November is a wonderful month for the Spangler family.  First and foremost it is a time of thanksgiving, as we remember God’s bountiful blessings to us.  It is also a time of family traditions which includes certain meals and activities.

Preparation of the Thanksgiving Day turkey.

Delicious desserts that even the stuffed animals desire to eat.

When I was a boy I owned a ”Creepy Crawler” set.   When my oldest daughters were young, I purchased another set and would take this out over the Thanksgiving holiday and make them bugs and other critters.  This became a family tradition.  Here is a movie clip of this year’s “Creepy Crawler” event. 

(You need Quicktime 7 to view this movie clip.)

A friendship started early in life.

Kimberly and friend Hannah.

Psalm 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. 

This month (November, 2006) a precious saint was called home to be with her Lord.  I’m speaking of my grandmother, Emily Elizabeth Snead.  She was 99 years old.

Many people have had a significant influence on me over the years; but in my early years the greatest of these was my grandmother, my mother’s mom.

She loved me unconditionally, she shared the gospel with me and led me to Christ, and she faithfully prayed for me for many years.

When Hope and I came under conviction concerning the having of more children we quickly found out that we were not able to have children.  We sought the Lord concerning this for some time.  In the fall of 1994 I was visiting my family in Tucson and Hope and I made a special visit to my grandmother for a very special purpose.  We wanted to share with her our desire to have more children and ask her if she would intercede with the Lord on our behalf.  She did.  Less than two months later we were expecting Matthew, thus demonstrating to us and our two young daughters that God does answer prayer and the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).
 
I had the privilege of officiating at her funeral/memorial service.  Thanks to the generous gifts of friends from our church I was able to bring along my entire family.

Truly from beginning to end those that attended and participated in the service gave honor to this dear saint.   Of particular importance to me was that I was able to share the gospel message to some in attendance who were not believers.  May God bring them to Himself.

Grandma:  I love you, I miss you, and I will see you again soon.

When engulfed by the terror of tempestuous seas,
Unknown waves before you roll,
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity
Though fear and conflict seize your soul.

When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night
O how lonely death can be!
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light
For death is swallowed up in victory!

But just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven,
Of touching a hand and finding it God’s
Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial,
Of waking up in glory — and finding it Home.
Finally Home!

Finally Home - Don Wyrtzen