L IFENOTES

B Y D E N N Y K E I T Z M A N

A S TO L D TO S U E TO R N A I

Life changed for my wife, Dee, and me 

when we moved to Adrian, Mich., in the 

early 1970s. It started when Willis and 

Marilyn Kilbourn came from across the 

street to welcome us to the neighborhood.

L IFENOTES

Our daughter, Desteni, and their 

daughter, Cheryl, became constant 

companions. 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

>+&"#20*+"#(;(%:#".7(#")(#<**%&#'(%(#*6(14#")(:#'(%(1="#2"#2//#6%(25):#*%#):6*5%.".52/8#E2<#A#*0&(%;(<#21:#.15*1&.&"(15.(&#.1#")(.%#0(/.(3&#*%#25".*1&4#A#'*+/<#)2;(#'%.""(1#")(7#*338#F1(#").1,#A#/(2%1(<#3%*7#")(7#.&#"*#/.;(#7:#/.3(4#72B.1,#&+%(#7:#25".*1&#2,%((#'.")#')2"#A#&2:#21<#0(/.(;(8!3"(%#'(#/.;(<#.1#")(#1(.,)0*%)**<#

2#')./(4#C.//.&#21<#D2%./:1#.1;."(<#+&#"*#,*#'.")#2#,%*+6#3%*7#")(.%#5)+%5)#"*#@("%*."#"*#)(2%#G.//:#H%2)278#A#)2<#1*#<(&.%(#"*#,*4#0+"#'21"(<#"*#)*1*%#")(7#0:#&2:.1,#:(&8#9)(#"%.6#&((7(<#/.B(#&*7(").1,#*+"#*3#2#7*;.(8#!#"2//4#&B.11:#721#&"**<#2"#")(#3%*1"#*3#21#*/<#&5)**/#0+&#21<#/(<#&.1,.1,#3*%#")(#(1".%(#IJ?7./(#"%.68#9)(#&.1,.1,#"+%1(<#7(#*33K#A#'*+/<#)2;(#6%(3(%%(<#")2"#&*7(#*3#")(#6(*6/(#+&(#")(#".7(#"*#,("#"*#B1*'#7(8F+"#*3#266%(5.2".*1#3*%#2//#")(#

-./0*+%1&#<.<#3*%#+&4#@((#21<#A#2""(1<(<#L2&"(%#M+1<2:#&(%;.5(#2"#")(.%#&72//#

N%((#D(")*<.&"#5)+%5)8#9)(#(O6(%.(15(#%(7.1<(<#7(#*3#,%*'.1,#+6#.1#2#P)%.&".21#)*7(#21<#52+&(<#7(#"*#").1B#)*'#32%#2'2:#3%*7#H*<#A#)2<#'21<(%(<8#@((#21<#A#B(6"#2""(1<.1,#5)+%5)#")(%(4#0+"#*+%#&.13+/#'2:&#$12//:#52+,)"#+6#'.")#+&89)(#6*/.5(#527(#"*#*+%#&"*%(#21<#

2%%(&"(<#0*")#*3#+&#3*%#<(/.;(%:#*3#72%.>+2128#@((#52//(<#D2%./:18#QR/(2&(#52//#@(11:=&#7*7#21<#<2<#21<#)2;(#")(7#5*7(#21<#,("#@(&"(1.#.77(<.2"(/:8#C(#)2;(#"*#,("#)(%#*+"#*3#")(#&"2"(#S#1*'TU#D:#62%(1"&#/.;(<#1(2%#9*/(<*4#F).*4#21<4#

The words “follow the manufacturer’s instructions” popped into my head.

