26 August 2006

A good day

This is an amazing picture, and precious to me beyond words. A bit of background: I never knew either of my grandfathers, they died before I was even born. The male link to the family past that they represented was severed.
Yet here we see FOUR generations, little Max, his father Tony, his grandfather Ward, and his great-grandfather Eber. This is, to me, a memory beyond price. No matter what the future brings, the memory of that day is one to be treasured.

This is written in a hotel room more than a thousand miles from the spot of this family gathering. I know that it is possible that we will never again all be together on this earth. And while Heaven will be wonderful, that day provided a small glimpse of it. God is good, and that day was just one of the many blessings He's given me.

23 August 2006

And a further update .....

Posted from temporary quarters in Montgomery, Alabama
Well, yours truly has made the trip, nearly 400 miles south and west into the heart of Alabama, leaving family behind for the moment.
It looks to be a nice area, though it is always difficult coming into an area you've really never been before, dealing with people you've never met, and losing all of your familiar surroundings. The family is far away, and we want to be sure this move is a good one before we move everyone here. Without going into detail, our last move, two years ago, had the manufacturing plant that had hired me as a manager suddenly close the plant while we were in the middle of the move. I can say with great sincerity that this is not an experience to be desired. As a result of this, we're inclined to be a bit cautious.
At the same time, we need to get established. Just finding a church -- look, finding a Southern Baptist church in Alabama isn't the hardest thing to do. But finding the right one, the one that God has assigned for us, that is the difficult part. We have been enormously blessed in our last few churches, 2nd Baptist in Tennessee and 1st Baptist in Greenwood, Arkansas , that we look forward to the next with great anticipation. Any person having a suggestion is welcome. I am staying, temporarily, in a hotel, pending the completed move. We are thinking either the east end of town or perhaps out towards Wetumpka, a bit out of the city's congestion.
And pray for us. We do not do well when separated.