Retired and Loving It!

Count One Thousand Gifts in 2012

2012-01-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

I don't update this blog much anymore because most of you are on Facebook, and it is just easier. I was challenged today to track my Joy Dare for 2012 on my blog, so I am going to. I also am tracking it in a personal journal made especially for this exercise. Oh sure. I could do it on my iPad or iPhone, but there is something that I still like about a hand held journal. So I am going to take the Joy Dare for 2012, and you can follow along, or start your own. It's not too late to catch up!
A friend shared the idea and website info with me. My response back to her was, "Now just to find the time to do it!" Immediately I read our church newsletter online, and saw that Pastor John of Northwest Bible Church in Tucson was encouraging us along the same lines. I thought, "OK. I will AT LEAST look at the website." I was hooked and started thinking of all the possibilities. I started this actually last year after reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, a life changing book for me. So I have been journaling my Eucharisteo, or gratefulness for a few months. But my desire to do it comes and goes. Or I am not near my journal. So then I added the app to my iphone. Still, not as committed as I would like to be. I am hoping the Joy Dare will motivate me to keep with it.
We all need to stop and think about the things we are grateful for. It does so much for me. Also, along the way, I have been able to share with friends who are doing the same thing. On the way to a friend's for lunch in November, the three in the back seat were sharing how much they loved keeping a journal of their "gifts".
So I am going to share some of mine, and link with Holy Experience to share together.

Rush hour traffic in Tucson. Oh are we glad to be home!

2011-09-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Oh USA we're glad to see ya!

2011-09-17T14:42:00.001-07:00

Chateau Gaillard

2011-09-15T13:25:00.001-07:00

Paris

2011-09-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

Definitely Today Has Been The Highlight of our Adventure

2011-09-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

I will send pics in a minute from my phone but it is so much easier to type on the iPad.
As I said earlier we have had the great opportunity to stay just outside of Paris with our son Brian's friends Keith and Deborah Grimaud. Their home in St. Germaine en Laye is absolutely wonderful. Just what you would expect in a Parisian home. They have taken us for crepes, helped us navigate Paris metro, busses and tourist attractions, but today they surprised us with an unexpected road trip to Giverny, home of Monet. The drive there along the Seine River was so amazing in itself. They took us on a side trip to one of their favorite solitary places. Along the river there were beautiful little cottages, swans along the bank. It was just amazing. We traveled on to Giverny, home of Claude Monet. We visited his home and spent several hours enjoying his garden! It is just beyond description. We ate in a roadside restaurant under red striped awnings, then traveled on to Chateau Gaillard, a fortress in ruins, but still intact enough to be able to envision every story you have read with a setting in the 12-14th centuries. As I have said before, I am going to have to read Pillars of the Earth and other books with European settings again now that I have been to these places.
We finished off the day visiting a French supermarket and having a delicious home cooked dinner. We head back to London tomorrow, and on to Houston Saturday. We have just had such a wonderful trip.

Paris lights under a full moon

2011-09-15T01:35:00.001-07:00

Keith fixes breakfast!

2011-09-15T01:33:00.001-07:00

River cruise on the Seine

2011-09-15T01:31:00.001-07:00

Notre Dame

2011-09-15T01:30:00.001-07:00

My backpack

2011-09-14T14:21:00.001-07:00

Pear and chocolate crepe!

2011-09-14T14:20:00.001-07:00

Keith went out for fresh croissants for our breakfast!

2011-09-14T14:19:00.001-07:00

Boat ride on Seine

2011-09-14T14:17:00.001-07:00

Notre Dame

2011-09-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

2011-09-14T14:15:00.001-07:00

Paris ! WOW!@/

2011-09-14T14:00:00.001-07:00

Bath Abbey

2011-09-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

I will probably always remember the Abbey in Bath as the place I lost my phone. Thankfully I remembered I had set it down inside, and went running back for it. They had already called
Our b&b to say they had it! Freaked me out!

