Late Summer Short Birthday Trip

On Wednesday, Sep 9, we left on a 4 day trip. Roger had cleaned the carpet and furniture in the R.V., washed the windows inside and out, and fixed a number of things. He was eager to take it on the road again.

Our first stop was to see Bridal Veil Falls and Canyon Falls. As it turned out, they were not within driving distance and we were told the hike to get there was quite strenuous. So, we moved on to our next stop – the railroad museum in Skykomish. We knew the mini model train wasn’t running but thought maybe the museum would be open. It wasn’t. We’ll be back there sometime for a train ride.

Here are a couple photos from their website.

We had a spot reserved in Leavenworth, and that was where we headed next. The town was pretty empty compared to any other time we’ve visited. However, the "cheesemonger" shop was open and we stocked up! The ice cream shop was also open, so we took advantage of that, too!

On Thursday we drove to Cashmere. The Pioneer Village was open and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through it. We were just about the only ones there!

 Then, we went to the Aplets and Cotlets factory to buy some goodies. We had already toured the factory in past years, so we didn’t ask about that this trip.

Our friends Daniel and Evy in Ephrata was the overnight stop. Evy is the best "keto" cook! We closed the evening with some hymn singing. Such wonderful memories!

Part of our route took us on the old route 10. As we got further east, the smoke from all of Washington’s fires lessened.

Our goal for Friday was Kellogg, ID, to ride the world’s longest gondola, the Silver Mountain Resort. In winter it a ski resort, in the summer it's an amazing bike park.

 

We have been on a number of gondolas and ski lifts in Europe, but this one was exceptional! We highly recommend it!! Not only did we have a ½ hour ride up and over several ridges, but once we got to the top, there was another open ski lift we could ride for free!! Such fun.

It was, however, too smoky to see much of the mountains, so we’ll have to do this again, too!!

The goal for Sunday was to get to a church that didn’t require wearing masks. We found one in Ellensburg and truly enjoyed not only the Sunday morning service, but also Sunday School!! What more could one ask in this day and age??

Got home in time to sign onto Zoom for Heather’s afternoon teaching time. We’ve been interviewing “live” missionaries on Sundays and it’s always inspiring. The 18 children attending had a chance to interact with a young woman who works in Ghana.

Heather's birthday will be celebrated with a walk-by party on the street with neighbors.

 

Grandkids, Tours and Home

We arrived in Rapid City where 2 of our youngest grandkids live. They love the R.V. - 3 yo Wyatt calls it "DaRV"! There is one drawer reserved for games and they remember that. Zoey, at 6, is good at Jenga and likes to play games. We sing songs together and I can tell her short Bible stories.

One day we visited Storybook Land - a fun place for kids. We all rode the train - well, Mom didn't fit!!

Our son Alan and Galina live there; now son Joshua is moving there. So we have 2 kids in the same place again!

The trip home was relaxed - we had no time constraints. In SD we toured Wonderland Cave - a refreshing thing to do in hot weather!

Also drove by Devil's Tower. Montana's a great place to shop - no tax!! We spent the night at Walmart, one of our favorite places.

We stopped at the Cataldo Mission – the oldest building in ID.

The evening before arriving at home we purchased about 70 pounds of tomatoes. So, as soon as we arrived home – about noon – Heather started canning! Good to be home and grateful for the Lord’s presence with us. He’s a great God!! May we soon see Him face to face.

IA to SD - & Laura Ingalls Wilder

We crossed into IA on Thursday and spent the night in the local Walmart parking lot with several other “rigs”. It was our last chance to shop at Aldi’s – a favorite store we don’t have out west.

Friday found us at Laura Ingalls Wilder’s dad’s homestead in DeSmet, SD. The weather was perfect and there were few people there, so we got special attention! We got a covered wagon ride behind 2 horses, both called “Jack”! 

Then we made a jump rope and a corn cob doll! If you haven’t read the Little House on the Prairie book series, I highly recommend it!

Toward evening we pulled in beside a defunct bowling alley – and just in time. Parked close to the building, we were spared much of the sudden, violent windstorm that came up. Before we could close the window, we got a dust covering over everything near the window. The R.V. rocked in the wind. Roger was outside cleaning the windshield. He said the dust hurt and he had to hang on to not get blown off the ladder! It was certainly the worst dust storm we’ve been in. After some lightning and a little rain it all passed.

The next morning we set out with a low, dark cloud covering. The windmills were almost completely covered by the clouds. But eventually the clouds lifted and lightened, and the sun shone again. However, the intense heat has left – we are so relieved! We even covered up at night!

Friends

Friends!

The Epleys have been friends for many decades. They worked in Japan all those years plus – actually, Flossie was an m.k. from there! In June they retired to Ft. Wayne, IN. We were able and glad to stop by and help with some small move-in type jobs. Flossie’s brother Tim took us to his church on Sunday which was a big blessing to us! Russ and Flossie have moved into a new housing area and they are praying for a Japanese neighbor – after all, Japan has been their life!