“When the house across the street became vacant, we prayed for God to send us a family we could reach 

out to with His love. The Keitzmans were the answer to that prayer.” —Willis and Marilyn Kilbourn (above)

L IFENOTES

3*%"+12"(/:4#'(%(#)*7(#')(1#D2%./:1#52//(<8#A=7#,/2<#")(:#527(#%.,)"#2'2:4#0(52+&(#A#5*+/<1="#0(2%#")(#")*+,)"#*3#@(&"(1.#.1#&"2"(#5+&"*<:8#D:#02./#'2&#<(1.(<4#0+"#@((=&#'2&#,%21"(<#0(52+&(#*3#*+%#<2+,)"(%8#A#'2&#%(/(2&(<#")(#1(O"#<2:4#21<#2#"%.2/#<2"(#'2&#&("8!#'((B#23"(%#*+%#2%%(&"&4#A#%*<(#

7:#0.B(#.1"*#")(#5*+1"%:#'.")#*1/:#2#&21<'.5)#21<#2#G.0/(#.1#7:#025B625B8#F1#2#62"5)#*3#,%2&&#+1<(%#21#*2B#"%((#.1#2#32%7(%=&#$(/<4#A#&6(1"#")(#<2:#5%:.1,#*+"#"*#H*<8#A#<.<1="#/.B(#7:#/.3(#21:7*%(4#0+"#)2<#1*#5/+(#')2"#

"*#<*#1(O"8#9)(#'*%<&#Q3*//*'#")(#721+325"+%(%=&#.1&"%+5".*1&U#6*66(<#.1"*#7:#)(2<4#21<#A#'*1<(%(<#'):#")*&(#62%".5+/2%#'*%<&8#9)(14#&.15(#A#<.<1="#B1*'#')(%(#"*#&"2%"4#A#*6(1(<#7:#G.0/(#"*#")(#5(1"(%8#9)(#$%&"#").1,#A#%(2<#'2&4#QM)*'#7(#:*+%#'2:&4#F#V*%<4#"(25)#7(#:*+%#62")&K#,+.<(#7(#.1#:*+%#"%+")#21<#"(25)#7(4#3*%#:*+#2%(#H*<#7:#M2;.*%U#WR&2/7#XYZ[?Y\8#Yes, Lord, this is what I want4#A#6%2:(<8#I want to live for You. A#'2&1="#&+%(#)*'#@((#'*+/<#255(6"#

')2"#A#)2<#"*#&2:4#0+"#A#"*/<#)(%#20*+"#7:#<2:4#20*+"#5%:.1,#*+"#"*#H*<#21<#20*+"#")(#M5%.6"+%(#;(%&(8#QA#)2;(#<(5.<(<#"*#/.;(#3*%#P)%.&"4U#A#&2.<8#9(2%&#&"%(27(<#<*'1#)(%#325(8#Q9)2"=&#')2"#A#'21"#"**4U#&)(#5%.(<8#C(#B1(/"#"*,(")(%#.1#*+%#/.;.1,#%**74#5*13(&&(<#*+%#&.1&#21<#2&B(<#H*<#"*#"2B(#*;(%#*+%#/.;(&#21<#72%%.2,(8@((#21<#A#72%;(/(<#)*'#*+%#5)+%5)#

&+%%*+1<(<#+&#'.")#/*;(#21<#6%2:(%8#!&#")(#<2:#*3#")(#"%.2/#266%*25)(<4#@((#0(527(#;(%:#.//#21<#'2&#%+&)(<#"*#")(#)*&6."2/8#M)(#<.(<#*3#2#0%2.1#21(+%.&7#3*//*'.1,#B.<1(:#&"*1(#&+%,(%:8#L;(1#")*+,)#@((#'2&#>*:3+//:#)*7(#'.")#*+%#V*%<4#7:#'*%/<#5%+70/(<8#G(&.<(&#,%.(;.1,#")(#/*&&#*3#7:#'.3(#21<#"2B.1,#52%(#*3#*+%#]?:(2%?*/<#<2+,)"(%4#2#"%.2/#21<#2#6%.&*1#"(%7#/**7(<#.1#7:#3+"+%(8##9)(#-./0*+%1&#21<#*")(%&#3%*7#*+%#

5)+%5)#527(#"*#7:#"%.2/4#"(&".$(<#*1#7:#0()2/3#21<#6%2:(<#3*%#7(8#A#'.//#2/'2:&#%(7(70(%#")(#/.""/(#*/<#/2<.(&#'.")#")(.%#)2.%#.1#0+1&#&."".1,#.1#")(#025B#*3#")(#5*+%"%**74#6%2:.1,#3*%#7(8#A#&(%;(<#]J#<2:&#.1#>2./#3*%#2#3*+%?

