A picture...countless thoughts

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well here are two taken at our recent parish picnic. Here we have three kids a nineteen, twenty and twenty-one year old. Daughter Lydia is on the left, son Henry is on the right. Both will be back at school in a few days. The couple in the background above Lydia Mitch was the first person I confirmed when I came to Friedheim twenty-one years ago. I officiated at his wedding with his wife Angie - standing next to him. I’ve baptized their two children. He now serves on our Wyneken School Board. He serves our community on the Decatur Fire Department.

The young man in the middle is Jacob. I’ve had the privilege to baptize him and confirm him in the faith. Jacob returned to the States for two weeks while being stationed in Iraq with his two older brothers Josh and Zach. That’s right -three brother - serving in the same unit at the same time in Iraq. Jacob is serving as a medic. His life is on hold right now. College will have to wait until he returns. He’s sacrificing his life so that we can pursue our dreams and live our lives in freedom. This puts a face on what our bravest and brightest are doing.

The young man standing next to me is Andrew. He was the first infant I baptized when I came to Zion in March 1987. He’s one of Henry’s best friends. Andrew has spent many hours in the parsonage hanging out with classmates and friends as many hours as Hank has spent at his house. Soon they will all be out on their own. God bless them! Where has the time gone?