Caught in a blizzard

You just don't know how fast it can happen  --- until it happens!!!!  Don S. picked us up this morning at 7:00 so that we could get our car from the repair shop in Valentine ....and do a little shopping.   We knew that some nasty weather was predicted but it wasn't SUPPOSED to start until 10:00 a.m. .....AND it was only a trace of snow or 1 inch predicted.  BUT the winds were going to be strong ----35 mph.  WELL-  I left Valentine ....thinking to myself --- Gary is with Don --- I have some time all by myself --- where do I go shopping.  But being a NON shopper.....I headed for home.  Nothing was going on in Valentine, except a very small amount of drifting going across the roads.    As I got thru Crookston, things started to get a little heavier.  By the time I hit the state line....I was glad the road was bare so I could see the darkness of the road and knew where to go.  Then I turned the corner to head west on the last mile of the trip.  I met (I thought) Dan T. in his pickup and saw that he was kind of having a time getting thru a drift --- so I thought -- stay to the left because the drifts will be the lowest there because the wind is out of the north.  Well ----  I made it through that one but not the next one.  STUCK!!  and stuck good.  So I called Gary and Don and they were still in Bomgaars Hardware Store.  That meant that they wouldn't come along for another half an hour at least.  Phone calls happened along the way......  it was Deon that I had met and he KNEW I wouldn't get thru.....he started back....but decided against that idea.   Deon called his dad and got a tractor coming my way.  You just really know what wonderful neighbors you have when these things happen!!!  Dan came out in what is  weather not fit for an animal!!        .......     We finally got out  - after Gary and Don arrived.    But then Don also got stuck with his diesel truck.  IT IS A BLIZZARD OUT THERE!!! 

We are warm and happy to be home.  We know we won't be having church tomorrow (unless things do another immediate turn around).   So it will be a long weekend....because that also means that we won't get out to  JDC to visit with the kids.  We have lots to be thankful for even in this.....we have a warm home, we have each other, we have plenty of food, we have projects to keep us busy -- who could ask for more.

Gary has been busy helping Don S. remodel his kitchen - but that has also come to a halt with this weather.  I think he will go spend some time in his workshop --- perhaps getting a little further with his sawmill plans.

On other thoughts........We had a nice Christmas day with my cousins Dwight and Marvanne and their sons, Rob,  Jon and girlfriend Laura, and cousin Lee.  We had had a party at the Detention Center on Dec. 22....making pizzas and playing some games.  We did miss being with our kids and grandkids in Michigan but as we think about roads.....we're just kind of glad to be snug and at home.

Release Time will be starting again next week --- so we have lessons to prepare and we're going to try a few crafts again. That always makes things interesting!! and not always in a good way.

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.  Please, please pray for the young people on this reservation.  As we visit with kids we hear stories that just make us so sad.  Parents who tell their son they hate him, parents who are drunk all the time,  kids caught up in meth, kids selling drugs and thinking it's OK, kids having kids,........and we could go on and on.  We know that these things happen across the nation - but that doesn't make us feel better.  So again - please pray for the young people!!

Thank You!!!    Gary and Barb

Wonderful Thanksgiving......and then limped home.

We had a way too short ....but WONDERFUL time in Michigan for Thanksgiving with our family.......then Christmas on the same day.  That was a BIG day!!!!  Did we eat too much --- what ya think?!?!?   But it was great.  Let's see......Rick (our oldest) was missing  - he's in the Netherlands.... Ethel (sister) and her family (they live in Wisconsin) were missing but everyone else was there.  So Linda's house was full with lots of food and laughter and fun.....27 of us. 

We also got to share some time with several of our cousins, family members and also a few friends.    Then came the request......   Dennis wanted some new cabinets in his workshop......could dad do that for him?!  Yes, of course, but "I left all my tools in South Dakota".   But with what he had --- Dennis got a pretty good looking
set of cabinets.  And another good part was that Grandpa got in some good quality time with Clayton  ---- who in turn got some teaching from Grandpa about using the drill.   Clayton was responsible for a lot of the screws that were put into the cabinets......and he did a very good job!

