A LITTLE R & R

'Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder..."

Following Kyle and Molly's wedding we took a few days and went to Red River N.M. for a short vacation (thanks to Steve and Willa Beth Mills for a place to stay).  We needed a little time to catch our breath, to spend a little time together away from the church, to go and enjoy God's creation with no plans, no agenda, just "being".  (Hard for me to do).

The following are a few pics of our time in the mountains.  It was a most enjoyable time and of course, too short.  However, we were blessed to have this time together and both agree that God's very creation cries out that there is Someone greater than you and me who spoke into being the very beauty that we so often take for granted.  

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it.."

Psalm 24:1

The view outside our deck.

What was once a caterpillar

Look to the cloud (and I don't mean data storage)

Our dwelling place - nice, huh?

A bridge over not-so troubled water

Hey PR, here's where we are!

Sweet Columbine

Blinded by the white legs!

God knows what He is talking about when it comes to taking a Sabbath.  Sometimes that means more than just a Sunday.  Ahhh yes, until the next time.

THE BIG "D".

We've been in Dallas a few days spending time with our friends the Rankins. Also, have been able to spend a little time with Kyle and Molly so it's worked out real well. On Tuesday we went into Dallas and toured the 6th Floor Museum from where Lee Harvey Oswald shot President JFK. It was rather surreal to be standing on the same floor and see the window from where the gun was fired to kill the President. It was a self guided tour using a headset to guide a person through the ordeal. The above picture was taken from my phone and is the location where Kennedy was shot as you look back toward the building. The end window on the right on the second floor from the top is where Oswald shot the gun. A rather tumultuous time in our history. People looking for peace then, people searching for peace now. Only one offers that peace - Jesus!

This is a picture of Kyle and a girl named Rachel working with a group of kids at the Casa Linde UMC in Dallas. His group numbered around 20 and they were in the midst of "Deal or no deal". Kyle's theme for the week was game shows and he used that theme to teach kids about God's love. He is loving it, as is his girlfriend Molly. A great experience for both of them. It is a joy to see our kids in ministry. Makes a dad proud. Planning on seeing Kyle and Molly again this evening if it works out on the campus of SMU. We'll see how it goes.

Dallas - a great place to visit but wouldn't want to live there. See ya!

CRUISIN'

Well, we're back from the wedding and cruise. Returned late Saturday but I still feel like I'm on the water today - weave, weave, weave. I'm heading to Wichita for 3 days of meetings so I don't have much time to write but here are a few pics of the trip. Deeper thoughts next time.

ML and I the last night on the ship.

Kyle, Irwin (the waiter) and Matthew at dinner.

A Carribean sunset. Wow!

Overlooking Cozumel, Mexico.

On the Mississippi at New Orleans. Delta Dawn, what's that flower you've got on?

MAJESTY, WORSHIP HIS MAJESTY!!

What a great time we had in Colorado. God blessed us with great weather, glorious scenery, and a wonderful time with some of the family. The following pics are just a little of what we experienced last week while in the Rockies.

This is the cabin we stayed in about 6 miles from Divide. We really roughed it!

This is a view looking at Pikes Peak off the deck from the cabin where we stayed.

"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth" Psalm 121:1-2

Part of the family - Todd and Melissa and Owen, Mary Lou and Kyle and me (sitting, I'm old).

The moon rising above the pines.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him...?" Psalm 8:3-4

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH!

When I was in high school, John Denver sang a lot of songs about the beauty of the Rockies and the beauty of his wife (whom he later divorced - go figure). Anyway, we (ML, Kyle, Todd, Melissa, and Owen) are taking off for a week in the mountains of Colorado next week. Eric, Andrea, and Brayden couldn't get away. What a hoot if they could have come too!

