Christmas Treat From The Old Days

Nobody loved molasses more than my grandfather. It would not surprise me to learn that he ate it in some form most ot the days of his life.

I remember seeing him in the kitchen hand-grinding salt pork for this -- one of his favorites for Christmas time. And I remember seeing the proud look on his face when the finished product was ready to go with his inevitable cups of tea. Hmmm. I must ask Mom if he ever drank coffee. If he did, I don't remember it.

If there were no molasses cookies, gingerbread, or other such baked goods, he was content to finish his meal with a thick slice of home baked bread dotted with hard butter from the refrigerator and topped with a very meticulous swirl of molasses always poured from the "molasses jug" in a circular pattern that began in the center of the bread and ended at the edges of the slice. That sight was always fascinating to me -- Gramp was precise in everything he did, including the way he poured his molasses. (Funny what one remembers, isn't it?)

On Building A Camp

Having a camp on Cary Lake will fulfill a dream of mine since the 1950s. This is on property given to us by Grammie Ruth -- a portion of the land that she bought for herself and her children in 1957 after our father died in a trucking accident. This piece of land represents memories that we want to share with you and it represents the memories that we hope you will build for children of the future. It represents the importance of family love and the Christian heritage that we want to leave for our children and grandchildren (for this will be a place dedicated to our Lord and His Gospel).

Here you see Grampie Wayne and Jonathan enjoying a break from felling, sawing, loading, and hauling trees to make a building plot overlooking the lake. We worked HARD and long hours, but we believe the time and effort will be worth it in the future. Right now where 60 foot hardwood trees and smaller flora once grew is a building with a metal roof and exterior sheathing. It has no windows yet. One door is installed and the other stands inside waiting for the time that the chipboard is removed from the opening and it can take its place on the west entrance. The camp stands in the parentheses that we know as the northern Maine winter. Where the warmth of a phenomenal fall and the rustle of leaves once set the stage for our work, we see ice,  snow, a few brave chickadees and barren hardwoods. It is a time to wait and rest.

We hope you plan to spend some vacation days and weekends at the camp -- and that you might even lend a hand or an idea to this place as it continues to take on a personality that reflects who we are. 

Another Buza Is Going to Guatemala (August, 2011)!

Grandchildren: There are lots of reasons to be happy about Marcia's trip to Guatemala with a team from her Church. Foremost is the opportunity she has to go and minister to people in deep economic and spiritual need. It will be for her -- and maybe for all of us -- a life'changing event. It will be a time to reflect on the human condition and on the necessity of the Gospel being preached to ALL tongues, tribes, and nations. 

One of the joys for this family is because of the fond ties that Grandpa and Grandma Buza had to Guatemala and its people. Back in the 1940s, Robert and Dallas Buza took their three boys: Carlin, Wayne, and Joel and headed to that country to share the Good News with the people. Eventually, illnesses of Wayne (Marcia's Dad) and Grandma resulted in a physician ordering the family to go back to cold climates in order to save the lives of the mother and son. Of course, that little boy Wayne is YOUR grandfather now and he's not so young anymore! 

This picture was scanned from the family passport and was signed by Grandpa. The original photo had the whole family, but this was cropped to show your grandfather (about 2 in this picture) and his Dad. Grandpa's and Grandma's ministry was mainly in Guatemala City, where Aunt Marcia (Mom) will fly on August 17th. My nephew Zack Cain and wife Holly are part of the team as well.  We are amazed to think that they may walk some of the very streets where Gramp's family walked so long ago. We can hardly wait to see the look on her face when we see her again. We can hardly wait to hear her impression of the sights, the sounds, the scenes from a place that is very much changed since the 1940s -- or even the 1970s when Grandpa and Grandma went back to help after a devastating earthquake. God is so good to afford her this opportunity of a lifetime. We pray there will be great fruit for the kindgdom!

