Happy Birthday Kerry!
This weekend we took a trip to Half Moon Bay in California to celebrate my beautiful wife’s 50th birthday! The trip was great and we were able to enjoy the splendor of God’s creation along the way. It was also nice to enjoy much cooler weather in a very scenic place. I am so very grateful for the time the Lord has give us together and look forward to His plans for the future.
It was nice to also have Katey be able to join us as well. She surprised us with a visit earlier in the week all the way from Florida where she is serving in a prison ministry. All in all it was wonderful to be able to spend that time together. There was no shortage of laughter and food… Here is a short video of our trip.
Cross Country Trip
We just returned from an eleven day, five thousand mile trip across the country visiting old friends, making new ones, and enjoying the fellowship of Christ. Here is a video montage of our journey:
I marvel at the bond that exists among believers. Because of Jesus, we have “all things in common”, even with people we have never met before.
“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:22-23
My New Friend
This is my new friend Miss R. She is the daughter of our dear friends, the Ciampis and for almost two years, I have been trying to earn her friendship. The road has been rough and just as I was about to give up, she shared some potato chips with me at a Family Conference last month!
Today we were invited by the Ciampis to share in the celebration of their oldest daughter, Holly’s graduation. Following the ceremony, Miss R presented me with this very special note complete with pictures she made for me!
I am grateful for my new friend.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 18:9
Operation Impact 2016
Please pray for Katey and the 35 other missionaries who are currently taking part in Operation Impact. This 3 week program in Oklahoma is purposed to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to children.
The six teams will be hosting Bible Clubs for children each weekday where they will share the gospel, teach songs, lead verses, and tell missionary stories.
Please pray that many children would attend each of the Bible clubs and that they would put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. Additionally, pray that each team member would stay personally connected to the Lord throughout this ministry outreach.
Katey’s Graduation!
Tonight we gathered to celebrate Katey’s graduation from high school. I had anticipated this milestone in Katey’s life for many years but am amazed at how fast it came! The ceremony was sponsored by Arizona Families for Home Education and was a fitting tribute to each student and their families for their hard work in training up children in the nurture and admonition of The Lord. I appreciated the charge given by Congressman Trent Franks to honor The Lord in everything.
As a father, I could not be more proud of Katey as I have been blessed to witness the mighty hand of God at work in her life, especially over the last four years. We made the transition from public schooling to teaching our children at home just four years ago, as Katey was about to begin her freshman year. That decision was met with “Dad, you are RUINING MY LIFE!” as you might imagine. It was tough, just like we expected it to be, but God, in His faithfulness, began to transform her heart almost immediately. He took a 13 year-old girl who was concerned only with being accepted by the world, and brought forth a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Now begins a new path in her life as she seeks opportunities to minister to and serve others during her single years.
Join us as we celebrate His work and His faithfulness in and through Katey.
[box]”Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.”
Ephesians 5:15-21[/box]
Oklahoma!
God gave us a beautiful flight Saturday morning as we made our way to visit the Beasley family in Oklahoma this last weekend.
Shortly after arriving, the girls were able to visit a farm and help feed some of the animals while Mr. Beasley and I went to Ardmore to get fuel. After we returned, Mrs. Beasley treated us to the best brisket sandwich I have ever had.
We spent the afternoon playing volleyball, soccer, and Bible Pictionary. Sunday morning we were blessed to be able to join the Beasleys and five other families in a fellowship gathering. We sang hymns, prayed, and shared thoughts from Scripture. It was so nice to meet everyone!
Unfortunately, we had to make our way back to the airport a bit sooner than expected in order to try and avoid some bad weather that was rolling in. Again, God granted us safety and discernment as we made our way back to Arizona.
Although our time was short, we were greatly blessed by our visit. Thank you, Beasley family!
Got Peas?
I can’t explain how Katey has managed to avoid eating peas for almost 17 years. I take full responsibility. I should have noticed the skill with which she subtly would receive, briefly hold, then pass the peas without actually taking any.
Well, the Pea Police finally caught up with Katey this afternoon. Here is what happened next…
John Deere Model E Restoration
When our family purchased our home four years ago, the prior owner left behind an old John Deere Model E hit-n-miss engine. I have an appreciation for old things so you can image how grateful I was when he said that he wanted me to have it.
It sat untouched in the garage until last October when I decided to start tearing it apart to see just how extensive the project would be. I decided that it would be nice to restore the engine and use it to make homemade ice cream.
This is a picture of a restored engine and cart done by someone else but gives you an idea of how John Deere originally sold these engines. They were mounted on a pair of wooden skids which had cast iron wheels and a simple handle. Farmers would typically use these engines to power irrigation pumps, saws, or anything else that could be driven by a belt. I have seen many people use these engines to make ice cream but I have never seen one that sat on a pair of skids like the original so that became the goal.
For this cart, I would use pressure treated 4×4 stock and plane it down to the original skid height and width dimensions. These however would be ~40 inches longer to accommodate the freezer and drive assemblies. After the initial mock-up, I realized that six inch cast wheels mounted to the single 4×4 skid would leave the ice cream rig a little too low to the ground so I decided to install eight inch wheels and add another 4×4 below the skid for height.
Here is a short video montage highlighting various stages of the project.
Those pretty fingernails holding the piston rings were not mine I assure you. They belong to my wonderful wife who graciously offered her support over the last seven months. I think she may have been even more excited than I to see it run for the first time!
I could not have completed this without the help of my friend Richard Hornbaker. His membership at TechShop gave us access to state-of-the-art equipment we used to turn axles, mill wheels, and press wheel bearings. I see an example of Christ in the way Richard serves others and am grateful for his friendship.
Christmas Recital
Katey just performed in her first harp recital since beginning lessons last July. Her instructor, Alla Yashneva, is from Russia and has proven to be a wonderful instructor for Katey.
After hearing that Lauren was also learning to play the piano, Alla invited her to accompany Katey in a rendition of “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”.