Ministry Update

For the second year in a row, God has brought us to Richfield UT to minister in the Bible Baptist Church. God is steadily growing this work in the middle of Mormon country. We will head out as soon as possible after the meeting is over and cross the country to southwest MO.

Thank you all for your prayers. God has been at work so far this year and we look forward to seeing more of what He has planned for us this year.

Family Update

Greetings from Utah! The weather here is clear and cold, and absolutely beautiful! The trip here from California was a bit rough, since we had several delays and a breakdown on the way. After a few days, the trailer was repaired, and we headed out somewhat wounded in wallet, but in good spirits! The Lord is good—had we broken down just a few miles farther up the road, we could have been in a serious accident. While we were waiting for the repairs to be finished, everyone decided to get sick. It was rather convenient for everyone to be sick at the same time, but on the down side, I felt as if I was living in a tuberculosis ward with all of the terrible coughing and moaning, especially at night. Thankfully, everyone is on the mend, and we are all up and running.

Paul and I had the opportunity to go skiing for the first time last Friday. We went with the pastor and his wife and daughter. The pastor had never been before, either, so we pooled our ignorance in an amusing and dangerous way. We did have an instructor, but upon conferring with other skiers, I have determined that he played a tremendous practical joke on us by telling us to do the opposite of the proper technique in almost every area. We spent most of the afternoon lying on the snowy ground after having crashed too many times to count. Being one with nature is not all it is cracked up to be. There is something humiliating about lying on the ground while 4- and 5-year-old skiers whiz by you with the encouraging shouts of their instructors echoing off the mountainside. Adults are supposed to be more coordinated, right? I am very glad to say that there were no serious injuries incurred, although I had some very sore spots the next day—probably from flinging myself on the ground to avoid certain destruction in the form of a fence, tree, or another human on skis! All said, I would try it again—with a different instructor… one that didn’t smile so much when he was telling us how to ski!

We have had a major change in our house. Daniel at some point last week lost his pacifier, or “pappy,” as he calls it. While we knew this would come at some point, we hadn’t planned to go cold turkey. Thankfully, he has been so sick and tired every time he is to go to bed, that he hasn’t really had a hard time. He has been very clingy lately, though. I hope it stays lost forever! We are also considering buying dentures for Abigail, since every time we turn around, she has another loose tooth. Maybe we will just get her some “Billy Bob teeth” out of the quarter machine.

We have had a lot of sickness already this year, so I would ask that you pray for our health, especially that of the children. If one of them gets sick, they almost always all get whatever it is. This is partly due to the fact that we are in such close quarters all the time (either the truck or the trailer), and partly due to the fact that none of them ever covers their mouth when coughing or sneezing. I know I have been sprayed with germs on more than one occasion. Bring on the Lysol and hand sanitizer!

Today I went hiking up the mountain with the pastor’s wife and another lady from the church. The climb was not all that bad, but the altitude nearly killed me! I could barely catch my breath just walking uphill! The view from the top was breathtaking, with the brilliant blue sky behind the red, rocky mountain, sprinkled with dark green cedars and dusted with snow! Our God has given us such a beautiful world! I am so glad that I am able to experience so much of it!