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Sunday’s Make-A-Wish Parade

Listed as the world’s largest truck convoy!  This is a large fund raiser for children with serious illnesses.

 

We were up early (4:30 AM) and stopped by our son’s house to pick up Josh and Jana to prepare for our day.  After arriving at the TFC office, they quickly picked their bunks in the chapel tractor.

Josh and Jana have watched the parade since they were babies, because their other grandma lives along the route – the reason we invited them to go along.

 

TFC has never entered a chapel – because it has been years since we had a promotional rig in this area – and Cerwin didn’t have it finished by last year’s parade.

 

We got to the place where all the trucks were meeting about 7:00 AM and set up the steps.  We were so pleased with the location given us – for viewing and morning worship.

 

Each driver went to the registration table for their banner.

 

There were 400+ (we didn’t hear the exact count yet) beautiful rigs and emergency vehicles.

 

 

John and Karen Rissler were pleased to be assigned a parking spot – right in front of the chapel – and were our first visitors.

 

Cerwin led singing for the two fifteen-minute worship services we offered in the chapel.

 

Bunny O’Hare, Director of Chaplains, brought a short message during each service.

 

I was a bit surprised – when between services – this clown came up to me and hugged me!  He is a son of friends of ours (Mark Nolt and his family).

 

He asked the children if they would like a “brownie” or “brown E”.

 

We had a great location among the trucks and were pleased with the number of visitors and contacts.

 

More trucks

 

A fancy paint job

 

Trucks began moving right on time – 1:30 PM

 

Cerwin and John visit while waiting for our turn to leave

 

I like John’s mudflaps

 

We were surprised to discover the truck our son Jeff drives was parked only a few rows away from us.  Jeff was not in the parade – the night driver was at the wheel.

 

It was finally John’s time to move.  We thought we would be following him, but due to the lineup of parked vehicles – we were a few trucks behind him.

 

We had never been in the parade, so were surprised at all the people who came out to watch.

 

 

Rear view mirror

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another rear view

 

 

Partway through the route we began to see the returning trucks.

 

Getting off an exit ramp

 

 

Looking back on the exit ramp

 

Going through Akron and Ephrata

 

 

 

 

Our biggest sidewalk fans were in Ephrata!

Our son Jere and daughter-in-law Kristen (Josh and Jana’s parents) her mother, and our grandsons Ian and Jared.

 

 

A few blocks later – the end of the parade – was filled with people

 

 

After this it seemed strange to just be a truck on the road – with very few people on the side of the road, as this is where each truck went their own way.

~~~

It was a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

I Am Blessed With Three Mothers

 

Florence Hawthorne Hershey

I was born one year after this picture in 1943 – her marriage to my dad.

 

This photo was taken in 1973 – at my sister’s wedding.  Mom died from cancer in early 1974.  She taught me how to serve God, love family, and enjoy life. 

I love and miss you Mom.

 

 

Ella Sauder High (left) is an awesome, godly mother-in-law.  She is almost ninety years old and still lives every day to the full. 

I love you Mother High.

Velma Eshleman Miller Hershey (right) became my mother in 1975 when she and Daddy married.  She is commited to the Lord, and is an awesome woman – having lived through the accidental drowning of her first husband and two sons.   

I love you Mother Hershey.

 

 

 

 

My Greatest Honor

Being a Mother

 

Jeff likes living a bit on the “edge of the envelope” – driving anything that goes fast or is loud.  He’s a dedicated Christian husband, father, and neighbor – and the most like his dad.  He drives a big rig for White Oak Mills.  He, Chris, and their five children live six miles from us.

I Love You Jeff

 

Diane is a lot like me in her housekeeping and mothering.  She is organized and laid back at the same time.  I admire her for homeschooling their six children – I’m not sure I would have done as good a job as she does.  She and Mark moved to Brunswick, Maine, almost twenty-one years ago – to help establish a mission church.

I Love You Diane

 

Jere, his wife Kristen, and four children (soon five) live a mile from us.  He’s dedicated to being a good husband and father, and is a lot like me in wanting to be the best he can be – especially spiritually.  He is lab manager for Lancaster DHIA (milk testing).

I Love You Jere

 

Deb, like me, spends a lot of time doing layout and design.  She owns her own company – Basic Designs.  Her best know work is doing the layout and design for Today and Tomorrow, a quarterly magazine that advertises Christian and nonprofit events in Pennsylvania.  It’s been a tough year for her and us.  She and her husband, separated at the end of 2006.  Keep them in your prayers.

I love you Deb

 

 

 

 

Saturday Morning Visitor

I knew he’d be here.

 

I heard his trusty old truck before I saw him!

 

I

Our oldest son – Jeff.

 

He always brings me a flower or plant the day before Mother’s Day

 

This year he brought a beautiful rose – one I can plant.

 

Thanks Jeff.

~~~

Each of our children will call, bring a gift, or send a card, but Jeff is usually first – maybe because he is our first-born!

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Evening

Jere and Kristen’s children were here for a few hours while they went to a benefit sale for a local school.  (They oversee the school auction where their children attend, and like to attend other auctions.)

 

Shortly after arriving, Jana asked if I had an idea of something she could make for her mom for Mother’s Day.  She liked the idea of baking cookies from some precut dough I had in the freezer.

