Little Stone Chapel--"Jesus, It's Jim!"

At the campground where we had Mom and Dad's 60th anniversary reunion, there was this quaint old stone chapel.

It had been built by Catholics, but now it was part of an evangelical campground. And it was a focal point that was as important as the dining hall where we had all our wonderful meals! 

For at the chapel we worshipped together, sang together, practiced music, and did skits. Sunday morning was especially wonderful

with God's presence very near and real.

Here the Morley siblings and spouses are practicing a "Grace" medley to sing during the Saturday afternoon time in the chapel.

Gabriel's family sang "If My People Who Are Called by My Name..." beautifully.  

 Craig and Joella's family singing a beautiful new piece.

This chapel always reminds me of a story that I think I read in Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories. My brother says his name was Jim.

He'd just come to a chapel in the middle of the day when he was on his little break from his job, and he'd sit down in the front seat of the chapel by the altar. And he would just say, "Jesus, it's Jim." And that was all. He would just sit there in the presence of Jesus for a little while, and then go back to work. And the next day he would do that all over again, very simply.

And then one day, something happened and he ended up in the hospital. He was so sad that he couldn't go to the chapel like he used to. I can't remember the details, but then Jim changed and seemed so happy, and the nurse asked him about it. Jim told her how he used to go to the chapel at noon to let Jesus know he was there, and how he couldn't do that anymore. But now, Jim said, "every day at noon, Jesus comes to the foot of my bed, and He says, "Jim, it's Jesus!" I have always loved that story.    

My Mom and Dad's 60th Wedding Anniversary

Last week my mom and dad celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary!

 My niece Mercy cross-stitched and sewed this darling "LOVE" pillow for them!

My father had just gotten out of the hospital a few days before the reunion, so we hadn't been sure how much he would be able to be with the clan at the campground we had rented for the occasion. But he was able to come out for a little while all three days.

I just had to get a picture of my older sister Dorcas and me together. It had been seven years since we'd seen each other. 

Together, we signed the card to give Mom and Dad from all nine of us siblings--all signed in person that one day that we were all together--all eleven of our original family.

Nearly everyone who came contributed something for the meals or for barter--such as homemade breads, jams and jellies, garden produce, home canned veggies and meat, and frozen venison sausage, for examples.  

My brother Fain frying the first morning's breakfast.  

The girl cousins had decorated the tables with bouquets of fresh flowers from family gardens. 

More bouquets! 

 Love taking candids!

 

Some of what I enjoyed most was being together with my sisters! Here we're chopping veggies for salad. 

Here sisters and sisters-in-love are discussing the next day's menu.

Here we are lining up to purchase some small things at a local boutique! 

Shopping together as sisters and nieces at that quaint little store was a highlight.

Here we four oldest sisters are lining up in order of age. 

The three oldest--Elon (in dark brown shirt), Fain, and Gabriel. Some of the family preferred not to be on social media, so I am limited in what photos I can use. 

An intense discussion during photo time! 

I caught the oldest and youngest of the clan all at once!

I thought it was precious how the oldest sister walked my dad back to his car after the photo time.

 

Someone caught this on camera.  

Seemed like everyone had to take a turn holding Jed's littlest boy--the youngest in the clan!

Jonathan's Elk Mount

Last week while some of us were in South Dakota, Rose and Tommy fetched Jonathan's elk mount home from the taxidermist.

It had been there for nearly two years, waiting on a foam mount from a certain country, we shall not say which one.

They had a hard time getting it in through the front door, but by hook or by crook, Rose and Tommy had gotten it in. 

Danny poses with it to show how big it is.

And now Jonathan and Sam prepare to hang it on the wall. 

This is quite the feat! 

 They got it positioned finally on the bolt Jonathan had put up.

And so here it is, looking majestically over our living room,

as if it is hoping for the day to soon come when it will hang over our stairs in South Dakota!

I had not been sure I wanted a huge elk mount hanging over me, leering at me with its big, sad, lifeless eyes every day, but when it came home, I changed my mind. 

The taxidermist had done an outstanding job.

The elk looked gentle and majestic looking out over our living room--

like the kind eyes of God, holy and majestic and full of life,

never sleeping,

constantly watching over His own.

When Children Fly (or Drive) Away

I caught this snap Thursday evening before Tim took off for a month in Arizona to work with some Christian cowboys on a Navajo ranch.

He wants to learn all he can this month about cowboying (if that is a word, and if it isn't, it works really well).

 He and Rose are really good buddies, and they were making sure they spent the last bit of time they could together out on the front porch swing rather late in the evening.

(We won't say names about who we think Rose may have been texting in this photo.)

We had celebrated Tim's birthday a few weeks late.

And then Rose's birthday.  

She turned 21 years old.  

Actually we celebrated her birthday a couple days early because Crystal went back to her school in Missouri on Wednesday, taking Carrie and Hannah with her for a week.

 

 So we celebrated Tim's birthday a few weeks late on Monday and hers a couple days early on Tuesday to make sure we were all together!

Tim chose Psalm 19 to read as one of his favorite passages. 

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork...Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer!"  

Grandpa came out for Rose's birthday, too.  

Carrie had made a leather-bound photo album for Tim out of an album from the goodwill, covered with leather she bought off Etsy, and decorated with a praying cowboy decal. 

Because the Praying Cowboy leather album Tim wanted was about  $130 or so. 

Gotta get creative these days!

We all admired Carrie's handiwork!

Thursday morning Jonathan helped Tim repair his radiator on his old truck. But for better gas mileage, Tim had to buy a little car, which God provided just in the nick of time, 

a stick shift car that Tim told us last night gave him 35 miles per gallon on his way to Arizona! 

So this mom is home alone today with Danny, doing up jar after jar of apple sauce and picking green beans in the garden, and just thankful that her children are out there doing what they feel is God's will for their lives.

Crystal--starting her first day of her second year as supervisor at Mt. Zion school,

Sam working with his dad,

Carrie and Hannah in Missouri helping our friends the Goodwins with freezing some meals ahead,

Tim in Arizona working on a ranch to prepare for future ministry,

and Danny helping Mom.

What would I do without Danny today? 

We couldn't find the handle for the Victorio strainer for the apple sauce when we unpacked the strainer for applesauce, so Danny made a handle himself out of a piece of hog panel and a little piece of sturdy metal.  

That has worked all morning as he has cut up apples and I cook them and he puts them through the seive, and then I can them.

Youth Gathering in South Dakota

On Tuesday evening last week in South Dakota, there was a youth gathering. 

A fire truck even came!

Tasbah and her girls were worn out from setting things up, and terribly hot by midafternoon when we arrived. So Jonathan offered to grill the burgers, despite the over 100 degree heat. 

Hannah making friends with a little child who was enjoying the leftovers of the tarp water slide. Little fountains had been set up earlier. 

Over 70 people showed up, many besides youth, including 8 or 10 firemen or women who were exhausted, dirty, and black with soot. They were thankful for the food ready! 

Tasbah served crushed ice with homemade flavors squeezed on top. 

The firemen allowed the boys there to handle the fire hose.  

They turned it on full blast!  

What a lot of fun they had!

The boys (and a girl or two) were even allowed to try out the jaws of life on a tree trunk in the brush.  

Our Danny getting to try out the Jaws of Life.