Dennis was very happy with the finished product.  It's  fun to do these kind of things for our kids.  Last summer Gary did a lot of work on some windows in one of Mikes barns ....and one time before he worked on Marti and Tim's laundry room.   So I guess we've helped them all out over a couple of years.  I'm sure they will come up with more projects.....and that's good ----- keeps grandpa happy if  he's busy when we are out there.   He's just not a "sit around and do nothing" kind of guy.

Thanksgiving was by my sister Linda and Dave's house...... our Christmas party was by Mike and Julie.  Julie and the kids got the tree up and decorated - and there was snow on the ground........so it DID seem like Christmas.  I think everyone was happy with their presents --- so that makes Gpa and Gma happy too!!
A couple of the grandkids got a special gift handmade by Grandpa.

An Easel for Oliver and a Cedar "Keepsake" Box for Halle.

We got to spend some time with Marti and Tim and the boys at their place in Kalamazoo........had a good time and then left with a few of our belongings still laying around --- forgotten. We had fun in the hot tub that Tim gave Marti for her ....SSSssshhhhh  -  40th birthday.   Good grief that makes me feel OLD!!

Keller is at that teething age ....so he had some good times --- but also some sad times. It was great getting to spend time with our grand kids --- but it wasn't near enough time!!!!!

Then came several of those -----is it a curse or a blessing?!?!?  BOTH!  --- --- --- ---   We were going to leave Holly and Dennis --- (right after those cabinets got finished) --- at 3:00 --- going to have supper by Dale and Barb.  Gary hopped in the car ... ......and the battery was dead -- or almost.  So we headed for John's Battery Shop in Zeeland .   The batteries in these newer cars don't come out in any sort of a simple way --- but good ole John got 'r done in time for us to make it to our supper right on time.   ~~~~~   The next "curse / blessing ~~~~~  When we arrived Dennis heard a bad noise coming from our front passenger side wheel.  - a squeak.   Then at another time a few days later, he heard it again and it was louder......"better look at that dad"........ a new wheel bearing was in order.  In a way it was kind of cool ---- Dennis did the wheel bearing job so dad got paid back for the cabinet work. ~~~~~  The final "curse / blessing" was on the way home.  We were just a little more than 50 miles from Valentine --- I was driving --- and all of a sudden the cruise died and the car started to slow down and  a message came across the dash.  Oh GREAT!!!   Had this one before -but thought it was fixed.  Anyway, I could keep the car going about 55 but no more than that.....the up-hills made us slow down to about 45 but the downhill helped us speed up again. When a semi - or whatever came along behind me ---- I got off to the side --- kept going --- but let them pass.   We chug-a-lugged all the way home - not stopping in Valentine for any groceries or that car wash (get rid of the Michigan road salt) that we wanted.....  But SO GLAD to have made it without sitting on the side of the road saying "what now"!!!  OR worse yet --- in Chicago or on the Interstate!!!   And why do we call them a "curse /  blessing"??  Because they all happened in a good time and a good place --- where we had help or when we were close to home.  We have had this happen so often that we see the blessings in each one of them.  God is always good!!!!

The weather for our trip was good and now we are back and getting ready for JDC and Release Time once again.    Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts.
Gary and Barb

Beautiful Suinday morning....

It  has been a beautiful Sunday morning.....but we did not have church.   We got about 8 inches of snow and a bit of drifting.   We are vacant and so the "speaker/Pastor" had to come from at least 2 hours away and he wasn't too excited to come.  It was rather late to get our Elder up and ready to read a sermon --- so what with the cold and snow and the predicted wind ---- it was canceled.     So now - we gear ourselves up for a long day.....and especially long if we decide not to venture out to the Detention Center.  

Gary and I took a ride this morning --- to look for deer and just to see the beauty of the day.   We saw 2 eagles -- one a bald eagle... he was HUGE!!!  And the other was either a Golden Eagle or else a young Bald Eagle.....also a VERY big bird.  They are always gone before you get close enough for a picture....but we did get one of these pheasants who seemed to be out sunning themselves.

I always enjoy looking at the Hay Butte......so I hope you enjoy it also.

