Rev Debra and her team just returned from Tanzania and Burundi last week. Yesterday Shannon had a phone conversation with Debra about the trip and the land. The team was able to travel from Mwanza, by ferry and Land Rover, to the property. It is located across the channel from Mwanza. The land is about 15 minutes from where the ferry dropped them off via a fairly bad road(ahh, Africa...). Rev Debra thinks that with a little work on the road it could be turned into a 5 minute trip. The land is 30 acres of mostly tillable land that was being farmed. There is no one currently living on the property so those that were paid for the property were farming it. There are some mango trees and the exciting part is that there is a small mountain on the property. There are several reasons we want a large hill or mountain. It will be a great place to put a radio tower to broadcast God's word to the nation. Also, it will be a great place to locate a wind turbine to generate electricity which is not currently in the area. It sounds like there are plans for electricity to be in that area in the next few years but we are well aware of few years may be closer to many years, especially in Africa. A city council member is very excited about the ministry coming to the area and was involved in obtaining many signatures from area residents encouraging the farmers to sell us the property. The entire community is looking forward to the ministry's arrival which excites us greatly. Here is what Rev Debra had to say in her recent prayer chain email newsletter:
We were AMAZED to see the beautiful 25 + acre piece of property that now belongs to ETG Ministries! It has 'million dollar' views of Lake Victoria, mango trees, good farm land and even a small mountain - Glory Mountain - which we climbed, anointed, and had communion on! Pray for the remaining acreage ETG is expecting. None of what we saw is actual lake frontage, BUT the official who showed us the property lines was approached that very morning by a "squatter" who had adjoining lake frontage and wanted help in "selling" it! God is so AWESOME! Also, pray for favor with Engineering Ministries International - that they will approve the ETG application for their services for the Tanzania property.
This is good news and we are excited, and just a bit nervous, to see what God does next.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Fireproof-Movie Review
About a year ago we saw the movie Facing the Giants. It's a football themed movie that was put out by a church- yep, a church- in Albany, Georgia. The church had a budget of $100,000 and with that money they were able to put together a great film that included Christianity without it being the "in your face Christianity" that offends so many. It was a movie they had produced for their area as an outreach tool that ended up going nationwide and was pretty popular. We were so impressed with the movie and the church's efforts, we bought a copy of our own.
Two nights ago, we rented the movie, Flywheel. Flywheel was the first efforts of the same church to put together a movie several years prior to Facing the Giants. Though filmed with a $20,0000 budget which limited them in sound quality somewhat it was still a great story with a saving message.
Last night, Fireproof was released. Sherwood Baptists Church third film was a hit for our entire family. We do not go to see films in the theaters very often but this one was a must for us. It was important to us that we be a part of the opening weekend crowd, to show Hollywood that these are the types of movies we want to see.
The movie was all we expected it to be. A story of a heroic firefighter and his wife and their struggling marriage. Lest you think this was a "chick flick" that would be of no interest to the guys can I just say that there were fire and explosions, firehouse humor(clean) and relationships. We watch as this adorable couple decides it is time to end their marriage. The father of the firefighter requests that he give it 40 days before filing for a divorce and sends him a book called The Love Dare. The book has 40 ideas, one per day, of ways for him to show love to his wife and as he follows its suggestions he finds it to not be working. It isn't until he finally comes to the realization that he can't give something to his wife that he doesn't have to give that there is a turning point in the story. Without giving any further info and possibly spoiling the movie for you I think it is fair to say that the movie gets 6 thumbs up from the 6 of us that went. Get to it if you can.
Two nights ago, we rented the movie, Flywheel. Flywheel was the first efforts of the same church to put together a movie several years prior to Facing the Giants. Though filmed with a $20,0000 budget which limited them in sound quality somewhat it was still a great story with a saving message.
Last night, Fireproof was released. Sherwood Baptists Church third film was a hit for our entire family. We do not go to see films in the theaters very often but this one was a must for us. It was important to us that we be a part of the opening weekend crowd, to show Hollywood that these are the types of movies we want to see.
The movie was all we expected it to be. A story of a heroic firefighter and his wife and their struggling marriage. Lest you think this was a "chick flick" that would be of no interest to the guys can I just say that there were fire and explosions, firehouse humor(clean) and relationships. We watch as this adorable couple decides it is time to end their marriage. The father of the firefighter requests that he give it 40 days before filing for a divorce and sends him a book called The Love Dare. The book has 40 ideas, one per day, of ways for him to show love to his wife and as he follows its suggestions he finds it to not be working. It isn't until he finally comes to the realization that he can't give something to his wife that he doesn't have to give that there is a turning point in the story. Without giving any further info and possibly spoiling the movie for you I think it is fair to say that the movie gets 6 thumbs up from the 6 of us that went. Get to it if you can.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
FIREPROOF!-Coming Soon!
This new movie, by the creators of Facing the Giants is going to be one of the few films we won't wait to see on video.
Show your local theaters you want to see more movies like this by being there during opening week.
Show your local theaters you want to see more movies like this by being there during opening week.
Refreshing
As my children have gotten older it has been difficult to find them modest clothing, good television(is that an oxymoron?) and wholesome music. In a world of clothing that shows belly buttons and cleavage on girls barely out of diapers it has been a struggle for sure. In a world of music and video that has swear words I hadn't even heard yet, words that would make a sailor, or in my case, a Marine Corps veteran, blush, it has also been a struggle to find good music. In a world that has young girls literally worshiping Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus, we have tried hard to steer our girls away from that.
Recently we discovered a couple of musical groups that have us wanting to tell the world about them.
PureNRG is a trio of tweens that can sing and dance to the delight of any tween girl. A group of two gals and a guy, they sing a lot of older, clean but fun songs like "Footloose" and have a few of their own as well. They have some Christian music and are moving into more worship songs as well. Jordan, the guy of the trio has this to say about their newest album, "“Here We Go Again” opens with the buoyant title track, a high-energy tune with a catchy chorus that is an instant sing along. “Any Which Way” continues the good time vibe, and Jordan cites it among his favorites on the album. “It’s saying to give yourself to God and to let Him take you wherever He wants you to go, and that’s what we do.” As a mom, I find myself excited about these energetic kids.
