Exciting Times

Thanks for your prayers as I covered the many miles over a long weekend. It was a full but rewarding weekend, joining family members to attend grandson Justin’s graduation from dental school with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. As a surprise to him, he was also awarded with the Pediatric Dentistry Award for outstanding work with children. In addition to his degree, he also received his bars as Captain in the U.S. Air Force. The university provided a wonderful buffet lunch which was a great opportunity for students and faculty to get acquainted with the graduate’s families. As you can see, there was a proud wife and daughter to cheer Justin on. In the evening we had another delightful time with more delicious food back in Spring Arbor for family and friends. What a blessing to be able to see another family member launch into a career!

As I was driving back to Charlotte reflecting on the joyous weekend, I was reminded of the Book of Job which I am currently reading, and wondered how I would respond if life suddenly turned “south” for me as it did for Job as Satan put him through unbelievable tests, taking his family, wealth, health and prestige. His responses were amazing; “The LORD gave me what I had and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” (Job 1:21b) “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (Job 2:10b) WOW, what a response!

I really liked the initial response from his three friends as; “They sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.” (Job 2:13) There are times when words just are not necessary or even wanted. Just having friends show up without comment or words of wisdom can be most helpful during those initial times of grief. I have found that those often are the ones that minister to the need at the moment the most.

I quickly got myself right back into the swing of things upon my return and am quite well caught up again now. What a blessing to have the health and strength to carry on!

Thanks so much for your love and support!

Chuck

Weekend

After a somewhat hectic week, I am now at the lake in Indiana.  Our computer problems at the office seem to escalate as our IS Department is diligently working to update servers to handle the increased volume of traffic.  I suspect that it could be a "test" of my patience, but I am not certain how well I am responding.  It can get rather frustrating when most everything is now computerized and depends upon their use.

On Tuesday I spent a long day from 6:00 AM until nearly 10:00 PM working at the election polls with a tremendous turnout of voters, which was great but kept me on my feet all day operating the voting machines.  I did manage to get things at home and the office up to date enough to make a trip up here to attend Justin's graduation from dental school in Michigan this weekend.  We will also be having a special celebration for him later in the day on Sunday.  I plan to drive back to the lake that evening and hit the road early on Monday for home.   A full weekend, but I am thankful to still have the stamina to make these trips and be a part of the lives of our family members.   I am also thrilled that Justin, Laura and Ella will be moving to South Carolina where he plans to spend three years with the Air Force.  That will place them only about two hours away from me, so we will be able to get together frequently.

On my way here, I stopped to visit a friend who serves as part-time Chaplin at a truck-stop chapel in Ohio.  It was a delight to visit with him and have the opportunity to meet an over-the-road driver that stopped in.  That work is certainly difficult for men with a family, and it was great to interact with him and encourage him in his walk with the Lord.  It does prompt me to pray for drivers as I travel and better understand some of the challenges and temptations that they face.

I have just finished reading the Book of Nehemiah.  Now that an example of being faced with great challenges as he lead the Jews back to Jerusalem after their Babylonian exile.  As I read about the challenges he faced, it was exciting to see how God responded to his numerous prayers as a result of Nehemiah's passion to read, study and obey the Word of God as he lead the people.  Unfortunately, as we read through the book, we find that the people were slow learners...A good reminder for us today when we become out of touch with God!

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement.  Have a blessed weekend!

Love,  Chuck

One-year-old Ella

Several of you have asked for a picture of Ella, so here she is with her proud mom and dad. I am always amazed at the growth of children after a few brief weeks without seeing them and true to form, she is becoming quite the lady.

Speaking of seeing, I had a meeting with my surgeon yesterday and he feels confident that the eye surgeries were a success. After a careful examination and retesting he wrote a prescription for glasses which he feels will correct the ghosting that I have been experiencing. The order for glasses is placed, so I am praying that will bring about considerable improvement. Actually I should not complain. I can still see quite well and have to remember that I no longer have 20-year-old eyes!

I am rather glad to have completed reading the books of Kings and Chronicles with a large number of leaders, many of which either “did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord” or allowed evil to invade their latter later years of service. I am reminded of the importance of selecting the right local and national leaders today. Our state primary will be next Tuesday and I have agreed to work at the polls that day. In addition to the usual offices on the ballot, we will be voting on the “Marriage Amendment”. By all of the telephone calls I have received encouraging me to be sure to vote, I expect that we will have a good turn out for what is usually a slower election. It certainly is a critical issue and one that we need to be praying much about.

This weekend I plan to get more yard and house work behind me so that I will have some time to “play” this summer. I trust that your weekend will be a special time with family and friends.

Love, Chuck

Fond Memories

Having arrived back home, my mind is filled with wonderful memories of the time spent with family and friends in Michigan and Indiana.  The birthday party for Jeff was delightful and it was great to have the opportunity to see so many family members and friends.  We managed to keep it a surprise, but with so many people involved, it would have been easy for information to leak out.  Even the children managed to keep the secret.