Cheap Street

2011-09-12T11:06:00.002-07:00

I wish you could see the name of this street in Bath is Cheap Street. It was raining while I was fumbling to get the pic so forgot to zoom in!

Chan, this is for you...

2011-09-12T11:06:00.001-07:00

Have I mentioned the pastries?

2011-09-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Just unbelievable. I hate everything else. I have new appreciation for picky eaters

Stratford upon Avon

2011-09-11T00:38:00.000-07:00

Cafes abound everywhere

Oxford University

2011-09-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

Tea in Oxford.

2011-09-11T00:35:00.000-07:00

High tea in Oxford

2011-09-11T00:34:00.000-07:00

The people from Kent

2011-09-11T00:27:00.001-07:00

Flat Stanley

2011-09-11T00:26:00.000-07:00

We were pm. Tour yesterday and we went to Stratford Upon Avon. I saw a couplemabout our age and wondered why they were trying to stick something to the wall. I caught a gli
Ps and saw it wad Flat Stanley. For all you mon teacher types it is an activity that school children do where they take Stanley on their travels, and more likely they send him with their grandparents, the Adventurers. Wentook Stanley on a trip when Cody was on the first grade. Also , we did one for Ashley and maybe Andrew . We talked to the people and they were from Kent. We have found people to be very friendly. We also visited Warwick castle, the Cotswolds and Oxford nOxford was the highlight of our day with it's buildings dating back to the 1500's. Today we are taking a fast train to Bath.

Adventuresome hotels

2011-09-10T00:22:00.001-07:00

I should have taken a picture but we left early this am and won't be returning to this room, but I had to share this. Last night I got ready to take a shower and found that every time I touched the shower head or the control knob I got an electrical shock. Now here I am standing in water. I finished my shower without touching either and then Denny got in and assured me I wasn't nuts: the shower was indeed shocking! We called our Bulgarian friend, the desk man, who came to the room. He looked at the shower, then he looked down at my flip flops.. He pointed to them and asked, "How do you say in English?". I told him, and he said, "Well, wear them in the bathroom!"

Anita Howard
anitaraehoward.blogspot.com
Sent from my iPad

How do we like London?

2011-09-09T10:18:00.001-07:00

We actually have loved London. There is just so much to see. I would like to go back and read all the books with the setting in London... Charles Dickens, J K Rowling , Rosamund Pilcher, Tolstoy now that I have been here. We have just been amazed at the taxis, and the driving on the opposite side of the road. It is true that it is a very multicultural city with very few English speakers. We have run into very few Americans. Most of the people in service jobs barely speak English.
We think the pedestrian fatality rate has to be huge, because they do not EVER STOP for pedestrians and give the impression they would run right over you.
It is a very clean city with many options for food and drink.

It has not been as expensive as we thought it would be. I think it is cheaper than Disneyland! Haha!
We have made some mistakes with public transportation. People are generally courteous and helpful but it really makes a bus driver angry if you try to get on the bus and pay there. They want you to have your ticket in advance. If and when we return we will anticipate how long we will be here and buy a rail and bus pass.
We have good access to wifi everywhere. If you have a registered Starbucks card, wifi is there. Also McDonalds has free wifi. The trains have wifi. Both hotels have wifi.
Verizon phones will not work here but I can text using my iPhone or iPad with wifi..
Tomorrow we go on our tour so we will catch up when we return.
Anita Howard
anitaraehoward.blogspot.com
Sent from my iPad

Caramel Bar! Yum!

2011-09-09T09:56:00.001-07:00

Ok. I forgot to mention that we went to a few places today after getting settled in our hotel this morning. We took a bus to Victoria Station, then walked to Buckingham Palace. We walked from there to Harrods where I visited their elegant restroom! We didn't buy a thing there, but we did find a caramel bar I'm the window of a patisserie as suggested by Melissa! Oh Melissa, it was Delish!

