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Without faith no one can please God.

Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.

Hebrews 11:6 (Easy-to-Read Version)

Visiting Jake & Rachel

Roy & Deb’s Amish Friends

Saturday, July 14

This was our first visit to Jake and Rachel’s farm. They are good friends of Roy and Deb (our daughter) and planned this evening as a birthday party for Roy.

Their farm is beautiful and well-cared for.

An open carriage was ready for one of the sons to go out for the evening. If I remember correctly, they have six sons and three daughters.

How I would enjoy a garden that looks like this.

There must have been thousands of blackberries.

There were lots of beautiful flowers.

Jake’s business is building wagons.

This is his stock of wagon sideboards.

This aluminum wagon is my favorite. I think I would like it for garden and yard work.

I could pull it around the yard, then dump the sticks and weeds on the burn pile.

I didn’t ask, but it appears that they also assemble these.

Remember when Roy and Deb raised little goats that were rejected by their mothers, then took them back to the farm. This is where they came from – and now they are on the roof.

Diana is holding one of three cute puppies.

Deb had their newest rescued raccoon, Presley, along because she still needs lots of care. She was found sitting on a road, close to death and full of ticks. Roy and Deb shaved her and removed the ticks.

Their vet did not give Presley much of a chance to live through the night, but she did – and is doing quite well. Her favorite food is scrambled egg.

It was a glorious evening – made even more beautiful by all the horse and buggies that went by on their road.

Most were open carriages.

After a delicious supper of grilled chicken and potatoes, macaroni/potato salad, and watermelon, several played cornhole. Above are Diana and Emma.

Melvin and Jana were on the other end.

Then Cerwin and Miss Rachel took a turn. Rachel has the same name as her mother, so told me she is Miss Rachel.

Mrs. Fisher’s (Mrs. Rachel) dad, was not doing well on this particular night, so we had supper without her. She was with him a few miles away. We visited with her later in the evening after he was taken to the hospital.

On the other end is Roy’s friend Sterling and his daughter’s friend Tyler.

Tomorrow night will be the birthday party for Roy. I’m not sure who came up with the idea of getting him forty-nine gifts because it was his forty-ninth birthday on July 7. I think it was Melvin or Emma.

Our love should not be only words and talk.

No, our love must be real.

We must show our love by the things we do.

1 John 3:18 (Easy-to-Read Version)

Classrooms

Bible School – July 9-13, 2012

The adult class stayed in the back of the sanctuary. This was the only night that I sat in a position where I could capture a photo. Dwight Fahnestock was teaching.

This is Gospel Light’s summary of our Bible School theme.

here

As kids explore SonRise National Park, they’ll learn the most important survival skill of all: they can always depend on Jesus and His promises of true peace, true riches, true power, true love and true hope!

At SonRise National Park, kids will learn to trust Jesus as their all-powerful guide and Savior!

~~~

These are the five subjects we studied in all classes each night.

Monday – True Peace

Tuesday – True Riches

Wednesday – True Power

Thursday – True Love

Friday – True Hope

Let us who live in the light be clearheaded,

protected by the armor of faith and love,

and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (New Living Translation)

Opening – Devotions – Storytime

Bible School – July 9-13, 2012

Each night we sang several songs – led by Gordan Gregory – as the children entered and took their places in the sanctuary.

The children especially liked songs that involved singing loud or clapping.

A view from the balcony as Bible School Superintendent Ryan Bruckhart welcomes everyone.

Superintendent Jason Laughman

Superintendent Kerwin Miller

Theme verse for the week

One of our young men opened with devotions each night.

Tyler Minnich

Paul Heller

Matthew Patches

Jonathan Kline

Lathan Greiner

Storytime was a favorite with everyone.

Lindsey Miller narrated as the pond creatures dealt with fear when there was a strange sound at night. Tristan Hershey (turtle), Kiah Wenger (frog), Jordan Hollinger (duck), and Judah Clapper (alligator). 

After hiding in the tent, and preparing to fight off this fearful creature with pool “noodles”, Chelsey Becker (moth) appeared.

She was the one causing the dreadful noise!

Dwayne Fahnestock told a story of when he was a boy and threw snowballs at passing cars. (Notice the passing car in front of him.) One of his sons (I think Logan) played him as a little boy (orange shirt) and hid behind a tree when the car stopped. One of their daughters (Briana) was in the car. 

Anthony Kampen was a zoo keeper during his story time. The monkey was Judah Clapper.

When “monkey Judah” escaped his cage, he got in lots of trouble when he tried to get an apple out of another cage.

Kevin Greiner told a story of when he was a young boy and he and a sister crawled under a fence into a sheep pen. He was not familiar with buck sheep and what happens when they try to protect their lady sheep.

He didn’t feel safe crawling under the fence but protected himself and his sister with an old fence post that was on the ground – even bending it a bit each time he hit the ram’s head. During a time when it was safe for his sister to crawl under the fence, he begged her to get Dad!

Dad rescued him by lifting him over the fence.

Sabrina Heller (to left of photo) narrated as Tyler Heisey, Paul Heller, and Geoffrey Heller went fishing (see tub of live fish) in a canoe and taught us a lesson on patience. Look at Geoffrey’s big “fish”.

~~~

Tomorrow night: The Classrooms

~~~

Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us.

We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.

Hebrews 12:1 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

Arriving & Decorations

Bible School – July 9-13, 2012

It was interesting to watch teachers, children, and adults arriving.

There were more than 500 in attendance each evening.

7:00 p.m. – time to enter the building

From the balcony: notice the decorations in the sanctuary.

This Bible School featured North American birds and animals, and their special purpose in God’s creation.

Campfire on the pulpit

An airplane and…

…several Canada geese flew overhead.

If you stood in the pulpit area and looked toward the balcony (left) – you saw this mountain climber and…

…above him a bighorn sheep.

On the right there was a flowing river with fish…

…and a magnificent eagle.

~~~

More tomorrow night.

~~~

For those who honor the Lord, his love lasts forever, and his goodness endures for all generations.

Psalm 103:17 (Good News Translation)

Update on Jenna & Diana

After Yesterday’s Car Accident