That 'ole snake hanging on the wall.......

Well --- I always kind of liked my Bull Snake that I had mounted......skinned and dried and hung all by myself.   No one else wanted to touch it!!!!!    Some people found it interesting ---- others just cringed!!

Well, for those of you who thought it was "nasty"     (that's OK )   it is gone!!!!  And replaced - I think - with something wonderful. " Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound" in Lakota is now hanging in it's place.  I think you will like it.    And for those of you who never saw the snake ---- sorry --- it was coming off the felt and I ruined it trying to re-connect it.  So it has been tossed.

We will be heading out for Michigan on Thursday of this week.  Gary and I decided that seeing as how it's our 45th Wedding Anniversary on August 30 -- we should celebrate with our family.   Man oh man,  that really makes me feel old.  I remember celebrating my parents 35th and thinking they were getting pretty old.  YIKES!    Oh well,  we are still young at heart  :)  and that's what counts.

Gary and Barb

Choir at JDC and kayaking with some friends

OH WOW!!!  did we ever have fun singing tonight at the Detention Center.  We had 7 boys and 2 girls.  And this just happens to be a group of boys that love to sing....and were NOT shy about singing tonight.  We never take a camera in to the JDC --- it's not allowed.   However, Gary had it on his belt tonight because he had taken it along to show a gal the kayak trailer that he was fixing up for her.   It suddenly dawned on him that he could take a "movie" and catch the group singing.   So that's what he did...........

It was such a "quick" thing ---- that he didn't even focus the camera on the right song...."The Old Rugged Cross".  But it really doesn't matter..... the outcome is still pretty good.  We do think that if we had asked the officer if we could record them with our camera ---- we're pretty sure she would have let us......just keeping the camera off the kids.  I really think God was blessed by their singing!!!!!  Sometimes they seem irreverent and have to act up for their peers -- but not tonight!

If we had a "downer" with the Recovery Group.......we were BLESSED by these kids singing.  If you would pray for the Recovery Group that we minister to.  It just doesn't seem to be blessed by God and we kind of wonder if we should be going there.  But it also just seems like the kids....... the one girl was VERY responsive when she was in the Detention Center ---- but now - she just gazes off into space and we can't get much out of her.

 We were asked if we would go along with a group of teens from the Recovery Group and Aftercare on a kayaking adventure at the Parmelee Dam.  Parmelee is a community about 25 miles north of us.  The kids had never been in a kayak before and some were not so sure they wanted to get in that little thing.  But they all participated, after some coaxing....and had a good time. 

This is the trailer that Gary is converting into a kayak carrier. 

We have had rain every day this week.  So things are getting nice and green again....and we had to mow the lawn once again too.  The last time we mowed was just before PLYC. 

Have a good day!
Gary and Barb

Aunt Melva passed away --- what special memories!!!!

A special Aunt!!!  That's all I can say.  She was so many things.  My memories go way, way back to when we lived here in South Dakota.  I remember Aunt Melva bringing me some Orange Crush....just for me!!!  I had a kidney infection and had to drink and drink -- that was her way --- always giving in some way.  I also remember playing at the "Beck place"......playing dress up with Robbi --- and those red high heels - I can still see them -- I thought they were the most wonderful shoes around.   :)  And then Aunt Melva patching up my head when I got klunked by a baseball bat coming through the opening in the door (at the Beck place).  Was that you Randy?!??!

Then there's all those times that we came out here for a vacation and stayed at her place - or close by.  She always had the welcome mat out for us.  And the meals were --- amazing!!  She was some cook!!!!!   OH and then there's the time that Linda and I came out........  Linda wanted to go to Soldier Woman (a gift shop with Native "souvenirs".  So we headed out for Mission.   On the way I ran over a large snake.............  Linda found a $40 vase --- I found nothing....to much of a cheap skate I guess.  But as I was driving home I decided "that snake - if it's dead in the road  -- that will be my souvenir!!!.   It was dead in the road.   I loaded it up and took it to Aunt Melva's.   "Do you have a knife I could use".   "Well, yes." But she sure wasn't going to give me any help!!!  However,   guess what......

she just couldn't stand it --- she finally came out and grabbed ahold.....well - actually she just squirted the water.  But she was there!!!!   :)  Love Her!!!!!    Oh! --- she sent me home with that knife.... "don't want to see it in my kitchen again".

Prairie Light Youth Camp was very dear to Aunt Melva's heart.  I know she kept Prairie Light and all of it's working in her prayers until the end.  She was our cook for several years.  That's when (Gary would say) the food was "fantastic".....mashed potatoes, gravy......

The 7th and 8th grade group decorated an apron and gave them to our cooks that year.   And yes!!!  She was the Best of the Best!!!!

Aunt Melva had a stroke in 2007 at Thanksgiving time and was moved to a nursing home in Sioux Falls. Gary and I had the privilege of living in her home when we moved here in 2008.  What a beautiful place.  The location was grand ---- gorgeous sunsets almost every evening.....so much more. 