The other night Grampie shared some memories of Guatemala with (Aunt/Mom) Marcia. I'm asking him to repeat them and I will write what he says:  He remembers being in a boat on Lake Atitlan -- nothing more specific. He remembers there were two volcanoes in Guatemala and he thinks they are still potentially active. There was La Agua and El Fuego, literally "the water" and "the fire". He remembers being at Chichicastanengo where there was a cathedral where people could buy a container of incense. They would take the incense and pray, going up the steps on their knees. If the incense was still burning when they reached the top step, they were allowed to go into the cathedral to pray. "While we were at Chichicastanengo, I remember Carlin eating red hot chili peppers -- and Joel and I thought he was crazy. I don't believe there were any ill effects to him." He said they lived in a compound that had four units in it. The Buza's lived in the bottom left and Grandpa Buza's friends -- the Turners -- lived in the top right. He said they had a dog at the compound, but he doesn't remember the dog's name. He remembers Grandpa and Herman Turner playing with huge dominoes. He remembers that Uncle Joel was able to sing very well with Grandpa the words to "At The Cross" in an Indian dialect -- Quiche. All the family sang in Spanish.

He said he remembers seeing a man steal a crow bar from the compound. He saw the man walking down the street with nothing in his hand -- and when he came along the street from behind the compound, he was carrying the crow bar. He said that is one of the most clear memories from that time.

I, personally, remember Grandpa telling how he liked going shopping for shoes with Herman Turner. Grandpa wore 5 1/2 EEE and Herman wore a 12 AA. Just a sort of "fun memory".

We will be reporting more -- hopefully with a picture or two when Marcia returns! Please pray for her while she is gone.

Virtue

Grampie and I are so pleased that the mothers in our family all love the Lord and all want to be examples of virtue to their children. Here you see two of the virtuous women in our family -- our oldest daughter and HER oldest daughter.

So what is VIRTUE? Virtue is clean, highly moral, pure. Virtue is rare and greatly to be desired in a person. The Bible says that a virtuous woman is worth a fortune! (See Proverbs 31).

It is so hard to believe that Heather is twenty-one. We still remember that cute little munchkin that we first saw in her baby swing just a few days after she was born. What a journey she had before her to become the woman she is today. Virtue doesn't develop in a vacuum! I believe it is learned and develops in tender and teachable hearts. It comes as a result of times like you see in this picture. A loving relationship between a child and a parent who lives by and teaches the living Word of God is one of the essentials, in my opinion.

Grandparents can help, too, and we want to! We want to mentor them and help them to hear and know the Gospel. We want them to see Jesus in us. And while we know that many times all they see in us is US, our greatest desire is to be more and more like Jesus in all of our daily living!

Did you know that PATIENCE is a virtue? Have you noticed that most people really aren't very patient at all? Everyone wants to be FIRST. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. Grandma Buza used to quote a little verse: "Patience is a virtue, find it if you can, Seldom in a woman, Never in a man!" Well, we would chuckle over it but nobody really believed that men have no patience at all -- well maybe some don't have any. Grampie must be VERY patient. He lives with me and never starts any "fights".

I have to share a story about patience (or the lack thereof): today I saw a phenomenal man at a store. He did something I have NEVER seen before. Amazing! Grampie and I were standing in line with nothing but a few packages of pencils we found at a great price. As we stood, a clerk opened another register, looked at me, and said, "I can help you right here." I smiled, said "thank you" and headed in her direction. Suddenly the man who had been ahead of me in the line spoke up, "Ma'am! Ma'am! It is my turn to be next." I said that she had invited me, but he said, "I know that, but I have been standing in line." So I stepped aside (not very patiently) and let him go ahead, pushing his rather full cart. Odd! More often than not, if I have just a few things in my hand and another person has a cart full (as this man did), the other person will look at me and volunteer his or her place in line saying, "Oh, go ahead. I have a lot here and you just have a few things." It always warms my heart that someone is so considerate, and not in too much of a hurry to be a little thoughtful and courteous.

Heather started learning about patience when she was really little. I remember that we bought her a little apron with a teddy bear on it. And when she stood up in a chair to help me with the dishes I put her "bear apron" on her. Sometimes she would get a little fiesty and I would sing-song, "BE PATIENT". Once she looked up at me, smiled, and said, "Be Patient Right Now!" Hmmmmm ... I think in the last 19-20 years, she has learned the true virtue of patience!

So the thought today is this: whether you are a guy or a girl, a toddler or a teenager (or beyond), ask the Lord to help you to have a virtuous life and be an example to others. A "Ringleader for Right" rather than a follower of the foolish. Love you!

Grandaughters Making Waves (Pun Intended)!

I hope you grandchildren know how much fun it is for Grampie and me to do things with you. Whether it is apple picking in the fall, eating corn on the deck, traveling across the country in a rainstorm, or being treated to displays of your talents and gifts, we love it. And we love YOU.

