Anybody Home

Do you remember back in the day when your folks would load up the family on an afternoon or evening and drive to an uncle and aunt or some close friends for an unplanned visit?

 Generally when you arrived someone would knock on the door or open it just enough to stick their head in, and holler, "anybody home?" Someone inside would say, "sure, come on in" and you would spend the next several hours visiting as adults and playing as kids. The friends you were visiting would go to the fridge or freezer, pull out some desert, and everything work related would stop while you all enjoyed each others company.

 Today we don't just drop in for a visit. If we did it seems we would have to postpone obligations, cancel a string of appointments, or set aside an overdue workload. Our lives are in a higher gear. We have become more busy, more hectic, more complicated.  

Sometimes we plan lunch at our house. Sometimes we plan not to have lunch. However many times we don't do either and then about noon we will stick our head in the door and say, "Jan, do you have anything for dinner?" She always does.

Jackson is always watching, asking for his "Dada". He loves to help outside with his gum boots. He and his parents are about 3 weeks away from moving from Pella to their home on the farm.

Jackson's dad, Kurt, is custom feeding buffalo and got his first load in on Saturday.

Emily agreed to this new endeavor if Kurt promised they would never get out of their pen accidently.

We spent some time working on balers this week. Thankfully Gideon was small enough to crawl in the bale chamber and hold a bolt.

The North Skunk river bottom dried out enough to replant. I think we can finally put the planters away.

Jan and I made it to PC's last regular season baseball game against PCM. Dillon, one of two seniors playing this year, is at bat.

Last evening there was a group of Christian bands singing in our city park in Oskaloosa. It was a great crowd and good fellowship. Sometimes I think we do our visiting today at events, where when we were kids it was at homes.

Last week during our visit I shared with you remembering my father-in-law's life. This morning I want to share with you the day we celebrated that he has an eternal home. Jan's mom passed away 23 years ago. This is Beverly, his second wife, talking to the great-grandkids.

Becky and Brian celebrated their tenth anniversary this week and commented how fast time is flying. I agree. It doesn't seem like that long ago our children were all home growing up. Today they are all have families and homes of their own.

Gene's granddaughter Michelle was the accompanist. Granddaughter Becky and great grandson Elliott did the special music.

Grandson-in-law Brian had the message entitled "Grace and Ford tractors". He also sang the benediction. Pretty cool.

Grandpa Gene was carried to the cemetery by his twelve grandsons.

Natalie and Anton are talking to the funeral director, Mike, with Joe watching. The great grandkids asked if they could stay and watch the casket go down.

Mike not only agreed but said they could all help take turns cranking.

Many of you that share this visit every week I know. There are also many of you that join us that I don't know as well. What I want us all to remember is this is not our final home. Eternity is a long time. "In my father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears me and opens the door, I will come in." Revelations 3:20 Have you invited Him in? Are you taking the time to have fellowship with Him as your Savior and friend?