The dedication for Ella on Sunday was beautiful but I did find it to be a bit emotional for me.  It was nearly four years ago that I made this same trip with Carol to take part in Justin and Laura’s wedding, so again I traveled the same route to the same church for the dedication of their new darling daughter.  Several friends told me how much they were impacted by Carol’s participation at their wedding service.  It was still fresh in their minds also.

After enjoying lunch together at a restaurant, we drove from Michigan to Indiana to have dinner and spend the evening with grandson Gavin who was in the midst of final exams.  He has done well this first year of college and is looking forward to medical school down the road.

After a very full weekend as I drove home, my mind was filled with fond memories of each of the children and grandchildren over the years, and I was grateful for Carol’s impact upon their lives and God’s grace and mercy in each of our lives. 

For those of you that asked about the swans, mother swan is tending the nest while father swan came over to my pier several times to let me know that they are still around.  I suspect that by the next time I make the trip there will be some little ones bobbing around with their parents.

Have a blessed week!

Chuck

Good trip

I arrived at the lake house with no problems. My eyes were a little tired but with several stops along the way to rest then, I made it successfully.

Today is a beautiful day so a good opportunity for me to do a little work out in the yard and I will also be meeting with a contractor to have some repair work done and the roof replaced on the storage building .

For some reason my computer does not want to connect to the internet today, so I am dictating this on my cellphone. As you can see, dictation isn't perfect.

I will be heading for Michigan tomorrow with Karin and Keith for the birthday celebration and then Ella's dedication will be on sunday. It will be nice to ride for a change be able to rest my eyes.

Thanks so much for your prayers and for the phone calls as I was traveling. It's always great to hear from you and helps too make the miles go by faster.

Love to you all, Chuck.

Seeing...

It has been a bit of a struggle, but I made it through 1 & 2 Kings. So far I have purchased three sets of reading glasses, none of which are perfect. I believe that the distortion in my right eye makes it impossible to find the right strength of glass. The doctor has me waiting for three weeks before determining a prescription. Hopefully by that time the swelling will have completely gone.

As I read through the two books of Kings, there are those kings that did not follow the Lord but also a good number of them that reportedly followed the Lord BUT failed to remove the “high places” or “pagan shrines” which prevented them from finishing well. I found that to be a good lesson for me to watch out for those “things” that I allow in my life while thinking that I am fully walking with the Lord. I had a vivid reminder of being on alert for them when I visited a friend over the weekend. I was keenly aware that I was encroaching upon the enemy’s territory and was out of my element. It is easy to make quick responses from the “flesh” and much more difficult to allow the Holy Spirit to direct my response internally and outwardly. Hopefully I am learning when to keep my mouth shut then when and how to respond to unusual situations. Do pray that both my internal and external responses will be usable by the Lord in both of our lives. I am certain that this is all part of finishing well, which is my desire.

Early tomorrow I plan to drive to Indiana. The family has asked me to join them for a birthday celebration and also on Sunday great granddaughter Ella will be dedicated. I am very much looking forward to spending time with the family but not quite that excited about the drive. I considered flying but that will take more time than the 12 hour drive and likely be more stressful, provided that I stop frequently to rest my eyes and stretch my legs.

Thanks so much for you prayers and your frequent emails and calls. You are appreciated!

Love, Chuck

Grateful

Thanks so much for your prayers. As I awoke this morning after yesterdays surgery and slowly opened my eyes the thought crossed my mind; “Regardless of the outcome I WILL be grateful!” I still am having ghosting in my right eye and my left one is very blurred, but thankfully I can see well enough to do many things…even drive. Reading smaller print is another matter, but I trust that will improve with time as the swelling diminishes. The doctor had me get some reading glasses which make it possible to read, but with considerable effort along with having the text much too close to my face for comfort.

I am thankful for wonderful friends that have brought in meals, driven me to surgery waiting over four hours each time before taking me home for a little rest then taking me back for removal of bandages and a quick evaluation. The phone calls and emails have also been a tremendous encouragement. I am blessed!

Having to stay here and not able to travel to be with family for the Easter weekend was a bit disappointing but I had the opportunity to attend both the Good Friday and Easter services at church. I was especially moved as we focused upon the four Roman solders at the foot of the cross. Being in reach of the cross on which Jesus was giving his life, they occupied themselves by distributing his clothing between themselves and “rolling the dice” for his very special outer garment. It reminded me of how easy it is for each of us to be so close to Jesus but at the same time to be so far away as we are preoccupied with all sorts of things of this world. That thought made me realize how easy it is for me to get so involved and miss the main thing/person (Jesus). I am praying and striving for better discernment in my choices and responses throughout the day.

I appreciate each of you so very much!