We thank and praise God for giving her to us. She will always have a special place in our hearts.

Gary and Barb

Hail storm of July 30, 2013

The weather bureau told us we had a chance for thunderstorms all this week.  And we have seen them ---- On Tuesday evening we watched the radar on AccuWeather.com -- didn't look too bad for us -- looked like it would miss us.   But then I walked outside and took a good look at the clouds that were coming.  I went back in the house and told Gary that I thought it would be a good idea to put the car and truck inside.  So I went with the car to the garage and Gary went with the truck to the barn.  Then I went to meet him by the greenhouse --- hopefully to cover that with the tarp.  Well, as I was checking in on the chickens -- I heard a bang and then another bang.  Gary was in the barn - so I figured it was him.   He says he thought it was the "dumb cats" knocking something down.  It was the hail just beginning.  Gary came out to the chicken coop and I said "let's cover the greenhouse quick."   About that time the hail started coming a little faster and they were rather large --- not something we would want to get hit in the head with.   So we waited in the dog house / chicken coop (they share it).   At times we couldn't see the barn  - it was raining so hard.  The noise from the hail in that small, tin roof building was deafening --- we plugged our ears. The winds started out coming from the north west -- but then we noticed a complete turnaround --- coming from the east.  Oh boy  - I thought ---- is the hail going to come back?!?!?!   When that wind came out of the east  - I remembered that I had the bedroom window wide open.....on the east side of the house.   So -- hail was done --- I headed for the house and Gary headed for the barn......He could see that the window in his work shop was knocked completely out.  The rest is history --- and the pictures tell the story.

 Our greenhouse is pretty much done for this year.  We will have to purchase new plastic.  The carrots and potatoes that are still in the ground will be just fine.

 All three of the windows in Grandpa's house were broken "in"..... The siding will have to be replaced.

The glass went everywhere in the house ---- And, of course the rain came in.......  We took the rugs out to the garage and cleaned up the best we could.   But after sweeping and vacuuming  -- I can still see sparkling pieces of glass in the cracks of the floor.  And can you ever get it all out of the carpet?!?!

 And then - our garden --- I had just put "apples" on my grocery list so that I could can my first ever red cabbage. My sister Linda had just given me her recipe that we think is just the best tasting cabbage.

 This used to be my pickle patch -- with dill all around the outside.....it is no more.!!  We also had 4 green cabbage plants that were just starting to make heads.

 This is our back yard as I have started the clean up process.   The trees lost a LOT of.........

twigs and leaves and such!!!

The workshop window --- 

 Some left over hail -- after all the rain fell on it .....still pretty big stuff!!

 Our spruce trees lost at least one years growth..... And our shed has holes in the side and in the top.

 The North side of our trailer ---- the outside windows were broken but not the inside pane.  Thank you Lord!!!And below is my "used to be flower garden".... what a mess!!!

 

This is the river that ran through our back yard.  Some said we had gotten 4 inches of rain  - in ???? 20 -30 minutes. 

This is a quick shot of the Rosebud Dam --- don't quite understand what happened.......There was water covering the road and they evacuated "the Valley" people.  But when we drove past ---- the water was WAY down as you can see -- but the road - the dam  - is still in tact.

Our neighbor lost hundreds and hundreds of pheasants......windows in his lodge and windows in his home.  

Another neighbor lost his brand new irrigation system that was still in the set up stage.....twisted and tossed in the wind.

But we have this: John 16:33  In this world you will have troubles, but take heart! I have overcome the world.



We give thanks to God for His faithfulness in all things!!
Gary and Barb

PLYC - - Friday ----- Swimming --- and now it's over

Friday was a very good day.  We met with our group in Rosebud....had the Bible Lesson on Saul and then   :)  :) had 3 girls pray to accept Christ.  Please keep Dominique, Alijah and Charlee in your prayers. 

At 11:30 we headed for Valentine to go swimming at the City Pool.  It's a real nice, large pool.  We had free time from 1:00 until 3:30.  Then the kids had a snack and we hit the road with the vans and big bus.   We were to take Lane home......... but Lane (a second grader) couldn't find his clothes bag and he was somewhat upset.  We all decided (after looking all over) that someone had accidentally taken his bag.  So when we got to his home I went to the door to explain to mom what had happened...... we sure didn't want Lane to get into trouble.   "That's all right", mom said.  Another girl said "you can take us home last, Barb, we aren't in any hurry."  

It was an exhausting week......but a very rewarding week.

Our helpers, Ross and Jessica, and our grandson, Colton, left that night at about midnight.  Colton had been with us for 2 weeks and we hated to see him go.  He was an "easy keeper"!!!!  Such an agreeable little 9 year old.  He had come with "I want to ride the horse again"......and he really did good.  His first time was with Grandma walking right beside him.......the last night he rode, he could get on and off without any help (no one even holding his horse still) and he would go out of our sight and was comfortable with it.  He had a good horse.....Buck is a good ranch horse ---- Rob uses her to rope calves at brandings........ but just a good horse that you can trust with a kid.  I like them kind.

