a ministry overview...

We are approaching the middle of February already.  The snow is still deep around here, but recent warmer temperatures have melted a lot of the snow.  The roads are bare, which is nice for travel.  Had several avalanches coming off our roof in the last week.  Each time its thunderous sound would startle me and get my adrenaline going. 

I, Jannie, was sick the flu for 10 days.  There is a lot of it going around and I was hoping to avoid it, but alas it got me and I was in bed or on the couch for most of that time.  I am grateful to be healthy again.  Howard started coming down with some of the symptoms, but is still functioning with the day to day activities.

Yesterday we had CTC (Creator's Talking Circle) again.  People seemed to enjoy coming out to these times.  We set up different craft tables and everyone finds something to do while the food is cooking in the kitchen.  Lots of laughter and talking together, eating and celebrating community.  Then we have a time of sharing and hearing God's stories.  Last night some of the teen girls just wanted to sit and chat and make valentines.  I have been praying about getting these teen girls together.  So when I asked if they would like to have just a "girls night" making crafts and cooking together, they seemed very responsive to that.  Please pray that we will be able to get together soon.

I have been putting together a small video with ministry highlights.  I tried to upload it to this blog, but haven't been successful in doing so.  But here is the link that will get you to the youtube version.  Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ03FUkTqdY&feature=youtu.be

unexpected blessings...

The "old" snow blower still works, but for how long?
For the record I am NOT talking about Howard :)

It's three week into January and we've had  real wintery weather since December.  Lots of snow that kept piling up.  One time during the Christmas holidays we had a real heavy snowfall and even our old snow blower couldn't manage to get through it.  As we both struggled to clear a path, one of the neighbours pulled in with his bobcat and with a couple of swoops had our whole driveway cleared of the heavy wet snow!  Wow what a blessing.  We offered to pay him for it, but he wouldn't hear of it.  "Oh it's just something neighbours do".  I had just baked a bunch of goodies and came out with a plateful in thanks for his work.  He didn't have a place to put it anywhere, but told us that we could drop it off at the house.  He gave us his address (no it wasn't quite next door to us) and the next day we tried looking for it.  A lot of places in our rural area don't post their house numbers.  With snow covering a lot of the signs as well it took us a couple of weeks to locate his house!  Well yesterday we found it!  I had made a fresh batch of cinnamon buns and we finally could deliver what we had promised.

it does look kinda pretty...

Earlier this year we had another neighbour stop by with his tractor to clear our driveway.  He happened to drive by and saw an opportunity to help out without being asked.  No payment was expected or anything, so you guessed it...another batch of cinnamon buns went to his house.  We had no problem locating his house.

We have been praying for our neighbours.  Asking God for ways to connect with them and be a blessing in their lives.  So we were very surprised to be on the receiving end of unexpected blessings by two of our neighbours this past month.  We are hoping to invite a couple of our neighbours over to our home in the next couple of weeks for an informal get together over coffee.  We'll let you know how it goes.

By the way...The old snowblower was breaking down each time he would use it, and up to now he has been able to fix it to get by.  Getting parts for it is impossible since it isn't manufactured any longer, and you can't get any replacement parts for it.  It is probably about 50 years old.  I am blessed with a husband who is pretty ingenious at manufacturing parts to fix things.  The shop with all its tools has been a great blessing.  But just this week Howard found a "newer" snowblower at an auction nearby and at a pretty good price too!  It seems to work well after he made some minor adjustments and fixes.  Another blessing!

Christmas and New Years

    We have been reaching out with the love of God to the Secwepemc People here in the Salmon Arm region for over 11 years.  Many of you have been sharing in this outreach from the very beginning.  Thank you for praying and your support.  We would like to give you an update on what God has been doing.

    We serve a community breakfast on the Reservation every Tuesday morning.  It means getting up at 4:45am, and driving to the Reserve.  We serve scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, fruit, yogurt, coffee and juice.  We have about 16 regular attendees.  While it can be tough to drag oneself out of bed on a dark snowy morning before the birds are singing, it is a great way to connect.  We look forward to seeing the kids and parents as they get a good breakfast to start the day.

