Blessed Christmas 2023!

Cathy and I are pleased to send you our love as we celebrate Emmanuel, God with us. 

2023 was our first year of retirement as a couple and we have been quite busy. In *review:

• We became members of First Baptist Church of Port Orchard WA, where our first born and his family are members.
• Following Cathy’s birthday on March 14, we took a three month “road trip” in our 1995 motorhome from March 15 to June 10, traveling over 10,000 miles, visiting family and friends, passing through over half of the states and part of Canada, visiting historical sites and natural wonders, and relaxing while camping and cruising. We experienced every kind of weather from heavy snow to energy-sapping heat and peaceful calm to extreme winds while driving past wild fires and tornado damage. No regrets whatsoever except that we wish we could have seen more friends and family.
• We gave our vegetable garden a sabbatical but will go at it again in 2024.
• We returned briefly to Oklahoma in July to attend the funeral and memorial service of our dear friend, Pastor David Young, with whom I served for 22 ½ years.
• In September we took our fourth cruise to Alaska and met wonderful new friends when we attended the worship service at White Cliff Church (formerly FBC) in Ketchikan.
• Also in September, we attended the Northwest Baptist Convention’s “Life Enrichment Conference” in Cannon Beach OR. We will be going again in 2024!
• I turned 71 in October. I still have most of my teeth and will be getting a new (replacement) one in January.
• In December we took another trip across the country to attend a very special occasion for one of our kids. More on that in the family update.

*Each of these events could easily be a long chapter in a book of how God has blessed our lives. There simply isn’t room to mention all the wonderful people we had the privilege to see and visit and who treated us like royalty, nor describe the experiences we had such as all we did to celebrate our 49^th anniversary at Niagara Falls.

Updates on the family—

Mom is 94 and doing well. She still lives in her own home in Eugene OR and still drives her own car, although less frequently. She misses Dad but is at peace knowing he is in heaven and that she will join him someday. We are not ready for her to make that journey, yet, and are so grateful for my niece, René who stays with her each night.

All three offspring and their families are in the same places we left them in last year’s letter.

• Aaron is still working for the government at the shipyard in Bremerton. He, Denise, Sélah, and Emma still live in the same house here in Port Orchard but Jada is no longer their foster daughter/sister because on September 19 her adoption became official! To put it in its proper perspective, Cathy and I have our eighth grandchild.
• Alison does something with cryptocurrency and is, apparently, fairly good at it. She, Shane, Cecilia, and Avery are still in Eureka CA but Dr. Shane Calhoun will have finished working in the California State University system at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State) by the end of December and will be growing his private counseling practice.
• David continues as the “Executive Pastor of Discipleship” at Graceland Church in New Albany IN. Earlier in December, we joined him, Jordan, Levi, Maelie, and Hank in Wake Forest NC as David was hooded, receiving his EdD (Doctorate in Education) from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, concluding five years of academic work. We are very proud of his accomplishment as well as all the extra work Jordan has done while David was studying and traveling for school.

Now that we are both retired, Cathy and I are “relaxing” by trying to learn how to operate our toys. Cathy has Cricut and Silhouette machines that are supposed to make letters, designs, and stuff. I think they are best at making her frustrated. For my birthday, Cathy gave me a laser engraver and, so far, I have learned how to fill a room with smoke and make wooden objects that may or may not resemble Christmas ornaments. I also now have a box of very dry and expensive kindling for whenever we want to cook some s’mores.
Additionally, I have been given the opportunity to write the “Group Plans” (teaching plans) to go along with three months of adult Bible study for next winter. I am already behind.

In the near future—
We are looking forward to taking our first trip to Hawaii in March, paying off the car right after observing our 50^th anniversary in May, and this coming October we plan to console ourselves regarding this aging thing by attending our 50 year class reunion at Oklahoma Baptist University. It will be our first in many years. Surely we will feel better after seeing how old everyone else is.

Please, know that you are in our prayers! If there is anything in particular you would like us praying about, just send us an email, text message, or one of those snail mail things.

In His love, 

Jim and Cathy

Pastors, let’s be more like David

As the sun began to rise on Sunday morning, February 19, 2023, David B. Young, was sleeping. When he finally opened his eyes, he was face to face with Jesus and was, finally and ultimately, declared “cancer free.”