The Rubyz is made up of three young ladies aged 13-17 whose name comes straight from the book of Proverbs-"A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies." -Proverbs 31:10. Their first album came out this past April and their goal is to fill a void in the mainstream media. to tell young ladies that they are valuable and that it is ok to be young and there is no hurry to grow up faster than God desires, that it is good to act and dress your age.
I hope if you have any young children, and even if you don't, you can get your hands on one or more of the albums put out by these adorable kids.
Recently we discovered a couple of musical groups that have us wanting to tell the world about them.
PureNRG is a trio of tweens that can sing and dance to the delight of any tween girl. A group of two gals and a guy, they sing a lot of older, clean but fun songs like "Footloose" and have a few of their own as well. They have some Christian music and are moving into more worship songs as well. Jordan, the guy of the trio has this to say about their newest album, "“Here We Go Again” opens with the buoyant title track, a high-energy tune with a catchy chorus that is an instant sing along. “Any Which Way” continues the good time vibe, and Jordan cites it among his favorites on the album. “It’s saying to give yourself to God and to let Him take you wherever He wants you to go, and that’s what we do.” As a mom, I find myself excited about these energetic kids.
The Rubyz is made up of three young ladies aged 13-17 whose name comes straight from the book of Proverbs-"A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies." -Proverbs 31:10. Their first album came out this past April and their goal is to fill a void in the mainstream media. to tell young ladies that they are valuable and that it is ok to be young and there is no hurry to grow up faster than God desires, that it is good to act and dress your age.
I hope if you have any young children, and even if you don't, you can get your hands on one or more of the albums put out by these adorable kids.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Stay at Home Mom?
When I first started having children, being a stay-at-home Mom wasn't a really big priority in my life. As more children came along, out of necessity I stayed home and left my job with the post office. At the time I was a rural carrier sub in a small town we lived in at the time but childcare was just too expensive. That was when I was actually paying childcare for 3, sometimes 4 and it didn't pay to work. As the children got older, I started working again at my current post office, again as a rural carrier sub. It's a job I really enjoy-being out in nature, seeing animals and the peace and quiet...well most of the time. The bad days are when it is raining or a windy winter day and I get a flat tire.
The spring of 2007 brought a letter to my mailbox from the Census Bureau. I had worked for them during the 2000 population count. The letter was inviting me to a testing and interview session in the area for "part-time intermittent" work. I decided to check it out. When I was offered the job, Shannon and I both thought it was a great idea. We had recently stopped doing foster care so didn't have young children in and out as much. Our own children were getting older and able to be along once in awhile and paying private school tuition for two of the children was really stretching us financially. We also saw an opportunity to bring in some extra income to help pay off debt. We both knew that we couldn't move to Tanzania with a debt load here. I took the job, happily plugging away on survey work about 20-30 hours per month. I found the work itself to be a challenge but also fun to travel over a 5 county area near our home meeting people and seeing the countyside.
Recently another survey was added to my position and it has increased my workload dramatically. Dramatically as in, I have worked about 90 hours so far this month with another 15 or so to go. This particular survey will have a very heavy workload through the rest of the year but in January will have me doing most of my work at home by phone.
For the first time in a long time though I find myself feeling very divided. I feel that my first God-given responsibility is to my husband and children-to being a helpmeet to Shannon, to raising our children together and being available for them, cleaning our home and cooking-you know, the stay-at-home Mom kind of stuff. The Census Bureau loves my work and are trying to move me into more full-time work. They think they are doing me a favor. They are, I appreciate the hours and pay and the benefits that will be starting soon but it is so hard. I feel like I am letting down my family and myself but I also know that for this time, earning this income to pay down debt and tuition is what I need to be doing.
I hate being gone on the weekends and in the evenings, being unable to make plans with extended family for the times when most people are off work. It's frustrating to me but a necessity as well.
Please keep our family in your prayers through these next several months as we adjust to me being away even more than I had been. We are hopeful that once January comes and the work turns into mostly phone calling I'll be able to keep up the pace without so much struggle.
Oh and by the way, that's why I haven't been posting as much. When I am home, being on the computer is pretty low priority, at least for the time being.
The spring of 2007 brought a letter to my mailbox from the Census Bureau. I had worked for them during the 2000 population count. The letter was inviting me to a testing and interview session in the area for "part-time intermittent" work. I decided to check it out. When I was offered the job, Shannon and I both thought it was a great idea. We had recently stopped doing foster care so didn't have young children in and out as much. Our own children were getting older and able to be along once in awhile and paying private school tuition for two of the children was really stretching us financially. We also saw an opportunity to bring in some extra income to help pay off debt. We both knew that we couldn't move to Tanzania with a debt load here. I took the job, happily plugging away on survey work about 20-30 hours per month. I found the work itself to be a challenge but also fun to travel over a 5 county area near our home meeting people and seeing the countyside.
Recently another survey was added to my position and it has increased my workload dramatically. Dramatically as in, I have worked about 90 hours so far this month with another 15 or so to go. This particular survey will have a very heavy workload through the rest of the year but in January will have me doing most of my work at home by phone.
For the first time in a long time though I find myself feeling very divided. I feel that my first God-given responsibility is to my husband and children-to being a helpmeet to Shannon, to raising our children together and being available for them, cleaning our home and cooking-you know, the stay-at-home Mom kind of stuff. The Census Bureau loves my work and are trying to move me into more full-time work. They think they are doing me a favor. They are, I appreciate the hours and pay and the benefits that will be starting soon but it is so hard. I feel like I am letting down my family and myself but I also know that for this time, earning this income to pay down debt and tuition is what I need to be doing.
I hate being gone on the weekends and in the evenings, being unable to make plans with extended family for the times when most people are off work. It's frustrating to me but a necessity as well.
Please keep our family in your prayers through these next several months as we adjust to me being away even more than I had been. We are hopeful that once January comes and the work turns into mostly phone calling I'll be able to keep up the pace without so much struggle.
