Dear Grandkids,

Nona and I recently finished grandkid trip #3. Six more to go with three of them coming up pretty quickly.

Keller’s trip was to Universal Studios and LegoLand.  I think the three of us agreed that after spending two days at Universal, LegoLand was a bit underwhelming. It probably would have been great for a 7 year old but a 10 year old was about aged out – even for someone who still loves legos.

Here are a few highlights and observations from the trip.

1) By far the top highlight of the trip was the time with Keller and the shared memories we created. We had the better part of 5 days to play together, eat together, relax together, travel together, talk together and… just be together. We got to know him a lot better and he got to know us a lot better. So in that regard the trip was definitely a WIN!

2) Universal is very well done. Lots of attention to detail. They have given a lot of thought to the guest experience. And even though it is very crowded (always) the crowd became a part of the experience.

3) We stayed on site at the Terra Luna Resort. If we go back for any of the upcoming 6 trips we will definitely stay on site again. Yes it was very pricey but from our perspective well worth it.

4) Another thing that was worth the price was the Express Pass. Since we were only there for two days this helped a lot. Some lines had a wait time of up to 2 hours. The express pass cut this in a third and saved us a lot of time.

5) Who knew that Harry Potter was such a big deal? There are 3 parks at Universal: Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe. Each of the three has a Harry Potter experience. And this seems to be the main attraction of each park. I really enjoyed two of the immersive attractions – Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (in Epic) and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey inside Hogwarts at Island of Adventure.

6) Who knew that adults are into Harry Potter as much as kids? No doubt this is true because so many of these adults grew up on Harry Potter 20 years ago. And there is still a lot of kid in all of us – even those of us who are 68 years old – who still see the world as a magical place and want to experience the  WOW and astonishment that the world of Harry Potter offers.

7) Keller is really good at wizarding. One of the first things we did was go to a wand store and let him buy a wand. He got a Harry Potter 2nd generation wand. You can actually “cast spells”  with these interactive, high tech gadgets. You can pair them with the Universal app on your phone and go on several wizarding adventures throughout Universal. You can stand in front of shops all throughout the Harry Potter worlds and make things happen inside the shop windows with your wand. Keller loved doing this all over the parks and got really good at it. I’m just glad that he didn’t turn me into a toad.

8) A few other specific things that need mentioning include: The Hogwarts Express – this train runs between Studios and Islands of Adventure and as you look out the train window you feel like you are traveling through Harry Potter’s world. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – This was Linda’s first time on a motorbike since our India accident and she loved it. Diagon Alley – again, such attention to detail. Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge  – Probably our favorite non Harry Potter ride. Either that or Mine-Cart Madness.

9) This was Keller’s first experience with roller coasters so he was not yet ready to try the crazy upside down loop-d-loops like the VelociCoaster – which was perfectly fine with me. I would have done them if he wanted to but it didn’t hurt my feelings at all to skip them.

10) Each night at Epic there is a fireworks and light show in front of the fountain that is in the middle of the park. I am not a huge fireworks fan but even I would say that it was spectacular.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Keller,

So, this is the year! I know that you have been anticipating turning 10 years old – probably for a lot of reasons but mostly no doubt because this is the year of your Nona/Pop Pop trip. I know that you are eagerly looking forward to October and our adventure to Universal Studios and Legoland and truth be told… I am very excited about it as well.

So, this is also the year that you read all the Harry Potter books – which I’m sure influenced your choice of going to Universal and Harry Potter World.  Would it surprise you to know that I read the books as well way back when they were first published? But it has been a while.

They were very entertaining books and even though they are not Christian fiction there are a lot of spiritual themes that are worth thinking about. I love the fact that you love to read but I want to encourage you to read every book that you pick up discerningly – whether it is overtly Christian or not. In other words… THINK about what you read because books have the power to shape our worldview.

With that in mind, here are a few “lessons” that can be gleamed from reading Harry Potter.

There is a real battle between good and evil – The books recognize that evil is real and that choices have consequences. There is indeed an enemy, a very real devil, who is intent on destroying the lives and testimonies of believers and claiming the glory that is God’s alone for himself. Think about the conflict throughout the books with Voldemort and be reminded that we are in a very real spiritual battle.

