Dunamis Conference and a NEED FOR PRAYERS

The Dunamis Conference was quite interesting to say the least. The people that we met were wonderful .....friendly, compassionate, knowledgeable.....we really enjoyed our weekend with everyone. Even ran into people who knew people that we knew...... We learned about being filled by the Holy Spirit....and the power we can receive. (That's a real short summary of the whole weekend.) The speaker was a person who kept your interest all the time. The food was fantastic....they have a "chef"!!!!...not a "cook". The rooms were very nice and the weather was gorgeous. All in all it was a wonderful weekend.

However, while we were there one of the elderly men from our church passed away. Harvey Gunnink, 91 years old, had lived a life of great example for the rest of us. He will be missed a lot and we lift up his children and grandchildren in prayer. Harvey's funeral will be this coming Thursday morning (March 22).

Also while we were gone to the Conference, we were informed that another elderly man from our church, Jerry Vander Wey, was in the hospital in Sioux Falls with RSV and not doing very well. He has suffered from lung problems for quite some time and this was just too much for him. We did get to visit with Jerry and Altha and one of their daughters on the way home from the Conference. Jerry passed away on Tuesday morning around 12:50 a.m. ......Another big hole in our Community and church. We do not have information on the funeral as of this time.

Another gal --- our close neighbor, Barb Schelhaas---- is in the Rapid City Regional Hospital. She has been battling cancer for at least 5 years. It has now attached to her bones and she is in a LOT of pain and is losing her ability to walk.

Our Pastor is rather s.t.r.e.t.c.h.e.d !! All of these people were/are in hospitals that are 3 to 5 hours away. And now two funerals on top of each other. We know he would appreciate prayer.

I think Gary and I (especially me) are finally back on track after being gone for 4 days. It always leaves things undone and it took me a while to get so that I felt like my brain was on all cylinders again.

Release Time with the 1-2 and 3-4 went great today. They were so attentive to a rather long lesson.......Judas betraying, Peter denying, and a little about the trials before the crucifixion. We are also working on Psalm 23 (by picture) and they are doing great .....almost surprise themselves I think. The 1-2 made a necklace with a cross and the "wordless book" colored beads on it. And the 3-4 started on a puppet.....made out of a Mc Donalds hamburger box. Lots of fun for everyone.














These are the 1st and 2nd graders.

OH! and a small scare with the Detention Center. While we were gone Julie and another gal went to do a Bible Study with the kids (they call it "church"). However, they were informed that another group - a Lakota group - was there and so Julie would not be able to go in. ????Was this something that was going to take over on Thursday.....or was it a one timer ????? We thank God that the doors remain open!!!....it was a one timer and the director apologized for the inconvenience and will call next time something like this happens (which he usually does). So we go on with great relief!!

Thank you for your support.

Gary and Barb

Six and two.......6 accepted Christ and 2 recommitted

What a glorious thing...... On March 4, we prayed with four young people who wanted to accept Christ as Savior. Then on March 11, we prayed with 4 more......two had never asked Christ into their hearts before and two recommitted that desire.

We don't always give an "invitation".....some lessons aren't really as evangelistic (is that the right phrase - not sure but I think so) as others. Some lessons are more for growth and getting to know God whereas these last few lessons were on parts of the Easter story and just seemed to need that invitation. And as you can see --- the kids are ready for that.

On March 1, the lesson was on "I am the resurrection and the life." It was the story about Lazarus being raised from the dead and how Jesus has power over death. On March 8, the lesson was on "I am the way, and the truth and the life". It touched on Judas betraying Jesus, and Peter saying he would NEVER deny Christ and where Thomas said - "Lord we don't know where you are going so how can we know the way??"

We give the invitation but then ask the young people to write it down on their prayer request paper....that way they can do it privately and we are the only ones who know what they did. Then on the following Sunday we meet with them and see if that is still what they want to do. Lately, we have been going over the "Wordless Book" or the "Bridge" illustration with them just to go over the Gospel message and their need for a Savior....."Now" we ask,"is that what you want to do?"

