Disappointed last night at JDC.....

Thought we would pass this on......

Yesterday evening when we arrived at the Detention Center, there were LOTS of cars in the parking lot....unusual!! We found out right away that court (children's court) was in session (yes even at 6:00 p.m.) But we didn't think too much of it. We got in and went back to our room where we meet, got all set up and then the officer came back to say "we can't bring anyone out".

"New policy" is that an officer has to be with us now whenever we meet, and all the officers were up front in court with the kids. When we started out - 4 years ago....they wanted that too but it just slowly died off and no one sat in with us. Actually it's because there have been a few incidents with other groups that have recently come in. Kids have started fights in the room and so on. We've only had one fight start - several years ago. For the most part the kids are very respectful of us.

So anyway -- we had no choice but to pack up and leave. Left us with a feeling of emptiness. We asked if it would be good to call ahead each Thursday and ask if it's going to work for us to come. That will save us a trip. So each Thursday we will call shortly after 3:00 and find out how things are going in court. As I said --- it was unusual to see so many cars in the parking lot......so we aren't to terribly worried.

It really kind of makes us happy that a guard has to sit in with us each time......We do the lesson two times a night so last week 2 different guards (actually it was 3) sat in with us hearing the Gospel message... :) Never know what can happen --- who needs to hear God's Word.....

So if you would -- keep that in your prayers. Thanks!
Gary and Barb

Pet Chickadee :) and Tanner the Cat

Hey -- check out our cat "Tanner" and our pet chickadee. Cute don't you think!?! Hard to believe..................






:) :) Gary and Barb

What we are missing :(

Don't know if you've met our grand kids. Just got some photo updates from the mom's and one I stole from Facebook...... So ----meet the specialest (is that a word?? - it is now) kids in the world :)

This is Oliver Allen Sparling with his daddy Tim....the day before his first birthday (December 31, 2011)....looks to me like they are already celebrating.











This is Clayton at his meanest :) Pretty cool face painting!!










Poor Sawyer --- you can't see the mud on his face very good here - maybe if you click on it to enlarge you will be able to --- According to his mom, he took a muddy golf cart ride down the lane by their house. I wonder what the golf cart looked like!!








I just can't believe that little guy. He IS quite the acrobat....think his mom and dad should take him to gymnastics!!!! He must have been saying "look at my muscles"!!!!

We are very excited ----- Holly and Clayton and Sawyer are coming out for a visit the first of April. Dennis can't come because of Electrical Classes he is taking......if he misses one they drop his grade a degree or two and if his grade is too low - the company won't pay his tuition. So we will miss Dennis!!! Holly and the boys are coming by Amtrak. We are sure the train ride will be an adventure in itself for those two...and it should be pretty easy on mom too - they are very helpful on Amtrak!!!





Clayton played t-ball this summer.....I had a chance to play a little baseball with him this fall. I pitched and he hit.....he hit just about every one of my rotten pitches.... that says a lot for him in my book. :)















And here you have the Peters family, Halle, Brennan, Colton, Sidney, Austin and Trenton ....that's from the youngest to the oldest. Fun kids to be around!! Oh and I might add --- GOOD basketball players (oldest 3)......and the boys would want us to add -- good football players too. :) :)






We miss not being around these 9 grandkids.... need I say more.

Things do continue to go good for us out here on the prairies. A mild winter isn't all bad! We have 3 banties that give us an egg every once in a while.....Toby has quit growing - thankgoodness!!! We have birds at our feeder that entertain us and neighbors that ask for help every once in a while -- gives me my "cow fix". And Release Time and JDC continue to give us a lot of joy. The kids - in both places - listen very attentively to the lessons....and they are retaining the lessons too. We are still in awe of the fact that God is using us to spread His Good News. It is an awesome place to be - doing God's work......do we fill adequate yet ?? --- NOPE! But we try to stay faithful.....and as I said --- it gives us a lot of joy!!! Last week Sunday we got a BIG hug from one of the boys at JDC -- he would be leaving in the morning for Treatment in Mobridge, SD. I think he will miss us and I know we miss him!!! Pray for Trey --- (think I asked before) --- he was searching the scriptures and seemed very interested in knowing more of what the Bible was all about.

That's it for now. God Bless you for remembering us!!!
Gary and Barb

so ugly it's cute :) :)

I told Marvanne about my "so ugly" plant stand -- and decided to post it. I looked at Walmarts website - and sure they had some nice looking ones....wasn't quite "me". So I talked Gar into going out to a wood pile north of our place and we found some tree roots and old barn boards and you can see the results. We pondered on just putting it in our pit and burning it.....but then Gar "depressed" the edges of the barn boards ....he thought it was still ugly --- but that did it for me. I fell in love with it......

