I am going to IRELAND!!!

The last few years our family has participated in a prison crusade down in Alabama singing and playing music and met a lot of amazing people. A group of those people are planning a ministry trip to Ireland this coming August and asked me if I would come along and play my fiddle with them! Here is the poster that they are using in Ireland...

I will be there for two weeks and then on to London for a few days before heading home. I am excited about it and ask that you pray for me while I am there. There is a strong Catholic influence in Ireland and many closed minds. Pray that the music would open doors and hearts to the gospel and the miracle of Jesus.

The Camera Saga Continues...

Well, it is official...I am cameraless. It is like having my arm cut off! I didn't realize how much I used it until it was gone. So here is the story...

It was a dark and stormy night...maybe that is too dramatic. Ok, it wasn't but my heart was after it all was said and done! (I gotta keep up the drama here to keep this interesting without any pictures and all to spice it up). Anyhow, all of a sudden the auto focus went out on my wonderful Canon Rebel Digital SLR camera. Thankfully it still worked on manual so I wasn't in panic mode yet. However, my cousin Audra's wedding was fast approaching and she had asked me to be one of the photographers so something had to be done. I decided to take it into a trusty photography shop in town and have the guy look at it. He cleaned it and fiddled around with it but when I left things had not improved at all, in fact, it no longer worked on any setting now! It now took completely black pictures on all settings except for a very small sliver at the the very top. AHHH! Now was the cue for me to panic! No camera, a wedding, and a very large repair bill--it didn't look good at all.

You know...I love how God works thing out for good. He is a wonderful Father! I don't know if you have ever heard the fist saga of this camera but in a nutshell, a couple years ago it was stolen in Florida and God brought it back unharmed. So here it was, experiencing yet another adventure and I remember that this camera really belonged to God because He gave it back to me after it was gone. So, I was looking into sending it in for repair and lo and behold!!...what to my wondering eyes should appear? But a wonderful paper that said..."extended 4 year warranty"! I had forgotten that I had made that investment 3 years ago when I bought my camera new. Praise the Lord!

So now it is travelling through the world of mail into the hands of a caring techie somewhere who will treat my camera with the utmost respect and care...almost as if he had spent $1000 on it himself, right? Thankfully God takes good care of His stuff so I don't have to worry about it. (I have to keep reminding my self about that though!)

So anyhow....this saga will be continued....

More Blessing

My brother Matt and his family have moved back to Minnesota! It is so wonderful having them so much closer. I love it! They are in the midst of building their house so each day is filled with loads of activity and progress. Here is a little glimpse of all the activity...

Thomas...our little musician!
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Matt and Katey at the job site
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Feeding the workers during set day.

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Balancing on the rafters...Yikes!

Ben and Mindy + 2!

I was just thinking how fast time goes by...and how important it is to really enjoy each and every day that the Lord blesses me with.

For instance...just yesterday I was 7 years old and out in the woods with my little sister Mindy building a fort. Now, she is married and they are expecting their second child! Wow--that went really fast.
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So here is today's blessing...my sister Mindy and brother-in-law Ben and their sweet growing family...

Elianna is learning how to give "kisses"!

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I love you Mindy! Thanks for being such a blessing!

The Cabin

My sister Mindy posted some pictures from our trip up north but I couldn't resist a few more! We had a wonderful time and made some great memories. I came away so thankful for my family. What a beautiful gift I have been given. Thank You Lord!

canoeing...

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Mindy enjoying a nice ripe watermelon!

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Both of my sisters are pregnant and Sam (my brother-in-law) is expecting a watermelon any day now.

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Elianna loved fishing...a little girl after her daddy's heart!

Shannon and Nathan's Wedding

Our family played music at the wedding of our good friend, Shannon Maul. It was a beautiful event full of joy and fun. May God bless this couple as they embark on the adventure of marriage together.

Sweet Gwen, the sister of the bride and maid of honor.

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Shannon made all of the dresses including her own! She is amazing!