Timmy's Graduates from High School and Feels Called to the Ministry

This year was Timmy's turn to graduate from high school.

We had an informal back yard ceremony with some friends in for a party.

 

 He wanted cookies instead of cake or cupcakes (which end up getting smeared all over)! Jonathan's mom brought a couple kinds of brownies and bars, and other friends brought some, too.

The girls made three kinds of cookies--molasses, peanut butter, and chocolate,

and we put up a sign, "One smart cookie!"

(Got that idea off Pinterest.)

Grandma and pa and a few others ate with the graduate...

at a table beside which we set up slabs for benches.

I got a kick out of Carrie "practicing social distancing!"

Boys on the deck.

Girls playing with puppies in the back yard.

A few indoors while the youngsters played soccer out in the pasture.

Jonathan picked up some potted flowers at Lowes where they were $5 a basket, and really spruced up the front porch.

I'm so thankful for the pretty colors!

Lots of smart cookies left!

Presenting Timmy with a diploma (which happened to belong to his sister because his hadn't arrived in the mail yet in time for the scheduled event!)

But oh, well, for the purpose of a picture, (and now you know the very imperfect background of how sometimes things don't happen in time!) we proceeded as best we could with lots of laughs.

A hug from his mom.

More laughs as Timmy thanks his mom for teaching him and deciding what he had to do,

and what not!

And then thanked his dad "for helping," he said with a grin. His dad was involved a lot with his Life Skills classes for which he received two credits.

Last weekend, Timmy let Jonathan and me know that he feels called to "take the gospel to the cowboys." And he said that a couple weeks ago at the youth camp, while praying around the altar with others, he felt that he should go to Penn View and probably take the ministerial program.

I was so shocked I hardly knew what to say, but when Jonathan and I were alone, I went into Jonathan's arms with tears.

I couldn't be happier with this news! 

Timmy hasn't enjoyed studying very much, but I am so thankful he was willing to go where God leads. I know the Lord will help him.

He plans to spend this next year working and then go to college probably the following year. 

Below is a picture of the Penn View quartet who were at the youth camp and then also sang at our church two Sundays ago in Denver.

Mr. Wesley McDonald, the PR man, asked Crystal to join the group to answer some questions about Penn View and tell her plans for the future--which right now include student teaching this coming semester back at Penn View in the 5th and 6th grade. Jeffrey Anderson, who graduated with Crystal and is standing to her left, will also be student teaching in the music department. 

We got a kick out of Crystal being the only girl up there!

She was also the only girl playing kick ball at Youth Camp--which was a total accident!

Everyone was given the choice between Capture the Flag and Wiffleball, and Crystal decided on Wiffleball, only to arrive at the field to discover she was the only girl there!

The boys decided she should be the first to bat the ball, and she got the ball on the first try and sent it flying so well that no boy had any qualms that this girl couldn't hold her own!

I laughed and laughed when I heard the story!

Rose Petals on Gray Steps

My sister recently sent these beautiful photos, saying her youngest daughter had been having fun with rose petals!

She even found this heart-shaped rose petal, which I thought of today after reading a verse for the second time in just a couple days that says, 

"In the world you shall have tribulation, but take heart;

I have overcome the world!"

In the old King James, it says, "Be of good cheer," but I love this translation, too--

"Take heart!"

In a world that is so full of fear and violence and tragedies, 

it is easy to lose heart.

I did temporarily the other day. 

I felt that I had little heart left, that I could just go away and disappear and who would care?

 But that is not what we are instructed to do by the Christ Who Cares. 

"Men's hearts failing them for fear and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth," Jesus foretold when the disciples asked Him about the last times.

But His people do not need to have hearts that fail.

They do not need to lose heart.

In fact, Jesus comforted us with His own words,

"Take heart!"

Don't lose heart; keep a hold of God's promises, and take heart.

Don't be afraid.

Trust. 

Because Jesus has overcome everything!

****

Here is a link to a good blogpost I enjoyed reading today.

https://christyfitzwater.com/coming-out-of-quarantine/

Sunday in PA--Sermon on the Mount

If there were ever a radiant couple, this is one!

Brandon and Heather Byler have been friends of our family for years, from long before they got married.

Brandon attended Penn View the same time Kezia did, and Heather's family was friends of my family for a long time. A LONG time.

Heather was my sister Kezia's bridesmaid at her wedding, and Brandon was one of the guests.

It took some time, but they are very happily married now, and their little family sang "O to Be Like Thee," I believe it was, Sunday morning in church where we attended the day after Crystal's graduation. It was so sweet hearing the wee ones singing right along with their parents!

Then Brandon preached from the final verses of the Sermon on the Mount,

about our need for the foundation of God's Word

and our obedience to it.
"If this [Sermon on the Mount] isn't true, then it doesn't matter;
if it is true, then nothing else matters."

How to have a life that matters, Brandon said,
"is to come, hear, and obey."
Many people think highly of God and Christ, he said,

but not many obey and actually do what God says.