David’s only pastorate in the NWBC was when he served as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church of Lakewood, WA from September 1983 through November 2011. However, his impact reached far beyond his beloved congregation. While coming to the Northwest greatly benefited David by helping him develop a real sense of humor, his contributions to us were many. But those who knew him well seem to always bring up one strength that he passed on to so many of us, including me as we served together at Trinity for 22 1/2 years.

There is one statement pastors make that can discourage those who serve with them. Those people know from past experience that it does not really mean what it literally says. The statement is often made after a person voices a suggestion or concern to the pastor. The state given in response is, “Let’s pray about that.” It is church speak for “I don’t want to come off rude but I’m not going to deal with this, at least not at this time.” I will never forget what happened when David Young came to Trinity Baptist Church and I expressed a concern to him. He stopped, he listened, and he said, “Let’s pray about that.”

“Oh great,” I thought, “I’m being put off again.” Then, before I even had time to finish that thought, David’s arm was around my shoulders and he was praying… out loud… sincerely and passionately… for a long time. This scenario would repeat itself over and over again with me and everyone else who ever expressed a concern, an idea, or just needed advice. It did not even matter if it was in the middle of a worship service or a worship song that I was leading. Too bad. It had just turned into a prayer time.

When David came to Trinity, he was besieged by members who shared serious needs and concerns, for themselves and for the congregation as a whole. There were debts that had been unpaid. There were problems with the building. There were personal problems. Everything was dumped on David’s shoulders. A year or so later, most of those problems were gone. The members were amazed and grateful. One day, when David he was out of town, I was leading prayer meeting and folks were praising God for all the problems that had been solved. They were thanking God for sending a pastor who had such insight and problem-solving skills. I asked if they wanted to know how David had managed to fix everything in such a short time. They enthusiastically said, “Yes!” So, I told them. 

“We have a staff meeting every week in his office or mine and nothing interferes with it. We each have a legal pad and begin to name and write down everything and everyone that is messed up. It is common for us to fill up at least two full legal-size sheets of paper. When we can’t think of anything else, we get up, turn around, kneel, and begin systematically praying through our lists, adding anything else that comes to mind as we pray. An hour or so later—we never keep track of time—when we are done, we get up, smile, give each other a hug, find out what the other guy is working on, and get back to whatever we were doing before staff meeting. That’s all we’ve ever done. David has never tried to solve a single problem. God has done it all as we have prayed.”

Those staff meetings went the same way for 22 1/2 years. We never solved anything. We just prayed.

I thank God for the extreme privilege of serving with David all those years. My heart rejoices that he is in the presence of Jesus forever and my heart hurts for his dear wife and partner, Marsha, as well as their kids and grandkids. It is a lonely life for them without this great man of God. May God carry them and give them great joy as they continue.

You can read a post about David’s passing, written primarily by their daughter, Christy, here: https://www.facebook.com/christalyn.sotelo/posts/pfbid02zGjEpFpKx5JeugYjt3CfAqrWe2yvBHx5CnMFNaDCxzRD2zHAYytCVrtakaTpuyR2l?comment_id=757231495954186&notif_id=1676930686106523&notif_t=mentions_comment&ref=notif

Christmas 2022

What a Year!

Dear ones, 

I pray that 2023 will be a blessed year for you and your loved ones. May we all learn from this past year and treasure all the blessings that took place during it. 

Please, allow me to catch you up on what has taken place in our lives during 2022.
 
Our offspring—

Aaron and Denise (Port Orchard, Washington)

Aaron has finished the Apprenticeship program at the Navy Shipyard in Bremerton, graduating on September 23 and is now a bonafide Journeyman Pipefitter. So, if you have a ship that needs to come into dry dock, Aaron can hook you up. Denise, after dealing for many years with mysterious symptoms, had open heart surgery to take out, fix, and put back in an aortic valve as well as fix an aortic aneurism of 6.5cm (normal is 3cm and most rupture before 6cm.). We are praying for and look forward to her complete recovery! Sélah, our seven year old and first grandchild, is a first grader. Emma, our five year old and second grandchild, is in Kindergarten and loves chickens. Jada, our two year old foster granddaughter, is an absolute delight (and a messy eater like her sisters). We are all hoping and praying that she will be legally adopted into the family during 2023!

