Halloween Fun at JDC

Last night at JDC we first had our lesson on Moses - going before Pharoah asking  "let my people go".  Pharoah answered "Who is the Lord that I should obey?"......When we told the young people that our story ended---- right after Aaron's staff/snake swallowed up the magicians snakes....... they all said "AUGH!!!!---- it was just getting good."  Story to be continued :)  :)   We love it when they are so "into the lesson"!!  We have a small group at JDC -- they all come to our Bible Study - but there are only 6 kids there right now.  And several of the boys have been there for a long time and we have really gotten to know them.....

So then after the lesson and review questions and prayer requests....we went into the gym and make pizza.  They are pretty good pizza makers!!!  Then I (Barb) had to go to the kitchen to bake them (such good help from the officers!! finding things in the kitchen with me - and helping with their big ovens).  Meanwhile back in the gym --- games were taking place.  Chariot races  - that is a carpet sample with ropes attached and the "horse or horses"  pull one of the smallest of the group ---- with races to see who is the fastest....Gary's team came in last place  :).   Then "bob for apples".....that didn't go so good.  The kids don't like to put their face in the same water that someone else just put their face in.  Gary said that about 3 of them did it and then he did too.....   So not a total bomb.  After that they had the group in a big circle with Gary in the middle....he has a rope attached to a 2 liter pop bottle.  He twirls it round and round in an ever widening circle --- as it comes along to the kids in the circle they have to jump over it.  Got them huffing and puffing   :).  THEN - animal, bird, fish --- a little kids game but hard for adults too.  You have to come up with an "animal or bird or.." before "it" counts to 10.  Try it sometime -- it's not that easy.

About then I came back with the pizzas.......they devoured most of them......we made 5.  And then when everyone was stuffed we remembered that the one and only girl had her mom bring in birthday cake.  It was Rosies birthday  (belated) --- so we all sang "Happy Birthday" ......and got fuller.  I think Luther had 3 pieces (after eating half a pizza).    We called in Officer Harlan and he took the leftover pizza to the rest of the crew.

Then - can you believe this ---- the kids wanted to show me the 2 liter game......so with their bellies full --- they went and jumped and jumped somemore.  Well - some of them did....Two of them just sat there looking somewhat miserable.  I sure hope none of them were sick later on!!   When we handed them their bag of candy we said "do NOT eat it tonight - save it for later".  I don't think there was any worry about that.

We love sharing with these kids.  As they get to know us --- we really have a lot of fun with them. Plus!!! They ask lots of questions about the Bible.  So we know they are thinking.  God will work it out in their hearts.  They know the answers --- now just to get it into their hearts!!!  PLEASE continue to pray for these young people.  With God there is hope!!!!

Thank you!   And have a safe Halloween!   Share a little love with some young person -- but don't just go after candy treats ---- share them some "Jesus" too!!!

OH Yeah.  We went to PMO last night too and did a lesson on "The Romans Road to Salvation" with the one and only boy there.  When we told him we couldn't stay for burgers (supper) because we were making pizza at JDC -- he said "I'm heading right over there"     :)

Love to all!
Gary and Barb

First and 2nd graders ---- Release Time

What a fun, fun group of little ones.  These are our first and second graders that come to Release Time...... John is missing - we usually have 12.  Starting at the top boy with the red shirt and going clock wise....Lane, Yamni, Allie, Jackson, Yakima, Max, Keagan, Rhea, Maria, Morgan, and Seth.    It took us a while to get them in a good circle -- pulled them out and pushed them in  :)   but finally got them set.  Seven of the kids were with us last year and 5 are new 1st graders.  We do a lot of laughing with them, but they listen so good to the lesson.  We totally enjoy them!   Check out Yakima (at about 4:00 spot) - he broke both his arms when he fell from the monkey bars ---- probably the first few days of school.  He says he is supposed to get smaller casts soon.....these go past his elbows.       It was "hat day" at school so several of them were wearing hats.

I do think I have to make a correction on the last blog.   I think I said that 75,000 cattle were lost in the blizzard.... I DID hear that number.  However, now we are hearing a possible 10-20,000.  Still a huge number.  I don't think they have a count --- but are seeing big numbers of dead cattle.......  The ranchers, I'm sure, know what they have lost.....the media just does their own thing.

Some of you say that it's strange that this blizzard didn't make the news......I talked with a man (DISH network) from New Jersey and he had heard about it --- so it must have been out there.   We do sometimes think that they just forget about us out here    :)  :(

We continue to enjoy our work.  Working with young kids seems to keep you young  :) --- I saw that in my own mother as she was a 1st and 2nd grade teacher.   So hopefully we will "stay young" for a while longer.   Thanks for keeping us and the young people in your prayers!!!

Gary and Barb

A break in our cabin fever....

Well -- winter has arrived with a vengeance!!  Not very cold out but VERY windy and snowy.   As we sat in our snug home (THANKS Dale, Barb, John and Gloria) we heard this strange sound --- "MOO" -  strange for the weather conditions and strange too because we don't have any cattle in the area right now.    We could see a few black cattle in the trees right behind our trailer.   So we donned our gear and ventured out.  There were about 8 +- in the trees.  So in order to get them penned ---- Gary was going to check the gates and close those that need closing.  However, upon getting to the shop - he saw about 20 more just to the south standing by the cedar trees......and then perhaps 15 more behind the wind break a little further south.  That was when we realized the snow was really nasty --- it stung when you faced into the wind.  So back to the trailer and Gary found our goggles.  Now we were set for anything!!

After getting all the gates set (closed or open) -we headed to the ones behind the wind break and got them into the corrals......then to the ones in the cedar trees.  They were all very agreeable as long as they could stay out of the wind.   We then went back to the ones in the trees ---and that too went good.

So now we wondered if we were done - or were there more to the north of us in the trees.  Yup - about 6 or 7.  Gary went on foot and I was on my 4 wheeler - one of the cows took a look at me and started coming at me - but I yelled and she turned.  I thought - oh boy - and Gary is on foot.  But they took off to the south and I got them cornered along the fence line .......as Gary came with his 4 wheeler and we tried to move them - old mama - the ornery one came at me - ready to take me out.  Thank goodness she decided against it. She would have gotten my 4 wheeler before me..... :)  Anyway --- we have about 45 head ---- cow / calf pairs but we don't know whose they are.....couldn't see a brand (I might have seen a bit of one - but couldn't make anything out).....   We figure the rancher will come looking for them or another neighbor will hear that someone is missing part of their herd......

The cattle are behind us along the trees --- we hope they stay put.  Not much to eat in there!!

Gary and Barb
p.s. - Yes we had to take time out for a photo moment  :)