Oh and by the way, that's why I haven't been posting as much. When I am home, being on the computer is pretty low priority, at least for the time being.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Still Missing in Action...
After returning from our 8 days in the Black Hills, I was home for a literal 22 hours before leaving again. I hurriedly unpacked bags and did laundry, spent a few hours at church Sunday morning, then packed my bags again to leave for a training for my job with the Census Bureau. The Bureau has added an additional survey to my assignment, effectively doubling my workload. I spent 5 days there before returning home to prepare everyone, including myself, for a new school year.
We did spend Labor Day at Christine's parent's lake home where we visited with my parents, my sister, and several aunts and uncles and a cousin. It was nice to see my Aunt Karen from Hawaii who I hadn't seen for many years. My cousin and Evan, in their adventurous mood, took the boat over to the old railroad bridge across the lake. They were hoping to jump off of it as they had seen others do in the past. Before jumping we told them they had to measure the depth of the water. Using a rock and a rope they discovered the water to be only 7 feet deep this late in the year, so to my mother's relief they put that activity aside for another year, maybe in the spring when the water is deepest.
We are still trying to find a routine that works for us this year. With my post office and Census Bureau jobs, homeschooling two of the children and other activities and scheduled appointments, life is pretty crazy busy. I am working a lot more evenings and weekends than I did in the summer which I hate but find necessary. It has made our Sunday's all the more precious a we try hard to keep them completely unplanned except for church services. Funny thing is, those are busy too as Molly serves on the praise and worship team in Kid's church during the first service and Collin has his High School praise and worship team rehearsal during the second. I don't mind too much as I like to be there for both services to be in the choir loft anyway.
At church last evening, I was reminded of the importance of taking time each day to listen for God. So often we complain that God is speaking to us but I think the question is usually, "Are we listening?" I start a bible study this Wednesday that will force me to get in the word more. I say "force" although once I get there I very much enjoy it.
As stated in an earlier post, Rev. Debra and a team are in Tanzania right now. We know they were planning to visit the property while they are there and also attending a wedding. Along with ministry in several cities in Tanzania as well as the country of Burundi, they have a full schedule too. Please keep them and the ministry they are doing in your prayers.
We did spend Labor Day at Christine's parent's lake home where we visited with my parents, my sister, and several aunts and uncles and a cousin. It was nice to see my Aunt Karen from Hawaii who I hadn't seen for many years. My cousin and Evan, in their adventurous mood, took the boat over to the old railroad bridge across the lake. They were hoping to jump off of it as they had seen others do in the past. Before jumping we told them they had to measure the depth of the water. Using a rock and a rope they discovered the water to be only 7 feet deep this late in the year, so to my mother's relief they put that activity aside for another year, maybe in the spring when the water is deepest.
We are still trying to find a routine that works for us this year. With my post office and Census Bureau jobs, homeschooling two of the children and other activities and scheduled appointments, life is pretty crazy busy. I am working a lot more evenings and weekends than I did in the summer which I hate but find necessary. It has made our Sunday's all the more precious a we try hard to keep them completely unplanned except for church services. Funny thing is, those are busy too as Molly serves on the praise and worship team in Kid's church during the first service and Collin has his High School praise and worship team rehearsal during the second. I don't mind too much as I like to be there for both services to be in the choir loft anyway.
At church last evening, I was reminded of the importance of taking time each day to listen for God. So often we complain that God is speaking to us but I think the question is usually, "Are we listening?" I start a bible study this Wednesday that will force me to get in the word more. I say "force" although once I get there I very much enjoy it.
As stated in an earlier post, Rev. Debra and a team are in Tanzania right now. We know they were planning to visit the property while they are there and also attending a wedding. Along with ministry in several cities in Tanzania as well as the country of Burundi, they have a full schedule too. Please keep them and the ministry they are doing in your prayers.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Black Hills Family Vacation
Hopefully my readers will forgive my absence over the past few weeks when I explain that our family went on an 8 day vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota. A vacation to the the Black Hills is something we had wanted to do for several years now but with our missions trips to Tanzania, the finances just weren't available. This year, as the team leaves for Tanzania tomorrow, we are both very sad that neither of us is going but we were both unable to leave our jobs for three weeks straight this year. Shannon will travel with Rev. Debra and Wayne next year when the engineering team is there.
Anyway, this summer our trip happened. We spent the entire summer planning and anticipating. We gathered info from the state dept of tourism and I spent hours online researching hotels, cabins, and activities to keep us busy. We found there was no lack of family activities in the area and scheduled one extra day in...just in case. We were so glad we had the extra day, otherwise our previously planned activities wouldn't have all gotten done. I had planned out each day perfectly, or so we thought. I think it was on day three that the schedule was thrown aside as a reference only to remind us of all we wanted to get done.
First stop, DeSmet, to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead. We spent several hours exploring the dug out home and shanty, animals in a barn, and riding in a covered wagon to an old schoolhouse. The children each made a rope the old fashioned way, saw how soap was made, wheat was ground in a coffee grinder during the "Long Winter" and laundry was done on a washboard. The girls each made their very own corncob doll like Laura had.
Wall Drug...where there are plenty of photo ops and more junky treasures than one can imagine seeing in one place. And yes, we each had a free glass of water or two.
Feeding the prairie dogs at a small gift shop near the entrance to the Badlands.
A drive through Badlands National Park. What a wondrous area. We were all awestruck.
The South Dakota Air and Space Museum located at the Air Force Base. Shannon and Collin enjoyed this more than the rest of us and but was fun to see airplanes similar to those we guarded while in the Marine Corps.
Reptile Gardens. The tortoises were a favorite. This one seemed to love when Evan rubbed its neck.
Dinosaur Park in Rapid City is just a bunch of concrete dinosaurs high up on a hill. I visited it as a child but the dinosaurs have shrunk since then.
The Cosmos, an area where people stand sideways and gravity doesn't seem quite right. We laughed hysterically as our minds and bodies were thrown for a loop. The one picture is not crooked, it just looks like it because the people are. The other picture shows Evan standing on the wall.
