Dear Mom, You give great hugs. You have a contagious laugh. You are a wonderful cook and baker. You are an amazingly talented organist. You exemplify patience. You are a picture of discretion, always choosing a positive outlook. You are devoted to your family. You are a graceful pastor's wife. You are a caring friend. You drove thousands of miles to take all of your children to Lutheran schools. You stayed at home for us. You showed me how to live frugally and how to do so joyfully! You taught me how to keep an orderly house, and how to make that house, a home. You … Read More...

This weekend, my husband and I traveled to celebrate two grandparent birthdays. We stopped to see grandparents in Fort Wayne before driving to Indianapolis to see grandparents there. My grandparents live further away in Ohio and Kansas, so it's nice to have two sets close in Indiana. My husband and I are blessed to have all of our grandparents still living. All eight of them are still married (for 50 plus years each) and in love with their spouses. Andy and I are blessed to have their examples to emulate! Here is a picture that I cherish from our wedding. Here we all are together to … Read More...

Today Davenie Kael becomes God's child in the water and Word of baptism. What a miracle it is to witness! God takes ordinary "stuff" as my Pastor / Dad likes to say and does something out of the ordinary. God writes His name on her heart. I've always loved the hymn "See This Wonder in the Making" by Carl Schalk. Do you know this baptismal hymn? It begins like this, "See this wonder in the making - God Himself this child is taking. Now God's precious son or daughter, born again by Word and water." What a grace-filled gift! Andy and I are honored to serve as Davenie's baptismal sponsors. As we … Read More...