Quite often, when I’m out and about in community, someone will speak admirably to me about Art and what he means to them professionally and/or personally.  It is gratifying and humbling when you are assured that your children are walking with the Lord and blessing others in ways that honor and glorify God.  I think I know some of what John meant when he wrote, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, these words:

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.  3 John 1:4.

Bill has a cross-stitch of this very Scripture hanging in his office (see above).  It is a constant reminder that our children truly are a heritage from the Lord – a heritage that we must always guard carefully.  We are grateful for our children and pray that they will always walk in God’s truth.

We have watched with great joy as Art and Merritt have guided and encouraged their children, Anna and Max, to walk in God’s ways.  They have taught them the Scriptures and lived the Scriptures before them.  Again, we are thankful and grateful and pray that this legacy will continue down through the ages.  Bill and I were also blessed with a godly heritage from our parents.  We are also thankful for the many other folks who were influential in the lives of Art and Andy all along the way.  I could never name them all, for so many of you fit into that category.  Thank you!

So, today as I think of Art in a special way on his birthday, I would like to encourage each of you who might read this to make an inventory of your own lives, especially if you are parenting young children.  They are like putty in your hands – “putty” that God has entrusted you with; do your best to mold and shape them into vessels that will honor the Lord all the days of their lives.  You will encounter rough spots, most likely, especially rearing them in this humanistic culture, but keep on keeping on.  Do not get weary in well doing!  For, truly, there is no greater joy than knowing and seeing God using your children for His glory!

Last Saturday we had a fun time at our house as we enjoyed a pre-birthday brunch get-together in Art’s honor.  We laughed, ate too much, and in general spent a delightful, fall morning together.  Since Art is a little hard to shop for (shall I say very hard!), Bill and I decided that we knew of one gift that just might work for him!  We both got our heads and hands together (thankfully, Bill did the shopping for ingredients) and whipped up a large batch of seafood gumbo which was promptly ladled into quart containers and frozen for Art and his family to enjoy at their leisure.  (I believe I received a hint from someone that Art may have promptly defrosted some of it for their evening meal??)  We all concluded that gumbo was one gift that would probably fit just right! I remarked that I should have included a large bag of rice to complete the gift.  He remarked, “We can handle the rice!”

We were thrilled to have Bob and Angie Pyatt as our guests at the brunch.  They are Merritt and Angie’s aunt and uncle who live in Pinckneyville, Illinois, a small town in southern Illinois.  What a delightful couple!  They spent a few days with Art, Merritt, Danelle, Angie and Chris.  I did my best to “Southernize” them while they were in our neck-of-the-woods.  When they departed for Illinois, they confirmed to me that I had done a very good job.  As they prepared to drive off, I was sure I heard a distinct, mid-Western version of, “We’ll see y’all!”

Happy Birthday, Art!  We love you! 

Mama and the Birthday Boy