Those are plants from a planter given at my mom's funeral. I think she would think it "quite different" - and wouldn't tell me that it is just plain ugly even though she thought so.

Sssooooo... if you are ever in the market for a unique corner plant stand.......just go out to a wood pile..........

Thanks for not laughing......................Barb

Gary's latest project - Don's Bird Trailer

Don Schelhaas (a neighbor) asked Gary if he would be interested in redoing an old 5th Wheel Trailer into a Bird Trailer....of course, the answer was "YES!"

So around the first of January the trailer was delivered and work began. It was an exciting project - but there was another thing pushing on "get 'r done".....it was taking up the whole barn. Nothing else would fit - even our 4 wheelers were put out......


The axles were the first item on the agenda and the bed needed to be raised 3 inches. Looks to me like he's going in the wrong direction....taking it way more apart than ever. But not to worry - he had a plan.

Once that got finished - Don arrived with a load of steel (angle iron and tubes) and boards for the bed. I failed to get pictures of Gary welding all those uprights together - but the pictures show what he was up to for days.....!!



He made 13 sets of uprights....the front and end ones are singles - the rest are doubles -- check out the photo and you will understand (I hope).

Once finished, they were all taken to Don's place (in a stock trailer) where they could be kept warm (in his bird barn) and given a coat of black paint. I even got in on the painting. It's nice too when you don't run out of paint :)





Then came the work of welding them all in place and getting that "distance apart" just right. According to Don - "we can screw up and still make it come out alright".










And here is a pretty good picture of the just about finished project. I actually think there is a fair amount more --doors?!--..... but now for a few of you who were wondering --- there you have it. Something that has kept Gar out of trouble for a good many days.

If you look close there are a couple of bird boxes in place.....they will be stacked 4 high and 3 deep.





And inbetween time Gary was even able to make me 2 picture frames --- so we have some new items in our living room.....one of a gorgeous scene from Glacier National Park and another of a picture I painted (by number) of 2 cardinals sitting on some snowshoes in front of a cabin. Yes I have taken up "paint by number". I must say if you need a "winter" pastime - they are great!!! And if you take your time - they are pretty good looking!

We are looking forward to JDC tonight. It has been so neat the last month or so.......Prayed with a gal (Taylor) to receive Christ - this past Sunday, Trey and Sergio are searching Scriptures, kids are excited about learning the memory verses....... Thanks for keeping all of us in your prayers....God is at work!!!!

Beautiful day out today....50 degrees and a little windy....total sunshine :) Good ole' South Dakota sunshine. Toby is out there basking in the sun. The other night Gary and I went for a walk but Toby wasn't invited along (coyote hunting).....so Gar told him to "stay" and we walked off - gun in hand.....Toby stayed!! What a good dog :) :) .......but no coyote.

Love you all! Gary and Barb

Another great time at JDC...February 2, 2012

It's grand being in God's service!!!! Julie had the lesson at JDC this past Thursday. We all read through John 6:25-51 together.....having whomever wanted to read - read. This passage is about "the Bread of Life". Then we broke into 3 groups (each of us had about 4 to 5 kids) and Julie had questions for us from this passage. The kids were great.....Gary said his group of girls just "dove into the questions"....searching !!! for the answers. I had a group of boys and when it came to the question "How has Jesus described himself" (in this lesson and past lessons).....the boys exceeded the asked for 1-4 answers and mentioned 7 ways that Jesus describes himself. ....... Good Shepherd, Living Water, Son of God, Bread of Life, Creator, Messiah, and Saviour. YES!!!

A lot of the kids that we have right now have been with us for quite a while and it is so wonderful to know that they are remembering the lessons that we have given in the past. Once again -- we went home "joyful"!!!!

Keep praying for these kids!!!!......God is at work!!!!

Today started out foggy but now at 2:30 it is just gorgeous out. We had a little bit of snow - maybe another inch --- there was ice in the trees and that is now shining in the sun. The cattle are basking in the sun too.

Gary had a successful day --- found a leak in the gas line (well sort of the gas line - he could explain it better).....anyway - that problem is now gone and the welder / generator will be delivered to Dwight and Rob for their farm repairs.

I've been reading a devotional (given to me by a dear friend) --- JESUS CALLING -- Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young. I am really enjoying it!! They are short devotions with Bible passages to firm up the thought given by Sarah. To know and think and ponder on the fact that Jesus is so alive in our lives and so present in all of our circumstances....it's wonderful to think on.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!
Gary and Barb