grandpa was just 16 months old. He had one real sister, Ellen Derck.  Grandma was then encouraged to marry a friend of his, Norman Wolf, and they had two daughters, Beatrice Derck and Thelma Smock.  Thelma married Bob who became a pastor for over 50 years in our denomination.  Ellen and Beatrice married brothers – John and Marlin.  All the family loved and served the Lord and they were all very instrumental in my Christian growth.

 

Norman Wolf became a real father to Grandpa Kauffman and a special grandfather to me.  He served as a pastor for over 65 years.  He performed our wedding ceremony and was our pastor for several years while we were in Sunbury.  He was a real pastor with a heart for his congregation.  He was a man of prayer. He was the most Godly person I have ever known and was a great influence on my life.

 

Grandma (Esther) Wolf also came from a family of believers.  Her brother, Timothy Gehret, was a pastor and a presiding elder in our denomination for many years.  Another brother, Myron was an elder in our Bethlehem church.  His wife, Lizzie, was a brother to Grandpa Kauffman’s real father.  Grandma Wolf’s father, A.B. Gehret, was also a pastor.  I remember her mother, Grandma Ettinger, who died in 1944.

 

Your great great great grandfather was Charles L. Kauffman (1861-1942).  In 1896 he was appointed postmaster of Zion Hill.  He too loved the Lord and several times took Grandpa Kauffman to services at Holiness Camp Meetings. Part of his farm was used for the Zionsville Bible Fellowship Church where the Wolfs are buried.  His father – your great great great great grandfather Abraham Kauffman (1840-1889) was the last secretary of the church to write the minutes in German.  His father was Samuel (1840 – 1889) and his father, your great great great great great great grandfather, Abraham (1780 – 1860) was one of three brothers who came here from Germany.  He settled in the Lehigh Valley.

 

There are so many more stories that could be told, but I hope that you see that you indeed do have a goodly, Godly heritage.  However, such a heritage means nothing when it comes to your personal salvation.  It is your responsibility as an individual to accept the Lord’s free gift of salvation and experience the forgiveness, which he gives.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.  It is my prayer and my deepest hope that you will make this vital decision and someday when the Lord returns you will be with the Lord and all of us who have gone before you.

Beware - March 18, 1958 (LB)

Looking Back - While listening to the weather report for this weekend, my mind went back to 1958 when a weather forecast called for snow flurries.  But the weather on that Saturday was much more than just some snow flurries.  So I am repeating this blog which I shared a few years ago.  Hopefully this weekend will not be a repeat of 1958.

        It was Saturday, March 18, 1958 - 59.  I was excited because my high school choir director was taking me and a classmate of mine to Harrisburg to hear the concert of the district high school choir.  At that time beither of us knew that the following year, our senior year,  both of us would audition and be named to the choir.
         What we also didn't know was that an unexpected snow storm was about to hit.  The morning weather forecast made no mention of snow, except for the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal which did call for a few snow flurries.  But by late afternoon a light rain began to change into big wet snowflakes.  I don't recall these huge flakes, but one report said that some of them were two inches in diameter.  And the snow fell for over 28 hours and had a huge impact on the region. While only 13" of heavy wet snow accumulated in Lancaster city, 2 to 3 feet of snow fell across the higher terrain of northern and eastern Lancaster county, including Lititz. About 30" fell in the Ephrata/Adamstown area and an astounding 50" was measured at the Morgantown exchange of the PA Turnpike.

          In Harrisburg we first stopped for a brief visit with our choir director's mother and then we headed for the concert.  When the concert ended we were surprised to find that several inches of snow had fallen and we began our trip home to Lititz through heavy snow.  I don't remember how long that trip took, but it was memorable.  Numerous times we had to push our car as well as other cars that were stuck on the highway blocking our way.  At times the highway was impossible to see.  But thankfully some how we finally got home.  It was a scary trip that I will never forget.  Later, after becoming a teacher myself, I began to realize what a difficult experience it must have been for our director to transport two of his students through that dangerous experience that night.  I hope that I thanked him.

          But that wasn't the end of the experience.  Under the weight of the wet snow, it didn't take long for trees to start snapping. Wide spread power outages took many days to restore and even the PA Turnpike was closed for a number of days. Drivers were stranded on the Turnpike. Even the trains of the Pennsylvania Railroad capitulated that last full day of winter. There was no service at all between New York and Washington after a power failure at Havre de Grace. Six passenger trains were stranded there.