Gary has been pretty busy with projects and I've had a couple in the works also........his I can show you but mine are a surprise for a few special people -- so can't share right now.    But here are a few of Gary's ......he is surprised sometimes.........he walks out to the shop and another piece of equipment has arrived for him to fix.  Some of the stories of their "how it happened" are pretty interesting.

This one was a big "OOPS!!"  It's a panel  hauling trailer......Those hangers up top are not supposed to be pointing forward --- should be straight out to the sides.  Unknown to the driver -- at the time -- but he had the wrong sized ball on his pickup.....his was a 1'' 7/8 and the trailer needed a  2" ball.....SO when he hit a big bump in the road it popped off and those heavy panels kept on going.

The next four pictures are of "Gramma Geneva's Chair".....  She was not my Gramma..... But I definitely remember Geneva Walkling!  We were ever so happy that Gary could repair her beautiful rocking chair for Marlys and Vern. As you can see - the spooks were all broken out on the back side.   It took some ingenuity on Gary's part.  The middle picture is of his "steamer".    He steamed a piece of oak and then put it in a jig to get the right curve.   There were a few set-backs but it finally worked out.

This is the finished product from the back side.

From the front -- which everyone looks at.... it is a beautiful chair..... and I might add a very comfortable chair.  I checked it out in the workshop.  Now for a delivery back to it's home........

Another project was a new basement door for the parsonage.  This might be on hold until the weather gets a little warmer out.  This is an outside entry door and needs some installation work done.  I am happy that I don't have to help on this one.....takes more than I can give  :)  :)

So far we plan on going out to the Detention Center this afternoon to visit with some of the kids....but as we look out the window it's starting to blow.   Guess the good part is that we will be home before dark so I think we will continue with the plan.  Better make sure we are dressed for anything!!

We are ever so thankful for Andee and Julie who help us with JDC.  We plan on heading back to Michigan for Thanksgiving and we know that they will continue on with our Wednesday evenings while we are gone.  We don't have anyone for Release Time so will be back for that Thursday with the young kids.  Things are going pretty good with Release Time.  We are telling a Bible story to the 1st Graders and also to the 2nd and 3rd graders.  The older groups are working in a  Bible Study workbook and it's going good.  The 1st lessons were on the Ten Commandments and then how we need to use them for guidance even today.  Now we are into "what kind of friends we should have....."   It's all good stuff and we hope it's something the kids will take to heart.  We are also working on learning the Ten Commandments with some visual helps.

Thanks for the prayers and interest in what we are doing.  We feel blessed to be a part of God's Great Plan......telling the kids about His plan of Salvation.
Gary and Barb

FUN FUN FUN.......LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH!!!!!!

Tonight was our JDC (Juvenile Detention Center) night. We have been doing a Halloween Party for several years....maybe every year since we started going there---2008. Well, tonight was our night to party :) :)

We started the evening with a Bible lesson like always. Julie did a wonderful job using the Wordless Book to share the Salvation Story with the group......which consisted of 4 girls and 4 boys. One gal had come in with red eyes.....we could see she had been crying. I think it might have been a phone call that went sour....because they have that time just before we come on Wednesdays. As we were singing some songs --- Julie went out with her to just see what she could do to help. I believe Julie has this gals little brother in one of her classes at school....so there is a connection there.

After we were done in the “Barney Room” ---where we meet for our Bible Lessons.....we all headed for the gym. We started with a group activity so we could be assured that everyone was involved. This was the Balloon Stomp....boy were those balloons hard to pop. Everyone got into it and once their balloon was popped – they still stood around and watched the rest of the “stompers”.

Every game was full of laughs!!!! Sometimes I laughed so hard it hurt. :) I think I don't have room in this blog --- or the time to write all the games' ins and outs.....so I might just let your imagination run wild here. But if you want to know more about one of them --- let me know and I will share all the “stuff” about them.

