PEOPLE I WISH EVERYONE COULD KNOW (Part Two)

There are a few people I know who lift you up everytime you are with them. RAND MONTGOMERY is one of those people. He has such an infectious joyful spirit and happy attitude steming from a close walk with God. He and his lovely wife NIKKI are Missionaries in Southeast Asia. Based out of Chiang-Mai, Thailand, they work with Pastors, Churches, Bible Schools, and Missions Outreaches into China, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam, Pakistan and beyond. They are powerful in their faith and trust in God and they have a great love for people.

People I Wish You All Knew

As we travel on our way through this world below,
we meet up with some very special and
often unusual people who are like treasures
you want everyone to know:

Luis Sorto, my very special Honduran friend who, because of his special talents and amazing personality, could live anywhere in the world, has been given lucrative offers to move to the United States. Instead, he has chosen to obey God and remain an active citizen in his home country of Honduras.  He reaches out to his own people with the love of Jesus by feeding the hungry and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Having known and worked with him over twenty years, I count him as a great person I wish you all could know.

Rev. Kantharoa Meesala is a special man that I met in his home villiage of Vyyru, India. The story of his conversion to Christ and call to the ministry is very compelling. How his eyes twinkle as he speaks of the beatings and imprisonments he has suffered over the years for his testimony! He and his family have an apostolic ministry that is reaching hundreds of Indian communities with the Gospel of Jesus through their personal efforts and those of young men and women they have trained who often pay the ultimate sacrifice to share Jesus with their Hindu neighbors.

Ruth's Birthday!

I think it is so cool that the first celebration of the New Year is Ruth's Birthday! This is her "29th" and she is looking mighty fine! I thank God for bringing her into my life. I enjoy each day with her and feel so blessed to have such a godly woman to love me as she does.

This space could not contain all the good I could say about her, but I just want to say that I love you Ruth and wish you a very very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Heather Fawn's Birthday, April 9th

On April 9th, many many years ago, a little girl was born in Garland, Texas to a young Pastor and his wife. She was their first born. A once quiet and peaceful life became very noisy as this active, talkative, and dramatic person came on the scene. Today, she is the same girl, just older and with an intimidating vocabulary and brilliant mind. She loves Jesus, witnesses to the lost and still sees everything in black and white. She is strong in her faith and has touched the lives of people all over the world. But I was the first. Thank you Heather and thank You God! Happy Birthday #29+++++++!

http://www.facebook.com/heatherfawn

Marlee Turns Three

April 2nd, my grand-daughter, Marlee Eden, turned three. What a special day it was! She continues to light up my life with her presence. She came along at a time when I really needed her, and she has made this grandpa very happy. I look forward to watching her grow up and become the great woman of God she is destined to be. Happy Birthday Marlee!

Aaron's Birthday, March 3rd

My son Aaron turned 33 on March 3rd. Wow! I can still vividly remember the first time I saw him all wrapped up in a blue blanket. He was so tiny and yet had a strong personality from the beginning. He always knew what he liked and did not like and was never afraid to let it be known. I am glad that he decided early on to love the Lord and give Him his life. He is a good son, husband, father and brother. He leads our church in worship on Sundays with the pure heart of a true worshipper. I am proud to be his Dad! Happy Birthday Aaron!

Happy Birthday Stephanie!!

Today we celebrate the birth of a wonderful lady---My Son's wife, Stephanie. We have known her since she was a baby and were delighted when she bacame a part of our family (thanks Aaron!). She is everything I would want in a daughter-in-law and much more. She has given us two near perfect grand-children (Ethan and Marlee) and she has made Aaron a very happy man. She loves the Lord too! I can tell you this much, I am celebrating her life today!! Thank you Jesus!

Valentine's Day 2011

Ruth and I spent this Valentine's Day with Don & Cindy Normand. We met them at their home in Keystone Heights for early lunch then drove to Gainesville to see the movie, King's Speech (about King George VI's battle against a severe speech impediment). It was very enjoyable to watch this movie with a couple who knew all the inside stories surrounding the Royal Family of that era. It was a very enjoyable day all around with perfect weather and perfect company. On the way home, Ruth and I stopped at our favorite sea food restaurant for an intimate meal before returning home. Then we get out our computers and start emailing and facebooking the ladies in our lives to wish them all a Happy Valentine's Day.

God has blessed me with a wonderful group of "special" ladies: A loving wife (Ruth); and great mother-in-law (Ethel Pratt); a beloved sister (Joy Bittner); 2 sister in law's (Mary Ann Thomason & Glenda Boothe); a wonderful daughter (Heather Fawn); a precious daughter-in-law (Stephanie Thomason) ; 3 lovely step-daughters (Amy Donohue, Angielyn Hughes, Ashley Spurlock); an absolutely perfect granddaughter (Marlee); a totally delightful step granddaughter (Daylan Spurlock); and some super nieces (Dawn Miller, Denise Downey, Marcy Malone, Karen Pratt, Danielle Hill, Katrina Phillips, Crystal Stone, Brianna Thomason); a host of female cousins and second nieces; and last but not least all my precious Sisters in Christ!

I must include those special ladies who have gone on to Heaven for which I will always be thankful--my Mom, Irene Thomason; the wife of my youth--Norma; and my wonderful sister-in-law, Carolyn Thomason.

I am a RICH man!!!

To all of the women, ladies, and girls in my life: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY & ALL MY LOVE!

Good bye dear friend!

Doug Anderson was promoted to His Heavenly Home on Monday, January 10, 2011 after a lengthy illness.  His wife of over 30 years, Linda, and his children and grand-children as well as a multitude of friends will miss this wonderful man of God. Always positive and upbeat about his situation, Doug faithfully served his church, his family, and his friends while experiencing severe physical challenges for most of his adult life. Doug was a man of integrity, a man of deep spiritual insight, and a man of intense passion for the things of God. He lived for others, asked little for himself and displayed great faith and confidence in the Lord. There was not a prejudiced bone in his body and he proudly introduced me as "My Pastor".  In over 38 years of pastoral ministry, I have not seen anyone deal with physical pain and difficulties with as much grace as he. He was and will always be my friend and brother in Christ. I will personally miss him greatly, but I am glad he is with Jesus and free of pain. 

Ruth's Birthday!

Today, January 6th, is Ruth's Birthday. I celebrate her life with great enthusiasm as should any husband. I believe she is God's gift to me and I am so happy to be a part of her life. She completes me. She blesses me. She pleases me. Though we met only 3 years ago, it seems like we have been prepared all of our lives for this time we have.  I just want to say that I love her and thank God for bringing her to me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTH!