It's all about relationship...Spit & Whittle...

Spit & Whittle Zoom

I spent this morning talking with a group of Christian guys, who have been meeting weekly together mostly at Taylor University just to share life together and provide Christian support in Upland, Indiana and the surrounding area as needed. We are known by others as Spit & Whittle. I can guess how that name happened! Since COVID, we have been meeting together from our homes using the ZOOM app as a way to interact without risking the spread of the virus and this screen print is from one of our former Zoom sessions. It's ironic how over the years, our situations and even our interactions with others change due to careers, retirements, family moves, becoming parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, if we are fortunate enough!

 I was born and raised in Michigan and moved back and forth between Ohio and Michigan some 76 years before moving to Indiana. However, the last 4 plus years, my wife and I have lived in Upland to be closer to my daughter Lisa. My three oldest children went to Bluffton High School, met friends in Ohio, learned about Taylor University, a Christian College, and ended up graduating from Taylor and/or Ohio State University. When looking back at my life, who would have guessed that I would be here today?  How would I have guessed that while driving my kids to Taylor, I would be driving past Eastbrook Highschool, where my Lisa's future husband was graduating? And, who would have guessed that we would become close friends to a family in Ohio, who would also move to Upland with their family and become part of Spit & Whittle? Who would have guessed that the guy I used to listen to on the radio, each night while driving home from work, Jay Kessler, former President of Youth for Christ, and later, Taylor University, would be a big contributor to the ongoing Spit & Whittle sessions in Upland? It's also no suprise that my kids would learn about Taylor University from Jim King, their Youth for Christ leader at Bluffton Highschool.

It's all about relationship! Jesus set the perfect example of this fact. Let's each of us try to follow Jesus' lead and be reminded about the importance of others in our lives and help to make a difference in their lives!