The Pastor's Place

I needed a copy of a song for next Sunday's worship and checked around in an attempt to find someone that had a copy. I was told that a certain teacher at De Motte Chrisitian school would have a copy. I called her on Sunday past and she said to meet her in her classroom yesterday morning. When I reached her classroom, she greeted me warmly. We began to visit. An hour and a half later, I walked out with my music. Judy (not her real name) is the wife of one of our former ministers. She and her husband live in the same area but they attend a different church now. She is a dear woman of God and one with whom I feel I have a special bond. She explained how much she missed our fellowship. To be honest, my heart ached for her. You see, about ten years ago, the relationship between our church and her husband became very strained as so many of those relationships do these days. Eventually, her husband was asked to leave his position. I remember Ken and I fighting those efforts and attempting to support our pastor. We saw areas that needed improvement but there was not valid reason to seperate the marriage of pastor and congregation. At least that was the way we saw it at the time and probably would still see it that way. Several months of strained relationships developed between pastor and congregation and between those congregational members for the pastor and against the pastor. It was ugly for everyone. I recall grieving deeply over it all. I grieved especially for the pastor, his wife and his children. Eventually, the pastor seperated from the congregation. That wasn't the end of things however. Those who made the most noise continued to be unhappy. Eventually, some of those, too, left the congregation and went on to greener pastures.

The pastor and his family relocated in an adjoining town. He found work as a chaplain in a hospital which fit his gifts perfectly. They joined a sister church. As we visited yesterday, it occurred to me that Judy is still feeling the results of that ugly affair. She shared that she misses some of the relationships she had developed in our fellowship.

I smile as I think of how God has worked in the lives of both our congregation and that pastor and his wife. He has done what He does best, He has put us all back together. Only He can put Humpty Dumpty back together again. The pastor has had a satisfying job for the last ten years. His wife continues to enjoy her teaching job at the same school at which she was working then. Their children have all grown and most have married and are on their own. Judy and her husband have grown in their personal lives and are healing from what our church did to them. Our church has healed, too. We went on in God's grace and rebuilt the family of God at Community. Our church has grown twice or three times its size since then. Even as a result of the sin of His people, God is gracious and heals those situations that come about at the failure of human beings. He is so good. His dealings with us remind me very much of His dealings with the Israelites. No matter how many times they failed Him, He brought them through even using supernatural methods.

I think those of us who were congregants at Community Church during that dark time in our history, would do next to anything to avoid such a time as that again. We learned much through that experience. One of the best lessons is that all people are human with frailties peculiar to each individual. We learned that we can't expect perfection and that God has awarded each of His children with specific gifts and abilities and can use those to His glory.

Forgive our nation's churches, Lord, for the way we treat your servants.

I Wonder If He Will Notice

You may laugh if you were peering out my sunroom window this morning. Well, I wouldn't be offended because I am laughing, too.

When we returned to my brother's home in Wisconsin last week, his wife graciously suggested I do some of our laundry so that I wouldn't have to do that when I got home. When I am at home I hang all my pants and shirts once they have the wrinkles out of them in the the few minutes they tumble in the dryer. I find the clothes have more body that way and THEY DO NOT SHRINK. Sue's laundry area is in her back entry way and there wasn't any place to hang my clothes. I had seen she had a line up in her yard so I hung them there. When I got them off the line, I was reminded of what clothes used to smell like. I remember hearing a young child many years ago call that aroma, God's perfume.

Now I haven't had a clothes line in my yard for probably thirty years. What 21st century woman on the go would have a clothes line? When I suggested to my husband that I may want to put up a clothes line, he scoffed at me. "They're ugly" was his reply. I told him that I had scanned the yard for a good place and thought I had found one. He wasn't interested. I wasn't deterred. I found the line at the Ace Hardware and an eye screw to put into the electric pole I was going to use as one of my anchors. Ken did humor me enough to turn the screw into the pole, but that was it for one day. On another day, when I dared bring it up again, I asked if he would help me put up the line. He warned me that the line would be too short to be any good. I told him I was aware the line would be short but that there just wasn't a better place in the yard to put it without spending mega bucks on some kind of post, concrete, etc. So he reluctantly put up the line. One can tell reluctance when one knows another well even though words are not exchanged.

When Ken's mother broke up housekeeping several years ago, we for some strange reason saved her half bushel of clothes pins. They have been in the garage on a shelf for all of the winters and summers since. Today, I washed the sheets from our bed and then went digging in the garage. I found the basket quite easily. I chuckled that something that has been of no use for so long was so acccessible. I thought perhaps I would need to soak those pins in Clorox before I could use them. I was pleased to see they were as clean as when Mom used them. Mom was no slouch when it came to clean. Everything was orderly and Dutch clean including her clothes pins. I took our sheets out to our "too short" clothes line and double pinned them on the line.

When I walked into the house, I laughed at myself. There was a time in my life that hanging my clothes outside was beneath me. I remembered from childhood the Monday morning races in the neighborhood to see who was the fastest and hardest worker. Because for sure, the one that hung her clothes out earliest won that title. There was also the challenge to have the "whitest" whites on your line. I was a modern girl with a clothes dryer and had no need for such out moded things as a clothes line and clothes pins and no desire at all for clothes washing contests.

To be honest, I love the smell of clothes dried in the great out of doors. It truly was God's perfume emanating from those shirts I wore after they had dried outside at Sue's and Jim's house. I can just dream of the aroma we will enjoy as we crawl into that clean bed tonight. I wonder if he'll notice.

My Small Group

Last evening the small group Bible Study we are in from our church met for a picnic. We have a rousing good time when we get together these days. The weather was perfect for a picnic; in the high seventies, calm air and evening sunshine.

When our group got together the first year, I was disillusioned. We were all people that had socialized together and some of us had known each other for many, many years. When it came time to share during our study times, it seemed it was difficult for us to be transparent with each other. That was not the kind of Bible study I was interested in continuing even though I loved each of the members deeply. I felt that if I were to grow spiritually from my small group, I was going to have to find some people that I didn't know as well. My husband and I talked about this problem that was basically mine and he agreed with me. However, he felt he loved these people and didn't want to leave the group. We decided to join another group and also stay with the original group. The new group had some new Christians in it and I felt it would be very exciting to let the energy of a new follower of Jesus rub off on me a bit. Well, it seemed that each date the new group decided to hold a meeting, we were busy. During that six week session, Ken went once and I wasn't able to attend at all. Then something happened in our old group that would change the whole complexion of the group. A new Christian, recently seperated from her husband and faced with difficult medical problems, joined our group. Suddenly, those same people who seemed hesitant to share the deep things of their hearts, began to open up to this dear woman and pour out their hearts of faith and encouragement to her. As they shared with our new friend they also began to share with each other. Later another couple joined also and though they are seasoned Christians, we didn't know them as well as we had the others. This turn of events has thrilled my heart. Now the group is what my heart had be longing. I can feel a closeness that wasn't there before.

Last evening, one of our members quietly said, "I think each family that can should put x amount of dollars together and give it to Nancy". (not her real name). Nancy's husband does not send her money regularly and she can't work to make money because of her phsyical condition. It thrilled me that the heart of the people in our group is for the benefit of our new friend. Unbeknown to Nancy, people were pulling out their wallets and placing a few bucks in an envelope.

While we sat around a mesmerizing camp fire, Nancy shared with us the things she has learned that would indicate her husband has been living a double life. They were sad and humbling things. They were even scary things when one considers how she may end up financially after all this is settled.

One of the guys of our group is also an elder. He gently walked over to Nancy and handed her the envelope telling her that we thought she may need a few dollars and that we wanted her to use it for what ever was most needful. She responded as most of us would, first with a no I can't accept this and then graciously surrendering to receipt of a loving gift. The amount was not a big one. That wasn't the point. The point was that out of the blue, a group of Christians felt led to give a gift to one that is going through a huge trial. It was moving and made me so proud and happy to be part of this Bible Study group.

After Nancy had spilled her mourning heart to us we took it all to the Lord in prayer. A quiet moment followed. One of our guys said, "Well, your "over the hill" friends here are for you.". It broke the silence and because most of our members are over fifty, every laughed lovingly. As we parted in the darkness of the night, I saw various members, men and women alike, walk over to Nancy and place a heartfelt hug of Christ around her.