          By March 20, the newspaper was calling it a "sneak storm" that left 75,000 homes without electricity, with "no estimate of restoration."  Meteorologists now suspect that this storm was a powerful "nor'easter" that blew up the Atlantic coast.  Milder temperatures at the shoreline meant that larger accumulations came inland.  Philadelphia and New York City each got 11 inches.

          The storm cut off all access to Lititz for over a week.  Huge drifts closed the Lititz Pike (Route 501) and all the smaller roads into town.  There were pictures of drifts as high as the telephone poles near the Lititz Airport. Half of Lititz lost electricity.  Fortunately our half of town retained power.  My friend actually stayed at our house for several days because his parents had no power or heat at their home. Shrinking supplies of necessities also created a problem for borough residents.  Several days later, a train was finally able to get through the drifts to deliver bread, eggs and milk to the residents.

          As I recall this experience, I can't help but be thankful for the Lord's protection, especially on that dangerous trip home.  

          But I also recall how times have changed things.  Today we have instant weather updates available on television, radio, smartphones and the internet.  None of that existed in 1958.  And today we have huge modern plows and blowers to open the highways and we have workers trained to deal with these situations.  But, unfortunately, drifting and loss of electricity are still dangers to deal with.

         And so when people think winter is over when we hit March, my wife and I often reply, "We remember 1958", and we do!

          As I was doing some research for this blog I came upon an interesting video of the "Storm of 1958".  Here is a link in case you are interested.   1958.

Horror

          Today television brings the horror of this sinful world right into our living rooms.  We helplessly view while others suffer.  We see real situations that we could never predict.

          It was just yesterday that we watched while people tried to get out of Afghanistan as America left many of them behind.  I will never forget scenes of people trying to hang on to airplanes as they were taking off or of parents handing off their babies to those who were leaving.  How scary it must have been for those left behind.

          Now this week we are horrified by the images and news of those in Ukraine as their homeland is being invaded and destroyed by the Russian army.  More pain and sorrow than we can even imagine.  What would we ever do if we were in their place?

          Many folks are hiding in their basements or bomb shelters or in subway tunnels as the invaders destroy their neighborhoods with bombs and missiles.  They are running out of food and water.  They have no hope.

          It hurts to watch pictures of pregnant women or even worse, hospital nurseries which have been forced to relocate to the subway tunnels for protection. Will they survive? If they survive, what hope do these babies have?

          Then there are the scenes of huge lines of cars and trucks and overloaded trains as millions try to escape their homeland.  And then there are the tearful scenes of fathers saying good bye to their wives and children as they are separated at the border.  The men are prohibited from leaving and must stay to fight the invading Russians.  How heartbreaking!

          And yet one must admire the way the Ukranians are trying to defend their country, making bombs and blocking the roads.  They are willing to sacrifice their lives to try and defend their homeland.  But what chance do they really have against the massive Russian force?

          And who will help them?  Unfortunately not sanctions as severe as they may appear to be.  The world is being deceived while Puten laughs.

          I believe that we are watching a real Satanic battle.  Puten must be controlled by Satan to lead this evil battle.  He reminds me of Hitler and his evil attacks.  I wonder what is was like here in this country as Hitler captured one country after another. Of course folks didn't have television then to bring that evil display into their living rooms, they just had radio and movie news clips.  And the world waited almost too long then to stop Hitler.  Could the same thing happen again?

          So we will just have to watch and see what happens.  How many will die?  Will the invasion spread to other countries?  Will oil costs and disruptions affect the world?  Will our finances suffer?  Will the world be looking for a new leader?  I can't help but wonder how all of this plays into the end times.  

          What would be the best solution?  That's easy, the rapture.  Hopefully it may be sooner than we think.

(1)   This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

(2)   They're all expecting me and that's one thing I know.

My Savior pardoned me and now I onward go.

I know He'll take me through, though I am weak and poor.

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

(3)   I have a loving Savior up in glory-land,

I don't expect to stop until I with Him stand,

He's waiting now for me in heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

(4)   Just up in Glory Land we'll live eternally.

The Saints on every hand are shouting victory.

