When There is Nothing Left But God
Then God is Who You Need.
His power has given us everything we need to live and to serve God.
2 Peter 1:3 ICB
When There is Nothing Left But God
Then God is Who You Need.
His power has given us everything we need to live and to serve God.
2 Peter 1:3 ICB
From Peace to Violent Storm
Yesterday was a quiet, hot day in our part of the world.
During lunch break from the office, I took time to watch our Amish neighbor, Eli, and his daughter bale hay across the road.
However, by suppertime the weather changed dramatically.
Wind, rain, and hail pelted our woodlot
As we watched the strong winds, we were most nervous about the partial tree that is still standing from the last storm – when the huge branch damaged our house roof. (The “tree surgeon” hasn’t had time to cut it down.)
That tree survived, but several others next to it didn’t.
Thankfully no fallen trees hit any houses…
…but the pavilion was damaged slightly when a large tree was uprooted.
Our neighborhood was out of electric until 6 AM this morning.
~ ~ ~
Even before the storm quieted, police and fire vehicles were zipping by our house, so we figured our woodlot was not the most heavily damaged.
We understand that most problems were caused by trees on wires and across roads. We haven’t heard of any house damage.
It was interesting to walk around our neighborhood just before sunset and hear the sound of chain saws and generators.
We are surrounded by two hog barns, a chicken house, four dairy barns, and a Peking duck barn – all within one mile of our house – each needing to operate by generator last night. We could also hear the much louder sound of two personal generators of next door neighbors. Cerwin decided to wait until morning to start ours, then just as he was ready to get it out of the shed – to make coffee and start our refrigerators and freezer – the electric came on!
Do the Common Things Uncommonly Well
Whoever can be trusted with small things
can also be trusted with large things.
Whoever is dishonest in little things
will be dishonest in large things too.
Luke 16:10 ICB
There Were a Lot of Cars in Our Yard Today!
Come along and I will tell you what was going on at our family pavilion, which is located behind our house, in back of my sister’s house, and next to my brother’s house. We think it is the best arrangement ever!
It Was The Hershey Reunion
This group consists of my dad’s brother (seated – 4th from left) and sisters (seated 2nd & 3rd from left), a widowed sister-in-law (seated 6th from left), my widowed stepmother (seated 7th from left), their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. If everyone had been able to come, the group would have been twice this size.
It was a wonderful day!
To give you an idea of the pavilion’s placement in our woodlot, my sister’s house is in the background on the left and my brother’s house is on the right. I am standing with my back to the pavilion and our house.
If I turn around, with my back to the pavilion and the other houses, you can see our house. These people are standing in the bocce court.
My twin nephews. This is the first we saw Kevin with a mustache and beard. We told him that if he had done that much earlier (like age 3) it would have been much easier to tell them apart! Until recently they always had similar haircuts.
Visiting was the theme of the day!
Ministry Work Last Week
Due to a few entries I wanted to make – I did not include some ministry activities.
Tuesday
On the way home from Maine, we took time to visit Chaplain George Freeman – lead chaplain at Flynn’s Truck Stop, Shrewsbury, MA. George is middle person on the right.
When we learned that Bunny (Director of Chaplains) and Peg O’Hare were in Massachusetts to visit family, we invited them to have lunch with us. They are most distant from the camera.
We were pleased that driver/volunteer chaplain Mark Garret and his girlfriend were also there (both in the foreground). She lives in the area, and he was on his way to Florida.
Our granddaughters were pleased to have their own booth in the restaurant – across from us. Since they had a fairly large breakfast, they chose ice cream for lunch.
Since we visited for quite a while, the girls gave in to exhaustion! They got a lot of attention from partons and waitresses. One waitress asked for the recipe for well-behaved children.
Wednesday & Thursday
The Pitney Bowes tech was here both afternoons trying to repair their two machines. They were “fried” when the 220 volt surge went through the house and office when the tree hit our house.
He decided it would be cheaper to replace the mail machine that holds the meter, than repair it.
He is waiting on a backordered part, before he can repair the envelope printer.
Office items the computer tech declared dead.
He was here all day Wednesday – replacing the computer, printer, scanner, DSL modem and router, and fax – which meant I was finally able to work in my office on Thursday morning. It took a couple of hours to clean up the mess of boxes, packing foam, etc.
Saturday
We enjoyed supper and a concert with the TFC Susquehanna Chapter.
Prior to and during supper, we ran a slide show (top left) of the recent Truck Rally, as only a few from this chapter were able to attend.
After supper and prior to the concert, Cerwin and Chaplain Tom Kemp (right) shared some ministry highlights. Tom told a story that I had not heard previously. Just a few days earlier, Henry Grimm, Director of Follow-Up, who is retiring, told Tom about a letter he received…
A prisoner wrote about finding one of TFC’s Highway News and Good News (our monthly publication) stuffed behind his bed when he was put in solitary confinement. After reading it, he filled out the decision form, stating that he had accepted the Lord as his savior. In subsequent weeks he completed our three basic Bible studies. His letter told how the study of the Bible wad changing his life.
That blessed my socks off – and I wasn’t even wearing socks!
Bible School
White Oak Church of the Brethren
We weren’t able to attend every evening due to being in Maine on Monday and Tuesday, but made sure we were there on Thursday and Friday evening when two of our grandsons were in charge of devotions.
Josh (age 11) opened with devotions on Thursday evening.
Nathan (age 13) accepted the challenge on Friday evening.
It is a blessing to have grandchildren who are willing to be in charge of devotions in front of 500+ people – and neither sounded nervous. Cerwin didn’t think he would have been brave enough to do that when he was their age.
Our son Jere is one of three Bible School superintendents.
The items behind him represent projects for which we raised funds – more than $35,000 – for several of our young people and missionary couples serving the Lord around the world. (Bibles for China; a gator for South Carolina; books for Haiti; vehicle repair for Brazil; fuel for Kenya; computer upgrade and Internet service for Irian Jyra; and language training for Northern Africa)
A broad view of the church on Friday evening before the children went to their classes. Jere said we averaged 350 children each night and 150 adults. The adults consisted of teachers and those in the adult class. All photos were taken from the balcony.
In Loving Memory of My Dad
Today would have been his 86th Birthday
1920 – 1997
I have never gotten over having a godly father.
His last pair of workshoes have been in one of our flowerbeds since a few months after his death.
Happy 20th Birthday to Elizabeth
Monday was a special day for our oldest granddaughter – and the reason we chose to be in Maine last weekend.
Our day began with breakfast at Victoria’s Bakery in Brunswick.
She and I competed in our favorite two-person computer game – Bug Drop.
I think I beat her this time.
Strawberries for lunch.
Lunch in their little picnic grove.
Birthday cards and presents.
Elizabeth and Jana
Hugs and kisses from brothers.
I’m not sure how Hezekiah ended up with a clothespin on his ear while she was opening presents.
I wonder if having a twenty-year-old daughter makes Mark and Diane feel older?
How about that Hummer birthday cake?
Her brothers and sisters decorated it and presented it to her later in the afternoon – after neighbors stopped in to help her celebrate.
More from Maine
Visiting The Horses
We enjoyed our first-time visit to the horse farm where Abigail works.
Most of them are show horses, and the day we were there several were being prepared for a show.
The girls made friends with the horses…
…and the dogs.
The next day the girls prepared to go via four-wheeler to feed the horses at another farm – where Josiah works. He also helps at the same farm as Abigail.
I don’t think this helmet fits!
Ready to go!
Josiah gives Diana a better view of the horses.
Making friends with another horse.