The People We Meet

For us, one of the best parts of ministry travel is the people we meet. Often we get to hear stories of people who aren’t known by the world but who are great in the kingdom. They are people of faith, not fame.

Jim on a past trip to Vietnam

On this ministry trip to Vietnam (April 15-29), I’m certain that our own faith will be inspired by men and women of God giving their all, serving the Lord and changing lives.

We look forward to ministry together with Minh and Blessing, plus a team from Myanmar.

🔥 Children’s Workers Training

The first training event will be with children’s workers who have a vision to bring Jesus to the next generation. They give their summers to travel from remote village to remote village. They carry food with them or go without. They sleep where they can. Sometimes that’s on the ground. Week after week they deny themselves and suffer hardship so that children hidden in the mountains can know the love of Jesus. Over the summer, 10,000 children will be loved, play games, make crafts and be introduced to their Savior.

What a privilege it is for us to bring words of encouragement from God’s Word. We ask the Lord to use us to stir faith in these sent ones and join them in prayer for the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for sending us, multiplying this blessing to thousands of children, by His grace.

Thanks from Minh & Blessing

🔥 Marriage and Family Conference

This conference is for younger couples in ministry (40 and under) who are serving the Lord in ministry leadership. Most are bi-vocational, farming or working jobs so they can serve their church. How do couples balance the pressures of marriage and family with the call of God to leadership? How do they deal with financial pressures, communication challenges, and raising well-rounded children? What about the added pressure of the constant threat of persecution from the authorities?

How can we encourage them in this process? By God’s grace, He has guided us through misunderstandings, misplaced priorities, and wounding experiences. We can share the wisdom we’ve gained from our own mistakes - and we’ve made a lot of them! Through our honesty, we can give these couples permission to open their hearts to each other, trusting the Lord in their weaknesses and finding His wisdom to grow together as couples.

As you send us to Vietnam, you are strengthening the homes of leaders who will be equipped as fruitful pastors. That blessing will be multiplied to their congregations and beyond.

🔥 Vision Casting for Sports Ministry

Our associates in Myanmar under Pastor David’s leadership have seen the gospel penetrate the Burmese culture, which has been closed to the gospel for over 200 years. As friends of Firefall, you know that much of this breakthrough has happened through soccer (or football to them). 

David, his wife, Diim Te, and Philip (youth minister and soccer coach) will be joining us for all three training events. Their success in evangelism and discipleship through soccer will be shared with leaders of youth ministries in Saigon. We believe this will light a fire of vision for what the Lord can do to reach young men in Vietnam like He has done in Myanmar.

Your prayer and support will help build a bridge to the hearts of a generation of young men in Vietnam.

We Need Your Prayer

Please join us in prayer for these 3 dynamic events:

• Pray that our hearts will be prepared and the messages we bring will be from hearts on fire with the Holy Spirit.

• We pray for a mighty impartation of His power for fruitful ministry.

• Pray for the hearts of those who attend to receive what they need - and more! May the blessings be abundant!

1/3 to our goal

Finally, please pray with us that our $15,000 goal will be met. We’re 30% there, but we need your help to fill the flame.

We love you and thank God for your partnership in the gospel as you send us.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Phil. 1:3-6

Fan Into Flame: Vietnam Trip, April 15-29

Nancy and I are returning to Vietnam in April with a wonderful ministry team.

Our minds go back more than 20 years to our first visit. After a time of vibrant worship, beautiful young believers jammed themselves together, sitting on the floor, knee to back, hungry to receive from the Word of God and be empowered for ministry. To enter the building (used for Christian training and monitored by the government) we had to get past the police guard who was at his station from 8 am to 5 pm., taking names. For our safety, we were smuggled in the dark at 5 am and back out at 11 pm. Never did so many hours pass so quickly as we experienced God’s healing and encouraging presence with us. 

Over the last 25 years, our love and respect has grown for Minh and his wife, Blessing, and other heroes of the faith who live under constant threat of persecution. As we celebrate the 30th year of Firefall International, we are blessed to be called spiritual Mom and Dad, equipping and encouraging another generation of bold men and women of faith. We are inspired by the depth of their love for Jesus and sacrifices to serve Him wholeheartedly. 

