Friends whom we’ve known for forty years came to visit this past week. Marv Fredrickson lived in our home along with several other young men who were students at Wheaton College and part of a Bible Study and Christian home training Jim and I gave. We were the Navigator home for Wheaton College for a few years in the late 50’s. Marv proposed to Elaine on our front porch at 903 north Main street those many years ago. He and Elaine even helped babysit some of our children.
We’ve remained friends through the years and we’ve watched each others’ children grow up and have families of their own. Since they hadn’t seen our kids in a few years we put on the video we took of some of our 50th anniversary celebration. Our children and grandchildren had written out a page or two of some memories they had of Jim and I as parents and grandparents and then read them to us! It was wonderful and so God - centered and full of laughter and tears. Of course I had cried through many of their stories. But besides appreciating their love, my prayer is that a time as magical as that night was will remain a permanent guide-post in each of their lives . . . that family is to be an anchor for the Lord’s sake, passing the faith on to the next generations.

As Elaine watched the video with me, she remarked that most people don’t get to hear this kind of sharing until the funeral, so it’s such a blessing to tell of your love for each other while you’re still alive! One thing Bill mentioned on the video was that he was grateful that our home was always open. And it still is. God asked the Isrealites to always have open homes and thus be a living testimony of their faith. We pray that even as we get older our home will continue to be open in order to share the Lord’s blessing!

Former Thoughts:

September 11th

My 50th Anniversary Lesson


Murk Family Trio, Cassettes and CD's, Jim's Writings,
From Mom's Heart, Portraits of the Lord Jesus,
Thoughts from Beverly, Ferndale Christian Retreat Center,
Family Letters, Angel Foundation Ministries,