Hope your Thanksgiving Day was just as nice

For five years now, since Frances left us for a higher abode, I have missed this wonderful family time since I been ministering in Argentina at Thanksgiving season each year.  I was happy that my ministry time in both Spain and El Salvador were finished in time for this event.

So I enjoyed a very nice Thanksgiving Day with my son, Tim, his wife Cheryl and their “kids”.  Take a look at the “family” below.

 The three Chinese boys closest to the camera are foreign students at our Modesto Christian High School, founded over 40 years ago by Pastor Roy Blakeley.  My son, Tim, has a big house with lots of bedrooms and three bathrooms, so they take in foreign students each year.  Two of the three Chinese parents of these boys are not Christians, but they all are from quite wealthy homes and their parents want their boys to learn English and be educated in a good school in the USA.  

Next comes my grandson, Evan, with the beard, now a freshman at Azuza Pacific University.  Next to him is Sasha, a Canadian student in APU also.  Michelle, my granddaughter, is a junior now (last on right).  She brought Sasha home from APU for Thanksgiving since she had no place to go and “home” for her was too far away.  

Next to me is Tim’s wife, Cheryl, who is not only a dear Christian wife and mother, she also is an excellent cook.  It was a 26 pound turkey with all the trimmings... and for dessert an hour or two later the best peach cobbler I ever tasted topped with ice cream.  So now the 26 pounds is divided among all nine of us J.  And on top of this Cheryl loaded me down with left-overs to carry me through the next few days. 

Last but not least is our son, Tim, sitting at the head of the table.  For over 15 years now he has served on staff as one of the pastors at our Neighborhood AG Church.  He also works as court interpreter Spanish/English, English/Spanish for the county criminal court. 

We spent most of the afternoon playing and singing worship music, preparing for Sunday morning. 

I thank the Lord, again and again, for so many blessings!

Ralph