Hmmmm

Evening.

It is the best way of thinking how my life has taken a new curve and dimension.

I chose to get married again in September....September 25th to be exact.

Getting married has been a very good decision for me. Albeit difficuft for our children. Mark and I have alot of similar interests and shared life maturity.

We are enjoying each others company and the relationship Marriage affords.

I find it peculiar to be in this place at 57. Mainly because I never envisioned myself with this plight of my life.

God has blessed me with a very kind and loving husband for the second time. I feel so blessed
to have been very loved by Gary Kantola and now Mark Gefroh. I am amazed that life could afford me such love and companionship.

Thank you God Almighty.

Patricia Kantola-Gefroh

Movin Schmutz

Our Family is in Flux. Flux..that is schmutz...the element that is used to glue things together.

Cheri is moving back to Tigard.

Jason is TRYING to move to KFalls.

I am packing up my belongings after waiting countless hours to be close to my children.

Gary has moved the farthest. He has moved to the other side with more family and friends than I could imagine...His Dad. His Mom, Judy, Donnie, Aunt Mildred, John, Grandma Martin, Grandpa Martin, John, Wayne, Mary, Grandma Kantola, Millie, Norma, Jack, Mickey, Edith, Harry......

Holy Honor

Sunday evening, September 27th, Dave Price, Hal Ferguson and Pastor Dale decided to orchestrate a worship service to honor my husband Gary.

At First Baptist Church an assembly of over two hundred people gathered to praise our Almighty Savior and one of his warriors. For the last five or so years Unity has become Gary's mantra...along with the declaration.." I am blessed and highly favored."

The group of people who gathered represented many various ministries and worship journeys. Tabernacle of David Worship Conferences 2006 and 2007 has altered the worship experience in the Lehigh Valley. They gathered to appeal to our Almighty God to heal Garys body and give him strength in this trail.

The Love of the Church was the so real it could be said Heaven Invaded our Earth.
Unity was displayed, felt and known in all of our hearts.

" The world will know that these are my disciples that they have love for one another. "

Thank you God for providing us with redemption. Thank you First Baptist Church.
Thank you Our Fathers House. Thank you United Men of Faith. Thank you Lehigh Valley saints of the Living God.

IT IS SOOOO GOOD TO BE ALIVE !

When I think of the goodness of Jesus and All He Has done for me. My soul cries out Hallelujah, Thank God for Saving Me.

I have sung a lot of songs.. song lyrics are often my food. However, these words express my heart again today.

Thirty-five some years ago, I walked down the aisle and married the love of my life. Not known to me, I had walked away from one of the persons who loved me almost beyond words...my Mother.

My Mother hid her disappointment of my leaving from me. It was not until many years later I have heard stories of her sorrow from her sister Lena. My Mother being the behind-every-cloud-is-a-silver-lining mother that she is never laid her grief upon my shoulders.

My Mother embraced a new hope. Without fail, when we would speak on the phone,.catching up on our lives; she would keep me up to date on status of the new inventions. A telephone where one could converse and see the loved one at the same time.

Sad to say, my mother has never used that invention. She does have a camera attached to her computer ..silently waiting dsl. The closest we were ever to come to her relational stance of hope was the cell phone which received and displayed pictures. Today she is in and out of everyday awareness as she struggles with dementia.

Although the dream cannot be experienced by my 81-year-old mother, Gary and I will see and experience the technology today.

Today will be Seinnalee's 2nd birthday party. We will be there electronically.

We will feel relationally present. Today I will emotionally feel my Mother's dream.

There is a silver lining to every Cloud.

We have tears of Joy.

Viewing at 5 p.m. EST.

Dance Lana Dance

When I was a little girl I never dreamed of being a Pastor's wife in a church.

I spent hours practicing over and over the twirling thing...with the 45 rpm 'Tina the Ballerina." My biggest problem everyday was did I want to or not want to go down to the creek again behind Gramma and Grandpa's Martins house. I loved to splash in the water "bare feeted" and catch water spiders. Always with a watchful eye for the black water moccasins. "Would I see a snake today? Would I see it quick enough and avoid the teeth." Thankfully, I was never bitten.

Today the little girl is only in my heart. However, I feel childish again when we see the light in our Seinnalee's eyes. Also, when I spend time with the Lord, He comes and loves me. We dance and twirl.

I suppose that is why I am willing to give so much to others. My life has not been without guidance and instructions of balance. I still have a series of letters with the "70's" overseas red, white and blue envelopes. When I was in college my father went to Israel. He wrote to me as he was traveling. He admonished me to over and over... "always reach for the balance in life."

He saw my spirit, noticed my heart and wanted to protect me. (My father is a pastor, also.) He has never hesitated to share what he has learned in life. (Yes, to the point of ad naseum.)

However, when I think of living without my fathers love, care and endless lectures I do not think I would have had the courage to live as the adult I have needed to be a Pastor's wife. My husband is like my father in this way, he calls me to balance. He reminds me I will not always be appreciated for what I give. As I am appreciated, it most likely will not be to the extent I give out of my heart.

It comes to my heart that the ministering of the Lord and his presence is my healer. As the old song was written, "When I think of the Goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me. .. my heart cries out "Hallelujah. Praise God for saving me."

I recently had my 55th birthday. There is something about celebrating in these digits and losing a sister that is younger than you that makes a person face the fact life does not continue forever.

Looking at everyday in that perspective makes me want to love again. I know, by now, I will not always be loved, always understood or always appreciated. People are not always loyal. As I remember a phrase from my Southern Ohio slang.."never ye mind", I am once again thrilled.

Loving is my stance.

When my body is to old to twirl ..my heart will always twirl.. and dance the music of the redeemed.

Dance Lana Dance. ( Lana is my sister Judys' only granddaughter! Lana was the flower girl in Lisa's wedding on my 55th Birthday.)

Hmmm a Grandmother i.e. Nanna is born.

Bein' a grandmother is to have a dancing heart.

33 Years ago I heard the cry of our first child.

Being at that place; being a mother at 21 is an emotionally heart and mind boggling experience.

Today my heart is skipping a beat due to a new tune.

The visual is not a hospital room with strange smells alone without my Mom.

Today the memory is a little dawdling girl standing criss-cross legged out the back screen door of her father's home....swingin', dawdling, sacheting to the feel of the moving door .. in and out....in and out..

Pondering.. what will I be when I "grow-up"..whats'at Nanna?

Oohhhhhhhhhh... I think I love you.. That's what life is made of.. That is one thing I am sure of...

Our Day Dreaming Gril..Siennalee.

Mark and Miranda Move on

It has now been 2 months past the year anniversary of my sister Judith's death. We are all moving on past the suffering and the trajedy.

Melody and I are the two kids left around to stir up trouble at the mall.

Saturday we had one of the last fanfares at Columbia Street. The 20 foot high blow-up castle gave the kids quite the party atmosphere.

Today we have started a new week. Miranda, Jon and Lana stopped by for breakfast. We told them good-bye and wished them well in their new life adventure.

The tulips danced in the breeze singing happy songs about the future.