It has been a while since I have contributed to this blog so I was anxious to share our news this time.  We have been away on vacation since July 5th in Kenosha, WI to visit our daughter and son-in-law.  It has been a little more laid back than most of the Burgbacher vacations because we were awaiting the arrival of the newest member of the family.  We drove from Summerville to Cincinnati the first day and spent the night with Larry’s uncle and aunt.  We had a great visit with them, saw Larry’s childhood home and the church he grew up in and later ministered in.  And of course, we had to have the famous Cincinnati Skyline Chili.  Delicious!  The next day we drove the rest of the way to Kenosha and arrived mid-day.

We kept busy while waiting for the baby’s arrival playing games, swimming, working out, shopping, etc.  I did celebrate my birthday on the 7th with a wonderful dinner out and some great gifts from my family.  My girls blessed me on Thursday night  with a surprise birthday dinner at a cute little restaurant with several of my dear girlfriends from Kenosha.

The big day finally came on Monday, July 12th.  Benny Winfield Ferguson III was born at 8:05 pm.  We were so excited to welcome him into the world.  His two big sisters are absolutely thrilled with him.  Mommy and baby are doing great, and Daddy is on cloud nine.

We were also able to drive 5 hours to the little town where I grew up in Minnesota to visit my mother, who is a resident in the nursing home there, and two of my sisters and their husbands.  It was the first time any of them had met Larry.  And of course they just loved him!  It was a very emotional visit for me to see my mother showing her age of 88 years.  She has lost almost all sight and is confined to the wheelchair or easy chair with the assistance of a lift.  It was a week of very mixed emotions for me.

God has truly blessed our family with both a new life this week and reminiscing with Mom about the faithfulness of God in her life.  Times like this make me even more aware of God’s hand on our lives from the beginning to the end.  He is the foundation of our lives and He is who we live our lives for.

Psalm 139:13-17
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Thankful for Life In Christ!

Love,

Jeanne

I have reported enough of my defeats, so it is refreshing to be able to finally report a major victory.  I passed my motorcycle test!  After trying twice last summer, I renewed my temporary permit for another year.  But that year was soon coming to a close.  I borrowed Ray Bennett’s 650 which is much lighter than my bike.  I still had a little trouble with sharp right and left turns - putting my foot down a couple of times.  But I went through the treacherous cone course unblemished.  At that point, I knew I was on my way.  Now I can drive at night (legally) and carry a rider.  Jeanne doesn’t seem too excited.

We had a wonderful July 4th weekend.  Family, cook-out, swimming and the highlight - Fireworks!  The ensemble did a great job at the “Freedom” musical and Col. Jim Roberts did a wonderful job reminding us of our Christian heritage as a nation.

Jeanne’s daughter, Kelli is having a baby boy, so we are in Kenosha Wisconsin for a few days.  Jeanne officially qualifies for Young at Heart by turning 50 today, July 7th.  So when you see a Honda Shadow 1100 and two young motorcycle riders going by with our helmets on, of course, it is a good chance it could be your pastor and wife.  Victory at last!

4 Generations of Burgbachers

This is the first Father’s Day I haven’t had a father to call, or take out to eat or buy a gift for. Instead I took my Mom and my Sister to the cemetery. It is not like dad is really there, for I know he is in the presence of the Lord, but somehow it brings a small measure of comfort to visit the spot we last said goodbye and shared some wonderful memories. It is hard to believe dad has been gone two months now. Some of you may disagree, but I have to say that I had the best father in the world. He was a kind, gentle man who was a powerful example of what a man, a father, and a husband should be. I am so grateful for a wonderful dad.

The weekend started Saturday at the Santee National Country Club with high expectations. It was time for our Men’s Missions Golf Tournament, but my team’s inability to make any putts left us off of the Leader Board. We still had some great fun. Next year I’ll reload my team and try again. I was definitely the weakest link!

