Smelling like the sheep

Our good friend and pastor recently went from preaching into full time missions work.  Bob has been in the ministry for 40 + years and I have no doubt will be working for the Lord until he goes to be with Him, many, many years from now.

This is the reception honoring of both Bob and Betsy....cause we all know that he couldn't have done what he's done without her!

Here is one of the things I love so much about their family.  Bob and Betsy have five children who are all Christians....married to Christians.....raising children to know Christ and become Christians.  All five have completed college degrees.  If that were the end of their testimony I would say AMEN.....but it isn't.  They managed to teach their children the most important things in life while ministering and showing Christ to many others.

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Here they are before the reception 

Some pictures from the reception

About two hundred people attended.....a testament to the love and care he has shown to all who know him.

He and Betsy even had an official day set aside by the county commission.


Several others talked about Bob and Betsy, giving testimony of what they have meant to them over the years.

But the moment that touched my heart most was when this son spoke about his father and his pastor

The thing that stood out in his speech was when he referred to his dad being a shepherd who smells like his sheep. Everyone laughed a little at the remark, but as I thought about it, it is so true!  Bob is a shepherd who smells like his sheep.  The more that phrase went through my mind, I came to understand it to be a huge compliment and a tribute to his dad.

We first got to know Bob when our almost 26 year old was in the 4th grade.  That's the year Russell and I married and I started going to Matt's school for various things.  Matt went to the school associated with Bob's church and I noticed some things about Bob......he did whatever needed doing.  If something needed wiring, he wired it....if something needed moving, he moved it....if the church needed to borrow chairs or bleachers from another church, he took his truck and got them...... never noticed anyone he couldn't work along side.  Like a good shepherd he did come along side any time he was needed.  The point is, he spent a lot of time with his flock and nothing that needed doing was beneath him.  When the school needed a headmaster, he stepped in and took the position......... more than once during the years....... along with preaching and pastoring (which in my mind are two distinctly different things).  He was headmaster when I started attending school functions.  He smelled like his sheep.

Now I don't know much about sheep, but I do know that all we like sheep have gone astray.....Isaiah 53:6.  I don't know much about shepherds, but I do know Jesus said I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me....John 10:14   Jesus came and lived among His people.....He put his arms around His flock...he was THE Shepherd.  Our pastors are also shepherds who work under THE Shepherd.

A shepherd who smells like his sheep is one who is right there in the trenches of life with his congregation. Who is there and cares and knows when any one of his flock is hurting or celebrating.  


When Matt was in high school, we moved our church membership to the church Bob pastored and got to know Bob as our pastor and preacher, shepherd and friend.  We grew to love not only him, but his family.  Family man..... that label can just be tacked on with the rest.....along with chaplain for the Sheriff's department and work with the local rescue mission and probably lots of other things that I don't know about.

Long before we came to be members, Bob had started missions work in Uganda.   Over the years, it was evident that his heart was in Uganda and with the people there.  The Ugandan's became his sheep, part of his flock.  He will be spending more time there now as he goes into full time missions work.

And just as he always has, I'm sure there...thousands of miles away from home......Bob will continue to smell like his sheep, as he leads people to know THE SHEPHERD.

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After note......


After I wrote this blog our local news paper had this article on the front page.  


http://www.newsherald.com/articles/uganda-99017-city-panama.html

A little Christmas decorating

I mean a little......but first, I know you are all terribly jealous about my new header.  You wish with all your hearts that your Christmas tree was very crooked like mine.  The sad thing is, crooked would be o.k. if it was a real tree....but it's not.  Oh, and those presents?  Empty boxes.

We have this little tradition in our home.  Every year as Christmas approaches I say no tree this year.....as the superhero calmly gets the tree out and proceeds to put it up because he knows this is a little song and dance I do yearly.  And then, reluctantly I drag out the ornaments to put on the tree.  Then something magical happens!  As I place each ornament on the tree, I start thinking about when I got that ornament or who gave it to me and I get all sentimental and I'm suddenly glad we're putting a tree up this year.  I only put ornaments on my tree that mean something to me or were given to me by someone.

The poor tree when he first put it up

Several years ago, I found these little frames at M*chael's and put pictures of us and the kids when they were little.....I bought several extras, but I'm getting low!

The Nativity.....His birthplace

If you enlarge this picture and look carefully, I started giving the superhero ornaments when we started dating.  The first one was a H*llmark man and lady....it's on the left top and it's white.  Then I started giving him the Sw**orski ornament of the year.  In all we now have 19 ornaments on the trees.  Those are some of my most favorite decorations

Found these cute plates at *j m*xx

My MIL gives us a clo*htique Santa every year.....I'll have to find another place to put them when I put the stockings up.  Oh, yea, that's another thing .....I said NO stockings this year.  Unfortunately, I said it in front of Matt who said  no stockings???  so I'll be dragging the stockings out.  

And this poor thing.....our Christmas tree needs a brace.  Anyway, it's up and decorated and it is what it is! 