     The Health Nurse for the Band stayed behind to chat this past Tuesday.  She said, “I never thought I would be saying this, but this community is actually doing better than the larger one in Chase.”  Then she said something that I did not expect to hear, she said, “I think it is because of your presence in this community.”  She was referring to the Breakfast Program, Creator’s Talking Circle, and other ministries.  I never expected to hear that from a non-Believer. 

    Two days later, we were in the city of Chase, making contacts with Band leadership on the Reservation.  One lady told us, “Our Band provides education for its members.  We have teaching times with the youth and families.  Mostly, they get told what they should be doing, and the people don’t really listen…but you guys are different!”  This lady had come to drop in on Creators Talking Circle.  The building had moms, dads, grandparents, and kids.  There were about 40 people present.  We provided a craft, which is always a popular activity.  Then we served a nice meal.  After the meal, we have a story time.  This time, we had a power-point presentation that started with the idea of a path.  We are all on paths somewhere.  Our choices determine where we end up.  There were good graphics and up to that point, it was similar to every other “self-help talk” they had heard.  Then came a “picture” of Jesus and the words, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…”  We didn’t hold back or mince words.  We went on to say that we had made that choice of following Jesus, and it made all the difference in the world.  It doesn’t sound so preachy when we simply share our personal faith in Christ.  I wondered how people were taking it.  This week, I got some feedback from that lady who said, “you guys are different.”  The difference is we try to share the love of God with our friends.  We don’t just give them rules to live by, that would be falling for the self-help model.  We give hope, encouragement, and our own lives are examples that with God’s help, their lives can change and be filled to over-flowing with God’s love, too.

     We were invited to participate on the Christmas Party planning committee.  During the meeting, the chair-person said, “…and we would like live music…”  She paused, as if waiting for someone to volunteer.  We thought of speaking up, but we have learned it is a common “white-man” thing to do, to come on the Reservation and tell the Native People what they need, and how to “fix” what is wrong.  That is a mistake.  So, we have learned to wait to be invited to speak, or respond.  During the pause, which seemed to last a long time, the chair-person looked up and directly at me and said, “Howard???”  She smiled, and everybody laughed.  Jannie and I quickly volunteered to provide live music, and then the Holy Spirit seemed to give me an idea.  I asked, “Do you think the community would like to have the kids gather up front during the party and sing some songs?”  (This was a touchy subject because back in the time of the Residential School, the kids were forced to sing Christmas songs.  They were punished if they didn’t sing well, or forgot a line.  For some, I feared that kids singing Christmas songs might trigger flashbacks to those awful times in the past.)  The chair person said she thought that was a good idea, and the other committee members agreed.  Since we are in charge of the music, we get to pick the songs.  Since Jesus is the reason for the season, you guessed it, most of our music directs our thoughts to T’Kwalt Kúkpi Jesus.  (T’Kwalt Kúkpi means “Chief of chiefs.”)  We have begun to teach a Christmas song in the Secwepemc language, Le Meri Peskúye Mé7e, or, “Mary Had a Baby”; we do this during the Creator’s Talking Circle.  The kids love it, and even parents are joining in. 

·         We have two Bible studies each week. 

·         Try to visit the sick once a week.

·         Participate in a Men’s Support Group

·         Teach lessons to youth in traditional skills, like making stone tools and weapons, archery, trapping, hunting and fishing. 

There are positive things happening with the outreach to the Secwepemc People here in the Salmon Arm area.  Yet, it always comes with a struggle.  We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powerful spiritual beings that oppose the Gospel.  We had a Bible study going in Chase, but the Christian couple got way-laid by the devil.  It seems with every two steps forward, we get knocked back one step.  For now, it is like trench warfare.  Victories are measured in feet. 

    Thanks again for your prayers.  I am firmly convinced that you have a huge part in the victories we have been witnessing.

    We want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas.  May you experience Immanuel, the God who walks with us, as you journey into the New Year.

