Long Time

Lets see since I have last done this I have been to WI twice, last time to marry my Daughter, been to TX once and have had a lot of fun between all that.
My daughter got married on 9-21, you talk about fun that was a fun time. Me and her always did have a special relationship. On her wedding day we toke a walk and just talked and laughed had a great time. Of course it always helps if your daughter is marrying a good man. And my daughter did just that. Lisa and Micheal have been married 6 weeks and are adjusting to marriage well or at least I think so, of course I'm 700 miles from them so what do I know. When you consider that they were 35+ years old when they got married and nether one of them were ever married before, its not going bad. A lot of adjusting to do but they will do just fine.
Sandra went up the last week of August to help Lisa with the wedding plans. Came home for 10 days than went back up to help Lisa move into Micheal's house. Than she toke a plane to TX. I drove down to be with her and the kids. Had a great time with the grand kids and there parents.
That's all for now I'll talk more about the wedding in later posts. This is just a brief outline of the last several months.

Ice-Water-Basketball and mickael

Since the last time I blogged there has been a ice storm, 5" of rain and NCAA basketball games going on. My daughter [Lisa] and her boy friend have been here. It's looks serious between Mickael and Lisa. And that is a good thing. Seems to be a fine young man.
The ice storm broke a lot of tree branches down, made a mess of the yard. Power went out for 36 hours. I got frustrated and went out and bought a 5ooo watt generator, electric start, 30 ft power cable, worked great.
Than the rains came. Good grief 5" of the stuff. Flooded the yard, made a mess of everything.
But I don't know what I'am crying about a whole lot of people had a whole lot more problems than I ever though about.
In the middle of watching a whole lot of basketball. Men and women's NCAA games. Great time killer but a lot of fun.
Great Easter service. Just another reminder of what Christ did for us.

Bill Gathard

IBYC In 1973 that is what the seminar was called. I went to my first seminar in Indy IN. 7000 people there, red note books, hand outs every break it was something. No matter what anyone says about the seminar content or how cult's it became [and it did] I grow more in Christ going thur the seminar than anywhere else. When the seminar came to Dayton in 1976 I was the materials leader for 10 years, set up leader for 3 years, than usher leader for 8 years. My wife and I have been to all regular seminars in Dayton [21]. All the advanced seminars [approx 12]. [2] Husband and wife seminars. I worked 14 pastors seminars. Bill was live at all the advanced, husband & wife, and pastors seminars. It was a great time, a spiritual growing time. Many lessons learned and Life style changes made. Now having said all that I realize He had Brother problems, big time Brother problems. His ministry was flawed in some of the insights he had into what the bible really said. [He liked to interpret it to fit his way of thinking sometimes] He had and still does a huge home schooling base of parents, who follow him colt like. He does not have any big seminars anymore [I was one in Detroit 15000 people, 6500-7000 in Dayton for years]. Nor to my knowledge does he have any advanced or pastors seminars anymore. He started a ministry in Russia, Singapore, New Zealand, and some other fortune countries. Have no idea if he is still going or not. Haven't seen anything on his ministry or what is happening there for years. When He started having all kinds of problems and the people I knew started leaving I lost interest in it. Its a real shame to see it go down hill but all things change and move on. O ya they they even changed the name to IBLP.

Wisconsin

I spent the last weekend in northern Wisconsin. Rib Lake to be exact. Now lets back up, my daughter [Lisa] lives there, has for 14 years. She is the food service director at camp Forest Springs. Its a year round Christian camp. You have to be called of God to be there. Its just plan c0ld and snowy. I never go there between Oct. and March, weather is just to nasty for me. I've been there at Thanksgiving -26 wind chill. 25 Th of March 8 inches of fresh snow to go with 12 already on the ground. You get the point. But Lisa needed some stuff for her new house and I needed to get some stuff up for the big sale they have every year in the barn. O ya Lisa has a new boy friend who wanted to talk to me also. So up I went, sure enough its as cold as it has been for 10 years, and record amounts of snow. I'am driving my truck [3/4 ton pickup] gets 13 miles to a gal. 1400 mile trip at $3.10 a gal. do the math. All this for my 35 year old daughter. Don't tell me kids don't keep on costing you. But I'am glad I can do it.
Met her boy friend Mickael hes is a good guy. Loves the Lord and Lisa, can't ask for anymore. He is the same age as her, never been married. So we will see how this all works out. They both want Gods will in there lives so I'am sure it will work out good for both of them.
You have to have a certain mind set to live up there. Lisa was asking someone on staff if the camp would be open on a certain weekend. He just looked at her and said Lisa its only -22 and walk off, several people did show up.

Jim

Jim is a brother [3 years younger than me] who walked out of the house when he was 16. Quite school and started living on the streets. He was in the army and went to Vietnam, where he toke care of the dead soldiers. I have no idea what happened over there but he was dishonorable discharged. I got back from Vietnam in 1967 walked into the house, phone was ringing so I answered it. It was the police wanting to know if mother wanted to bail Jim out of jail. She said no. So I went down and bailed him out. Never did get the money back. He disappeared again until 1972. Showed up for Christmas, said hello and was gone for good. My youngest brother Hank, went to see him in Columbus in 1985, have no idea how he know he was there. That is the last time anyone in the family has seen him. About 2 years ago I started a back ground search for him. Got some help from a buddy who has some computer sites he uses for back ground searches part time. Jim has a record with the Columbus police department, a long record. So my brother and me started going to Columbus to all the different addresses on the police reports. All of the addresses are vacant lots or retail buldings or just aren't there. I will say one thing if you want a prostuite or drugs this is the place to go. Nasty part of town. Just got back from another trip to try to find him. No luck. Talked to some people at the salvation army, who have not seen him but though they might know some people who did. Gave them my phone number told them to call me if anything came up. Will just watch the police reports to see when he gets picked up for something than try again to find him. What is really funny is that my brother and me have no idea what we are going to do or say when we find him. But we will have found him and told him we love him. I guess that is what it is all about.

Dad

Dad died 6 years ago today. He was 86 years old, died of a heart attack. He lived in Holbrook Az. The nearest kid lived in Calf. about 8oo miles away. Just the way he wanted it. He lived in a trailer out in the desert. About 10 miles outside of town. Had a dog, three sheds to putter in, 5 cars to putter on and no neighbors. Satellite TV [one of the first in the area] Cell phone [only turned it on 3 hours a day when he remmbered]. Than couldn,t hear it if he got a call. No air condition, fans, and very little air thur the windows. Went to mass everyday, and to the bank about everyday to see if he could get a better rate on his savings. Never called or wrote anything to us kids. [There was 9 of us] If you wanted to talk to him you just started calling, hoping it was at a time when he had the phone on and hoping he would hear it. If you wanted to see him you flew to Phoenix Az, drove 4 hours north than waited until he would see you. I went there and was told he would see me in 2 days. I drove out right now figuring he would get mad and throw me off the land. He shook my hand seen me for about 2 hours than said he had to take a nap. So I left went back the next day stayed about 3 hours and left for the Grand Canyon. Went home after spending about 2 days at the Canyon. Needless to say dad didn't have any relationship with any of us kids. He just had us and moved on. When mom died that really ended any relationship with us. So I guess you can say I dont remmber many good times with him. That is why I spend so much time with my kids and grandkids.
Now having said all that, the things I did learn from him was save money, work hard, mine your own busness, shut up and listen, and do the right thing in all things.

Winter Blas

It's cold, wet, windy and gray outside. Very little sun and a little snow. But other than that it's great. Good day in church yesterday. Bad day at work today, slow night but I,am glad to be alive and up and able to take nourishment. Just sort of killing time.