We will be joined by Pastor David and his wife, Diimte, plus youth leader Philip from Myanmar, under the leadership of Minh and Blessing. We thank God for the relationship we have all built over the decades. We respect them as co-laborers and treasure them as friends. We have already begun Zoom meetings to prepare our hearts as a team. 

This year’s ministry is three-folD

🔥 Children’s worker training

We will spend two days encouraging 30 children’s workers who spend their summer taking the gospel to remote villages, reaching 10,000 children by the end of their 3-month service. Blessing leads this effort in their nation. These disciples give their summers like modern-day circuit riders, sleeping on the ground, carrying their own food with them, along with the precious seed of the gospel to children in unreached areas. 

 🔥 Vision casting for football outreach 

Minh’s dedication to Jesus and his servant heart have opened doors for his mentoring influence in a national youth ministry network. The Holy Spirit gave us the concept of bringing the amazing success story of evangelism through sport from House of Glory in Myanmar. Pastor David and Philip will recount the multi-year journey as Minh invites interested pastors and youth leaders to join us for a day apart, ending with a football match among interested youth.  

🔥 Marriage and family life conference

We caught Minh and Blessing’s burden for ministry couples many years ago when we shared on this topic in Vietnam with them. Through biblical teaching and sharing our own successes and failures, we saw walls come down between couples, repentance and renewed commitment to make time for their own marriage and family life. This is a revolutionary topic in Vietnam and continues to be a passion of Minh and Blessing’s ministry together. We are honored to join them along with Pastor David and Diimte. We will host 20 pastoral couples (ages 25-40) near the beach for 3 days of rest, worship and reflection regarding their own households. 

Our request of you

The dates of this outreach are April 15-29. Would you prayerfully consider sending us by both prayer and provision? We need your prayer support now as we plan the aspects of ministry and as we actually make this trip. For us this is an open door to see the Holy Spirit “fan into flame” hearts and lives in three powerful aspects. 

The cost of travel and all outreaches will be $15,000. To our natural mind, this is overwhelming, but as we each give in response to the Spirit of God, we fully believe the goal will be met. Thank you for praying and for giving as He leads. Every prayer and every dollar given will fuel God’s purposes in the lives of beautiful, faithful leaders in Vietnam.

With our love and thanks for you,

Jim, Nancy and Vietnam Team

30 Years of Firefall

Recently, Jim and I reflected on the journey of Firefall International over 30 years. It is both humbling and gratifying to remember how the Lord called us and led us to establish Firefall International in response to our burning desire to make disciples of all nations. God’s response to our “yes” was to launch us in a big way that first year with Jim going to the Czech Republic and Ukraine and me heading to South Africa for several weeks of ministry. Precious friends cared for our three young daughters, giving them treasured memories as well.

On those missions, we gained invaluable practical experience and mentoring from pioneers and spiritual leaders. As we continued to walk by faith through open doors the Holy Spirit supplied, we were shaped by circumstances both wonderful and challenging to be the people we are today, imparting who we are to others.

“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”

— I Thessalonians 5:24

The hard seasons of failure and drought helped us lay down offenses and pride and cling more tightly to Jesus. The joyful times of miraculous guidance, provision, protection and fruitfulness fueled our passion for Jesus and our tiny part in His great mission even more. 

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.”

— Psalm 36:5

With each year of service, we are more amazed that He called us to “go” 30 years ago and more grateful that He has sustained us by our wonderful Holy Spirit. He has been our guide, encourager, comforter and source of power to make Jesus known. 

We give thanks for each board member, each individual and partnering church who invested in prayer and giving and going with us on occasion. How beautiful is the Body of Christ! All glory to the Son of God who gave his life to purchase mankind for God through His precious blood. 

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

— Ephesians 5:20-21

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Thoughts on 2023 & Plans for 2024

Last year was an amazement indeed, as God graciously gave an increase in Burmese Bibles distributed, souls saved, cell groups and house churches established, humanitarian aid offered and lives exposed to the gospel for the first time. You are part of each success! 

