Belated Birthday

Some time ago, I turned fifty. I'm fine with that. I look back over the last fifty years, and I see so many ways that God has blessed me when He was justified to curse me; preserved me when He was justified to destroy me; comforted me when He was justified to condemn me. Beside, all the people my age are turning fifty now!

I have gotten many birthday cards over the years, but I was most delighted with a couple that I got from Lydia this year. She made them herself, and here they are:




















This one was such a delight to me, and told me so much! I says, "Mom! You're always there when I need you..." When I opened the card, I saw illustrated many things I have told Lydia repeated, because I thought she didn't hear me.

The inside caption, "and when I don't need you!" tells me that she heard me. She heard me say these superficial tidbits that she included in this card, and she heard also other things.

This card, said one of those things, that this mother needed to hear. Yes, I needed to hear this. Thanks, Lydia.



















Father, I thank you for the blessing of daughters. I thank you for your mercy. Thank you that you remember not the sins of my youth. Thank you for making me a happy mother of children. Thank you for being Strength in my weakness. Thank you that you are sufficient to redeem the years that the locusts have eaten. Thank you, Father, thank you.

I am still here. God help me.

On March 9, we watched a show on Mtv about some young people who had left the Amish community. It's part of Mtv's "True Life" series. This one was called "I'm Ex Amish." I don't know how to find links to it, or upload significant snippets, so I will try to express what impressed me about this show.

I don't know a lot about the Amish, and I don't promote lifestyle as faith. I think they have a lot of things wrong, but most of us do. If, however, they are counting on the purity of their lives to commend them to God, then they are fatally wrong.

One of the young people featured on this show was a young woman, who ran away from home when she was fifteen. She ended up in New York, and loved living there. She expressed a constant yearning, however, to have peace with her father. Finally, she contacted her family, and her father agreed to meet. With an Mtv crew in tow, she headed out to her family's home for a visit. She was scared and excited.

When she was nearly there, she called her Dad. She explained to us that her family had since "moved to a more liberal church" and now had a phone. She was pleasantly surprised that her Dad was so friendly and welcoming on the phone.

When she arrived at a normal-looking home, with modern conveniences, her regular-looking sister in a regular-looking dress greeted her excitedly. Her mother hugged on her, and her Dad smiled nervously. He wanted to talk to her alone.

The Mtv crew hung out on the deck and listened in as the Father pleaded with his daughter regarding Jesus, Scripture and Truth. She stormed out, claiming that he didn't respect her. She drove home venting that she hates it when he comes at her with the Bible.

This is heroic. I was impressed. The Dad was not pleading for the Amish, or for the lifestyle, or for the family or for customes or traditions. He was pleading in the name of Jesus for his daughter's life right in front of Mtv and everybody.

What fear of God this is. What a putting-off of the fear of Man! This is loving the Lord first, which causes us to love our children, our spouses, our bretheren, and sinners.

While I was out of the room, they "agreed to disagree" and she was welcome to visit, and willing to do so.

Then her grandmother died. She was asked to come to the funeral, and her father bought her an airplane ticket to come: one way.

She was infuriated that he disrespected her by not making the ticket round trip. She refused to come to the funeral, and they haven't spoken since.

Did the Dad reject the daughter? No.

The daughter rejected the Dad at each point and finally (up to this point). She actually desires the Dad, but the Dad is Christ's servant, and she will not have that.

She knows where to find him, and she knows that she will find him with his Bible, and his Saviour.

Teach me kindness, Lord, regarding customs and preferences, and a forehead of flint regarding truth and devotion to You.

May they always know where to find me: right here with my Bible and my Saviour!