Evil often begins with small compromises – Remember Peter Pettigrew. He didn’t become evil overnight but made small choices that eventually lead him to betray James and Lily Potter. Our everyday choices matter. Our everyday choices have consequences.  Dumbledore once told  Harry: “It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” Choose wisely my young grandson.

Courage is doing what is right even when it is hard and costly – Do you remember that at the end of The Sorcerer’s Stone, Neville tries to stop Harry, Ron, and Hermione from breaking school rules because he sincerely believes it is right. Dumbledore would later say to him, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” Neville’s courage earned 10 points for Gryffindor enabled them to win the House Cup. Live courageously!

Friendship is a powerful gift – Harry could never have defeated Voldemort on his own. He had to rely on his friendship with Hermione and Ron throughout the series. This is a good time to remind you of  something I say often: “The voices you listen to affect the choices you make.” You need to surround yourself with friends who are making good choices because you WILL be influenced by the voices of those closet to you.

Wise mentors can have a huge influence on your life – Throughout the series, Dumbledore helps Harry understand his identity, his purpose, his temptations, his responsibilities. He gives Harry guidance but does  not protect him from learning some hard lessons on his own through experience. But he is there to give encouragement and  counsel as needed. As you grow up you will need lots of mentors. Spiritual mentors, marriage mentors, vocational mentors, financial mentors. Be on the lookout for people you trust and respect in these various areas and invite them into your life.

Less than three months until GO TIME. I’m looking forward to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. What about you? What rides are you most looking forward to?

Hope you have a great day celebrating the first decade of your life. And looking forward to the adventure your next 10 years will bring.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Judah,

A very happy 5th birthday to you.

People tell me often that your dad is a lot like me. I guess you have to be on the outside looking in because I would never make that kind of comparison. It must be the mannerisms because it is certainly not the hairline.

Well, even at 5 years old I can see at least 4 ways that you are already like your dad. Like father like son. And this is a good thing. I would not say this about just any dad but your dad is a man worth being like.

First of all, you have an amazing memory. I notice this especially when it comes to songs but I have no doubt that  remembering things comes easy to you. I was always amazed at how easy it was for your dad not just to memorize songs but also Bible verses and other information he had to learn. This is a great gift and one that the Lord will use in your life in lots of different ways.

Second, you are very playful. Your dad still likes to play. Still likes to be silly. Still likes to have fun. This “like father like son” trait will help to connect you to people. It will also keep you from taking things too seriously all the time. Sometimes a little silliness is needed to help deal with the harsh realities that this life will bring and will help to lighten the mood when the darkness settles in.

Third, you have a strong will. Sometimes a strong will can come across in a bad way. But a strong will can be a very good thing. A strong will surrendered to the Lord leads to strong convictions and a determination to obey the Word when the world is challenging you to do otherwise. A strong will will help you to do the right thing when nobody is watching and will help you to get back up and press on after failure.

Lastly, you are the youngest of three siblings. Just like your dad. Birth order advocates will tell you that there is a lot of significance to being the youngest. But as the youngest with two older sisters you are positioned well to learn how to relate to and treat the opposite sex. This will prove to be invaluable as you grow up and anticipate having a family of your own.

Like father like son!

But it is even more important that you be like Father like son. So just as our heavenly Father is compassionate and loving and forgiving and patient and generous and faithful and gracious so my prayer for you as you grow up is that you will become more and more like our heavenly Father. Ephesians 5:1 says:

“Be imitators of God as beloved children”

Like Father like son!

I’m very excited about the man you are already becoming. You will do well to follow in the footsteps of your dad. But you will do even better to follow in the footsteps of your Father.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Grandkids,

Today our country celebrates it’s 250th birthday.

Which means that it is only 50 years before our country will celebrate its tricentennial. That may seem like a long time away to you but take my word for it it will go by fast. I speak from experience.

I had just turned 18 years old when we had our bicentennial in 1976 and had just graduated from high school as a part of the esteemed bicentennial graduating class of Aiken High School – red, white, and blue tassels and all. Yes, I still have them.

