Shepard Family Update, April 17, 2009

The great gift of family life

is to be intimately acquainted with people
you might never even introduce yourself to,
had life not done it for you.
-- Kendall Hailey

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,

Greetings from home in San Diego where Cindy and I have returned after being away for most of the last two weeks, visiting family and friends. I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter celebration and were able to spend it with people who are dear to you.

The quote above reminds me that not every one in every family gets along with everyone else. Even though our DNA reveals some unique similarities, it is sometimes amazing how different people within the same family can be. My experience has been that our family is usually a place where love abounds and where we enjoy one another's company. But like any group of people, on occasion within our family life we find ourselves close to people we might never otherwise choose to relate to. That is part of what makes family life such a unique gift from God. It is something that not only nourishes and comforts us, but also challenges and stretches us, and therefore enriches our experience of life. It is something akin to what has been said about good preaching: it not only comforts the afflicted; it afflicts the comforted.

Okay, enough of that. On to more practical matters. Congratulations to Nathan Shepard of Blanchard, Oklahoma. (This is Dane and Cindy's Nathan Shepard, not to be confused with Steve and Cindy's Nathan Shepard. Confused yet?) The younger Nathan Shepard won the Oklahoma state Bowling Championship for his division just a few weeks ago! The first picture I am including shows Nathan with his award from that event. His father Dane emailed me recently with the details.

Nathan and I were in Bartlesville (north of Tulsa near Kansas) for the state bowling tournament, March 28-29. It snowed about 7 inches while we were there. We accomplished a lot though. Nathan is now the new state champion in the boy's handicap division! He started bowling this past September and barely made the cut for the state finals. With great improvement and help from coaches and friends, he made it all the way. The tournament was more stressful for me than him. He earned $525 toward a college scholarship. Of course, we are happy and proud.

Dane has also been in touch with some of our Davis relatives in Oklahoma recently. They are the family of Gram (Bura Davis Shepard) and we are hopeful that several of them will be able to attend the Family Reunion in July. The second picture I am including shows Dane with his great aunt Mildred Beck Davis of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Mildred is the wife of Gram's brother Jesse Davis. She is the last surviving member of that generation of our family. Congratulations and best wishes to Mildred, whose 99th birthday will be two weeks from today.

Regarding the July 18 Family reunion: I am planning to put together a PowerPoint photo presentation for our family reunion in July in Newcastle, Oklahoma. I would like to include pictures from each of the family units among us. If you have a new or old family picture you could send to me, I would love to include it. A digital image would be best and can be emailed to me at sdshepard@gmail.com. If what you have is simply a photograph, I would be glad to receive it by regular mail and after scanning it, would sent it back promptly. My address is 2511 Northside Dr, #208, San Diego, Ca 92108.
--
Steve