Last June Erika and Emily were at our house to make an anniversary cake for friends of ours and to make a graduation cake for Emily's high school class. Here, Erika displayed her talents gained at a culinary arts class while Emily got some valuable hints on how it is done! We had the greatest time that night! Not only were the cakes beautiful, they were tasty! I remember telling Erika to put two roses on the cake -- one for him and one for her. In the end, she put three roses (after all, she said, a good marriage includes the Lord). Actually, a good LIFE does, too . . .

Emily and Erika are both artistic and creative, so is it any wonder that they are pursuing beauty school? When she was a bit younger, Emily was always making the cutest thingy-dews to wear in her hair. Now she is ready to graduate from Empire Beauty School in Bangor and does truly professional cuts, styles, colors, and all the other things that cosmetologists do. I was her first client at the school and just recently had another cut (but she came to the house and treated me)!

I'm not sure Erika will never decorate and sell another cake, but she is moving on to the SAME beauty school and has her sights on August 2012 to complete her course of study and become a cosmetologist, too! (Maybe they don't know it, but they are following Aunt Iola's footsteps -- and Andrea's).

So, everybody, I am beginning to realize that I should never have an excuse to be running around with a shaggy dog hair style ever again! Not with TWO grandaughters who can make the kind of waves I need. Gramp, either -- they learn man cuts!

So Congratulations, Emily, on finishing (August 25). And to Erika, who will begin classes on the 22nd! I love you both and pray for your success at your professions -- and for lives of great godliness and joy as you find the GREAT Plan He has for you.

Trust Is Fragile But To Be Guarded and Cherished

Everyone wants to be trusted. Take Robert, here. Everyone was holding the baby and how he longed to have a turn. But when a person is Robert's age, they aren't allowed to hold a baby unless they can really be trusted to hold him correctly, carefully, and not drop him.

I don't know if Robert really thought his mom would let him hold Matthew. And I don't know if he asked or if it was his Mom's idea. But here is a picture of Aunt Michele (Mom, if you are Robert) gently guiding him and giving him a wonderful privilege that he really wanted to have. How do I know that? I can see it on his face.

And that is one of the wonderful responsibilities that GOD has given to parents. They learned things in their lives as they matured and developed judgment and wisdom that they can pass along to you children as you are on your journey to adulthood -- and even beyond!

I tell you to guard and cherish the trust that people have in you because it is very easy to LOSE trust. If you are open and honest and dependable, you will be given more and more responsibility because you are trustworthy. Your parents and others will know that you can be depended upon to obey, to make good choices, and to fulfill your responsibilities.

I remember when I was a teenager that friends would come along and ask me to do something that I KNEW was wrong. So many times they would say, "OH, your mother will never know." And maybe she wouldn't. But I usually didn't follow the crowd in these things because I loved Mom and I didn't want to hurt her. Was I a perfect kid? NO! But I was always mindful that I didn't want to do anything that would hurt my Mom (my Dad died when I was 13). What about you? Why not set a goal to try your hardest not to hurt your parents willfully?

As time went by, I realized that friends who tried to get me to do things like cheat on papers at school or go places that I wasn't allowed to go, really did not have my best interest at heart. They really didn't care as much about ME as they did about themselves. That is what selfish people do. They ignore the rules and try to get others to go along with them. They are not trustworthy -- and they are not really good friends after all.

The most important reason to be trustworthy is that God expects it of us. If we are Christians, we should be growing to be more and more like Jesus every day. And Jesus can certainly be trusted to do the right thing every, single time.

If you have ever broken trust with your parents, your friends, or neighbors, you have also broken trust with GOD. I can remember telling a teenage daughter once, "if you go out there and do something you aren't supposed to do, I WILL find out about it. God will see to it!" And she came to believe it because she saw it happen over and over again!

He knows our hearts and He sees everything we do, reads every thought of our minds, and hears every word that we say. And the most important thing to realize is that He loves us so much that won't let us get away with it forever and that if you confess it and repent, HE WILL FORGIVE!

So GUARD and CHERISH the trust that others have in you! It brings a lot of peace when you do -- and it helps preserve a good relationship with God and others.