I was 18 then. I am 68 now. And there has been so much change. Unprecedented change in the life of our country. My 18 year old self could never have imagined what our world would look like now. But can you imagine what an 18 year old living in 1776 might think. Or an 18 year old living in 1876?

The 100 years between 1776 and 1876 saw incredible change. Our nation went from relying on horses and sailing ships and hand tools to railroads, telegraphs, factories, and electricity.

• Eli Whitney’s cotton gin transformed cotton production
• Steamships revolutionized travel and commerce on rivers like the Mississippi
• The first transcontinental railroad was completed
• The telegraph was developed by Samuel Morse in 1844 allowing messages to travel almost instantly across great distances
• The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 right at the end of our first 100 years.
• Indoor plumbing began appearing in wealthier homes

The 100 years between 1876 and 1976 saw even greater change – especially with regard to communication…

• The use of telephones became prolific
• Radio broadcasts around the turn of the century could be broadcast nationwide
• Television in the 1940s and 50s became the dominant form of entertainment and news
• Computers in the the last 30 years of the centennial began to evolve quickly
• Satellites began to make international communication easy and fast
• And then you had the advent of automobiles and airplanes and space travel. 1969 saw the first manned moon landing with Apollo 11
• Medical advancements were incredible: x-ray machines revolutionized diagnostics. Insulin, penicillin, and other vaccines eliminated diseases like polio and the measles.
• And life became easier with inventions like the refrigerator, the washing machine, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioning,

The 50 years since I graduated ushered in the digital revolution. Terms that are already  a part of the everyday vernacular to you did not even exist in 1976…

• World wide web
• Internet
• Smartphones
• GPS navigation
• Streaming
• Downloads
• Social media
• Artificial intelligence
• MRI and CT imaging

Technology seems to be advancing exponentially. Can you even imagine what our world will look like in 2076? I will not be around to see it. One centennial celebration is enough for me. But all of you should be. The youngest of you will almost be 55 and the oldest will be 63. All of you will be younger than I am now. There is a good chance that you will live in a world with…

• Flying cars
• Household robots
• The eradication of cancer
• A permanent human colony on the moon
• Regular space missions to Mars
• Life expectancies over 100
• And things that no one has even envisioned yet

So much has changed over the last 250 years… and yet so much has not changed!

People still need the Lord. People still yearn for a satisfaction in life that does not come with advanced technology and more financial resources. People still recognize that there is something wrong with our world. People still long for a contentment that cannot come from anybody or any thing. People still hunger and thirst for joy and peace and hope and love and forgiveness. People still crave fulfillment that, not for want of trying, remains elusive. People still ache in their soul because they have distanced themselves from the One who created them to experience what the Apostle Paul calls the “life that is truly life.”

So, while much has changed over the last 250 years, so much has not changed.

People still need the Lord!

As you get older and get closer and closer to our nation’s tricentennial, my prayer is that you will ground yourself in this relationship that you were created to enjoy and then, and only then, enjoy the things of this world that help you to live a life that honors the Lord and reflects His character.

And never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Grandkids,

As you know, today is Bett’s 90th birthday. I wanted to thank ya’ll for helping Gus (Great Uncle Scott) and I celebrate our Mom’s big day this past Saturday. And I wanted to remind you of a few things that were said on Saturday just to help you (and me) remember them – and especially to remember some things about her.

Here is some of the “Bett Trivia” that I shared with everyone in the form of questions…

