How excellent are the Lord‘s faithful people!

My greatest pleasure is to be with them.

Psalm 16:3 (Good News Translation)

Sunday School Class Breakfast

Saturday, February 23

Our Sunday school class winter committee did a fabulous job of organizing a delicious breakfast.

It was held in our church’s fellowship hall.

Joe led in devotions and prayer before the meal.

Ira and Ruthclaudene were on the committee – helping to organize this delightful meal.

Each couple/person brought something from a suggested list of items.

There were egg dishes, creamed dry beef, fruit, pastries, juice and coffee.

Afterwards we played two ‘brain-testing” games and enjoyed great fellowship.

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We love our Sunday school class.

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We took the long way home and stopped at Esbenshade’s Greenhouses for my free birthday month primrose.

It helps us feel like spring is just around the corner.

Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us.

By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

Ephesians 3:20 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

A Meal After the Funeral

Wednesday, February 20

It was good to get into a place that was warm after being outside at the burial.

Since it was the middle of the afternoon (3 p.m.) everyone got whatever they wanted.

If you request, you can get a free bucket of pretzel sticks.

My french onion beef soup was incredibly delicious and bodywarming.

I don’t remember what the others got but the following is a sampling.

I think this was Jesse’s because he doesn’t like his hot dog in a bun.

It was nice to relax together after saying goodbye to Elwood.

We must pay closer attention to what we have heard.

Then we won’t drift away from the truth.

Hebrews 2:1 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

Elwood’s Burial

Wednesday, February 20

Ian, Jesse, and Jared were pleased to be pallbearers for their friend Elwood.

Traveling to the gravesite.

The icy mud was “tempting” for Jared and Ian.

It was brutally cold and windy.

Jere shared a short prayer near the gravesite.

Kristen bought balloons as a special memory for Gregg and the children.

Preparing to release them.

The Shiffer Headstone

There are many things in a graveyard that remind us that this is our final earthly goodbye.

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Tomorrow night: Stopping at a local restaurant before going home.

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Beauty is something internal that can’t be destroyed.

Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious.

1 Peter 3:4 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

Funeral For Elwood

Jere & Kristen’s Family Friend

Wednesday, February 20

We only learned to know Elwood after his wife was seriously burned when their car lit on fire – while they were driving. Because she was in a burn center for many months before her death, Kristen began taking him and his handicapped son, Gregg, to see her.

After his wife died, Jere and Kristen helped him and Gregg on a regular basis.

Kristen had known Elwood, his wife, and their son since she was a young child because her mother and stepfather were good friends. Both men were local policemen.

Jere and Kristen brought Jesse to our house when they heard that Elwood passed away in his sleep. They needed to go to the nursing care unit to make arrangements.

When I talked to Jesse about Elwood’s death, I mentioned that it was a good thing for Elwood, because when Christians die they get new bodies. So that means Elwood is no longer an old man with pain.

Jesse asked, “Did he get to pick a number?”

I was a bit puzzled until I realized that Jesse meant, did Elwood get to choose his age in Heaven.

I asked Jesse what number he would pick for Elwood. Jesse said that he likes being five – so he would pick the number five for Elwood.

I love how children think when we describe death and Heaven.

Our daughter Deb joined us for the private service at the funeral home.

Deb designed a beautiful funeral program.

Elwood’s son, Gregg, age sixty-seven, (in grey) has been handicapped since he was a small child. Many of his abilities stayed at a preschool level while his body grew quite tall. The man and woman on the left and right are overseers at the group home where he lives.

The funeral was not difficult for Gregg because death is not a bad thing to him – and he loves his life at the group home.

It was more difficult for Jere and Kristen and their children as he had become a regular part of their lives during the past twelve years. These three do not know life without Elwood.

Jere shared Psalm 23 – and talked about the simplicity of Elwood’s life. After his retirement from the police force, Elwood spent most of his time caring for his wife and Gregg. He chose a very private life and wanted his funeral to be the same.

Elwood and Gregg were often recognized as the father and son who spent a lot of time walking in their local town.

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Tomorrow night – Elwood’s burial.

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God is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs.

Psalm 96:4 (The Message)

Visiting Friends

Earl & Arlene – Sunday, February 17

While Cerwin and Earl were visiting in the living room, Arlene invited me to their breezeway to show me her latest project – painting flowers on crosscut pieces of fancy tree trunks.

If I remember correctly the four pansies were her earliest projects.

She takes pictures of flowers, then chooses one that matches the wood design.

An unpainted piece of tree trunk.

Notice the photo and the painting.

She plans to do some touch up painting on several of these – mostly highlighting and enlarging the center sections.

Some of these will go in their front yard this summer.

From Arlene:

The trees with flower shaped cuts are mostly cedar, gingko, or any shaped cuts close to the ground, preferably harder wood.

First: Sand the side to be painted. Then coat the entire piece of wood with clear polyurethane to seal it from decay and any insects. I use acrylic enamel indoor outdoor paint for the flower. After the flower is dry, paint it with another coat of polyurethane.

I am in awe of her ability to paint these – and how she sees flowers in each piece of wood.

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Thanks Earl and Arlene, we had a wonderful afternoon. We love you!

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Cerwin and I enjoyed the beautiful sky designs – created by the sunset as we traveled home.

Home – just before turning left into our driveway.