Several things to write about.....

1st ---we received another nice rain.  It was spotty -- we got about 1 and 6/10 inches ...others 7 miles away got 4 inches!!!!   Whatever the amount - we are very thankful!!!  Our lawn is nice and yellow    AUGH!!!!  those nasty dandelions --- but oh well.

The other day - Gary figured out that since we have moved to our present location - 6 years ago......we have had 38 flat tires.  We never take them to town for repair --- that would be pretty nasty on the pocket book over time.  Gary has a tool that he uses ....and then a plug....and that holds up until the next nail gets picked up.   Anyway --- just an interesting fact (I thought) to pass along.    One comment from a local gal ---- "it just comes with the territory."

Now for the good stuff......    We had our Rosebud Worship again yesterday afternoon.  The teens from Sioux Falls came out (anyway half of their normal group) ----- a rather foggy morning - but they had safe travel.. At 2:00 the vans went out to pick up the kids...... I think 40 little ones were counted.  It was a rather wet (not rainy - but misty) day.  They let the kids play outside for a while anyway.  Then I got to start things off with some songs.  We put all the "visuals" (the words of the songs - with maybe a picture here and there - on 8 x 10 paper that gets flipped over as we sing.  That's Gary's job)....anyway we have about 7 songs that we have been singing - so we put those "visuals" upright on a table and then let a child pick which song they wanted to sing.  We have teens up front to help with the motions.  ???The songs??? ----  This little light of mine........Amazing Grace..... The Wise Man built his house upon the Rock.......O be careful little eyes......For God so Loved the World......The B I B L E....and  ....Jesus Loves Me.  They are getting to know them pretty good.    Then the teens had a lesson on  The lost sheep and the Lost Coin.... then a craft (color a shepherd with his sheep and then cotton for the sheep) and then a meal (BBQ and chips and pudding).    Then we take them home.  We (Gary and I) have been taking one family home - they are right on our way out.  So yesterday as we are going home, I tried to come up with a conversation with the 2 little girls (ages 5 and 7 or so).  Knowing they had both gotten to pick a song - I asked the one which song she had picked.  She said....."let it shine let it shine ------ will you sing that for me?  So I sang the song to her and she just sat there and smiled.   JOY   JOY  J O Y.  Made my heart sing!   Makes it all worth while!!

Today we had a "classical appointment" minister for our service - Pastor Sam Kirkee.  He and his family came all the way from Inwood, Iowa...... We had a full church because of the Tinant branding, which always brings in lots of family members and lots of  others that just want to join in on the branding "fun"--- so the singing was fantastic and the message so good ---- it was a good morning!!!

Cool and  cloudy today --- but now the sky is clearing and the birds are busy.   Thank you Lord for a wonderful day!!
Gary and Barb

A little of this and that.....April 15, 2015

 Don's kitchen is almost done.....it's those little things now.....like the window trim and the sink and a couple of shelves.......and so - on it goes.  It's looking really sharp ---  especially if you can look back at what they started with!!

The sawmill is doing a fine job......

Some of those red cedar boards went to Michigan.  Gary's nephew Kent enjoys wood working also and so Gary sent some along with Hazel and Paul (Kent's mom and dad) when they stopped in for a visit.  I believe Kent is "giving these boards some careful thought".  It will be interesting to see what he makes from them!!!

Gary has some shelves in the works for Don's kitchen and then he hopes to make a hat rack for church.  Could be a need to cut another tree down.......   Hat racks in cowboy country are a thing to behold.  At Harvey Gunninks funeral ALL of the hat racks were FULL of cowboy hats - not your everyday sweaty hats -- no no!-- your fancy, going to church hats.....it was a thing of beauty to behold.......I so wish I had a picture of it!!!!

We had Sunday Worship at the Detention Center this past Sunday.....Pastor Paul Mitchell joined us once again.  He always has powerful things to say to the young people.....and we always feel that it means a little bit more coming from a fellow Native.  Paul wanted the kids to think about "procrastination" ----"what are you waiting for"--- to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.   Later he wanted them to give him their prayer requests....but none were coming (out loud and in person can be hard in a group).  So we suggested that he have them write them down.  In the end we ( Julie, Andee, Debbie, Marlys, Paul and Gary and I) all took one or two requests home to pray over them daily.   I received Ransom's ......I think you will remember Ransom----- he was NOT very interested in anything to do with "church" when we first met him.   His prayer request on Sunday was something new for Ransom.   He said that when he was out this last time he had done some pretty messed up stuff and asked us to pray for the Kingsmen family. I hope to ask him ---- but my thinking is that this is not HIS family -- but perhaps a family that he had hurt.    And so I am passing this on to you ---- asking you to add him and this family to your prayer list if you would.

We will be finishing up Release Time with the Easter Story......the 1st and 7-8th graders still need to hear the Crucifixion and then we will end with the Ascension.  We have had really attentive kids these past few weeks.  It's almost as if they feel the importance of it.  Only three more weeks remain.....we are done at the end of April usually.  May can be a busy time for schools.....getting in those field trips and testings.....  It's been a good year.  We tried something new - with the booklets....but neither Gary nor I were happy with the outcome.  Our thinking is to go back to the Bible Stories and Applications.    I guess book work is too much like school work and we just couldn't get them to concentrate it seemed.   They (all the groups) are attentive when we give a Bible Story .......

On April 25, we will have another Rosebud Worship.  The group of teens from Sioux Falls Christian School will be coming out again. I think these kids have fallen in love with our little group of Native Children .....because it's always the same ones that come out.   That means "recognition" --- they recognize the little ones and the little ones recognize them --- they are like old friends.  It's a good situation!!  We would ask if you would pray for safe travel for them --- it's a good 4 hour (or more) trip just to get here.  And also pray for this part of ministry that happens out here on the reservation.

We are gearing up for Prairie Light Youth Camp.   This year we have two young people from the area helping us with our group.  Andee Beckwith - who goes with us to the Detention Center and then Jason Schubauer  will be with us.  Jason was in our group years ago - probably the 1st year of PLYC --- he is now a Deacon in our church.  We are excited!!! 

We have a branding that we want to participate in ---on May 2, and then we hope to head for Michigan some time in May --- probably towards the end of the month.

See you soon!     Gary and Barb

Oh man! I almost forgot...... We've been working on our back yard.  The fire danger is extreme out here and we had a tinder box behind us....lots and lots of tall dead grass.  We have removed a good portion of it and it's looking pretty good.

 We got Don to come over with his tractor and loader....and then later Gary cleaned up a little more with his (Don's) Bobcat.

Now we pray for rain, rain, rain.......  We REALLY need it!!!
Barb and Gary