Thoughts On Home Schooling

Most of our grandchildren have been homeschooled and/or attended Christian schools -- some exclusively. In our family, Valerie was the pioneer in education at home for her children. (So here they are.)  I have learned so much from this experience and have some random opinions and observations to share with you about what I see in our home-schooled grandchildren.  1) The "students" seem to be as comfortable with young children and older people as they are with their peers. 2) Their language is more polished and less rude than that of their counterparts in the traditional school setting. 3) Home school education is more than academics. It includes experiences and adventures in many arenas, extending beyond the home and into the community. 4) Children are more free to pursue their personal interests. For example, a simple question from them often leads to a video or an activity they may not otherwise enjoy. 5) Parents can spend less money on wardrobes and school supplies. At home, it may be possible to wear your "jammies" to your first class -- and sharing equipment and text books is common. 6) Family values and the Bible do not have to be put aside during school. 7) Study times and class times are flexible. For example, if a family chooses not to take the summer off or observe all of the holidays the schedule is not rigid.

When children in our family go to public school, this does not mean that very important learning does not occur at home. ALL of our grandchildren have Christian parents who are eager and faithful in teaching them the most important lessons of life -- so in that sense, all of them are homeschooled! We are thankful for the life lessons that all of you are learning in your homes.

Grandchildren, the most important lessons of your life are the ones that help prepare you for eternity. It is our prayer that each and every one of you will be born again into God's family. As His sons and daughters (His princes and princesses), you have the privilege to hear the wonderful lessons from the Bible that will be used by the Holy Spirit to form you into people who are becoming more and more like Jesus in the way you think, in the way you behave, and in the way you feel. You will be learning to serve God and others with the special gifts and talents that God has given to you. When we see you maturing in that way, our hearts are FULL and our cups run over! We love you!

OK. I'm Really Prejudiced Against Some Neighbors.

It all started when I discovered that some of the residents around here were allowing themselves to invade our privacy just a little too much. Now, you know your grandparents are rather generous with our space and our possessions, don't you? I mean, we LOVE to share!

But take the Japanese Beetles that frequent the Cedar Breeze vacinity! If they just took a little nibble of our raspberry leaves, our rose blossoms, and various other green and lovely scented plants, we wouldn't say a word or take an action! After all -- as beetles go -- they are kinda pretty. They have a green metallic color with bronzy-red wings. I thought they were rather charming until I found out their TRUE character. For example, I couldn't believe what they did to our pole bean leaves last year and in pretty short order! They helped themselves to the succulent green, leaving only the stems and veins of some of the leaves.

That put me on the warpath! My favorite method is to stalk them where the raspberries, roses, grapes, beans, and corn are growing. When I find them alone or hanging out with their buddies I pick them up and deposit them in a soda bottle or water bottle about 1/2 full of water. Sometimes I dump a little Dawn detergent in and eventually they die. The other day, Timothy, Joshua, and I had DOZENS of them all hand-picked and incarcerated in a bottle.

Now, you may not realize this picture is just a spoof. But I think you noticed that I filled Grampie's dump cart with PICTURES of the pests -- and not the pests themselves. Oh, I'm just kidding! Of course I know that you immediately figured out that I was playing with my photo program. Do you think if I made a poster of the Beetle Brigade and put it in our garden it would let the pesky beetles know they aren't welcome?

Another problem we have had is with the deer. They are crazy over Swiss chard, beets, peas, beans, turnip, and some of the other plants. And, again, if they just took one or two it would be no big deal. But last year while Grampie was in Alaska they just about devastated our garden -- all in one night. So I went to war! A Dollar Store radio was placed in the garden and left on a boring talk station at night; Knee highs filled with Emily's hair dangled from a couple of the pole bean poles; Ivory snow detergent was sprinkled on the grass around the edge of the garden and even smelly socks dangled from clothes pins here and there. And they took the hint!

So this year we didn't wait for them to visit. See the wind chimes in the first picture? There are two of those hanging in our garden and every breeze makes beautiful, but startling music. We bought a deer repellant that smells worse than anything you can imagine -- and it is regularly sprayed on some old socks that cap the poles where the tomatoes are tied. Uncle Stephen (or Dad if you are his children) gave us some garlic and we planted one whole row on the north side of the garden. And hanging on two edges of the garden are a pair of aluminum pie pans that clang and bang against each other and the metal poles that hold them. We've used the radio a few nights, as well.
So far no deer tracks in our garden -- and no free meals for those innocent-looking creatures.

But God has cared well for them. There is plenty or forage outside of our garden where they can feed and take their children out to lunch! And I really do like to see them when they are somewhere other than in our garden!

I'm sorry that they and the ants wore out their welcome -- but they really DID! I hope you aren't disappointed in my lack of hospitality in our gardens.

