Tag Pat Gempel

LA Story – Meet The Parents

The Christmas Season is over. It is my favorite time of the year, not because of the presents that I get, but because of family. My wife and I have three daughters, all of whom are married to  Wonderful, spiritual men. Between them, they have five daughters (In November, Andy and Staci had the latest in our unbroken string of girls: Kimberly Joy Yeatman, who weighed in at 11 pounds and one ounce – a new family record!) All of the kids and grandkids were home for Christmas. That was pure joy; I look forward to it all year, each year. We had lots of playing and  laughing and catching up and remembering and dreaming. It only lasted a week, but it will keep me happy for a long time. God sets the lonely in families, and we all have been lonely at some time and in need of family.

LA Story – Good Will Hunting HopeWW

I like hugs. I never get enough of them. I like to fellowship other disciples – partly because of the many hugs. There is some- thing about another person putting his/her arm(s) around me that makes me feel good. It is not sexual; it is an expression of specialness. Touch is a very special human sense. It can communicate a tremendous range of emotions, from the anger of a slap to the elation of a “high-five” to the compassion of a pat to the love of a caress. A hug is different than a handshake. A handshake is a polite courtesy that preserves one’s personal space. A hug is a communication of warmth, openness and caring where the barriers are let down. I like hugs