We spent the night at Leisure Lake, IL – a fancy campground, which you can see from the pictures!

From there we visited a former boss of Roger’s in Harvard, IL. They hadn’t seen each other for almost 25 years! It was good to get updated.

Wednesday evening we were in Galena, IL. A small AOG church in Galena, nestled in the cornfields, met for prayer meeting. Our joining them doubled the attendance. About ½ hour later, 2 more came in. Getting to meet more of our family which God has given us is a glorious foretaste of Heaven! The church has a spot out back for R.V.s and offered it to us. You can see the park-like setting we enjoyed!

A Sunday Sermon

A Sunday Sermon – summary notes from James 5, Providence Baptist Church, Holly Ridge, NC

v.13a A Place of Suffering-

    maybe you are suffering emotionally – family problems, job issues, financial needs; other

    You are to pray.

v.14-15a A Place of Sickness-

    very similar to suffering, but physical. Some sickness is from God for teaching and some is from our sin, which must be forsaken.

    You are to call the elders to be anointed with oil. Why don’t we do that more? Embarrassment, don’t think it’s relevant to today, lack of belief, other?

v. 15b-16 A Place of Sinning-

    You are living in and embracing sin. Turn from it, repent, and seek the Lord. Jesus came to pay for your sin. Admit your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

v.13b A Place of Satisfaction-

    maybe you are on a 

high note right now with the Lord. Sing praises!

    Maybe you are content in your sin – you don’t want to forsake it and repent. Be warned and turn today or you will be condemned to hell forever. It’s only one breath, one heart beat away.

v. 17-18 Elijah was a man like us – he prayed and God stopped the rain. Then, 3½  years later, he prayed again and it rained. 

v. 19-20 Invitation: Come to Jesus!

By winning souls to Jesus, you save your soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Churches, Fellowship & Grandsons

We spent a night at Josh’s place, even though he has moved to SD to be near Alan. He has started a job there. Brandi was home alone, so we had supper together. We also went shopping together – she doesn’t drive, so was glad to come along. The next morning we pulled out, headed for OH.

Wednesday we drove across part of NC and ended up in Hickory, where we were blessed to attend a prayer meeting. The church was very friendly and, since they had an R.V. spot out back, we spent the night there, too!

The next day we had to hustle to get to Circleville, OH, in time to meet with 2 grandsons. We had about 3 hours together and then it was time to separate. 

Their court case is dragging out and we grieve for them – where will they end up? How many times I have thanked the Lord for a Christian – professing and practicing – family. 

From there we went to check in with friends who moved to OH several years ago. Their family is also in the middle of a divorce. How ugly! It sure makes sense that God says, “I hate divorce.” There are no winners in a divorce, even though it might seem so at the time. And, as always, the kids pay. No more whole family celebrations at graduations, showers, weddings and grandbabies. Always having to think through who likes who and who to invite to what and where to seat them ad nauseum.

Now it’s on to help out some missionary friends who have retired from Japan and are settling into their new American home. Roger is very handy and we both have some energy to expend, so are grateful to be able to be of service. Since they live in Ft. Wayne, IN, we may also be able to stop in Elkhart, IN, where many trailers and R.V.s are made. Roger thought they might have some parts he’d like to get.

Our N.C. Granddaughters

We were delighted to take Ellie, 11, and Scarlett, 9, for a couple of days of fun. Of course, COVID closed most events, but we did some crafts and played games in the R.V. 

Besides that, Heather read some of Grandma’s Attic stories by Arleta Richardson to them. It was almost too hot to go outside – up to 105 degrees! The second park we went to, called “South of the Border*”, had their pool open – inside and out – so we tried both of them. The girls are good swimmers and play together well. The next morning they spent another hour in the pool before we had to pull out.

The ride we hoped to take them on (we went on it on Saturday & thus came back to the same park with them) was closed. The elevator broke Saturday, evidently right after we were there! So that will have to wait.

In the evenings we sang 4 hymns together (they graciously joined us!) and then took turns reading a verse at a time, covering the book of Ruth. We had “matching” Bibles, so it made it easy to follow along. Each day we had a short Bible story and some songs to go with that. We were also able to watch a Zoom 5 day club happening back home in WA!

We’re glad they still want to spend time with us & pray they will make good and right decisions in their lives. Their homes leave much to be desired.

*The border was between NC and SC and the park is right on the border in SC. Lots of fun things to do when everything is running!!

Operation Mobilization Book Warehouse

We have just completed 3 days of volunteering at the OM book warehouse. From here the ship is supplied. However, even in these days of no ship ministry, OM also has an online presence, so books still need to be processed.

We evidently set some kind of record, emptying 9 crates in 1 day. Crates are about 4'x4'x2' and come solidly packed with books. We sort them by ISBN number - last digit.

From here they go all over the world - and we pray those books will draw people to the Lord and strengthen them in their faith.

While working here, we park in a secluded spot between 2 buildings. They have R.V. hook-ups, which is very pleasant for us!

We stopped for gas on the way out of town. It's hard to believe how much less gas costs here than at home. The cost of gas has continued to stay low along our route.

