I am grateful for another Christmas with my family. We enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at Kernersville Wesleyan Church. It was a candlelight service and included Christmas Carols. My parents and Emily went with Julie and me. Julie fixed a wonderful meal for our family on Christmas Day. Here are some pictures of our family.
This post is a couple of weeks late. On 5/11/2025, our family celebrated Mother’s Day. We had dinner at Amanda and Will’s home.
Of all the blessings in my life, there is nothing I am more grateful for than my mom, my wife, and my daughters.
My father is a Vietnam Veteran. I have written about his experience in Vietnam in my blog post:
Jerry's Journey to Vietnam and Return Home
On April 30, 2025, my father and I embarked on a poignant journey known as the Flight of Honor. The mission of this remarkable organization is to celebrate veterans by inviting them to partake in a day honoring them at the nation's memorials in Washington, D.C.. For those interested in learning more, additional information can be found here: Flight of Honor.
We arrived at the airport early, around 5:50 AM, and were met with an impressive level of organization and warmth. The atmosphere was uplifting, as:
Our flight included 100 veterans, each accompanied by a guardian, totaling an equal number. The role of the guardian is crucial; we are there to ensure the safety of our veterans while providing companionship and support to enhance their experience. It was a privilege for me to serve as my father's guardian during this significant day.
By approximately 10:15 AM, our plane touched down in Washington, D.C., and our bus tour commenced at 11:00 AM, with our first destination being the World War II Memorial. Among the group were three veterans who had bravely served during World War II.
Throughout the day, we visited several iconic landmarks that are not only beautiful but steeped in history:
Each site was an unforgettable experience that honored those who have served our country.
April 30, 1975, marked the fall of Saigon, a pivotal moment in history. On the eve of that day, April 29, 1975, the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" played to signal the evacuation of American personnel from Vietnam.
The day of our trip happened to fall on the 50th anniversary of that event. Many Vietnamese individuals expressed their gratitude to my father for his service during the war. Several asked to have pictures taken with my dad, including this Vietnamese woman who became tearful as she thanked my dad for his service in Vietnam.
During this poignant occasion, my father visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. A park ranger helped him create a rubbing of his late friend, Michael K. Thompson, a helicopter pilot who lost his life in Vietnam.
The trip was truly memorable. My father and I cherished our shared moments together, with one of the most impactful experiences being his visit to the Vietnam memorial.
I recall a family vacation to Washington D.C. in the 1980s when I was around 14 years old. Initially, my impression of the Vietnam Memorial was not favorable; I found it rather stark and felt it didn't adequately honor the sacrifices of Vietnam Veterans.
Critics have described the memorial as "a black gash of shame and sorrow," pointing out its lack of grandeur compared to other memorials. Perhaps its simplicity is precisely what makes it a fitting tribute to an unpopular war and serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by returning Veterans. The wall bears the names of over 58,000 servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Our trip involved considerable walking. When I applied to be a guardian for my father, a nurse from Flight of Honor asked if I was prepared for the physical demands of pushing him in a wheelchair. To prepare, I dedicated myself to regular exercise for five weeks leading up to our journey. Pushing my dad up the ramp at the Lincoln Memorial was quite a workout.
We returned to Washington D.C. airport around 6 PM, where Arby's generously provided lunch and dinner for our group. The franchise owner has been a long-time supporter of Flight of Honor, and we are grateful for individuals like him who contribute to this noble cause.
A special aspect of our trip is known as "mail call," which aims to recreate the experience of receiving letters while serving in the military. My father received numerous letters from friends, family, and community organizations expressing their support for Veterans on this journey. He was genuinely touched and uplifted by their kind words.
Upon arriving at Greensboro airport, we anticipated a warm welcome for our flight. I was taken aback by the large turnout. People of all ages were there to greet and honor the Veterans in our group.
This experience with Flight of Honor was truly unforgettable. I'm glad my dad and I were able to spend the special day together. While we enjoyed the trip, we were also glad to return home and appreciated our family greeting us and patiently waiting for us to deplane.
Flight of Honor was a great experience for my dad. I'm so glad I was able to go with him. I'm also glad our family was able to celebrate the experience with us.
Here is a recent news story about the trip.
Julie and I live about 30 minutes from Hanging Rock Park in North Carolina. We decided to go to the park after church today. The weather was beautiful and ideal to enjoy the park. We spent about 30 minutes walking on an easy trail.
