2011 Year in Review 

The Little Rock Wilhelms

      February through April Rick did taxes. Deb continued rehab & volunteering at church. We worked the polls twice this year.

      Rick began volunteering at Renewal Ranch in Conway during May. He helped men restoring their lives & needing to take the GED exam to prepare for math, science & history. Deb helped others there with language arts.

      In June, we visited Deb's dearest friend, Cindy, and her baby sis, Cheryl, in Ohio on the way to Vermont. 

The rest of the month was consumed with Amber's wedding.

      Deb's  big family's big reunion was in Kentucky in July.

      October in Stowe, Vermont was spent mostly with the Schaefflers until we drove to Boston for a cruise to Maine, 

Nova Scotia, & New Brunswick.

       Since Tom and Zack live in Austin, 

it was a joy to see them every three months on the return trips from MD Andersen in Houston for Deb’s cancer check-up.

Now, she will have check-ups twice yearly.

November was Deb's second CANCER-FREE YEAR!

      Thanksgiving at our home in Little Rock was with Rick's mom, Mary Louise Allen; Deb's mom & dad, Mary & Bob Sowell; & special friends, Angela Anderson & Nick Branch. A special ceremony was conducted here that day when Colonel Wilhelm granted an honorary promotion to Captain Branch with insignia.

       Deb was scheduled for a lower back fusion surgery in December, but due to sickness, it has been postponed to January 12. Pray that she will remain healthy. Please keep us both in your prayers during the upcoming recovery period. 

We thank you all for blessing our year and wish you a

Merry CHRISTmas – because our Savior, Immanuel, was born for us!


****

January 2011

Tom and Zack, son and grandson in Austin

January 2011
Tom and Zack, son and grandson

January took us to Vermont

to see Amber and Dan, her fiance’.

Although in-laws so often may daunt,

the Schaefflers just weren't that way.

In San Antonio  Rick saw many a friend,

and in Austin, he saw Tom and Zack.

Meanwhile, Deb, was still on the mend

rehabbing her poor, aching back,

while also helping in the church office.

Rick returned to train with IRS

to prepare for ye olde taxes

for all the folks he loves to help best -

seniors, strangers, friends and anyone who asks.








*****

February 2011

Uncommon Courage

Our pastor preached one Sunday and asked for anyone interested to come and pray, ask for prayer, and share praises. The service lasted four blessing-filled hours!  We began meeting nightly and people all over the world heard and all over the country came to see what was happening here.

One day at rehab, a lady  from Atlanta  was in the shower area and asked for towels. She said she had been sleeping in the ICU waiting room since her mother's multiple by-pass surgery. I invited her to sleep in a real bed, have a relaxing, leisurely shower and a good meal.  She was not sure about that, but I gave her my card and told her about our revival. She had heard about it already from a nurse also named Deborah.

I was not surprised when she called asking if she could take me up on my offer. "Absolutely," I said, "when can I pick you up?"  “Later,” she said. I told her it would have to be before church, because there was no telling how long we would be praying. She wanted to go to church with me. She ended up giving a

testimony, in addition to singing acapella in front of total strangers!

When returning from rehab a few days later I was at an intersection where a young man stood on the corner. I motioned for him to come to my car and gave him some bottled water and power bars. The light changed and I knew immediately I was supposed to turn around and talk with him.

He had walked further down the road and I pulled up to wait for him. I asked why he was there. He looked down and mumbled "I dunno." I asked him if he knew our Lord. He said he did. I asked if he was living for our Lord and he said he was not, things had just been tough. He admitted he was angry with God.  I asked and he told me his name, where he was living. I told him about our church revival and that I would pray for him.

A man pulled up and asked if everything was all right here. I guessed we did not look like we belonged together in the eyes of a passing stranger. I laughed and looked at Robert and the man in the truck and told him we were doing just fine, thanks. He pulled away as Robert and I laughed and hugged and parted ways.

*****

June 17, 2011 Mr. & Ms. Dan Schaeffler

    Before Amber and Dan met through mutual friends. Sarah and Travis -- Amber and Sarah were friends through the deaf community, and Travis and Dan had worked together for some years. And, so it seemed inevitable that Amber and Dan would meet. It is difficult to say who is the luckiest of the two, because they are wonderful individuals and as a couple.

    They were blessed to have Bonner, Amber's mom, as their wedding coordinator extraordinaire. They had a wedding rehearsal and dinner, wedding and reception dinner cruise of a life time with many friends and family from near and far in attendance.

    They live on Lake Champlain, along with our grand dog, Miss Dolly. All three enjoy discovering old and new things together.

    While Amber and Dolly knew they enjoyed winter snow sports, it was Dan who introduced them to ice fishing. Dan assures everyone that he knew exactly what he was doing when he took Amber to find the supreme spot for a deer blind to be erected, although she thought they were just wandering around in circles.

We love our son in love, Dan, despite the fact that converted  Amber to being a Giants fan! 

*****

Deb creating on the road

deborahwilhelm.blogspot.com

   Deb began writing poetry in her elementary years. She is a member of ACFW, LRACW and ACFW-Arkansas. She has published in:

·         Houston Chronicle responding to readers about environmental health issues for the City of Houston Public Information Office

·         Various nonprofit publications, including church newsletters, HOPE (Houston Organization for Parent Education), the AIDS quilt volunteer handbook

·         Houston Community College and Texas Medical Center News

   She prepared news releases regarding critical Houston health issues, such as St. Louis Encephalitis and measles outbreaks, and assisted with speech writing for the President of a $8.5. billion, Fortune 500 company.

   Encouraged by a Christian friend & writer, Deb began writing her first Christian novel, The Heart of Her Husband., based on Proverbs 31:10-11.

A family plagued by secrets must overcome fractured relationships to grow closer to God and each other. When the three female protagonists face losing a husband, father and grandfather, what justifies deliverance – continuing to bury or reveal truth?

   At an international conference in St. Louis in September, a literary agent encouraged Deb to submit proposals for her manuscripts. In October she sent her proposal for STARS, a Biblically-based workbook for trauma survivors. Deb had written the book in 2004 and developed a twelve-week series of classes, which she taught at two churches in Arkansas and at a Christian rehab center in Texas. She also facilitated the classes for five years at a Christian crises home in Arkansas until she was diagnosed with cancer. She continues to work one-on-one at home with women in crises when requested by friends and her church.

   In December the agent responded that she thought STARS was worthy of publication, but they were not prepared to do that at this time. Deb continues working on the novel & will continue to seek the right agent for both books.