Well, here’s some grandparent insight: Getting married doesn’t make a good marriage. Getting married is just the first step of a lifelong commitment to seek the Lord’s help. Through His Word, the Bible, we can become the husband or wife that will bring glory and honor to God Himself. Just so you know, after fifty-four years, we are still working toward that goal. If one visualizes a marriage as an equilateral triangle, with God at the top and husband and wife starting life together opposite each other at the lower points, then growing upwards towards a conformity to the Lord at the top, they will in turn be growing closer towards each other as well. That’s where we are!

Blessings

Along the way, the Lord blessed us with two sons. After having a Dutch business man stay in our home for three and a half days in the early 1970’s, God began to bring many other Dutch contacts into our lives. Eventually in 1974, He led us to move from Southern California to The Netherlands. Our sons were nine and six years old (a very long, but amazing story). The Lord led us to have the opportunity to teach the Bible there for thirty years. As our sons grew and developed, God graciously brought beautiful young Dutch girls across their paths, and they eventually ended up with Dutch brides. What a blessing that has been!

We rejoice in the treasured gift of each one as they have helped to establish families committed to honor and glorify our Lord. And that’s how we got to be grandparents – six times!  Number six is adopted and rounds out the extended family. As that family extends (one granddaughter is married), we thank the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness.

Provisions

Throughout the years, when funds were scarce, God has provided ideas for us to make gifts for family and friends. Because of such training in repurposing, refurbishing, and recycling, eventually we arrived at making buttons (for collectors) and embellishing clothing or accessories from vintage men’s ties, and so Fit To Be Tied Buttons began. It is amazing to see how many unusual images have been woven into or printed on to a tie.  At the moment, we have over 330 designs available ranging from animal and plant kingdoms, cartoons, sports, transportation, etc., etc.