Christmas 1998

Merry Christmas friend!


We are now in the busy-happy empty nest stage of life the 50’s brings to couples. Both of us are feeling younger in a strange way than we did ten years ago. Perhaps the Victor Hugo quote explains it: “The 40’s are the old age of youth but the 50’s are the youth of old age.” When we were in the 40’s when we compared ourselves with those in their 30’s and felt older... now we compare ourselves to those in their 60’s and feel young!

Sharon continues to pour herself into academic and administrative life at Indiana Wesleyan University’s adult education programs. She heads up the General Studies Department administering 400 classes at 30 sites across Indiana as well as many on-line courses. She relishes the fact that her small house can be cleaned quickly to provide time for her hobbies of aerobics, flower gardening, and shopping with her daughter-in-law, Kathy. She serves locally by teaching a woman’s mid-week Bible study at College Church with her friend Missy Swyers.

Keith continues to love his teaching and pours himself into the 100 students he teaches each semester. He specializes in the practical courses, including leadership, worship, discipleship, practice preaching, and a freshman New Testament course each semester. He no longer takes any meetings at all out of town, choosing rather to pour himself into the same “congregation” of students day after day without diversion. He enjoys watching the amazing Joe Seaborn by serving on College Church’s board and building committee. His specialty on campus is mentoring students.

We are enjoying life in our one bedroom cottage just a few blocks from campus and next to Colonial Oaks Retirement Center where Keith’s mother now lives. We still get time to get away on Saturdays for our new family hobby, Kayaking Indiana’s rivers. Sharon (who can’t swim) thinks her Kayak is more stable than our canoe, so we’ve been having fun running the rivers.

The empty nest has given us a chance to travel even more. Keith wandered through Greece tracing St. Paul’s footsteps last Spring break, then left in May to backpack coast-to-coast across Scotland with several of his students. Six weeks later Sharon joined him in Europe for two weeks of more conventional vacation in Spain. The biggest news for Keith occurred in August when he (finally) completed the final 250 miles of the 2160 mile Appalachian Trail, a goal he set in 1959. Sharon joined him to walk the final few days, having hiked the Southern 1000 miles with him in 1972.

Our sons are doing fine and serving the Lord, for which we are grateful. David graduated from Gordon-Conwell Seminary this past summer and moved to Indianapolis where he is now planting a new church with his wife, Kathy. John is a sophomore at IWU, totally dedicated to academic and spiritual life.

In reviewing our Christmas list as we made this letter, we were flooded with memories of experiences and friends over the years. This is indeed the richest of all savings accounts! We thank the Lord for friends like you!





Keith & Sharon Drury