Bear Country USA where we drove through to see bears and much more.
The 1880 Train that runs between Hill City and Keystone. The three guys rode the train while us gals drove to Keystone to pick them up. Our van goes faster so we had a few minutes to shop before they arrived.
Big Thunder Gold Mine. Two men dug the mine using hand tools and dynamite. At the end of their 32 years they had each earned a grand total of $50 in gold. The mine turned out to be unprofitable for mining but Shannon and I joked of how profitable it has been since then. At $8 per person for tours as well as charging visitors to pan for gold it seems to be a true gold mine now. We didn't pan but did see people finding tiny specks in thier pans that they were allowed to put in a tiny bottle to keep.
Feeding the burros in Custer State Park was a riot. We knew we would be doing this and planning ahead, had bought several bags of over date donuts at our local bakery. The car in front of us was feeding them carrots and another was feeding them wheat thins. I bet you can guess which car they followed most closely.
Wind Cave, a 1 1/2 tour of a cave formed mainly by wind. It had a lot of what is called boxwork inside.
The Mammoth Dig Site is an old sinkhole where animals, including mammoths used to go to drink. The theory is that they would fall in the sinkhole which had very steep sides and end up drowning when they were unable to get out. So far they have found the fossilized remains of over 55 mammoths, as well as a short-faced bear, mountain lion and multiple smaller mammals. We were amazed at the tremendous size of these creatures as you can see by the picture of Shannon and the kids next to a cut out model of one.
A quick stop at a park in Rapid City where a couple of pieces of the former Berlin Wall are was an interesting spot.
Rushmore Cave, a 45 minute tour of a water formed cave that still has many stalagmites and stalactites. Unfortunately this one was broken off by visitors many years ago.
Mt Rushmore, a must see, of course. Our children were finally able to put to rest the joke we have had going with them that there are backsides carved into the back of the mountain. We learned more about those 4 particular presidents and why they were chosen for the monument.
Crazy Horse Monument, a truly amazing work in progress. This thing is huge! Shannon and I doubt it will ever be finished, it has already taken them 60 years and they are really not very far when you think about the big picture.
The infamous Needles Highway with it's rock tunnels and the needle formation at the top.
And Sylvan Lake. This is a beautiful, relaxing location in the midst of the craziness. It was a nice place to sit for a few minutes after our hike while Star and Evan took a dip.
Another fun location, a can't miss in our opinion, was Evan's Plunge in Hot Springs. This is a naturally, hot spring fed swimming pool with waterslides and hanging rings. It was originally used by the Native Americans then the wagon train participants. It was commercialized in 1890 and has been in operation now for over 100 years. I don't have any pics as we were all having to much fun to bring the camera in and risk it getting wet.
We also visited the city of Keystone and their famous taffy shop where you can watch the taffy being made. We spent quite a bit of money buying taffy for family, friends and ourselves.
Here is a photo of a sign that I found incredibly humorous. We saw it in several places out there during the week. Uh, no kidding? If they weren't "at large" they wouldn't be "wildlife" would they?
On the way home we stopped in Mitchell South Dakota to visit the corn palace. In a day reminiscent of National Lampoon's Vacation where the family arrives at their destination to find the theme park closed, we arrived at the Corn Palace to find it closed for the afternoon. It was corn capital days and there were many activities going on, one of which required a sound check it seems. Hey had locked the doors of it for a couple of hours, of course, just a couple of minutes before we arrived.
In our efforts to save the stop by visiting the local Bonanza restaurant for lunch, we arrived at the restaurant to find a sign hanging on the door stating that they had closed for the day as well.
We finally arrived home, after 8 extremely filled days of fun and learning to our own beds and two dogs, a cat and a parrot missing their owners very much. We are already hoping for another trip next summer. Next time we want to go further west to see Yellowstone National Park, Custer's battlefield, Devil's Tower and more.
Anyway, this summer our trip happened. We spent the entire summer planning and anticipating. We gathered info from the state dept of tourism and I spent hours online researching hotels, cabins, and activities to keep us busy. We found there was no lack of family activities in the area and scheduled one extra day in...just in case. We were so glad we had the extra day, otherwise our previously planned activities wouldn't have all gotten done. I had planned out each day perfectly, or so we thought. I think it was on day three that the schedule was thrown aside as a reference only to remind us of all we wanted to get done.
First stop, DeSmet, to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead. We spent several hours exploring the dug out home and shanty, animals in a barn, and riding in a covered wagon to an old schoolhouse. The children each made a rope the old fashioned way, saw how soap was made, wheat was ground in a coffee grinder during the "Long Winter" and laundry was done on a washboard. The girls each made their very own corncob doll like Laura had.
Wall Drug...where there are plenty of photo ops and more junky treasures than one can imagine seeing in one place. And yes, we each had a free glass of water or two.
Feeding the prairie dogs at a small gift shop near the entrance to the Badlands.
A drive through Badlands National Park. What a wondrous area. We were all awestruck.
The South Dakota Air and Space Museum located at the Air Force Base. Shannon and Collin enjoyed this more than the rest of us and but was fun to see airplanes similar to those we guarded while in the Marine Corps.
Reptile Gardens. The tortoises were a favorite. This one seemed to love when Evan rubbed its neck.
Dinosaur Park in Rapid City is just a bunch of concrete dinosaurs high up on a hill. I visited it as a child but the dinosaurs have shrunk since then.
The Cosmos, an area where people stand sideways and gravity doesn't seem quite right. We laughed hysterically as our minds and bodies were thrown for a loop. The one picture is not crooked, it just looks like it because the people are. The other picture shows Evan standing on the wall.
Bear Country USA where we drove through to see bears and much more.
The 1880 Train that runs between Hill City and Keystone. The three guys rode the train while us gals drove to Keystone to pick them up. Our van goes faster so we had a few minutes to shop before they arrived.
