50th Anniversary guests

Some formal shots (thanks Ralph) of special guests on this special celebration:

Part of the wedding party
Kees Kooy, Albert Nymann (Best Man and the one who set them up), Mary Hosmar (Elly's cousin)

We thank them for coming and making Ralph & Elly's special day more special! 

 We missed Elly's Maid of Honour, Pat VanVliet, and Brides Maid Gonnie Van Hemert (Ralph's sister), and Groomsman Rient (Dad's brother)

Surely they couldn't have imagined back then that this whole big group below would result from this wedding 50 years later!

Dad's sister, Anneke, and Marius came all the way from Holland! 

 

Mom's sister, Marianne & Evert and some of most of their clan

Tony & Theresa (and kids), Krista & Chris (sans kids), Selina

Mom's cousins (Tante Ma Visser and Tante At Wybenga's families

Back L-R: Evert & Marianne, Mary Wierdsma, John & Mary Hosmar, Rita & Wim Wybenga

Front: Adriana & Gerrit Postmas, Ralph & Elly, Sylvia & Albert Nymann

 Kees & Alice celebrated their 50th wedding 2 weeks before us and Gonnie & Jack 2 weeks later!

Milestones to Give Thanks For

This year there's been other milestones for people in this extended family that haven't been posted on here so I thought I'd do a post to honour them all still.


1) Two weeks after Dad's birthday, the baby of the family turned 35! Congrats Maurice!
We praise God for the way He has worked in your life to bring you to where you are today!


We pray He'll provide good employment soon. (M lost his job a few weeks after his b-day :(

Anyone need a good IT guy? Maurice is a diligent and careful worker, a kind and fun man. )



Wasn't he a cutie!? He was a real charmer too - still is, eh Rachel? Mom?

Of course this picture doesn't do justice as its one of those school mug shots and of course, he had just tried his hand at haircutting!


2) One week after Maurice's birth, Mom's only sister in Canada, Marianne, got married.

Mom was thrilled to show off her new baby boy - and the other 4 kids who were in all in the wedding party!

Mom's family - those who made it from Holland. Mom looks pretty good for just having a baby!

Here's M&Evert's clan today, 35 years later:

Krista (their older daughter) made a beautiful album for her parents which we got to view at the cottage. These photos are from her too (Thx K!)
Congratulations Tante Marian & Oom Evert! and may the Lord grant you many more years together in health and ever closer communion with eachother and the Lord.

Congratulations also to Oom Evert who turned 65 in June! Pray the Lord's blessings on him.


3) In August, Ralph & Sharon's oldest daughter turned 13! Wow! Congrats Rachel C! Rachel is a sweet, caring and willing helper for her mom. She is a diligent student and becoming quite accomplished at the piano under her cousin Heidi's excellent tutelage! She's also working hard at sewing with Oma and we've enjoyed having her over - on her birthday - and other occassions when she's been over to sew....


4) In September, Betty & John celebrated their 10 year Wedding Anniversary in Vancouver, BC! Happy Anniversary and may you be blessed with many more happy years together.


5) 2 weeks later, Rachel Joy, the joy & pride of Maurice's life, turned 30! Congratulations, Rachel! We pray you will have many more years of happy service in your home!

Rachel is a very capeable homemaker and decorator and she spear-headed a house-improvement project for Dad's b-day which took place while we were away camping in Sept. The girls did a great job with the painting and it sure is a huge improvement. We're ready for visitors now :). Thanks Rachel and & everyone who helped!


6) Christine & Maurice's 4th child, Joshua Ralph, turned 13! Wow! a house-full of teenagers they have there - and not just their own, but usually a few to a lot of others. Congrats Josh! Josh is a sensitive, thoughtful boy whose becoming quite handy with his tools and loves to help his dad out. We took him for a trip with Maria to the apple orchard and fun animal farm up north where they had a great time - even though it was raining!


There were a good number of other birthdays and anniversaries celebrated but I can't keep up with blogging as it is so I'm not attempting to post on them all - just the milestones now.


Of course, I should mention the Grand Patriarch & Matriach's anniversary on Friday Oct.30 (because every year of marriage after 34 is a milestone now a days.) Pray for the Lord's blessings on them too and more years in good health together.

Fall - a time of love

Spring is usually said to be the time of love and new beginnings...

In our family, it seems to be Autumn. All but one of our weddings have occurred in September & October!

Betty & John - Sept 11

(Taken end of August when dropping their kids off before speaking at the OCRC YP week conference)

Rachel & Maurice - Sept 30

celebrated their anniversary in Niagra Falls (see her family's blog for great pictures - thanks for letting me use one, R) while we looked after their kids.
Anneke got an introduction to Canadian "democracy" and the voting process as she got to come along to "help" me vote in the advance polls! The town Fair "happened" to be on right beside the town hall were we voted and so we went for a quick look thru. Anneke even got to try rock climbing! I didn't think she was serious and expected her to change her mind any minute, but no, she was bravely determined to try! Good for you, Anna! A little more patience/encouragement from the instructor and proper shoes would've helped her get higher. Good try tho! She got some organic chocolate to share with Jo (who was happily playing w. Jimmy back at the house- oblivious of the adventures their big sister was having).

After supper, we had a rousing game of Memory

Our audience was the most excited and acting like he really knew what was going on. I was impressed how he never touched any pieces but put his whole body into cheering and "helping"

Ralph and Sharon - October 7
Two of Sharon's siblings got married in October as well:
Steve & Amy and Tim & Charlene

And my friend Kara to Eric

3 lovely maidens patiently waiting their turn... ;)

Mom & Dad - Oct 30Guess where this romantic shot was taken!

May God protect our marriages and make them more and more to reflect their ultimate purpose and meaning:

" to display the covenant keeping love and grace that exists between Christ and His Church" (John Piper in his speech at the True Woman 08 conference - also those following)

"Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her..." Ephesians 5:25

What an awesome calling and responsibility for the husband who is to take his cues from Christ and "take primary responsibility to give Christlike leadership, protection and provision to his wife" (i.e. headship)

and for the wife who is to take her cues from the church and "honor and affirm her husband's leadership and help carry it through according to her gifts" (i.e. submission)

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22

"Manhood and womanhood belong at the center of God's ultimate purpose.... In marriage, the choreography between husband and wife is meant to be a display of His Son's sacrificing His life for His wife."

Wow!

And single women are not left out as "there are truths that that can be more clearly displayed by womanhood in singleness than in marriage".

Namely: 1) "that the family of God grows by regeneration not propagation" 2) "that relationships in Christ are more precious than biological ones" 3) "that marriage is temporary and ....only a picture... Marriage is NOT the main thing!"

Yet where marriage is founded in Christ and seeks "to display His dying to make a rebellious people His bride", it is a beautiful gift and calling which we do well to celebrate and affirm/protect.

Congratulations and the Lord's grace and strength in living out this divine calling.

(For more from the conference or true womanhood... see www.reviveourhearts.com - thanks for the MP3s, Ralph!)