Love, Chuck

Making progress

I just returned from another reassuring post-op appointment with my surgeon. I still have a bit of swelling that causes me to see double, but he assures me that will clear up shortly. He said; “You are a man of faith and with what I see, I have no concern.” I’m not sure that is completely Scriptural, but I was pleased that my faith “came through” to him. Next Tuesday I will have the second surgery and I am told that within 2-3 weeks the swelling should be down, allowing my vision to return to normal. It will be interesting to see what normal will actually be. In the meantime I am doing a minimum of reading, writing and spreadsheet work. Fortunately I have some excellent people that I use to check all of my critical work. It is extremely easy to mistake a 3 for an 8 and a 7 for a 9.

Reading is also rather slow for me presently, but I have been working my way through 1 Kings. My thoughts have focused especially on Solomon who became king after his father David. What a fantastic beginning as he prayed; “Oh LORD my God…I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around….Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong…” (1 Kings 4:7-9) God granted him that desire and more…wisdom, long life, and amazing wealth. Unfortunately he did not consistently follow the Lord. His worship was divided between God and pagan gods. He followed God’s leading one day and would ignore it another. He focused on God’s promises and then disregarded them. Ultimately his divided heart resulted in a divided kingdom. What a tragedy!

I was invited to dinner with dear friends the other evening and their prayer was in part that being now in their latter days of life, they will finish well. I want that to be my top desire also!

I will be staying here for the Easter weekend due to my eyesight and upcoming surgery. This will be the first in many years, not being with the family. I trust that each of you are blessed this weekend as you are vividly reminded of all that Jesus accomplished on the cross on our behalf…He is risen indeed!

Love to all,

Chuck

Successful surgery

As you can see, spring is busting out all over here. The cherry trees between my office and our welcome center were beautiful until a heavy wind, rain and a bit of hail hit them over the weekend. The ground under the trees now looks like a snow storm and the trees are turning green.

Thanks so much for your prayers for my surgery yesterday. The surgery was in the morning and when I returned for my check-up late in the afternoon, the doctor was very pleased with the results. At the moment it is not perfect from my side of the eye with a bit of swelling there yet, but that will continue to improve he assures me. I was also blessed with help driving between hospital and doctor's office, offers to stay with me over night and delicious food brought in both for lunch and dinner. With family so far away, it is a tremendous blessing to have such caring friends here.

With things still in a bit of a “blur” for me, I will keep this blog short. Hopefully after my second surgery in two weeks, my vision will be much improved. My desire for each of you was well stated by the Apostle Paul; “…May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” (Ephesians 3:17b)

With His love,

Chuck

Congratulations Jeremy & Julianna!

Congratulations are in order! Jeremy and Julianna welcomed Judah Alex William Slager into their family, weighing 9 lbs 1 oz at around 6:00 PM yesterday after 36 hours of labor. Mom and baby are doing well, but as you can imagine, mom is rather sore and tired. As for dad, he was ecstatic when he called me with the news. Thanks so much for your prayers. We are thankful for this new addition to our family.

Speaking of praying, I will appreciate your prayers for me and the medical people as I have eye surgery on Tuesday (3/27). I will be having surgery on my right eye to remove a cataract and also some additional corrective surgery on that eye. Two weeks later (4/10) I will have cataract surgery on my left eye. I have to confess that I am not excited to have surgery on my eyes. When I read all of the possible results from the surgery, it really made me wonder if I was willing to sign off on those possibilities. I am sure that the medical people have to cover their bases, but it sure does make me thankful to know that God will be in final control.

While being awake early this morning I was reminded of Psalm 46;

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3) And to reinforce that truth, we read in verses seven and eleven; “The LORD Almighty is with us!” That certainly does ease my anxiety but your prayers for these two procedures and for complete healing without infection or complication will be much appreciated.

Love to you all,

Chuck

God's Goodness

Having just finished reading the book of Judges, my thoughts go primarily to chapters 6-8 which cover about seven years in the life of the Israelites and the account of Gideon. Unfortunately I find myself relating to Gideon and far too often hesitant to quickly move ahead as God leads, even after careful confirmation through His Word, prayer and good Christian counsel. Missing in that equation is the wonderful “sounding board” of my greatly missed wife, Carol.

Here in Judges we find the Israelites again doing “evil in the LORD’S sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years” (6:1) which ultimately reduced them to starvation. (6:6) As is so often the case, the Lord selects one of the weakest persons from one of the weakest clans and a most reluctant candidate to lead them out of their oppression…Gideon! Even with the assurance of His “I will be with you and destroy the Midianites…” (6/16) Gideon required a confirmation sign which was provided by the Lord as he “responded” with the fleece incident (6/36-40). In the end, after many challenges, the Israelites say “Be our ruler! You and your son and your grandson…” (8:22) After such great success, I love the humble response of Gideon; “I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The LORD will rule over you.” (8:23)

I found those chapters to be a great encouragement as well as a challenge for me as they pointed out the result of disobedience to the Lord from both the standpoint of a nation and an individual. But then we see the contrasting blessings and wonderful results from humble obedience to the Lord, as He is given the leadership of both my daily life and the life of a nation. I believe that is especially needed today!