Howard and Jannie Johnson

Creator's Talking Family Circle

We had our Creator's Talking Family Circle yesterday.  We usually meet every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.  It's a place where people can come together.  We share stories from the Bible, personal testimonies and teach through object lessons.
One of our team brought old and broken electronic gadgets and lots of screwdrivers along.  Kids could pick whatever they wanted and start disassembling them.  In no time they started on their 'project'.  No sooner did they have things taken apart when they were told to put it all back together again.  Of course that was a lot harder since things had popped out of place, or motors were taken out completely and couldn't be put back in again.  We talked about how our lives can sometimes get very messed up and broken by the things we do and choices we make.  Choosing to use drugs or alcohol often leads to brokenness.  And another threat are the gangs.  Young kids are offered new clothes and phones to lure them into joining a gang.
Trent shared that as a teen he saw his uncle drunk and make bad decisions.  It was then that he decided he was never going to let alcohol touch his lips.  It was a decision he made many years ago and which holds true to today.
Howard told a personal story about how evil spirits brought fear into his life as a young boy.  But then he also shared how Jesus Christ has given us power in His name to get rid of these unclean spirits.  The video is a short compilation of some of what we did.

And yes as usual we shared a meal together.

http://youtu.be/iYCjqWute8U

Family Reunion

Johnson Family Reunion - August 2012

After 11 years we finally had the opportunity to gather together with our four kids and their families this August.  What a blessing to be able to spend time together talking, laughing, crying, singing, cooking, playing games and just hanging out.  For some of the grandkids it was the first time to meet cousins.

I am especially thankful to God that I was able to witness this wonderful event.  We had planned to do this three years ago, but our plans changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Having gone through that experience makes me even more thankful for each day that God allows me to live here on earth.  
 

Our family tree - Psalm 103:17
 

This year Howard and I celebrated 36 years of wedded bliss!  The kids surprised us with a picture of our family tree made up of all the names of our children with their spouses and all our grandchildren.

"But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children" - Psalm 103:17



Dear friends,

Thank you for all your prayers this week for the family camp with Adams Lake Indian Band. We had quite a few families join us. There was much laughter, good food, good talks, lots of stories by elders and all around a wonderful time to gather together. The camp was held at a traditional winter village site along Adams Lake. We used the canoes to cross the lake to see ancient pictographs and the kids enjoyed cliff diving and swimming. We had great weather and everyone was kept safe and healthy. God answered your prayers. Howard was kept busy as children patiently sat and watched him make bows and arrows. He also showed them how to make stone arrow heads. Steve, Rick, Bob and Chris were a great help with the canoes and with the food preparations. We are so grateful for their commitment of their time and resources to assist us and be a blessing to our Secwepemc friends.  We just wanted to let you know that good and meaningful relationship were being forged during these 5 days that we had together. God is working in the hearts and lives of our Secwepemc friends.

A few weeks ago we asked for prayer for a dear elder who has cancer. Early this morning (July 21st) God took her home. We were glad to be able to have visited with her yesterday and at the request of family sang her some of her favorite songs and prayed with her. We ask you now for your prayers for this family as they grieve her death and as they are making preparations for the funeral in a few days. Pray that God will give us opportunities to share His comfort and peace with family and friends. We are saddened at her passing, but rejoice that we will meet her on the other side of eternity.

"When the Lord our God calls his people home, do not be afraid as they journey the road. Hand in hand they'll be walking with Creator God. On the wings of an eagle they will rise, they will rise. On the wings of an eagle they will rise."

Kukstemc (thank you)

A ministry moment...

“You can go see Mum; she is in her bedroom,” Karen said.  Karen has been a major care giver for her mother, now in her 80’s.  Her mother got to know Jannie when they were both at the Cancer Clinic in Kelowna, BC.  We have been in touch ever since, dropping by for visits when we had a chance.  The relationship has blossomed over the past two years, and we have enjoyed our visits very much.

We slipped down the hallway, and greeted Mum as we cautiously entered her room.  Mum was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking at the lake and the mountains past the window.  The thin curtains fluttered a bit as the cool air came through the narrow opening, which was cooling a food supplement drink on the sill. 

Mum greeted us cheerfully, and welcomed us in.  Jannie and I sat on the edge of the bed, sharing time with our dear friend.  She looked like she had lost more weight.  She was just a shell of the feisty ol’ gal we used to know.  In the past, she was active in environmental and Indian Rights issues.  She was a powerful lady with lots of grit.  But that was before the cancer spread.  She wasn’t eating much anymore.  Her days were numbered, and she knew it.

