55-54-35-7-12

I am so very blessed. July 12 was and is a special day every year for me and my family. It was on this day that both Mala and I were born, although there is one year's difference in our age. It was also 35 years ago on this day that Mala and I were married. These past 35 years have been the most wonderful years of my life. There is no one like Mala - sweet, kind, beautiful, discerning, gracious, helpful, supporting, loving and the list could go on and on. As they say, I married way up! We have 5 super kids, two great son-in-laws and 2 awesome grandkids. And, Lord willing, our family will be expanding more soon. One of our birthday presents this year was the announcement that Beth is expecting again. This will make grandchild number 3. How blessed! And there are more blessings in store - not because we earned them, or deserve them, but because we have a great heavenly Father who loves to bless His children. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!!!!

A Great Time

Well, we're back from vacation and we the most wonderful time with Becky and John. Our plans to go camping were rained out so we went to John's parents home in Pittsburgh. Steve and Phyliss are wonderful Christians who love the Lord and are a wonderful testimony in their community and great encouragement to Becky and John. We had a great time in Pittsburgh, going to the Carnegie Science Museum and then to a fantastic July 4th celebration on the shores of Pittsburgh's 3 rivers - the Monongahela, the ???????, and the Ohio. Sorry I couldn't remember the 2nd river. Then it was off to Becky and John's place in Indiana, PA. They have a spacious apartment and we enjoyed our stay with them very much. The Lord has blessed them with a wonderful church which we were able to visit. On Monday, it was off to Punsatawney, known for its groundhog fame and the culinary school that John attends. The food was delicious and we were especially blessed to have John get to eat with us. Tuesday we headed towards Philadelphia going to the home of Betsy Ross, the National Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were framed. It was awesome to wee the place where God formed the written documents that would govern our nation. The next day we went to Valley Forge where, under the leadership of George Washington, our army became a disciplined unit. It was really quite a place and made me appreciate the sacrifice others had made for us to have the liberties we now enjoy. Gettysburg was even more awesome. I don't know if I can adequately describe the feelings that I had as we drove around the battlefield. These were men of courage and principle, fighting for the liberty of all men. Robert E. Lee, who was the leader of the South in this battle, is a distant relative of ours and to know the testimony and character that he had was brought home even more as we were there. This was a man admired by men from both sides of the battlefield for his courage, wisdom, and love for his God and his country. His loyalty to his state was the reason for him becoming the leader of the confederate army. When we went back to Becky's we watched a movie about Gettysburg which was tremendous. Then it was time to go home. It's hard to say goodbye to one's we love so dearly as Becky and John. but, we know they are in God's hands, doing His will, being a witness where God has led them, and that makes us thankfully proud parents. The drive home was long, but the Lord granted us safety and we arrived home on our birthaversary.