Mom

Sandra and her little sister Carol Anne

     Mom died on March 31, 2017 after a long struggle with dementia.  We think the first signs of it appeared when she was in her early 60s and she wasn't able to keep up with her responsibilities as the director of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program in Cincinnati.  She continued to try to work, and continued to volunteer for many years.

     She was a strong woman in many ways and she faced a lot of challenges personally, and persevered through a lot.  Dementia was another challenge, and she frankly did not like it!  However, she handled the frustration like she did so many other challenges--by focusing on others.  She lived in an independent living home for many years and was very popular because of her friendliness and kindness toward others.  Even in her dementia unit she always asked about the welfare of others.  Three weeks ago, when I was with her, another resident came up to greet her.  She reached for and tried to kiss his hand.

    She also loved my kids, and all her grandkids.  I think the best gift I ever gave her was marrying Dayna and having my children.  She loved them all and was so proud of them.  I think they were her biggest thrill in life.  We found this note she had written 23 years ago at the age of 57 in her things she left for all of us:

     That note will tell you a lot about my mom.  I think she lived out that last paragraph.  She did good for many people.

     We will miss you Mom.

Every little bit helps

       This month I’ve been reminded about how many people it takes to help reach the world, and how vital each is in the process of helping others hear about Jesus.

I just completed interviewing the staff of a Cru subsidiary, Arrowhead Conferences and Events, to help assess their organizational effectiveness.  These 18 staff set up conferences for students and staff at hotels and conference centers around the country.  Their work saves Cru hundreds of thousands of dollars, and helps create venues where lives are changed.

Today I spoke with one of their Board members, who works in the hotel industry.   As he shared how he became involved with Arrowhead, I realized that he was the events coordinator at the Water Tower Hyatt in Chicago when I attended my first Cru conference as a 16 year old high school junior.  He even remembers that one of the dinners was spaghetti and meatballs!

It was at that conference that I first considered serving God in full time ministry.  I heard Bill Bright say, “There is nothing better I can do for someone than introduce them to Jesus Christ.”

I thanked him for his work in that conference, and for supporting Cru through his work as a Board Member for Arrowhead.  What a reminder that so many people play a part, however small, in helping people know and follow the Lord.

Your part in supporting our work with Cru is making an eternal impact that we won’t fully understand until we get to heaven.  Thank you for your investment in our lives and in our work with Cru.

With thanks and love,

P.S. The kitchen is “finished.”  The counter is in, the sink works, the dishwasher works, and we can cook.  There is still some painting to do, some floor transitions to fix, and some electrical outlets to replace.  But, after 2 1/2 months of no water in the kitchen, it feels good.   I give Dayna special thanks for not murdering me during that time!

Normal Life

        You can hear that we are finishing our kitchen remodel and imagine what life has been like for us.  But it is just a small glimpse into what happens day to day.

        Life for us, like for you, involves a lot of daily challenges and obstacles…illnesses, arguments, taking care of the dog, making 10 trips to Home Depot or Lowes, doing homework, doing the dishes, looking at an overwhelming garage, noticing everything we are NOT doing.

        But we are glad we get to do it together…at least most of the time. 

        And normal life has happened again.  I was going to add some pictures and stories of what happens in our our everydays, but my mom died on Friday, the day I was going to do that.  I leave tomorrow for the drive to Ohio.  So, let's just say that normal life is challenging.  Maintaining relationships and keeping up with everything takes work.  And it's the people you get to share that normal life with that is most important.  I'll share more about my Mom later.