Their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven's shore

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Two Years

          March 2020 - March 2022  Oh how those two years changed our lives.  It was unexpected.  It affected everyone.  For many it caused serious divisions of opinions.  For some it caused pain and for too many sad unexpected losses.  Many of our friends passed away during this time, most from covid.
          We learned new vocabulary and new definitions - pandemic, covid, delta, omicron, isolation, quarantine, antivax, antimask, mandates, virtual learning, zoom - just to name a few.  There were places we couldn't go, places we shouldn't go, and places, like churches and schools, that were often closed.
          We learned to do so many things differently.  We learned to use the computer to order our groceries online.  We would order and then the clerks would load them in our car for us.  No contact needed.  We've learned to appreciate this method and will no doubt continue to do it.  We've also learned to order some meals this way.
          Except for our prescriptions, many of our medical supplies have also been ordered online from locations such as CVS.com and Walgreens.com.  We have ordered clothing and presents online and have not entered a store in two years.  It is great and convenient to have things delivered to our front door.  We may never return to in-store shopping.
          We have missed making trips and taking vacations.  We really miss going to Ocean City, Maryland, and also visiting friends.  Most of our trips have been to doctors and for medical tests.  And despite the huge increase in the cost of gas, this is one budget area in which we have been able to save money.
          We do miss the fellowship of those at church although we don't think many miss us.  I miss my wife playing preludes and offertories.  However we have been able to faithfully "attend" churches through streaming, including our own church and especially Swindoll's church, Stonebriar, from Texas. We enjoy their beautiful orchestra, ensembles and choir.  We enjoy singing along with their hymns.  We are learning from the sound teaching. That service is one of the bonus results of the pandemic for us.
          We miss talking to people.  Besides family and doctors, during these two years I have only had five conversations with other men.  Now I have never been a very social person, but these limits on conversations have been difficult for me.  I've tried to contact folks by e-mail but it appears that not many like to share using the technology.

          We've lost many friends who've passed away during these years, many due to covid.  But many of them we'll see again someday in heaven.  We've lost some medical friends who've chosen to retire during the pandemic - our longtime dentist and one of my wife's heart doctors.  They are hard to replace.
          We have not had our entire family together for over two years.  We had hoped to do so on Christmas, but one person tested positive for covid so one of our families couldn't come.  Maybe next year we can try once again, should we survive 2022.
          I have had time to write, such as this crazy blog, to read and especially to pray.  There are so many who have real needs and who need prayer and encouragement.  What an important ministry that is.  I challenge you to spend more time taking the needs of others to the Lord.

          We have had all of our recommended shots including boosters, as well as our flu shots. We still wear ourf masks everywhere. We have tried to be as careful as posssible, maybe more careful then needed.  But we are old and have physical problems that require us to be extra careful.
          Now the question might be what will happen the next two years?  I have no way of really knowing, but my prayer is that the rapture might occur.  And, if not that, some of us may be taken home anyway.  What a blessed hope Christians really have.
          But if that doesn't happen I think churches may need to expend and improve their streaming services.  I would hope that many would include staff dedicated to ministering to those who worship at home.  There is a big potential for important ministry here that has not been tapped.  Churches should not continue to skip this mission field. 

          I suspect some form of covid may always be around.  Probably they will offer annual booster shots as they do for the flu.  That might be the new normal.
          I would expect that many stores and companies may expand online services or else they will continue to lose costumers.  This is too convenient for consumers who won't take the time or effort to go shop when they can do it at home.  More department stores will close and become a thing of the past as many have already become.
          Whilte many of us are eager to return to restaurants, I would guess that pickup meals will be expanded.  Fast foods are good at times, but the public wants more than that.  However the drawback on such expansion may be the problems of hiring enough staff and the increase in food costs.
          I would also expect that many of us will be keeping our vehicles much longer.  The problems with the supply chain will make many things much more expensive, if even available.  Inflation will produce greater strains on finances, especially on those of us who are retired.  The few dollars that social security is increased each year just doesn't cut it for today's retirees with today's inflation.
          But the more difficult changes could come with our deeply divided government.  And anarchy is a growing possibility as groups take actions to get their rights and protest actions with which they disagree.  Look at the recent blockades in Canada,  And we know that things will not get any better. And I haven't even mentioned the worldwide unrest and the potential of terrorism and nuclear war.  The scriptures tell us that this will get worse so we shouldn't be surprised.
          The prophet Habakkuk also wrestled with the way things were going in his lifetime.  At times he wondered if God really was really in control.  But here is what he concluded at the end of his book.

