Preparations

Everything European! As in past years, our family is very involved with our state homeschool convention's Kid's Conference (NCHEA). If this blog is in sad neglect as of late, it's because we've been spending long hours creating a large-scale train, windmill, the Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, sewing costumes and beanbags, writing and practicing music, making power point, room decor, and......well, you get the general idea!!

Josiah is the Program Director this year and we are grateful for the many young people on the leadership board who have a genuine hear to minister and serve. With 250 children registered, and over 65 young adults on staff, this weekend promises to be a very full one!

We'd greatly appreciate your prayers -- both as we prepare, and specifically Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as we minister together. We know it is only through the Lord's grace and empowering that any good will come from our efforts! May we continually keep our hearts focused on HIM!!

Cutting out our 'train'.

Many thanks to Seward's Longview Fiber Company for donating these sheets of cardboard!!!

Painting

The humble beginnings of a train! [smile]

"If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

Proverbs 2:4-6

Backpacking

All loaded up and ready to go! Andrew loaded all his new gear into his backpack this week and brought it down to show us. Whew, is that thing heavy!!

Andrew with Elizabeth, trying on her new graduation dress.

Charissa, wondering if she would fit in this giant pack!

Summer Plans

If any of you have taken the time to check out our schedule page, I'm sure you've noticed it is in dire need of an update. As the post below explains our delay in part, we have been in prayer concerning direction for our family this summer.

As of now, we are not scheduling any travel from late-June to mid-August. The Lord has opened specific ministry opportunities for several of we older children, as well as some exciting doors on the home front. We will be using this time to work with our younger ones on taking more part in the instrumentation of our music -- and look forward to what God will direct when we head out again in mid-August.

But before summer hits, we do have a couple trips -- and a recording project -- scheduled. Details should appear soon on our schedule page, but until then, here's a quick update:

April 6

Minden Opera House

Minden, NE

7:00 PM

April 13-19

Bethany will be traveling to Dallas, Texas for a photography course

April 24

Gackle High School

Gackle, ND

7:00 PM

April 25 - 28

FAMILY LIFE SEMINAR

Location TBA

Bemidji, MN

April 29 - May 4

Still finalizing services in MN & WI

May 7, 8, & 9

Heading to the recording studio!!!

Please join us in prayer for this project!

Again, thank you for your patience. [smile]

"Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day."

Psalm 25:4-5

EuroTeam Outreach

"For so the Lord has commanded us:
'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth."

Acts 13:47

As mentioned in Andrew's birthday post, it has been exciting to see the Lord directing his specific life-steps these past several months as he has been earnestly seeking wisdom and guidance. The Lord has laid the following outreach on his heart for this summer --

• EuroTeam Carpathian Mountain Outreach

Andrew will be heading to the airport on June 3rd to spend 10 weeks of his summer in the Ukraine! Much of his time will be spent hiking into remote mountain villages where the light of the Gospel is rarely shared. Along with a team of other young men, he will be distributing literature, Bible study courses, and showing Gospel films. When he is not hiking through the mountain ranges, he will be sharing Biblical literature in the city of L'viv, working with a team of full-time missionaries.

As Andrew committed to this trip, one of his big questions was *finances*. How was God going to provide for the airline ticket, an apartment in L'viv, plus all his living expenses (food!!!) and camping gear!?!?

Less than 5 minutes after stopping by the Post Office to mail his application, his cell phone rang. Upon answering it, he discovered it was his good friend, Caleb, a Navy Seal. He called to mention that a buddy had a back-pack he'd no longer be needing. Would Andrew like to have it?! [smile]

And since then, the Lord has amazingly provided for both his airline tickets and other needs he will have as he travels. Packages of camping gear are met with eager "ohhhs" and "ahhhhs" as they arrive around here! (We'll try to capture some pictures one of these days!!)

Most of all, please keep him in your prayers, specifically from June 3rd - August 15th. He will have internet access in L'viv, so we have convinced him to give us regular updates to share with you, our blog family. Stay tuned!........