JAMES SAMUEL KINNEY, Millington

JAMES SAMUEL KINNEY passed from our world peacefully and entered God’s Kingdom Sunday afternoon, June 14, 2009 at his residence with family and friends, at the age of 86. James Samuel Kinney was born in Watertown Twp. on Feb. 25, 1923 and was the son of the late Chester and Mary (Seddon) Kinney. Jim had been a Millington area resident his entire life. He was a graduate of Mayville High School. After high school Jim served our country during WW II in the U.S. Navy Upon his returning home from his tour with the Navy after the war Jim married Viola Burns, and together they have celebrated 62 years. Jim was a tool and die maker for companies of Frankenmuth Engineering, Wicks Tool & Die in Saginaw, retiring from the company known as Godman Tool, based in Milford, CT. Jim and Viola raised 10 children, of which he was very proud of all of them. Jim leaves to cherish his memory, wife Viola; children, David and Dianne Kinney, Tim and Carolyn Kinney, Dan Kinney, Debbie and Vern Wilkinson, Tom Kinney, Libbie Knauer, Peter and Darlene Kinney, Ben Kinney, Rachel and Glen Pierson and Hannah Henderson; 16 grandchildren, David and Michelle Kinney Jr., Darren and Patty Kinney, Brian and Sherrie Kinney, James and Lonie Gornick, Stephanie and Randy Riley, Patrick Kinney, Jason Kinney, Monica and Mike O’Keefe, Heather Knauer, Sarah and Shawn Phelps, Grace Henderson, Holly Pierson, Lydia Pierson, Sam Henderson, Phillip Kinney, Matthew Kinney; 15 great-grandchildren, Travis Kinney, Megan E. Kinney, Megan A. Kinney, Rebecca Kinney, Jayden Kinney, Shane Kinney, Avery Kinney, Sydney Peterson, Brent Riley, Payton Riley, Krysta Riley, Natalie Riley, Lauren Riley, Colton Kinney, Aiden Phelps and Quenton Phelps; sister and brother-in-law, Esther and Ran McDonel; brother and sister-in-law, Chester and Betty Kinney Jr., as well as several nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

Besides his parents, Jim was also preceded in death by an infant daughter, Dinah Ruth Kinney; two sisters, Iris Burns and Joan Sherman; two brothers, Andrew and Paul Kinney and two brothers-in-law, George Burns and Mar Sherman.

The Kinney family will receive friends at Hanlin Funeral Home in Millington on Wednesday, June 17 from noon-8 p.m. Funeral service will be held at Millington United Methodist Church on Thursday, June 18 at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Millington Township Cemetery in Millington. Pastor Pete Crawford will deliver the funeral message and the committal prayers at the cemetery. Military honors will conclude the cemetery service under the direction of the Conrad-Wager & Keene American Legion Post 164. Memorials may be made to the family or to a charity of one’s choice.

You may leave a personal condolence or share a memory online at hanlinfuneralhome.com. Hanlin Funeral Home has been assisting the Kinney family with the arrangements.

The James S. Kinney Family

Dad grew up in the Chester Kinney Sr. family. Here they are, from left to right beginning in the back: Aunt Esther Nell, Dad, Uncle Chester, Uncle Paul, (front) Aunt Iris, Gramma Kinney, Grampa Kinney, Aunt JoAnne. My Mom said he was the best of the lot...

...so he married her. Mom said that she married him because he knew his Bible, he didn't cuss, and he was a good man. I think she was also head over heals. He was a good man. He was a James 1:19-21 kind of man.

James and Viola Kinney had children...a bunch of them. Here we are in, probably 1966 or '67 judging by the teeth I am missing, and that the two eldest sons are gone. Dave is probably off to war, and Tim to college.

From left to right; back row: Tom (#5), Deb (#4), Dan (#3), Lib (#6)
From left to right; front row: Ben (#8), Rae (#9), Mom, Dad, Pete (#7)
On Dad's lap: Hannah (#10)

Years of events, world and personal kept the entire family from meeting up again until 1978 when we all got together to celebrate MY high school graduation (jk). I think there was a gathering when Dave and Dan came home from the war, but I don't have a picture. Here we are in the coolest decade. I will not name them all, except to point out are the ones missing from the previous photo: Dave (#1) is second from the left, and Tim (#2) is second from the right. The one on Dad's lap this time was his most recent grandson, and namesake, Jimmy. Three other grandsons are pictured, and I suspect there were two pregnant daughter-in-laws! Also of significance, Harry Burns, my mother's father is seated front and center.