In addition, three months ago, Jim traveled to Virginia Beach, VA to receive an award for the work of Firefall International from Regent University (where we were a part of the first graduate class in 1978). See a video of Jim’s acceptance remarks and read the full article about the work of Firefall that was included in the Regent University Alumni Newsletter.

Blessing, Minh and their son, Ben

As for 2024, we are planning to go to Vietnam in April to spend time with Firefall associates Minh and Blessing.

We will team with them to strengthen the family lives of young couples in ministry. In addition, we hope to encourage key leaders in the national VBS network that Blessing oversees. 

These teams travel to remote areas of Vietnam all summer, touching thousands of children with the love of Jesus. These leaders challenge us in their zeal, dedication and purity of purpose.

Firefall International will sponsor 2-3 day seminars in two locations. We ask for your prayers and financial support as the Lord leads you.

God Gave Us an Open Door

“For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” I Cor. 16:9

Eleven and a half years ago, Jim and I were guided by the Spirit of God to visit a certain city in Myanmar and host a conference for youth leaders in that nation. This guidance came by way of a strong “nudge” in my spirit to go and strengthen the body of Christ there. We obeyed, following this odd prompting by faith. What did we find there? An open door. 

We discovered a small and struggling group of believers, desperate for more of God. There was nothing glitzy or glowing with success about them to the natural eye. Their leader was a young man captured by a heavenly vision at age 17 to reach the Burmese with the good news of Jesus Christ. That young man was Pastor David. 

In the past eleven and a half years, through the faithfulness of God, the united vision and work of House of Glory plus your prayers and giving, we have seen this open door swing wide to include Bible distribution, clean water wells and humanitarian aid freely shared with thousands of suffering people. In addition to community bridge building through soccer and the lending library, a network of 15 evangelist/church planters has been established in many regions, preaching and discipling hungry and receptive hearts in the nation. 

This God-given open door and your partnership built a 3-story community outreach center housing football offices, a library to enrich the community, a 350-seat worship/meeting center and a home for Pastor David and his family with room to welcome others. The House of Glory center was built during the COVID years and was completed just weeks before the military coup began. Only God could do this!

We continue to be amazed and humbled to have a small role in God’s great story of redemption in this land where so few have ever heard of the love of Jesus. This officially classified unreached people group is being reached with His love, day by day, week by week, friend to friend through the people of God by the power of God. 

Please pray for us as we join our Myanmar family November 2-13 to host outreaches through football and a time of rest and refreshment for the church planters. And we want to extend a big thank you from all of us for helping us reach our goal to fund these events. 

We will send out a prayer itinerary soon. Prayer is foundational and the most important work we can do. How beautiful is the body of Christ!

With much love,

Nancy 

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.” Rev. 3:8 

Q&A with Pastor David: Upcoming November Events

In preparation for two November events, the Firefall Challenge Cup #8 and church planter meeting, we asked Pastor David to answer a few questions about the significance of these events.

Pastor David serves snacks to the Eagles youth team

1. What are your thoughts and prayers as you look forward to Firefall Challenge Cup #8?

Through Firefall Challenge Cup #8, we will get more opportunities to communicate to young people in our community. We can build up more relationships with young people as this is key to sharing the gospel with them. Then, we will get the opportunity to touch those young players at the football field, as a neutral place, not in a church. Because of the political and economic turmoil in Myanmar, there hasn’t been a tournament like this in a few years. Though many young players would like to play more, they can’t. This tournament will provide these young people with pleasure, fun, hope and warmth in the midst of hardship and challenging times.

Hear our friend Philip describe the importance of the upcoming football competition

2. How has community enrichment through football, library and food distribution impacted people in your area? 

By blessing the community through football, library and food distribution, we can establish more friendships with people in our community and share the good news when our friendship grows. As a result, the Lord has given us a great harvest of winning souls. Then, the people around our community don’t see us as a religious center, but they feel our center is a home for them. This has reduced persecution and oppression that we have encountered before.

3. What is your goal in gathering the church planters for three days? 

As the church planters are tired from working in their fields for the whole year, we would like them to be able to rest physically, mentally and spiritually by taking a break here for a few days. During the gathering, we will share our testimonies and prayer points together and be encouraged by the Word and pray for each other. It will be their recharging time, so that they might march on forward in their respective fileds. We will worship together by honoring them for what they are doing to spread the good news aroung our nation.

