Buist 2023 Newsletter

 

The year 2023 started out great for me but literally ended with a bang. I was in an automobile accident in August totaling my car. After recovering from that I tripped and fell at a school I was subbing at and broke my humorous bone. So, I’m now in physical therapy. Other than this my year’s been great.

My big highlight of the year was my trip to New England in October. I’ve never been back East so I took a bus tour of the fall foliage and visited eight states. It was a wonderful tour with a great group of forty-one people from all over to whom we grew close to. We traveled from Boston to Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. My favorite was the Maine rugged coastline and delicious lobster I had on a lobster roll with lobster bisque. I collected fourteen shot glasses of each city visited for my son’s collection.

After the tour I flew to Philadelphia to see my friend Dr. Eloise Meneses, a high school friend who was in my wedding, whom I hadn’t seen in thirty years. We had a great time catching up and I had the privilege of watching her teach at Eastern College where she is a professor. (I knew her in college). She showed me around Philadelphia and drove me through New Jersey to New York City where I saw Time Square, the Statue of Liberty, and the World Trade Center.

This year we lost my Uncle Bob Richards, Olympic pole-vaulting champion, Wheaties box celebrity, and first motivational speaker. He was 98 and had a lot of press telling about his amazing life. Then his big brother, my Uncle Kenny, passed away at 103. We will miss his Midwest humor. So, there are none left on earth of my mom’s and dad’s families now.

My brother Brian, who’s a comedian, came down for a visit to try out his routine in LA. It was great having him.

I’m most grateful for my job at the church. I am no longer doing Children’s Ministries, so I’ve been able to participate in worship doing the Pastoral Prayer, Children’s Moments, and being Liturgist. I’ve been able to preach three times and am doing the sermon on New Year’s Eve. I still lead the Tuesday night Book Study.

Both of my sons are working. John turned 31 and has been with his girlfriend for two years. Benjamin turned 25 and has been with his girlfriend for two years also. We’ve come to love both girls who appreciate my decorations and whose enthusiasm adds joy to our lives. Don had minor surgery and has recovered well.

My trip to Africa has not come through due to conflict in the area. Yet, I’ll be going to England in July for a Wesleyan Pilgrimage. I will visit the sites of John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) life and ministry. I’m looking forward to this time of learning and reflection.

The Lord has blessed us in so many ways this year, even in the harder times. We thank God for the blessings you have brought into our lives and wish for you:

A MERRIJOYful CHRISTmas!

 

MJ. for Don, John, and Benjamin Buist2

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