Father's Day Sentiments
Yesterday in church Shane was in charge of share time. He invited people to talk about some aspect of fatherhood or brotherhood leadership that has helped provide direction for life.
Dad spoke of his own father as a loving disciplinarian. When he said that I thought of what Henry Yoder said in his message at Grandpa's funeral. He said that the first time he remembers hearing of Levi Miller, he heard him described as that man that has a big family of well-behaved boys. (There were nine, along with three girls.)
Dad also referred to an article in Sunday's Hutchinson News about Donald and Donna's family. Don is a minister at Cedar Crest, and the article was about their family's working together to grow and sell produce. It was intended as a Father's Day feature, although it was not overtly so.
Joe Y. said that he's enjoying this stage of parenting especially--a time when he's able to turn an increasing amount of responsibility over to his children. They are equipped to shoulder it, and he's finding it a pleasure to be able to step back. Joe has both a child and a grandchild in grade school.
Edith said she's grateful to Paul for being faithful in leading his family in worship. At mealtime he often shares something that he has taken note of during his own reading of Scripture. Paul's son Nathan said he's grateful that he had opportunities to serve others alongside his parents as he was growing up.
Paul said that when he was growing up, his parents held up David L. as a model of someone who chose to live differently than his peers did in some important ways. Paul's parents reminded their children that they too did not have to follow the crowd when the crowd was going the wrong direction.
Shane noted that one generation's faithfulness can affect many generations to come, citing my grandfather Levi's influence on Dad (David L.), and David L.'s influence on Paul. And Nathan had spoken of his father (Paul's) influence on him. Edith had also acknowledged her husband Paul's role in helping his family grow spiritually. This one chain of faithfulness has at least four links by now.
Oren spoke of his father's value of providing a day's work for a day's wages. Implicit in that is carefulness about not overcharging someone for whom you are providing a service.
David told about something his father said to him as he was dying. David had the sense that he was seeing his 50-something youngest children as still being young and a bit needy, and he wanted to see them well provided for. So he told David, "Now if you ever need anything, you ask Ollie Troyer. He knows about a lot of things." We all (except perhaps Ollie) laughed. Ollie does indeed know a lot of things, but he's not in the habit of letting on, so we all rather enjoyed seeing him "outed" for his wise ways. Ollie is not in the habit of laughing in church, perhaps further evidence of his wisdom, but he probably was very tempted to laugh along with everyone else. A conscience can be such a burden at a time like this.
**********************
Health Notes:
My uncle Fred is in rehab at Mennonite Manor after having been released from the hospital. He is still quite weak, and recovery will take some time.
My aunt Fannie (Mahlon's wife) is in a medically induced coma while she is recovering from Guillian-Barre. Her heart stopped once last week, and resuscitation efforts were successful. All of her ten children are gathering, including at least one from Canada and another from Costa Rica. Recovery is still possible, although complete recovery doesn't always take place.
Charles Schmucker died at the age of 102. He was a Dillons management co-worker of Hiromi's dear friend, Leonard Hinkle. The most recent, although indirect, connection between him and our family is that his personal attendant and caretaker--for 28 years--has been cousin Clara M. In earlier years, she traveled abroad with him, and went to Phoenix with him during the winter. Shirley Hinkle-Pauls told us that she believed that Charles' long life was very directly attributable to Clara's excellent care giving. Clara is in her sixties now, and feels ready for a break from the demands of being "tied down" as a caregiver.
Dorcas' mother says that she feels like she has a bit more energy than before. She's eagerly anticipating coming to Kansas to see her new grandbabies after they arrive. Not everyone in the family is sure that this will be possible, but everyone is willing to devote prayers and hopes to the prospect. It's reassuring that Esther does not have as much back pain as she did before she had the radiation treatments and the subsequent concentrated nutrition she's taking in. No further medical testing has been done recently, and thus there is no documented change in her condition or prognosis.
Dad spoke of his own father as a loving disciplinarian. When he said that I thought of what Henry Yoder said in his message at Grandpa's funeral. He said that the first time he remembers hearing of Levi Miller, he heard him described as that man that has a big family of well-behaved boys. (There were nine, along with three girls.)
Dad also referred to an article in Sunday's Hutchinson News about Donald and Donna's family. Don is a minister at Cedar Crest, and the article was about their family's working together to grow and sell produce. It was intended as a Father's Day feature, although it was not overtly so.
Joe Y. said that he's enjoying this stage of parenting especially--a time when he's able to turn an increasing amount of responsibility over to his children. They are equipped to shoulder it, and he's finding it a pleasure to be able to step back. Joe has both a child and a grandchild in grade school.
Edith said she's grateful to Paul for being faithful in leading his family in worship. At mealtime he often shares something that he has taken note of during his own reading of Scripture. Paul's son Nathan said he's grateful that he had opportunities to serve others alongside his parents as he was growing up.
Paul said that when he was growing up, his parents held up David L. as a model of someone who chose to live differently than his peers did in some important ways. Paul's parents reminded their children that they too did not have to follow the crowd when the crowd was going the wrong direction.
Shane noted that one generation's faithfulness can affect many generations to come, citing my grandfather Levi's influence on Dad (David L.), and David L.'s influence on Paul. And Nathan had spoken of his father (Paul's) influence on him. Edith had also acknowledged her husband Paul's role in helping his family grow spiritually. This one chain of faithfulness has at least four links by now.
Oren spoke of his father's value of providing a day's work for a day's wages. Implicit in that is carefulness about not overcharging someone for whom you are providing a service.
David told about something his father said to him as he was dying. David had the sense that he was seeing his 50-something youngest children as still being young and a bit needy, and he wanted to see them well provided for. So he told David, "Now if you ever need anything, you ask Ollie Troyer. He knows about a lot of things." We all (except perhaps Ollie) laughed. Ollie does indeed know a lot of things, but he's not in the habit of letting on, so we all rather enjoyed seeing him "outed" for his wise ways. Ollie is not in the habit of laughing in church, perhaps further evidence of his wisdom, but he probably was very tempted to laugh along with everyone else. A conscience can be such a burden at a time like this.
**********************
Health Notes:
My uncle Fred is in rehab at Mennonite Manor after having been released from the hospital. He is still quite weak, and recovery will take some time.
My aunt Fannie (Mahlon's wife) is in a medically induced coma while she is recovering from Guillian-Barre. Her heart stopped once last week, and resuscitation efforts were successful. All of her ten children are gathering, including at least one from Canada and another from Costa Rica. Recovery is still possible, although complete recovery doesn't always take place.
Charles Schmucker died at the age of 102. He was a Dillons management co-worker of Hiromi's dear friend, Leonard Hinkle. The most recent, although indirect, connection between him and our family is that his personal attendant and caretaker--for 28 years--has been cousin Clara M. In earlier years, she traveled abroad with him, and went to Phoenix with him during the winter. Shirley Hinkle-Pauls told us that she believed that Charles' long life was very directly attributable to Clara's excellent care giving. Clara is in her sixties now, and feels ready for a break from the demands of being "tied down" as a caregiver.
Dorcas' mother says that she feels like she has a bit more energy than before. She's eagerly anticipating coming to Kansas to see her new grandbabies after they arrive. Not everyone in the family is sure that this will be possible, but everyone is willing to devote prayers and hopes to the prospect. It's reassuring that Esther does not have as much back pain as she did before she had the radiation treatments and the subsequent concentrated nutrition she's taking in. No further medical testing has been done recently, and thus there is no documented change in her condition or prognosis.
posted by Mrs. I at
2:57 PM
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