Adventure Continues

2011-09-09T09:51:00.001-07:00

We arranged a tour today to Warwick Castle, Stafford on Avon and some C word place. I forget. We changes hotels and found put we pretty much got ripped on the first one . We had arranged that hotel before leaving home through a travel agent. When we arrived at the hotel, we were told they had a leak and they were going to move us to another hotel. When we got to the changed hotel, we were pretty amazed at how little we got for our £114 per night. We headed out this morning looking in the same area and found a really nice hotel with a room at least twice as big for £79. The manager said they frequently over book and when you arrive they give you the leak story. Now that we've been here, I would be more likely to make our own arrangements. We like where we are staying and would stay here again. Write it down. Maranton House Hotel near Earls Court Station.

Biking around London

2011-09-08T12:30:00.001-07:00

Well, today we took a different bus and headed for the Thames River for the River Cruise. We decided to try riding bikes along the river. You can rent a bike for 2 pounds for 24 hours. We enjoyed riding along the river but riding around Trafalgar Square, don't think so. There are many cyclists and they dart in and out of traffic but we were not brave enough to do that.. We ended up walking to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone and other antiquities. We took the subway back to our hotel.. It was rush hour and when I was finally able to get a seat, we were at Earls Court, our stop near our hotel. I bought these great adapters to charge my electronics but left them at Carrie's. So today, I went and bought an adapter. When I went to plug in my iPhone chord, it blew and scared me to death. It also blew the power in our room (but not the whole hotel, Sara!). The maintenance man came and fixed it and now it is working fine, but it ruined my iPhone adapter. Thankfully I can use my adapter for my iPad.

Trying to post pics

2011-09-08T01:13:00.000-07:00

Oh darling, Let's Be Adventurers

2011-09-08T01:07:00.003-07:00

Well here we are in London, second day. I am still trying to upload pics from my iPad. Maybe I will figure it out today. I tried what you suggested , Jen, but it didn't post. Hoping to post daily to this. We'll see.

SOME THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY ACCIDENT

2010-10-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Denny and I tried to remove a wall bed from our new home shortly after taking possession Friday afternoon. The wall bed came cashing down, ripping away from the wall and slamming into me. My hand was crushed, and bones were sticking out through the tear in my palm. We drove to urgent care and they took such great care of me, finding a hand surgeon at TMC and transporting me there. By 8 pm I was in surgery. By midnight I was home where I was greeted by my brother and family visiting from out of town.
It could have been so much worse, but it was a horror, and Denny is having trouble getting it out of his mind.

Using only my left hand was challenging, but it got really crazy when my mom and Denny got violently sick last night. We heard from my brother that they are all sick also. I wonder if we picked something up in urgent care because I HAVE NOT BEEN COOKING! So here is my list of things I AM LEARNING typed with one finger on my left hand:

1. I have to wear sweats and all of them r in the RV which is in the repair shop.
2. I didn't think I could drive but in a pinch I THINK i could.
3. Eating only what you can open with your left hand is an interesting diet.
4. You can have peanut butter or jelly on your toast but probably not both.
5. You can open the jelly by holding the jar in your armpit.
6. If you leave your bra snapped you can put it on and off over your feet.
7. Cant open any medicine bottles.
8. There are a lot of people with much bigger, sadder, more permanent issues

9. I can deal with this

Our Bee Encounter

2010-08-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

We have had quite an encounter with bees in the past few years. They seem to love our house! Denny would tell you the moral of the story is "Get bees the minute you see them." We saw bees hovering again around our roof near the front door just before we left for our trip to Kentucky. Denny had sprayed them a couple of times, and was hoping he had deterred them. We came home to many bees buzzing around. Again, we tried all the home remedies to no avail. We finally called a bee removal company. Actually, we called several. We had a guy come out who seemed to know his business. Two days and $700 later we have had a hive removed that was over 2 foot by 2 foot...