Embrace the Godly Advice of Your Parents

Take a look at this boy -- he is the youngest in our big family: Matthew Sykes. Take a look at his little face. You can see it! He is content and secure. Right now, there is nowhere he would rather be than in his Dad's or his Mom's arms.

Nobody on this earth loves Matthew nearly as much as do his mother and father. He is their flesh and blood and there is nothing they would not do for his benefit, safety, and comfort if they had the means to do it.

As he gets older, he will become more independant. He will start making decisions for himself. He already protests when something interesting (but potentially dangerous) is removed from his reach or his grasp. More and more he will be wanting his own way. And his parents will give it to him as often as it is wise to do so. (Not to say they won't make mistakes, but they will always do for him what they believe is right.)

To the rest of our grandsons and grandaughters:  YOU are loved just like that! And, like Matthew, you want your own way. Granted, you are wiser than he in a lot of ways. But ALL of your life (no matter if you are MY age), you will need good and godly advice. Why? Because NONE of us are perfect. The Bible says that ALL have sinned. And when we take an honest look at ourselves, we know that is true.

None of you are parents yet, but many or most of you will have the responsibility of a child or children of your own someday. When that day comes, you will have a more complete understanding of just HOW MUCH you mean to your parents. Your parents -- especially if they are Christians -- love you more than their very lives. (Uncle Jonathan once said that he never knew how MUCH his parents loved him until after Robert was born.) They will NEVER ask you to do anything or forbid you from doing anything unless they believe it is for your safety or for your benefit in some other way. Please determine in your heart (even if you are in your late teens or twenties) to take their advice and counsel very seriously. You know, I STILL want to know what Grammie Ruth thinks about decisions that I am facing. She still wants the best for me and I want to profit from her years of wisdom.

Today I want to share some words from the Bible -- written by King Solomon under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Read them, think about them, and profit from the words of a man who was given wisdom by God (after he prayed and asked for it). That is a GOOD prayer for all of us. In fact, the Bible says that if we LACK wisdom to ask God for it and He will GIVE it.

Here you go: "Good friend, follow your father's good advice;
   don't wander off from your mother's teachings.
Wrap yourself in them from head to foot;
   wear them like a scarf around your neck.
Wherever you walk, they'll guide you;
   whenever you rest, they'll guard you;
   when you wake up, they'll tell you what's next.
For sound advice is a beacon,
   good teaching is a light,
   moral discipline is a life path." (Proverbs 6:20-23 from The Message)

One last word: your grandfather and I are praying for you -- and often by NAME.

Time IS Fleeting!

This year -- 2011 -- marks FIFTY years since your grandfather and I graduated from high school. He was in a class of several hundered at Vestal Central High School in Vestal, New York. And I was one of forty-five who graduated from Aroostook Central Institute (now Central Aroostook High School) in Mars Hill, Maine. Here you see 26 from my class as we celebrated the 1/2 century at a meal in the "new" high school cafeteria. Now, that is a feature that was unfamiliar to us back in 1961. We all carried our own bag lunches to school, though we could buy chips and soda to go with our sandwiches if we wished. I suppose your grandfather's class celebrated, too, but the news did not get through to him. He has never been to one of his class reunions and this was a first for me. I'm glad I went.

And here we were just over two years later on August 27, 1963. The guy from Vestal High and the girl from ACI who had never even heard of each other on that big day in 1961 had -- by the grace of God -- met and recognized that God's hand was in that meeting.

Here was the man of my dreams -- a Christian young man with high moral values. The perfect one to be a husband to me and father to the children that God would (we hoped) send us!

To our grandchildren: When the time comes to make your decision on who to marry, please remember this advice that was given to me -- when I was a teenager -- by someone very wise. I took that to heart, lived by it, and now almost 48 years later it has proven to be true over and over again. The advice to me, I'll pass along now: "Remember that whenever you date someone, it should be a candidate for marriage. So date only believers. You have no control over falling in love. You can fall in love with anyone. But you DO have control over who you date. You WILL marry someone that you date."

And let me add a little P.S. to that. When you fall in love, don't just make a lifetime decision with your HEART. Use your HEAD, too. Remember, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) It's a hard one to realize and think about the fact that your own heart can lie to you! It is SO important that you keep in touch with God FIRST. Commit your will to HIM. And go only where you KNOW He is leading. He will never lead you in a direction that is contradictory to the Bible. So be reading the Bible, praying, and in an intimate relationship with your Creator. That will help you to make good decisions that will be a blessing all of your life.