I enjoyed spending this past weekend with friend Keith, celebrating his 40th birthday with his family in Wake Forest. This coming weekend will be filled with a trip to the mountains for a southern bar-b-que with friends on Saturday, a special group brunch after church on Sunday and the arrival of long-time friends from Michigan later in the day. God is so good!

I trust that God's goodness is permeating your thoughts today.

Love to all,

Chuck

Exciting reading

As I completed reading the book of Deuteronomy, I was again amazed at how God used Moses when he was around 80 years old to guide the Israelites through their 40 years of wanderings. I liked the way his life was described in one brief verse; “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.” (Deut. 34:10) He was quite an encourager during those years and at the ripe old age of 120 as he was about to hand the leadership over to Joshua, he reminded the people of God’s care telling them; “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deut. 31-6) And again in verse eight he repeated that promise. A good reminder for me each day!

As the Lord spoke to Joshua in Chapter 1 he was clear about the need to study, meditate and obey if he was to prosper and succeed in all that he did. (Joshua 1:8) In chapter 9 Joshua and the Israelites were tricked into believing the lies of the Gibeonites because; “…they did not consult the LORD.” (9:14b) Another good reminder for each of us to keep communications open with the Lord.

With the beautiful spring-like weather I plan to get more yard work done on Saturday. I can’t procrastinate any longer. The grass is getting too long and the weeds are coming on strong, so both need attention. Also we have a large group of appointees that are arriving today and tomorrow for two weeks of intensive training before going to various fields around the world. These are always exciting times for each of us as we listen to their testimonies and work with them preparing for their various assignments. God continues to lead in amazing ways!

I trust that you each have a wonderful weekend.

Love, Chuck

Back Home

I am back home after a wonderful time in the Bahamas with daughter Lisa and Carol's sister and her husband, Ruth and Paul. Our weather was perfect with temperatures in the 80's during the day and 70's at night. It was a treat to be together with family members and have time with friends there also. We enjoyed numerous times on the beach with the beautiful white sand and gorgeous blue water. With all of the good food there, I am finding that I need to do some extra exercising to remove the extra pounds that I accumulated.

We flew over to Eleuthera Island for a visit with some friends and to tour some of the island. Some of the beaches there have amazing pink sand while others have the usual bright white sand. It is the largest island among the 400 islands of the Bahamas and has plenty of area for expansion. There are many vacant lots in subdivisions just waiting for someone to construct their dream home. There is an interesting mix of people on the island coming from many parts of the world. We talked with one couple from Canada that have been spending the winter there for 30 years.

I am now busy in catch-up mode after returning. We are blessed with a group of twenty-two volunteers from Ohio that are doing many tasks here at the office. They have been coming to help out each winter for twenty-five years and every year complete a tremendous number of projects for us. Today they put on a beautiful lunch for the entire staff and will be returning home on Saturday.

Thanks so much for your prayers. You are appreciated.

Love, Chuck

Best laid plans...

You know the old saying; "The best laid plans..." Well, Sue did not make it here due to the severe snow conditions in the Cleveland area. She had to cool her heals in a motel until the storm subsided, and then it was too late to make the trip and get back home in time to return to work at the hospital. I was certainly disappointed that she could not make it but thankful that she safely got back home. I had set up times for her to get together with friends here so I proceeded with the plans and have been busy entertaining without the guest of honor being present. I considered calling things off, but realized that I had a lot of food that would not keep until my return.

Tomorrow I have an early flight to the Bahamas where I will meet up with daughter Lisa and Carol's sister Ruth and her husband Paul. Our weather has been so fantastic here this winter that leaving weather behind is not an issue, but it is always a delight to visit friends and family there. I am praying that our flights will be without incident and that we will not pick up any "bugs" while away. It seems that there is a lot of flu around right now so we can do without that.

I am always appreciative of your prayers and will get an update out as soon as possible. Sometimes it is a bit difficult to "connect" in the Bahamas which always reminds me of the big banner as I enter the Nassau terminal stating "It's better in the Bahamas."

Love to you all,

Chuck

Gratitude

As I have been reading the book of Numbers, I am amazed at all that Moses tolerated from the nation of Israel. There were some mighty painful consequences as God’s chosen people persisted in making wrong choices. I am always amazed at how what could have been an eleven-day journey ended up taking forty years, and they were not pleasant years as they continually complained about hardships. It seems to take no time at all after a miracle passes before they are grumbling and complaining without the least appreciation of God’s care and protection. This has been a special reminder to me to show gratitude for God’s provision and protection rather than focus upon trivial “bumps” along the road of life.

Speaking of hardships, daughter Sue and a friend of hers were on the road early today, planning to spend a few days with me in warmer weather. They encountered heavy snow in Ohio and were finally able to find an exit where they could rest and evaluate the situation. Indications are not favorable so they have taken a motel and will see what tomorrow morning looks like, but it is somewhat doubtful that the weather will be favorable. I sure am disappointed that they will not be here today but reminded to be thankful that they are safe in a motel as they wait out the storm.

I received good news from neighbor Ivan. His walnut size brain cancer has now been reduced to the size of a pea and we are all encouraged! He and the family are so thankful for this good news and your prayers, but he will continue to be monitored for any change.