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

    and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

    and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

    and the cattle barns are empty,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

    I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

The Sovereign Lord is my strength!

    He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

    able to tread upon the heights."

But we do have hope.  We can rejoice in the Lord, the God of our salvation.  The Sovereign Lord is our strength!  And a better day is coming - maybe today, or tomorrow or maybe in 2022!

1.    Years of time have come and gone

Since I first heard it told,

How Jesus would come again someday.

If back then it seemed so real,

Then I just can't help but feel

How much closer his coming is today.

Chorus:

Signs of the times are everywhere.

There's a brand new feeling in the air.

Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky,

Life up your heads, redemption draweth nigh!

 2.  Wars and strife on every hand
And violence fills our land,
Still some people doubt he'll come again.
But the Word of God is true,
He'll redeem his chosen few.
Don't lose hope, soon Christ Jesus will descend.
Chorus:
Signs of the times are everywhere.
There's a brand new feeling in the air.
Keep your eyes upon the eastern sky,
Life up your heads, redemption draweth nigh!

Keep looking up, it might be today!

A Coming Change

                What will you do if you suddenly can't use your cell phone to make or receive calls? What if your home security system suddenly doesn't work?  What if your GPS or some auto wireless features no longer work?

          Well this could happen to you within the next few days as wireless companies begin to cut off 3G.   It happened to us, without warning, a few years ago when they shut off 2G.  We were forced to buy a new cell phone.

          We found out about this rapidly coming change in the newspaper last weekend.  We received no other warning.  I spent the weekend trying to contact AT&T and finally found ours cell phone service would be cut off on February 22.  I found that many customers were sent replacements but I guess we didn't qualify probably because we didn't spend enough money with them, despite being customers for nearly 40 years.

          Then I searched the internet and found a good deal with Consumer Cellular.  In fact, I will save enough switching to make up for the increase in our Comcast bill.   

          AT&T announced that its 3G network will go dark on Feb. 22.  T-Mobile says the 3G network that had been part of Sprint before the two companies merged will go bye-bye on March 31, and its own 3G UMTS network will be shut down July 1. T-Mobile also indicated that the former Sprint's LTE network - which stands for Long-Term Evolution and is a flavor of 4G -  will be shuttered July 1.  Verizon plans to retire its 3G network Dec. 31 after extending an original 2020 deadline. The company says it will not extend the deadline again.

          "As we move closer to the shutoff date, customers still accessing the 3G network may experience a degradation or complete loss of service, and service centers will only be able to offer extremely limited troubleshooting help on these older devices," Verizon vice president Mike Haberman said in a blog.

          You're not out of the woods if you get phone service from the likes of Boost, Cricket, Straight Talk and other discount providers. They piggyback off the major carrier networks.  Jettisoning 3G doesn't affect just phones. Certain medical devices, tablets, smartwatches, in-car SOS services, Kindle readers, home security products and other devices also are dependent on 3G.

          As some have pointed out recently, the 3G shutdown will also affect dozens of vehicle models released anytime between 2010 and 2021. Some cars will lose the ability to update your location and traffic data while navigating. Others will become unable to connect with your smartphone, voice assistants or emergency call services. Fortunately, AAA still offers maps.

          Technology is great when it works.  Take computers as another example.  Apple no longer supports the browser that we must use on two of our computers.  The first thing that happened was that I no longer could use my Awana website.  Then I could no longer reach my bank.  Next, I could not order from many stores.  Then I could no longer reach some sites using google – it claimed my clock wasn't set correctly.  Then aol changed its mail program and now we can't use it on our two older computers.

          The solution?  Buy a new computer which I did.  Now I can use aol mail again.  But I may need to buy another one.  However, they'll probably soon change operating systems once again. It never ends.

          Change makes life interesting … I guess.

Unknown Territory

In a recent blog I mentioned some of the things that I have done in an attempt to pass my heritage on to my grandchildren.  I mentioned the many pages I have written for them and I have decided to share some of them in this blog.  So here is the second of the articles that I have written about my experiences.

 

UNKNOWN TERRITORY

 

"Hurry, we must take Craig to the doctor"

 

This was the news that greeted me on an August afternoon as I arrived home from a hard day of work in the orchard.  I certainly wasn't expecting to have to jump in the car and take my four-month old son to a doctor that we didn't even know.