My point in all this is that God does mighty things when we pray to be used. I know I wasn't the only member of that group that felt stagnant. Others had joined me in praying for God to do something among us and He has in a most wonderful way. It all comes down to serving others. When there is an opportunity for serving, there is opportunity to grow.

Interacting With The Young

Yes, I missed a day. That wasn't noticed when I first started this thing but now, readers say, "you didn't blog today". There will be times when I have nothing to say. I know that's hard to believe for those who know me really well but yesterday, I felt as if I had nothing to say. My memories hadn't been triggered and there wasn't anything on my mind that needed to get off. I even asked the Lord if He had anything He wanted me to say, and there was silence. So, I took a break.

I almost hate to admit this, but Lauri and I went shopping again yesterday. I hate to admit that we were gone the whole day again. Lauri and I both have an eye for clearance tags. We do our best shopping at 70-90 % off. We really do. I've had people question my integrity on that statement but once they shop with me they find I was telling the truth all along. Well, this is the stores' end of summer so the sales are abundant. That makes for shopping heaven for both of us. We took Lauri's three girls with us. They are ages fourteen, eleven and eight. One could tell they were thrilled to have a "ladies day out" with their mama and their grandma. They all sat so proper in the van as we headed to Merrillville. As the day wore on they got funnier and funnier. You would have grinned to watch us in DWS looking at the sale rack and trying on shoes. Sidney realized that even though she wore a size 3 girl's shoe, she could also wear a size six women's shoe. She pranced all over on this high heel and that feeling very grown up. Poor Alex and I wear size nine like so many other American women so there were no good bargains for us. Lauri, Sydney and Mackenna made out like bandits. The trick in DWS is to ONLY look at shoes with a yellow sticker; they are the 70% shoes.

Some of our other stops were Penneys, Hobby Lobby, Claires, Limited, Too, and Rave. You can tell I was with the young. At Rave, they had boxes of clearance items near the front of the store. There were the five of us digging and throwing. It was a ball and the kids were having the time of their lives as they evaluated each item they found. Grandma pulled out a brown furry bolero. Cute as a button in Grandma's evaluation. The girls laughed as I put it on and my daughter said, "I really like it Mom, you need to get that." So, I have a new fun garment for winter. Alex said, "Wait until I tell my friends that my grandmother shops at Rave!" I pleaded that she not do that but she laughed in a way that I knew I was dead in the water on that hope.

For lunch we splurged at Costco; a long hotdog and drink for a buck and a half. We had other treats throughout the day so we weren't denied anything. Starbucks was one of our last hurrays and we went home carrying our white cups with green lettering in a brown sleeve feeling very satisfied. There is nothing that compares with it.

I've thought some about the significance of such a day as yesterday. Spending time with those we love and just letting go of all inhibitions (at least with each other). We shared so many laughs. One of my grandaughters confessed that she lies to her mother because she doesn't want her mother to worry. What a bitter sweet thing that revelation was. Her mommy explained that that was betrayal. Even though her motive was loving, it is better to tell mom the truth because there may be important decisions hanging on that truth. We learned that one of the girls is the perfect one (at least in her estimation). That brought much laughter as well. And we learned that the little girl who can spend money faster than her daddy can make it is growing up and evaluating her purchases in a more mature way. It is such joy to see each one chomping at the bit to grow up and earn some independence.

My interaction with my grandaughers yesterday made me think about how things change as we get older. I am no longer happy or excited when I need a bigger shoe size or if I have to buy a bigger pants or shirt. There is just simply no thrill in that in my life anymore. To little girls, it is a sign of growing up to need a larger size. To me, it is a sign of getting too big and growing older. What once was fun is now cause for pause (especially when I reach for something full of calories).

Retirement is Here

It will be three weeks ago tomorrow that I turned in my retirement letter to the appropriate offices. The decision is made. I think. Actually, I doubt there is any turning back at this point. I have a few mixed feelings but on the whole I am delighted that I will not have to watch the clock five days out of every week. It was getting difficult to do that. I have pushed myself most of my life and find it not all that attractive any longer. When I was sick last fall, it occured to me that there is more to life than a job that requires more of my time than I care to give. It was a satisfying job and one in which I felt God truly used me. I received a thank you card from one of this year's graduating seniors for a gift given to him at his open house. He had some very glowing words to say about the impact I had on his days in school. That was most humbling. I will miss those encounters. Even though I worked in a public high school, God afforded me so many opportunities to share my faith. I can't count the number of times, I took students into an adjoining room for prayer. With all the stresses of our culture, the broken homes and the drugs that pull to destroy their lives, there are many times that call for God to move in solving unsolvable situations. I count it a blessing to have seen Him work in teen's lives. I hope and pray I have sown seeds of salvation in many teenagers. Teens are the best. I love them and see such great joy in interacting with them.

Some folks have made comments like, "You finally know when it is time". Well, I think it is time. I haven't been very vocal about my decision because I find that others find it very easy to fill my time with this or that activity. Quite frankly, I wish to take this transition rather quietly, easily and carefully while listening to God's direction with what He wants for me to do with my time. Hopefully, He will grant me some time to rest and enjoy the freedom. I can find plenty to do right here in my home. I have eight children and seventeen grandchildren that can also enjoy a bit of interaction with the "mom". My youngest daughter is having her first baby and I so wish to be able to give her my time during this transition in her life. I realize that the numbers of baby grandchildren will be few from now on and I want to enjoy the ones that are still to come. With the other"in town" grandchildren who are growing up, there are more and more activities they would like grandma to attend. Now I will be able to do that without overextending myself.

In addition to those things, more independence opens the door for Ken and me to travel more. We have already enjoyed two wonderful trips this year and plan at least one more before year's end. Spending time with the love of my life is something we both enjoy but something we have had little time for over the years of rearing a large family and working to make ends meet the middle.

I suppose this is what one might call, the official announcement of retirement. Please don't rush to make me chairman of this committee or that because I will deny any such effort. I know God will in His time show me where I can best serve Him and then I will be willing and ready.

Hostessing is God's Buisness

ONE of the gardens is clean. Parts of others have also seen improvement. There are muscles I didn't know I had that are speaking to me this morning. For all the work I did yesterday, I deserve a break, right? So this morning, daughter Lauri will pick me up by 8:15 a. m. and we are going to shopping mecca, Merrillville. We have a few things to do but this is mainly just a time to get away together. We must be home early enough to scan a few garage sales that begin this afternoon. The daughter who lives with us is contemplating an independent move and says she needs furniture so we will see what is available today. We would be happy for her if she and her son could have a place of their own.

While I'm preparing to leave home this morning, there is a guilt that overcomes me when I look at the windows that need washing. That guilt quickly disapates as I concur that rain is possible and who would want to wash windows in the rain? There is always tomorrow.

On Saturday, our small group from church is having a picnic at one member's home. I volunteered to bring apetizers. Apetizers are my favorite part of a big meal. First of all, one doesn't have to be seated around a table to enjoy them. This finger food can be picked up before the meal begins. I love that part. I have been considering which apetizers I will bring. I have only chosen one so far but will probably get ideas at Costco today. Tomato cheese bread is something my daughter Lauri taught me to make. I have changed the original recipe a bit and come out with a scrumptious delight. Costco sells a two loaf package of roasted garlic bread that is wonderful. Sliced into rather thick pieces, I butter those and slide them under the broiler for a few moments until they are lightly browned on the edges. Then I add a generous portion of shredded white cheese. On top of that is placed a thick slice of fresh tomato. A sprinkle of basil and back into the broiler it goes. When the cheese is melted and the tomato looks broiled it is ready to devour. Wonderful stuff. I find such delight in making people happy. Serving tasty things brings as much joy to me as eating it does to my guests.