Our conversation turned to spiritual things.  We talked about Heaven, and what the Bible tells us about it.  We talked about the crystal river that flows from the throne of God, and the trees that line the bank.  We talked about seeing loved ones, and the indescribable wonder and variety of the Holy angels.  We talked about seeing Jesus in all His glory and splendor.

Mum sort of sighed, and quietly said, “It is hard to imagine how nice it will be.” 

She loves the Lord, and we asked if we could pray with her before we left.  She said that would be nice; the deep furrows in her face yielding to the smile as she closed her sparkling brown eyes.  After the prayer, she said she was ready for a nap.  We said we would be back again soon, and made our way back down the hall, to visit with her daughter.  We plan to return each week.

We believe that it is the prayers of the Body of Christ that advance the kingdom of God in this world.  You will be pleased to know of some of the answers to your prayers in the past several months.  Here are some reasons to praise God:

                ~ in a recent medical checkup, Jannie remains free of cancer.

                ~ a weekly Bible Study of the Book of Hebrews is well attended.

                ~ a family outreach called Creator’s Talking Circle is well attended                    and the Gospel is being proclaimed.

                ~ trust from community leadership has led us to serve a                                  community breakfast every Tuesday morning.  It is a great way                      to practise servant hood and has expanded our connections                          within the community.

As you pray, would you please ask God to guide us in possible opportunities for involving Summer Missions teams?  People from several churches have indicated that they would like to come out to give a hand with ministry.  Possible areas of service might be VBS, a Reading Program, Camping Outreach, and construction projects.  We want to think big and seize opportunities, and yet stay in step with what God is doing.  The area of partnering with volunteer short term missions teams could be a tremendous blessing.  It also requires a willingness from the local Reservations for those programs to be implemented.  Pray that God would open doors of opportunity for those ministry teams that He is sending. 

the blessings of music

Yesterday we went to a nursing home to visit with some dear senior saints.  We were there with several other people from the church to sing and share with the people in the nursing home. We handed out the songbooks to everyone and started singing some 'good old' hymns.  What a delight to sing praises to God together with these seniors.  One lady in particular caught my attention as she said she didn't need a book, because she knew all the songs by heart.  And she sure did know them as I saw her sing along with each song.  As we finished Amazing Grace, I couldn't help but comment on the last verse where it says "when we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise then when we've first begun".  I turned to the ladies next to me and said, "can you just imagine this incredible massive choir singing God's praises together on the other side of eternity?"  They both smiled and commented on the fact that we would be there forever and that we wouldn't be stuck in wheelchairs.  We will receive a new body!  That is surely something to look forward to, especially for those who are suffering from so many physical and mental limitations. 
We also sang a song most of us have learned as young children. "Jesus Loves Me".  So simple, yet so profound.  I recalled a story I had heard about a famous theologian who had a tremendous grasp of the Scriptures.  He had studied many years, and was a sought after speaker.  One day, someone asked him what the greatest theological discovery he had made during his life.  He thought for some time and finally stated, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so!"  All of his years of study and meditation had left him with one indelible impression.  The song he had learned as a small child, burned in his mind and the simplicity of this truth jumped to the forefront of his mind after he was confronted with this question.

As we were ready to leave we shook hands and many expressed thanks to us for coming.  But I was the one who was thankful as they blessed me with their joy in singing and reciting Scripture from memory.

Did you know that we have a God who sings over us too?  I love this verse in Zephania 3:17
"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

still here...

It has been more than 3 months since my last posting.  We were having computer issues and access to the internet was limited for a while.  So we hope to get into our regular blogging again.
In March we traveled to Victoria.  Now this was not a vacation trip, as nice as that would have been.  But Howard was scheduled for a day surgery at a hospital there.  In the last three years Howard had been experiencing arrhythmias (or supraventricular tachycardia for those of you in the medical field).  The arrhythmias would occur more frequently.  This day surgery or ablation procedure promised a more permanent solution to this problem with a cure rate of 95 % and a low risk of complications.  They sedated him while they went in with a catheter into his heart to locate the abnormal tissue responsible for the rhythm abnormality.  Then they delivered a radiofrequency energy to the area to destroy it.  The surgery was successful and after a 4 hour recovery period he was released from hospital.  It was a long day though, since they didn't start his surgery until later in the afternoon, which meant that we didn't get back to our hotel until 10PM.  The day before Howard's surgery we had some sunshine and were able to enjoy the Butchart Gardens which are located just outside of Victoria.  There we were able to admire the first signs of spring!

