Cobwebs on Hats and Plumbers Glue on Hands

Tuesday night two weeks ago (this blog post was written a couple weeks ago and just discovered unposted!) was the first night of VBS at our church in Denver.

It was quite the night.

First of all, the plumbing had completely quit working Sunday. 

And no matter how many guys and gismos worked on trying to unclog the plumbing, 

it remained stubbornly clogged. 

Pastor Christian, and two others from church had worked for hours.

Jonathan and I arrived early to VBS service (after a trip of about 2 1/4 hours because of traffic jams in Denver) in order for Jonathan to say the magic word or do the magic touch! :) :) Ha ha.

No magic whatsoever happened, however. 

Just a lot more hard, miserable work.

Jonathan finally determined that what really needed to happen was that a whole section of old cast iron pipe needed to be dug out and taken out and replaced with new plastic pipe.

So that is what he worked on for over six hours while VBS proceeded as planned.

I accompanied Christian and the VBS kids on the bus while Holly drove another direction to pick up somebody else. 

It was hot. The bus was sweltering from sitting in the sun, and there was no air conditioning. I opened all the little windows and kept drinking from my water bottle.
(The next time I go, I took along balloons for guessing games, and see if the boys can keep paper cups on their heads from one end of the bus to the other.) But this night I wasn't prepared.
I was tired, and so was Pastor Walker. He said he needed a nap. He was exhausted. I was, too.
But VBSes do not happen with perfect circumstances by people who have boundless energy.
They happen because ordinary, tired people sacrifice more of their time and energy to reach out to kids who need Jesus and His love.

We tried to direct conversation because as soon as certain boys get on the bus, they see what dirty words they can get away with--by almost saying the words but not quite. 

Pastor Christian almost took one boy back home.

I tried to come up with ideas to talk about--like about our family's new pigs,

and our new puppies, and the pretty roses outside.
Great topics for young city boys! :)

It's hard to know what to talk about with boys whose lives are wrapped up in the latest videos, X-box, and Black Panther shirts. 

"I only want to come for one hour!" one young boy announces loudly. "I want to get back at seven to play X-box."

Another boy notices the logo on another boy's shirt, and talks about being the boss.

Back at the church, Jonathan is digging around the pipe and will later be working on the plumbing.

And crawling around in the crawlspace until the top of his hat looks like he has been in cobweb heaven.

Holly is bringing in a lady who does not seem to be feeling right. The pastor's oldest kid is not in the greatest mood and is anxious to win the quiet seat prize because the prizes look oh, so fun!

Our bus finally arrives and the kids hurry indoors while I conduct one kid to the parsonage to show them the alternative restroom for the night. 

And VBS begins!

The digging continues. Jonathan goes to Home Depot to pick up a long piece of plumbing pipe.
VBS service ends and this time Holly and the kids go with Christian so I stay behind with Jonathan and help Stephanie. 

Jonathan climbs back down into the crawl space. 

Up in the sanctuary, the pastor's aunt Stephanie who is conducting the VBS, has me busy helping her prepare a bunch of water bottles for tomorrow's crafts by cutting off the bottom of the bottles and then coloring the bottles with different colors of marker. We talk about our lives and our children and get to know each other. I was so thankful to have something useful to do while Jonathan kept working.

Stephanie said she had been afraid she'd be up all night coloring water bottles!

She was so thankful for my help.
(This is a little girl who the next day enjoyed this craft so much!)

Christian and Holly come home from delivering kids safely home, and they grill burgers leftover from Sunday's community day at church, and we all sit down for a very late supper.

Around 10:15 p.m. Jonathan asked me to bring in some rolls of protective plastic from his truck

to spread on the church carpet so he and Christian can get the old castiron plumbing pipe pieces outside without dripping sewer on the church carpet.

Christian carried out the pipe after Jonathan handed it out, and Jonathan climbed back out and washed his hands which were covered with gray plumbing glue. 

