SMILE

This is my editorial from the last issue of the Church Newsletter that is part of my job. For those VH cousins, out there, I took a little "editorial" license...but you get the idea. Aaron, thanks for the pic...you're my hero for getting it taken...did you even get into the shot this time....I don't think so...that is just not right..... I like to take pictures. It brings me joy. It doesn’t always bring joy to the person in my photographs, however. Just ask the ERC staff. I have a whole wall full of smiling and not so much smiling faces in my office. But in the end, they are always glad my Canon and I are around….I really believe that. We gathered for a Van Hofwegen reunion this summer. In beautiful Canby Grove, Oregon. It was a great blessing. For 3 days we ate, talked, laughed and worshipped together in that place. 3 generations strong, with the 4th one gaining on us quickly. And we took lots of pictures. I was able to put together a slide show of some of the photos of the last 18 years of reunions. We all laughed at the first reunion when my cousins tried to beat the uncles at tug-a-war….and we were amazed as the pictures flashed by, how children have grown….babies have arrived…others have joined in by marriage…and we cried a bit when the faces of those gone Home smiled at us from the screen. We have developed a few traditions in years gone by that always take place at these gatherings. We are fortunate to have a few pastors in the clan, so worship on Sunday morning is always a wonderful thing. My uncles played for square skips (barn dances) when they were growing up in the Midwest, and their favorite thing to do is to tune up the guitars and play the night away. Old country songs and hymns often float on the evening air when my family is around. And I am proud to say we all know how to square skip…we’re not the experts our aunts are, but we try…even the little kids. We always have an auction. We use the funds to give to the new Reunion Committee for start up for the next time. This year was extra special, because my cousin who is a real-life auctioneer was able to attend….and he did well. One of the highest bid-on items was the middle name of the offspring of a 3rd generation cousin, ready to deliver any day. I said we had fun, I didn’t say we weren’t a little strange. On one of the last days, we gathered on the back lawn for a family picture. Not a small job, let me tell you, but with the help of Uncle John’s pick up to stand on and a wide-angle lens, we got the job done. 125 smiling faces frozen in time…that’s who we were in 2006. During our church service, my oldest uncle got up and said a word about how thankful we should be for this group around us….this small tribe we call family. That we should count it a blessing to be raised in Christian homes, that we all know Jesus….and because of that, how much sweeter that reunion will be in heaven. We ended our service by singing… When we all get to heaven What a day of rejoicing that will be When we all see Jesus We’ll sing and shout the victory Isn’t that what we do at Emmanuel every Sunday? We gather together for a family reunion. Brothers and sisters in Christ, meeting to greet each other, pray for one another and listen to what our Father has to say. And, like my uncle says, because of that, the reunion in heaven will be oh so sweet. We headed back to Southern Cal with smiles on our faces…and songs in our hearts. Of course, it didn’t last long because we were on a road trip with 9 ½ people….but, that’s a story for another article, folks. Celebrate the season ahead with your family and friends and take pictures….take lots of pictures. It will bring you joy…just wait and see.