In 1985, Mom and Dad's youngest living daughter got married. Three of us are missing, but look how the grandchildren are growing in size and in number!


This is two years ago, in July 2007. This is my family.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

(Psalm 127)

James Samuel Kinney

February 25, 1923 - June 14, 2009

I love you, Dad.

Who can know the mind of God?

One time, my friend, Ginger commented about the possibility of seeing someone on Thursday (killing day) at Planned Parenthood that you had seen on Monday (planning-to-kill day), thereby knowing that what you had said to them on Monday was futile.

This was brought home to us this week.

I was encouraged this week when Ginger and her husband were able to join me at Planned Parenthood on Monday. We attempted to talk to an asian couple as they came out of the building. (It is unusual for couples to come and go together on Mondays.) They would not come and talk, but looked at us curiously. They got into their SUV, and as they prepared to leave, I reminded Ginger that God can cause them to stop and take a flyer and exchange words, even when we cannot. So, as they were driving past her, she held out a flyer, and they stopped, rolled down their window, and took it. A few words were exchanged, and Ginger, as always, offered help. Today, they showed up. Seriously, they showed up late enough in the day so that I would have seen them even if I were only there for my 10-11:00 break like I usually am (I, through an act of God was able to be there for a longer time today). Ginger asked them if they had read the information we gave them on Monday. The man said that he has two children at home, and just can't... Then we pleaded and tried to reason with them, all to no avail.

This is heart wrenching. Pray for them. Pray that this will break their hearts and humble them before the cross. They have our numbers.

There was a young woman who was escorting. She is not, I infer, someone who has done this often, or for a long time. She affected Glen, because she strikingly reminded him of our daughter. She affected Ginger, somehow tying her tongue.

Some of those involved with Planned Parenthood have their shells so hardened, and their walls so high, that you think a great event is needed to get through to them. I think that about the guard, who has been there consistently, except for when he had an injury, for about two years.

This young woman, I hope and pray, will see the truth, and reject the lies.

Allison, an IU student, and a blessing in our church was present today. Bless Allison's heart. When this young woman left, Allison called out to her, wanting to talk to her. Young college women, like Allison, Dani, Hannah, Kaitlyn, and others, who will reach out to these women are a blessing. My heart was warmed by the effort.

My heart is warmed by the flames of God's servants, Mick, Ben, Dave, Glen, Clint, Aaron & Crystal, Jim, Carole, Veronica, Vanessa, Ben & Kyla, Josh, Varuni, Bob, Andrew, Matt, Lucas, Joseph, and others who are willing to set themselves on fire for the Glory of God!

God, make our feet firm and beautiful. Let not the hand of the wicked drive us away. Make our words Your Words. In Jesus name, and for Your Glory, Amen!

Can we talk?

Sometime we should sit down and have a big talk. We should look long into each other's eyes and talk deeply about big things. I think sometimes that we talk in greys and light greys and dark greys.

When we talk deeply about big things, we will talk in hyacinth blues and impatien pinks and spring-moss greens; oh, and russets and maizes and lavenders, ...and that really cool dark grey that is almost a blue like a rock in a stream, too.

When one of us says something that the other one doesn't understand, she will say, "I don't quite understand, will you tell me deeper, still?" Then the first will take her heart and put it in the other's hands and then she will understand. Then we can cry and laugh together because we know that we love each other so completely that we just lay ourselves down for each other.

Maybe someday...this year.

(Originally posted December 31, 2006)

And the Two Shall Become One...

It has been a long-standing Piersonism in our house that Glen is me and I am him. This is just our way of recognising and reminding each other of the truth of God's word.

Recently I have been beating myself up for paths I have taken and choices I have made through the years. I again was reminded of the one flesh truth when Glen told me the other day that I have to stop kicking him for that.

It was what I needed to hear.

Thank God for Glen!

Puppet on a String

Yesterday I had a conversation with a young woman who goes to a church which we used to belong to. This is a person who grieved me several weeks ago when I saw her go into Planned Parenthood, but I didn't get to talk to her that day.

