MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)

Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 90 – In Book, Page 217

Christmas Newsletter – 2009, Timmy and Megan’s Wedding, First E-mail from Samuel Kawiliza, Pebbles From the ROC – October 2010, Words of Sir Winston Churchill, Twenty-Fifth Pastoral Anniversary for Jim Weiland, A Priceless Date with my Hubbie

AS DICK HEADED OUR 2009 CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER, “ JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON”, WE CANNOT GO OVER TO THE NEW YEAR, 2010, WITHOUT THANKING GOD FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS CARDS, GIFTS, NEWLETTERS, PICTURES, HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS CARDS AND ORNAMENTS FROM OUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!!!!

DECEMBER 26, 2009 – MEGAN ANN PAGGI AND TIMOTHY PETER MUELLER. JR.’S WEDDING – PLEASE GO BACK TO PAGE 148 OF “MOM’S MEMOIRS” FOR DETAILS OF THEIR FABULOUS WEDDING AND RECEPTION. HOW THANKFUL WE ARE FOR GOD’S LOVING KINDNESS FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR DICK AND ME TO ATTEND THEIR WEDDING SO THAT WE COULD BE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS!

OCTOBER 5, 2010 – WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT A WONDERFUL LETTER WHICH CAME FROM LILONGWE, MALAWI, AFRICA, TODAY

NDILIBWINO@aol.com

From: “Samuel Kawiliza” <skawiliza@gmail.com>T
To: NDILIBWINO@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 8:31 AM
Subject: MULIBWANJI

Dear Pastor Mueller,

I am really happy to find your email address in the 1999 year book among the retired pastors. I am Pastor Samuel Kawiliza, the son of Benford Kawiliza. Few years ago I remember you came when the LCCA celebrated the 50th anniversary. I hope you are resting after many years of work in God’s kingdom here on earth. The Lord will reward you for all your hard work in bringing people to Christ our Savior. You labored together with my dad and taught him how to catch fish so that he became a fisher of men. I enjoyed seeing how he worked with you and I was very young. You were the one who baptized me. Today I am the acting principal at our Lutheran seminary teaching men with the desire of the ministry to become pastors. I praise God always for you and others who came to plant the church here. May God bless all your efforts and please know that your labor is not in vain. God himself will reward you in heaven.

I would be very happy to hear from you, my father, grand father in the Lord our Savior.

In Christ service,

Samuel Kawiliza

(Needless to say, we were very happy and it touched our hearts when we received this wonderful, sincere, letter from Pastor Kawiliza. His father worked alongside Dick for many years in Africa. It is a blessing when we think that even when Samuel was very young, he had a desire in his heart to become a “fisher of men” – like his dad and my husband, his “father and grandfather”)

OCTOBER, 2010 – PEBBLES FROM THE ROC IN THE ST. MARK’S “THE MESSENGER”

We love our new ROC home!  The newly remodeled ROC at 213 N. 3rd Street is amazing and so good for fellowship, fun, and most of all, worship of our Savior God and Bible Study.  Every day THE ROC is open we have what we call a Bible/Talk Time where we, in an interactive and visual way, study Bible History, Biblical Doctrine and various topics.  Often the teens will suggest topics and Bible passages to study.  Recently a teen, with some speech challenges, asked if we would study how, through Christ, we are children of God and priceless in God’s sight.  Some teens at school have made fun of his challenges and others speak to him slowly and deliberately, like he is mentally challenged or like he is a little child.  The teen, in fact, is extremely smart and has no mental challenges. It was as though the floodgates had been opened as teen after teen then began to express their desire to be loved and respected instead of being made fun of and bullied.  Some talked of how they have thought of suicide due to how they have been treated by some.  What a blessing it was to share with them the greatest news of all that in Christ they are forgiven and eternally loved by their Lord God.

For your information, we have approximately $25,000 to pay by the end of 2010 for our building and remodeling.  Your gifts are greatly appreciated and may be sent to THE ROC, 213 N. 3rd St., Watertown, WI 53094.  Also THE ROC is an eligible organization for Thrivent Choice dollars.  Thrivent members are encouraged to keep THE ROC in mind when they are informed of their Thrivent Choice dollars which they are able to designate to THE ROC either online or through an 800 number.