One of the things I learned on my trip was that hostesses come in all kinds and each is a joy to their guests. The home doesn't need to be a palace to be warm and welcoming to people. The gardens don't all have to be manicured. The dust doesn't all need to be invisible. After spending delightful time in other's homes, I realize that for most of my years, I've tried to have all the elements right before inviting people for fellowship. That is a big mistake that I and many others make. Most of those that entertained me on our trip, didn't know we were coming. They warmly welcomed us into their comfortable homes. Homes speak of how people live when guests are not there. Pictures of children and grandchildren in every nook and cranny proved to me how important family was to some of our hostesses. Books lying on tables and the floor revealed the love of learning by others. Five different hostesses entertained us while we were on our vacation. Each in their own way expressed their welcome and delight at our visit. I came home more determined to be a good hostess and not procrastinate. For a long time I have thought of having dinners for eight at my home. My plan is to invite six people from our church for lunch or dinner. I would mix up the people in no organized way. Perhaps invite every tenth couple in the directory. I don't know how I would manage the invitations but it has been fun musing. Hospitality is one of God's directives. He knows how important it is to welcome others into our lives. When I was a child, it was very common to have "company" on Sunday evening. I don't think church folk entertain in their homes like they once did. Now we say, "Would you like to meet us at Old Country Buffet?" on Friday night". Its time to put down the masks and welcome others into our homes. I'll see if I can get my plan off the drawing board and into action.

Weeds in My Garden/Weeds in Me

We were gone from home about sixteen days. Before we left, the gardens around our place were in fairly good shape, not weedless but under control. Sixteen days later and the weeds have taken over. Yuk! My only hope at the moment is frost in October but I know I have to do something sooner about them than letting the natural salvation of frost save me. It isn't quite August yet. October is a long way off. Before I left on vacation, I washed all my gardening gloves and they are on a pile in the garagewaiting to be used. I'd better get at that today.

Last night, I went to our church counsel meeting with a young girl I had been mentoring for membership. In our church tradition, we call what she was doing as "making profession of her faith in Jesus Christ as her Savior". Elise and I met about eight times over the course of about ten weeks. We studied the truths of the Bible through the teachings of a book for that purpose. We got to know and appreciate each other. She is a wonderful young lady just filled with gifts and abilities. While we were visiting with the elders, one of the elders talked with us about the importance of confessing our sins and allowing Jesus to cleanse us so that we can be the kind of people God wants us to be, reflecting His beauty.

That sort of relates to my weed problem in the garden. As long as I was home and could take out the weeds every few days, the flowers grew well, they were healthy and they granted beauty to those who viewed them. When I, as God's child, regularly confess my sins and allow the cleansing blood of Jesus to remove my sins, I grow well, I am spiritually and emotionally healthy, and I can show Christ's beauty to those with whom I come into contact. But just as my gardens filled with ugly weeds while I didn't tend to them ; if I neglect my time with Jesus and not ask Him to forgive those things that displease Him, the sin in me becomes detrimental to me and everyone else and I quit growing and turn ugly.

There are so many lessons in nature that underscore the teaching that God gives us in His Word about the way we are to live and what results we can expect when we do what He says or when we choose to go our own way. Dear Lord, give us eyes to see and clear understanding of the importance of living your way. Help us to see the weeds in our own lives and confess them to you knowing that the result is beauty and peace as you restore us to yourself".

Home

The last two days have been spent traveling. We weren't so driven, however, that we couldn't stop for the unexpected surprise or attraction. On Saturday, we left from Sterling Colorado and traveled on I-80 until Dubuque Iowa. It was much the same mile after mile but it was so beautiful. As we slid back into the familiar types of trees and the familiar crops in the field, I took a mental step back and reminded myself that we live in beautiful country. We saw the mountains and they were breathtaking. I want to visit them again. But the beauty of green grass along the highway and the row after row of recently tasseled corn so perfectly spaced was such a rich sight. While the mountains and plains provide much meat for us, the midwest certainly is the grain provider. It was obvious that Nebraska had had adequate rain. As I recall Nebraska can be very dry at this time of year and generally sports dried grass and weeds but this time, the plants of all kinds were lush with green vibrance.

Around dinner time, we were in the Amana Colonies. I was there once before and got there just before the shops were closing. It was the same experience this time. We had about twenty minutes to fly through a couple of shops. We got to the chocolate chop about a minute after it closed. That was truly disappointing. We ate at one of their famous family style dinner places. By that time I was so weary of restaurant food. Nothing sounded good. The rest had chicken and seemed to enjoy the meal. I enjoyed a piece of rasberry pie and called it a meal.

When we were on the road again, we began to calculate how many more hours it would take for us to reach Randoph, Wisconsin where my brother and wife live. We decided that if we drove on, we would probably arrive around midnight. We decided to safe the cost and time of a hotel and go on. We drove through Madison, Wisconsin and purposefully drove into town to see their capitol building at night. It was fashioned after the capitol in DC and at night it's beauty is captivating as the lighting makes it appear so dignified.

We did arrive in Randolph around midnight and it felt so good to be in a familiar surroundings. We dragged our weary bodies to the bed we slept in the night before we left on our trip and sleep several peaceful hours.

Sunday morning Jim and I were up early as usual and we went to church together leaving Sue at home to get things back together and leaving our driver in bed. He woke with a splitting headache and asked for pain reliever. It was best to let him lie. He had driven all but around four hours for the 6,500 miles we traveled. We feel so blest for the safety we enjoyed, the majesty and beauty we witnessed and the fellowship that was so sweet.

Around four o'clock, we said our goodbyes and headed toward Racine, Wisconsin where we attended the wake of a brother of a friend of ours. He passed away after a difficult five years of debilating brain disfunction. We praise the Lord for taking him to eternal rest and lift His family to the Father for comfort.

Arrived at home around ten o'clock and were reunited with our family here. Today, we will see the rest of the loved ones in our area and enjoy their precious personalities and characters.

Home is so sweet.

Richness of Recognizing the Creator

We woke in Estes Park to beautiful sun and clear skies this morning. Elk were walking the streets as we drove through town to find a restaurant for our breakfast. Nearly all mornings we were blessed to have breakfast in our motel/hotel but this time we were happy to find a place to stay in Estes Park for no more than we had been paying even though it didn't offer breakfast.

We had breakfast at The Egg and I and then walked across the street to Starbucks for our usual. There was a back down in Starbucks to a little patio next to a beautiful rushing mountain stream. Such a backyard would be the envy of any other Starbucks in the nation. We all sat and drank our brew and then walked some of the rocks on the side of the stream. The sun glistened in the rushing water and the sound was balm to our spirits.

We entered Rocky Mountain National Park again. I remembered that 24 years ago, my son, Josh, daughter Kendra, friend Joyce and her daughter Sarah had taken this trip to a reunion of a trip group to Korea. We took the Old Fall River Drive then and it was so amazing I suggested it again. The road is one way up the mountain and is dirt road and in some places a bit of gravel. It is an awesome sight. Mountains on all sides and as high as the eye can see. As the name implies, the road follows the river and as we made the climb we stopped several times to see where the river was falling over the rocks and trees. We looked up at the peaks where snow fields were shining in the morning sun. Soon we were realizing that the snow fields were no longer so high above us but we were climbing to them. The air was thinning out as well as the trees. Less and less foliage lined our roadway and we soon realized we had climbed to the Alpine Tundra. There were more oohs and aahs than we can recall and the sight on all sides of us was more than we could take in. We began to mention adjectives that we would use to descibe the scene.
Stupendous
Gigantic
Beautiful
Overwhelming
Quiet (in the meadows)
Noisey (at the waterfalls)
Cold (at the top-low sixties and strong wind)
Wonderful
Majestic

These were but a few. One can't describe to another the wonder of it all. When we got to the top peak we were 12000 feet above sea level. We felt as if we were on top of the world. It was glorious and at one point brought all of us to a moving moment. At one of the outlooks we stopped to do our morning devotions. We have been doing this each day with the four of us and it has been a sweet moment each day as we read from a little devotional booklet and then one of us prays for all of us. We read from Psalm 119 where it talks about the preciousness of the Word of God and here we were looking out at the Word of God in creation. We sang a song of praise together and then told Him we were bending our knee in humility as we saw the vastness of His power and greatness in these mountains. It was a special moment indeed!

We ate lunch at the top of the peak in a park restaurant. We also picked up a few special souvenirs that will always remind us of this precious day. Ken bought a leather hat he couldn't resist and I found an awesome deal on a stunning leaf shaped Swedish glass dish. Sue
bought a set of turgoise earings to wear with a necklace she alreedy has and she is a happy camper. Jim got his souvenir at a garage sale at which we stopped on our way into the park. He found a new set of tools that had never been opened. He was by far the one who spent the least amount of money.