Shane and Alison (Eureka, California) 

Shane, aka Dr. Calhoun, changed schools without changing anything. That happened when Humboldt State University became Cal Poly Humboldt. He also met the president and has a thriving private practice. Alison continues to raise (corral, herd, shake her head at) our two free spirited California grandchildren as well as navigate the mysterious waters of crypto currency. (I think that is something like real money except when it is not.) Cecilia, our second three year old granddaughter, is a practiced climbing wall veteran, astute mushroom hunter, an egg gatherer, and interior house painter. (That last part is a polite way of saying that no surface inside their house is safe from her “artwork”.) Avery, our one year old grandson, loves his sister and will allow her to do pretty much anything to him with paint or markers.  

David and Jordan (Sellersburg, Indiana)

David is an elder and the Executive Pastor of Discipleship of Graceland Church in New Albany, Indiana. I believe he is very gifted for his calling but do not want to mention it too much because, well, David. He is supposed to be working on his dissertation, too. Time will tell. Besides helping David adjust to adulthood, Jordan deserves high praise and admiration for… Let me just mention my remaining three grandchildren. Levi, our third grandchild and the first to hopefully carry on the family name, has turned five years old and is in Pre-K. Pray for that boy. He shows many traits similar to his dad and he has no qualms about calling his grandparents in the morning three times zones away for a nice video chat. Understand, when he calls us at, oh, say 7:30am, it is 4:30am where we live. Levi does not care. Our sweet Maelie, is three years old and continues to live with Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex. She not only responds well to her therapy but absolutely loves her therapists. This year, we have one more grandchild to introduce to you. Hank Stuart Gantenbein was born on August 6. He was supposed to be born later but health issues called for an early arrival and both Hank and Jordan are doing great. 

Us— 

Jim and Cathy (Port Orchard, Washington)

Despite a very cold, wet, and windy springtime and early summer, we managed to salvage a fair garden season. I know, that is all you really wanted to know about so I thought I would just satisfy you and now you can stop reading. But on the outside chance that anyone should desire more knowledge of the mundane…
The most personal detail will be saved for the end of the letter but there are other lesser matters. First, I continue to be amazed at what an incredible grandmother Cathy is. She does not just have patience with our dear little ones, but she goes out of her way to involve them in what she is doing, especially when it comes to cooking. She makes each of them their own apron (as soon as they are old enough to “help”) and when they get started in the kitchen, I find a place to hide. 

Secondly, we took our first real trip in our “new” (1995) motorhome as we attended the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Anaheim, California. The meeting aside, the trip went very well with only a few minor hiccups. But now that the AC is working, the cruise control is back in operation, the windshield has been reset and sealed, and the steps glide in and out on cue like they are supposed to, we think (hope) we are ready for the big trip we are planning to take this spring. 

A third matter is that of two more Mohs surgeries to remove basal cell skin cancer and reconstruct the areas on my head and face. No, it is not supposed to help my looks so quit hoping.

Fourthly, we enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime trip in September, beginning with a flight to London, England. At the time, all of Great Britain was mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth. Although our plans were altered a little, we were very impressed by the respect and courtesy everyone unfailingly displayed under very stressful and sorrowful circumstances. I commented more than once that it caused me to want to live there. After a couple of days we were transported to Dover where we boarded a ship for a transatlantic cruise. Before crossing the ocean and arriving at New York City, we had stops at ports in Le Havre (France), Portland/Weymouth (England), Vigo (Spain) and Bermuda. Most memorable was the opportunity to go to Normandy, France, visit several of the beaches of the D-Day invasion as well as the American Cemetery and Point du Hoc. Standing where so many young men gave their lives to defeat the evil goals of Hitler was a humbling experience. Our guide shared that when local citizens see anyone having fun—swimming, etc.—on those beaches, they go to them and tell them that they are being disrespectful toward those from other countries who fought and died on that beach to free France from the Nazis. They ask them to go to another beach. Respect!

The fifth little item is that, as of midnight on October 31, I retired from full-time ministry at the age of 70. That is right: No more vacations for me. From now on, we will just be taking trips. I expect to continue serving God in any way He directs. I thank God for the privilege of serving Him in various capacities including music, youth, education, outreach, activities, and pastor. The congregations included the dear people of: First Baptist Church of Lindsay, Oklahoma; First Baptist Church, Perry, Oklahoma; First Baptist Church, Rhome, Texas; Trinity Baptist Church, Lakewood, Washington; and the wonderful saints of Kitsap Lake Baptist Church, Bremerton, Washington who were challenged by God to call a career youth pastor to serve as their senior pastor.

