Rev. Howard Hintzman-The Weekly Message 

July 27, 2009

One of the great things about email is, you get these messages from me weekly. Whoops, that isn't what I was going to say.  What I was going to say is, one of the advantages of email is the relationships which are nurtured as a result of its use which might not be otherwise.  Though, I have to admit that going to the mail box and finding an envelope with my name handwritten on it still brings a thrill as only it can.  Anyway, my siblings have begun to use email as a way to stay connected - especially those who are retired, a number which seems to be growing at a very fast rate these days.   Now I know one of you gets this, so please don’t take offense. So, periodically three or four of them get on the computer and the news flies.   After reading these and all they are about, I have decided I will continue working because I don't want to work as hard or as much as these people do.  though, I am sure at age sixty-six and two months I probably will think differently.  So anyway, a few weeks ago, a couple arrived, their content very similar as in the past.

Well, the corn is looking good, though we sure could use some. There's a Farmall Tractor show in Madison the end of this week – anyone up to going to it?   If you don't know it already, Fruits house burned down recently.  I bailed 99 large bales of hay and it is already sold.  the weather has been nice in the mountains of North Carolina ; even picked  some blackberries.  Went to Marco’s funeral (father of the only brother-in-law in the family) and there were about a hundred present.   I take care of my grand kids two days a week and am enjoying it a great deal.   Had lunch  with  cousin Marilyn on Thursday.  Went to great-great uncle Emil's funeral  - the one who was  mom's second cousin sixteen times removed who was really a first cousin of dad's.  

You get what I mean.  I am winded by the time I finish reading these.  What I've learned though is, this is what a bunch of farm kids talk about - it's what we grew up hearing, it is what was important when we were growing up and continues to be so.  So, I imagine in the hearse on our way to the cemetery we'll be commenting on how the corn looks and in our next email from heaven, we’ll include that.  In all of this we are grateful for God's gift of email - helping us remember who we are and nurturing us in our family relationship.    

Till next week...H

Oh, by the way, did I tell you, our flowers here in WI are rather slow this summer.  It was down to 48 degrees last week, and what we really need  is more rain and good hot July weather