We enjoyed seeing the trees. There was a waterfall, and it was the highlight of our walk. Here is a brief video of some of what we saw.
Julie and I have only been to Hanging Rock a few times. We hope to go more often this year.
Happy Easter 2025. Julie and I enjoyed the Easter service at Kernersville Wesleyan Church. We attend the service at 8:30 am, which is a traditional service.
After church, Julie spent most of the day preparing a delicious meal for dinner. Our girls were able to join us, but Amanda's husband, Will, was not feeling well, so he was not able to come. My mom and dad had dinner with us. I am glad our family was able to be together.
My dad, Jerry Spriggs, is an Army veteran and was deployed to Vietnam in 1967-68. While growing up, I noticed my dad’s patriotism and pride in his military service, but he was reluctant to discuss his experiences in Vietnam. Like many combat veterans, my dad rarely spoke about his military service when he was young. He was busy raising a family, working, and meeting other responsibilities in his life. He also experienced the trauma of combat, which is impossible to understand for those who have not shared that experience. As an adult, I read several books about Vietnam’s history and the events leading up to the Vietnam War to better understand the conflict. One of my favorite books about Vietnam is: https://a.co/d/gJmQv8z. This book is notable for its comprehensive history and extensive photographs of Vietnam and the war.
As of March, 2025, the Vietnam War was the second longest conflict in U.S. history, with direct U.S. involvement between 1955-1975. Only the war in Afghanistan was longer (2001-2021), and not by much at 19 years and 10 months, vs. 19 years and 5 months in the case of Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a complex and unpopular war. Unlike previous generations of combat veterans, many Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home.
My dad grew up in Michigan. He was a good athlete, a good student, and an outstanding musician. When he was growing up in the 1950s, there were many venues for live music, and my dad and the bands he played in were often hired to perform.
Vietnam was the last major conflict that included conscripted service (the draft). My dad volunteered for military service. He grew up in a patriotic family, and his older brother had served in the military.
My father entered military service at age 20. He excelled and was quickly promoted to Sergeant. He served as an Area Intelligence Specialist, designated with the military occupational specialty 97C40. This intelligence gathering relies on human sources instead of monitoring radio transmissions and other methods.
Some of the specific areas in Vietnam in which my dad was stationed include:
Both of the above photos are of my dad when he was stationed in Vietnam. You will notice that in both of these photos, he is in civilian clothes. For the majority of his time in Vietnam, he did not wear a uniform. He also did not use his real name. His cover was that he was part of a private organization called “JTAD-13” or “Joint Technical Advisory Detachment”. JTAD-13 would advise local organizations in the Vietnamese community. In that role, he was able to cultivate human intelligence sources.
When my dad was stationed in Tay Ninh, the team chief (a U.S. Army Captain) had recently been assassinated. As a young NCO, my dad was selected to take over as team chief. He was in charge of 3 U.S. military men and many Vietnamese national who collected human intelligence. He coordinated with a Vietnamese agency called “MSS” (military security service) and the CIA and U.S. Air Force.
My dad was stationed in Bien Hoa during the Tet Offensive. His base came under enemy attack and sustained significant losses, including most of the M.P.s who were providing perimeter security. The soldiers who were not killed were traumatized by this attack.
My dad chose to serve in Vietnam over 13 months vs. the typical 12 months (for one deployment). He chose to extend his deployment because that allowed him to fulfill his obligation to the Army. This also eliminated the need to serve additional years in the reserves.
My dad’s return home wasn’t easy. There were no readjustment classes or other programs to help prepare him for life after the military. Twenty-four hours after he received notice that he was leaving the war zone, he found himself in Oakland, California. He then went to Portland, Oregon, where he stayed with his older brother for a few months before returning to Michigan.
When he arrived in Michigan, the dog he loved (pictured above) had passed away. I know that seems like a relatively small loss, but he was looking forward to seeing his dog and it was one of many losses. His parents had moved to a new city, so he needed to adjust to a new location.
My dad’s mother was working in an office with a young lady named Carolyn. Although they were different ages (my grandmother was much older), they had a lot in common. They were both married and both went to different churches. They soon became friends. My grandmother told her that her son would be returning home soon from Vietnam.
Carolyn suggested that Jerry go to her church so she could introduce him to her sister-in-law, “Rita.” Jerry and Rita started dating, and my parents were married in 1969. I was born in 1970 and my brother was born in 1977.