Brandon spoke with unction, leaving me in tears as I thought about a stand of obedience that I had made a few years ago, and what it cost me, and as I thought of what obedience

to Christ may cost us in the future. 

Brandon shared how Jesus's story about the wise and foolish men is not about just hearing the Word of God, but doing it.

He told the story of how many thousand foundations in an area of Massachusetts are crumbling because their foundations were built with concrete that had the mineral pyrrhotite in it,

gotten from a nearby quarry. This mineral reacts with water and these foundations weakened over time.

A strong foundation is essential. 

But are we really willing to pay the price of obedience, and not just lip service?
Why would people build on sand? Brandon asked.
1) Ignorance
2) Indolence--it's hard work
3) Impatience--it takes time to dig down to bedrock.
God's kingdom is on the increase, but it is usually slower than we would like.

Crystal Graduates from Penn View

 Last Saturday Crystal graduated from Penn View Bible Institute.

Some of our family had driven back to PA, and three had flown, but we had the privilege of being there to celebrate this special milestone.

Here she is coming down the aisle.

Penn View is to be commended for the wisdom of the leadership in taking this crisis one week at a time instead of totally cancelling all year-end activities like so many other schools did. 

Penn View scrambled to start online classes and got through to the end of the semester, and just in time, county officials permitted a graduation ceremony under certain social-distancing conditions.

Behind the podium stands an old friend, Dr. Tim Cooley, who was dean clear back about 29 years ago when I attended there for three semesters.

My nephew, Ezra Morley, was one of two valedictorians. He and Denver Brenizer were exactly the same GPA for the first time in the history of Penn View, resulting in two valedictory addresses!

The turning of the tassles!

We were only allowed to sit in every other pew.

They also have a "hooding" ceremony, where hoods of different colors are donned by the graduates. 

Crystal majored in elementary education, so her hood was light blue. 

Missions majors would have red, I believe, ministerial was dark blue, and music was pink,

(The men in music wished it was a different color!)

We had purchased a flower basket in honor of Crystal. There were lots of flowers and ferns, and we got to take our choice home. Unfortunately, I didn't have room in our van, but we were able to leave it at Elon and Anita's home.

I especially love the quiet moments when the graduates then file down from the platform and collect roses to present to their mother or other significant people in their lives. After giving one to me, Crystal went back and totally surprised her grandma Lucas. Grandma and pa Lucas had flown all the way to PA for the whole weekend to attend her graduation.

A quick photo of most of the cousins who attended. Nathaniel was missing, who had left early to start grilling burgers and weiners for the graduation party for Ezra and Crystal.

A very special time, including Grandma and pa!

Our family with Crystal.

Four of the five or six cousins who had gone together to Africa three different times.

Crystal went three times with different cousins.

Ezra's family

The prettiest part of the party!

Starting the line at the party. We had read that it was supposed to rain, but it cleared beautifully and the sun came out.

Acquaintances of my brother had this picnic pavilion down by the river where we could all be outdoors and enjoy the afternoon.

Five of us Morley siblings with the graduates,

Elon, Fain, Gabriel, and Iva.

Opening her gifts.

This beautiful handmade book bag was sewed by my sister Joella, who could not come.

We just had to admire and admire that book bag and all the cute things inside, including flowery flip-flops!

Ezra opening his gifts, too.

Many thanks to Ezra for letting us go together with him to celebrate two graduates at once!

Cousins enjoying being together and getting ready to soon play games.

Hannah loves the babies!

Gabriel's Aaron just loved Elon's granddaughter, Kari.

I loved this picture of affection.

 Ladies visiting.

Guys visiting.

A few children wading.

God Provides Milk for Us in Our Own Pasture!

All during this shut-down, God has provided good, fresh, pasture-fed milk in our own pasture!

About three months ago or so, our children found a cow on Craig's List that was supposed to soon have a calf. It was a good price, and happened to be located right across the road from where Jonathan was doing a job!

Jonathan bought it and picked it up one day, puncturing two tires in the process while maneuvering the truck and trailer!

But what a blessing she has been!

Little did we know that she was due to have her calf right about the time the country closed down,and we would have our own milk!

We did not know if she would be gentle enough to let us milk her or not, but when the calf would not learn to nurse at first, we had to milk the cow and bottlefeed the calf for the first day.
We discovered that she let us milk her with no problem!
She must have had a kind former owner. 
Then the calf finally caught on and began to nurse, but the cow produced more than enough milk for the calf, so there was extra for us, too.

It started off about half a gallon a day for us, but now it's more like 6 quarts a day!
We milk the cow in the morning and then let the calf have the rest of the milk all day long. 

We're so grateful to have enough for cereal, yogurt, ice cream, and mozzarella cheese!

And some for scalloped potatoes, too!

We've been amazed at all the ways the Lord has provided for us throughout this shutdown.

I don't know how many weeks ago this was, but the Walkers from Denver came for dinner one day,

and the girls got to visit our farm, "milk" the cow, and ride the horse.