So if you would pray for these young people that would be wonderful. Marlow, Princella, Adam, Valentine, Donovan, Jesse, Rhaya, and Marcos.

Marlow said that he had accepted Christ when he was in the 5-8th grade (sometime in there) when he was at the St. Joseph Indian School. We said "Wonderful!! And you remember doing that! "Yes." So then we discussed how sometimes we turn down the wrong path and feel like we need to ask Christ into our hearts again.....but HE never leaves us --- it's us. Jesse had accepted Christ this past summer (with us) but felt he needed to do it again ("were you serious"?? ...."I don't know - not really"). So we prayed with him after discussing things once again.
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And now on another note.......
Gary and I are going to a Dunamis Conference this coming Thursday through Saturday evening (we will be leaving early --- Conference goes thru Sunday morning.......) These are RCA in nature and this one is on the Power of Prayer.

So we would appreciate your prayers for us that we can take the information in and use it. We all know that prayer is important and powerful...... But do we use the Holy Spirits Power that is available to us ---- no doubt not in the fullness that we could and should.
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Ranch work ------ calving season is in full swing. This morning we went and helped a neighbor move some pairs. The cows are in the corn and it's so soft that he can't get in with the pickup --- so we brought the pairs out (with the 4 wheelers) and then he could tag them and sort them off to the different spots that he wanted them to go.....(heifers in a corral and cows to a pasture). Some of those calves are newborns and pretty wobbly on their feet.....and oh so cute!!

So we will be back to report on the Conference after we get back.
Thank you for the support.

Gary and Barb

Winter came for a visit and....JDC

We finally got some REAL winter. Our car was parked in just the wrong place -- so it became buried in the snow drift. We HAVE to remember that when the next storm comes (if there is one!). About 50 feet away from the car was bare lawn. I really think it's beautiful out when everything is covered with pure white snow....yes we do enjoy winter. Now the weather people predict 65 degrees by this coming Monday! Our roads will be a mess where those drifts melt away. We always appreciate good neighbors who call to see "are you snowed in?? --- I'll be right over with the tractor." We do have a tractor here -- but for some reason the bucket wouldn't dump, but finally --- after Dan came and got us cleaned out --- Gar got it figured out and he could put on the finishing touches to the yard.

We called in to the Detention Center to see if we would be able to come --- remember last week we were turned away because of Court. "Yes" we could come. We always ask how many kids are there ---- 32, but 2 are in Max (they can't come). So we had 2 big groups......the lesson was on Lazarus being raised from the dead and the verse was John 11:25 "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." With the first group you could have heard a pin drop. They listened wonderfully. The second group had a few giggly girls -- and it became a distraction to me.....I was doing the lesson. So I asked them if they wanted to go back -- that it was OK -- but their talking was distracting me and I couldn't concentrate. I tried to do it in a very nice way -- and it worked --- they quieted right down. And that 2nd group just sang wonderfully. Of course, with both groups we had to finish with the Banana Song and that never fails to make them laugh!!! Go to YouTube.com --- put in Banana Song by Vince Nimms and you will see what I'm talking about ---- he's who I learned the song from.

So to those of you who prayed for the JDC meetings to be able to continue --- THANK YOU!!! We will have to continue to call and see what's up for the night. But we feel that if it becomes a problem - we will try to switch nights. We are supposed to have our fingerprints taken for a background check.....no - we never had that done - they just let us in. And now they have had us fill out the paper work finally. We would like to get it done (the fingerprints) when we go out there on Thursday evening or Sunday afternoon ....but so far - no go. They have one excuse or another. We really hate to make another trip out just to do that.....trying to save 40 miles on this expensive gas.......

That's about it again......the storm didn't make for any awesome pictures -- it wasn't that bad -- so have nothing to share on that. It's windy and sunny today......32 degrees at 9:30.

Gary and Barb

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