We Love Gardening

When your parents were young, Grampie and Grammie always had gardens. Most years we had two large gardens, one on the East of our house and one on the West. But gardening wasn't just for the two of us.





It was a family project and our children were always involved. They helped plant, weed, harvest, and prepare the vegetables for canning and freezing.

And they ate to their hearts' content. One famous story is about the beautiful carrots that Grampie tended all summer long, just waiting for the most perfect ones that he had ever grown. I think his heart was pretty shattered when he discovered that his children had been playing Peter Rabbit with his prize carrots! Bethany said the best way to eat a carrot was to pull it from the ground, wipe it off on your jeans and eat it immediately. I had to agree -- and you know what they used to say when I was a CHILD? "You have to eat a bushel of dirt before you die." What that really meant was, "a little garden soil won't hurt you!"

It was fun putting these pictures together for you today so you could see in the background our garden from just a few weeks ago. And look at it NOW! We are already eating beans, edible pea pods, cucumbers, lettuce, beet greens, Swiss chard, zucchini, broccoli and baby carrots (from when we thin them). A couple of weeks ago we had lots of good, fresh spinach but we pulled that when it went to seed.

Having a good garden is VERY hard work! We till the soil, add compost, plant the seeds, add mulch, weed, feed, and get very hot and tired. But when the vegetables start to come, we feel the reward that comes from working to take care of ourselves. We think of other people, too. Grampie said that at least 1/2 of the fun we have from raising a garden is to share some of our crops with other people. I think the other 1/2 is having tasty, healthful food in jars and in our freezer.

Today this was our lunch: salad with our own lettuce and cucumbers, 1/2 ear of corn apiece from the grocery store (it is too early for ours), beet greens, beet pickles from last year's crop, and some cheese. I love the kind of meal where we just go out and shop in the garden rows and pick what we want!

You may see some funny things in this garden! Did you see the wind chimes on the bean poles? We hope they scare the deer away! Did you see the socks on the stakes where the tomatoes are tied? We spray them with VERY, VERY smelly deer repellant. It smells like rotted eggs and garlic (and that is what is in the spray). We hope the deer sniff that and say, "YUCK! I am not going into THAT garden."  Another thing we have is aluminum foil pie pans tied to a pole with yarn. When there is a breeze, they rattle and bang. We hope the deer are worried about that sound and stay away, too. Sometimes we even hang a "Dollar Store Radio" in our garden and let the talk shows play all night. We think they might get bored and stay away from our garden. We think the deer have losts to eat around here and we do not want them as guests in our garden. We think they don't have to pay grocery bills, but we do!

 And you may have noticed our "raised beds". Those are big wooden "boxes" filled with soil and standing along the edge of our garden. Grampie made three of them for us to try out. We like having more plants in less space!

We thank God for all of the beautiful variety of fruits and vegetables that grow in the gardens and orchards of this world. It was so loving and kind of Him to make so many different tastes, smells, and colors for us to enjoy!

Do you think YOU will have a garden when you have your own place someday?

What Is It Like To Be A Dad?

The question has been posed by a young grandson: "What is it like to be a Dad?"  Well, I cannot answer that. But your grandfather has been a Dad since March 11, 1965. Even before that, because wasn't he a Dad even while his firstborn was getting ready to be born? I think so!

Well, I'm about to ask Grampie Wayne that question and will be writing exactly what he has to say. I hope this answers your question!