When we exited the park we began our trek back to the midwest, first to bring Jim and Sue to Wisconsin and then Ken and I will return to our beloved Indiana. While going through Greeley, we stopped at the corporate headquarters of the company for which my brother works.

Now we are stopped in Sterling, Our sightseeing is o'er and our bound is homeward. We are ready, but we have made memories, had experiences and seen things we will always hold dear.

Now we are going to dinner.

Seasonings and Reasonings

Thursday we left Rawlins at about 7:30. We had about three hours of travel to Fort Collins. My husband's cousin, Anjean VanderVliet lives there. We had a rather closer relationship with she and her husband and children about thirty five years ago but now we hadn't seen her for many years. We were happy to find her well, busy as a bee, and apparently very happy. She has a close female friend and together they are never idle.

Then we were on to Boulder to the Celestrial Seasonings Company for a tour. It was a delightful tour and because I'm an herb tea drinker, it was very interesting to me and hopefully to those with whom I'm traveling. I savored all the wonderful aromas from mint to black pepper and cloves. Both Sue and I wish we had purchased tea pots there but we were too dutch at the time and now have regrets. They were so exquisite. I must confess that after purchasing many tea pots at garage sales, it is painful to pay retail price for one. Too bad too sad.

Then on to Estes Park. Such a beautiful tucked in the woods mountain town. Estes is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. This park is one my favorites. After we had dinner last evening (Jim had an elk burger, I wasn't quite that brave), we went into the park in hopes of seeing big horn sheep at dusk. We saw none but we did see some more elk, beautiful animals and a wolf. My binoculars came in handy. I was exceptionally fatigued during our wildlife tour and so we decided to come back to our hotel and get a good night of rest. I feel like a new person this morning.

We made the decision to enjoy today and not push to see more. We will go through this park and take our time. We decided not to go to Pikes Peak this trip. Makes me sad to not cover everything but just as withy all other things it my life, I pack it in. We have seen sooooo much so eliminating a bit from our trip is insurance of coming back again one day.

ANIMALS TODAY

Yesterday we covered lots of miles. We saw more sage brush than was necessary but we learned that sage brush is the life stay for most of the wildlife roaming these mountains and hills. Sage brush need only four inches of rain a year to stay alive. Another proof that God has planned our world for the benefit of the living.

We stopped to see the Mormon grandeur in Salt Lake City. For the life of me I can't figure out how that religion developed. There seems to be such strange things they hang on to. They do impress me with their wonderful Mormon Tabernacle Choir, however. I bought a couple Cds and have been playing them in the car. I also admire their honor of family but not for the reasons they hold true.

We had a great day in the wild life world. Just as we were passing the Nevada/Wyoming border, we were shocked to see a bull moose about twenty feet from us in the median. At first it appeared as if he were struggling to get sure footing becauswe it was steep there. We all worried he was going to come up on the road and run in front of us. It was certainly a close sighting and we all loved seeing him. Later as it got closer to evening , we saw prong horned antelope in the fields. They were grazing in the fields for miles. I speculate we saw about fifty or more of them. It was a serene and beautiful sight. When we reached Rawlins we were searching for a motel and came around a turn in the road when we saw cars stopped. (Always a good sign of wildlife in view). We aren't sure what type of mule deer with huge racks. The racks were the big attraction of course. There must of been about five or six of them and they were all male. The sight of wildlife in their natural environment is a thrill each time.

As fortunate we were with wildlife, finding a motel was not as easy. We ended up in a Travelodge that is NOT clean and we paid exceedly more than any of those we have stayed in to date. Ridiculous. However, all the hotels were full but this one, so we were thankful to find a place to lay our weary heads. We will walk away and try not to remember this one.

A New But Smokey Morning

We've learned a few more details about the fire. The glow we saw last night was not a new fire as we thought but the very fire that was detaining us. Shortly after we saw that glow, the traffic began to move on I-80. That was good news that we could move in the morning. Being from the midwest, it is difficult to accept that there isn't another route to take. At home there are a gazillion routes to bypass a difficulty. Not so here. There was one alternative route which would have put us going about 130 miles out of our way. But that route eventually closed as well so we were thankful we didn't start out in the hope of making it through that way.

Jeff and Dena and Ken and I discussed what possible purpose God had in mind for our meeting. I'm sure one thing is to encourage these folk who live in such an isolated area. As Dena said a few minutes ago while she is busy making a five course breakfast, "When we have company, we celebrate!" I'm sure there are lessons we are taking from here. One is that God has His people planted in strategic places in our country and around the world. He uses them as He sees fit. Another reminder is that God has His protective care and His bountiful provisions always ready
for His people even when it doesn't appear that way.

Dena played a beautiful arrangement of Beautiful Savior on the piano for us before we went to bed last eveninig. We also read from "The Word and enjoyed conversation over God's truth and promises. We have enjoyed a rich experience once again/ Thank you Father for all your good gifts.

A Day to Remember

Our drive across Oregon into Nevada was rather uneventful and boring UNTIL....................
We drove from Winnemucca to Battle Mountain and had planned to go as far as we could toward Salt Lake City tonight. God had other plans. As we came up to the Battle Mt. exit, I noticed a parking lot of trucks on Route 80 for as far as the eye could see. I immediately slowed down and told the inhabitants of the car that we were getting off here to find out what was going on. We found a visitor's center and Ken and Jim went in to see what they could learn. They came out dejected and said there was a wild fire and I-80 was closed. The back up was for 51 miles. We began to search for a hotel. As we expected, each was filled to the brim. As we drove back toward the expressway, I said to the Lord audibly, "What do you want us to do?" We were hungry so we looked for a restaurant. The only thing we could find was a MacDonalds, not my idea of a good dinner spot. We each got a little to eat and then went to the car for the Skippo cards to wile away the hours. We were told it would be 18 hours at the least. We took our cards to a concrete table outside the restaurant so that those how were lined up for food could eat indoors in the airconditioning. It was 93 degrees. The sun was blazing on us and we eventually solved that problem by pouring ice water on our arms and wiping our necks and faces with it to give a cooling effect. We talked about how it would be if we had to sleep in our car. We decided to give thanks to God for MacDonalds. At least we felt safe in the parking lot and we would have a bathroon until their closing time. We had food available for that long as well and knew they would open early in the morning also. God was good. Eventually we decided to ride over to a church that we could see from the fast food joint. We found it was a Morman church and negated the thought of trying to have our daughter who was on the cell phone with us find that church on the computer and give us a number to call. We had seen a little steeple on a side street in town and I had commented that I wanted to ride by it to take a picture of it as I could see it was very old. It was built in 1872 we learned. We drove up to the church and a young gal perhaps in her early or mid thirties was getting some things out of her car. We thought perhaps she was another stranded motorist but then she began to walk toward the back door of the church. We opened the car window and called to her. She smiled and walked toward us. We told her our delimna and she said, " Would you like me to see if I can find someone of the church to put you up?" We said that would be wonderful. She walked into the church and was gone for a few minutes. When she came out she said an elder and his wife were coming to lead us to their home. Then she asked where we were from. We told her we were from De Motte Indiana. She said, "De Motte, really? I have relatives there". We asked whom that may be and it turned out to be a man that I went to school with in both grade and high school. It was uncanny. We then spent time talking about being a member of the Christian Reformed Church. We learned this church was and Orthodox Pres. Church. Her name was Sharla Heerema. By the time the elder and his wife got to the church, Sharma and we had become friends in Christ.

It turns out that the minister of the church is the son-in-law of the elder and his wife. They have taken us to their home and are putting Ken and me up in their home. Jim and Sue are staying in the preacher's home. The preacher's family is on vacation. Dena, the lady of this house said she put clean sheets on both her daughter and son in law's bed and on the guest bed here in her home today. She mentioned that a couple of times as she thought how God had prepared her. Jeff and Dena had been to the municipal pool tonight and seeing the huge parking lot on route 80 had commented that they wished God would send someone to their home for shelter and respite tonight. God is so good.

