Category Archives: Family File

Thoughts on family life

Kansas City, Here I Come

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When PB asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I was ready with an answer.

“I want to go to Kansas City and visit the Charles Spurgeon Library on the campus of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.”

Not your typical birthday request, I know. Even PB raised his eyebrows at that one, but he’s always game for a road-trip-adventure. And I promised him some KC barbeque.

As we crossed the state line into Missouri, we played “Kansas City, Here I Come” by Wilbert Harrison, recorded in 1959, which seemed appropriate since it was my birthday trip and that’s my birth year.

See? I wasn’t making it up. Not every old dead guy gets his own library.

Spurgeon had a 12,000-volume personal library. After he died, half of his books were sold and ended up in America. They sat in boxes for 100 years in a basement. Then Midwestern Baptist rescued them and someone donated several million dollars to build a library to house and display them. Everything you ever wanted to know about Charles Spurgeon is there. We spent three hours soaking up every bit of it.

PB was a trooper.
Down deep, I think he loved seeing everything as much as I did.

This is the pew Charles was sitting on when he came to saving faith in Jesus.
He was 15 years old.
He started preaching at 17 and had his first church when he was 19.

Spurgeon’s desk—we were allowed to touch it.

So Many Books. The man read six books every week.
That’s 312 books per year.
But then, Spurg didn’t have TV or Internet or Automobiles.

The paintings all over the library were really beautiful.
Every little enclosed case had a story.

There were three cigars in his coat pocket when he died.
To the glory of God.

A good time was had by all.

My admiration for CHS grew exponentially.
I sure hope he teaches and preaches in the New Earth.
I’ll be in the front row, grinning from ear to ear.

We celebrated at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que with brisket and burnt ends.

Thanks, honey, for making my birthday dreams come true.
You’ll always be my #1 preacher.

Road Trip

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Once in a while, PB and I like to jump in the car and take off.
We don’t do long vacations or travel the world.
We like being home.

Since retiring to the woods we feel like we’re on perpetual vaca,
so occasionally an adventure is in order.
Today is that day.

You’ll never guess where we’re going…

Minus One, Plus One

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Grandkid Lineup 2025

Grandkid #2 was home sick, so we were minus one this year. We missed her!

Grandkid #11 is holding a “?”, so we will be plus one next year. We can’t wait!

Twelve tribes. Twelve disciples. The Twelve. The dirty dozen.

Cousin Camp 2025

Eight of the most interesting, entertaining, delightful people in the universe.

Now you know why I needed August Break.

“If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren,
I’d have had them first.”
~ Lois Wyse

45

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This is what 45 Overliens look like.

They came from the east coast, from the west coast, and from down the road.

At the end of the day,
we ate 22 lbs. of pulled pork,
we finished off a DQ ice cream sheet cake and a jumbo box of Bomb Pops,
we drank gallons of lemonade and coolers full of soda,
we talked and talked and talked
(these ARE Overliens, after all).
Some of us swam in the lake.
Most of us sat in the shade.
It was a glorious day.

We were missing a few—27 to be exact.

I noticed that one name kept coming up in conversations—Gigi.
Great-grandma was the matriarch of the family until she passed in 2021.
She prayed for all of her children
and grandchildren
and great-grandchildren
every day.

She prayed for our sick babies and adventurous teenagers and prodigal rebels.
She prayed in four daughters-in-law and one son-in-law.
She brought down blessings on our families.

We’re still reaping the benefits from Gigi’s faithful prayers.
Now it’s our turn.

24 on the 24th

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April 24th is a big day in our family.
My sister, my great-niece and one of my granddaughters
all share birthdays on 4-24.

This year we have a golden birthday
and it isn’t Robin or Adrienne or Ember.

It’s PB.

Twenty-four years ago, my man had triple bypass surgery on April 24.

I watched the nurses wheel him down the hall on a gurney.
I heard his familiar voice call out, “Hope it’s a boy!”
I went to the waiting room and waited.
And waited and waited.
And waited.

When he was in the recovery room after surgery,
he sang “Happy Birthday” to my sister with a tube down his throat.

That’s just the kind of guy he is.

Happy birthday to PB’s heart.
And many more.

A joyful heart is good medicine.
Proverbs 17:22

Ember Blake has a story of her own that’s worth re-visiting.

Today, Baseball

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Today is Opening Day for the Major League Baseball season—
a national holiday in our household.

Today, we eat hotdogs.
Today, we wear our team T-shirts.
Today, we gather in front of the TV for the first pitch.

