A Great Heritage
Just earlier this month we were blessed to be a part of a family reunion entailing Tanya's side of the family, the Guesses. Not only were we able to reconnect with familiar faces, and get caught up with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins, but we were privileged to be reminded of the past of our ancestors who have gone on before us and left a legacy that should not be forgotten.
"Bossie" and Eunice Guess were married later in life, neither of them had ever been married before, and shortly after their marriage asked the Lord that He would give them as many children as fast as He could. Soon after, He blessed them with five children in six years. The family had a sweet relationship growing up together and plenty of fun memories made. They were solid Christians and wanted to pass the faith to the next generation, of which they did a good job. Having been married for twenty years, the Lord saw fit that it was time for Eunice to come home. She passed away at the age of 53 from cancer, leaving behind her dear husband and five precious children ranging in age from 19 down to 12 years old. Someone was heard to have said that "this couple did more living in 20 years, then a lot of couples do in a lifetime." Five years later, at the age of 68, "Bossie" followed the Call and passed through those pearly gates to meet His Lord and Savior face to face.
"The five siblings" as they are known, stayed close through both their parents death, and have been a testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness even until now. We look up to them with admiration and gratefulness for what they have taught us and how they have encouraged us to stay close to the Lord and to each other.
The five siblings introduced themselves and reminisced a little at the beginning as the introduction to the reunion, and the start of the long line of introductions from the generations under them. Between the five, there are 25 grandchildren, and now about 85 great grandchildren… and still counting!
Food and fellowship always goes together!
It was great seeing all the different mingling groups visiting!
It was neat to see the interaction between the older and younger generations. We youngsters can learn a lot from the elder!
Ah! One of the highlights for the children was the outside activities! Dodge Ball, and a new family favorite, Crack About, wore them out!
Some more shots of different groups found around the building.
There was a set aside time that everyone gathered to hear from the five siblings about their growing up memories, facts about their parents, and fun times as well as tough times they shared and stuck through together. A large majority of the testimonies and sharing was about the times they went through of losing their mother at the tender ages of 19, 18, 15, 14, and 12, and then five years later, their father; how they worked together, how they stayed united as a family, the different individuals who were of the greatest support and encouragement to them at those times, and how they had to trust and lean on the Lord to carry them through. It was a very emotional time for everyone in the room, just seeing their hearts remain tender and submissive to the will of the Lord as He saw it best to lead them through that dark valley. They still talk about their parents in the most loving way and are very grateful for the time the Lord allowed them to have their parents, and how much they learned from their parents in the short span of life with them.
Tanya's dad helped lead a special concert put on by all the smallest children who were there. They were such a delight to watch with their big sun beams waving back and forth singing "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam!"
A few more shots of the main session and another gathered singing group before closing the reunion. (If you haven't already figured it out, put your arrow on a picture and it will lend some specific information about that picture :)
Being in a group that large, it is expected that someone have the same name as another, or share a birthday!
Happy 1st Birthday, Daniel!!!
The Tuesday after the Reunion weekend, Daniel celebrated his first Birthday!!!
We actually passed through his stomping grounds in AR at Grandma and Grandpa's house on our way back from the reunion, and had a little party in remembrance of the day he was born right there last year on Labor Day!
He is such a blessing to our family, and we are so blessed to have him as part of our big, happy family!
We love you, big boy, and look forward to seeing what the Lord holds in store for your life!
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."
Deuteronomy 30:19
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