Sunday we had some great services as men answered the call to be better fathers, and we prayed for our children. The highlight was my daughter’s call from Nepal and Chad’s call from Panama. All is well with my kids. We also have had the privilege to watch Jason and Jessica’s boys while they are in Nicaragua on a missions trip. They are a lot of fun and a lot of work. My strategy is to wear them out in the neighbor’s pool. They go to bed a lot easier and earlier that way!

I am so blessed to have had a godly father who passed his Christian heritage to me, which I passed on to my kids, and now they are passing on to their children. God’s blessings are incredible.

Psalm 103:17
¹⁷ But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,  And His righteousness to children’s children…

A friend of mine called on that day to check on me and remind me that Tania is having a ball right now, and that she wouldn’t come back if she could. The thought of Tania in the presence of her Lord with perfect joy and peace definitely brings comfort.

A lot has happened in the last two years and God has brought some wonderful new people into my life. The Lord has been faithful to bless our church, and all that Tania began with her teaching and mentoring of ladies continues to bear fruit. Now when we think of her, instead of tears, her memory bring a smile to our faces.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The last month they spent in South Carolina. They were wonderful help in taking care of my dad with his last few weeks on this earth. The timing of Lindy’s furlough and dad’s passing was orchestrated by the Lord, but with all that has transpired in the last year, I didn’t get to spend as much time with Lindy as I would have liked. She is very much like her mother, so I often got a little nostalgic when we were together.

God’s highest call is to spread His good news. I am very proud of all my kids, but when they answer the call of God, sometimes it “separates.”

Acts 13:2
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

This has been a difficult month of goodbyes; Dad a couple of weeks ago and Lindy this past Thursday. I know I will see both of them again, but when that will be is in the Lord’s hands. A great thanks to all who sent cards, flowers, letters, food, and especially for your prayers during the loss of my father. The whole time I have felt the incredible peace of the Lord.

Pastor Larry

As I write this Tuesday, AM I am sitting beside my dad’s hospital bed in his house.  There is no place right now I would rather be.  “Amazing Grace” is playing in the background and I can feel the presence of the Lord in a supernatural way. Dad is struggling to breath and his pain is increasing.  His home going could be any day now.  Chad is flying in today from Panama, his brother is driving in today from Louisiana, and Josh and Lindy should arrive tomorrow from Oklahoma, for one last time to tell dad how much we love him.

It is hard to believe that two months ago he was getting off a cruise ship, and pushing mom in a wheel chair.  She had fallen and broken the bone in the socket of her hip.  Four days later, he was walking to his mailbox and was short of breath.  A few days after that they were draining five liters of fluid off of his chest.  A mass was discovered in his chest behind the sternum bone.  When they broke the bone to remove the mass, the cancer had already spread to the exterior of the left lung.  Since then he has experienced a very rapid decline.

Last week my dad asked me a couple of questions. The first had to do with why does all this bad stuff happen, and he also mentioned Tania. I don’t know if we have any good answers when these times come.  We are called upon to trust in the sovereignty of the Lord and His never failing love for us.  I think the answer to these questions can’t ever be fully understood until we reach Heaven. And then we shall know that every tear will be wiped away.

The second question dad asked is where I can read about Heaven. I knew his reading days were over, but it struck me that the closer we get to the end of this life, the more our thoughts turn homeward.  When we are doing fine our focus is on the present.  But “God has set eternity in our hearts”, and this thought of our eternal future would impact every decision we make. We do know Heaven is about to get a lot sweeter, because a great man of God is getting ready to go to his Heavenly home.

For now I have a great privilege of opening God’s Word and reading to dad, Rev. 21 and 22.

Revelation 21:3-7

³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
⁶ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Thank you of all your prayers for dad, mom and my entire family.  God’s presence is incredible.

Safe in His arms,
Pastor Larry

——————————————————————–

Update

Don Burgbacher passed away Thursday morning, April 29th at approximately 4am. Please continue to hold the Burgbacher family in your prayers.

Thank you so much for your prayers ans support. See you Sunday!