We are glad with the warmer weather of spring.  By March we are very much ready to get rid of the snow. On Friday we did some yard cleanup.  There is lots to do.  We rototilled the vegetable garden area.  This year we were eager to start our plants indoors.  I think we may have jumped the gun a little, but we do have some very healthy looking tomato plants :)  Hopefully we can get some more work done in the next week if the weather stays dry.

"This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

A blessed New Year...

This year I am reading a daily devotional that we received from Howard's parents about 20 years ago.  It's the classic "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.  These are good words to ponder as we find ourselves at the beginning of a New Year.

WILL YOU GO OUT WITHOUT KNOWING? by Oswald Chambers

"He went out, not knowing where he was going" - Hebrews 11:8

Have you ever "gone out" in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing.  One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, "What do you expect to do?"  You don't know what you are going to do.  The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing.  Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to "go out" in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely.  It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don't know what God is going to do next.  Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to "go out," building your confidence in God. "...do not worry about your life...nor about the body..." (Luke 12:22).  In other words, don't worry about the things that concerned you before you did "go out."
Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you.  God does not tell you what He is going to do - He reveals to you who He is.  Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you "go out" in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised one iota by anything He does?
Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him.  Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is!  Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to "go out" in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus.  You must learn to "go out" through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God.

May we put these words into our daily practice throughout this New Year!

Christmas and the New Year...



providing music at a Christmas brunch

It's been over a month since I last blogged. I am sure that I am not the only one who finds the Christmas season a busy one. Since coming back home after our furlough, we found ourselves in a state of transition to get back into the daily routines here.
In the last couple of weeks we have been visiting with our family and friends here in the different Native communities.   We were asked to share Christmas music at one of the celebrations.  So we had a wonderful opportunity to share about the birth of Christ and remind everyone who Jesus is and why He came to earth.

Immanuel, our God is with us!  What an incredible truth to realize that God himself is with us.  Knowing this helps us go through life and face the future.  What comfort and hope.

Marc is sharing a story

Of course we had some fun when Mr and Mrs Claus stopped by to bring some cheer to the community. 

The Salmon Arm team with Mr and Mrs Claus :)

Food for thought

I was reading in Mathew 4 today where Jesus was being tempted by the devil.
"The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Jesus quoted from Scripture, Deuteronomy 8:3.  When I read that passage in Deuteronomy again, I was struck by the importance of food in our lives. We need it for our physical bodies to stay alive and we usually don't skip a meal, since our stomachs will remind us that we are hungry and in need of food.  Yet do we hunger for spiritual food like that?  Do we get hungry and yearn for food for the soul?
This week many of us will gather together with family and friends around a feast of turkey with all the trimmings, an abundance of food for our physical bodies.  Do we ever feast like that on the Word of God?
Ever since I was a young child I remember my parents reading from the Bible after each meal.  It was a custom that I have carried on to this day.   After we feed our bodies, we feed our souls.
Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
Jeremiah 15:16 "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty."
1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."
So whether you are celebrating American Thanksgiving this week or not, remember to feed you soul.  Why not do it right after each meal?  Only God can satisfy the hunger of your soul.

A message from Joni...

Caribbean Pines

I receive a daily devotional in my inbox each morning from Joni Erickson-Tada.  Joni, now a woman of 60, became a quadriplegic after a diving accident when she was 17 years old.  She has been wheelchair bound every since and dependent on others for help.  God has brought her through many ordeals, including a bout with breast cancer.  Instead of focusing on herself, she let God make good out her situation.  She has founded an organization called www.joniandfriends.org    She continues to be a blessing as God has used her mightily across the world.  Her recent book, "a place for healing" has been very helpful to me and I have been able to recommend that to others who are facing hardships or sickness in their lives.  