Now, for that most personal detail. On May 25, Dad, who had been bedridden for a while, walked again. His first step was into the presence of Jesus and I can only imagine he has not slowed down one bit. Some folks may wonder and a few have asked, “What did he die from?” Simply put, he was 97 ½ years old. The WWII veteran was the youngest of five siblings who all exited this mortal life in birth order—the way it’s supposed to be done! To the very end, Dad honored God and pointed others to Him. He exhaled his last in Eugene, Oregon, and inhaled his first breath in Heaven. As many have observed, it was not his end. It was his true beginning. Our sincere appreciation to all the care givers, especially my niece, Renee, who, along with Mom, provided the greatest level of loving care every day.

I appreciate your prayers for our whole family. While we all miss Dad every single day, my dear mother misses him the most. God continues to use her to inspire and encourage the whole family as well as others. So, we want her to stay healthy and happy! Besides, my sister and her clan need Mom to straighten them out EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! It must be a great relief to her to know that her three sons remain practically perfect in every way.

May your Christmas season be filled with thanksgiving to God for sending His Son, love for others, time with family, and treasured memories!

In His love,

Jim and Cathy Gantenbein

Some Things Never Change

It is Sunday morning, November 20, 2022. After two weeks in Indiana with David, Jordan, Levi, Maelie, and Hank, we are about to head out to our first Sunday from home as a retired minister. I am looking forward to it but it definitely is a different feeling. We are not on vacation. We are not going to worship where we are members. The whole thing of having no official responsibility is… nice. 

Pastoral leadership is a privilege and a great responsibility. There are specific responsibilities, such as those identified in the job description, and there are a myriad of other items that default to the pastor because, as is often stated, "I didn't know who to ask and you're the pastor, so…." Those will not be a part of my experience this morning. I anticipate we will be with Aaron, Denise, Sélah, Emma, Jada, and probably Carla as we worship together.

What is God's plan for us in the way of congregational involvement in the future? I do not know. I will just take it one day at a time and listen for His direction.

One thing I do know after twenty days of retirement. The majority, if not all, of the changes that come with retirement do not include my daily walk with God. That relationship has not changed. He is still my Lord and I am still His child 100% of the time. While in vocational ministry, I had various tasks to perform. Those tasks are no longer a part of my daily routine. But the most important things of ministry, i.e. loving God, loving others, and making disciples, will always remain because they are the most important things for every follower of Christ. 

My days continue to begin with a time of prayer and Bible study. My relationships with others still need to reflect God's love. And now that I am retired and continue those spiritual disciplines and others, it is a blessing and joy to have it affirmed that I have not done those things in the past because I was paid to do them but because I love God and desire to draw closer to Him every day of my life! Some things never change.

Toxic People

At a recent retreat for ministers and spouses, a guest speaker pointed out that there are some people who embrace conflict. He said they look for opportunities to be confrontational. They do not enter into a "discussion" with any intent or possibility of changing their mind. They thrive on strife. They are toxic. Our speaker pointed out that we should avoid them. 

I am not one of those people. At least I do not feed on the negativity of conflict. But in a group of over 8,000 messengers here at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, there are bound to be some of them present. Whether shouting from the back of the hall or demanding to be heard at the microphone, they make their presence known. I suppose it is easy for them to find a target at any given time since we are a convention of flawed people and a gathering with various opinions.

But it discourages me every single time. There is a characteristic about them that distinguishes them from others who, for any number of reasons, may be in disagreement with something or have a "bone to pick." I think that difference is discerned by the tangible presence or absence of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Those poor folks are prisoners of their hunger for conflict. They—their rantings—also instantly become the focus of everything. Psalm 113:2-3 (ESV) says, "Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!" I am certain that they would insist they are glorifying God because they are exposing hypocrisy or are on some other noble quest, but the presence of His Spirit is absence. In its place is disdain, self-righteousness, and arrogance. 

I find that, at least for myself, discernment comes quickly when I filter things through a certain passage. It is applicable to every situation, too, be it a church convention (and I use "church" as a building, place, institution, and those who exercise authority in and through it, i.e. kuriakos as opposed to the word Jesus used which was ekklesia meaning congregation, assembly, called out ones), politicians, or anything else. That passage is Galatians 5:22-24 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." The fruit is to be understood in its entirety, not just one element at a time. It is a package that cannot be imitated and maintained for any appreciable length of time. Nevertheless, even though it enables me to quickly discern the force behind a person, it does not make it easy to listen to their rants.