• What was the name of her pet duck when she was a child? Quackie
• She spent most of her working career as a teacher. But what did she aspire to be when she was growing up? A movie star, a nurse, and a journalist
• Who was her favorite movie star? Tab Hunter
• What famous artist did she live next door to and play with while growing up? Bob Timberlake
• What famous rock and roll singer did her physician father give a shot of penicillin to (in the buttocks) back in the mid 1950’s? Elvis Presley
• What college did she want to attend and got accepted to but her parents would not let her go to? UCLA
• What college did she start at? UNC-G
• What college did she finish her degree at? University of South Carolina
• How many times did she travel to Paris? 18
• How many continents has she visited? 6 (not Australia)
• How many countries has she traveled to? 48
• How many cities has she lived in? 5 (Lexington, NC, Greensboro NC, Columbia SC, Aiken SC, and Chapel Hill NC)
• What was the name of her first German Schnauzer? Chivas (nickname Sheeby)
• What was the name of her last German Schnauzer? Mandy
• What was her favorite name for the male species? Charles (Both her husbands were named Charles and her first born (moi) was named Charles)
• How many children does she claim? 4. Grandchildren – 5. Great-grandchildren – 10
• How many presidents has she lived through? 15 – starting with FDR
• What is her favorite sport to play and watch? Tennis – one of her all time favorite players is Andre Agassi
• If $1000 had been invested in IBM stock on the day she was born what would it be worth today? About $200 million

Here are a few other Bett facts that  you may or may not already know:

• She grew up in Lexington, NC. Daughter of Mickey and Anel Block. She was known as Betty Block.
• She (and therefore we) are descended from Eastern European Jews
• She had an older sister Beryl and a younger sister Dee.
• She met my Dad (Charles Reyner) when she was attending The University of South Carolina in Columbia. They married in 1957.
• They were together for about 6 years. After they split up, my Mom, my brother and I moved to Aiken, SC where she taught French at Aiken Hight School. She did this for several years and then later worked as a social worker for Vocational Rehabilitation.
• She remarried in 1976 to Chuck James – this is how I became a step brother to Chuck’s two daughters Becky and Libby.
• In 1977 they moved back to Lexington, NC where she worked at North Davidson High School teaching French and sometimes Spanish.
• When they retired they moved to the Chapel Hill, NC area in 1999 so that they could root for Chuck’s beloved Tarheels.
• She has had marvelous health for 90 years. She just had knee replacement surgery earlier this year. But up until her knee starting bothering her you would find her most mornings playing tennis with a group of friends.
• She loves going to movies and plays even still – often visiting the theatre in Chapel Hill and DPAC in Durham.

The other thing I want you to always remember about her was something that Christy said well at the party: She loves people and she loves places.

Places – I mentioned above that she has been to 48 countries. Ask her sometime about her adventures to Antarctica or Vietnam, or India,  or Russia. Her love for travel was passed on and shared with her kids and her grandkids. Gus travels for a living as a flight attendant and I have been to even more countries than she has been to. And she took each of your parents (Christy, Scott, and Tucker) on trips to Paris and New York City when they were teenagers and they have already done much more traveling than most people will do in a lifetime.

People – She has an unstated goal to make every person that she comes in contact with a friend for life. As a result she has friends all over the world. There are people that she met briefly on some of her travels that she has stayed in contact with for decades. She befriends people easily by doing something that comes natural to her (but which feels so un-natural to most people). She knows how to ask questions that communicate genuine interest and lets people know that she really wants to get to know them. I have no doubt that you have been on the receiving end of some of her questions.

Bett has been a GREAT great-grandmother. An awesome grandmother. And a wonderful Mom. She is one of the kindest, most generous people that I know. She has had an incredible influence on my life and I am so grateful that she is my mom and your great-grandmother. The world is definitely a better place because she is in it. I’m already looking forward to 10 years from now when we can celebrate her 100th birthday. Perhaps we can all gather in Paris for the fete.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Asher,

Happy birthday #9 my young soccer playing granddaughter!

No doubt you are aware that the World Cup starts in 2 days and then 2 days after that we start our Sunset Beach week together. So we will have to find some time to watch some soccer together. I love that you love soccer. It is actually a big part of your heritage.

Did you know that your dad was instrumental in what has become known around the world as the “Titanic Turnaround”? The article below came from something that was known as a newspaper – it was a precursor to what you know as an internet newsfeed.  It talks about a shootout to decide the championship match for the soccer league he was playing in. Your dad was the keeper and preserved the win for the Titans. Much like you did a few weeks ago when you blocked the last shootout kick that would have tied the match – after you had made the shootout kick that put your team ahead.