(This is one of those things that happen that
you hesitate to tell people
because they will think you're fruity:
I would never have remembered her name,
but I asked God,
and it popped out of my mouth
even as it appeared in my mind.
I was amazed when she responded.
Agh! This frightens me.)

Yesterday, when I arrived, there was a strapping young man waiting by the door. I was told that he brought a short heavy woman in. Funny what we assume. As she was coming out, I called her name. I asked her to come to me, and she did.

(This always amazes me when people come to me.
I often hesitate to ask them to, because it doesn't seem like they would.
Would you?
God clearly holds the hearts of men, kings, young women, and girls in
His Mighty Hand!
They make their plans, and
He directs their steps.)

So, I ask her what she is doing here. To my GREAT surprise, she said, "Don't worry, I am volunteering here." (!!) She is counseling. What sort of counseling do you suppose they do at Planned Parenthood? Don't worry, though, because she also volunteers at the CPC just-down-the-street. Oh, and she told her Mom that she saw me there, a couple of weeks ago. (Peace, peace)

I asked her if she could, while counseling, tell someone that abortion is wrong, that it is killing a child. She said she couldn't say that this "procedure" was wrong, but that she could (wink wink) guide them toward other options. (Peace, peace)

I almost fell for that one. Then she came in with the left jab: (Just when I was wondering if she had stopped going to church) Don't worry, she did talk to Pastor about it. He said it's OK. She said that he said it's better than being "one of those people who stand outside." People just think they are morons, you know. It's more effective, you know. (You Fool!)

Oh, and she's a Nanny, and a Doula (not officially certified --sh-sh). And I really should come back to church, because they're just about to build their new auditorium, and so and so (would you believe it!) are getting married, and so and so are having their third baby and she's just glowing. And everything is so wonderful (bright smile). Oh, and the little baby, in my arms is so cute, he looks just like So and So's youngest one. (peace, peace)

I wanted to ask her to stop flinging crap in my face. Alternately I wanted to fall on my knees and beg her to come to her senses. I gave her another hug and sent her on her way...she really had to get going.

What was it her t-shirt said? "I have visited Motherhood"? Who was that tall strapping young man towering over her. Her "friend" wore a t-shirt with too much writing stretched across his muscular chest for me to have time to read. He also wore a crucifix. He had an appointment, or we might still be there talking. She drove away with him slumped in the passenger seat.

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise

On Wednesday, May 9, my brother got shot. He was badly shot up, and the woman in the pick up truck with him was killed.

 Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create darkness,
       I bring prosperity and create disaster;
       I, the LORD, do all these things.

God has amazing shown mercy according to His good pleasure. My brother has been healing and his prognosis is better than we have reason to hope. A long healing is in store though, thank God.

 Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
       apart from me there is no God.
       I will strengthen you,
       though you have not acknowledged me,

I hope that God will use this calamity to reveal Himself, His power, His glory, His mercy and truth to my brother and my whole family. I hope that this will bring revival to the church that my parents attend. I hope that this will be used by God to accomplish His good and perfect will (tremble) AMEN!

 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other;
       apart from me there is no God.
       I will strengthen you,
       though you have not acknowledged me,

 6 so that from the rising of the sun
       to the place of its setting
       men may know there is none besides me.
       I am the LORD, and there is no other.

 7 I form the light and create darkness,
       I bring prosperity and create disaster;
       I, the LORD, do all these things.

This year, talk deeply about big things.

Sometime we should sit down and have a big talk. We should look long into each other's eyes and talk deeply about big things. I think sometimes that we talk in greys and light greys and dark greys.

When we talk deeply about big things, we will talk in hyacinth blues and impatien pinks and spring-moss greens; oh, and russets and maizes and lavenders, ...and that really cool dark grey that is almost a blue like a rock in a stream, too.

When one of us says something that the other one doesn't understand, she will say, "I don't quite understand, will you tell me deeper, still?" Then the first will take her heart and put it in the other's hands and then she will understand. Then we can cry and laugh together because we know that we love each other so completely that we just lay ourselves down for each other.

Maybe someday...this year.