(Note--the glue is still there on his hands.)

He changed from his filthy shirt into a clean one Christian loaned him.

And while we were loading tools into Jonathan's truck, Jonathan's arm suddenly began to cramp.

He was nearly doubled over with the pain.

Satan doesn't just attack people who are on the platform leading the VBS and driving the bus.

He hates the people who are willing to crawl into spidery crawlspaces behind the scenes

(or under the scenes)

 and get dirty.

There is a huge place for full time mechanics and plumbers and carpenters and electricians in God's work. 

Being full time in God's work is not just about being a preacher or missionary or pastor or Christian Day School teacher or music evangelist.

It really could be about crawling into spidery crawl spaces

and digging ditches to get a clogged sewer pipe dug out and replaced.

"I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus," Paul wrote. 

For Jesus, those marks were nail prints.

For Paul, they were scars from beatings. 

For Jonathan last night, those marks were plumbers glue and a cramped arm.

For me, it was several colors of marker pen ink all over my hand from spending nearly two hours helping Stephanie prepare crafts for tomorrow. And then a terrible bang on my head as I was working a couple mornings later, but kept ice on for a long time so it wouldn't swell too much
and so I could go ahead and drive up to Denver again to help at VBS again.

I like clean hands, not ones with several colors of ink all over them like a little kid.
And I like to look nice, not have a goose egg on my forehead.

Not much to brag about, of course, but for today, those were some of the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Any mark in our body because of service done for Him is a mark of the Lord Jesus.

So is the mark of any reproach we bear for His name.

Underneath the plumber's glue and the red, purple and green ink, there were aching hearts bearing a silent reproach--things we cannot share but are there.

But what a joy to participate together with Walkers and Stephanie in the service of the King!
Scooters the Squirrel (aka Pastor Walker) was a real hit with the children, helping Stephanie tell the story, and being involved in other cute ways.

My Sister-in-law Anita's Mother in Heaven

This is such a beautiful picture of my sister-in-law Anita [Blowers]mother Lois in younger days.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/clearfield-pa/lois-blowers

I've posted this link to her obituary and memories.

I've been able to talk to my brother Gabriel and my daughter Crystal both about the funeral. Crystal had bought a ticket and flown back to PA with my niece Amaris who had been here for a week and a half, only to have her visit cut short by the news of her grandmother's passing. They were both able to find very inexpensive tickets to fly back together the very next morning, leaving here at 3 a.m.

 

 Amaris has been battling lymes disease, and our girls (and even boys) were so happy to have helped her have a little over a week of good Colorado fresh air and sunshine, wheelchair rides around the circle, and introductions to the children's new horse, Patriot.

 Amaris got to enjoy fresh homegrown strawberries, from our very own patch.

 

 Just before the girls left for PA, we sorted our stash of fabric we've been given, and Amaris was able to choose some out for the quilts she and her mother make for Christian Aid Ministries, and other pieces we bagged to donate to CAM as well. It felt good to have our sewing supplies and fabric stash toned down and organized. It was a happy time to share with someone who will use it to bless the unfortunate in third world countries.

And then came the news of Grandma Blowers at the ER with what was first diagnosed as bilateral pneumonia, and then later as congestive heart failure. My brother Elon and Anita had been taking a 25th anniversary trip out to South Dakota for a wedding of Anita's nephew, Samuel Blowers, to Jessica. On their way home, they were stopping at my parents, but had to cut that time short when they heard about the cardiac arrest of Anita's mother. It was on their way home that the news came that Anita's mother had quickly and peacefully passed away. This was a very hard blow to Anita and many other family members who weren't able to make it in time to say goodbye.  

I couldn't make it to the funeral, though Jonathan offered that I could fly and rent a car to get to the funeral. With my exhaustion after helping with the VBS at our church the week before, and a mission trip to South Dakota coming up in a few days, I didn't feel I should try to cram a plane trip alone into our tight schedule. But I felt terrible to miss it!