Our next door neighbors got their Christmas present early and we're so excited for them.

Suddenly

That's how things happen, very suddenly.  The Friday before Thanksgiving my Uncle Jack was killed in a car accident.  He was on his way to the VA hospice to talk to a fellow marine veteran who was dying.  Uncle Jack, or Bill as he was called by everyone but his family, was a writer......a newspaper man for many years and although retired still wrote a weekly article for his local newspaper.  He had written a couple of books and had one more child than my parents.....so he was obviously competitive!    


This is not a tribute to my uncle.....that is not mine to write....just a sort of goodbye and a reminder of how suddenly life changes.

Aunt Frances, Uncle Jack, Aunt Ada, Aunt Evelyn and mama

These pictures are from our family reunion in 2005.  Aunt Frances and Uncle Jack were the two surviving siblings from my dad's family.  Mama and Aunt Evelyn the wives of two of his brothers, my dad and Uncle Joe.


Uncle Jack was a real writer, not a play blog writer like I am, so when I got an email from him after this blog post, it really meant a lot to me.  Below is the email.




Eularee fowarded me you blog on your mother's birthday. I tried to comment, but you bloggers blocked an old newspaper straight matter man. Said I didn't belong in your world and gave me a list of old folk homes. I read it and viewed the pictures on line and it brought back fond memories of better days. But I must complain that I am supposed to be the writer in the family and you are trying to put me to shame. But I had a lovely time visiting with a lady I love and respect and even got a glimpse of a bunch of nieces and nephews and of course my sister Frances. Give my love to all you Duncans. Jack the blacksheep from Oregon.


Eularee is Uncle Jack's daughter and my cousin.  She's also a talented writer among many other things.


Uncle Jack was just going about his life when suddenly he was gone.  He went from this world to be with Jesus.....suddenly. 


We will all miss him, but celebrate his life with our memories.


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My brother may be slightly upset at me for writing about him.....but he's bound to get over it!

Shortly before Uncle Jack's accident, my brother was badly hurt in an accident at home.  One moment he was on a ladder cutting a tree branch and the next he was on the driveway, having hit the steel bumper on another brother's truck on the way down.  He recovered although he may be just ever the slightest bit brain damaged.







Also in the last couple of weeks, a friend had unexpected open heart surgery and one had a stroke while out fishing with his grandchildren.  


Things. Happen. Suddenly.


Take no one and nothing for granted........

  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all....

Or as the turkey's around here like to say.....

Disguise me as a deer any day!

I'm thankful for so much!  My blessings are too numerous to count and I don't have time right now because I'm trying to finish my Thanksgiving day cooking but I have lots of them!

Visits

I've often talked about how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends.  It's especially fun to get to visit with them and with family!  Last week was a week for visits and it was lots of fun!

First I went over to see a couple of my dear friends a town or two away and even got to keep little Anna Cross for a few hours while her mama was in a meeting.

Anna Cross was happy to get home and see Lily who was just as glad to see her.

Anna Cross was supposed to change into her t shirt and take a nap, but instead decided to put on a pair of her mama's shoes and show me her baby doll.   Seriously, she couldn't take a nap.....she had company!

We played and played and had such a good time with all her toys.  Anna Cross wanted me to ride her horse, but I told her I might be a little too big.  

A little later Mary Grace and Grady came to visit....I'm not sure who was more excited.....me or Anna Cross.  She loves her cousin Grady!

Mary Grace   

These two know how to play 

 Katie got home and we all had a good time talking and catching up on what has been going on in all our lives.  It was the cliff note version or we'd still be there!  

Anna Cross and Grady were forced to sit with me and get a picture sat with me so I could have a picture with them.  Emily, you'll want to lecture me on my posture!

 We had a great time visiting before Mary Grace and Grady had to go home and Katie, Anna Cross and I called it a night.  

  Anna Cross wasn't feeling well and was headed to the doctor, so we said our goodbyes and I headed home to get ready for more visitors.

I pulled over and took a few beach pictures on my way home

Even though it was a short visit, I was so glad to get to spend some time with Katie, Mary Grace and their children.  Thanks Katie, for the yummy dinner and for stocking your refrigerator with diet pepsi.....in the bottle, just because you know that's how I like it!

Later in the week Tommy, Claudia and Charley came to town.  Tommy and Matt's mom was visiting from Minnesota, so they had good visits at Matt's new house and Saturday Mema came and we all had dinner here and had a nice visit.

And of course, I can't find a picture of Matt's house so just use your imagination here!  Someday I'll get a handle on how to keep my pictures in good order, or maybe not.

Here are a few pictures of our time together.

Daddy and Charley very absorbed in tv

I like plums

Charley liked climbing and standing on this little stool

Four generations

Playing with Grammy Jane

Peek a Boo with Uncle Matt

Chatting at dinner

It was a big week and next week is Thanksgiving???

I'd really be interested in the answer to this question.  How many of you shop on Black Friday?