We will be leaving for Rapid City tomorrow right after Release Time....which means about 2:30. We will do the whole K-2 group......which is a BIG handful ---- but we really want to be on the road as soon as possible. Gary has his procedure done on Wednesday at 11:30. We really appreciate all the prayers that have been and are being lifted concerning this. We will keep you posted on any outcome.
We also want to thank you for the prayers for the Native Pastor..... He had a bond reduction hearing this past Thursday and that went good. He is now released from jail and hopefully can get a job once again.....he was working in construction. He and his family still covet all prayers.....this will be a long hard road for all of them.
I am sitting by the computer looking out at a rainy day. It helps make the snow melt ....but it makes the roads a slippery, slimy, muddy mess!!! And that's putting it lightly!!!! I was told by a long time local that "we never say enough! to moisture" -- but give me a break!! However, the sounds of spring are everywhere in the air. The blackbirds are singing, the geese are flying over....and so we know there is a promise of something to come. :)
The kids at the Juvenile Detention Center continue to bless us with respect and attentiveness. But we also have a heavy heart for many of them. Two girls have told us that they are pregnant.....at 16 and 17 years of age and next to little support. Can you imagine how scary this is for them?! Some of the boys are looking at 2 years in Juvenile Prison for robbery. There are some bright spots in the group and we pray that God in His mercy will draw them to Himself. Some of these young people have been there for 120 days. So you can imagine that we get to know them quite well.....and really miss them when they are gone. It's actually fun (but sad!!!) when a kid comes back after a year and we remember his/her name......but we also are very disappointed that they are back. They, too, are happy when we call them by name but seem somewhat embarrassed that they are back.
We would ask that you pray for the ranchers. They are all busy with calving and that means --very little sleep. And too, this rain is very hard on the little calves. They get cold and it's hard to warm up.....
Take care!! Gary and Barb
Monday, March 8, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
click on photo
just a quick note.....if you click on the photo - it will enlarge BIG TIME!! And the sparkles on the snow REALLY show up.
:-) - just wanted you to know..... Barb
:-) - just wanted you to know..... Barb
Trying to keep updates coming.....
We had Release Time with the two older groups today. This is a photo of our best group :) the 6, 7, and 8th Graders. Jailyn, DonShay,Shania, Vera, Kelsey, Tyra, Matthew, and Timothy are in the back.....Daniel, Jasper, and Floyd are sitting down. Marissa is missing :( This is the group that sits so attentively during the lesson. They maybe don't sing real loud -- but ....you know....they might see me singing!!!!! We went over Psalm 121 --- we learned it last year..... and 2 of them could say the whole thing (with a picture book for help)....and I really think several of the others were just not saying it out loud. They are always waiting for us when we arrive at school and hurry off to the van. It's fun with this bunch!!! It's fun with all of them....but there is more "restlessness" with the other groups.
Driving home one night the snow was all sparkly.....and in the morning it was still crisp and bright and sparkly. It was really a glorious morning. The snow flakes were flat and many were triangular in shape. Those 3 white specks on the photo are snow flakes coming down, and you can see the sparkles in the snow bank. I love these unusual kind of things that God gives us. 
Today when we arrived home we noticed this "pond" that was forming just off the driveway. There is a huge stream of water feeding this pond and then the runoff is headed right to our driveway. ........ Our drive is a mess anyway - we have one rut that's about 8 inches deep for about 40 feet, so we don't take the car any place right now. As you can see we still have a lot of snow that needs to melt.We are now at 6 skunks, 2 possums and one cat -( he got away in a HURRY!! when we opened the door) -- that's a lot of skunks but we are really afraid that there are more!! So we set the traps again tonight. When you think about it....those 6 could have multiplied into ???? who knows 15 - 20 - ?? 25 ??? YIKES!!!