Sue Pfnister left on Saturday morning.  We went from "very busy" - to "no one around".  They both had their good points.  We miss "the crew" --- but it's good to get back to normal.  Today I canned beans, dill pickles and also made a batch of Refrigerator pickles.  Tomorrow I will be canning some of our carrots.  We pullled one tonight that measured 21 inches long!!!!  It wasn't the fattest carrot.....but we were amazed that we could pull it up and not break it off.  The carrots were in our greenhouse.   It's getting too late and I'm not ready with my pictures......maybe another time.

Just wanted to share about the girls accepting Christ.....please pray for them that their faith can continue to grow.

Goodnight and Thanks!!!!  Gary and Barb

PLYC --- another GOOD day with the kids

On Monday we made the Jesus Plaque....Tues and Wed. we worked on (and finished) our "treasure boxes"......and then yesterday (Thursday) we had the kids decorate "already made" cookies and pretzels and then we delivered them around Rosebud.  The Lutheran church is close to several of the tribes Administrative Offices and also to the only gas station in town (the other gas station has closed down for remodeling).  We were well received where ever we went delivering the cookies and the kids thought "that was lots of fun".   It was another relaxing time ---- nice bunch of kids ----- having fun decorating cookies.

 Then came the crazy games.

 We soaked two t-shirts in water ....put them in a zip lock bag....added a little water and then froze it.  Then had to see who could melt the whole business and be the first one to put the shirt on.

 The winners......

 And second place.......

 This is the ???? bucket brigade

 Three kids received a "candy tractor" for saying the memory verses.

And here we have Ross doing his lesson on Noah and the flood.  I told the kids that I really wished this week would not end......we just now have them singing the songs (just about all of them are singing) and now we have to say goodbye.  RATS!  Hopefully, they will remember these songs and the lessons. 

Thank you again for all the prayers. 

Today we will be having our last lesson (about Saul on the road to Damascus)...and then we will be swimming at the Valentine pool.   

If you would - continue to pray for Prairie Light.....we will be having a meeting tomorrow morning on the Rosebud Community Church that we (not just Gary and I - but a bunch of people) are trying to get going.  So far there has been 2 services.   Rev. Stanley Jim - Navajo - from New Mexico is here and we will be working with him on further meetings.

Again THANK YOU for the support.
Gary and Barb, Ross and Jessica, Sue

Prairie Light Youth Camp Monday - Wednesday 2013

Camp is well underway.....and it's seems to be going great.....on Tuesday we heard that there were 94 kids at camp.  WOW!  We only have 10 of those kids but they are REALLY a nice bunch of young people.  Busing is still chaos - but we are all dealing with it.  The chaos comes because the 7th and 8th graders are in Rosebud at the Lutheran Church (because of gym problems at Lakeview) and all of the rest of the kids, at least, start out in Lakeview (the 5th and 6th graders are bused to Rosebud for PE). 

I am going to post some pictures here and try to add a little blurp for you.....it's hard to pick which photo because i've taken a lot  :)   And they might not be in the best of order....... it's early in the morning and I'm in hurry mode.

 This is where we meet.....

 The "waiter game"......  they had to fill their cups and glasses with water - carry them over their head and then dump the water into a bucket and hope to have the fullest bucket.

 Amber had just been to a Conference and she had wonderful things to share with the kids that fit perfectly with our lessons.  She shared often that the kids are of worth to God and they (we all) are His treasures.

Working on our "Jesus Plaques"....paint and paste.....

 A 2 liter bottle on a rope --- better jump high or the rope might hit you.....

 

This is our water balloon game ----- There is one below of Clayton in a "perfect catch".....

 Sue Pfnister giving the Bible lesson

 One of our best loved games ---- a ring on a string and "who has it".....We have played it every day.

The boys made wooden "treasure boxes" and did a fine job!!

 We LOVE it when old time campers come back to help --- here is Mark LHB helping his nephew.   (Mark has graduated from High School but still enjoys coming to PLYC.

The girls made "plastic mesh" treasure boxes. And they did a FINE job too.  It was a very pleasant time working with these girls because they were really in to it.

 Here is our crew.... Sue Pfnister, Ross and Jessica Nagelkirk, me and Gary with the Rosebud Lutheran Church in the background --- wish we could have gotten the top of the steeple in the pic.

 Our fabulous cook -- Rozzie Danhof ---- GOOD FOOD!!

Charlee working on here "box".

  Beach Ball Volleyball --- the wind did a number on the players every once in a while.....

 Another shot of the girls with their boxes almost finished.

Another one of Amber Elk Looks Back's creations ---- with the kids's names in God's treasure chest.

It's time for breakfast here and so I am being called into action.
THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS!!!!  Keep them coming.
The PLYC Crew