4. How can Firefall friends pray effectively for you and House of Glory?

Please remember us in prayer as we are serving during the most difficult times in the history of our country. On the other hand, the people in Myanmar are hungry and thirsty spiritually because of the difficult situation. We are in a great harvest time, too. Please pray for House of Glory and all networks so that we might reap the harvest wisely by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for the political and economic situation in our nation as many people are still starving, dying and fleeing since the coup. We covet your prayer support so that we might shine brightly through the gospel in the darkest time.

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Join our team

If you would like to help support these events, we’re looking for 144 sponsorships of $65 each for the football challenge, as well as 12 church planter sponsorships for $200 each.

Firefall Challenge Cup #8 & More in November

Firefall Football Challenge Cup #8 Resumes!

Jim and I have the joy of announcing Firefall Football Challenge #8 will take place in early November in Myanmar. This is extra special for Jim, as it is the very first football (soccer) tournament he has been able to attend. I am thrilled for him to experience the excitement and enthusiasm firsthand. 

The number of teams (12) will be the same as usual, but their makeup will be a bit different. Due to restrictions on travel from many areas, the teams will come from a closer proximity and participants will be invited by their believing friends. The teams will be 50% Christian and 50% yet to receive the good news. 

Our goal is to offer days of competitive play and friendship-building. Over the past four years, young people have faced many COVID outbreaks plus the closing of their schools and colleges due to the turmoil in the nation. Many battle depression and discouragement. 

Playing and cheering on your team provides a wonderful break from the bleakness of everyday life plus an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with hearts the Holy Spirit is preparing through prayer and the gift of God’s Word. 

WOULD YOU JOIN US IN PRAYER AND SPONSORSHIP?

Help us meet our goal!

144 will participate in this tournament. Each sponsorship of $65 covers all expenses for a player. Please prayerfully consider funding 1,2,5 or even 10 football players. Any amount helps and 100% of your gift goes to support this special event. 

Thanks for being a part of our team to bring hope to the nations. 

-Nancy

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Times of Refreshing for Weary Church Planters 

Every time I visit Myanmar I’m humbled by the heroic faith of our ministry associates. How can they face so many challenges and remain faithful, preaching the gospel boldly? I think of the Apostle Paul’s testimony about the hardships he endured and the burdens he carried.

I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 2 Cor. 11:27-29

Together, we can offer these 12 faithful church planters a time of needed encouragement. They are scattered all over the nation and look to Pastor David for friendship, accountability and mentoring in growing God’s family. David taught a few of them in Bible School years ago. In November, they will risk gathering together for what we believe will be a time of three days of refreshing in the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Let’s join together in prayer asking the Lord to pour out His Spirit to renew their faith and strengthen them to “endure hardship, doing the work of an evangelist.” (2 Tim. 4:5)

Your financial gift of $200 will cover one church planter’s travel, food and lodging for the days of worship, time in the Word, prayer and mutual encouragement.

These are the laborers in the harvest field. What a privilege it is to share in their time of rest and renewal. If you care to share a verse of scripture, we are happy to see that it is translated and given to them. 

-Jim

Surveying Your Inheritance

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot, The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.” -Psalm 16:2

Today’s cuppa is a large tumbler of iced tea garnished with both lime and fresh mint leaves. The current heat wave calls out for this cooling and restorative drink. In fact, this is my third glass of the day. 

My mother died at 57 years of age and Daddy followed soon after at 60. For my two sisters and me (I am in the middle), it was a rough few years. I am grateful that my mother lived long enough to hold Grace (our youngest daughter) as a tiny baby before she died in hospice care in Louisville, KY. Grace was the fifth granddaughter my parents had and the last one born. My sisters and I sold their farm and divided up their things without so much as one cross word among us. In my almost 69 years, I realize this is not the norm.

I am grateful for the blessing of a material inheritance I received, but much more thankful for the legacy of hard work, being a person of your word, Christian faith, love and laughter I was nurtured by on our Kentucky farm. My sisters and I knew we were fully loved by my parents and that we would have what we needed when the time came. We were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we never felt we lacked for anything. We were taught to study hard, work hard and good things would follow. They did. 