So I was so thankful that Crystal could be with the family at this time, the family she has stayed with two years while attending her sophomore and junior year at Penn View. They treated her like family and Anita thanked me in tears on the phone for sending her to help care for Amaris so Anita could help her sister Becky care for her 89-year-old father who took his wife's death very hard. 

I was so thankful Crystal could be there in my place to help when family was so distracted with grief and responsibilities.

 One very precious moment that Crystal shared about with me was that an Amish lady, friend of the Blowers, had come home from shopping when she found out that Sister Blowers was in the hospital. This lady, Ellen, got her driver to take her immediately to the hospital. While Sis. Blowers' daughter Becky was gone from the room to bring in an aunt and cousin, Ellen was holding Sister Blowers' hand. Ellen said Sis. Blowers suddenly looked up as if she was seeing angels, and before Becky could return, she had slipped into the Arms of Jesus. Because I have close friends among the Amish who have been friends for over 40 years, it was so special to me to hear of this Amish friend that God sent  to hold Sis. Blowers' hand through her last moment. I don't even know her, but God bless dear Amish sister Ellen, who listened to the whisper of God calling her to the bedside of a dying friend so that she would not have to pass through the River alone.
***

I was so thankful that there was a good representation of the Morley family to be with Elon and Anita at this time. My brother Gabriel's whole family was able to go to the funeral, besides Craig and Joella, and Iva and son Kenny who had driven Anita's Aunt Wilma (age 93) all the way from Michigan for the funeral.

Crystal told me that the ENTIRE Blowers clan was there, all the children, grandchildren and the one great grand. That is really amazing, and says volumes about Grandma Blowers. The four "children" (Anita, Don, Becky, and Steve) sang "God Hath Not Promised," one of Lois's favorite hymns, and the four then with their spouses sang "Take Your Burdens to the Lord and Leave it There." Steve and Pam Blowers' eight children played "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" on violins, flute, clarinets and tuba. My sister Iva was dumbfounded at what beautiful music came out of that unusual array of instruments which the children played also at the meal again. 

 Bro. Dickon, pastor of Mountain Road God's Missionary Church read the obituary. Don and Lois had watched services there online for years. Uncle Dave Blowers shared memories and gave a message, sharing how Lois Blowers lived out the fruits of the Spirit. Crystal said the funeral home was nearly packed out. There was a poster full of faculty photos taken at schools where Lois had taught in her younger years, a slide show that Anita and Elon had put together, and pictures of the many puzzles Lois had put together. She had been doing word puzzles the day before she died, still having a sharp mind! 

Afterward, Amish folk had organized a meal at a fire hall in Clearfield

At the funeral meal, Don Jr.'s wife Pam [Anita's two brothers both married Pams!] had divided a couple floral arrangements sent to the funeral into vases to adorn the tables for the meal. She had also printed and framed verses from Proverbs 31 which described her mother. These were some things my sister Iva noticed which were very unique and special.

*****

We never know when it will be the last time we see our parents or grandparents or some older person we love. Let's take time to call them, write to them, send an email, visit them, sing to them, 

value them and just love them. If your parents or grandparents don't live nearby, find someone else's to visit and cheer. Our dear friends the Goodwins so appreciated when the girls and I stopped by on our way to Missouri to see my parents a few weeks ago.

Hannah is showing Sis. Goodwin her notebook of birds she has been collecting pictures of and information about. 

Their guest book revealed that only one other person had been in to visit them in the last three months, besides perhaps a neighbor or so.

We were so glad we stopped, taking time to visit, to sing, to laugh, to show pictures and just do life with them. I asked if I could gather some wood sorrel that I saw around their yard, and the Goodwins were happy to share that herb, and I later gave them my mother's recipe for wood sorrel juice for skin cancer.

We had stopped to see this historic site a few moments before going to see Goodwins. It's right near their place.