Below is today's devotional from Joni that I would like to share with you...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. --James 1:2-4 The Tamiami Trail is a long, straight highway across Florida's south Everglades. When I drove it with a friend, I was struck by the wild, rugged, oddly beautiful pine trees dotting the landscape. My friend called them Caribbean Pines; they are stunning against a south Florida sunset. Unlike tall straight pines, they are wiry, contorted and primitive-looking. Caribbean Pines routinely withstand long periods of drought, fire, and they hold their own against the fiercest of hurricanes. In fact, these particular trees seem to love a rugged environment. They cannot tolerate cultivation. When they are protected, planted in a yard and given water and fertilizer, they often die. Experts can't pinpoint why Caribbean Pines do best in the wild, but they know enough to warn landscapers against using them in a decorative, cultivated setting. We are like Caribbean Pines. Our souls usually don't thrive during good times. Our hearts grow complacent, our need of God becomes less urgent, our hope of heaven dims and our prayer life often dries up. We may be planted in a beautiful setting with our needs met and every resource at our fingertips, but our soul shrivels. It seems we need an occasional blast of storm or fiery trial, if our faith is to mature. Are you in a hurricane? Experiencing a drought? A fiery trial? You certainly don't need to ask God to bring on the hardships, but you can ask Jesus for a closer walk with him in the midst of the difficulties you are experiencing (I would guess there are plenty of them). As you hold on to Jesus today, your soul will thrive both in good times and bad. Lord Jesus, thank you for creating so many examples in nature that inspire us to trust you. Help me to see lessons in your beautiful world around me.

Blessings, Joni and Friends

the strength of youth...

Yesterday we were blessed by a group of young people from a church in town.  They came with rakes and gloves, ready for a big workday.  Our property has lots of dead wood and branches all over the 2.5 acres.  Too much for both of us to take care of.  So what would have taken us weeks on our own, was done in a matter of 4 hours by these young people.  The guys liked to tackle the big jobs, heavy timber and large pieces of wood, while the girls seemed to have an eye for detail and picking up some of the smaller brush.  But don't get me wrong, the girls also did their part in lifting some heavy timber.  They all worked hard and had a great attitude.  A meal was shared and after they finished working on our place, they all proceeded to go and help someone else with some outside chores.  We were greatly helped by their efforts and in turn we help toward sponsoring an upcoming youth event.

Instead of doing whatever they wanted on their day off from school, the youth chose to do this service project.  I commend them for this wonderful act of kindness.  Next time you catch a young person doing something nice, encourage them and bless them in Jesus' Name.

Home...

Day 75...we are home from our long journey out east.  Even though we enjoyed our visits with everyone, we are glad to be home again after traveling 11,079 kilometers (that's 6,884 miles).
We traveled through 4 provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba)
Toured 8 states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana)
Along the way we parked our truck camper in 9 RV parks and on other nights we stayed in people's driveways (24 all together) not to mention the overnights in 2 church parking lots.
We visited 9 churches all together and were privileged to speak at 6 churches.  Howard also presented 6 cross cultural communications workshops.  We enjoyed sharing about our work with grade 1 through 7 during chapel time at a Christian school in Wisconsin.
Aside from the church meetings we also met with 42 individuals, couples or families.  Sometimes sharing a meal at a restaurant, or in a home.  We were quite comfortable sleeping in our little "home", it became a "haven" for us to rest.
We've been in so many places in the last 75 days.  We enjoyed seeing beautiful skies over the prairies, the changing colors everywhere, amazed at the vast expanse in some areas and feeling quite small amid the might rocky mountains.  Our long road travels allowed us time to pray for family and friends and to thank God that He allowed us to enjoy his Creation.
We were blessed to share some time with our three daughters and their families.  It was a precious time to share with our grandchildren.  They do grow up so fast and there is never enough time to spend together.  There were some tearful goodbyes when we had to leave again.  Thank God for phones, emails and skype :)!
 
When we got home we unpacked the camper and truck and just as the last boxes went into the house, our son Tim and his family came over with a meal to welcome us home.   What a wonderful welcome when kids give you those big long hugs and kisses on the cheek.

Now we will be getting busy to get back into our daily lives here.  Lots has to be organized and put away yet and we need to get things done outside to get ready for winter.  Today Howard climbed on the roof to clean the chimney and he stayed safe!

To God be the glory for giving us safety and success on this long journey.  Thank you for praying.

Day 71 in Wyoming...