Every time I am exposed to this type of person, it should drive me to pray, "God, may I spend less time and energy drawing attention to myself and use more of it to point others to You!" And I do hope to achieve that someday.

Another Close Call

Context is important, so…

Jim’s Surgery Lexicon

• Invasive vs Non-invasive surgery – Invasive requires breaking through the skin while non-invasive does not.
• Major vs Minor surgery – Any surgery you may have is minor. Anything that happens to me, from removing a splinter to… well, everything else, is major.
• Recovery Period – The time required, following surgery, for the patient’s mind and body to heal sufficiently to resume a normal lifestyle and stop needing the pity, sympathy, and compassion of others. In my case, look in a theological dictionary under “rapture”.

The Epic Story

Short summary:

    On January 24, 2022, I underwent major, invasive surgery. Please, it is okay. I survived… so far. You can breathe easy again. It was the most rapid progression from walking into the doctor’s office, receiving his diagnosis, and going under the knife that I have ever experienced. That includes the emergency exploratory surgery when I lost my spleen and appendix in the 7th grade. I am mostly recovered from that trauma, though. Thanks for your concern.

Detailed account (not for the faint of heart):

    Since the Spring of 2021, I had been experiencing an increasing stiffness and pain in my right pollux, particularly the palmar side of the metacarpophalangeal joint and it was even more painful than it sounds. The dolor finally reached a point where I knew a consultation with my primary physician was in order. After examination, he suggested three options, one which had been unsuccessful in the past and another which would have involved even greater pain. The third option involved being referred to a specialist. So, the appointment was made.

    Upon entering the examination room, I was quite pleased to learn that I could remain in full attire. When the surgeon entered, he examined the impaired area, instructing me to move this way and that. Then he shared two avenues of treatment, both mentioned by my G.P. and, fortunately, omitting the one which would have involved greater pain on the uncertain path to possible wholeness. We both agreed that the previously unproductive method was still not preferable. That left major invasive surgery which we both felt was the best option.

    Then, to my surprise, he interrupted himself and said, “We can do that, which would mean having the procedure done downstairs in one of the operating rooms, or…” (This kind of pause always makes me a little nervous and I think he was counting on that, just for dramatic effect.) “I can try sticking a needle in there and blindly probing around until I think I’ve located it and then try to blindly cut through it with the tip of the needle.”

    “I’m okay with that.”

    “Great! You sit right here in this chair and we’ll go get what we need.”

    He and the assistant quickly left the room.

    That was when I realized there would be no future appointment for this procedure but that I would be placing my life into his hands within minutes.

    The surgeon and assistant returned with an array of needles, ranging in size from, literally, thinner than a straight pin to a considerably bulkier one that could sheathe several of the smaller ones inside its shaft. The smaller ones were used to inject me with local anesthesia. While we waited for the numbing to materialize, he sent the assistant back for another large needle, “The dark green one,” and we shared about our faith in God and things the Bible teaches us. It was the best conversation I have had with a Seventh-Day Adventist in years and we both enjoyed it.

    Now, it was time to begin the gruesome but necessary overhaul. Still chatting, the surgeon inserted the big needle through my delicate skin, but stopped abruptly when I “gently” informed him, “I feel that!” Before beginning, I had shared—and his assistant confirmed the reality of the condition—that I needed extra (double?) anesthesia. (Something about an Irish red gene.) The little needle when back to work and minutes later the big needle continued without further interruptions on my part.

Do you know how you can feel something without feeling it? I mean, like when a child sitting behind you in the car kicks the back of your car seat. You do not feel that child’s foot but you do feel and hear the impact. The “blind probing” was like that. It was even more pronounced when the very sharp tip of the big needle began to cut what we both hoped was the intended target. I remembered that he had used the word “blindly”.

    About the time I had experienced enough of the sound and second-hand feeling of that needle, the good surgeon had finished this dangerous life-threatening operation.

    Having not expected all of this when coming for what I believed was just the first visit, I had come alone. Now, I had to find a way to get from Lakewood to Port Orchard while still under the dangerous influence of the anesthesia. 

    They say “necessity is the mother of invention” and that proved true. After a brief stop at the credit union, I drove home. (I am, after all, the product of a rugged and self-reliant generation.)