Our grandparents lived in the same little town. I have treasured memories of Sunday lunches at Mom and Pa’s, my mother’s parents. My daddy’s mother was a widow of many decades. She lived with her sister who never married. Their home was at the bottom of my elementary school which was perched on a hill. We girls spent many afternoons there between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m., when my mother got off work as a public health nurse. We ate ice cream at Me-Maw’s house or picked at leftover fried chicken on a saucer near the back of the stove if we were lucky. Me-Maw played a peg board game called HighQ with me, called out my spelling words or would let me watch Art Linkletter’s “Kids Say The Darndest Things” on TV. Her Bible was always nearby, along with a prayer guide for the latest Billy Graham outreach. She wore hats and gloves to church, and it was a special treat to sit with her in her pew on Sunday morning. She would open her coin purse and give me a few coins to put in the offering plate, my first experience in giving. 

I am grateful for my small-town Kentucky life and those who invested in me with their time, encouragement and prayer. I remember my elementary school years in GAs (Girl’s Auxiliary) where I was captivated by a lady missionary named Lottie Moon who served the Lord in China. About the same time, my Great Aunt Ermine, the town librarian, invited me into the stacks with her and handed me a book she thought I might enjoy reading. It was Pearl Buck’s “The Good Earth.” This was another gift to awaken me to an awareness of an amazing world beyond Kentucky, full of people very different than me, but created and loved by God.  

Psalm 139 celebrates each of us as “fearfully and wonderfully made” (v. 14). No one has your DNA, your fingerprints or your uniqueness. Verse 16 celebrates the mystery of our creation and design, accompanied by a divine plan and purpose for our existence, each and every day. My response to this grand psalm is wonder and worship, especially when I take time to “connect the dots” on some of my own journey and the activity of God in it, day by day, season by season.

Enough of my memory lane moments for now. I leave you today with an encouragement to fix your own cool drink and ponder your inheritance, boundary lines and how the Lord formed your life for His purposes. 

Cheers,

Nancy

A Roof Over Their Heads: God Makes a Way

On May 14, devastating Cyclone Mocha ripped through parts of Myanmar. Only months before, our associate there welcomed 19 young people who had tragically lost their parents. His family of 5 became a family of 24.

Then the cyclone hit. Their two-story home lost its roof. It was ripped off by 130 mph winds, leaving the second floor exposed. Neighbors who lived in bamboo houses lost everything. They all huddled on the first floor. Firefall friends provided emergency food, water and other basic supplies.

Materials to replace the roof were scarce, and when they could be found the price gougers were charging 4 to 5 times the normal rate. Authorities prevented more materials from being shipped to the devastated areas.

Then the rains came

During monsoon season, the family was living on the first floor with rains pouring down on them with no roof for protection. Our hearts were broken by their suffering. We all cried out to the Lord to intervene in what seemed to be an impossible situation. “Lord, make a way for their roof to be replaced!” You prayed with us, too.

David determined to ask permission for materials from the city of Mandalay (purchased at normal prices) to be trucked into the devastated area. It was a long shot. The government official who reviewed the application noticed that it was submitted by “House of Glory.” He asked, “Is this group associated with Glory Football Club? I’ve watched them play.” The application was approved, and the materials were purchased and transported. Construction has begun to repair the roof.

The material and transport costs were $3,000 and construction costs $1,500. This family has endured so much tragedy, yet God is making a way for their home to be restored as he restores their lives by His grace and power.

Your investment in this project will help demonstrate the compassion of Jesus to this dear brother, his family and the 19 children in his care. Can you even imagine opening your heart and home to so many? 

We thank you, Firefall partners, for your regular giving that provides food and school supplies for these children. Let’s pray they will know the love of Jesus and healing for their hearts in this caring home. 

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. -Psalm 10:14

Bright Minds & Intense Competition at Glory Library

On July 17-18, we helped sponsor a quiz bowl and speech/debate competition at the Glory Library. 

