"Fort" Pioche

Nicole and Jake the dog have new forts. Nicole's is actually a spot in a nearby tree. At some time in the past, we suppose a PK (preacher's kid) put a small ladder in a young tree in front of the parsonage. The tree has since grown around the bottom of the ladder providing a secure pathway to fun. This week we trimmed lower branches and wedged some wood in the limbs for a bench. Since then Nicole has enjoyed spending time in her "fort."

Jake's fort seems to be the hole he is working on beneath the deck in the backyard. Every day he digs like there's no tomorrow and then later watches as Jane shovels and sweeps dirt from the sidewalk back into the hole. It's become a fun game for him. Does this look like a fella who would do a thing like that?

Well, a picture's worth a thousand words. . .

We have seen how the Lord has fortified us here. We are encouraged by His recent provisions for us. We have seen His faithfulness in meeting our financial needs as well as providing encouragment in little ways. Thank you for your continued prayers for us.

Potluck birthday party

Tonight church friends helped Jane celebrate her birthday with a potluck and presents. You know Baptists. . .any excuse to get together to eat is welcomed. Enjoy the pictures!

Deeper Still

This past weekend I (Jane) went with five other ladies from our church to a Christian women's event in Las Vegas. "Deeper Still" was a Friday evening/all day Saturday event which featured the Bible teaching of Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer, along with the music of Travis Cottrell and a praise team. The fifty-five hundred women that gathered gave the stones no reason to cry out, we danced like David danced, and we clapped and lifted holy hands to the Lord in praise. The worship in music alone would have made the weekend unforgettable but there was so much more. The Holy Spirit used the gifted teaching of Priscilla, Kay, and Beth to speak to us powerfully. And the result? My friends and I enjoyed such a sweet fellowship which spilled over into our worship this morning in church. Praise the Lord!

What did Mitch and Nicole do while Mom was away? Well. . .everything they could. They went to the first home game of the high school football team. They ate pizza with church friends. They went shopping in St. George. They went to the shooting range (yes, Nicole loves to join Dad in this activity). And, they missed me. . .well, I believe they did. I know I certainly missed them!

My birthday is this week. It's been said that age doesn't matter unless you're cheese so I'll not disclose my age in this post. (Most of you know my age anyway!) Instead I think it more fitting to borrow the words from an old hymn: "Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before." At my age, that's a lot of sweetness!

Mitch surprised me last week with an early birthday present--a beautiful new twelve-string guitar. I was excited today to be able to play it in church!

I guess that's all the news from Pioche. Thanks, again, for your prayers for the ministry here. We love and miss you all.

Labor Day Weekend

We've been hearing about Pioche's big Labor Day celebration since we first came to Pioche in February. This weekend we were able to experience it! Thousands of visitors packed the park, the streets, (the bars, I'm sorry to say) and the RV parks. Many events were planned including softball, a craft show, an evening street dance, a night parade with lighted floats, fireworks, 10K run, a day parade, food, food, and more food, and games & inflatables for kids. The weekend gave us opportunity to advertise the church--we wore t-shirts showing our worship times to every event. It also gave us ideas for how the church can participate in ministry & evangelism during this event next year.

In other news, Jane has just begun a ladies' daytime Bible study in our home on Tuesdays. It's like a puzzle to arrange the living room (and folding chairs) to accommodate the nineteen participants but we praise the Lord for the interest! We are studying Beth Moore's Jesus the One and Only. Would you pray for us over the next eleven weeks that Jane and the participants grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ?



We had a fifth Sunday sing last night at church. Pastor Mitch surprised members with his talents on the guitar. (Maybe you are surprised, too!) Nicole got to sing "My Savior My God" with the CD and made her parents proud (and shed tears).



Jake the dog is growing like a weed. His latest trick is to sit at the patio table like a human. It has been cute until he took the next step this past week and actually got up on the table. Despite this, he's proven to be a wonderful dog. He got to celebrate (?) Labor Day along with the rest of us this morning when the town detonated dynamite in the mountains at 6 a.m. for a sunrise salute.

We salute those of you who are keeping in touch with us and thank you for your prayers for the ministry here. We love you all.

The days before and after school began

School began yesterday. The picture above is of Nicole's first day of 3rd grade. Last week we took a final opportunity for a day outing at a nearby state park. With packed lunches, grandparents, and Jake the dog, we headed 28 miles off the paved road to Beaver Dam State Park. We were excited to catch a glimpse of wild horses along the way (at least we're guessing these are some of the wild ones that have been seen in the area).

What we did not know was that Beaver Dam had been breached (blown up!) about two years ago! Though our efforts to see the beautiful reservoir were fruitless, we did enjoy the drive, the picnic lunch at a very remote campground, and one last trip with grandparents before school began. We also learned that Jake the dog is a good little traveler and seems now ready for our next trip.

Tonight we went to school for a spaghetti dinner and back-to-school night. The pictures above are of Nicole's teacher and her classroom. Day 2 of third grade is already over and before we know it we'll be attending an end-of-the-year assembly. The days go by so fast but yet we can hardly wait for tomorrow! Lord, help us to make the most of our time (Eph. 5:16).

Here's Nicole making the most of her time on her bike and with her dog.

Jane's mom and dad will depart Pioche tomorrow in their RV for points beyond. We miss them already. Having family nearby has been a wonderful treat for as long as it has lasted. It has been a joy to see them daily and to worship with them in our church. "We'll be back," they always say as they depart. We're holding them to that!

Thank you for your prayers for the ministry here. It is our joy to serve Him. We love you all.

4-H Fair & Fry Ranch

It is 4-H fair time in our county and Nicole was encouraged to enter a cooking exhibit as part of her 4-H cooking club. She decided to make banana bread. The exhibit had to be all her handiwork so Mom merely assisted here and there while Nicole measured, mixed, and baked. With much anticipation, we went to the fair this morning to learn the results of the judging. Nicole received a 1st place ribbon for her category! We were delighted! The slide show below captures the whole process from beginning to end.

This week a sister church in Las Vegas held a boys' youth camp at Fry Ranch, a retreat center owned by our association. Two boys from our church and two of their friends were invited. On Tuesday afternoon Mitch drove the boys out to the ranch, about 40 miles north of Pioche. On Thursday evening, Mitch was invited to come to camp to bring a message on the omnipresence of God. Jane & Nicole tagged along to spend the evening with Dad and the boys. Nicole had a blast and Mitch did a great job.

This retreat center is by no means finished. A lot of work is needed but it has incredible potential. If your church is interested in a great mission/building project in beautiful Nevada, let's talk.

Final weeks of summer vacation

There's not a lot of news to write about it. Nicole's summer vacation is rapidly coming to an end. She'll start 3rd grade on August 18! This leaves us to say, "Where did the summer go?" We've enjoyed VBS, swimming, fishing, church fellowships, having grandparents visit, and a whole lot of nothing. But it's the latter that reminds us that we had more on our "summer fun" list than we actually accomplished. Such is life. One thing's for sure, we are enjoying these last days of Nicole's summer vacation with Jake the dog. Here's the latest cute shot of Nicole and her pup.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and please continue to pray for the ministry here.

Tie-Dying

Nicole recently discovered a tie-dying kit on clearance at Wal-Mart. By adding white t-shirts (also on clearance), she was ready for her first tie-dying experience! With Mom's help, Nicole created three beautiful shirts, proudly modeled below.

"Hey, where's my shirt?"