Tis the Season . . .

 Thanksgiving we were all together in Tulsa . . . In keeping with our annual tradition, we kicked off the holiday with Wednesday brunch at the Wild Fork.  It started years ago as Bethany and I would get away for a relaxing meal (that we didn't have to cook ourselves) to kick off the weekend.  It grew every year to include more and more of us.

Throughout the day Wednesday different family members arrived.  Jim and Jan made it in ahead of Colorado storms on Monday night.  Marshall, Katie and the kids came in mid-day from Edmund and Mike Good and Tammy joined us in late afternoon.  We all enjoyed a simple meal of soup at our house Wednesday night and Holiday breakfast the next morning.

Mat smoked the turkey and each person shared their own part of the meal.

Having Mike and Tammy with us made our Thanksgiving holiday even more special.
Tammy drove them in from Springfield, MO. (She hates driving on the interstate- but got them here in great shape).  Mike is living each day to its fullest loving the Lord as he battles ALS.  Tammy is his devoted caregiver.  

Christmas came right on the heels of Thanksgiving and it all sort of blended into one long season of celebrating.   We got to see the Grands in all their Christmas programs and it was wonderful.  The season takes on a special significance from the eyes of little ones -- as Jack says, "It's about Jesus birth!"

 Sun 12/8 - Jack and Sydney sang in Redeemer Covenant's Children's choir

 Sat 12/14 Charlie and Clara's school program and Clara's Dance Recital

cl   Sun 12/15  -  Both Sydney and Campbell were in the Nutcracker and spent many hours practicing for it.   Sydney was a clown and Campbell was a mouse.  The girls did an outstanding job and loved it!

 

 Meanwhile, the 3 little guys hung out together with Uncle Mat and Aunt Bethany. 

Wed 12/18  We got to see Jack in his last preschool Christmas Program at Redeemer Covenant 

Marshall and Katie hosted Christmas week at their house with Jim and Jan Good arriving on the 22nd, Terry and I arriving Christmas Eve and Mat and Bethany and the Goodletts coming in on Christmas morning.  We were 8 adults, 6 kiddos and 4 dogs.

Up at 5:45 and ready for the morning!

Early morning Edmund - Charlie really got into the swing of it.

Edmund by 10:30

Christmas clutter and soooo many fun gifts

These four make a great team and took great care of their parents!!!  Prime Rib with all the trimmings
 Cousin Fun -- the 6  Grands loved being together and were sad when they had to say goodbye.
 

 Campbell got hair chalk and make-up for Christmas - so the gals 
played beauty shop.

Pawpaw is the "go-to" for fun and cuddles
Word is that he created "Santa Claus" by phone on Christmas Eve for the Tulsa Grands and their friends.

This little guy laughed grinned and loved every minute of his holiday.  I loved my time snuggling and holding --watching him
grow so quickly makes me hold on to him a little longer.

s

Larry Bandy

Once again, loss has occurred and again this time it hits close.  My lifelong friend, Charlene DeWerff Bandy has lovingly cared for her husband, Larry, for over 10 years.  She and Larry have been woven within my family's history for the past 48 years and with, Charlene 67 years of close family ties.  December 8, Larry Bandy joined the ranks of Heaven.

Larry fought for our country in Vietnam and came home to marry Charlene and raise a family.  He loved his family, worked the DeWerff family farm while working another job in manufacturing for many years.  His years in Vietnam caused him to contract Agent Orange Disease.   It took a serious toll on his heart, lungs, kidneys and caused him to contract diabetes, as well.  I remember that as Larry returned from war - landing at the St. Louis airport - heading home to surprise his family- no one would offer him a ride.  It was an unpopular war that did not honor its military.  Recently Larry was recognized for his service at a gathering of supportive veterans-- long overdue.  

Larry will be sorely missed by his family -- he was a beloved grandfather to four and created special family times with them.  He was a special granddad.

Working on automobiles was Larry's passion and he restored them.  He and Charlene would travel to Nomad conventions across country to connect with other Nomad Enthusiasts.
Larry and Charlene were truly a team as they did life together -- farming, traveling and raising their family.

Celebrating PawPaw

We kick off the Fall season with Terry's birthday on November 10.  Terry likes to keep it on the low with very little fanfare -- but lots of time with his little ones.  Bethany and Mat hosted a wonderful dinner and Katie was able to bring the kids to town to surprise him.  Nothing pleases T more than loving on his little ones.

The cousins love their time together -- being so close in age, gives them the chance to play, compete and learn from each other.  Jack loves it that he is the oldest.