For Believers

Dear Brother and Sister in Christ,

For your edification and enjoyment, we want to tell you a little of what we have experienced in our very wayward, distressed and sinful country.

Many people who are Christians have responded when we hand them a tract, a Tel-a-Story® card, or tell them Jesus loves them. A clerk told us she reads the Bible every day, but doesn't go to church. We encouraged her to go - it is a command of Jesus as well as His regular habit.

A family we met at Old Bent's Fort, CO, was thrilled to meet a Christian family from Seattle - not expected in light of our newsworthy fame! One of the rangers there was also a believer.

A ranger at Chimney Rock in NC was a strong believer. We spent a fair bit of time talking to him about our country and the need for repentance.

There are many others we have met along the road - if we speak up, they will identify. It's an encouragement to them to speak up too, we hope!, and a great encouragement to us. When we pray, we can tell the Lord that there are still 7000 who haven't bowed the knee (I Kings 19:18).

On a different note, we attended a very large church in Florence, NC, where the room was full (with proper distancing). The pastor informed his congregation that he was starting a 13 week series on soul winning in your everyday walk. Not a door-to-door program, but a live-it-every day teaching. How wonderful - a soul-winning, concerned for the lost pastor of a LARGE church! God bless him and others like him. We want to be soul-winning, concerned for the lost.

Thanks for praying for us.

Off to OM Book Warehouse

Leaving KS, we pulled into a camping spot in Peculiar, MO. Despite its name, it was a pretty, quiet place to spend the night. We were able to get laundry done and catch up on internet, which has been a bigger problem this trip than in the past.

On Saturday, we drove to Columbia, MO, to enjoy pizza with our daughter and her husband. We ate in the shade of a big tree. From there we drove to St. Charles, where we spent the night in a Walmart parking lot - the only rule was you couldn't run any motors all night!

Sunday at 8:45 we were in the First Baptist Church. Their pastor spoke on Joseph and it was very encouraging - "The Ups and Downs of Life". We dropped off a package of materials for the pastor's mother, whom we met at Silver Dollar City several years ago.

So, church in MO, lunch in IL, and gassed up in KY at $1.74/gal and on to spend the night in TN. Our biggest disappointment was that we couldn't find an evening service, even though the website and phone message said there was one, it didn't happen.

Traffic has really not been a problem; the roads seem to be improving,too!

The highlight of TN was McDonald's - we could go inside and eat inside!!! How exciting!!!

We drove to SC to visit briefly with friends Doug and Margie Nichols. They moved east from WA several years ago. It was nice to get caught up.

Tuesday we arrived at Operation Mobilization - and several couples came out to welcome us. Got the R.V. hooked up and the a/c on. It's just TOO hot here - close to 100 (or more) every day. Slept with the a/c on all night - something we have rarely done.

Wednesday we were at "work" by 8 a.m. (Eastern time). The book warehouse is air conditioned, so it was quite bearable. How soft we have become. We worked 'til 5, with an hour lunch break. The work is enjoyable and the company is so encouraging - they have a mission-minded focus here and we love it!

BPF - By Prayer Forward (our license plate letters)

The Arches National Park in UT is one of those places you have to see to believe. Red rocks in amazing arrays - including the arches! Everywhere you look, there's another breath-catching sight. We're so glad we went!

Driving along the highway, we got too close to a crop-duster plane and got spray on our windshield!

CO must have the worst highways in the US! The speed limit was 75, but at 55 we could hardly keep the R.V. on the road - and there was no wind!

Climbing into Denver, we huffed and puffed up to the snow line - the passes registered at 10,603 feet and 11,158 feet.

We didn't realize there were such high passes in the US! All along the climb, there were paved and striped bike lanes running near the highway. Guess recreation is important there, too! Miss Breezy did very well - no overheating!

We spent the night in Rifle, CO. Temperatures have been running just under 100 degrees! Nights are so cold we need 3 blankets!

Our route has taken us along the Columbia, Snake, Colorado and Arkansas Rivers! The scenic route.

Wednesday evening we were able to find a prayer meeting in a small Baptist Church. The singing was fantastic! It's so refreshing to be with God's people. Next we needed a place to park for the night. It was already dark - and then there was a detour on our route. So we stopped at the local gas station, and just as they were turning out the lights, Heather was able to ask the clerk if he had any suggestions for us. Sure enough, just past the detour sign there was an empty lot that truckers used for sleeping. We shared the space with only one trucker and slept well. There were lots of bright stars out.

On Thursday we toured Old Bent's Fort - in CO. This fort was used for trade, but never needed for defense.

Besides rough roads, some wind resistance today, Walmarts not letting us park overnight, McDonalds in house service being closed so our internet is limited, to top it all off, Heather lost 50 cents in a Pepsi machine! You can see it's a hard road...lol! Speaking of money, the cheapest gas so far was $1.84/gallon!

We're spending Thursday night in a picnic area right off the road - all by ourselves. The sunsets are gorgeous.