 

Jared came to see what was going on in the oven.

 

 

While they cooled, she looked for a pretty gift bag in my stash of gift bags – and settled on this one.

~~~

Jared noticed that I was preparing supper and asked to help. 

This is one good reason to have an island in your kitchen – so you can be on one side and they on the other!

 

Let’s start by adding water.

 

Then a bit of salt.

 

Stir that a bit.

 

Add cut up chicken.

 

Then some macaroni

 

Stirring is so much fun.

 

 

Ian wanted to help too.

 

I asked him to help choose a vegetable – but he couldn’t find any he liked.  (He doesn’t like “begetables”.)

~~~

Jana was looking for something to do, so I suggested that she take pictures of what is happening in the house.

This is her photo journal…

 

The cook is still stirring – with the assistance of Grandma.

 

Looks like supper will soon be ready.

 

Grandpa just got home from work.  He is tired and dirty after spending the day working in the yard and flower beds at the TFC office.

 

Hey, Josh and Ian, look here!

 

It looks like Grandpa is glad to relax.

 

I wonder what he is watching?  (Grandma says it’s Mad Money – his favorite evening program.)

~~~

After supper Jana got the camera again.

 

Grandma cleaning the sink and counter.

 

Getting ready to work in the flowerbeds.

 

 

Ian liked cutting branches with the clipper.

 

Jared was stirring up the dirt, but thought the clippers looked like fun.

 

But, digging in the dirt is fun too.

~~~

Dad and Mom are home!  I must put the camera down and get my gift for Mom.

 

I hope she is pleased.

 

She is!  She likes the cookies!

~~~

Jana also took this last picture.

 

I think we have a budding photographer.

 

 

 

 

Bloom Where You Are Planted

It was a beautiful morning, so I decided to walk around our woodland acre and see what was blooming ~ before going to my basement office for the day.

 

 

Each spring this single tulip blooms, right in the middle of the brushy, briary part of our woodlot.  The bulb probably got thrown out with the weeds ~ many years ago ~ but that has never hindered it’s growth or beauty.

~~~

It aways reminds me to be faithful where I am.

~~~

It also reminds me of these words from my “Prayer and Praise Journal”…

 

Lord, I stand amazed at the complexity and mystery of Your wisdom.

 Wisdom that makes it safe for me to trust You.

 Wisdom that makes me willing to commit my location and situation to You – knowing that You have the right to shift me anywhere on life’s checkerboard.

 I am delighted to have You as my dwelling place where I can…

settle down

feel secure

be content anywhere on earth.

 

  

I need to read and think about that every now and then!

 

 

 

 

I Pray

that the God who gives hope

will fill you with much joy and peace

while you trust in Him.

 

 

Then your hope will overflow

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 ICB

 

 

 

 

Tagged!

 

I was honored to be tagged by one of my favorite bloggers Taming_of_the_Shrew, asking me to list five sites that make me think.

Look at my subscription list ~ on the left ~ there is no way I can narrow it down to five.

That’s like having to choose a favorite son, daughter, or grandchild.

~~~

Each of you makes me think.

I love reading about the things that go on in your mind and life.

I especially enjoy seeing your photos.

~~~

Special thanks to those who don’t have a site ~ but tell me they read mine almost every day.  That blesses me!

~~~

Thanks to each of you for making my life a bit richer.

 

 

 

 

Today

 

Robin’s Nest

I noticed a robin repairing a nest which had been destroyed by winter storms.

 Last week it was hanging by one side. 

Today it is ready for occupancy.

 

A Green Gift

Arlene, my friend, look how well your gift survived the winter in our flower bed. 

Thanks! 

 

A Peaceful, Corn-Planting Day

I could see three corn planters outside my window ~ two pulled by tractors ~ one by mules.

 

Garden Tools

Cerwin spent the day working in our yard – preparing flower beds for mulching.

 

 

 

 

I Am Tired Tonight!

 

 

My body is weary.

 

My back hurts.

 

My feet ache.

 

 ~~~

But ~ I got the job done!

~~~ 

 

This morning there were 12,600 The Extra Mile newsletters neatly packed in boxes ~ from the printer.

 

Tonight 10,538 of them are in 74 mail trays ~ ready for the post office ~ the balance of 2,062 will go to chapels and churches in bulk packages.

 

The newsletters are heading to post offices across the country.

 

~~~

 

I didn’t have to do the job in one day…

 

…but my wonderful Pitney Bowes printer worked so well today ~ the addresses were finished by noon.

 

I was going to run the newsletters through our tabbing machine tomorrow, but since it was only noon, I decided to see how many I could get finished by closing time at 5:00 PM.

 

As 4:00 PM approached, I realized that I was going to have a circled tab on every newsletter by 5:00 PM.

~~~

I may not try that all in one day again, but it was good to know that it can be done. 

~~~

I paused to thank the Lord several times today for the three people who made it possible for TFC to purchase these machines in 2006. 

The sad thing is that I no longer need volunteers to help do this job.  The good thing is that the machines are much faster ~ and I can do the job alone ~ which means I do not have to clean the garage and house or buy snacks for “newsletter day”. 

Sorry,  Evangeline, I won’t be able to show you any more pictures of your friend Dorothy helping us.