On Thursday I plan to fly to the Bahamas, connecting with daughter Lisa there and visiting with Carol’s sister Ruth and her husband. Our weather has been unseasonably nice here but it is always enjoyable to spend time with family and friends there. We trust God for safe travel and good health. Thanks for your prayers too.

I trust that you will all have a blessed weekend.

Love,

Chuck

Thankful

After finishing the book of Exodus and moving into the book of Leviticus I am certainly glad to be living at this time in history. What an assortment of requirements from God! The Israelites were certainly far from perfect, but I am not sure that they were all that much different than we in the 21st century. They were quick to forget about God’s guidance, protection and blessing, finding it easy to complain and sin in a multitude of ways. After God gave the Ten Commandments followed by thunder, lightening and smoke billowing from the mountain, Moses assured them; “Don’t be afraid, for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning.” (Exodus 20:20)

It is great not to be living under the many laws of Exodus and Leviticus, knowing the grace of God, but I fear that it has become far too easy for us to be involved in sin because of our “familiarity” with God while lacking a full understanding of his holiness. For me, I feel that can stem from a lack of study/understanding of the Bible and a personal pride/selfishness that the Holy Spirit is not allowed to penetrate. I have appreciated the teaching of our pastor in the Gospels, and our Learning Group studies about the facets salvation. I find the two approaches making me far more sensitive to my own responses to situations and people around me, along with a greater sensitivity to the areas in my life that are not pleasing/glorifying the Lord. In short sin! Maybe is okay to have a healthy fear of God?

After three days short of a month, the repair of my car is complete. It is hard for me to imagine that the antlers of a large buck deer can lay up a vehicle for that long and cost over $6,000. I believe that we both got a headache from that encounter. That is the time when you really appreciate having insurance!

As we wrap up the week, I trust that you have been enjoying the many blessings of God and appreciating the finished work of Jesus on the cross, on our behalf.

Love to all,

Chuck

Trusting God

I enjoyed a delightful weekend with friend Keith in Raleigh/Durham. He had been looking at an aquarium for tropical fish so we checked them out at the store, selecting one, setting it up, adjusting the water chemicals according to instructions and finally adding a few fish to “test it out”. Knowing that we were rushing the process, we selected some inexpensive fish, but so far they have adapted and seem content in their new surroundings. It was most helpful that Keith is well versed in water quality and knew exactly what chemicals were needed to make the water safe for the fish. It will be fun to watch the project develop over time.

Having finished reading the book of Genesis a few days ago, I have been thinking about the patriarchs listed there. I always enjoy reading about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but for some reason this time I seem to focus more on Joseph. What an amazing life of faith in God! After being sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers at the age of 17, I love the statement he makes to them many years later when they are on the verge of starving; “God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you!” (45:7-8a) As Joseph looks back over the years, he can see God’s providence at work, both human and divine. Being human, I am sure that he must have wanted to ask “why” many times, but at the same time his faith never seemed to waiver in his God in spite of the ups and downs of his life. That is a good reminder for me!

This was my early morning at the office to pick up donated bread for our kitchens so I am hoping to get a little extra sleep tonight. I trust that your week is going well. I am always thrilled to hear from you and get caught up with your lives.

Love to all,

Chuck

Caught in the act

Returning home I found a thief busily doing his best to empty the "squirrel proof" bird feeder of every single sunflower seed. I had been thinking that the birds were eating a lot of those seeds lately. I suspect that if I am unable to discourage him, I may have to relocate him to a distant park.

I have had no problem keeping busy since returning home. I have my car in for repair from the encounter with the deer but was a bit shocked at the over $5,000 bill and two weeks to complete the work. Presently we have 30 potential candidates that are learning about us and we them, to determine if this is a proper fit for their service around the world. It is exciting to see the age span going from fairly recent grads to white-haired couples. It is also interesting to see the percentage of medical/doctors in this group. The group will be heading for their respective homes on Sunday.

I am feeling dramatically better after the chest congestion but recognizing that I am far more tired yet. I am sure that too shall pass, but it reminds me that I am not getting any younger. As I recognize that, I am encouraged by 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

"...we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever." That is a reminder that I need to focus upon every day!

I trust that you have had a blessed week and look forward to a restful weekend.

Love,

Chuck

Special family times

Thanks to all of you for checking on me. Yes, I did make it back home without any other problems other that a bit of slow-going in Ohio with ice and snow. After seeing several vehicles overturned and others far from the roadway, I was thankful to pass through the area without incident. Parts to repair the deer damage to my car from the out-bound trip are on order and repairs should be underway on Monday.

Some of the cold front pushed into Charlotte this week so we had a couple of cold days but today it is a sunny 60 and is projected to be around 66 tomorrow. Hopefully that will help eliminate the last of the chest congestion that I have been trying to shake. For some reason I tend to get congested when the temperatures get cold.

