Yesterday was Gail's birthday and we just received a puppy through the generosity of one of our students and are presently up through the night tending him as if he were a new baby. He’s a lot of fun…and a lot of work! It is said that the only animal that will respond to mankind without a reward is a dog. Man’s best friend, the dog, needs only a pat on the head to be happy and obedient. While that is a reward in itself, food, and/or negative reinforcement are not necessary to train a dog. All it takes is praise, a pleasant tone of voice, and a pat on the head.

When Gail was in her last days with us and unable to move very much at all, I would come home from work and bend over her bed and hold her to myself. I would take her arm and place it over my back so she could hug me back. For the past few years she and I would often say to one another, “You’re doing so good in your life.” As I would hug her in this way I would say to her, “You’re doing so good.” I meant that she was being a great example of faith and patience as she suffered through her trial.

 It was about three days before she went to be with the Lord and on this day particular day when I hugged her the kids were standing around and they said to her, “Mom, tell Dad that he’s doing so good.” As they kept coaching her she mustered the words, “You’re going to do so good.” At the same time she patted me on the back with what strength she had left. Gail was saying to me that after her departure she had confidence that I would continue, with God’s help, to be good for the family. She was assuring me and the kids that I would not fail them, and that all of us would be just fine. I cannot express how much that meant to me, and how it will continue to mean to me! I will go on in the encouragement of those words for many years. I rest satisfied that our thirty years together were filled mutual “pats on the back,” but this last one is a healing balm. All I’ve ever wanted was a pat on the back.

Is it true that our greatest desire; our deepest need, is a “pat on the head”? Whether from a parent or an employer or an admired friend, nothing makes us perk up and wag our tail more than the acceptance and praise of another. When a parent praises a child he or she is saying to that young one, “You are doing so good in your life. I accept you and am pleased with you. I am, at this moment, at rest with you. I love you.”

However wonderful approval is from another person, there is an even greater commendation—that of a holy God. The most wonderful words one will ever hear are to come from the Lord Jesus Christ at the end of life and while standing at the Judgment, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.” And, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25).

It should be solemnly stated that only a few hear these comforting words. The others must hear, “Depart from Me, you accursed into the everlasting fire…”  What’s the difference, and how can you be assured that the Savior will welcome you at the end of your life? Jesus is the difference. He offered Himself on the cross as the only way to God. The Father said of Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” When you surrender yourself to Him and believe that what He accomplished in His death for you, then you are forgiven for your sins and you are also pleasing to God. You become your Father’s child and are safe with Jesus in heaven. You have most certainly passed from death to life and will be welcomed into the kingdom. “Well done, good and faithful slave,” is the best pat on the back you will ever receive!

Thank you for your friendship and for walking through this valley with us.

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…” Luke 2:8-14

    I am so thankful to God for sending Jesus to save us from the curse of sin—suffering, death, the frown of God at judgment, and hell. His salvation and the sure promise of His pardon, and His presence, and life forevermore is good news to me and the family. It has brought joy to us in the midst of our loss of precious Gail. I am so glad that there is another world of wholeness and harmony where those who have found room in their hearts for Jesus here are rejoicing there! Gail, along with the redeemed live there forever is the sunshine of the smile of God. “Love is stronger than death” Song of songs 8:6.

    We are enjoying a quiet Christmas together at our home in Kansas where a recent snow storm has left us with a white Christmas. Pooling their training from Mom, the girls have whipped up a dinner that rivals anything from past years and have made this a fine Christmas day.

     Joy and Kari start back RN’ing the first week in January. Micah, Kari’s Sweet Thing, is coming tomorrow for several days. Kate is going to start cleaning houses again—her motto on her ad being, “I Clean House.” Jonathan and I are completing the finish work on a house addition for friends up the creek. Jonathan is planning a month long missions trip to the Philippines with our friend, Dwight Palmquist, a veteran missionary. Scott and Will continue their schooling at home under Kate’s firm schoolmarm hand.

    May the Lord Himself bless you with a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of good things that will last forever! We love you and thank you for being here for us!

~Woody

    Thank you all so very much for the outpouring of love and concern you showed during the memorials and through these recent days. God has really used you to be a help and an encouragement to us. Many of you came a great distance to be with us! May the Lord repay for your love and investment. I know that those of you who could not make it were with us in spirit and I count you as having been there also. How do I say thank you adequately enough? Thank you, dear friends.

     Each one of the kids spoke at the memorials, either reading part of their letter they wrote to Mom earlier in the year, or telling about some way in which she benefited their life. It was a powerful part of the ceremony and I was so proud of them for being willing to bless their mom. I shared how Gail has been a help to me over the years and read from Proverbs 31, "Her children rise up and bless you; her husband also and he praises her saying, 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you [dear Gail] excel them all.'"

    I told everyone what a killer shopper she was and how I wish that I had kept all the money she'd saved us. She even made us shop when we went camping. We would have to look at all the available campsites before choosing one. As we drove around the loop she made me put out a child at vacant sites in order to hold it in case it was the best. We often had several children distributed throughout the campground before we were done "shopping." You would have thought we were going to build a house there.

    I so appreciate our pastor friend from the coast, Roger Evey who did a excellent job officiating. The funeral director spoke to everyone at the cemetery and said that he had not seen such a fine service in a long time. We had prayed that God would be glorified, Gail would be honored, and everyone would be blessed. I sense that He heard and answered.

    Gail’s last words to us were, "Trust Jesus."

~Woody