But perhaps you know that I also played soccer. I played for my high school team as a senior and was co-captain along with two of my best friends. In 1976 soccer was still just starting to catch on in the United States. There were not the plethora of recreational leagues or developmental leagues or travel teams that are available to you today. But you can see from the picture below that I was a 17 year old shaggy haired stud of a soccer player. Much has changed. I was not as good at soccer as you or your dad,  but I did have fun playing. I played left wing and even scored two goals – one with my left foot and one with my right foot. So you represent the third generation of soccer players in our family. I hope I am still around to see generation #4.

Here are a few of my observations having watched you play for several years now…

• You are fearless
• You play with passion
• You are learning and getting better and better
• You understand the concept of team and working together
• You are willing to put in the practice
• You enjoy the comoraderie and the competition

All of these are great attributes to have when it comes to soccer and being successful on the field. But they are also great attributes to have for just about anything. Apply them in school. Apply them when you get your first job.  Apply them as you get to know people and develop relationships. Apply them as you seek to know God better.

I’m looking forward to watching you on the field in the years to come. But even more so, I’m looking forward to watching you grow into a beautiful young woman. And by the way, you are only one year away from turning 10. Don’t forget.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Miller,

Happy birthday #9 my young grandson!

I have had the privilege of knowing your awesomeness for almost a decade now. Last year I wrote you a Pop Pop epistle about unfinished sentences. Here’s one that I want to take a few minutes and finish myself:

Two things that make Miller such an awesome nine year old are…

You love BIG – Turtles. Lizards. Goats. Dogs. Elephants. And especially people. I don’t say this just because you are without a doubt the best snuggler in our family but because you communicate and express love towards others substantially. Very few people love as big as you do. Where does this come from? My guess would be that you know how much you are loved and so it comes natural for you to reciprocate. Or maybe it is just the way that God designed you. And I’m very glad that God did. It’s one way that you are like Jesus. He also loved BIG!

• Mary and Martha and Lazarus knew it: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” (John 11:5)
• The Apostle John knew it – he referred to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (John 13:5)
• Even the rich young ruler who was not a follower of Jesus knew it: “Jesus looked at him and loved him…” (Mark 10:21)
• And everyone who has embraced His magnanimous love demonstrated at the cross knows it.

The second thing that I would mention is not unlike the first thing but I say it like this…

You feel deeply – The first time I really realized this was a number of years ago when you were loving on a fish that you had caught and I was concerned  that the fish had been out of the water too long – so I threw it back in the pond. Your reaction was immediate. You would have thought that I had killed your best friend. Sad face. Teary eyes. But mostly slumped shoulders. Most people wear their feelings “on their sleeve.” You wear your feelings on your shoulders.You felt so deeply about that fish that you had known for maybe 2 minutes. And then last month when Duke lost on that last second shot to UConn, I would have thought that your dad or your bros would have been the most wrecked – but no… from what I am told it was you, because you feel everything so deeply. Just like Jesus.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

And when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane just before going to the cross, His deep feelings actually caused a physical reaction – “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44). Matthew said it like this: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (Matthew  26:38)

Thanks for being awesome – in a lot more ways than just these two. Hope you have a bodacious 9th birthday celebration. Nona and I are already looking forward to #10.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Ezra,

Happy birthday #7 girlie.

I know that you are fond of unicorns. Did you know that unicorns are mentioned in the Bible?

Sort of!

•  ^“God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.” (Numbers 23:22 KJV)
• “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. “(Ps 92:10 KJV)
• “Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.” (Ps 22:21 KJV)
• “Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?” (Job 39:9-10 KJV)

There are nine references in all, so this is just a sample. But you get the point. There are unicorns in the Bible. Sort of!

You will notice that each reference is to the King James Version of the Bible (KJV). You will not find “unicorn” in modern translations like the ESV or the NIV. In those translations you will see “wild ox.” It is thought that the word in the original language (Hebrew) referred to something like a large, wild, powerful animal  – perhaps similar to a wild ox, but that is now extinct.

