Last night we went to a Revival near Tuba City about 45 minutes from here. A Navajo man was speaking and it was a really good message. He sings and plays the accordion too, so that was neat to see. We got home around 10pm.

Then this morning we got up about 4am to head down to Flagstaff. A lady from church here, was having back surgery. We arrived before she went in for surgery and then stayed until she was done. The surgery was about 4 hours and everything went good. She is doing great! Please pray with us for her continued healing.

We left the hospital about 2pm and within a few minutes discovered that there was 2 forest fires very close to town. Come to find out, one was just several yards from homes and was within the city limits. It has now been put out with 5 acres burned. The other one is just outside the city limits and they are still working on putting that one out. Here is a picture I got of one of the planes that was working on the fires. It was amazing how low they got.
And now I must go to bed after such a short night.

back home, visitors, home alone, lizards....

We have been back from Colorado for about a week and 1/2 now. We got home on a Thursday and Wil and Kathy (Jim's Aunt and Uncle) and Isaiah came on Friday morning. It was so good to see family from back in Indiana. We hiked Coal Mine Canyon with them and went out behind the village for a cook out in the evening. You'll have to ask them how the hiking was.
We really enjoyed our time with them. They left Saturday morning to catch their flight out.

Then on Monday the Toews left for MI and several other places along the way. So we have been here holding down the fort. (Melissa has been at her folks in IN) We had a pretty quiet week last week. Everyone in the village was preparing for their dance/ceremony they had last week-end. We spent a lot of time in prayer, that the enemy would be bound and God's name would be lifted up.

It seems there has been so many little nuggets of opportunities that we have had to minister in some small way the last few days.
-A lady in the hospital that we had a chance to share the gospel and pray with.
-To show love to a young girl who had been beaten in a fight.
-To pray with a lady for her nephew as he turned his back on God. (his heart has softened just a few days later and was even willing to come to church with them PTL)
-For Bryce to share about God to a young boy who was asking.
-For Seth to share with some inquiring boys about why we don't go to their dances and how to pray to God.
-Jim to spend time listening to a man share his life as he asked for help to get into rehab. And to re-connect him to an old friend who is now walking with the Lord.
-To give some clothes, books and toys to a couple children in need.
-To listen and pray with a christian lady as she struggled through the week-end with her unsaved family involved in the dances. (her husband released her from being involved in the dance. PTL)
-To give glasses of water to the ones coming through the yard and having a couple minutes to chat while they're drinking it.

That is just a bit of what God has brought our way lately. And yet, I have to think, "how many opportunities did we miss because we were too busy to notice?" I thank God for His faithfulness in answering prayers as we have cried out to him.

Yesterday Tara got to share her birthday with Fathers Day. It is the first time for her, on her 10th birthday. It was pretty special for her.

The other day, I opened my kitchen drawer and was quite startled to find a lizard sitting in the measuring pitcher I was intending to use. I guess the sides were too slippery for it to get out.
I have to say though, I would rather have lizards in our house than mice.
I am currently trying to catch some sort of a creature that continues to lick my mouse trap clean without even tripping it. I am trying a little different approach tonight, so we'll see how it turns out.

This little puppy spent several days here until his rightful owner discovered him. The kids literally spent hours playing with this little guy.


While we were in Colorado some friends blessed us with tickets to Fun City. It really was a lot of fun there. Just some pics from there.And tomorrow we're off to Flagstaff to do some shopping and pick up Melissa. So now I must go to bed.

Colorado

Longs Peak at dusk.

We have been here in Colorado for a week now, staying at some friends' cottage. It has been such a blessing. We have been relaxing, hiking, sledding, camping (on the way here), fellowshipping with friends, fishing, meeting old acquaintances....etc.

Besides our friends in Estes Park with the cottage, there is a family in Loveland that we got to know last fall when they visited us on the Hopi Reservation. We decided to go to church with them on Sunday, and it is amazing who all you meet up with in unexpected places. There were 2 people there who I went to school with years ago in WI. (one of which is my cousin)

We ended up spending the afternoon/evening at Mark and Tammy (Carter) Smith's on Sunday. We really enjoyed their fellowship and hospitality.
At church I visited briefly with Beth (Hershey) ________. (I guess I don't know her married name) They just happened to be there on their way to Alaska because their motor home broke down. It was pretty neat that I got to see them I thought.

We are nearing the end of our time here. We plan to head out on Wednesday morning. It has been a blessing to come and relax and also to fellowship with others and make new friends. We have really been blessed to see the beauty of God's creation and the abundance of wildlife here.

Here are a few random pics.



The children got a chance to ride horse Sunday afternoon.



In Rocky Mountain National Park.

This one...don't ask.

Fun at the creek in the backyard of the cottage.

Seth and Sharayah playing Pooh Sticks.

That's all folks!