We would ask you to pray for David -- he is a native Pastor that we really think a lot of. However, he needs our prayers right now. We don't want to put it all down on the internet what has happened and so you are clueless as to how to pray. But God is all-knowing and if you would just lift him and his family and children up to God......we would appreciate it and so would David. He has spoken to our group at the Prairie Light Youth Camp and is really "on fire" for the Lord.
Gary's procedure is scheduled for March 10 (Wednesday) at 11:30 in Rapid City. This Doctor is a specialist and feels that there will be no problem removing this polyp without going through any major surgery. We are very thankful for that!!
Well - I am looking at out a foggy world. It was a gorgeous day...but suddenly at about 5:30 the fog started to come in. Gloomy!!
Love to all of you!!
Gary and Barb
Thursday, February 25, 2010
WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!
Yes!!! The polyp is NOT cancerous. We were given a big name for the type of polyp that Gary has ---- the word escapes me. But what it means is that it is an aggressive type and it was a good thing that we found it now. We don't have a date just yet for the Rapid City appointment.....but the doctor in Rapid feels that he can remove the polyp in the normal way and if not they will have it set up that any needed surgery can happen right away at that same time.
We are so very thankful for all of your prayers lifted on our behalf. God hears and He is merciful!
We will keep you posted!!
Gary and Barb
We are so very thankful for all of your prayers lifted on our behalf. God hears and He is merciful!
We will keep you posted!!
Gary and Barb
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Bumps and Skunks...........
Well --- as to the title......we have had some "bumps in the road". And it's once again past time for an update .......so ---- here goes.... We'll start with the skunks --- that has been rather exciting!!
We knew that we had at least 4 skunks living right close by.....MUCH too close by. So Gary got busy building a live trap. We also talked with a neighbor and he had a trap -- he would dig through the snow to find it for us (and he did just that). For a while we came up with nothing. ??Was it too cold and they were staying inside where it was snug and warm??? Well on Saturday, Feb. 20 this is what I wrote in my "journal"......Had 2 critters in the live traps this morning -- could see that one was forsure a skunk. So we took them to the far, far south end of the pasture. Gar puts the trap so the skunks are down wind and hands me the gun (to hold) and goes and opens the door and runs back to me. I hand him the gun and........nothing -- that rascal doesn't come out. So we throw frozen cow pies at it. Hits it a good pop -- still won't come out!! So Gar goes back! puts the door back on the trap and ties a rope to the trap. So we now have the trap by the fence line and pull on the rope so the trap is up in the air a bit. Finally the thing comes out---SKUNK!! BAM! --- dead. ~~~~So we do the same with the next one. Won't come out.....bounce - bounce - bounce - nothing. Once again Gar goes back (trap door is open) and ties another rope on the handle. Now we have the trap straight up and down -- bounce - bounce - bounce it as hard as we can.....we can see his tail.... it's a skunk! Gar insists that I have to shoot a skunk and I'm afraid that in the excitement I'll miss. FINALLY --out he comes!! Tail up! ---- BAM!! Dead!
So far we have caught 4 skunks --- but we are afraid there are still more!! We have been able to carry the traps around -- getting them to the "release spot" without getting any bad smells released (can't get their tail up - can't spray?!?). However, this morning we had to kick the trap - it was frozen down -- and that one got bad smelly --- he remains where he is for now.
Now for some of the "bumps"......
Our last Release Time with the K-1 group didn't go as planned. One of the boys - who is a rascal---although a cute one!!! --- ran in ahead of us and locked the door and then proceeded to the side door and locked it also. Fortunately for all of us one of the other girls unlocked the door for us. Needless to say he wasn't allowed to come today. I (Barb) had a little talk with him today about bad choices having consequences and he couldn't come today-- but we wanted him to come next time. I told him that he had to think about what he was going to do -- was it a good choice or a bad choice.... He wrote us a letter while his classmates were gone. It said..... I'm sory for loking you oyt. I want to lrn about God. I will be respiktfol. from_____
We have been battling steers for quite some time now....they have learned how to get over the barbed wire fences and even though we try to get the fences tight --- they continue to get out...it all started when the snow banks were too high. The good thing ---- we haven't lost any yet. They come back for feed each morning. Dwight feels like maybe he better take them to his place where he can put them in an electric fence.
