Another action-packed week is now history! It is so good to be home! We are busy, busy, busy but it is truly wonderful. We were tickled pink to have our two grandchildren, Dante' and Myanna, come and spend a week with Grandpa and Grandma while their mommy, LaDawn, took a long overdue getaway with her sister, LaShawn. They flew up to Toronto, Canada, to see their brother, Donovan, and LaShawn's fiancé, Liam, for six days. Even with their crazy schedules, we encourage the siblings to try and breakaway in order to spend a few days together a couple times a year. It's important for them to keep in touch!
It's official-we are now in our home state of South Dakota! What a good feeling...although I wondered for just a moment when we got caught in the path of torrential rains, flash floods and 30-50 mile per hour winds. There were 20 tornadoes that ripped through the state of South Dakota last weekend. I was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof! I'm not usually anxious but the wind was swooping-- lifting and shaking our motorcoach like it was cotton candy. This is the first storm we have experienced in nearly 40 years that had me totally unnerved. I think if Larry would have had a tranquilizer gun, he would have given me a big shot!
Greetings from the road! We are en route from Missouri to Wagner, South Dakota, which is located in the southeastern part of the state. We are getting closer to home! Someone asked me last week why we were gone for so long (referring to this four month tour). I looked at them seriously and quipped, "The older we get, the longer it takes us to find our way home." Our daughter, LaDawn, called a few days ago and exclaimed, "Okay, you two...the snow is gone, the spring flowers are up, the grass is turning green--now get home! You've been gone way too long!" "I agree...it's time to come home, " I assured her.
Greetings from the road! It seems like I just wrote the "On The Road" update for last week and it's already time to write another. We had another action-packed week. We were in the Nashville, TN, area for a few days and then began our trek from Nashville through St. Louis, Missouri, and up to Carthage, Missouri, for weekend ministry. It was our first opportunity to minister at Carthage First Assembly of God with Pastor Larry and Donna Graham and prayerfully it won't be the last time. They are such sweet spirited pastors.
Right after we met at the church, Pastor Graham informed us that he remembered us from ministering at Central Assembly in Springfield, MO, in 1972 at a youth rally. He said, "I still remember Larry playing the big, upright bass.
Right after we met at the church, Pastor Graham informed us that he remembered us from ministering at Central Assembly in Springfield, MO, in 1972 at a youth rally. He said, "I still remember Larry playing the big, upright bass.
Greetings from Nashville, TN, or otherwise known as Music City USA!
It is finally a beautiful day-like it should be this time of year in Tennessee. The Nor'easter has finally pushed off the East Coast leaving remnants of winter's (hopefully) last blast!
As I sit here looking out the window, I see a robin gleefully bouncing around picking twigs and blades of grass-- I imagine to build her nest. I am sure the robin is thankful for all this rain we've had as it makes it easier for her to pull those worms out of the ground. It is so fun to watch them at work. The birds are singing and as I said before, it is just a beautiful day.
It is finally a beautiful day-like it should be this time of year in Tennessee. The Nor'easter has finally pushed off the East Coast leaving remnants of winter's (hopefully) last blast!
As I sit here looking out the window, I see a robin gleefully bouncing around picking twigs and blades of grass-- I imagine to build her nest. I am sure the robin is thankful for all this rain we've had as it makes it easier for her to pull those worms out of the ground. It is so fun to watch them at work. The birds are singing and as I said before, it is just a beautiful day.
What a wonderful Easter weekend! We ministered at First Assembly of God in New Orleans, LA, with Pastor and Mrs. Dan Flanagan and staff. We actually drove in a few days early so we could view some of Katrina's aftermath. The only word I can say to describe it is "unbelievable"! It looks like a bomb exploded leaving behind miles and miles of wreckage, rubbish and total abandonment. It actually leaves you speechless with a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. There are many people still missing among the rubble. It is interesting that after a year and a half, it looks like the devastation just occurred. One ironic fact is there are places nearby that were missed by the hurricane and are functioning with life as usual while other areas continue to be at a complete standstill.
Greetings from New Orleans, LA! We were here 2 years ago and oh my...you wouldn't recognize it since Hurricane Katrina. I'll share more about it next week, along with some photos. Since last week we drove from Fort Myers, FL up to Georgia and on to Mississippi...and then back to New Orleans. I can definitely feel all those miles on my body today. I told Larry that I'm declaring a day of rest tomorrow to unwind. We really haven't had a free day since the second week of January. I will call it the "National Norwegian Holiday"- HA!
What a whirlwind week it has been! The weekend of March 18th we ministered in Picayune, MS. Then we drove our coach and towed our 10,000 pound suburban heading for Thomasville, GA where we were scheduled for a service on Thursday night. We were only a few miles down the road when we heard a "clunk" and it felt like we hit a wall.
We are back in Katrina country. We drove over to Picayune, MS last Friday and set up at Christian Life Assembly of God on Saturday. It was great seeing Pastor Darrell Worley, his wife Sharon, and their daughter Lindsey. We've been ministering here every 2 years since the early 90's. A lot has happened since we were here in February 2005. Katrina failed to forget them. Although it wasn't as bad as New Orleans it definitely poured out it's wrath and destruction there. With the hurricane was tornadoes that uprooted 100 year old oak trees and made them fall on houses leaving unbelievable damage.
Hi! This is our last week in Florida. It was action-packed with office duties, Larry scheduling rallies, and packing and repacking for our next leg of the tour to Mississippi. We bid good-bye to our pastors and friends in Florida for another two years. We will back to the Sonshine state, Lord willing, in 2009. It seems like a long ways off but it will go by quickly.