"What's it like to be a dad? Well -- in some ways it is a little scary because you are responsible to provide for a family, which means you have to work hard even when you don't want to. But there is nothing better when you come home from work than to have your son or your daughter say, 'hi, Dad!' I like when they put their arms around your leg and while you are picking them up and trying to walk with them holding onto your leg. I miss that now, as a Grandfather because I don't have the strength anymore. I like the proud feeling you have to see your child do well at something. And, of course, it makes me cry when they accept Christ as their Savior -- because that is the purpose of parenthood, anyway. That's the real purpose. If your child never accepts Christ as their personal Savior, you feel like a failure. But, boy when they do, WOW! [chuckles] I like it when they do well with their schoolwork and when I see them help their mother (because I LOVE HER). I have loved seeing them grow up and get married and begin a home of their own. And I really LIKE it when they give us a grandchild. I like doing things around the house for my family. I like bringing a treat home from the store when I have been able to do that, and disappointed when I didn't have the money. I did find it hard to come up with a Bible story that they hadn't heard before and that I thought they would like to hear. I was thinking recently and wondering if I had ever told them the Bible stories about spies! Did you know there were spies in the Bible? And I like some of the adventure stories in the Bible. For example, Paul escaping by being let over a wall in a basket -- or the story about a girl who just 'happened' to glean in a particular field and ending up marrying the owner of the field and learning who her descendants are. I liked it when we were able to travel places and do special things. I still do! I like picking apples in the fall -- even with my grown-up children. I liked going to the Creation Museum with two of my daughters and 13 grandchildren [in April, 2011]. When Grammie and I went to see the Grand Canyon, I was so disappointed (and still am) that my children weren't there with us. I liked the times we went to Niagara Falls, Lake Champlain, Grand Manan Island, King's Landing, Luray Caverns, Gettysburg and Antietam Battle Fields, Washington DC, Rocky Mountain National Park, Perdido Key (Florida), Jasper's Beach, and Roque Bluffs State Park. I liked the times that we tented between Maine and Illinois. I liked going hunting with my sons. I remember going Moose Hunting with Uncle Stephen and Uncle Kevin. And I am looking forward to going Moose Hunting this November with Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Stephen, even though they are all grown up now. Grammie doesn't like it, but I've always kind of liked discussions with my children. (Grammie calls them arguments). The Bible says that 'iron sharpens iron' so I like matching wits with them and have even taken the side of a discussion I didn't particularly agree with just so we would have the discussion. Of course, now that my children are all grown up, you would think that I no longer have to feel responsible for them. But I DO! They are still 'my kids'. And God has been SO GOOD to give me the ones I have. I am so proud of each of them. [YES ... he's crying.] I love seeing their efforts to train up their children to know the LORD. I remember praying for the husbands and wives my children were going to have someday -- LONG BEFORE they were old enough to be married, praying that who they married would be men and women who knew Jesus as their Savior. Now that my children are no longer under our roof, so to speak, I still have an expectancy for them to do the right thing even if it is hard to do. I LOVE being proud of my kids! I LOVE watching my children love their spouse and their kids. I was thinking today, 'I wonder how many of my children are in Church today?' I have often said that the best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. Of course, the BEST thing a father can do for his children is to do all he can to bring them to salvation. BUT, it is still a very important thing for a father to show his children that he LOVES their mother. After all, he wouldn't be a Dad if it were not for HER. So she is extra special -- God's gift to HIM. And, in a way, his children are HER gift to HIM."

I like what Grampie has to say and I know he means it with all of his heart. I hope that EVERY ONE of our ten grandsons become the kind of godly, Christian dad that your grandfather has been -- and is!

The Chuck Wagon

The Chuck Wagon lived a pretty hard life when it traveled all around Eastern Maine in the days when my grandfather drilled artesian water wells with the old percussion drill. Unlike today, when most rotary drilled wells can be done in a day or less, the old rig pounded its way tediously into the earth and usually required a few days for the job to be completed.

I remember watching Grampie build the little house on the back of a farm truck. And sometimes we grandchildren had the privilege of staying in the Chuck Wagon. As you can imagine, there was little floor space but this home-away- from-home was a pretty efficient way for we people in the 1950s to get a meal and some sleep.  A few years later, a number of the great grandchildren also enjoyed staying in the little "camper". So it was our hopes that the great, greats could enjoy the experience as well.

Recently we went to look at the Chuck Wagon, which has been parked in Littleton for a number of years. The ravages of time have taken their toll and we knew it, but we hoped to be able to restore it and park it at Cary Lake for all the families to enjoy. But that wasn't to be! The old Chuck Wagon is too far gone.

We hope to do a second best. Here's the plan: we are going to apply for a permit to build a rough cottage at the lake and build it large enough to make a "Chuck Wagon Room" in one end of it. We hope to put the contents of the current Chuck Wagon in that room and replicate it as much as possible so that "the kids" can go there and enjoy it. This is all contingent on being approved for a building permit.

So, stay tuned! We hope the next episode has a happy ending.

Grandfathers and Little Boys -- What a Combo!

This picture was taken in February, 2011. There were eighteen of us at our home in Glenburn when we celebrated my Mom's birthday. That, of course, became a photo-op for me!

Samuel was busy and I just couldn't get a full face shot of him. Well, David decided to give me a hand -- two hands, actually-- as you can see here!