Next time in that area, I would like to go inside. You have to pay, of course, and we didn't have time this time, but Laura Ingalls Wilder is one of my favorite authors, and I would like to visit this museum.

If my mom keeps feeling better, maybe I can take her with me and have a girls day out!

Potato Cannons and Jamming with Friends

 A few weeks ago, we were invited to some friends to "jam" and have some other outdoor fun.

The girls enjoyed "jamming," i.e. playing their strings together.

I loved the big red tractor they had there,

and holding the music pages for everyone! It was fun playing and singing together.

The boys were into more masculine things like potato cannons. 

Getting ready to shoot the potato.

All you had to do after squirting in some hair spray or some such stuff, and then screwing the lid on, 

was to push this button. 

and POW! The potato was high in the sky with a big boom!

Chickens grown from chicks Timmy sold them. I was amused at the creative nesting boxes!

A couple in the middle did have straw in them!

Fourth of July

On July Fourth, the family decided to take a hike in our "own back yard," to somewhere not even Jonathan has been before, even though it was just outside Colorado Springs, up Gold Camp Road.

We took St. Peter's Dome Trail to St. Peter's Dome, the outcropping of rock you see in the distance to the left. 

I'm not sure why it's called St. Peter's Dome, unless it refers to the meaning of Peter as "rock."

There were all colors of wild flowers.

Arriving almost to the top, we discovered that to get clear on up to the top of the "dome," you had to climb a rope with knots in it.

Everyone did it except me! I was just fine and content to remain behind at this point!

But it was a fun, short hike.

Then we had a picnic near Emerald Ranch by a creek.

Blue Colorado columbines!

Danny and Hannah playing in the creek.

Shooting star flowers.

In the evening we had been invited to friends who were having a cookout.

We took along our favorite dessert:fruit pizza with a patriotic flare!

There was a zipline at the back of the property which the children and young people enjoyed riding!

There was a round little seat like a swing. 

Even a few parents tried it out!

The field was full of yucca cactus plants!

Hannah took countless turns, and once or twice got pulled back by her big brothers.

It was a very fun day!

Krystal Hunt's Nebraska Wedding

Friday afternoon most of our family traveled over 4 hours to attend the evening wedding of our girls' friend, Krystal Hunt.

The wedding took place outdoors at a park. I loved the huge fallen log you can see in the distance. It formed a sort of "wall" for the event. Here we are entering the park between two Nebraska fenceposts decorated with lanterns and greenery.

One of the girls got this picture of me signing the guest book. Crystal helped make my hair a little different on the way as we drove through Nebraska.

Would love to have taken gobs of photos and I wish I had the data and time to upload the ones I did get, but at least here are a few. Brian Welch, Krystal's groom, is one of the maintenance men at Penn View.  He brought the mothers and grandmothers in.

Also, as you can see, there were citronella lamps lit to keep the insects at bay. They did a good job!

I didn't get a single bite. 

Becky Hunt and Brian.

 "Here comes the bride."

The bridal party was hidden out of sight behind a row of leafy trees and bushes. 

 Krystal's father, Gary Hunt, bringing the bride down the aisle.

 Mother and father of the bride give her away. There were three bridesmaids (Krystal's three sisters) and three groomsmen (Brian's cousin was best man, and two of Krystal's brothers-in-law.)

Brian and Krystal singing to each other.

 Brian's father prayed the wedding prayer.

 A photo from behind. Our friends, Stuart and Tammy Hallam, sat right ahead of us. They brought at umbrella to shade them from the bright sunlight. Thankfully, just as the ceremony began, the sun sank just below the tops of the trees.

Instead of lighting a unity candle, Brian and Krystal braided a three-fold cord.

Here it is.

 The newly married couple!

 Heading to the reception a few blocks away--Nebraska style!

Notice the tall grain elevator in the background.

The reception was cool and candlelit. Hannah is standing admiring the beautiful cake and cupcakes.

The happy couple.