We played: Chariot races, Carrot Drop, Balloon Stomp, Beach Ball Volleyball (until the beach ball burst), Animal Bird Fish, Trash Can Game, and Table Top. EVERYONE had a blast. If you've never had Chariot races on carpet samples --- you've never had a real chariot race. Some drivers ended up OFF the chariot but hung on for dear life to the end.....others like Jymie (a girl we thought wouldn't probably participate) took off like a stallion and pulled her little driver to victory every time.

We ended our evening with Rootbeer Floats. One gal had been there on Halloween before when we made pizza – so “why aren't we making pizza, Barb?” These kids were wonderful and we told them so.....they were the BEST participating group we have EVER had. They said “please” and “thank you” and one asked if we had to take care of the chairs.....when I said “yes and they could hang them up”.....He and the other boys got right to it.

After they were done with the floats they wanted to sing some more. So we did. I said “we can't stay all night”....and one gal said “I wish you could”. Another comment was “this almost made me forget I was in JDC”. Even one of the officers came and grabbed a song sheet when we sang “Here I am to Worship”.

So if you don't think we came home smiling – you are wrong. We still start to smile and grin when we think of the night...... I think the kids are still thinking about it too as they lay on their beds.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing us this fun time with a great bunch of kids. Thank you, Lord, for Julie and Andee who come along side us and help. Thank you, Lord, for the Detention Center being so warm and friendly to us....allowing us the freedoms we have there to do an event like this. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunities you give us. Thank you, Lord, for your love for these young people. And thank you, Lord, for all the friends reading this and praying for us.

Gary and Barb

One of those times........

Today was a wonderful Sunday!!!  We had a retired Minister preach in our church and it was one of those times when you have NO trouble listening.  He was so easy to listen to and had such a good message.  What a blessing!!

Then it was off to the Detention Center to visit with the young people.  We were somewhat sorry to hear that one of the North Dakota boys was back.  But at the same time it was good to see him.  We always enjoyed visiting with him.  His heart is in the right place......just those temptations that are so hard to stay away from grabbed him once again right after getting his freedom.   We visited with six this afternoon.........and then at 6:00 we went back for "church".

There were 11 young people tonight.  That is the largest group we have had for a while.  Pastor Paul Mitchell was with us again and had another powerful message for the young people about "Truth".  They listened so attentively!!!  And then he prayed the sinners prayer.   He told them to pray it with him if they felt it in their hearts.  We have never had the kids repeat the prayer out loud before (unless we are one on one).....but tonight as he started praying one after the other began praying the prayer with him  --- out loud!!    Yes, we went home rejoicing.

And the singing!!!!  WOW --- Darian loves to sing and he sings out -- not afraid to be heard.  It just makes some of the kids start to laugh at first -- but then they realize how neat it is and they sing too.  It was quite the choir tonight --- love it!!!   Maybe you wonder what songs we sing........ For those tears I died.......Here I am to Worship......I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus.....and Sanctuary.....are the ones we sang tonight.  They would have gone on singing but it was time to end. 

One new young man came up to us --- shook our hand and said "I am sorry you have to see me in here".  

God is at work --- we see it!!
Thanks for the prayers!!!
Gary and Barb

Beautiful Fall Day.....projects

We've had some cold weather and windy days....but today, anyway this afternoon, is lovely.   The wasps are horrible - but at least they don't sting ---- I think they're just looking for a home in the siding.

My "cooking"  up in White River is just not happening.  This week Monday the one gal had a doc. appt. and  sadly to say the other one was suicidal on Sunday so they have taken her to Yankton for treatment.  I already know that I don't have to figure on the 13th...... many of the women will be gone to a Bible Conference.

I have been keeping busy though with lots of other activities. Yesterday I was invited by Sheri Tinant to see about making a pheasant wreath.  I  had saved 3 pelts so I didn't have to go begging......just begging for her expertise!!!  I'm pretty happy with how mine turned out and Sheri has 4 beautiful ones herself!!  Gar said
"did she make 4 while you made just one?!?!"  No - she's been busy for a while!   I had a rattlesnake hide that I wanted to include in my wreath.  I almost ruined it -- but found a way to save some of it and get it in the wreath.   So, yes people, --- I still have a snake skin (piece of one) in my house. This one is a real honest to goodness Arkansas Rattlesnake.....so not a local one that I came across.  It was a "gift"  :)  :)

I also enjoy "paint by number"  ....... this one has been in the works for a little less than a year.  I think that old barn wood frame really sets it off.  This will be a Christmas gift for a special someone ---- not telling who though.