We planned on worship service with the Lakeview church at JDC on the 14th. We were down to only 3 people able to go......The guards told us (at the afternoon visiting) that they were going to have "a party" ---- Subway sandwiches, basketball for everyone and treats at 5:00-- but we could come and hang out with the kids and then "do our thing" afterwords. As our Pastor's wife said....who do we think we are trying to follow a party like that-- they will probably be pretty hyped up. So we decided not to go that night.....have it rescheduled for March 7. We also had one Thursday evening that we were told we couldn't have our Bible Study. They had some trouble --- apparently someone had sharpened some toothbrush handles and had cut up a mattress and there had also been some fighting.
The next bump was a little larger..... Gary had a colonoscopy on Monday, the 15th of Feb. They found one small polyp - removed it....and one large polyp -- unable to remove. They took a biopsy of each one. However, the large one will require surgery--no matter what the biopsy results are. We have an appointment with the doctor in Valentine this Thursday and we are working on where to have the surgery done - Rapid City or Sioux Falls. We have had a "report" from the office that "all looks good". But we will rejoice after we talk with the doc. on Thursday. I guess it just seems a little strange to get the results from a nurse who was setting up a schedule with a surgeon. However, we are breathing much easier right now.
I believe that's it for the bumps.....
JDC has been going very good. The kids are very respectful and attentive. We even got them to sing "Only a Boy Named David"....(lesson was on David and Goliath). This Sunday we told one of the boys that we really appreciated their attentiveness and singing and it was fun to come because of that. He said---- it's fun when you come" Wow! that was so neat to hear.
I'm sorry that it has been a while for this update.... I will try to do better. I guess in one way it means that we are busy and that is good. But I must admit --- we've also been enjoying the Winter Olympics most evenings.
We KNOW that you have been praying for the good test results. If there is anything different to report after Thursday -- I will do so. And we will let you know what else we have learned -- as to when the surgery will take place and so on.
Gary and Barb
We knew that we had at least 4 skunks living right close by.....MUCH too close by. So Gary got busy building a live trap. We also talked with a neighbor and he had a trap -- he would dig through the snow to find it for us (and he did just that). For a while we came up with nothing. ??Was it too cold and they were staying inside where it was snug and warm??? Well on Saturday, Feb. 20 this is what I wrote in my "journal"......Had 2 critters in the live traps this morning -- could see that one was forsure a skunk. So we took them to the far, far south end of the pasture. Gar puts the trap so the skunks are down wind and hands me the gun (to hold) and goes and opens the door and runs back to me. I hand him the gun and........nothing -- that rascal doesn't come out. So we throw frozen cow pies at it. Hits it a good pop -- still won't come out!! So Gar goes back! puts the door back on the trap and ties a rope to the trap. So we now have the trap by the fence line and pull on the rope so the trap is up in the air a bit. Finally the thing comes out---SKUNK!! BAM! --- dead. ~~~~So we do the same with the next one. Won't come out.....bounce - bounce - bounce - nothing. Once again Gar goes back (trap door is open) and ties another rope on the handle. Now we have the trap straight up and down -- bounce - bounce - bounce it as hard as we can.....we can see his tail.... it's a skunk! Gar insists that I have to shoot a skunk and I'm afraid that in the excitement I'll miss. FINALLY --out he comes!! Tail up! ---- BAM!! Dead!
So far we have caught 4 skunks --- but we are afraid there are still more!! We have been able to carry the traps around -- getting them to the "release spot" without getting any bad smells released (can't get their tail up - can't spray?!?). However, this morning we had to kick the trap - it was frozen down -- and that one got bad smelly --- he remains where he is for now.