It is always special to get together with the family. I was thrilled that everyone but Julianna was able to make the trip. Hopefully next time she will not miss the fun due to work responsibilities. It made for an active household with up to 17 of us at the house but it builds special memories as we chat, play games and laugh together. On New Years Eve Gavin and Calli had some friends join us to welcome the arrival of 2012 but with my congestion I decided that sleep was more important than watching the ball drop.

As we move into the new year my prayer for you from the pen of the Apostle Paul is; “I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you over flow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Love to you all,

Chuck

Happy New Year!

As I pulled into the garage at the lake house I noticed lovely Christmas wreathes around the coach lights, then what a surprise to walk into the house and find it all decorated for Christmas! Not having spent much time decorating at home, I was thrilled to be surrounded by decorations all around and even up the winding staircase. It will certainly add to the festivities when the family starts rolling in later today.

My trip went well with one fairly minor mishap, which could have been much worse! At about 6:30 AM as I crossed the NC/VA border, I caught a glimpse of a beautiful rack and nose of what must have been a large buck, running toward me from out of the darkness. I made a quick swerve to avoid hitting him but he was too fast for me and slammed into the side of my car, poking an antler through the back side of my wrap-around headlight, creasing the top of my fender and hood with his antlers, wiping out the side mirror and denting the rear fender. It was quite an impact, but I was thankful to have been able to keep the vehicle on the road without a major mishap. Hitting an animal that large head on could be a disaster! I'm not sure how large he actually was, but at least an eight point buck. I was thankful that it did not effect the handling of the vehicle, just a bit inconvenient with one headlight re-aimed down at the road and no mirror on the side. Fortunately I can get back to Charlotte to have the repairs done.

As I continue reading through Revelation, I am amazed at how stubborn me humans can be even when given life-saving opportunities from our most gracious God. Revelation 9:20 says; "But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God." And that was after experiencing the many plagues as multitudes died before their very eyes! How thankful I am for Jesus miraculous birth into this world to provide love, joy, peace and everlasting life to all who believe upon Him. (John 3:16)

May you and yours enjoy a Blessed New Year!

Love to all,

Chuck

Don't be complacent

I trust that you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. I was able to enjoy several Christmas programs and a lovely dinner with a couple and their family Christmas evening. Today friend Keith arrived with one of his co-workers and we completed removing track for the model railroad that he had built at his father's home by me. It is always sad to see old friends pulling up stakes (his father is the one who passed on last October) but it is exciting to see whom the Lord will put in his place.

As we wrap up the old year, I am also wrapping up reading through the Bible and have been thinking about the seven churches in Revelation 1-3. As I thought about the positive and negative aspects of each church, I tried to equate my life with each and found that there are times when I could fit into several of those negative slots...especially on certain days. I recognized how easy it is to fall into the position of the church at Ephesus as I read the complaint from the Lord: "You don't love me and each other as you did at first." I also found the words to the church at Laodicea to be a challenge to me: "You are neither hot nor cold." I know that there are days, maybe more than I realize, when I fall into the same categories. OUCH! I believe those are a couple of good areas for me to be working on in the new year...not allowing myself to become complacent!

I plan to leave for Indiana on Wednesday to spend the long New Years weekend with any family members that can make it. At last report I am anticipating that around 10 of us will be there. It does get more difficult as family members relocate at further distances. Pray for safe travels and blessed time as we catch up with each others lives.

A blessed New Year to each of you!

Love, Chuck

The Joy of Christmas

I have been blessed by numerous Christmas programs this year that I am certain spoke to many hearts as they have mine. Today we focused on Jesus birth in both my class and the church service. We were reminded that Jesus was born in the place of God’s choice and the time of God’s choice but that the manger leads to the cross. Jesus said; “And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him (Zacchaeus) who are lost.” (Luke 19:10) As I think about that as His primary purpose for coming, I am humbled at how easy it is to be out of step with His purpose and let such things as health, happiness, relationships, work and all sorts of issues come before the lost as I go through my day of activities. Not that those are wrong in themselves, but I find that it is far too easy to neglect making the main thing, the main thing in my daily routine. That is a good challenge for me to focus upon.

I will be here for Christmas but plan to head for the lake house in Indiana for New Years with other members of the family that can make it. As the family gets larger, it is more difficult for everyone to get free, but we have done quite a good job of getting together this year at various locations.

Hebrews 11 speaks about several men and women of great faith in the Scriptures introducing each one with “by faith.” After reading those accounts it naturally follows; “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crown of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2a) What a joy to be celebrating the birth of that Jesus!

Have a blessed Christmas!

Love to you all,

Chuck

Reflecting

Reflecting on the past week and thinking about each of you that so faithfully keep in touch with me, I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 1:3; “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy…”

I trust that each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I enjoyed a delightful Thanksgiving dinner with friend Keith’s family in Wake Forest and on Friday Keith and I went to DC to spend the weekend with daughter Lisa. We had a fun time doing some of the tourist things with Lisa and were able to visit the capitol through the new visitor’s center which has been under construction for a long time. The Washington monument is still closed due to the earthquake, so we were unable to take a ride to the top, but were able to visit many of the other monuments in the area. With all of the walking and fresh air, none of us had any problem sleeping at night.