Big Thunder Gold Mine. Two men dug the mine using hand tools and dynamite. At the end of their 32 years they had each earned a grand total of $50 in gold. The mine turned out to be unprofitable for mining but Shannon and I joked of how profitable it has been since then. At $8 per person for tours as well as charging visitors to pan for gold it seems to be a true gold mine now. We didn't pan but did see people finding tiny specks in thier pans that they were allowed to put in a tiny bottle to keep.
Feeding the burros in Custer State Park was a riot. We knew we would be doing this and planning ahead, had bought several bags of over date donuts at our local bakery. The car in front of us was feeding them carrots and another was feeding them wheat thins. I bet you can guess which car they followed most closely.
Wind Cave, a 1 1/2 tour of a cave formed mainly by wind. It had a lot of what is called boxwork inside.
The Mammoth Dig Site is an old sinkhole where animals, including mammoths used to go to drink. The theory is that they would fall in the sinkhole which had very steep sides and end up drowning when they were unable to get out. So far they have found the fossilized remains of over 55 mammoths, as well as a short-faced bear, mountain lion and multiple smaller mammals. We were amazed at the tremendous size of these creatures as you can see by the picture of Shannon and the kids next to a cut out model of one.
A quick stop at a park in Rapid City where a couple of pieces of the former Berlin Wall are was an interesting spot.
Rushmore Cave, a 45 minute tour of a water formed cave that still has many stalagmites and stalactites. Unfortunately this one was broken off by visitors many years ago.
Mt Rushmore, a must see, of course. Our children were finally able to put to rest the joke we have had going with them that there are backsides carved into the back of the mountain. We learned more about those 4 particular presidents and why they were chosen for the monument.
Crazy Horse Monument, a truly amazing work in progress. This thing is huge! Shannon and I doubt it will ever be finished, it has already taken them 60 years and they are really not very far when you think about the big picture.
The infamous Needles Highway with it's rock tunnels and the needle formation at the top.
And Sylvan Lake. This is a beautiful, relaxing location in the midst of the craziness. It was a nice place to sit for a few minutes after our hike while Star and Evan took a dip.
Another fun location, a can't miss in our opinion, was Evan's Plunge in Hot Springs. This is a naturally, hot spring fed swimming pool with waterslides and hanging rings. It was originally used by the Native Americans then the wagon train participants. It was commercialized in 1890 and has been in operation now for over 100 years. I don't have any pics as we were all having to much fun to bring the camera in and risk it getting wet.
We also visited the city of Keystone and their famous taffy shop where you can watch the taffy being made. We spent quite a bit of money buying taffy for family, friends and ourselves.
Here is a photo of a sign that I found incredibly humorous. We saw it in several places out there during the week. Uh, no kidding? If they weren't "at large" they wouldn't be "wildlife" would they?
On the way home we stopped in Mitchell South Dakota to visit the corn palace. In a day reminiscent of National Lampoon's Vacation where the family arrives at their destination to find the theme park closed, we arrived at the Corn Palace to find it closed for the afternoon. It was corn capital days and there were many activities going on, one of which required a sound check it seems. Hey had locked the doors of it for a couple of hours, of course, just a couple of minutes before we arrived.
In our efforts to save the stop by visiting the local Bonanza restaurant for lunch, we arrived at the restaurant to find a sign hanging on the door stating that they had closed for the day as well.
We finally arrived home, after 8 extremely filled days of fun and learning to our own beds and two dogs, a cat and a parrot missing their owners very much. We are already hoping for another trip next summer. Next time we want to go further west to see Yellowstone National Park, Custer's battlefield, Devil's Tower and more.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Grass Isn't Always Greener
A couple of months ago, after we first allowed our young chickens outside, we discovered that one was missing. We searched our 6 acres and the fields around the property but could find no signs of it. We did discover a small hole at the corner of the fence that it may have gotten out through but we never did find the chicken. We fixed the hole and also added on an n larger 100x100 foot fenced in area for the birds.
About two weeks ago we discovered our black lab in the back yard eating a freshly killed(by her)chicken that must have flown over the 4 foot high fence. We bought a bunch of chicken wire and proceeded to make the fence about three foot higher in an effort to keep them in.
Last Sunday evening I heard a squawking coming from the back yard and saw our black lab near the gate of the fence. I took off running and yelling at the dog. When I arrived at the scene I again found a dead chicken, this one our favorite, her name was Lucy. When we had added to the fence we had forgotten the gate and she must have gone over that to get to the "greener grass." The kids and I were horrified, especially after the most recent killing of our favorite chicken. We have since heightened the fencing over the gate and hope we have the problem solved.
I've been thinking a lot about how so many unsaved people are afraid to come to Christ because they aren't willing to give up the things that they think are against the rules and they think make life fun. Even we Christians often wonder if we are missing something by following God's commandments. God has put His commands into place not because He is trying to limit us but because He is trying to protect us. I hope that my family and I will be unlike our chickens and always remember that the fence is there for our protection.
About two weeks ago we discovered our black lab in the back yard eating a freshly killed(by her)chicken that must have flown over the 4 foot high fence. We bought a bunch of chicken wire and proceeded to make the fence about three foot higher in an effort to keep them in.
Last Sunday evening I heard a squawking coming from the back yard and saw our black lab near the gate of the fence. I took off running and yelling at the dog. When I arrived at the scene I again found a dead chicken, this one our favorite, her name was Lucy. When we had added to the fence we had forgotten the gate and she must have gone over that to get to the "greener grass." The kids and I were horrified, especially after the most recent killing of our favorite chicken. We have since heightened the fencing over the gate and hope we have the problem solved.
I've been thinking a lot about how so many unsaved people are afraid to come to Christ because they aren't willing to give up the things that they think are against the rules and they think make life fun. Even we Christians often wonder if we are missing something by following God's commandments. God has put His commands into place not because He is trying to limit us but because He is trying to protect us. I hope that my family and I will be unlike our chickens and always remember that the fence is there for our protection.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
"God still has big plans for you, Mom!"
