Friends are telling me.......

We have good friends that are telling us that we haven't updated for far too long.  Janel ---- you are completely right!!!!  Thanks for the needed reminder.  I am sure other are in complete agreement  --- and so am I --- I know it's been too long.  SORRY!!!

So ---- where to begin.   I guess some photos would be good.   Goodness -- I see that I haven't even downloaded any of our photos since PLYC.   So now I am really a slacker!!!

We shall begin with some weather --- everyone always talks about the weather......

 We love watching those big thunder heads form.   You can actually watch them get bigger and bigger.  I just thought this was an awesome picture --- with the bright blue sky and the white thunder peaks.   Most of this storm missed us.

 This was certainly circular.  Never did hear if there was a tornado in this.  But we thought it was fascinating!!!

We spent a weekend --- well actually one night at Merritt Dam in our tent.  We took Toby along and that became a problem.  Toby had a lot of fun in the water ---- but he wanted more and more and more fun in the water.  It was too hot to spend much time out in the sun.  So we would come back under the tree ---- Toby suddenly disappeared - twice!!!  He chewed through his leash twice so he could get back to the water and the boys that were playing in it.  The fact that it was pea green didn't bother him one bit.

We did do a little kayaking --- but after Toby did his "chewing" we didn't trust him enough to leave him all alone.....so the kayaking was done solo after that.   As you can see --- the water was just plain yuk......(but in a couple of days it had "turned over" again and it was beautiful)    We had spent one night in our tent and Toby slept right outside our door - on his leash.  However,  we didn't know what he would do the second night ---- so we just went for home.   :(     Merritt Dam is only an hour or so from home.......

Gary was asked to make some Faith Boxes for children ----- they will be given when a child is baptized and as they walk with Jesus --- growing in their faith --- there will hopefully be more "memory items" to put into them.    Marlys Walkling had a plan and put it to Gary.  He likes staying busy ----- and he had a good amount of beautiful cedar lumber......so the project got underway.

He made eleven of these and I am thinking that he might just have to make a couple more.

We had our !st Annual Lakeview Fun Run/Walk.   It was a beautiful day and a good turn out.  It was done in the memory of Caleb Lance ---- a young man from our community who passed away from cancer in 2011.  He loved softball  and so every year Lakeview has a ball tournament in memory of Caleb.  This year they added a Fun Run and Color run.  Oh my.....did some of us get colored!!!!  Sad thing ---- I wanted my t-shirt to stay colorful....but it all washed out despite my efforts with vinegar and a hot iron.

Gary has a few other projects in the works......book shelves for Mark and Dawn - our new pastor and wife.  Matthew Walkling has a hay hauling trailer that needs a bunch of welding done on it. Gary will be giving the trailer some "wings" so Matt can haul more bales.  I had a couple of projects of my own.....but maybe I should keep those on taps for another update.   Don't want to use all my "stuff" up at one setting.

We continue to do our Ministry work.  We now go out with the Alcohol Recovery group and give a Bible lesson to the young kids who come with their parents.  A lesson, some songs and then a craft or some coloring.  Last night we had two brothers -- one a 4th grader (Michael) and the other an 8th grader (Theron).  The gal who made supper for everyone had a little boy with her and he was pretty "busy" --- she was trying to clean up......... so we asked if he wanted to come too.  He sat on my lap for the Bible Story....a cutey --- probably in kindergarten.  Then the big boys colored --- seemed like something they wanted to do actually.   And me an the little one --JJ --- made a wreath out of leaves I had cut out of construction paper.  

Tonight we had JDC --- Andee lead a lesson and then we sang and sang.  One gal was getting out tomorrow and she wanted to sing all her favorites.  We even sang Here I am to Worship and Amazing Grace two times --- just for Kristen and Megan.  It's so much fun when we have singing like tonight.   Andee did a lesson on the Tower of Babel.  One young man told us he had been given his sentence.......10 more months.  He will spend 5 at JDC and then 5 at an adult facility.  Drake has a wonderful smile that shines all the time.  We would ask that you pray for Drake ---- pray for his attitude to remain cheery.....pray for patience as he sits out his time.  Pray for his family --- he is from North Dakota and far away from home. And pray most of all that we can give the Gospel message in a clear and understandable way so he can know Christ. 

Well,  Gary is asleep on the couch...it is bed time.  So I will proofread this myself and then publish without his approval.    Thank you so much for your interest and your continued prayers!!!!
Gary and Barb