At present, Jim and Sue are alone at the preacher's house. Ken and Jeff are outdoors watching a new fire that has started just above their town. It is dark now and the glow of the fire is amazing. It appears that route 80 is moving again so hopefully we will have an open road to jump on in the morning. Dena has just gone to her friend to get some fresh eggs for breakfast. She got some sausages and bread from her daughter's house. It's looking like there will be a great breakfast in the mountain. Dena is a relaxed and gracious hostess and said she is excited about making a big breakfast.

Jeff and Dena have moved here from Seattle to be with their daugher and husband and their four boys. The daughter is pregnant again and is having a baby girl. They are very excited about this new baby. Prior to Seattle Jeff lived in Alaska for 20 years. They are kind of present day frontier people. Jeff is a technology expert and works from his home. At one point Jeff worked for Bill Gates. Dena is a music teacher and a piano teacher. Jeff has had innumerable major or traumatic experiences, one was that he was stranded on a mountain for several days.
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God grants us such wonderful experiences in life. Not our plan, but for one reason or another His plan was that we meet Jeff and Dena and enjoy great and gracious hospitality from fellow believers in Christ.

God is so good

Our night was restful and was much needed. Today we begin to go east instead of west. We still have much to see and more people to rekindle relationships with. Now we have more vacation days behind us than before us. God has been so absolutely good. I was thinking while in the shower this morning that this is somewhat of a once in a lifetime trip. Most will not cover as many miles as this has. Plus, we may not be able to share again with my brother and wife what we have shared on this experience. I can feel the love deepen and the understanding grow. Actually, Ken and I are even getting used to Jim's snoring and can rest without interuption. We are so blessed.

Jedidiah Redwoods and the Ocean

Another wonderful day. We traveled through the Jedidiah Redwood forests today. We took a trail and saw beautiful trees in all different situations; some on their side and some that we could walk under. The ones on their side seemed longer than when the trees were standing. Amazingly tall and amazingly fat. What majestic trees!

After our walk through the woods it was time to eat our picnic lunch. We used a cut off stump of a redwood as our picnic table. It was huge and easily handled all the things we had to choose from to fill our plates. The chipmunks and Dirty Bluejays were chomping at the bit to scarf down our meal. Wendy kept shooing them all away with, "Not yet, we aren't finished and it isn't your turn." It was hilarious.

We continued our trek to the Pacific Ocean on the coast in Cresent City. We enjoyed tipping our toes in the water and taking pictures of the rocky coast. Along the bay were piles and piles of crab cages. A different world from Indiana.

On our way home we stopped and enjoyed a box of Hagen Daz ice cream bars. We rested a couple hours in the hotel and then went to Marie Calanders for dinner. We met Pat and Wendy and Abigal. It was our farewell dinner. After dinner all said their goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. We enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the Wehlers and Lewis's.

It is almost ten oclock and we are readying for bed. Tomorrow will be a long day as we hope to reach Salt Lake City by nightfall. It will be another 12 hour day.

Home is Where the Heart Is

It is so difficult for me to adjust to time changes. When the time moved back one hour, I mentally remained on "home" time. Now it is a two hour fall backI am dealing with and two hours makes enough difference in staying with the culture around me that I can't pretend anymore. As a result, I am finding my nights are much shorter. I stay up later and continue to rise early as I do at home. It is five o'clock a. m. here in the mountains and it is seven o'clock at home. My biological clock says, it is time to get up. I fought with my BC for awhile but going back to sleep was not an option. I couldn't get there so I will spend the next three hours getting ready for our day. The sky is just beginning to lighten and the mountain ridge is becoming visible.

Grant's Pass is a beautiful valley town surrounded by mountains. As I scanned the 360 degree sight last evening, it occured to me that the residents of this fair city have probably gotten so used to the view that it doesn't make the same impression on them as it does on us who don't see it often. I have heard comments from visitors to Indiana who comment about the beautiful corn fields. We see them everyday and don't pay much attention. I suppose that is the way it is anywhere one lives.

It is interesting to see that as the terrain changes across this country, the people are much the same as in other areas. People are people. We all have the same basic needs and requirements. There are some differences that I have noticed. Across the desolate places, people live very frontier like. Homes are small shacks or trailers. Most have no green grass neatly manicured around their homestead. Dirt driveways make a path from road to living quarters. Junk lay around the perimeter as if those things have laid there for decades. Life in the populated areas is much different. We seem to subdue our immediate surroundings in a more aggressive manner. I am again reminded on this trip, how blessed we are. Home will seem more like a castle when I arrive there. I will, at least for awhile, not look at those that have more, but thank my Lord for the wonderful blessings of comfort and beauty He has given me in my humble home in De Motte, Indiana.

Gracious Hospitality Received

We are back to a wireless base so I can continue, that is, as long as I can remember two days ago. I believe the last time I blogged was on Thursday.
Friday morning we took off rather early to cross the southern part of Utah and most of the southern portion of Oregon. I guess none of us realized how far that was going to be and how many hours it would take us. If the scenery were interesting it wouldn't have seemed so long but most of the terraine was as much desert as Arizona. I couldn't believe how vast and desolate that part of the county is. At least in Arizona there are interesting cacti to look at such as the gigantic siguraro. Here it was acres and acres and miles and miles of scrub brush. Not the least beautiful or interesting. There were a couple of mountain passes that we crossed and those were magnificent. Those passes kept the day alive. We drove 12 hours that day. Sue would read the map and it became a joke as her last comment each time would be, "we have quite a ways to go yet".

We arrived at Grant's Pass at approximately 8:30pm. It was nearly dark when we arrived at Pat Striker and Jack Wehler's home. It was a joy for Ken and me as we watched precious friends reunited. Pat and her former husband Dave were best friends with my brother and his wife during the time their children were growing up. Pat and her new husband, Jack, moved to this area eleven years ago. The friends haven't seen each other since. Their home doesn't have room for four extra people so Pat graciously arranged for Ken and me to stay with friends of theirs. We had lovely accomodations and commented to each other as we drove away yesterday morning that it isn't everyone who would stay with people that are strangers and it certainly isn't everyone that would host strangers on the spur of the moment. We had a lovely few moments with Sue and Danny Sawyer and shared the bond of Christian fellowship.

Yesterday morning, Pat and Jack and Pat's two children , Wendy and Ryan met us at a restaurant in town for breakfast. Wendy's husband, BJ and their little Abigal were there as well. We had a rousing time with precious conversation and good food. While we sat at the table, I dialed my sister's number in Florida and gave the phone to Pat. Pat was a friend of Jann before things changed in both of their lives. Jann was surprized and the two of them spent about ten minutes "catching up". Ken and I left about nine oclock for a visit with Ken's biological cousin in Coquille, Oregon. We left Jim and Sue with Jack and Pat. Pat told us she would be delighted if we didn't come for them for about three weeks. Then it was time for us to meet some more strangers with the same blood lines as my husband.

It took about two hours to reach our destination. We met at the Safeway parking lot. A rather strange and amazing meeting. I told them that this meeting was a search come full circle. They invited us to go for lunch with them so off we went again to EAT! They took us to a local restaurant that had tables and some chairs that were hewn out of logs and roots of trees. They were beautiful and something our new friends were proud to show us. We shared through lunch and grandually began to relax with each other. After lunch we went to their home and visited over some lemonade. Because they have a daughter living with them they had no room for us to stay so they rented a room in THE local motel. It was a l970's model and very quaint. It was also clean and made for a relaxed stay. Alvis and Norma took us to a local theatre show last evening. It was a melodrama in the Sawdust Theatre, run totally by local volunteers for the last forty one years. The costuming was incredible and the show totally entertaining. We loved show and are so grateful they thought to expose us to the local flavor.

Each place we went, Alvis would introduce Ken as the cousin he didn't know he had. When we showed pictures of Ken as a school boy, Norma said, "we could exchange Alvis's school pictures and Ken's and no one would be able to tell the difference. I know it must be difficult to believe the story we had unfolded about Ken's biological family. They both confirmed with confidence that Ken has the face of his biological roots in the Glock family.

