Thank You!

My Cup Runneth Over

I grew up in a time when family and friends would gather weekly during the summer and monthly during the colder months. I remember playing with cousins and friends, snacking on all the food everyone brought, while our parents played cards, made music, and discussed politics, current events, local gossip, recipes, and their favorite episodes of Hee Haw. Today, we’ve become so self-sufficient that we no longer need to call a neighbor for help or walk over to borrow butter or flour if we run short while making a casserole—we can just have DoorDash deliver what we need. Yet God says it is not good for man to be alone. As written in Hebrews 10:24-25: 'And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.’

I believe many of the issues we face today stem from isolation, and the solution is to gather together as often as we can—whether it’s a big backyard bash, a few couples playing cards on a Friday night, or even coming together to build a barn. Perhaps we would see less divorce, substance abuse, or, even worse, suicides.

To everyone who came to my Backyard Bash, thank you! You were medicine to my soul. Watching you all fellowship and seeing the joy on your faces as we shared a meal was a true blessing. My prayer was that God would feed our souls, minds, and bellies. What a faithful, loving, and gracious Father we serve.

Many of you ask what you can do to help. You can start by opening your homes to others—make them dinner, play games, share music, study the Constitution, or learn something new together. Yes, it takes time to plan, but it’s not work when you know how much it will bless others. One more thing, VOTE NO ON PROP ONE!

A special thank you to those who jumped in and helped—we couldn’t have done this without you. Mike Campos, William Rehwalt, and Joe Alexander, you amazing men cooked, cut, and served the tri-tip beautifully! Bob and Jacyn Gallagher, Steve and Sue Gaston, and Susan Rehwalt, you saw a need and took care of it without hesitation. Heidi Peirson, thank you for bringing Sheriff Mack as our guest speaker. Thanks to Star Corp for the amazing grill/Traeger trailer and to Sheri Roberson for bringing theirs as well. And to everyone who brought food and desserts—thank you! We filled nine 8-foot tables with delicious dishes. And I can’t forget my dear friend, Navy veteran and photographer Daniel Murphey, who knows how to capture both the moment and the emotion of the day. Thank you!

(Photos in video was a collection of many people sharing.)