Ken

For our thirty-first anniversary we spent a night in the Indiana Amish Country. It was beautiful and fall-like. We found a wonderful bakery call Rise and Roll were the coffee is free. We met Chuk, Kyle, Elizabeth and the Grandbuddies for a meal, then we spent the night in a B and B called “The Big House in the Little Woods.” It’s a cozy place in the quiet Indiana countryside. The place is owned and managed by Dave and Gail Hodges who were perfect hosts. The room was beautiful–colorful Amish quilt on the bed, windows looking west on the setting sun as we arrived.

When morning came we were happy to see that without knowing it the other guests were a party we had bumped into in town the evening before. We had enjoyed a warm conversation about the things of the Lord. The party included a preacher, two of his grown daughters, and a grandson. There were good company. The other couple staying in the Inn were believers, too. They were from Ohio. We breakfasted with the other guests on apple-pecan pancakes, coffee, juice, hot muffins, and an egg dish made with farm-fresh eggs, cheese, potatoes, and sausage. It held us over until late in the day. Gail even sent us home with a couple recipes. Dave and Gail are believers with the gift of hospitality. If you would enjoy a quiet stay, friendly people, great food, and a good value, stay with them and let them know I sent you.

A friendly Amishman named Ben took us for a buggy tour and Lois snapped pictures all the way. We came home the long way completing a enjoyable Anniversary/Birthday trip. (Next year we are going to have to find some other things to do besides eat).

When Lois posts her photos from the trip I will link to them.

When Roger was eight his dad gave him a very unique gift. Roger has kept that gift for fifty years. Roger’s dad was a veteran of WWII. This gave him priority consideration to buy an Army-surplus General Purpose vehicle built by Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. This is the vehicle that came to be universally known as a Jeep. The “General Purpose” was shortened to GP and then slurred into the word “Jeep.” The nick name stuck. He probably paid around five hundred dollars for it.

Roger’s Jeep has been in the family for over sixty-five years. The family used the Jeep on the farm for chores and to plow snow in winter. When Roger left home he took the Jeep with him. Other projects took priority so for many years Roger stored the Jeep but didn’t start it. That was fifty years ago. Early this summer he decided to pull it out of storage and see what it would take to get it running. He gassed it up, checked the fluids, hooked onto it with a tractor, pulled it, and popped the clutch. The old Jeep coughed, spit, sputtered, and came to live and ran…after sitting unused for fifty years.

This is true. Rodger told me himself and he has witnesses. He also said, “If anyone asks, tell them that it is not for sale. I’m going to pass it down to my son.” He is determined to pass down to his son what was cherished and passed down to him.

Rodger’s Jeep got me thinking. What do I have of value to pass down to the people who I love most in the world? What do they need more than anything? What would be the most valuable thing I could give them?

I’d like to give them houses or valuable real property. I am tempted to desire a life of ease and pleasure for my children but in my heart I know that we are not on the planet to pursue a live of ease. When I’m gone I want to leave behind children and grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren who desire for themselves the joy, delight, pleasure in God they see in me.

I want to know God personally and intimately and live in unbroken fellowship with Him. I want to influence and inspire and coach those I love to know God personally and intimately—to find deep soul-satisfaction in God.

Paul said of Timothy, “I can tell you have the same genuine faith your mother and grandmother have.” Genuine faith is an eternal source and sustenance to the soul. It is a guarantee of eternal life. It is an assurance that we will spend eternity together in the bliss of heaven and the presence of God. If by my life I am able to influence my heirs to have genuine faith I will have given them something money cannot buy. They will have something of infinite and eternal worth. It’s what I like to call an heirloom-quality faith.

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
September 2, 2010