Patty and I have had, so far, the most wonderful time in the United States. We returned on El Al Airlines the day before the Iran War broke out. That was amazing! We flew to our son’s house near Jacksonville, Florida. He and his wife, Lorena, have a wonderful guest room and bath for us in their home. It is our base in the United States. We had a wonderful renewal of connection with Ben, Lorena, and their three adult children.
The following week, we traveled and spent 9 days at Turf Valley near Baltimore (Ellicott City) for our Tikkun America Conference. The leadership conference was wonderful, as was the general conference on the weekend. Jonathan Bernis was our special speaker. He stayed for the whole weekend conference. He is a true apostolic leader in the movement, and the fruit of his life is amazing. His messages were wonderful. Ben and I enjoyed presenting together on Shabbat. But Ben’s messages, both for leaders and the general conference, were so well presented. Ben is 50 years old now. It was also wonderful to hear Matt Rudolph.
After the conference, we flew to Syracuse and spent a few days with Patty’s sister and husband Bob near Lake Ontario, Pulaski, New York. I think it was our best time of sharing and enjoying each other. Patty’s sister cooked some of Patty’s mom’s dishes, the pie, the strawberry shortcake, etc.
After this, we drove to Schroon Lake. Word of Life Camps were central to my growing up. At 12 years and 8 months, I dedicated my life to Yeshua at Word of Life Ranch. I kept calling home to get permission to stay another week. Instead of staying two weeks, I stayed four. The following year, I did a week at the Ranch and then 3 weeks at the Island. I was absorbed in the Bible teaching. My mother, in her wisdom, would not say no to my staying longer. Because I lost my Dad before my 9th birthday, she saw that being at camp was helping me to grow into manhood. She was so right. I had male role models in the next years that were crucial. That year, I was part of my first backpacking trip to Pharaoh Lake. This initiated a lifelong love for backpacking and for Pharaoh Lake. I would return there many times over the years. I continued my summers at Word of Life Island. Six weeks in 1962, and six weeks in 1963 when I was a Counselor in Training and then in 64 a Junior Counselor with a cabin of 15 youth, and as a senior counselor in 1965.
The natural beauty of Schroon Lake and the Island seemed especially close to heaven. The sense of intimacy with God was a wonderful thing.
Some years later, I became negative to Word of Life since I rejected the classic Dispensational Theology in which I was discipled. Then, in my 30s, God spoke to me that my attitude was wrong. I had received so much, from my dedication to Yeshua, to male role models for learning to grow up. Then, at 24, I discovered Messianic Judaism. But I owe so much to Word of Life.
In 2022, while on vacation at another resort, Friends Lake, the resort of my childhood with my parents, we drove to see the Adult Christian resort, Word of Life Inn. It had been sold and was no longer feasible for Word of Life. 70 years had come to an end. It is now The Lodge at Schroon Lake. Patty and I decided to take three days to vacation there. It was a wonderful three days. Every morning, we had devotions sitting on Adirondack chairs overlooking the Lake and the Island across the Lake. One day, I took the boat to the Island to just walk around. So much was the same. Some of the cabins were as they were 60 years ago. Yes, there was a new covered basketball court. The common men’s wash-up center was no longer there. I helped build the septic field for it in 1964. My old cabin, Lake View, had a new name and was being rebuilt. What a wonderful time to walk around the Island!
Patty and I took a wonderful drive through the High Peak region, bringing back memories of those camping trips in the High Peak region, truly beautiful and majestic. Friday evening, we had an anniversary dinner at the Lodge while we enjoyed looking at the lake.
Sadly, these days came to an end. Then it was a drive to Kingston to spend a few days with the Kingston Congregation and to have a wonderful visit with Peter and Deborah Lundgen and then with their young emerging leaders.
Then we drove to Bergen County, New Jersey, my home county growing up. We will minister at Beth Am Messiah in Rockland County, just to the north. But before that, we will visit my 87-year-old dear cousin Emily, who still lives in the area and has been a prayer support for me for almost 70 years. She is dear to us and all our children who have visited and stayed with her several times. On Sunday, we will visit my old best friend from my college years.
However, we have our actual 54th anniversary tomorrow, Thursday, and will go out for a special romantic dinner. One of the greatest gifts in our lives is the special, amazing love and harmony we have. How amazingly blessed we are!!