This past week has been a bit of a challenge at the office. We have been having an excessive problem with computer programs and email. We were even without phones for several hours which made the week less productive that planned. Saturday was a beautiful day, so I was able to get things pretty much wrapped up for the winter with the exception of one or two more mowings. As I came around the house from working in the back, I was surprised to find my mailbox decorated with greens and two large red ribbons. My southern daughter Connie came by when I wasn’t looking and was the “Mailbox Elf”.

Yesterday I was invited to join friends to attend an afternoon presentation of The Messiah by the Charlotte Music Club. We thoroughly enjoyed the program and then attended my churches evening program and the tree lighting ceremony. The Christmas season is an exciting time with all of the beautiful music programs and the reminder of the amazing birth of our Lord and Savior some two thousand years ago!

Holidays can be a bit depressing after the loss of a spouse, but I am so thankful for friends and family that continue to pray and encourage me.

Love to you all,

Chuck

Everlasting love

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it seems appropriate that I was reading through I Corinthians currently. As I read chapter 13 it was a good reminder of God’s love for each person on this earth and in turn our love for each other and for Him. Verse 13 is thrilling! “Three things last forever—faith, hope, and love---and the greatest of these is love.” As I think of the gifts God has given me, none of them can equal the gift of his love. Isn’t that true between family members and friends too? Now that is something to truly be thankful for!

As I read Chapter 15, I was challenged by the way the Apostle Paul wrapped it up: “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (I Corinthians 15:57-58)

I will be spending Thanksgiving with friend Keith and his family in Wake Forest. Friday I will continue on to Washington DC with Keith to spend the weekend with daughter Lisa. We plan to do some of the tourist things and are hoping that the crowds are not excessive. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and a fantastic weekend!

Love to you all,

Chuck

Fear and encouragement

I just completed reading the book of Acts and have been reflecting especially on the Apostle Paul. He certainly had a lot to discourage him along with much encouragement, yet he continued to trust the Lord and boldly move ahead. Often he was surrounded by many sinful influences and corrupting pressures but he was able to move through them without being influenced by them, leaving behind a tremendous impact as lives were transformed. In spite of the "problems" in Corinth and Ephesus many growing churches were established through his efforts. Certainly his resolve coupled with the Holy Spirit accomplished much! It was exciting to see how God used some of the persecution to expand the gospel into Judea and Samaria. Acts 9:31 says; "The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers." A combination that we usually do not combine in our thinking...fear and encouragement. But what a testimony to the believers obedience and God's faithfulness.

I have been helping friend Keith with his fathers home that had water damage and should have the final work completed when the carpeting and kitchen vinyl are in place next Thursday. Tomorrow (Saturday) the family and some friends will be coming to complete the sorting and emptying of the house, so I am sure we will all be busy. It is always difficult to dismantle the home of a family member when living several hours away.

Thanks so much for your prayers.

Love to you all,

Chuck

Wonderful trip

We had a delightful time in Chicago with Jeremy and Julianna and the rest of the family. They have a charming apartment and are always fun to be with. Sunday was a special time attending the church service and then having an opportunity to visit Jeremy's class of middle school guys. We were delighted when, at the end of the class, one of the guys reported that he wanted to be baptized and then came by the apartment later with his mother to confirm his desire.

Sunday morning I awoke early and was continuing my reading through the Bible. Included in that days reading was the story about the persistent widow. (Luke 18:1-8) It was amazing how it fit into a situation that I was praying about for a friend who received an unjust decision from a judge and can also fit many other unjust situations that come our way.

"One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up." After telling the story, Jesus says; "Learn a lesson from this evil judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night?" Then he says; "But when I, the Son of Man return, how many will I find who have faith?"WOW...that should motivate us to greater faith in the Lord and cause us to continue to pray and not give up regardless how bleak things may look!

Thanks for your prayers and love.

Chuck

Help my unbelief

These have been some rather busy days. Neighbor Phil passed on late last week in Raleigh and the family asked me to spend some time with them. Up until the hour that I left, I had contractors working in his house repairing water damage created from his refrigerator. The kitchen and family room floor coverings still have to be installed, but things are taking shape. I spent Thursday through Sunday with the family and have been catching up here at the office since. Getting things done has been complicated by major computer problems that have persisted at my office for several weeks. We were so thankful for the wonderful staff at Hospice that assisted Phil during his last days on earth. I visited with him a bit after he arrived at the Hospice facility, but by the next day he could not communicate with me. Four days later he passed through the curtain of death. Do continue to pray for the family as they adjust to their loss. There were many answers to prayer during those last weeks...thanks for praying!

