A day I will never forget...

Yesterday we celebrated the faithful life of one of God's servants...Chad's grandpa. He fought the good fight and he finished the race. We began with a morning graveside service.

Watching the deer run in the green of the cemetery and feeling the warmth of the sunshine was not a small gift from God on this January day. Our 7 children were quiet and behaved, reverent and respectful. Not an easy task and one I do not ask of them often (the quiet part, anyway). I was in awe of all our family, gathering to pay tribute to their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, husband of 69 years.

As a song was sung and the guitar made beautiful music Chad's aunt and Grandmother raised their hands in praise. He was there, in heaven with his Savior and King, rejoicing! We all laid a rose on his casket and smiled remembering his sweet nature and his mischievous sense of humor. All the way until his dying day he was playing jokes on his loved ones. Even more admirable was the way he led people to the Lord even when he was sick and in pain.

At only 19 years of age, a shy Warner was called to ministry, and without fancy degrees or titles, he served. He drilled wells, helped with farming and walked many miles in the snow of Minnesota to visit his parishioners. As we listened to his children describe his faithful life, Aidan's heart was touched. The large church we met in, had begun as a prayer meeting in Warner and Pearl's home. Aidan smiled, "Just like our church began as a Bible study in our home!"

When we watched a slide show of photo's Chad made, Aidan remembered how at only 3 he would tuck his little orange Gideon Bible under his arm and jump up onto a toy box and preach his heart out. He would line up his stuffed animals and teach about God's ways. From age 90 to age 10, the Lord uses Godly examples to inspire and encourage. Aidan looked up at me and whispered, "Mama I want to be a preacher too. I hope He calls me too."

Later as Grandma lifted her tired, 93 year old arms up for yet another hug, I told her that Chad and I want to commit to praying daily for all the family members as she and Warner did for all those years. How valuable were those prayers! I know this without a shadow of a doubt. She smiled and said she would love that. Then I told her what Aidan said about wanting God to call him to be a preacher and her blue eyes widened and she smiled ear to ear, stretching our her sweet wrinkles..."Oh, oh, wouldn't that be wonderful!"

Look at all this offspring gathered in joyful remembrance and thankfulness of a godly heritage...


We were missing two families...Steve and Katarina and their two daughters and Chad's sister Micki and her two children, as well as Heidi's husband and their two boys.

Something I realized when we were there was that of all the family members, our three sons are the only ones to carry on the Keller name. There are still two guys, one married and one not, that may have a boy someday!


All of the great-grands!


Aunt Barb, Grandpa Rick, Chad and I


Grandpa Rick, Great-grandma Pearl, Chad and I


Aidan and Hope as the service began.