Here is Your License Plate, Garrett

2010-08-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

We have been following the story of Garrett Harper on Caring Bridge. Recently in his Caring Bridge Journal, his parents shared this information:
Hi everyone! We have enjoyed our week at home although it has been an up and down one. Garrett has fought mouth sores, especially in his throat, making life miserable and eating difficult. He has been working to make the barn into a shop/manboy cave. He spent lots of hours in the heat, but has things set up now. He even fixed the mower for us. "Gary's Garage" is his latest obsession. He wants to decorate it with license plates from various sates and vintage signs but is struggling to find them. We were discussing the friends we have in different states and were thinking about getting ahold of them to ask for old plates. It dawned on us that we have friends from all over on Caring Bridge! So, keep your eyes open. If any of you have unwanted license plates laying around Garrett could put them to good use. Just let us know.
Tomorrow we head back up to the hospital for a methotrexate week. We want to get it done, but this whole thing is getting so hard. We will be in touch.
Love,
Beth and Garrett
Well, Garrett, here comes your license plate from Arizona. When I ordered my speciality plate many years ago, they sent me two: one for the front of my car. Arizona does not require a front license plate and so it has been hanging on the wall in my garage. I would love Garrett to have it.

Hernan Visit

2010-08-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

It was wonderful to meet Shari and Bob's family and friends. What a great visit we had. You can click below to see the rest of the pictures.
We weren't sure if we were going to be able to visit the Hernans on our trip home, so we waited until the day before to let them know we would be there on Sunday in the afternoon. They said that was great, so we parked for the night and went to bed. I began thinking about them, and could not sleep. I remember hearing about Garret Harper, the son of a long time friend who is suffering from cancer. Their church came to their home, quietly surrounded the house and prayed for the family and for Garrett. I wondered if we could pull that off for the Hernans. I could not sleep. I finally decided I needed to get up and figure out a way to let people know. I would have liked for it to be a surprise, but I had no idea who of Shari's Facebook friends lived nearby. I finally asked Shari if she could post it on Caring Bridge. She responded immediately. I think it was close to midnight on Saturday night. We did not know until the next day that they were having a very difficult night with Matthew. They didn't even get to bed that night until 3 in the morning. So, not knowing if anyone would show up, we headed to the Hernans. When we arrived, we found out5 that several people had responded, and were going to join us in prayer. Among them was Theresa, Nathan Akins mom, whom we had known in Tucson. She drove 2 1/2 hours to join us. About 20 people showed up and we decided to "surround" Matthew in his room and pray. Matthew lay there peacefully as we led in prayer. It was a great time.

Guthrie on Sad People, Safe Churches

2010-08-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

Guthrie on Sad People, Safe Churches

It seems like I am constantly hearing about people who are sad, suffering and dealing with a severe trial of some sort. Just today, I jotted a short message on Facebook to a young man I have known since he was three years old. He just lost his mother tragically. I found myself writing words that probably have little meaning, but what else to say or do? Right now I am traveling across the country and unable to attend the memorial. I am thankful for memorial services because they give us the opportunity to look in the eyes of those who have lost and share from our heart. I think each of us wants to be comforting, helpful, encouraging to those we know who are sad or otherwise grieving. We feel compassion but sometimes cannot find the right words. We repeat what others have said. I remember sitting in a church service years ago when a young woman began to weep. Immediately, the ladies in the church surrounded her and asked her how they could help. She expressed her sorrow in losing her child three years before that. One of them said to her, "Well, you just need to trust God". I thought then how often our words are inadequate to express our compassion for someone such as this young mother. Perhaps these words from Nancy Guthrie will encourage each of us to better encourage those in our lives who are suffering just now.

