snack at Milligan Park not far away. I always experience "deja vu" as I recall Pyle Family reunions there some 70 years ago! The Pyles originated in NC, TN and KY and are related to "Coonrod" Pyle who pioneered with Daniel Boone, and Sgt. Alvin York (mother was a Pyle), a
a WWI hero. Bill's mother was Jewell Pyle through James G. and Gillie A. Pyle who settled in Foutain County IN. But those Pyle reunions were blessed with plenty of aunts and uncles and cousins, plus fried chicken and all the trimmin's with the coldest ice tea you can imagine, served
with a dipper from a huge farm milk can ... and homemade ice cream! A highlight for me was the
recreation in the afternoon, usually a softball game, with all those cousins. Well, a week ago Sunday Mary K. and I drove to Beechwood Park at Rockville to attend this year's Reunion. We were down in numbers, of course, but it was a joy to see cousins Ken, Herman, Leonard, Conrad (who came from CO) and Larry Pyle and their loved ones and others, one couple driving up from MS. (By the way, for obvious reasons, we couldn't get a softball game organized this time!) We are grateful to Ken and wife Julie for keeping in touch with everyone and keeping geneaology, pictures and archives and setting up the reunion in recent years. But as we grow older and our family branches enlarge and scatter it grows more difficult to have regular family get-togethers,
and this is just a sad fact of life. However, it is so good to know that, for those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour, there is a grand reunion COMING for the family of God!
Jesus promises: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also!" (John 14:1-3) We pray that each of our readers will look forward to that grand get-together ahead ... it may be SOON!