 

It had been a challenging three months for us.  I had graduated from Susquehanna University in May and had four teaching interviews and four job offers.  This created a nice but a very hard decision. One offer was at Donegal in Mt. Joy, a second at Elizabethtown, a third at Hershey, and a fourth, the one, which I had accepted, was at Penn Manor in Millersville.

 

Since my new contract and job wouldn't begin until September, I spent the summer working in an orchard in Lancaster County.  My summer days were filled with picking cherries and apples in anticipation of beginning a new teaching career.  We had no other income or insurance during this time, so we were guarding our finances very carefully.

 

Finding a place for the three of us to live had been very difficult.  We looked for months and were unable to find anything satisfactory.  We took turns living with my parents in Lititz and Dianne's parents in Sunbury.  All of us prayed for a nice place to rent.

 

In July we had received a call about an apartment in a farmhouse in Silver Springs.  We almost didn't even follow up on the call because of the location.  But, since we were praying, we thought that we better at least check it out.   And, sure enough, it was what we needed and in August we moved in.  For almost two years we enjoyed this apartment in the country – two bedrooms, a bath, kichen, living room, front porch, and a bug-filled dirt basement.

 

Shortly after we moved, Craig began to have stomach and bowel problems.  We didn't know any of the doctors in the Silver Springs area so we asked my former doctor in Lititz if he had a recommendation.  He suggested a Dr. Richard Bryson in Landisville.

 

That day while I was at work Craig had become worse. His crying indicated that he was in discomfort.  He kept pulling up his legs because of apparent stomach pain.  He had also become constipated and then Dianne was really alarmed when she found blood in his diaper.  At that point she decided to call this Dr. Bryson.

 

The doctor's response was to ask us to bring him to his office as soon as I got home.  At about 6 p.m. we met Dr. Bryson who was to become our special family doctor for many years.  This was to be the first of many emergency calls and visits to Dr. Bryson over the years ahead.

 

When we arrived at his office he quickly examined Craig and then left us to make some telephone calls.

 

Within minutes we were headed to the hospital where we met surgeon Dr. Peter Pranken.  After a quick examination we were stunned to learn that Craig was being prepared for emergency surgery.  It tore our hearts apart to watch our baby wheeled off to the operating with all sorts of iv's and tubes attached to his small body.  By 8:30 he was on the operating table.

 

I'm not sure what all went through our minds during this time of waiting but I do recall vividly the realization that I might lose my only son.  As I pondered this possibility my heart was drawn to the knowledge that God sent His Only Begotten Son to die for my sins.  Even though He was the Almighty Creator it must have been so painful to see His son abused and crucified for sinners such as I.  The impact of the price of my salvation pierced my emotions that night unlike any other time in my life.  It is painful for anyone, even God, to see one's only son die. Yet He endured that for me.

 

Sometime later the surgeon came out to tell us that all had gone well and that they had been able to correct his intestinal problem without having to cut the intestine.  He said there were indications that if surgery had been delayed it would have required much more serious surgery.  Because of the timing, he predicted a full and complete recovery.

 

Craig had a condition called intrasuception.  In this condition the intestine telescopes into itself and begins to eat itself.  If not caught in time it can lead to death.  This condition is very rare and almost nonexistent in children less than two years old.

 

We later learned that most doctors never see such a case and most would not even recognize the symptoms in time to avoid a life-threatening situation.  Dr. Bryson recognized the symptoms because he had one previous patient with this condition – his own two-year old daughter.

 

Is it coincidence that we would move to a place that we didn' t want to move to, and that we would then contact a doctor that we didn't know, and. in turn, he would recognize this unusual condition because he had seen it in his own daughter?  We have no doubt that it wasn't coincidence but the leading of an omnipotent, omniscient Heavenly Father who was directing our paths.

 

One of my many "life verses" is Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not".

 

Oh how I have found this true.  When we trust the Lord and seek His guidance He not only answers but He does abundantly more than we expect or even deserve.

 

And, that includes walking with us as we experience the unknown.

Blessings

In a recent blog I mentioned some of the things that I have done in an attempt to pass my heritage on to my grandchildren.  I mentioned the many pages I have written for them and I have decided to share some of them in this blog.  So here is one of the articles that I have written about my experiences.