Now for some of the "bumps"......
Our last Release Time with the K-1 group didn't go as planned. One of the boys - who is a rascal---although a cute one!!! --- ran in ahead of us and locked the door and then proceeded to the side door and locked it also. Fortunately for all of us one of the other girls unlocked the door for us. Needless to say he wasn't allowed to come today. I (Barb) had a little talk with him today about bad choices having consequences and he couldn't come today-- but we wanted him to come next time. I told him that he had to think about what he was going to do -- was it a good choice or a bad choice.... He wrote us a letter while his classmates were gone. It said..... I'm sory for loking you oyt. I want to lrn about God. I will be respiktfol. from_____
We have been battling steers for quite some time now....they have learned how to get over the barbed wire fences and even though we try to get the fences tight --- they continue to get out...it all started when the snow banks were too high. The good thing ---- we haven't lost any yet. They come back for feed each morning. Dwight feels like maybe he better take them to his place where he can put them in an electric fence.
We planned on worship service with the Lakeview church at JDC on the 14th. We were down to only 3 people able to go......The guards told us (at the afternoon visiting) that they were going to have "a party" ---- Subway sandwiches, basketball for everyone and treats at 5:00-- but we could come and hang out with the kids and then "do our thing" afterwords. As our Pastor's wife said....who do we think we are trying to follow a party like that-- they will probably be pretty hyped up. So we decided not to go that night.....have it rescheduled for March 7. We also had one Thursday evening that we were told we couldn't have our Bible Study. They had some trouble --- apparently someone had sharpened some toothbrush handles and had cut up a mattress and there had also been some fighting.
The next bump was a little larger..... Gary had a colonoscopy on Monday, the 15th of Feb. They found one small polyp - removed it....and one large polyp -- unable to remove. They took a biopsy of each one. However, the large one will require surgery--no matter what the biopsy results are. We have an appointment with the doctor in Valentine this Thursday and we are working on where to have the surgery done - Rapid City or Sioux Falls. We have had a "report" from the office that "all looks good". But we will rejoice after we talk with the doc. on Thursday. I guess it just seems a little strange to get the results from a nurse who was setting up a schedule with a surgeon. However, we are breathing much easier right now.
I believe that's it for the bumps.....
JDC has been going very good. The kids are very respectful and attentive. We even got them to sing "Only a Boy Named David"....(lesson was on David and Goliath). This Sunday we told one of the boys that we really appreciated their attentiveness and singing and it was fun to come because of that. He said---- it's fun when you come" Wow! that was so neat to hear.
I'm sorry that it has been a while for this update.... I will try to do better. I guess in one way it means that we are busy and that is good. But I must admit --- we've also been enjoying the Winter Olympics most evenings.
We KNOW that you have been praying for the good test results. If there is anything different to report after Thursday -- I will do so. And we will let you know what else we have learned -- as to when the surgery will take place and so on.
Gary and Barb
Monday, February 8, 2010
Going good!!
Well --- go back and look at the Sun Dog photos.....we are enjoying them again today. However, that means COLD temps and it is also windy. Didn't listen closely to the weather report this morning so I don't know what it's supposed to get up to today...but it was -4 this morning and windy.....Valentine was -20 wind chill so I figure we are close to that.
Last week we didn't have Release Time --- Parent Teacher Conferences that afternoon. So we will have the K-2 group tomorrow. We are going to be making froggy puppets out of a small lunch bag. I think the kids will enjoy it :)
Our times at the JDC have really been going great since our incident..... We start out the evening asking that they give reverence -- considering "this room - at this time is God's house". And they are very respectful. In fact, they listen very intently....only 2 last week that were in their own little world (but one of those told me "I'm taking this Bible along - OK?" - YES!). We know that they are hearing God's message....pray that it goes to their hearts!!! There are many of the young people that have some very special struggles.....1) one is so very excited to be getting out this week --- but scared too that it won't go good with her dad again - it seems that it never has - but she loves him! 2) another just found out that she is 2 1/2 months pregnant - "scary for me" 3) so upset with himself for getting back into JDC -- we found out he loves music.....is a rapper and uses foul language. We had to give him Colossians 3:8. He listened - he cried. 4) another looking at a possible life sentence for murder. We don't want to give names on this blog --- but God knows who they are......would you please pray for them?!?!
