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Pavilion Cleanup With My Siblings

…and their children and grandchildren

Monday, May 31

Jenna, Chelsey, Nancy, and Anne (in the background).

Memorial Day morning was a perfect time for our annual pavilion cleanup. The pavilion is part of our brothers’ farm, and we all use it for gatherings and picnics during the summer.

Kevin

Cerwin, Dale, Jordan, and Jeff (on ladder) preparing to remove a dead branch.

Jordan tending the fire

Jesse preparing to throw sticks into the fire 

My brother Dale blowing dirt from the picnic tables

Jana and Jenna talking to great-grandma

Anne pulling weeds

The youngest children love to help Aunt Dot wash the picnic tables.

Brenda, Tristan, Caleb, and Ian. Brenda is my youngest brother’s wife, Tristan is their son, and Caleb is their grandson.

Caleb throwing leaves into a wheelbarrow

Sarah washing our serving table

As the work comes to an end Jesse and Jenna have some fun

Jeff breaking sticks so Jared can manage to throw them into the fire

Roy

Diana mowing the Bocce court.

Deb, Jesse, and Gloria

Jordan drying benches so they can be used for lunch

Prayer before lunch

Jared, Ian, Josh, Brenda, David, Steve, Jordan, and Cerwin roasting hot dogs.

We felt blessed that so many came to clean up the pavilion area.

Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.

Habakkuk 3:19 (The Message)

The Chapel is Ready for Indianapolis!

Today, June 7

Josh, Ian, Jana, Jesse, Jared

Yesterday after church and lunch, we went to TFC’s International Office, as Cerwin wanted to show me the finished chapel.

We have Jere and Kristen’s five children for a few days, while they are on a two-week business trip to Latvia and Finland. Our daughter Deb is sharing the childrens care and had all five on Saturday while we went to a wedding. We have all five for a few days while she has business meetings, then we will be back to each having two or three.

I took a final picture of the chapel.

The little boys were more excited about being inside the truck.

Today Cerwin and Glenn finished preparing the chapel for travel.

Tomorrow they will be on the road early (6:30), and if all goes as planned, expect to arrive at Whitestown TA Travel Center, I-65, Exit 130 (State Road 334), Indianapolis, Indiana, sometime in the early evening. Setup will be Wednesday, then they will travel to Zeeland, Michigan, to pick up another donated trailer which will be used for a future chapel. They should be home by Friday.

Please join us in prayer for their safety and a smooth setup.

~~~

To see what it looked like the day Cerwin pulled it into the garage, go here.

~~~

The eternal God is our hiding place; he carries us in his arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27 (Contemporary English Version)

House Fire

Visiting Chaplain Jim & Cindy in West Virginia

Sunday, May 30

When we heard about Chaplain Jim and Cindy’s house fire, we wondered how a house could burn without neighbors seeing it – then we followed them in their half-mile long driveway and understood.

They have a fabulous spot in the mountain, with this as their only open view.

Jim had just arrived at the chapel at Frystown, Pennsylvania, early last week when he got a phone call from a friend who said he heard on the scanner that his house had burned to the ground.

Jim had a few changes of clothing. Cindy was at work and had only the clothing on her back. They also lost all their TFC ministry supplies and display board. We were pleased to loan our things to them, and travel to their area to deliver them. It wasn’t quite so pleasing to see the remains of their house.

Almost everything was burned beyond recognition.

This desk was recognizable, but as you can see, unusable.

Everything on the first floor fell into the lower level.

Cindy covered this part to protect it from the elements, because she thought there may be some valuables in this area.

An old sewing machine from her grandmother.

Cindy and Jim in an entrance door to the lower level of what was their house. There are smiles on their faces due to the grace of God, but this has been a very painful time for them.

It was painful to walk through the rubble, and try to imagine how I would be doing if this was our house, and all our worldly belongings.

Jim salvaged some coins.

Imagine if all your filed records and important papers looked like this.

Cindy took me to a shed to show me a small box of things she was able to salvage – a few photo albums.

Notice the singed, browned trees.

Through all this Jim was able to joke about lifting with the ruined weight set.

We left their place asking God to give them grace, and peace, and strength.

Pray for Cindy and Jim as they navigate through this painful, life-changing event in their lives.

They also have two grown sons – one recently married and the other in the military. They also lost some things that were still at their parents house.

I will enter my next photo post when Xanga’s server is repaired.

God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (The Message)

My internet was down this morning.

I called the technician.

He said he would try to come before eleven a.m.

We left for a wedding at 11:15 a.m.

It was two hours away.

The technician called when we were on the road.

He said he would check on the problem.

It was a beautiful wedding and reception.

Our nephew Kevin married his sweetheart Becca.

Pictures coming in a few days.

We got home about 9:45 p.m.

There was a new internet modem in our garage.

I hooked it up and adapted it to my computer.

I am now back on the internet!

I’m tired and ready for bed.

Good night.

Things I Saw Recently

May 24 to May 31

Canada Goose Couple and Their Goslings

Monday, May 24

School Bus Passing an Amish Buggy

Tuesday, May 25

Tractor Prepared to Mow Grass

Wednesday, May 26

Holstein in Tall Grass

Thursday, May 27

Mown Grass

Thursday, May 27

Canada Geese in Flight

Friday, May 28

Spraying an Alfalfa Field

Saturday, May 29

A Mosquito

Sunday, May 30

Rainbow

Monday, May 31

Shasta Daisy Bud

Monday, May 31

Daylily

Monday, May 31

Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office. 

Psalm 145:13 (The Message)