Epilogue: 

    During the procedure, the surgeon stated, “No pity. This is a ‘no sympathy procedure.’” He explained that when there are no stitches and there is no big scar, no one cares, so I should not expect anyone to care. But I am counting on you, my dear reader, to care. (Chocolate is a good indication of concern, and not the cheap kind, either.) 

    Oh, lest you worry too much, my right thumb seems to be working just fine, again.

 It They Was Were a Very Good Years

Dear Family and Friends,

We want to wish you a very blessed Christmas and a joyful new year!

I have some male friends who made the decision to not get their haircut again until after all the COVID restrictions are lifted. (Actually, I think a couple of them cheated and got trims.) Instead of taking that step, I would like to say that I made the decision to not do another Christmas letter until COVID is over. Really, I would like to say that. It would probably sound better than admitting that I'm just…             Hey, how about those Seahawks!

Enough has been said (and experienced) regarding the pandemic and everything associated with it. 

In 2020 and 2021, we have been very blessed and I will now attempt to prove it in short bites so I don’t put you to sleep. I only wish I could show you a current picture of the whole family. Maybe next year.

Cathy 

• The love of my life had her first two years as a retired person. Our individual impressions about that are the same: WE LOVE IT!!! She does not miss work at all and has been able to keep in touch with some of her former colleagues.
• She has spent her “free time” being on the VBS Training Team (not the official name of it but it is more descriptive) for the Northwest Baptist Convention and Olympic Baptist Association. 
• She is teaching her kids again in Sunday School (observing all of Washington’s rather stringent mandates).
• She goes to the YMCA about five times a week!
• Our house is clean!… all the time!… every bit of it!… but never clean enough. (You always hear folks complaining about having to clean the house. You will never hear my Cathy making such a statement.)
• Our average meal time (dinner) is much, much earlier now that she is not arriving home around 5:45pm after leaving home no later than 6:30am.
• She is happier! (So am I.)

Jim

• I am in my 16th year as the pastor of Kitsap Lake Baptist Church (KLBC), Bremerton WA.
• I still have a passion for seeing people grow spiritually.
• I still enjoy being able to preach from God’s word each week. The preparation time continues to be very meaningful for my own spiritual growth.
• I learned how to record, edit, and put worship services on YouTube.
• I learned how to do meetings on Zoom… all the time… way, way, way too often.
• I have had opportunities to continue doing some writing for LifeWay Christian Resources.
• I know where the YMCA is.
• My body is older. Really. I feel it.
• Hair is overrated.
• I have had some basal cell skin cancer taken care of and my left ear rebuilt.

Us

• We have been able to take a number of trips to spend time with my parents in Eugene OR. For those who want to know: Dad and Mom are still married (75 years the day after Thanksgiving), Mom had back surgery to relieve the sciatic pain (She woke up here instead of in Heaven but wasn’t too upset because the pain was relieved), they are doing well enough physically for being 96 and 92, they still live in their own home but our niece spends most nights there, and Dad had a “significant” stroke in April of this year. On June 18, my siblings, our niece, some medical personnel, and I had a Zoom meeting to learn more about Dad’s health. To make a long story short, he has already lived past the prognosis. He does have increasing dementia but usually does fairly well during the daylight hours.
• We have also made a couple of trips down to Eureka CA to spend some time with Shane, Alison, Cecilia, Avery (our newest grandson, born on August 31), and all their animals.
• In March 2020, we flew down to Phoenix to visit with David, Jordan, Levi, and Maelie. In November 2021, Cathy returned to visit for a week only this time it was to Indiana where David is now on staff in New Albany.
• Like everyone else, we have had a lot of stuff called off and trips cancelled, too.
• We enjoyed the summer, including the vegetable garden and fruit trees.
• We continue to enjoy living close to Aaron, Denise, Sélah, Emma, and our foster granddaughter, and are very grateful for getting to see them frequently.
• We are grateful for opportunities to travel, visiting friends and family. Someday, we hope to do it much more, visiting more friends and family as well as seeing areas of this country to which we have never traveled.
• Sometimes, we hunt for mushrooms. Most of the time, they succeed at hiding from us.
• We treasure the time we have together, now as throughout our 47+ years of marriage.

Finally, Cathy and I want you to know that we are in awe of the countless ways God has blessed us. It is our prayer that you will experience His blessings, too.

Love to all of you!

Jim and Cathy