Sometimes children say the silliest things and at other times they spout great wisdom. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, Collin and I were in a pretty serious car accident a couple of weeks ago. It was after church. Our family had driven two cars to church that day due to ministry commitments we had a different services. Some of us needed to be there for both services but others didn't. After church was over, Collin and I took the van to the local feed store to get some chicken wire while Shannon took his car with the other children to go pick up Brandon from his group home. When Collin and I were finished at the feed store we were going to go directly across the four lane highway to the local Menards.
As I sat at the stop sign waiting to cross there was quite a bit of traffic on the highway. There were also three, I think, cars across the highway in the Menards driveway waiting to turn left onto the highway in front of me. I felt a bit of pressure to go as soon as possible, knowing that if they were following traffic laws, they were waiting for me to cross before they could go. I waited for a couple of cars going one direction, then a couple going the other. The road looked clear as I looked both ways and I kept my eyes on the car in front of me to be sure they wouldn't try to turn out in front of me. All of a sudden, seemingly from out of nowhere, I saw the front of a car hitting my front wheel and engine compartment from the left.
Although the picture of the van may not show it, the impact was incredible. The car that hit us was just coming into town on a main highway and was probably going between 50 and 60MPH when she hit. Fortunately she had an airbag and she was cushioned by that as her car hit us then flew across the highway and into the Menards driveway facing the opposite direction she had been going. Our van spun to the right and ended up against the curb facing nearly the opposite direction as well. I hit my head and eye on the left side of the van and Collin and I think I may have been knocked out for a few seconds based on my slow response to him telling me to turn off the van.
It ended up that both our van and her car were totaled out. We had just put $2800 in the van in the previous two weeks fixing the transmission and putting on new tires in preparation for our vacation. The other driver had a small cut on her hand, probably from when the airbags deployed from out of the steering wheel, but was otherwise fine. Collin had a sore lower back for a couple of days and I have been fighting a sore back, neck and shoulder. My entire left side was bruised and I had a black left eye. We discovered a surprising thing after the accident. We knew the van had both front and side impact airbags and were baffled as to why the side airbags didn't deploy. I sure would be feeling a lot better physically if they had. Anyway, after we found out that the van was totaled out, Shannon took the panel of the side of the seat where the airbags belong. Lo and behold, there wasn't one! We believe at some point in the vans journey to reach us via used car markets and auctions, someone removed them to sell them. Nightline has done stories on this and it looks like we experienced it personally.
We spent the next 5 days car shopping, not fun when on a deadline. First we were looking for the same style of van(it was a Pontiac Montana), then we switched to looking at Toyota Siennas. After a couple of days of looking at them we quickly realized they just weren't big enough for our family. Although Toyota's have great safety ratings and reliability, they are the smallest of all minivans and we were concerned about the lack of cargo space. WE ended up getting a Chrysler Town and Country. The children are ecstatic with the fact that the new van has a DVD player, it wasn't however, a huge selling point for me. We will maybe let them watch a video on the way out to the Black Hills on our vacation but it is one feature we are very unlikely to wear out.
As I've thought about how this all played out and how I honestly don't know how I couldn't have seen the other car it has frustrated me to no end. Just this morning I read an article about a driver's ed instructor who was killed when someone ran a red light and hit his side of the car at a similar speed as my accident. As I talked with the children about that this morning and how, if it had happened a split second later, it would have been my door rather than the front wheel area being hit I realize how very fortunate the three of us involved in the accident are to walk away in as good of condition as we did. During this conversation it was Molly who said, "Mom, God still has big plans for your life!" What could I say to that other than what I did, "I know God still has big plans for my life!"
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
As I sat at the stop sign waiting to cross there was quite a bit of traffic on the highway. There were also three, I think, cars across the highway in the Menards driveway waiting to turn left onto the highway in front of me. I felt a bit of pressure to go as soon as possible, knowing that if they were following traffic laws, they were waiting for me to cross before they could go. I waited for a couple of cars going one direction, then a couple going the other. The road looked clear as I looked both ways and I kept my eyes on the car in front of me to be sure they wouldn't try to turn out in front of me. All of a sudden, seemingly from out of nowhere, I saw the front of a car hitting my front wheel and engine compartment from the left.
Although the picture of the van may not show it, the impact was incredible. The car that hit us was just coming into town on a main highway and was probably going between 50 and 60MPH when she hit. Fortunately she had an airbag and she was cushioned by that as her car hit us then flew across the highway and into the Menards driveway facing the opposite direction she had been going. Our van spun to the right and ended up against the curb facing nearly the opposite direction as well. I hit my head and eye on the left side of the van and Collin and I think I may have been knocked out for a few seconds based on my slow response to him telling me to turn off the van.
It ended up that both our van and her car were totaled out. We had just put $2800 in the van in the previous two weeks fixing the transmission and putting on new tires in preparation for our vacation. The other driver had a small cut on her hand, probably from when the airbags deployed from out of the steering wheel, but was otherwise fine. Collin had a sore lower back for a couple of days and I have been fighting a sore back, neck and shoulder. My entire left side was bruised and I had a black left eye. We discovered a surprising thing after the accident. We knew the van had both front and side impact airbags and were baffled as to why the side airbags didn't deploy. I sure would be feeling a lot better physically if they had. Anyway, after we found out that the van was totaled out, Shannon took the panel of the side of the seat where the airbags belong. Lo and behold, there wasn't one! We believe at some point in the vans journey to reach us via used car markets and auctions, someone removed them to sell them. Nightline has done stories on this and it looks like we experienced it personally.
We spent the next 5 days car shopping, not fun when on a deadline. First we were looking for the same style of van(it was a Pontiac Montana), then we switched to looking at Toyota Siennas. After a couple of days of looking at them we quickly realized they just weren't big enough for our family. Although Toyota's have great safety ratings and reliability, they are the smallest of all minivans and we were concerned about the lack of cargo space. WE ended up getting a Chrysler Town and Country. The children are ecstatic with the fact that the new van has a DVD player, it wasn't however, a huge selling point for me. We will maybe let them watch a video on the way out to the Black Hills on our vacation but it is one feature we are very unlikely to wear out.