Enjoying the Outdoors

As the Nebraska winter months are slowly turning to spring, Daddy decided this week to have our first outdoor picnic of the season. Oh, the joy of being outdoors on these brisk evenings!

"That they may see and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it."

Isaiah 41:20

Home

With rejoicing in our hearts we arrived home yesterday afternoon -- after an overnight drive and surprise visit to our home church for the morning service.

It's good to all be sitting around our table again!

"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!

Therefore the children of men put their trust

under the shadow of thy wings."

Psalm 36:7

Exceedingly More

We've had a few full days of bus travel for our crew this week. In fact, as I write this, we are passing snowdrift after snowdrift as we approach the North Dakota border -- quite a change from the sunny beaches of Florida we enjoyed only a few days ago! [smile]

And we're approaching the final leg our our journey before heading the bus towards Nebraska. While our hearts and minds are starting to think *home* more often these days, we are looking forward to finishing strong as we share at the North Dakota Homeschool Conference this weekend. Thank you in advance for your prayers -- this will be our first homeschool conference, so we are seeking the Lord for His grace through the weekend, both in singing ministry and a workshop.

But to give you a quick re-cap of our week (besides endless hours on the road!!!), the Lord has blessed us with a new trailer! Yes, after 6 years and thousands upon thousands of miles, our faithful black trailer has been nearing the retirement stages of life.

As we drove through Georgia en route to South Carolina on Wednesday, this was made even more apparent. Ol' Faithful's wheel bearings went out to the point of almost damaging the spindle. In God's time-table, this *happened* to occur less than a mile from a first-rate trailer repair shop! Before long we were fixed up and on our way...



And on our way to South Carolina where a dear family business had a brand new trailer waiting for us -- at a fraction of the retail value! It is beautiful and sturdy -- and much better built for the heavy speakers and equipment we haul around. A huge THANK YOU to you dear friends in Abbeville! God used you to bless our family exceedingly above in both our physical needs and spiritual fellowship! We love you!

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now unto God and our Father [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Philippians 4:19-20

Florida Days

Well, it has happened again -- a week without an update. The days have flown with a variety of happenings...from sewing six new skirts, to tearing up chunks of concrete and spending time with friends. How can I recapture everything in a short post?!

Well, for now I'm resorting to a quick update of picture random-ness. [smile] A more in-depth post will have to wait until another date as daylight savings time already took an hour out of my day!!!

I've included the lyrics to a couple hymns that have been thought provoking to me recently. We are only a channel -- of ourselves, empty. But with our Savior, bringing the of the Words of LIFE! Oh joyous thought!

So for a quick peek into the past several days....

Make me a channel of Your peace:

Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love;

Where there is injury, Your healing pow'r,
And where there's doubt, true faith in You.

Make me a channel of Your peace:

Where there's despair in life let me bring hope;

Where there is darkness, - only light,
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

(Yes, Josiah surprised Andrew by showing up for his birthday!)

O Spirit, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consolded as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love with all my soul!

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

In giving to all that we receive,
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

How I praise Thee, precious Savior,

That Thy love laid hold of me;

Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me
That I might Thy channel be.

Channels only, blessèd Master,

But with all Thy wondrous power

Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
Every day and every hour.

Just a channel full of blessing,

To the thirsty hearts around;

To tell out Thy full salvation
All Thy loving message sound.

Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,

A clean vessel in Thy hand;

With no power but as Thou givest

Graciously with each command.

Susanna

Happy 11th Birthday Susanna!

You are eleven years old already, Susanna! And so quickly growing from a sweet little girl to an young lady. We are so grateful for your cheerful smile and quick helpfulness. It has also been a joy to watch your orderliness as you keep your bunk cleared and organized. [smile] We love you dearly and look forward to watching you grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord throughout this coming year!

"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." 2 Peter 3:14 & 18

And here are just a few of Susanna's favorite things --

• animal - horse
• school subject - math
• restaurant - Amigos
• game - Herd your Horses
• food - lasagna
• vacation spot - our friends, the Johnston's
• sport - snow football with the boys
• traveling pastime - reading
• drink - milk
• Bible verse - Matthew 7:7