Certainly it was NOT referring to the cute mythological animal so often depicted in children’s literature and coloring books today and that you are so fond of. My guess is that you would not enjoy unicorns so much if you thought it looked like a wild ox – even though oxen are cute in their own kind of way.

But the word unicorn has recently taken on a distinct meaning in our 21st century culture. It has come to mean “something that is unique, very rare, one-of-a kind.” It has been applied to businesses and people and ideas. I want to apply it here in two different ways.

Jesus is a unicorn! Have you ever wondered what the term “only begotten” means? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” That is not a phrase that you hear in everyday conversation. To be “only begotten” means one of a kind, unique, one and only. And that certainly describes Jesus. He was unique in His relationship to God the Father. He was unique in the details of His birth. He was unique in that He never sinned. He was unique in the way that He taught and the miracles He performed. He was unique in the way He provided forgiveness for sin. He was unique in His resurrection and ascension. And He will be unique in His second coming and judgement. He is indeed one of a kind. Jesus is a unicorn!

You are a unicorn! The Lord has created you to be one-of-a-kind. He has created you in His image but unlike any other person that He has ever created. This is true right down to your DNA. This is true right down to your fingerprint. But even more importantly, this is true right down to your personality and the way that God has gifted you. I can already see this in your smile and in the fun way you connect to people and in the way that you react to things that happen.There is no one else like you and He has created you for a unique purpose and to uniquely influence the people you will come across during your lifetime. So I encourage you as you grow up to be on the lookout for just how God wants to use you and who He wants to use you to influence. You are a unicorn!

It is so much fun watching you grow up. May the Lord fuel you with His joy and gladness as He continues to shape you into the one and only Ezra Louise Reyner.

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop

Dear Haddon,

A very happy birthday #6 to you. Perhaps you already know that I don’t watch a lot of TV that is not sports related. But I have gotten interested in a Netflix show that aired back in the early 2000’s. The West Wing ran for 7 seasons and chronicled the presidency of Josiah “Jed” Bartlett and his staff in the White House. The dialogue is fast paced and witty and I often find myself emotionally engaged in the show – which is usually a hint to me that I really enjoy it.

I tell you that to tell you this: The 16th episode of Season 2 dealt with a rather funny  chapter in presidential history. I found the backstory to be very interesting so let me share it with you.

In 1835 Andrew Jackson was our president. A  dairy farmer named Thomas Meacham from New York gifted him a big block of cheese to honor him as “a man of the people.” Now when I say big block of cheese think BIG block of cheese. It weighed about 1400 pounds and it was about 4 feet in diameter and 2 feet thick. Not something you stick in your refrigerator. Jackson kept the cheese at the White House for about a year. Then in February of  1837, near the end of his presidency, he invited the public to come eat it. Thousands of people showed up and made it disappear in a matter of hours. I promise I’m not making this up.

So The West Wing humorously referenced this  with what became known as “Big Block of Cheese Day” – an annual meeting  of the White House Senior Staff with unusual interest groups to demonstrate that the administration was “of the people” and not just about special interest groups that could further their agenda.

So why do I share this and what is my point? Well, when you follow Jesus through the pages of the gospels, you quickly realize that Jesus was not interested in appeasing the special interest groups of the day. He was indeed a man “of the people.” Just read about the woman at the well, or Zacchaeus, or Bartimaeus, or the rich young ruler, or the poor widow, or the paralytic or….. Well, you get my point. Jesus wasn’t pushing a political agenda. He wasn’t looking for people that could advance His career or make Him a lot of money. He didn’t care about making the right connections or about being included in the best social circles. He genuinely cared about people and wanted to help them deal with the difficulties of life and to get their relationship with God straightened out.

Not a bad reputation to have and one worth imitating.

Anyway, I’ll close with this… Some of his best friends were Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Two sisters and a brother. Just an ordinary middle class  family. He often stayed at their house when he was passing through Bethany. And they would invite friends over for some informal dinner parties so they could introduce them to Jesus (Luke 10). It would not surprise me at all to find out that as their guests were gathering, while the meal was still being prepared,  that there was a big block of cheese available as an appetizer. What do you think?

Never forget that you are very loved!

Pop Pop