 

BLESSINGS TAKEN FOR GRANTED!

 

"My, you must be very, very rich!"

 

These words surprised us when Jalili, an Iranian educator, who had come to our home for dinner, shared them with us.

 

"In my country only the very rich can afford rugs throughout their home," he continued.  "And, very few people have such beautiful curtains.  And, you have two cars!"

 

We certainly weren't considered wealthy by American standards.  We were just an average family, with three children, often struggling to pay bills and put food on the table.  In fact, I often had several part time jobs to help us cover expenses.  It was hard to understand why somebody would think that we were wealthy.

 

Jalili was part of an exchange program and he was spending about a month visiting education programs in the United States.  He was a math teacher and an administrator for the Iranian government and was to spend the last two weeks of his visit with us at Penn Manor.

 

Our experiences with him were unusual and we didn't appreciate his anxiety and concern until many years later.

 

At the time of his visit, the Shah of Iran ruled Iran.  He was a dictator but was supported by most western governments.  Later he had to flee into exile, being forced out by the Islamic movement.  We had no real comprehension of the fear the Iranians must have had of him and his government.

 

For example, at a social event early in Jalili's visit, he got caught up in the casual conversations and made the comment to somebody, "If you don't sell us arms, we won't sell you oil."  This remark haunted him for the rest of his stay.

 

He told me that he was now sure that when he returned to Iran his family would be gone, he would lose his job and he would be thrown into prison for making such a statement. He said he was just a country boy who had worked his way up the educational ladder in his country. We often laughed about his reaction and his worry, but he actually almost had a nervous breakdown because of this concern.

 

As he watched television he was horrified at the way people, especially elected officials, criticized our President.  Such freedom of speech and openness was unheard of in his country.

 

One of the strangest incidents came when Jalili came to me and asked me to rush him to a location where he could send a telegram to the Shah.  He hoped to cover his "mistake" by telling the Shah how much he appreciated him and that he had Jalili's full support.

The telegraph office was in the back room of an apartment house on Lime Street in Lancaster.  The location added to the intrigue of what we all thought was a comical, overblown situation.

 

But were his fears really overblown?

 

After he left for Iran, we never really heard from Jalili again.   Was his family there when he returned?  Was he taken off to prison?    Was he demoted?   And, if he did survive, what happened to him when the Shah was chased out of the country.  We will never know the answers.

 

As we watched the developments in Iran during following years, we began to realize that his fears might have been legitimate.   How difficult it must have been to live without the freedoms that we have taken for granted.  How difficult it must be to live in a society where you must guard every word that you say.

 

Throughout my lifetime I have been very fortunate to live in the United States where we have had freedom of speech and amazing liberties.  I hope that you, too, will enjoy these rights and liberties, which have made this country unlike any in history.

 

However, I fear that this might change.  We as a nation have abused our freedoms and we have strayed far from the Biblical foundations on which this country was founded. I also believe that Iran will continue to play a major role in history and in your lives.  I believe that they will be a major part of what the Bible says about the end times.

 

Fortunately, the Bible tells us what will eventually happen.  We know the end of the story. And, we who are part of God's family know that we are on the winning side.

 

I have learned to thank God everyday not only for my abundant material blessings but also for the many freedoms, which have been won through the sacrifices of so many.

 

Don't take your blessings and freedoms for granted!

Burma Shave

A man, a miss,

A car, a curve.

He kissed the miss,

And missed the curve.

Burma Shave

          Burma Shave surely saved some lives. People laughed and became more careful!  It was a REAL "service" to America.  Even though it was an advertisement. It was one of the RARE really useful ones!

          Burma Shave signs provide a quick lesson in our history.   Before interstate highways, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs were posted all over the country in farmers' fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 of the 4 lines. The obligatory 5th sign advertised Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream.

DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW

OUT SO FAR

IT MAY GO HOME

IN ANOTHER CAR.

Burma Shave

TRAINS DON'T WANDER

ALL OVER THE MAP

'CAUSE NOBODY SITS

IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP.

Burma Shave

SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSH

BY MISTAKE

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS

HER HUSBAND JAKE.

Burma Shave  

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD

TO GAIN A MINUTE

YOU NEED YOUR HEAD

YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT.