My dad worked in the audio industry for most of his career. Despite the challenges in adjusting to civilian life, he worked tirelessly to take care of his family. He is a great dad to my brother and me, and a wonderful grandfather to my daughters.
This is a picture of my parents, Jerry and Rita, from March 2025. My mom and dad attend church regularly, and my dad still plays his saxophone beautifully. He sees other veterans when he goes to his medical appointments at the VA clinic. My dad rarely discussed his military experiences while I was growing up, but he has been open to sharing more about them in recent years.
I am glad to learn more about my dad’s journey to Vietnam and his return home. Like many veterans before him and generations after him, my dad did not want to draw attention to himself. In many ways, he’s an average guy who grew up in 1950s America, raised a family, worked hard, and is now enjoying his retirement. While that is true of him and other combat veterans, it misses a bigger part of the story.
My dad is an ordinary man who made significant sacrifices and accomplished incredible things in his journey to Vietnam. He made these sacrifices out of a call to serve something greater than himself. He is exemplary and I am so proud of my dad.
We enjoyed celebrating my mom’s birthday with her a few days ago. My mom is very kind and loving. We didn’t do anything fancy for her birthday, but she said several times about how much she enjoyed her birthday.
We enjoyed family dinner and some time together. Just that simple celebration made her happy.
Last year was a good year for me. My health was much better. I enjoyed time with family. Each new year brings opportunities and experiences to enjoy. This first half of 2025 will include couple of unique experiences for me.
My dad was accepted for the flight of honor program. I attended a flight of honor send off about 15 years ago to honor a WWII Veteran who attended my church. My dad is a Vietnam Veteran. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1967-68 and was present for the Tet Offensive. I am glad he was accepted to go. Part of the program includes having a family member or friend accompany the Veteran on the trip to Washington, D.C. and I will have this role for my dad. The event will be on 4/30/2025.
The past few years have included a number of losses for my family as some of our elders have passed away. We haven't had a family reunion for over 10 years. We are having a family reunion this coming June. I am looking forward to spending time with family in Michigan.
I have been enjoying vacation and will be off from work for 2 weeks. This is the busy time of year for my wife Julie. She is a mail carrier and her post-office is short-handed. She has worked Christmas Eve more times than not over the past 10 years. She was home by 5pm this year, and we were able to attend Christmas Eve church service.
As we were getting ready for church and driving there, we discussed some challenges in our lives. For example: finances, family, changes in our culture, and how we might change our actions if given a second chance. While some of the specifics are unique to our situation, I believe the concerns are universal.
Every Christmas, I think about the story in Luke Chapter 2. As a child, my cousins and I would act out the story. I always wanted to be a shepherd. I wonder what the shepherds talked about on Christmas Eve, assuming their sheep were safe from wolves? They may have made small talk, or they may have kept quiet. They lived in a very difficult time, filled with poverty, sadness, and little hope. I believe they had some of the same concerns, Julie and I talked about today.
I would love to know what it was like for them when they heard the good news and glad tidings that night. I can guess what it was like, but I think the hope and joy they felt were beyond my imagination.
Julie and I enjoyed the church service tonight. We sang Christmas carols, listened to the scriptures and the pastor's message, and finished by lighting candles while singing "Silent Night." I am grateful for the hope the Savior brought to our world.
We are grateful for another good year. We live in a multigenerational household with our youngest daughter, Emily, and Dave's parents, Jerry and Rita. We are glad our family can be together and enjoy sharing meals and holidays.
Julie continues to work in the capacity of a rural carrier at the local post office. She has found it rewarding to serve her community and get to know her neighbors. This is the busy season for the delivery folks and many people find it convenient to order online.
Julie reached a milestone birthday this past November, turning 60. She was diagnosed with breast cancer early in 2024 and had surgery and completed radiation treatment in April 2024. The doctors have given her good reports post-treatment. In February 2025, she will have a return visit with her oncologist and is hopeful for another good report.
Dave is a psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He works in the primary care department with the physicians and nurses. When a primary care team believes a patient may benefit from mental health treatment, Dave provides care the same day. For many patients, brief therapy will meet the need. For patients with more complex needs, Dave will connect them with the mental health department.
Dave has been much healthier this year than the past few years. He started bicycling this summer. The climate in NC is mild and bicycling is a fun hobby.
Amanda and Will have been married for 3 years. They live about 20 minutes away from us. Will has recently sold his business. He continues to provide consultation for the new owner. Amanda is an attorney and works remotely for a law firm that is based in New York. Amanda had a work conference in Italy this year. She and her husband were able to spend some vacation time there after the conference and had a great time.