Here is Pastor David’s report of the event:

“First of all, we would like to express our gratitude and heartfelt thankfulness to all the Firefall friends who helped in prayer and supported in finance to accomplish the vision of Glory Reading Room during the student competition. The Lord is working beyond our imagination!

Though we hoped to host about 200-250 people, on the first day, more than 400 people came to participate in our event. That day 48 high school students from 16 different government and private high schools competed in general knowledge and quizzes. Each school brought 10 students and 5 teachers to observe and cheer for their schools. Some of their parents came. Their school administrators were there, too. 

I greeted the crowd and introduced our library for 10 minutes, sharing the goodness of God as a testimony of the history of our reading room for another 10 minutes. Everyone listened very carefully. The competition was lively and intense with everyone giving their best. We fed all of them lunch with rice, chicken curry, beans and chilies. Our funds for two days were exhausted on the first day.

We were in an awkward position and prayed together for the second day with the library team. When I checked my Messenger after prayer, I saw a message from Nancy asking about the situation. Jehovah Jireh provided for the second day through Firefall - on time. Hallelujah!

There were about 500 on the second day, including military officers and leaders from the local authorities. Thirty-two students from 16 schools competed with impromptu speeches (take an unseen topic from judges and talk about it for seven minutes). We included this competition so that the students would read more (at the library). We fed everyone lunch like we did on the first day. I got another 15 minutes to share a testimony! 

The Glory Kids led by my daughter also presented three gospel songs and dramas during those two days. They performed twice when the people requested them to. We gave presents to all competitors. We gave small cash gifts, trophies, medals and presents to all winners who won first, second and third place. They all were very excited and happy to receive them.

The most exciting news is that 127 people registered as new members of our reading room after the competition. Most of them are the brightest students from each school, teachers and military officers, too! 

We made an effective bridge during these two days beyond what we could imagine! Many of the students had not laughed, enjoyed life, or felt free like this for quite a long time because of our political and economic situation. We saw how much they enjoyed and loved this event by the joy in their faces.”

R.I.P., Dear Buttercup

For this crazy hot summer, my cuppa today and most days is a bracing English Breakfast blend over ice and fresh mint. Celebrating my southern heritage of Kentucky, Arkansas and North Carolina.

Ten years ago, Jim and I welcomed two adorable lab puppies into our hearts. For many years I had a dream of owning two dogs, one black and one white. As we approached the pen to view the litter, my heart leapt with a mix of amazement and delight that God might just be answering a secret desire. We chose a shy, sleepy yellow female and an equally reticent black male. We named them Buttercup and Wesley after characters in a beloved family movie, “The Princess Bride.” Is there anything cuter than a lab puppy? Yes, I say, two of them!

As we put them to bed on their first night with us, I began to sing a lullaby in an attempt to comfort and calm them. It seemed to work. This frequent serenade became one of my special rituals with them. As I sing, they lie down, rub their eyes and nod off into a nap. Each dog had particular preferences for scratching and favorite parts for petting. They trained us well. 

Our first two years together were full of “training” and replacing lattice, shoes, sprinkler system heads and other destroyed items. Once they hit the 24-month marker, the worst of the damage mercifully stopped. 

This duo accompanied us through our move to Raleigh and the birth of our five grandchildren. Their love is unconditional. Their trust, protection and affection have graced each day of the past decade. 

Buttercup’s quick demise over three weeks this summer has been dramatic and heartbreaking. Accompanying the sorrow was a fierce determination to release her from suffering as soon as we could. I am grateful for a caring and professional veterinarian and staff. Saying goodbye was so sad, but the thought of her incurring more devastation was worse. We let her go, grateful for the decade we had been granted as her guardians. 

We are the owners of one dog now. It feels strange. Wesley seems disoriented and downcast. He wailed two times on the porch the other day. I took it as an acceptance that his constant companion in this life would not be back. We are walking him more and spending extra time with him in his residence, our screened-in back porch. We will all adjust to four becoming three. It will be different, but ok. 

C.S. Lewis got it when he wrote, “We treat our dogs as if they were ‘almost human’: that is why they really become ‘almost human’”. I will leave it to theologians to contemplate the Romans 8 implications of dogs being in heaven. For now, I am nursing a tender heart of remembrances, grateful for the love of precious Buttercup.