After the show we went our seperate ways to sleep the night. This morning we met them at their church, Faith Luthern. It was obviously more liberal Luthern church in our town as we were invited to share communion with them. The service was delightful but the lack of younger people was disappointing. The youngest person on the praise team was about 40 or older. The minister reminded us from Scripture who our neighbor is according to the Word. It was a good reminder. Sometimes we think of our neighbor as the people next door or those that agree with our points of view. He reminded us that Jesus said, everyone is our neighbor. A good review course.

After church we returned to the Red Rooster where the beautiful tables are. We sat at the same table as we did yesterday. We enjoyed a huge breakfast with Alvis, Norma and their daughter Michille. We invited our newly met family members to come east to see where we live and how we live. They truly seemed like that was a possibility. Ken was encouraged that his birth family was nothing to be ashamed of. He is realizing more and more that he came from good stock.

After lunch we walked the streets of Coquille together a bit and then gave our goodbye hugs. Norma said this visit had been a highlight for her. It was for us, too. I hope that we can enjoy some times with them in the future.

We have now returned to Grant's Pass. BJ, Pat's son in law, got a beautiful and comfortable room for us at the Comfort Inn. This is where I am typing away. This is probably the most spacious and comfortable motel/hotel we have had. We are very grateful for all the gracious hospitality we have enjoyed.

Soon we will go to Jack's and Pat's house and be reunited with Jim and Sue. Tomorrow we will all go to see the Redwoods in northern California. We didn't dream we would go into CA but God willing that will be a reality tomorrow. It is only about 80 miles from here. We will probably take off back east from the Redwood area. Jim and I saw the Redwoods in l957. I haven't been back since. I loved it when I was twelve and will enjoy seeing those majestic trees once again. I hope we find some huge pine cones. Jim and Ken think we are a little crazy but I reminded them that we aren't spending big bucks on souvenirs so they should be pleased that we are happy with the little things in life.

A simple meal of leftovers were enjoyed by all tonight. After dinner, Pat felt the call of Dairy Queen so we all went there together. Sue and I both resisted temption because we both fear the scale will be a tell all when we return home. Before we left their home, we planned our trip to the Redwoods for tomorrow. We plan a picnic lunch and will go to the coast also. That will be a special addition to our trip's itinerary. We also figured out the best route to Colorado. I think we have a good plan and feel relieved to have one in place.

It is time for bed. We both feel exhausted. I wonder why. Oh yes, BJ and Wendy called ahead and reserved us another night in a motel. These kids have a very generous heart. It's almost too much to receive without guilt. God bless them.

Yellowstone Complete and into Idaho

This morning I woke with a song in my heart which is not unusual for me. The words seem to come from nowhere and I choose to believe it is the Holy Spirit directing my thoughts, The words that appeared automatically this morning were Gaither song words. " Yesterdays gone and tomorrow may never come, we have this moment to share". That is truly the feelings I have as we make this awesome trip. There are certain things I wish to bottle and take home to bring out on occasion so as to relive these days. Those would be:

Pine Tree Fragrance
Noises of the buffalo
Noises of the prairie dog
Sulpher smell (not necessarily pleasant)
Thirty five elk we saw in a group today
Feeling of awe at the sight of the Tetons
Thrill of Old Faithful (some say it isn't reaching the height of years before but we saw a good one today)
Bright turgoise water in the pools at the geyser basins
Mud Pots
Clear dry air

I was disappointed that we didn't see any bear in Yellowstone, something that has not happened to me before in about four or five visits. Then there was the moment when we passed the Continental Divide and Ken didn't stop and I fussed until he turned around and we went back to take pictures. A few miles down the road we passed another Continental Divide spot and then a few miles later yet another. It became one of the jokes of the day and we decided that the Continental Divide divided Ken and Gayle.

We started out our day coming back into Yellowstone from the north. As we came back to the Mammouth Hot Speryring area we came across some elk in the compound there. We were so busy watching and taking pictures that Sue didn't notice she stepped into a fresh pile of Elk manure. She had quite a messy shoe but the nice grass did a good job of cleaning it up. It's not everyone that steps in elk poop.

We enjoyed the Teton peaks with the beautiful dark colors with a thumbprint of white snow. Gorgeous. So often we have commented about God's beautiful creation. We feel so blessed. Then we spent a half hour or so in Jackson Hole. What a commercial place that is. Busy as ever. We enjoyed our short visit but were happy to get onto to the Teton pass and get out of there. We really enjoyed the 10 percent grades and hairpin turns. What a thrill.

We finally got to Idaho Falls and got a Super 8. We have had two of those and find them most comfortable and clean. Last night at the Best WEstern, I had to call the desk and ask them to get someone to clean the restroom before I would use it. When the housekeeper came into the room she was disgusted with the exchange student who had cleaned the room. We certainly had a clean restroom after her work.

Tonight we ate in Swan Valley Idaho at a local cafe/bar. Ken was enjoying his barbecued beef sandwich. Suddenly he bit into something hard. It was a plastic lid, probably from the barbecue sauce bottle. He showed the waitress and she was shocked. Ken got his meal complimentary tonight. All is well that ends well.

Onward We Go and Seeing Our Roots

Trying to get this laptop connected and working properly on these wireless internet connections in hotels is a challenge. The term "it would make a preacher cuss" is probably a perfect description of my experience.

Yesterday we stopped at the Mammouth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone and asked if they had a cancelation. They didn't think so but upon checking their computer found they had a cabin with two double beds. The price wasn't so bad so we decided to pay for the experience. The cabins were probably built in the thirties and were small and quaint but very clean and updated. I had called two months ago and there was no availabiity so we felt very smug to have slept in one of their facilities. We splurged and dined in the beautiful dining room. It was a lovely and satisfying experience.

This morning, we early risers, Jim and I got out about five thirty and took a walk to the hot springs. It was forty degrees and COLD. I wore my socks with my sandals and didn't care one lick how it looked. We enjoyed the beauty of the sunrise. We also enjoyed walking into the hotel lobby and warming our backsides by the fire. We went to the dining hall for some complimentary coffee and brought our spouses some as well. Before we left we told them we expected them to be ready to leave when we returned. I don't think either Jim or I thought they would truly be ready as they were both on the ear. However they had had showers and were dressed and ready to pack the van. We were both surprised and proud of them.

We ate breakfast in Livingston, Montana. Montana is the state of Jim and my father's birth. We decided to back track and go to Columbus to see if we could find a lady that has taken others on tours of the Dutch Settlement. The Dutch Settlement is where many of Dutch decent moved to homestead. We had a last name of Lindemulder to go on. I felt like we were looking for a pig in a poke. We were told she lived about five miles north of Columbus on the road to Rapelje. At about five mile we stopped at a house and asked for a Lindemulder. A young man in his thirties said they lived about nine more miles up toward Rapelje. We had to ask one more time but eventually found her. She answered the door and it was obvious she was a bit befuddled
but when we told her we were on a mission to see the homestead of both of our great grandparents and our parents, one could see a gleam in her eye. She told us that she had been sick and in bed the last few days from some reaction to a medicine they were trying on her. Soon she was feeling much better and wanted to "take us out there. We said she didn't have to if she wasn't feeling well and her response was, "it will be good for me". It was great fun to visit with her and listen to her stories. It was her husband's family that were the homesteaders in the Dutch settlement but one could tell she had learned much from the family she married into.

Alice told us that she gave birth to three children and adopted nine. Some were American Indian children. Her youngest daughter was there from Billings to care for her but she didn't argue at all about her going with us.