:(2%?"(%7#3(/*1:8#D:#/*;(#3*%#H*<#,%('#

The words “follow the manufacturer’s instructions” popped into my head.

“When the house across the street became vacant, we prayed for God to send us a family we could reach 

out to with His love. The Keitzmans were the answer to that prayer.” —Willis and Marilyn Kilbourn (above)

0(:*1<#7:#'./<(&"#.72,.12".*18#A#B1('#H*<#)2<#7(#")(%(#3*%#2#%(2&*14#&*#A#0(,21#G.0/(#&"+<.(&#.1#")(#>2./=&#5*77*1#2%(28#M)*%"/:#23"(%#7:#%(/(2&(4#H*<#+&(<#7:#'."1(&&Z#D:#6%*02".*1#*3$5(%#255(6"(<#P)%.&"#21<#&"2%"(<#5*7.1,#"*#*+%#5)+%5)8D:#$%&"#>*0#23"(%#5*76/(".1,#

7:#>2./#"(%7#'2&#2&#2#>21."*%#.1#")(#5*+1":=&#&6(5.2/#(<#&5)**/8#A#2/&*#'*%B(<#'.")#2#/*52/#%2<.*#&"2".*14#&"2%".1,#2#M+1<2:#(;(1.1,#6%*,%27#*3#P)%.&".21#7+&.58#V2"(%#A#"%2;(/(<#'.")#<5#92/B#3*%#^]#:(2%&4#2&#")(.%#%*2<#7212,(%K#&.15(#^_`Y4#A=;(#&(%;(<#2&#")(#&"2,(#7212,(%#3*%#A5)")+&4#2#&6%.1,#

3(&".;2/#2"#!&0+%:#a1.;(%&.":8#9*<2:#A#*'1#M"%2.,)"#H2"(#R%*<+5".*1&4#').5)#6%*;.<(&#,%*+1<'*%B#3*%#,*&6(/#3(&".;2/&#21<#5*15(%"&#6(%3*%7(<#2%*+1<#")(#'*%/<4#21<#A#27#")(#"*+%#7212,(%#3*%#P2&".1,#P%*'1&8A#<*1="#").1B#A#'*+/<#0(#/.;.1,#3*% 

P)%.&"#"*<2:#'.")*+"#")(#)(/6#21<#6%2:(%&#*3#C.//.&#21<#D2%./:1#-./0*+%18#9)(:#'(%(1="#6%(25):#*%#):6*5%.".52/8#9)(:#&.76/:#/*;(<#7(8#

If yo

u’d lik

e som

eone

to ta

lk to,

I’m

avail

able

...

Name

: ___

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

_

Telep

hone

/cell p

hone

: ___

____

____

____

____

____

i s  brought   to  you by

L IFENOTES

!""#$%&'()*&+#,*-)./-01#.&+#).2+0#3&-4#)5+#6+7#80)+&0./-0."#9+&1'-0#*0"+11#-)5+&7'1+#'0:'%.)+:; SEPT/OCT 2010

Perhaps someone you know has been kind and caring

toward you, so much so that you wonder what’s up.

Perhaps you’ve also been invited to a special event or

a church service, or to join a mom’s group or a church

baseball team. Don’t let preconceived notions about pushy

religious people color your response this time. Think about

the hand of friendship that’s been extended, and reach

out with one of your own. This could be the beginning of

something very special. So go for it.

Dear Lord,Thanks for caring about me and sending [say your Christian

acquaintance’s name] into my life. I know [person’s name] isn’t judging me or avoiding me, and that’s pretty amazing. It feels nice. Help me return the kindness I’ve been shown. Should I say yes to this latest invitation? Maybe if I do, I can finally discover what’s been missing in my life, that elusive peace I’m always seeking. If You are there, God, and You really do care about me, please show me exactly what I need to do.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world

gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let

it be afraid.” — John 14:27 (New King James Version)

As the Kilbourns did for him, Keitzman

is building relationships and loving

people like Christ would. As he says,

“I want my life to have value.”

You can also see this 

<'3+6-)+#'0#=':+-# format at ReelFM.tv.

Spring Arbor University graduate Amber 

>""17-&)5#%-0)&'?*)+:#)-#)5'1#<'3+6-)+;