We have our driveway plowed.... :) and the snow remover was presented with a Blueberry Dessert :) :) He enjoyed the dessert and we enjoy not having to open gates!! As I sit here looking out of our window.....the fluffy snow that we have is blowing around at a pretty good rate.... Don't need any big drifts filling in our open drive!!!!
Thank you for your continual support and prayers. We trust God's Word where it says "my word will not go out void". We need to trust God to nurture and water. Pray that we remain faithful and give God's wonderful message to these kids in truth and in understandable ways.
Gary and Barb
Last week we didn't have Release Time --- Parent Teacher Conferences that afternoon. So we will have the K-2 group tomorrow. We are going to be making froggy puppets out of a small lunch bag. I think the kids will enjoy it :)
Our times at the JDC have really been going great since our incident..... We start out the evening asking that they give reverence -- considering "this room - at this time is God's house". And they are very respectful. In fact, they listen very intently....only 2 last week that were in their own little world (but one of those told me "I'm taking this Bible along - OK?" - YES!). We know that they are hearing God's message....pray that it goes to their hearts!!! There are many of the young people that have some very special struggles.....1) one is so very excited to be getting out this week --- but scared too that it won't go good with her dad again - it seems that it never has - but she loves him! 2) another just found out that she is 2 1/2 months pregnant - "scary for me" 3) so upset with himself for getting back into JDC -- we found out he loves music.....is a rapper and uses foul language. We had to give him Colossians 3:8. He listened - he cried. 4) another looking at a possible life sentence for murder. We don't want to give names on this blog --- but God knows who they are......would you please pray for them?!?!
We have our driveway plowed.... :) and the snow remover was presented with a Blueberry Dessert :) :) He enjoyed the dessert and we enjoy not having to open gates!! As I sit here looking out of our window.....the fluffy snow that we have is blowing around at a pretty good rate.... Don't need any big drifts filling in our open drive!!!!
Thank you for your continual support and prayers. We trust God's Word where it says "my word will not go out void". We need to trust God to nurture and water. Pray that we remain faithful and give God's wonderful message to these kids in truth and in understandable ways.
Gary and Barb
Friday, January 29, 2010
SORRY ---- and an update of JDC
I don't know why all the trouble opening up our video.... I got it to work once -- and that was it. Maybe it's just too big. They really aren't that long - but ?? too long for the blog. SHUCKS!!! It was a fun one too!
We went to the JDC last night. We divided the group into boys alone and then girls alone....so we gave the message twice. This was because we had a bad incident there the week before. We had a fight just as a group of girls was leaving. This was very upsetting!!!! However, this week it went just great. The lesson was very serious and the kids all listened intently!! We will be breaking the group in two until the size goes down. Thirty young people in one small room is just too much!!! And then you know how teens are ---- gotta look cool for the other sex. The boys even sang last night :) The Center seems to be short on help....that works against us also.
So we covet your prayers for this....... Thank you!!!
Gary and Barb
We went to the JDC last night. We divided the group into boys alone and then girls alone....so we gave the message twice. This was because we had a bad incident there the week before. We had a fight just as a group of girls was leaving. This was very upsetting!!!! However, this week it went just great. The lesson was very serious and the kids all listened intently!! We will be breaking the group in two until the size goes down. Thirty young people in one small room is just too much!!! And then you know how teens are ---- gotta look cool for the other sex. The boys even sang last night :) The Center seems to be short on help....that works against us also.
So we covet your prayers for this....... Thank you!!!
Gary and Barb
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