This morning we left Colorado and headed north.  There was still considerable snow on the fields around the Fort Collins area (northeast Colorado).  Winds were picking up and we experienced gusts of 50+ mph.  Not too fun when you have a camper on top of the truck.  We were traveling through the High Plains of eastern Wyoming.  This is cowboy county, where the deer and the antelope play and where tumbleweeds tumble along the wide open spaces.  En route we saw a jackalope :) no kidding, here is proof.

We made it to a RV park in Casper,  Wyoming.  Glad to stop for a while and rest before we head further north again.

let it snow...

We arrived safely in Denver, the mile high city as it was just starting to rain.  The forecasts kept telling us about a winter storm that was supposed to come in later in the evening.  Sure enough, during the night we saw the grass covered in a thin layer of snow and by the time we got up this morning everything was covered with a 2 inch layer of snow.  It is still snowing as we are typing this message.  The good thing is that this is not a travel day.  We are staying with Howard's brother and his wife and enjoying a relaxing day.  Tomorrow we hope to head out again towards Colorado Springs.  The snow is supposed to end by late afternoon and by tomorrow it should be much better for traveling.  Enjoy the snow pictures.

on the road again...

It is day 67 already!  And we are on the road again and on the way to Colorado.  We just heard that there is a winter storm awaiting us tonight in Denver.  Hopefully we arrive this afternoon and will avoid the snow.  We left very early this morning, had breakfast in York, Nebraska and got on the road again.  But we both felt pretty tired so now we are pulled over at a rest stop just passed Kearney for a little nap in the camper.  What a great joy to have our little home with us.

Our time with our daughter Jen and her family was wonderful and restful.  It was so good to spend time with the grandkids.  We played games, taught carving, archery, knitting and sewing, to name a few of the activities.  We had good talks and we are so grateful to God for allowing us this time with our family.  Jen has four children and the youngest is just about 9 months old.  The last time I (Jannie) saw her she was a newborn.  Arriving is always such a joyous occasion, but the departures are never easy.  Someday when we all get to heaven we won't have to say those goodbyes and we will experience the true joy of loving relationships and fellowship with one another.

In Iowa...

It is day 58 of our furlough travels.  The last few weeks have been busy with meetings and we find ourselves getting a little weary now.  It was so good to visit with so many friends in Illinois the past couple of weeks.  We leave with mixed feelings, since we know that it will be some time again before we will meet them again.  The camper has been a wonderful little 'haven' in between meetings.  We are enjoying the cooler temperatures and the ever changing colors of the leaves.  Last week we made a little side trip to Starved Rock, Illinois.  When we lived in Illinois we would visit this State Park several times a year.  Remembering times when we would be bringing our picnic lunch and the kids would run ahead on the trails.  In spite of the rainy weather we had a nice time and we treated ourselves to a nice lunch at the lodge.

Today we decided to get a head start on our travels to northwestern Iowa.  We left mid-afternoon and only traveled a couple of hours.  We found a campground along the route near Davenport.  It is nice to be able to pull in, cook supper and relax in a nice warm camper.  The little heater is keeping us toasty warm on the cooler nights.  The truck has been holding up well so far.  Having internet is nice, so we can check our e-mail and write brief updates.

In a couple of days we hope to be with our daughter Jen and her family in Omaha and we can't wait to see them.  We look forward to our time with the grandchildren.  
Thanks for praying for us as we continue on our journey.

Still on the road...

We are at day 53 of our journey throughout the States.  The times of visiting with family and friends and church family has been busy but good.  We do find ourselves at times wondering where we are when we wake up in the morning.  We have parked in so many different driveways in Minnesota, Wisconsin and now Illinois.  This is a wonderful time of year to be traveling in the Midwest States.  The weather has been unusually warm.  No need for heat at night yet.  The fall colors are incredibly beautiful with the vivid reds, oranges and yellow dotting the landscapes.  We enjoy our drives between places and find it a treat to see the ever changing beauty in nature.
We are glad for a few days of rest in between the meetings.  Howard's back was acting up about a week ago, but he is doing better now.  He is out walking in the woods, finding wood for arrows and bows.  He is actually working on making a bow.  It is a wonderful treat to have a time to retreat and be refreshed.  God continues to be so good to us and ministers his love to us through the wonderful people we are meeting on this trip.  Thank you for praying for us, you are a blessing in our lives.