Gary had a project of his own.  Kim M. had asked if he could do a few alterations on a cabinet that he wanted to put the sound system on at church.   It took some doing to find the right drawer closers.....but persistence paid off and he finally found them.   The cabinet did not have drawers and that's what Kim wanted.

Would you believe he made these drawer pulls!!!  Hammered them out of a flat piece of steel.  I never cease to be amazed at what he can accomplish.

Tonight we will be going to JDC.  I think we have a real fun lesson for the young people.  Part of it will be the lesson on the Wise Man and the Foolish Man.  We will have 2 houses.....one built on a rock and the other built on the sand.   The rain (out of a squirt can) will come down in torrents and that house on the sand will fall FLAT!!     We also have an activity for them to do on paper about building their life strong - on Christ.  I think that for those who need visuals --- they will have several tonight.  And yes -- we will also be teaching them the song....the wise man built his house upon the rock....and the rains came tumbling down......

We did this same lesson on Sept. 27 at the Rosebud Worship......did I tell you that?????  We had made 15 little houses to give to the little kids and we had the biggest bunch of young people ever.   SO we were short on the houses.....but only by one.  Little Taleah will get one next time!!!

Release Time is on its way.  We are blessed with lots of kids.  One teacher - the 2nd and 3rd grade teacher - has ALL of his kids coming - all 14 of them....in ONE GROUP.  We will not be working out of the workbook as we had planned ---- that didn't go very good with such a large group!!!!   Instead we will do a Bible Story like we have been doing all these years.  The workbook did work good with the older groups so we will continue in that.  We do feel that we have to find a little time for some fun with them.  It shouldn't feel too much like school --- workbooks and all that.  So we will be busy with planning for some fun times each week. 

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers!!!! 
Gary and Barb

Just a few neat things.......

This past Wednesday evening at the Detention Center, Andee gave a lesson on Revelations 21.  She did a verse by verse "explanation".  And, by the way, she did a very good job.  We only have 4 kids at this time, so there is time for questions and answers (if we have them).  One comment by Andee really struck me - something new to think on.   She said that "all the glory we receive here on earth  - we will one day give to Jesus."  Wow -- made me think......I have a hard time when people say "oh you are doing such a good thing".......  But now I realize I can give that all to Jesus - and will in person one day.   Makes those comments seem more appropriate now!!!  and hopefully easier for me to know what to do with.   :)   :)  Thanks Andee for those encouraging thoughts.

Then today ---- the kids - the 7th and 8th graders at Release Time made us grin.  We were talking about the 10 Commandments.  So when we got to a big word like "covet"  - we explained it......"take the Lords name in VAIN" -- we explained it.   So when we got to the word "adultery" ---- no one knew what it meant.  "Must be something for adults" was one comment.   So we gave a clear explanation.   I said that I was married to Gary and that I was faithful......if I went and had an affair with another man----- I would be committing adultery.   So then they had to know how long Gary and I had been married.  They guessed a while and then we told them ---- 46 years.   WOW --- that's a long time.....and they broke out in clapping.   :)  :)    Gary said "quit it - you're making my glasses fog up".

We also did a little review today ----questions about last years lessons on Moses.   They did outstanding!!!  I think there was only one question that the one group couldn't come up with -----
Who was Moses' brother?  The one bunch even got that one.  Makes us know that they listen because for the most part it was the first time they had heard the story of Moses.

So these little perks keep us going.  We will have a challenging year.  We have large groups and the school has asked that we do a little switching of how we do the kids......  We have always done the two young groups one week and the older groups the following week.  They would like us to do one of each every week.   So we will have to have our heads on straight -- our thoughts clear and ......YIKES.......can my brain handle all these curves.   YUP I think we will make it - with God's help.

So THANKS for keeping us in your prayers!!!
Gary and Barb