Soon we were on a dirt trail through her property (four sections of 640 acres). That is what one calls a ranch. Her son cares for the ranch now. She was quite the lady as she marched us through tall prairie grass looking for a basement foundation of the Columbus Christian Reformed Church on the settlement. The water well is still workable. Over a couple of hundred feet she found the cemetary. Most graves had been marked with simple metal markers which are mostly laid on a pile and not readable any longer. There were a few small stones, one of a death in l918. We took many pictures to show our kids and grandkids. When we finished our tour we asked if we may take her for lunch in Rapelje and she didn't hesitate long. She said again that she thought it would be good for her and told us over and over how nice it was to have company and be able to talk about old times. In Rapelje, a town of 250 people, there is next to nothing. We found four old grain elevators and a church, her church, a school of K-12 of 60 children and a cafe. The cafe is owned by the community and supported by special events they put on during the year. The cafe is not a for profit business because even if the whole town ate every meal there it would not
break even so in order to preserve the town the community purchased it and runs it with a couple of paid people and many volunteers. While we were there four very old ladies came in and played Mexican dominoes. "Oh yes", said Alice, "we play dominoes every Wednesday afternoon." We asked if she wanted to stay and play. She hinted to the ladies that she would need a ride home and not one of them offered to take her home. I felt a bit bad for her but she said she probably shouldn't stay because she hadn't been feeling well. It was obvious during our visit that she is having trouble with her memory. She repeated quite a bit and told us the same things over and over. It was sad to see such a healthy 81 year old who was not able to remember a few minutes. She told us she was having trouble and said , "it is disgusting". My heart bled for her and for her children who love and honor their mom. We felt privileged to meet her and spend some time with a woman who has raised 12 children on a ranch with what seemed next to nothing around them for entertainment. We are so spoiled.


We called our father and let him know we had been successful in finding the place where he was baptized. He had taken us there as children but it was quite different to go as adults. To think of families leaving everything in the midwest for these sparce hills and mountains is quite difficult to understand. We realize now more than ever that our ancestors were very adventuresome people who were not afraid to risk everything for an experience and possible success. We talked later that their failure there was not a whole lot different than some of our failures in business. We said that once one is where we are in life we begin to understand that life is full of successes but also failures. The key is to pick up after the failure and go on. Our ancestors were good at that and we decided we had learned to do that as well.

We took a hotel in Livingston on our way back. It was early but we have been pushing
ourselves pretty hard and decided we needed to take a break and rest. Sue and I went to Albertson's and got some laundry detergent and some groceries to have sandwiches for supper. We have had several big meals and were satisfied to have some fruit and sandwiches. Now, I am journaling while Sue is finishing up our laundry. We also took the van completely apart and reorganized and cleaned it up. It will feel good to be clean once again. Can't say that for the van though. It is filthy from those dirt roads and high grass and weeds. We will look for a carwash tomorrow.

Tuesday Morning

It's a beautiful new day. The night was much better. The ear plugs and the Tylenol P.M. worked their magic and I slept like a rock. I think we all enjoyed refreshing sleep. It is so interesting how our bodies wear down during the day and all energy has gone. The night's sleep regenerates us and brings our energy levels back up. Rather like the phone I plugged in last night. It was out of battery and would no longer work but this morning, it is recharged and ready for doing its job.

I had so much trouble using the word program on this laptop. The cursor kept jumping around and I would lose my text. That made for a testy me. At Walmart last evening we picked up a mouse. That has worked much better.

Spent Sunday night at Mount Rushmore. When we arrived at the monument, it was close enough to dinnertime to enjoy the pleasure of eating on a patio under the heads of four of our great presidents. We are learning that our government doesn't spare the horses when it comes to our national parks. When we were in Korea years ago, the tour guide refered to the things we saw as "national treasures". I think we as Americans also refer to the special wonders in our nation as national treasures. We call them national parks, but we care for them as treasures and we treat people that visit them as royalty.

We were served huge portions of trout and two sides with a wheat roll. I chose carrots and broccoli as my sides. There was so much food I couldn't eat it all. I thought proudly that the foreign visitors to our nation must be impressed with what we show them in our parks. The ice cream cones were also so large that I couldn't finish mine. Not only is the food wonderful but everything is squeaky clean and well kept.

After we ate we sat and gazed at the work of art above us. We took in much of the information on signs and in the visitor's center. We decided we wanted to return for the light show at nine oclock so we went back to Keystone and rented a room at the Super 8. We took a room for four as that is the best bang for our buck.

We took a swim in the pool and soaked our weary travel bones in the hot tub. After freshening up, we returned to the monument for the night show. It was spectacular. A young slim blonde park ranger was the hostess of the show. She sang our national anthem and talk to us about our freedom. A movie about the history of Mt Rushmore was shown on a large screen at the base of the amphitheatre. Our patriotic juices were flowing.

We got to bed around eleven oclock. All was well until my brother fell asleep. He suffers from sleep apnea and snores amazingly loudly. I watched the clock until three a m and must of fallen asleep after that. He got up early and went to the hotel lobby for coffee. Then there was silence in the camp and I found rest for my body and mind.

On Monday we toured the Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. Our biggest thrill was observing herds of buffalo, two of which were crossing the road in front of us. We parked our car and sat to take in the sights. We watched the young nurse, the cows gently lead their young and the bulls walk around sniffing and grunting and rolling and generally acting as if they owned the herd, which they probably do. Sue, my sister-in-law, had the slide door of the van open. One very brassy fellow turned away from his intended direction and came directly toward her. My guess it was at about six feet that Sue managed to get her door closed. It was a tense but very exciting moment.

The prairie dogs were fun to watch. As one looked over the prairie, one saw hundreds of little mounds which are the homes of these little critters. The dogs were popping up and down out of the holes just like the games one finds at certain entertaining places where the heads pop up and when you hit one down, another surfaces. This was certainly the way the little dogs were playing. They also stood on their hind legs and watched the people ride past. We saw one little guy standing watching a buffalo a few feet away. So interesting. My husband asked what possible purpose God must have for the prairie dog. My brother answered, "So that He can look down and smile at them". A perfect conduction. I think there are many things in His creation that are created for the sheer purpose of His pleasure. The prairie dog must be one of those.

In addition to the sight of the creatures we saw, the sounds will forever be in my memory. The hum of the low threatening grovel of the male buffalo and the the delightful squeal of the prairie dog were sounds I tried to absorb in my brain's computer. Delightful.

We completed our touristing by a visit to Devil's Tower. A long way to ride to see a big rock. However, it is most impressive as it juts out of the ground in the middle of fairly flat land. The entire rock is made of cylinders of smaller rock, each with six sides or eight sides.

After taking a hotel room at the Howard Johnson's in Gillette, we went to get a few necessities at Walmart. Top on my list was a set of ear plugs. I'm hoping for a better night of sleep.

The Long Awaited Trip, a Day or Two at a Time

We got to South Dakota and visited the Corn Palace on Saturday. It was so much better than remembered it. The theme of the murals this year is Rodeo 2007. Each year the theme changes and the murals are replaced with new ones. A designer plans each picture and makes a similar template to a paint by number. There are twelve colors of corn that are used plus some grasses. Amazing that they can do so much with so little. The corn palace began when the people from Mitchell wanted to put the city on the map in addition to wishing to prove that something would grow in South Dakota.

On Our Way

This is the day we have looked forward to for such a long time. Would it become reality? That was the question. It is so evident to me that God has laid our plan and established our desires. I feel very confident that our plans are in God's favor. That may seem presumptious to some but I feel a rich peace over it all. We thank and praise Him for the opportunity and ability to take this trip. I recall that when my Grandfather Recker had returned from Mexico in l940, his peers asked why he would make such a trip. That was pretty extravagant in those days. He responded, "We went to see our inheritance." He was paraphrasing a part of the sermon on the mount where Jesus tells his followers that the meek shall inherit the earth. I feel quite the same as he felt. This earth is so amazing and God's wonders so pronounced. I've seem most of it before but wish to feast my eyes on His amazing creation one more time.

We will leave for Wisconsin today to spend the night at my brother's and sister-in-law's and then take off together in the morning for South Dakota. My prayer is that God will be on our right and left; above us and beneath us, on our right and on our left. I believe we will be enveloped in His care and keeping.

Our ultimate goal is the coast of Oregon so that my husband can meet his only surviving biological male cousin. He met two female cousins about seven years ago. We stayed with one of those on our trip east over spring break. We enjoyed good fellowship and got to know them a bit deeper. It is a joy to find Ken's blood line and see that even in that God has been faithful to him. The cousin that we visited in May said, "I know I wasn't born yet, but I feel a responsibility of Ken's rejection by our family". We assured her we do not see his adoption that way. None of the biological family knew of Ken or his mother's pregnancy. It was a big surprise (shock) to each of the cousins. We believe her aunt could not care for him the way God wanted him cared for so He found Ken's adopted parents to rear and love him. God doesn't make mistakes. It will be oh so interesting to meet Alvis in Oregon. I'll keep you posted.

