Last weekend I went to Tulsa and met my siblings. My baby brother was there with his wife. I say baby brother with tongue-incheek as Marty is about 6’5’ when standing straight up. He tips the scales about 280 on a light day. He is not fat by any means, he is just a big guy. When he had hip replacement a couple years ago the hour and a half surgery took three hours. The doctor said that he didn’t know he was replacing a brontosaurs hip! Marty is just a big guy.

My older sister was there with her spouse as well. She is the brain of the family. She has her degree in math and school administration. She has taught math at every level and loves the upper levels. I do not understand why she does, but she likes just randomly writing out numbers and dropping in the alphabet at random places and them solving the problems… for fun! She has been in education for like all her life. She is currently substituting at the local Vo-techs. She has subbed for the construction and automotive classes and lately, medical records. Then I enter the picture with my spouse, Jill. Me, well, I’m just the preacher that gets to shepherd people like my family. Sometimes I think my family has a lot more exciting life than mine. Well, exciting until I get to telling about some of my life stories, and it proves to be quite entertaining. I seem to add the humor into the mix of it all.

My brother works for Phillips in Bartlesville. He has worked in research and development, various aspects of the refinery and has been very involved in the safety aspect of the refinery. He has 30+ years and is 10 months from retirement. He knows the exact day as he has a clock on his desk keeping track of it for him. His plans for retirement are golfing, fishing and traveling. Sounds like a good plan to me!

My sister is retired, kind of. She left the classroom for administration serving as principal and superintendent of schools for a while. She then retired for three years and went back into education as a testing coordinator. She left there and has worked several jobs… just this year. It is quite entertaining listening to her tell about her experiences.

I recanted the trip to Hawaii, the ups and downs, the traveling with an expired driver’s license (60 days) and going through TSA and trying to rent a car with an expired driver’s license! Getting back home and getting a new driver’s license at the Department of Public Safety is always an experience. Then I didn’t even make it a week before I got stopped by the OHP. I got to give the paper copy of the license to the nice officer. (FYI: No ticket was received, either). Maybe my life is not so unexciting after all.

We talked about our grandkids and all the joy they bring. Next thing we know, cell phones are out and the pictures were making the rounds. (No longer pictures in billfolds.) We then moved to discussing what we wanted to do for Thanksgiving and Christmas…did we want to combine and do Thanksmas (we made this term up a couple years ago combining the two holidays)? Where do we want to do it? Just siblings or all the families invited? Decision was made to let the Preacher check when the city parade is scheduled, and do we need to do it a week early? (I am proud to say the parade date has been determined, and the holiday date is set.)

So where am I going with this? Just to let you know details about my siblings? No, just that we are normal people who just love getting together and catching up on life. We just don’t seem to be able to get together as much as we would like. This gathering for almost three hours did not make me sad, but rather it made me look forward to a day when we can sit down and visit, but not just with siblings but with all my family that has gone on to heaven. I am thinking specifically about the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9). I want to sit around the table and just talk, catch up on what has been happening with them in heaven and tell them what has been going on with me. Only this time there are no time constraints, hindrances or places where I have to be!

I do love my family, and I miss many of my family that have gone on to heaven. I do look forward to a time of reunion. But, until then, I am looking forward to sharing a “Thanksmas” meal with family and listening to what is happening in everyone’s life!

Looking Forward to a Reunion Bro. Tim