Thank you Lord for your love, your closeness and your power to live as Paul writes in Colossians with “patience and long-suffering (endurance) with joy”. He gives us the ability to be patient, to wait upon Him and to helps us endure all that life brings at us. Thank you Lord.

Thank you all for your continued prayers, concern and reading these now infrequent blogs. I am trying to do one every 6 weeks. I find they are harder to start now. Theresa was my topic, now it is dealing with life without her. My reason for writing was to keep you updated with how she was doing, giving you points to pray about and allowing you to comment in return which she would enjoy reading. Life went from color to black and white, from activity to quiet. This makes it harder to write.

The kids are all in college and most of their classes are remote. Part of college is interaction with other kids, going to class together, sitting over coffee, enjoying the college life. This year has been rough for two of the kids, as they do better with peer and teacher interaction. Some of the classes are not taught as well as they would be in person. Our oldest, who got married in September, graduates this May. His wife and he will then move near Spokane for her to finish her schooling for 2 years. Ben will work those years and then decide if he wants to pursue his masters. Noah finishes his AA winter quarter and will start his bachelor’s in history at an online school. He plans on pursuing his masters in history. Matthew struggles with online classes and needs the peer interaction. He works full time at Colonial. Our daughter is performing well in her college classes. They haven’t been as difficult for her as I expected. She helps with meals the most too.

Theresa’s one year anniversary of leaving this earthly temporary home for her permanent heavenly home came on my day off, Oct 8th, this year. At the time her gravestone hadn’t yet arrived, delayed by COVID, but it is there now. The boys and I will head up there individually to talk with Theresa, pay our respects, and place flowers. Prior to Theresa’s passing I wouldn’t have thought I would visit a gravesite as the person isn’t there, what is the point. But it is a place to remember, to humble yourself, to reflect and we have found it valuable for us. I still feel married to Theresa, still loyal to her, and grateful for her life lived with me. Her passing is part of who I am. I will go through our pictures at times, especially on special days, remembering. It is bitter sweet now. We had much to be thankful for.

Through it all, Christ has been there, ever present, providing the strength to persevere and endure. I am thankful he redeemed me and I am not my own, and for transferring me from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of his Son, and made alive together with him, as Paul writes in Colossians. I am also thankful today, here and now, He continues His work in us, through his spirit, molding, pruning, refining, refocusing our attention on Him. I also echo Paul who writes in Philippians 4 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. I am learning. Then he says in vs 13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength”. Now that is a truth worth claiming and resting in.

Thank you for walking with me in these days. May you grow closer to the one who made all of life possible, an abundant life at that.