Nearly Ready

It's all over but the shouting. Fourth of July, 2007 is history. The weather forecast was rain but the rain held off until about six oclock in the evening. The air was so warm and muggy that we had our picnic indoors in the comfort of air conditioning. Noone complained. When the guys came in with their grilled prizes, they looked as if they had just showered. Wet, wet, wet. Sweat, sweat, sweat. Our guests enjoyed thick fat pork chops and beautiful lean hamburgers. We had a feast fit for royalty and had a good time fellowshiping as well. We had planned to attend a holiday program at a local church but the rain put a crimp in our zeal. When my step mother mentioned to my father that the rest of us planned to attend the program, he said, "Oh, I was just enjoying this fellowship". I think that was also a decisive element in our decision to stay put. We just hunkered down around the TV and watched the Washington DC program and fireworks. We soon found ourselves without cable because of the storm and had to resort to putting in a VHS tape. (This is what some call progress, makes my blood boil when that happens) My husband is hooked on the Gaither series of videos and plugged in one made in Washington DC in l998. Everyone seemed to enjoy listening to the hymns that ring out our joy at being free in Christ. A few patriotic favorites were thrown in the mix and we were all inspired once again.

Today we are preparing for tomorrow's expected departure for our two weeks to the west. Ken is mowing the lawn in hopes that it won't be a foot tall by the time we return. Perhaps someone will have mercy on us and mow for us. We will see. If not, it only takes a couple of hours and it will be groomed again. I ran to Merrillville this morning and did some last minute errands. I don't recall feeling so prepared for a vacation in a long time. I am calm and feel like we have things very much together.

I think I explained a week ago about the van the Lord dropped from the heavens just in time for our trip. Purchasing that van made it necessary to sell one of our cars. My husband put "for sale" signs in it and parked it in town where it is very visible. We got several calls which was encouraging. I told the Lord it would be so wonderful if it would sell before our trip so that Ken didn't have that hanging over his head while we vacationed. Yesterday, someone made a commitment on the car and the deal is supposed to be finalized this afternoon. God is so good.

I made a trip to the local library this morning to get some books to read while we are gone. I don't know how much time I'll have to read but I do wish to be prepared so as not to waste time. I also got the "The Thornbirds" on tape so that if I need to drive during the night, I will have something to keep my mind active. A lady in the audio aisle highly recommended the book. I have heard the title often but have not read it so I'm looking forward to hearing the classic story.

Fourth of July Celebrations

The grill is clean and the table is set in red, white and blue. The salads are made from scratch. I hate the taste of grocery store salads. I can always tell the difference. My husband and I have a system for making potato salad that is fairly pain free. I used to loathe the process but since he has learned the secret for our potato salad and has taken pride in helping, it doesn't take long at all and has all the wonderful reward of tasting like the Fourth of July. We expect some friends and my father and his wife at about four o'clock. The weather is beautiful at the moment but the forecast is for rain. We are prepared for either. Rain on our parade won't cause much discomfort or disappointment.

The neighbors across the street always burn up thousands of dollars worth of fireworks each year. They chose the evening before the holiday for their big show this year. Some friends drove over and we sat and watched the display. Our grandson climbed on the roof of the house so that his view was better. It was wonderful and satisfying. If I don't see anymore this year, it will be fine.

The Fourth of July is so special to the people of our nation. We thrill at the sight of a flag or the sound of patriotic songs at this time of year. We are soooo blessed to live in this nation. Yes, it has its problems but if one reads history, we note that it has always had problems and always will. That tendancy is because of original sin and the imperfection of people who are those that rule here and live here. There is a tenacity in the people of this nation though that no matter what they endure they come out with a fervor and a patriotic heart. I thanked God this morning for our freedom but made sure I thanked Him first for my freedom in Christ. I reminded Him (as if He needed reminding) that freedom is His idea of how people should live, spiritually and physcially.

I think back to Fourth of July holidays of the past. When I was a child, a family from the church we attended invited us for a fireworks display each year. I remember my father comment about the amount of money Milt spent on those fireworks. My dad was way too frugal to blow up his money. Milt and his wife, Marie, made homemade icecream to treat everyone that attended. Those were special times. Milt is long gone on to glory. His widow lives in the retirement center in town. I wonder if she thinks of those days long past. I think I'll call her and tell her that I remember what joy those holidays brought to me.

Many July fourth holidays have found us at the beach of some lake. We got fried and came home exhausted. We had skiied and swam and worn ourselves out. Now our children are doing the same with their children. They are having good family fun and the grandma and grandpa here pray for their safety in this day.

Happy Fourth of July to each of you. Remember to thank and praise God for our freedom and ask Him to ward off the devil's destruction in the life of this nation whether it be from without or within.

The Power of Words

Last evening, my parents and we were invited to my brother's home after church. Their two daughters and husbands and two grandchildren were there. It was the first time we had seen their oldest daughter's new son so we enjoyed the sight and sounds of a beautiful new baby once again. When it got dark, the sons in law put on a small fireworks show. We lined up our lawn chairs on the side of the hill and looked out toward the cornfield where the boys had set up their launching station. The weather was nippy and some of us were wrapped snuggly in our blankets. The show started and the first ones were rather basic. The crowd snickered a bit first but there was one in the crowd that saw things differently. Ater each launch our little three year old grand neice cheered her daddy on. "Yea, Daddy, you go". From out of the dark, one could hear Daddy's response, "Thank you Sweetheart." The little sweetheart is a doll. She has long wavy blonde hair that outlines the shape of her face. Ken commented that her lips appear so red that it looks like she is wearing makeup. She is a beauty and it would be difficult to deny her anything. As the fireworks show progressed there were more oohs and aahs. Suddenly, I heard the little girl on her great grandpa's lap yell, "Daddy, you are my hero!". The crowd exploded with delight. This little girl in three years has learned what some don't learn in a life time. She knew how to encourage the person she adores. One knew that the man in the dark field several yards away was thrilled to the bottom of his heart while he entertained his little three year old daughter. I still smile when I think of that moment and I'll bet he does, too.

What a lesson for me. Words can make or break a situation or a relationship. Last night, Lexi reminded me that only five kind words spoken in a split second can melt the heart of a 300 pound football player. My words have an effect on people too. Do they thrill hearts or hurt them? I will think about that today and invite you to think about it too.

Family and Freedom

Our daughter and her son and friend returned home from their trip west. They are safe and sound and testify to wonderful trip. Isaiah was full of talk and wanted to share all the things he saw and enjoyed. He whispered to me during a dinner at church today that the most beautiful thing he saw on the trip was the Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone Park. I was rather surprised that he took such pleasure in that pool. I, too, find that pool a beautiful specimen of nature but was thrilled that an eleven year old found that same joy. His favorite wild life was moose and he took home many souvenirs with the moose theme.

Last evening, our daughter Lauri and her husband Elton, were celebrating their seventeenth anniversary. They chose to share that special day with us. Our Chicago based daughter and friend, Kip, had invited us to come to his condo for one of Kip's wonderful grilled meals. Our youngest daughter, Kendra and her husband, Craig, came from the north and met us there. We sat on the spacious patio that Kip has with his condo. It is his personal space and he and Jennifer had adorned it with pot after pot of beautiful flowers. Once it was dark, Kip lit candles in various spots between the pots and the ambiance was special. Jennifer had given him a patio heater for his birthday so when the wind picked up and the temperature began to drop, he lit his heater. It was truly an enjoyable evening as we visited with our daughters and their significant others and enjoyed Kip's grilled scallops, steak, and chicken. Downtown Chicago on a beautiful summer eve with people we love and scrumtious food all made for a special time. We commented on our journey home that we had had a wonderful time but also reminded ourselves that we have chosen to live in the country for valid reasons.

Today the weather is close to perfect. Tonight after church, we are invited to my brother and wife for a time of fellowship with their daughter's families and my parents. I think my nephew-in-law is itching to shoot off some fireworks so our fourth of July celebration will begin this evening. Our church service is also a celebration of freedom as we gather with four other churches in the area for one celebrative service. We must not forget to thank God for the freedom we enjoy in our nation. We are the freest nation in the world.