Emily is single and lives with us. She currently works for Goodwill Industries. She is considering career options. She applied for a job at a nuclear power plant and was hired, but is still waiting for HR to finish the hiring process. It is a secure facility and has a very complex hiring process. If that job does not work out, she is considering a career in aviation fabrication.
Dave's parents, Jerry and Rita, visit Matt and Katherine (Dave's brother and sister-in-law) in Montana a few times per year. They also visit family in Michigan, but don't travel often. Dave's dad stays busy with home renovation projects and his mom enjoys staying in touch with loved ones and visiting them when she can. They both enjoy playing with their 3 Great Pyranees dogs.
As 2024 draws to a close, I reminisce about the past few years. Christmas is a wonderful time of year for me. I look forward to it each year. My earliest memories are enjoying the love of my family and extended family at Christmas. My extended family would father on Christmas Eve. The children would perform a Christmas play and then we would open presents. Normally, my cousins Lee Ann and Tammy would pass the presents out.
The past few years have included many blessings. Julie and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in 2021. Amanda got married in 2021. My parents celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2019. There have been challenges as well.
Troy Pence passed away in 2019. Larry and Sheli Spriggs both passed away in 2021. Don Pence and Liz Pence both died in 2023. Paul Pence, my last living uncle, died in 2024. My last surviving aunt, Ann Pence, and my parents, Jerry and Rita Spriggs, are the final members of their generation in our family.
I'm sad that these loved ones are no longer living. I am grateful for the memories. I am also grateful for the loved ones I am blessed with and the time we have now.
Today was a wonderful day. I enjoyed spending time with my mom and dad, my daughters, my son-in-law, and my wife. We had a delicious meal. It was good to just be together. I wish my brother and sister-in-law could have joined us. Hopefully, we will celebrate some day soon.
We have a tradition in which each person spends a few moments sharing gratitude. We have so much to be thankful for that each of us could speak a long time and not accurately describe how blessed we are.
We celebrated Julie's 60th birthday yesterday. She had a busy workday delivering the mail and didn't come home until about 6pm. We enjoyed a good meal and some birthday treats and Julie opened her presents.
She will have Thanksgiving Day off, so will have more time to celebrate her birthday later this week.
I traveled to Michigan to attend Paul Royce Pence's funeral on 9/19/2024. My mom and dad made the trip together. It was a sad occasion, but we were grateful to spend some time with family.
Paul was my last living uncle. It has been sad to say goodbye to all of them. Growing up, Paul attended all my birthday parties and important events, including my high school and college graduation. He read the scripture when Julie and I were married and when he finished reading I Corinthians 13, he asked the Lord to bless our marriage. I enjoyed talking with Paul about his memories of growing up in West Virginia.
Here is his obituary, which I copied from the Palmer-Bush Funeral Home webiste.
It is with great sadness that the family of Paul R Pence of Holt, MI announce his passing on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the age of 93.
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Paul was the eldest child of Clifford and Ruth Pence. They lived in Campbells Creek, where his father began working in the coal mines at age 15. Despite the hardships, Paul and his siblings had a wonderful and happy life roaming the hills and hollers of West Virginia and he was very proud of his roots.
Paul was the first in his family to finish high school and was the first to attend college. At Olivet Nazarene College he met the love of his life, Elisabeth, and forged many lifelong friendships. Paul also served two years in the US Army during the Korean War, stationed at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.
Paul and Elisabeth were married in college and were together for 66 years. After graduation, they moved to Michigan, to begin teaching careers for the Lansing School District. Paul earned his Master’s degree in Special Education from Michigan State University and was faculty at Lansing Sexton HS for 30 years.
Retiring in his early fifties, Paul immersed himself in his enjoyment of the outdoors, and happily invited many friends to the hunting cabin for fall deer season on the Pence Family acreage. Deer hunting was ritual for the Pence men and not to be missed. He was a four season fisherman, summers on the Au Sable River and the beautiful lakes of Michigan and ice fishing in winters. He treasured spending time with family and friends, raising huge vegetable gardens, freely sharing excess bounties with his neighborhood. Every summer he invited church friends Up North to his summer cottage for canoeing, cook outs, campfires and fellowship.