As I've thought about how this all played out and how I honestly don't know how I couldn't have seen the other car it has frustrated me to no end. Just this morning I read an article about a driver's ed instructor who was killed when someone ran a red light and hit his side of the car at a similar speed as my accident. As I talked with the children about that this morning and how, if it had happened a split second later, it would have been my door rather than the front wheel area being hit I realize how very fortunate the three of us involved in the accident are to walk away in as good of condition as we did. During this conversation it was Molly who said, "Mom, God still has big plans for your life!" What could I say to that other than what I did, "I know God still has big plans for my life!"
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
By Whose Authority?
A couple of weeks ago at church, Pastor Keith announced that he would be fasting and praying in the sanctuary every lunch hour for the next 10 days. He invited anyone in the congregation who wished to join him to do so. I wasn't able to be there all 10 days but I made an appearance for quite a few of the days. Each day we prayed as a group for different needs within the church. One day we were praying about evangelism. We prayed that we, as a church, would be more bold about speaking to others about our faith-whether it be as we are shopping, out for a walk, or visiting over the fence with neighbors.
Isn't is sad how intimidated and fearful we get about speaking about our faith? We have something to share with people that can literally change their lives but we often want to use "lifestyle evangelism" to reach others with it. I am so glad that the people who shared Christ with me weren't just using lifestyle evangelism or I'd still be doomed to an eternity in hell. I'm not saying that how we live our lives isn't tremendously important in reaching others, but it's a rare person who finds Christ simply from watching. They still need to hear.
One of my part-time jobs involves knocking on doors and asking strangers personal questions about themselves for the Census Bureau. Yes, we do work all of the time, not just during the 10 year population count. Anyway, I drive into people's farms or driveways, knock on their doors, explain what I am doing, and then do it with minimal fear. A lot of the reason is because I am there under government authority. I wear a badge that basically identifies me as someone who can be at your door, as long as your address is on my computer screen. I have authority to be there doing what I am doing.
I need to remind myself that when I am out telling others about Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and what He can do for them, I also have authority. I have a God-given authority to be doing it. That authority, dear reader, is the best kind of authority I can get!
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31b
Isn't is sad how intimidated and fearful we get about speaking about our faith? We have something to share with people that can literally change their lives but we often want to use "lifestyle evangelism" to reach others with it. I am so glad that the people who shared Christ with me weren't just using lifestyle evangelism or I'd still be doomed to an eternity in hell. I'm not saying that how we live our lives isn't tremendously important in reaching others, but it's a rare person who finds Christ simply from watching. They still need to hear.
One of my part-time jobs involves knocking on doors and asking strangers personal questions about themselves for the Census Bureau. Yes, we do work all of the time, not just during the 10 year population count. Anyway, I drive into people's farms or driveways, knock on their doors, explain what I am doing, and then do it with minimal fear. A lot of the reason is because I am there under government authority. I wear a badge that basically identifies me as someone who can be at your door, as long as your address is on my computer screen. I have authority to be there doing what I am doing.
I need to remind myself that when I am out telling others about Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and what He can do for them, I also have authority. I have a God-given authority to be doing it. That authority, dear reader, is the best kind of authority I can get!
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31b
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Life's been busy
Sorry I haven't been around for a bit. Life's been busy. Right after my last blog post we went into a 3 day glory conference with End Time Glory Ministries. It was a great weekend with a lot of praise and worship and teaching. We were able to see many friends from the ministry including Pastor Pierre from Haiti and Pastor James from Uganda, both of whom Shannon knew from former missions trips.
Then last Sunday I had a pretty bad car accident. Collin and I were in the van and a young girl was in the car we had the collision with. We won't talk about whose fault it was(mine) but let's just say I am driving more carefully now. Our van ended up being T-boned by her car which was moving around 55MPH at the time. Fortunately her car hit our front driver's side wheel and engine compartment rather than my door. I came out with a swollen black eye and some left side bruising, shoulder, back and neck pain. Collin seems to be ok after a couple of sore days and the girl went face first into her air bag...a very good thing. Both her car and our van were totaled out by insurance so Shannon and I have spent the last week car shopping. We have spent several days and many miles traveling from here to St. Cloud, Princeton(sorry we didn't stop by Lisa, we were in a huge hurry), the Twin Cities and the suburbs plus more. In the end, we bought a car locally. I'll share more on that story maybe later.
Then we can add in Molly's 12th birthday, Happy Birthday Molly!, and party and work, well, it's been crazy.
I've had a couple of blog posts swimming through my head for awhile now and hope to get them written soon. Bear with me, this is my busy week for one of my jobs and next week is crazy with both jobs but I'll try to get them done soon.
Then last Sunday I had a pretty bad car accident. Collin and I were in the van and a young girl was in the car we had the collision with. We won't talk about whose fault it was(mine) but let's just say I am driving more carefully now. Our van ended up being T-boned by her car which was moving around 55MPH at the time. Fortunately her car hit our front driver's side wheel and engine compartment rather than my door. I came out with a swollen black eye and some left side bruising, shoulder, back and neck pain. Collin seems to be ok after a couple of sore days and the girl went face first into her air bag...a very good thing. Both her car and our van were totaled out by insurance so Shannon and I have spent the last week car shopping. We have spent several days and many miles traveling from here to St. Cloud, Princeton(sorry we didn't stop by Lisa, we were in a huge hurry), the Twin Cities and the suburbs plus more. In the end, we bought a car locally. I'll share more on that story maybe later.
Then we can add in Molly's 12th birthday, Happy Birthday Molly!, and party and work, well, it's been crazy.
I've had a couple of blog posts swimming through my head for awhile now and hope to get them written soon. Bear with me, this is my busy week for one of my jobs and next week is crazy with both jobs but I'll try to get them done soon.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
"Purchase" of the land in Tanzania
I just wanted to share the latest news we have from Tanzania.