I always love to go and see and experience the grandeur and majesty of the Rockies. It's pretty difficult to be an agnostic or atheist when you find yourself in the midst of the tall pine trees, expansive mountain ranges, crisp, cool air, and flowing mountain streams. No wonder the Psalmist said, "O Lord , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!". He was looking at all of his surroundings and could no longer contain himself because God's glory was manifest in the majesty of all of His creation.

I'm anticipating the same response as I head west in a few days. And the fact that many of my family will be with me is that much more of a bonus. A Rocky Mountain High?? INDEED!

IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING

Okay, for those of you who are waiting for new material - here we go.

Just got back from vacation a few days ago. It was good. Saw a lot of family and friends as we toured the big state of Kansas. Check this itinerary:

6/17 - Got together with my folks and my two brothers and family for Fathers day at Newton. Stayed at Aulne for night.

6/18 - Went to Topeka to see Eric and Andrea and little grandchild -to-be. Pigged out at the Hu Hut? for supper (like a Mongolian Barbeque). Stayed in their new house. It's great and we had a super time.

6/19 - Drove to Winfield to stay with the Rankins. Saw all the kids but Luke (who was flying to England). Caught up on old times. Drank way too much coffee, latte, cappacino, etc.

6/20 - Drove to Aulne area and ate supper with Eldon and Rhonda Hett - friends since we were all pups. Embellished our elk hunting stories. The girls talked about Shawna's upcoming wedding and other asundry things. Drove later that night to McPherson and stayed at Todd and Melissa's house (they were gone to New Mexico).

6/21 - Strangely enough we went to Salina in the morning (I had a dentist appointment?). Had to do some shopping and other stuff throughout the day. Drove to Marion in the afternoon to the Fruechtings. Also more wedding talk (Amanda). Again - friends from the good old days. Lots of fun. Stayed there for night.

6/22 - Went and saw M.L.'s dad at the nursing home. Her mom was there too. Took her and Greg (M.L.'s brother) out for lunch. Nice and relaxing time. Drove back to Aulne to my brother's place where I went out to the field (harvest time) and M.L. and Lynn goofed off and went to Hillsboro to spend our hard earned money. I rode around with Rod for several hours, helped them move some equipment, then headed back to Aulne where M.L. and I drove back to McPherson and stayed at Todd's again.

6/23 - Took it easy in Mcpherson - mowed Todd's lawn while M.L. planted some flowers for Melissa. Goofed off. That evening we got together with some other great friends - Bruce and Sandy. Went to their house for a little while and then did the Methodist thing - we went and ate. Mexican food, no less. Spent a couple hours at the restaraunt. Got caught up with each others lives. Went back and stayed at Todd's.

6/24 - Todd and Melissa got home in the night. In the morning we went to church with them in McPherson, threw a pizza in the oven at noon, and took a nap in the afternoon. The went back to Salina where I helped Todd return a van to Abilene that they used for their mission trip. Said our good byes, grabbed a hamburger, and then went and picked up Kyle and Erin Gerstberger who were being dropped off in Salina from their trip to D.C. Left Salina at 9:00 and got home around 1:00 a.m.

Sadly M.L. went back to work on Monday while I took the rest of the week catching up at home with miscellaneous things as well as doing a little reading, praying, visioning etc..

The next blog I'll fill you in on some of those thoughts. In the meantime, I'm thankful for friends and family, many whom we were able to see this past week or so.

TAKING A BREAK!

Just finished VBS today (the 15th) and am redirecting my thoughts towards Sunday. Like the kid's song says, it's been a "Wild Wild Ride".

M.L. and I will be leaving after church Sunday (when the preacher 's finished) for a little R&R - going to see some family and friends across the state. No major agenda or tight schedule - a good thing.

Pray for our family - we will be somewhere in Kansas, Kyle will be in Washington D.C., Eric will be in San Francisco for work, and Todd and Melissa will be in New Mexico on a mission trip. Andrea and little grandson-to-be will be taking it easy at home ( we get to see them on Monday).

Looking forward to a little time off - I'll be back on the 1st of July. Blessings .......................

P.R.