A couple of weeks later, their Dad and Mom went on vacation and the guys stayed with us. Samuel was on his hands and knees, playing around his grandfather's chair. He was being a dog, woofing and running around on all fours. So, of course, his grandfather was telling him he was a good dog, petting him on the head, etc.

At the same time, Wayne was getting ready to go to the store. He had a grocery list and was adding items to it as we talked. Suddenly the "doggie" grabbed the grocery list. Grampie said, "hey, don't take off with my list. I need that!" A couple of minutes later, little Sammy dog brought the list back with an addition to the list: "DOG FOOD". We chuckled and Grampie left.

When he came back with his groceries, Wayne began to unpack them and put them away. All of a sudden he said, "Sam! Here's the dog food!" To Sam's delight, it was a package of "Cheez-Its". What a happy, little doggie we had at that point!

Grandfathers and little boys! They are quite a combination, always good for a chuckle and adding a little sunshine to our day.

She Sent Me an E-Mail!

February 27th was a special day for us! Hope has her own email account now and she sent me an email. She was excited to send it and I was so happy and VERY surprised to hear from her in that way.

She doesn't remember the Mandarin Chinese that she was speaking when she joined our family all the way from Beijing -- just "Mama" and "Baba", the Chinese version of "Mommy" and "Daddy".

The picture here is from the night we celebrated Christmas with her, Kevin, and Barbara. Nadean was sick that night, so we missed out on that part of our Christmas visit.

Here's Hope's email to me (I love it!):

Dear grammie, guess what? I got a email address.So now i can write to people.And people can write to me.I am having fun sending emails to every one. So how are you ? Well if you ask me i am doing pretty good. Well i hope you are doing good yourself.So how is grammpie and grammie Ruth? Well i hope they are doing okay.  Baba thinks he knows every thing except 23 things. So every time he says that i  ask him questions. The number of things that he does not know always goes up.And he thinks he is a spy.But i know he's teasing me. And when i think that he really tries to trick me.Well he has not told mama yet i don't think. Well i am having fun writing this letter to you! I still want to have another game day/ night. Tell everybody i said hi.bey!

Grampie emailed back to Hope and told her there are actually 26 things that "Baba" doesn't know, and one of them is that "he doesn't know what he doesn't know".

We owe Hope a game night, so we have to get that on our itinerary!

P.S. (In case you haven't noticed, we think our grandkids are wonderful.) And they ARE!!!

"Just Ripening For The Great Harvest"

People ask us what it is like to be retired. And we give some answer that translates, "we don't know. We're too busy to find out."

This is a new phase of our lives -- and I want it so much to be the most beautiful of all. After all of these years, we are now able to be together most of the time. It is my deepest desire that things will settle down enough for us to share the deepest thoughts of our hearts, to live in harmony with the LORD, who is the head of our home and our marriage, to gracefully age and continue to work on the legacy that we will leave to those we love so dearly -- from the oldest child, down to the tiniest life now being formed in the warmth and depth of its mother's body, we love you more than we can even begin to say.

Dearly loved ones, the greatest joy we could ever imagine will be to stand arm-in-arm with all of you before the thrones of our Lord Jesus and our Heavenly Father. Right now we are "just ripening for the GREAT harvest". But while we are getting ready for the greatest journey of our lives, we are praying that when we get to the "end of the way" that our "circle" will NOT be broken. We don't want one of you to be left behind!
This is our prayer.

89 Years and Counting!

EIGHTEEN of us had such a nice time celebrating Mom's 89th birthday on February 19th at our home in Glenburn.
Here she is with three of the younger guys: Eli Cain (Zach's and Holly's son), David and Samuel Buza (Stephen's and Jeannie's sons).

Folks tell me I look older than she does (true, since I have almost pure white hair and she is just sporting a few gray hairs here and there).

There was a lot of love to go around, cards, gifts (flowers, blouses, an orange, chocolate). And she even got a Kindle. Now we are wondering: how many 89 year old folks have a Kindle?? It is a great gift for her, since books tend to be a little heavy and burdensome.

Some of you had to miss this party for various reasons -- you were too far away, etc. We are hoping to have a BIG splash for the 90th!

I'm thanking the Lord for allowing me to keep my Mom for so long -- it's been almost 68 years for the two of us. What a blessing to have her in my life.

So "Happy Birthday, Mom" -- I love you!