His faith was his center, and he worshiped through singing hymns and by being a valuable member of his church choir. He was blessed with a beautiful resonate voice, and often was a soloist or part of duets and trios. Paul was an amazing friend, and if he was teasing you, you knew he liked you. He had a memory for detail and was a keen storyteller. He treasured his friendships and was a devoted father and husband.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Ruth Pence; wife, Elisabeth and brothers, Don (Carolyn) Pence and Troy Pence.
He is survived by his sister, Rita (Jerry) Spriggs; sister-in-law, Anna Pence; children, James Pence and Tamara (Carl) Phillips; grandson, Griffin Phillips. He is also survived by numerous extended family in Michigan and North Carolina.
Funeral Services will be held, Thursday, September 19, 2024, 11:00 AM at the Lansing South Church Of The Nazarene with Michael Garza officiating. Interment will take place, Thursday, September 19, 2024, 2:30 PM at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Holt, MI. The family will receive relatives and friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Donations can be made to Hospice of Lansing in his memory. The family is being served by the Palmer, Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Home, Holt Chapel. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.palmerbush.com.
Julie and I went to the Kernersville Little Theater today. We saw a matinée performance of Beauty and the Beast. The actors and musicians were good. We enjoyed it very much. Emily went with us and brought a friend.
The performance was at Kernersville Elementary School. The theater is raising money for an auditorium. I hope they are successful. I look forward to seeing more productions.
I am looking forward to spending some time with my family today. My parents and one of our daughters will be joining my wife and me for dinner. My other daughter won’t be able to come in person, but we will call her, so we can all have some time together today.
Our goats Bailey (black and white, female) and Buddy (male) enjoying the sunshine this fine Sunday.
I went to my local public library today. I had not been in a long time. I will plan to go more often this year.
I asked the librarian for some specific books, and he helped me request them through interlibrary loan.
As a child, going to the library was something I looked forward to very much.
Since April 2023, my schedule has changed to a compressed work week. I work Mon-Thu from 7:30am-6:00pm. It has been a good change for me.
I work in healthcare. I found that when I worked a traditional schedule, I would very often work past my scheduled shift. Working 10-hour days isn’t that much more difficult for me than working 8-hour days.
Having every Friday off has made a big difference. When I have a medical appointment or other business to do, I don’t need to take time off. I am able to spend more time relaxing.
I don’t think I would make any changes to my job (I love what I do), or my schedule at this point.
I had a great time having lunch today with fellow psychologists from the NC Psychology Association. We serve on a committee together and generally only see each other virtually. We discussed committee business, but had a nice time together as well.
I began using social media in 2008. I found reconnecting with people I hadn’t spoken with in many years, being able to share video and pictures with family, and being able to meet new friends compelling. After slightly more than 10 years, I realized that social media (at least in its current form), was not for me.
In February of 2022, I stopped posting on social media and deleted my social media accounts. This change was not because of any single event, but because in spite of the many potential positive features of social media, they are not worth the cost (at least to me).
All the large social media platforms generate revenue by developing a profile of each user and selling it to advertisers. There have been documented cases of privacy breaches, including individually identifiable information, such as date of birth and passwords. A large medical organization inadvertently passed on patient names and primary care provider names, among other protected healthcare data to Facebook through a tracking pixel.
In addition to these security threats, big social media has created a toxic environment in which people are increasingly divided, and uncivil. Regulatory bodies have requested internal data from social media companies to help study the mental health impact on minors, but at least in some cases, the social media companies have not cooperated.
While I have left the big social media companies, I want to have an option of sharing photos and thoughts with others and reconnecting with people. I am trying a new version of social media, known as the “Fediverse”. Some of the services I am trying include Mastodon and Pixelfed, but there are others.
The key feature of these platforms is that they are open source and their means of generating revenue is not through building an advertising profile on their users. I believe they are safer.
The Fediverse is tiny compared to the big social media companies, but bigger isn’t always better.
Thanks for reading. Stay in touch.
I’m grateful for a good year. I had a number of health challenges in 2021 and 2022 and have been healthier this year. It has been an especially fulfilling week as I was able to spend time with family.
I was sorry to see Emily and Marshall drive back to New York. I am glad they will be returning to celebrate Christmas with us in a few weeks. Amanda and Will live nearby and I’m always glad to spend time with them.
It was good to have an extra day off from work, but I am looking forward to the next few weeks. Holidays are often a challenging time for my patients and while this time can be stressful at work, it is also an opportunity to make a difference and provide help when most needed.