Timothy Peter Mueller
Pastor/Director of the ROC

Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill of England (1940-1945 – 1951-1955) said, “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.” He meant that we should GIVE OF OURSELVES TO OTHERS. If we forget about ourselves, our worries and uncertainties, life has a way of flowing along more easily. We know that you, Tim, and your Dad are outstanding examples of giving of yourselves to others. As the Bible says in Leviticus 19:18 – “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

OCTOBER 10, 2010 – 25TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE FOR JIM

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Merrill, Wisconsin, had a service of worship and grace, thanking God for 25 years of pastoral ministry for Pastor James D. Weiland, our Susie’s husband. The service was held at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hamburg, Wisconsin. Rev. Dr. Nathan Pope, Pastor Emeritus, preached the sermon. The Sermon Text was: 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, and the Sermon Theme was: “Shaken, Rattled, and Rolled” – and Still Pouring God’s Grace”. Nathan served our Lord with Jim in Racine, Wisconsin. Our son, Pastor Timothy Peter Mueller, conducted the Liturgy. As usual, he did wonderfully. The choir (in which both Sue and Jim are members) sang at the end of the service, “Lord, Help Me Be Your Servant”. They sang it so beautifully that it brought tears to my eyes.

After the service all of us walked over to a community hall (which they told us had once been a school) for the reception. Dick was asked to lead the before and after the meal prayers. He started with Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Rejoice over the Bread of Life to feed our hungry souls, and the Water of Life to quench our thirsty souls. He thanked the Lord for those spiritual blessings, and then turned to physical blessings. He used Psalm 145:15 – “The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.” He did as well as he always had. It meant a lot to me to see and hear him do this. Both of us appreciate it so much when our grandchildren ask him to participate in their wedding services and receptions. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.

There was a huge delicious catered meal – also many desserts and a special anniversary cake made especially to honor Jim’s 25 years in the ministry. There were many people there, including a large group from First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Racine, Wisconsin, where Jim had served as pastor.for eleven years. Also there were Jim’s parents, sister, Sue and Jim’s families, our families, and other relatives and friends. Jim was presented with a beautiful picture based on Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” At the end of the reception our families, including the children, sang, “ One life touches another (adults)” / “Jesus loves me, This I know (children). What a very blessed day!

OCTOBER 13, 2010 – WOW! A PRICELESS DATE WITH MY HUBBIE

This morning Dick and I got up, and I had a great idea to go to Hardees for breakfast. I had a 99-cent coupon for an egg, cheese, and bacon biscuit which we could use for two of them, so off we went. We saw some friends there and visited awhile. Then we went to Sue and Tim’s because Dick wanted to give them a propane tank which we weren’t using. Another idea! Let’s go to the new Bethesda Thrift Shop in Horicon! I had read about it in the Watertown Daily Times. What a great surprise that was! It’s huge! We came out of there with some real good things, and it happened that we got 50% off because it was Wednesday and Senior Citizen Day. They told us that the Bethesda warehouse nearby was open, so we headed over there. What a place that is! Loads and loads of “stuff” – and at a reasonable price – just like the Thrift Shop! The warehouse is huge too. We found a very nice park in Horicon to eat two delicious Cinnamon and Raisin Biscuits which we had also gotten at Hardees.

Of course, we just had to go to the famous Horicon Marsh to look for and at the geese. Hah! We didn’t find any geese, but did manage to go to the “Wild Life Refuge” building before they closed at 4:00 p.m. There we did see geese – dead and stuffed! But it was an interesting place with other stuffed birds and animals which are native to the marsh.

On the way back from Juneau on Highway M, we saw on the right side of the road eight beautiful Alpacas at an Alpaca farm. Some time ago people were invited there to see and pet the Alpacas. They had games, a coloring contest, and other things for children to do. We didn’t make it that day, but now were granted the blessing of seeing one of God’s wondrous creations. Coming from Watertown, the Alpaca farm is about two miles north on Highway M (on the left side) from the junction of Highways M and E if anyone else is interested in seeing them.

We then left for home and alas! There were hundreds of geese “in our own back yard” – across the street at the brickyard! But we had a wonderful relaxing day, and I thank my hubbie for it. The Lord blessed the day with beautiful fall weather. What more can we ask? I remember a song from years ago – “The Best Things In Life Are Free!” Isn’t that the truth!