As you may remember, the governor of the Mwanza district gifted 30 acres of land to End Time Glory Ministries last fall. It is a law in Tanzania that when taking ownership of property, if there are any squatters they must be paid off. In the Tanzanian culture there are very few people who actually own land. Most people find a place they like and they build their home. It is typical in the culture to be living on land you do not own. Tanzanian law states that squatters must be paid at the rate of $1000US per acre. Several months ago, Pastor Richard, a native Tanzanian, was able to convince the government to accept $500 per acre. As of last week, the money was over in Mwanza and Pastor Richard was in process of paying the people on the land. The plan was to have that done last week and to have the surveying done this week.
Engineering Ministries International has agreed to work with End Time Glory to engineer and develop the property. This is great news! They will travel to the property in either February or June of next year to help design the buildings and projects to best fit the property and the culture. We are all very excited about EMI's willingness to join with us in our efforts to help the widows and orphans of the Mwanza area.
What does this mean for our family? Well, End Time Glory Ministries would like our family in Tanzania when the building starts. Depending on when EMI visits the land and then their time frame of finishing the plans we would likely try to be over there in late 2009 or early 2010. Realistically, Shannon and I know that the whole process may take longer, especially when we still need to raise our monthly support. Shannon will likely be traveling to the land at the same time that EMI is over there as well-so likely in Feb or June.
Please keep this process in your prayers. We all want God's will for this entire project and His timing.
As you may remember, the governor of the Mwanza district gifted 30 acres of land to End Time Glory Ministries last fall. It is a law in Tanzania that when taking ownership of property, if there are any squatters they must be paid off. In the Tanzanian culture there are very few people who actually own land. Most people find a place they like and they build their home. It is typical in the culture to be living on land you do not own. Tanzanian law states that squatters must be paid at the rate of $1000US per acre. Several months ago, Pastor Richard, a native Tanzanian, was able to convince the government to accept $500 per acre. As of last week, the money was over in Mwanza and Pastor Richard was in process of paying the people on the land. The plan was to have that done last week and to have the surveying done this week.
Engineering Ministries International has agreed to work with End Time Glory to engineer and develop the property. This is great news! They will travel to the property in either February or June of next year to help design the buildings and projects to best fit the property and the culture. We are all very excited about EMI's willingness to join with us in our efforts to help the widows and orphans of the Mwanza area.
What does this mean for our family? Well, End Time Glory Ministries would like our family in Tanzania when the building starts. Depending on when EMI visits the land and then their time frame of finishing the plans we would likely try to be over there in late 2009 or early 2010. Realistically, Shannon and I know that the whole process may take longer, especially when we still need to raise our monthly support. Shannon will likely be traveling to the land at the same time that EMI is over there as well-so likely in Feb or June.
Please keep this process in your prayers. We all want God's will for this entire project and His timing.
Friday, July 18, 2008
One more tornado photo
I just got this one in my email box. This photo was taken by a friend at our church. The photo was taken as he stood right by the church basement doors and aimed the camera to the southwest as the tornado came in. The line across the corner is the corner of our main church building.
As I stated in my earlier post, the tornado passed within about 200 yards of our church. The photo was shown on our sanctuary screen last Sunday and makes us all very thankful we have a church building.
As I stated in my earlier post, the tornado passed within about 200 yards of our church. The photo was shown on our sanctuary screen last Sunday and makes us all very thankful we have a church building.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
We are OK after the tornado
I have had a couple of people ask if we are ok. We are.
Last Friday evening an F3 tornado passed along the southern edge of Willmar, continuing east until it finally retreated back into the clouds. The closest it was ever on the ground to our home was about 5-6 miles away however there were also straight line winds that took out a lot of trees and buildings just south of us about a mile. This photo was taken by someone in the area and shows the twister in its early stages as it bears down on a farmsite.
As the tornado was on the ground we stood in the parking lot of a restaurant in Willmar watching it pass along the edge of town. It went within about 200 yards of our church. Here is a photo taken by a friend from the front door of our church, looking to the southeast. The big white building is the church's youth building just built a couple of years ago.
This tornado left an 8 mile path of destruction, completely destroying three homes, damaging several more, completely demolishing two turkey barns and damaging two others. It also went though a farm implement dealership and a mobile home dealership bending trailer home frames in half and throwing implements across fields. There was no loss of lives and no serious injuries.
We all experience tornadoes in our lives. Sometimes they are physical but more often they are emotional or spiritual. It is in these times we need to lean on God even more than we usually do. We have a church friend who lives right along the tornado's path. It took out his two neighbors homes leaving his mostly untouched. His home was covered in mud and debris but had no permanent damage. As our family joined a couple of others to help him with clean up on Saturday I thought of how, after the storm we were all in better shape than before. We worked together to get an unpleasant task done, building relationships, laughing and loving together. We all walked away from the experience better appreciating family, friends and the blessings God has given us.
Last Friday evening an F3 tornado passed along the southern edge of Willmar, continuing east until it finally retreated back into the clouds. The closest it was ever on the ground to our home was about 5-6 miles away however there were also straight line winds that took out a lot of trees and buildings just south of us about a mile. This photo was taken by someone in the area and shows the twister in its early stages as it bears down on a farmsite.
As the tornado was on the ground we stood in the parking lot of a restaurant in Willmar watching it pass along the edge of town. It went within about 200 yards of our church. Here is a photo taken by a friend from the front door of our church, looking to the southeast. The big white building is the church's youth building just built a couple of years ago.
This tornado left an 8 mile path of destruction, completely destroying three homes, damaging several more, completely demolishing two turkey barns and damaging two others. It also went though a farm implement dealership and a mobile home dealership bending trailer home frames in half and throwing implements across fields. There was no loss of lives and no serious injuries.
We all experience tornadoes in our lives. Sometimes they are physical but more often they are emotional or spiritual. It is in these times we need to lean on God even more than we usually do. We have a church friend who lives right along the tornado's path. It took out his two neighbors homes leaving his mostly untouched. His home was covered in mud and debris but had no permanent damage. As our family joined a couple of others to help him with clean up on Saturday I thought of how, after the storm we were all in better shape than before. We worked together to get an unpleasant task done, building relationships, laughing and loving together. We all walked away from the experience better appreciating family, friends and the blessings God has given us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
