Do you remember the Luukkonen kids: Timothy, Philip, and Elaine? Well, they are not kids anymore in stature; but they are still child like in heart: rafting down the rapids, exploring the wild, camping on the beach, or hiking the Grand Canyon. And they are still serving The Lord Jesus Christ with child like faith!
Here they are from left to right: our son Timothy with his wife Margaret; our daughter Elaine with her husband Timothy and their first born Daphne; our son Philip with his wife Heather and their children Carter and Lily. Sandwiched in the front are the proud parents and grandparents, Gary and Ruth Luukkonen!
God gave us an extra bonus: the Luukkonen brothers Timothy and Philip married McGregor sisters; and Elaine married her brother Philip’s best college friend. So that makes us all one big happy family!
January 28th, 2010
I had another dream last night that I would like to share with you. The setting is the USA. Here is my dream in essence….
One evening while our children were sleeping (Gary and I were interacting with friends); an official announced to us that our family had committed a crime.
“What crime?” I asked.
“You will find out soon,” he replied.
The official pronounced our sentence: our entire family was to be transported to a governmental church institution for reform.
My heart was greatly troubled and sad. Had we truly done something wrong? Had we offended our Lord by sinning againnst man?
Later I asked again, “Please sir, tell me what crime my family has committed?”
“You believe that God will send to Hell all those who do not follow Jesus Christ,” he stated. “You also believe that Jesus is The Only Son of God, and is in fact God Himself.”
My sorrow turned to joy when I realized, “We are being persecuted for Christ, so my family is blessed!”
I thought to myself, “I will wake up the children and tell them to rejoice!”
January 15, 2010 Ruth
“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Rejoice; to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, you may also be glad with exceeding joy when His glory is revealed. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, thief, evil doer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God is this matter.” 1 Peter 4:12-16
January 15th, 2010