Right Back Atcha!

We are WELL aware that we don't update you folks nearly often enough... and we apologize. Truth be known, we're not that much ahead of you in knowing what's coming down the road! Changes happen quickly, and with those changes comes homework. And as every good parent knows, homework takes time.

With that in mind, we want to thank those of you who have added your comments to our blog. The idea of a blog is to interact. We tell you what God is doing here, and you tell us how that impacts you. Some of you have done that. When we've posted about Mom & Dad, many friends have written to share their thoughts and love. We appreciate that tremendously. Perhaps, though the most surprising (and humbling) response has been the impact of what we've come to call "the article." 

As you've seen here, the Newark Star Ledger ran a wonderful write-up on Doug and his puppet ministry at the end of April of this year. We are STILL hearing of the impact that article has had... 8 weeks later! Three people we don't know have recognized Doug on the sidewalks of Newark, stopped him ("Hey! Aren't you the puppet guy?!") and told him how much they enjoyed the article. Most have commented on how thrilled they were to have read his clear testimony in the article. Just yesterday, we ran into old friends of Doug's we haven't seen in years, and true to form, they read "the article". We're SO thrilled to hear how God used that to touch people's lives all over the state of New Jersey! ... and beyond.

One person sent us a comment and (Jack Wilson, are you listening?!) left a note that ventriloquist Wally Jones and Tommy (or as Doug calls him, "the dummy who lead me to Jesus"), was his uncle! Wow! Living relatives! Jack referred to his time growing up, and having Tommy come with Uncle Wally on family visits. It's truly a joy for us to be a blessing back to the family who blessed Doug so many years ago. 

Jack tells us that these days, Tommy is in a museum in Kentucky, enjoying his restful years with other "dummy" friends. If that is, in fact, the Vent Haven Museum, as we suspect, then Tommy sits among some well known and highly respected figures (the technical name for a "dummy" is "ventriloquial figure", or simply "figure" among us "vents"). Each summer, ventriloquists from all over the world gather for a week-long get-together conference for the purpose of socializing and honing their skills. This summer, Terry Fator (pictured above with DigDag & Doug), winner of America's Got Talent, and currently the highest paid vent in Las Vegas ($100 million dollars over 5 years) is planning to come back to Vent Haven for a chance to meet, greet and thank them all for their support. Doug, of course, has never been to Vent Haven due to vacation time restraints, but he's thrilled to know that Tommy is there. 

If you, like Jack, would like to connect with us, we'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to click on the "comment" button below and leave us a note. We promise to read it!  

Most of all, if you're reading this blog via a link to our website, please visit the "contact" page, and send us a note that has your email address. Sometimes we like to write back, but don't know where to reach you. In this day and age of digital wonders, we'd prefer to drop a quick, "Thanks for the blessing" note than to know you as a "phantom of the keyboard". You are such a blessing to us!! We hope we can be a blessing back atcha!

Thanks for checking in... we'll be writing more in the next few weeks as we prepare for a lot of activity between Mom & Dad, the wonderful world of Christian puppetry, and kids, kids, kids!

Gathering the children in His arms....

Doug & Lee