Today, all 30 Major League teams have legitimate dreams of glory.
Today, all 780 players have hopes of a break-out, record-setting season.
Today, 162 games lay before us, stretching from March to September.

Today, Dodger fans by the thousands will buy tickets starting at $144.
Today, Marlins fans by the tens will purchase tickets for $8.

Tomorrow, fifteen teams will be undefeated
and fifteen teams will have a losing record.

What a difference a day makes.

Play ball!

Puzzled

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PB bought me a 1000 piece puzzle for Christmas. It’s a picture of us with 11 of the most wonderful people on the face of the earth. I love every one of them with all my heart.

But I did not love this puzzle.

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We started out strong.
Eyes, noses, smiles and toes went together without a hitch.

The background took more effort. Once that was complete, the only part left was thirteen pairs of identical pajamas. We were faced with two drawers filled with blue plaid puzzle pieces. PB stopped coming over to the table at this point. I slowed down dramatically. Until.

Until a piece fell on the floor and I noticed a row of letters on its backside. Angel choirs sang from heaven as the truth dawned on me. I quickly flipped all the pieces over, lined up the letters, and snapped them together with ease. PB wandered over to the table to see what I was so happy about. In no time, we had that stinkin’ puzzle done.

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There’s a lesson here.
When things don’t seem to be working
and you can’t figure out your next move,
get a new perspective.

The answers might be right there on the flip side.

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“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18

My Funny Valentine

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Years ago, PB and I decided to forego giving each other Valentine cards, candy, and flowers. This was a mutual agreement. He didn’t like the pressure of being appropriately romantic and I didn’t like getting the Visa bill in March. However we did not want to be stingy or stodgy, so we came up with a better plan.

When February 14th rolls around, we go to Walmart and peruse the array of Valentine cards. Each of us picks one, shows it to the other, and puts it back on the rack. We might even give each other a little kiss right there in aisle three, and then walk out of the store hand in hand.

This year, I threw a wrench into the system. When cleaning out my desk drawers, I found a lovely red envelope with a brand new card inside. It was a Valentine purchased years ago and never delivered. The message was perfect for PB, so I decided to break protocol.

So we went to Walmart and I hovered close by to make sure he passed up the $10 cards, keeping him in the vicinity of the $1.98 variety.

My only request was that it be written in English.

PB is my funny valentine.
I need his humor.
It does my heart good.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.”
Proverbs 17:22

Thanksgiving 1948

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Thanksgiving 1948

Grandpa and Grandma
Uncle Franklin and Aunt Ardith
Uncle Morris and Aunt Phyllis
Cousins Candy, Jerry, Jim and Joe

That’s my mother on the far right,
holding my brother.
Dad must have taken the picture.

The men were in suits and ties.
The women sported hair rolls and pin curls.
The children gathered around Grandma.
The turkey was ready to be carved.

Thanksgiving 2024 will look a little different.

I have no lace curtains or flowery wallpaper.
There will be no linen tablecloth.
I will not wear bright red lipstick.

But, hopefully, the children will gather around Nonnie.
And, hopefully, the 18 pound turkey will feed us all.
And, hopefully, we will give thanks for another year
with everyone around the table.

Some things never change.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord.”
Psalm 92:1

Big Shoulders

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When our four kids were little and we were homeschooling, we took advantage of the November election to teach them about government. We studied the three branches, the political parties and the candidates running for office. We visited the state capitol and met our representative. We wrote letters to the President and the Governor, assuring them of our prayers and asking for their pictures. We learned the Pledge of Allegiance and said it together every morning.

The night before the election, one of the presidential candidates made a stop in a town nearby. We bundled up the kids and stood outside for an hour before finally seeing the top of the hopeful politician’s head. In the distance. For a split second.

But the atmosphere was electric — that political rally rivaled any big sporting event. There was music and a cheering crowd and people holding up signs. We got swept up in the frenzy.

The next morning, as the kids were eating breakfast, our seven year old asked who won the election. When I said that our candidate lost, he put his little head down on the table and started to cry. PB and I looked at each other with wide eyes. Maybe we overdid it. I had to convince the broken-hearted boy that the world was not coming to an end.

It’s easy to get swept up and lose eternal perspective.
But here’s some good news today—
the government is on His shoulders. (Isaiah 9:6)
He’s got big shoulders.
We’re not made to carry such a heavy load.
Our shoulders aren’t strong enough.

Worldly governments will one day come to an end.
But here’s more good news—someday,
“of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.”
Isaiah 9:7