Burma Shave

DROVE TOO LONG

DRIVER SNOOZING

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

IS NOT AMUSING.

Burma Shave

                        

BROTHER SPEEDER

LET'S REHEARSE

ALL TOGETHER

GOOD MORNING, NURSE

Burma Shave

CAUTIOUS RIDER

TO HER RECKLESS DEAR

LET'S HAVE LESS BULL

AND A LITTLE MORE STEER.

Burma Shave

SPEED WAS HIGH

WEATHER WAS NOT

TIRES WERE THIN

X MARKS THE SPOT.

Burma Shave

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE

OF PAUL FOR BEER

LED TO A WARMER

HEMISPHERE.

Burma Shave

AROUND THE CURVE

LICKETY-SPLIT

BEAUTIFUL CAR

WASN'T IT?

Burma Shave

NO MATTER THE PRICE

NO MATTER HOW NEW

THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE

IN THE CAR IS YOU.

Burma Shave

A GUY WHO DRIVES

A CAR WIDE OPEN

IS NOT THINKIN'

HE'S JUST HOPIN'

Burma Shave

AT INTERSECTIONS

LOOK EACH WAY

A HARP SOUNDS NICE

BUT IT'S HARD TO PLAY.

Burma Shave

BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL

EYES ON THE ROAD

THAT'S THE SKILLFUL

DRIVER'S CODE.

Burma Shave

THE ONE WHO DRIVES

WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING

DEPENDS ON YOU

TO DO HIS THINKING.

Burma Shave

CAR IN DITCH

DRIVER IN TREE

THE MOON WAS FULL

AND SO WAS HE.

Burma Shave

PASSING SCHOOL ZONE

TAKE IT SLOW

LET OUR LITTLE

SHAVERS GROW.

Burma Shave

Do these bring back any old memories?

A Legacy

          We all leave a legacy even if we never think about doing so.  Friends and especially family members will remember much about us whether it be good or not so good.  Much of our legacy will depend on how we live, what we say and what we do. I noted this in my blog on January 8 about Neil Turner, when after his death, he was remembered by many for his faith and his trust in Jesus.  What a legacy!

          Now I have been blest to have a great heritage and it has been my desire for many years to pass this heritage on to my family as part of my legacy.  And there are so many ways that this can be done.

          One way that I have chosen is to pass on writings about events in my life and things that I think are important.  I began this about 15 years ago and have passed on nearly 200 pages of writings and pictures to each of my seven grandchildren.  For many years these were also posted online as part of the Awana website which I operated.  However, a few years ago software problems forced me to end this website so these writings are no longer available to others who might be interested in them.  So maybe I  will begin to share some of these here in future blogs.

          Another thing  that I have done since 2006 is to prepare an annual family DVD which I give to my children each Christmas.  It includes a variety of family pictures from the past year, a Bible verse and a background of music appropriate for the year.  On Christmas Eve we play the DVD from ten years ago to remember the past and then we play the new one to remember the present.

          This year the music I chose was an old hymn written in 1903 by George A. Young.  Young was an obscure 19th Century preacher and carpenter who spent a lifetime serving in small rural communities. Often his financial support was small, and it was hard on his family. But through all the ups and downs his faithful wife never wavered in her loyalty to God and to her husband. After a long struggle, the family was able to move into their own small home which George built himself. But then, on an occasion when George was away preaching, some local thugs who didn't like his Gospel preaching, set fire to the house, and it was totally destroyed. It was out of that experience that Young reaffirmed his faith in God by writing God Leads Us Along.

          While going through the pandemic I couldn't help but feel the words of this great hymn were appropriate for my 2021 DVD.   "Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,  God leads His dear children along.  Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night, God leads His dear children along."

          2021 was hard - Isolation was difficult, covid was scary, the loss of friends and loved ones was tough.  But God was faithful and led us, His dear children, along.  He gave us a song in the night season and all the day long.  And we know that He will continue to lead us.

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,

God leads His dear children along;

Where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet,

God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood;

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,

In the night season and all the day long.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,

God leads His dear children along;

Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,

God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood;

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,

In the night season and all the day long.

Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,

God leads His dear children along;

Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,

God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood;

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,

In the night season and all the day long.

Away from the mire, and away from the clay,

God leads His dear children along;

Away up in glory, eternity's day,

God leads His dear children along.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood;

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,I

n the night season and all the day long.