Charlie found Pawpaw on the back of his book, " The Love Ethic"

LOSS

The more days that pass on the calendar -- the more I realize how very short our time on earth really is. In just 2 1/2 weeks, another from my closer circle of family / friends has traveled to their eternal home.  The death of someone nearer to us causes us to look at our own lives and contemplate the meaning of our days -- those already past and the ones to come -- questioning the direction of our life and prioritizing our efforts.

Sharon Brumit Farmer was my college roommate of 4 years at David Lipscomb College.  We met in a summer program in elementary school and decided to become roommates in our early teens.  
Our sophomore year, we lived as a suite of 8 girls in one of the college dorms.  Two of our number have left this earth.  All of us have faced life challenges of health and relationships. .  . broken hearts and broken bodies.

During those years of transitioning from teens to adults we talked of every area of the life we expected.  We did not talk of debilitating illness or loss.  Sunday, after receiving the news of her passing the six of us remaining, texted our memories of that year we all lived in Fanning Hall.  Over and over we talked of the songs we used to sing. .  .harmonizing together.  

 Sharon took her place in the Heavenly Chorus about 3pm.  .  . finally able to sing again.  Sharon sang her way through life.  She was a music / English major in college -- was choral director at David Lipscomb High School and an elementary principal.  Music was such a part of her family.  AND so was ALS.  During the 8 year battle Sharon lost her all her physical abilities and her gift of singing. I know this dreadful disease firsthand from watching my mother struggle during her final months.

I read in a post from her children that as she moved HOME, her family sang over her. It was fitting that her service included a special time of singing and music.  One post from a former student, said that at every performance the choir closed by surrounding the audience singing, "Sweet Spirit".  

Social media has exploded with tributes to Sharon's courage, selflessness, love for others, her laughter and storytelling and there was always mention of her music.  Just 3 weeks before she went home, Sharon posted to FB a short paragraph the day after her birthday.  One that she had written with the use of technology allowing her to use eye movements to type a message. 


The memorial program contained this message from Sharon -- typed in this same format:

a special thank you to Bev Attwood who was able to share with us the format of the service.

Our Brother -- James

James and Candy came to Life Park in 2004-5 and did a Passover celebration with our children.

Patriarch is a word that comes to mind when we think of James.  As the leader of his family clan, he and Candy have been Gigi and Pappy to Nine grands and five greats.  Through it all, creating a lineage of faith was important.  .  . securing their children in the Father. 

The tallit in this picture was a part of James' memorial. He would wear it on the Sabbath as he blessed his children and grands.  I'm told he would sing the Sabbath Prayer song from "Fiddler on the Roof" with it wrapped around his shoulders and point to the grandkids - reminding them to stay in the faith.  It was a mantle of protection, guidance, and blessing as it covered his family at the service and as the Blessing for the Children was recited.

James loved his grandbabies

James and Candy have guided their children and grands through seasons of growth to adulthood all under their guidance and protection that created a  "love-covering" over them.

These are our sweet memories of James --

James knew something about everything.  He was the kind you would never want to play Trivia with.  He read up on EVERYTHING!

James kept traditions with us -- every Thanksgiving James would make the best giblet gravy for our turkey!

James loved family and would always make the most of our times together.   When he would drive Papa Bell to South Texas to the family reunions -- he had a grand time and knew something about everyone there -- we always felt he knew the relatives better than we did. James was devoted to his children. Candy was his soulmate and as was described at his service they were united elders in their fellowship.

Our last family get-together in Tulsa, even though the trip was hard for him and his strength was compromised - he became a large part of our rival storytelling and kidding.   I remember how on Friday night when he joked with our Grands --Campbell was so taken with James kidding and stories. 

James was a warrior.  When James came to Tulsa in 2006 for cancer treatment -- he would go for treatments and then come home to rest and keep busy.  He sought health-giving treatments and worked the regimen faithfully for 16 years working at his job up until this past June.

Papa Bell loved to call on James for mealtime prayer as we would gather in Burkburnett

James would pray in ways that you knew you had all been blessed and spiritually cared for.  Bethany was thinking of James, the other day and remembered celebrating Terry's 70th birthday and asking James to pray. . . what a beautiful prayer that was

James loved the Gulf.  He made sure they got to Galveston every summer for 30 years.  Last summer we had a chance to join them for a few days and it was a special time to connect and catch up.

James and his Candace -- devoted to each other their bonds of love and trust were very song.  We got to travel to see them this past March when T & I were on break from teaching.

Marshall referred to James this past weekend as a PROPHET to those who lived in that area of Texas.  James touched many lives and leaves a gaping hole.  He will be sorely missed by our family.


James and Candy were well acquainted with the Torah and the teachings of the Old Testament:  I believe this verse best exemplifies their mission to their family.

“Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”  Deut. 4:9

James entered his Heavenly home at midnight, October 17.