While praying for Phil during a time of great pain in his body, one of the family members prayed that "if possible, God would remove the pain." The next morning in my Bible reading I was reading about a father bringing his son to the disciples and then to Jesus for healing. (Mark 9:14-29) The father prayed a similar prayer; "...If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "If you can? said Jesus. Everything is possible for him who believes." I like the fathers response to Jesus; "Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" It reminded me of my lack of faith so many times as I pray for what seem to be impossible situations, causing me to also pray as the father...help me to overcome my unbelief!

This coming weekend I will be in Chicago joining many members of my family as we spend time with grandson Jeremy and his wife Julianna. We had planned to meet at our lake house but with Jeremy's job as pastor, he was not going to be able to be with us. So we decided to meet together with him in Chicago.

Pray for safety as everyone will be covering many miles on the roads.

Love to you all,

Chuck

Continue Praying

I appreciate so much your prayers and concern for neighbor Phil. After about 48 hours in the hospital, he became unresponsive and continued in that state for several days. A couple of days ago he rallied but is having a very difficult time. He was able to communicate and take food for a bit but he has many physical problems and unable to eat presently. Continue to pray for him and the family!

Last Friday when the family came to check his house and pick up some of his items, they found the kitchen and family room flooded by the refrigerator. The refrigerator was totally frozen except for the ice maker which continued to send water through the unit and onto the floor. We were all shocked but with the help of a restoration company have dried the place out after removing floor coverings, baseboards and furniture which water had wicked up into and started to create mold. They installed heavy duty blower/heaters drying the place all weekend so now it will be a process of putting everything back together again which will be a challenge with them living three hours away.

The words of the song "May the mind of Christ my Savior" have been my prayer as I have been interacting with the family. Praying that Christ's mind will control all I do and say each day; His word will be filling my heart hour by hour; His peace ruling my life that so that I can be a channel of comfort; His love radiating through my life; His beauty resting upon me that the focus is not on me but only on Christ! That reminds me of the words of John the Baptist; "He must increase and I must decrease." (John 3:30)

I appreciate each of you so very much! Thanks for your love and prayers!

Love, Chuck

Pray for Phil

Since returning home, I have been quite occupied getting caught up at the house and at the office while trying to be of help to my neighbor Phil who is the father of friend Keith. While I was away, he failed to answer telephone calls from the family that lives about 3-hours away, and after a couple of days they had the police check on him. He was found to be ill and very weak but did not want to go to the doctor or hospital. After I returned, he agreed to let me take him for a check-up on Thursday. We found that his condition was quite serious. The family wanted him close to them so that they could better monitor his condition. So with the doctors’ approval, On Friday I drove him on what turned out to be a 4-hour trip due to heavy traffic, and we admitted him into a well respected hospital located near to the family. His condition continues to be quite uncertain and he is still in the ICU. Pray for wisdom for the medical team, for comfort and peace for Phil, and for the family that have to make many quick decisions that are way out of their comfort area.

This has certainly underscored to me the uncertainty of life at any age. As I have been reading the book of Micah this week a couple of verses stuck to my mind and continue to challenge me: “Oh people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) It is a good reminder to me of the greater importance of my reflecting His character day by day over any activity that I may be involved in. As Micah talks about how miserable he feels, I like the confidence he expresses when he says; “As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.” (Micah 7:7) Hour by hour we confidently wait, trusting God for His peace, guidance and mercy.

Thanks so much for your prayers. Do remember Phil and his family.

Love to you all,

Chuck

Excellent Trip

Glaciers are always exciting on these trips and Hubbard is outstanding. It stretches for about 76 miles with a 6-mile face that ranges from 300-300 feet in height. There is no way a picture can do justice. Unfortunately Sue did not have much time to watch the glacier calve because of an extremely sick patient. When we got back out into the ocean near a small village, the captain stopped the ship and we sent Sue and the patient on the tender to connect with an ambulance on shore that rushed her to a waiting plane and on to the hospital. I believe that this was the busiest trip that Sue ever had as nurse.

The weather was absolutely fantastic which is amazing, especially at this time of year. We saw numerous whales, several of them bubble feeding which is most interesting. On a side trip I watched a mother bear teaching her two cubs to fish in a small waterfall. She was an expert but they were slow learners. The sea otters are fun to watch and watching the huge Bald Headed Eagles is a real thrill. I was surprised to see the Time Bandit (Deadliest Catch) ship in port and walked out to get a few pictures and a closer look. To my surprise the father of the guys was on board and we had a good chat about the guys and the workings of the ship. During our stop in Victoria BC I visited the Butchart Gardens that are filled with an amazing variety of flowers throughout the huge rolling area. It is a splendid example of what can be done with the remains of a limestone quarry which supplied limestone for Mr. Butchart's portland cement plant many years ago.

We left the ship at Seattle early in the morning and were not scheduled to fly out until late at night, so we rented a car and saw many sights in and around the city starting with the Pike Market and ending at a park overlooking the city. Sue has a friend that now lives in Seattle, so she gave us a good itinerary that included lunch at a charming deli (picture) with all sorts of exotic possibilities.

Thanks for your prayers, emails and phone calls. You are each a blessing!

Love, Chuck