A Mother's Prayer

2010-07-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Random thought about my mother today, who is 88 years old, soon to be 89. I read this on Girltalk, and thought of the memories I have of my mother praying for me. She still prays for me and thinks of me as her "little girl". I hope my own children and grandchildren will know and remember that I pray for them as well. http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/a-mothers-prayers

Outdoorsy People Play Lewis and Clark

2010-07-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Finally, after a month with the kayaks on top of the truck, we took them off, put them in a Kentucky River, and paddled on down the tree lined brown waters. It was a beautiful morning, but the water was kind of disgusting. We didn't see much wildlife, but we did see these dragonflies. I did learn to shave my legs before taking close up pics.

Louisville, Kentucky Part II

2010-07-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

We have thoroughly enjoyed the people and places of Kentucky. We have found the people of Kentucky to be warm and friendly. They love this place and would NEVER leave. When we say we are from Arizona, immigration issue always comes up.
We have enjoyed championship swim meets with our grandchildren, visited historical sites and attended the Good Sam Club National Rally. We have had many interesting and humorous comments about our kayaks on top of our truck ("Where'd you get them boats?") We have yet to use the kayaks. It is just too hot and humid. Today we attended a flea market, and met an interesting guy dressed in camo pants, a hawaiian shirt and a bright blue tiger hat. I asked him if I could take his picture. Denny said to him, "You must not be married, because your wife would never let you out of the house in that outfit!"

Today our friends, Gary and Wanda Lucht attended Sojourn Community Church with us to hear Brian speak. Later they called us to say they had "experienced" White Castle Hamburgers!

Following Another Caring Bridge Friend

2010-07-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Recently when we were visiting Washington C.H., Ohio, we found out that the son of our longtime friend Jeff Harper was battling osteosarcoma. Garrett Harper is 15 years old. You can read his story on the Caring Bridge website . We knew Jeff when he was a young teenager. Now many years later he is a husband and dad going through this ordeal. Garrett keeps busy working in his garage. He wants to decorate his garage with license plates from all over. I have a Psalm 8 Arizona license plate hanging in my garage (AZ sent me two many years ago). So, it's going to Garrett. You can read Garrett's story by clicking here

Denny Bangs His Head Once Again

2010-07-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

It is a wonder Denny doesn't have brain damage. This 6 foot 3 inch guy is constantly hitting his head........ HARD! It happens a lot while we are in the RV because he is ducking around under slide outs and awnings and open cabinets. The cabinet was open above the TV (my bad), and he slammed right into the corner. He hit it hard, and it was quite dramatic. Hence, the bandaged head. OK. I am not just the neatest bandager in the world....
He always says, "I should have had a hat on!" Of course he has split his head open many times WITH a hat on, so I am not sure it will help, but...........
I found him a hat I hope will work.....

Dear Out Doorsy Person!

2010-07-11T15:46:00.001-07:00

So, I don't do this blog much any more because It is just so much easier to update on Facebook. I know some of you don't do Facebook. Well, this was just too good not to pass on. As many of you know, we are in Louisville, Kentucky visiting Brian and Chandra for a month. We have our RV and our truck, and our bikes, and our kayaks on top of the truck. Afterall, aren't there a lot of lakes in Kentucky? We leave the kayaks on top of the truck because it is just easier. We have had some harrowing moments, like on the fourth of July when we forgot they were there and we tried to drive in a parking garage with low clearance.
So, today, we are parked at Sojourn Community Church in the parking lot, and of course we have parked our truck with the kayaks on top. After the service, we head out and Denny finds this note on our windshield:

Dear Out Doorsy Person!

I noticed your kayaks and was wondering if I could rent them from or (or borrow) sometime? I wanted to go kayaking within the next couple of weeks........

The person left her name and email.......

Grand Canyon Road Trip

2010-05-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Van Andel Creation Research Center

My sister and her husband came to visit my mother, and for a bit of a vacation. We decided that it might be fun to take a road trip. After spending quality time with my mother, we took off headed for the Grand Canyon. As we considered our travel direction, we decided to go from Highway 17 up through Prescott, Chino Valley, and on to Williams, AZ to spend the night. A short distance out of Chino Valley, we saw a sign which said Creation Research Society. Bruce said, "Well, I would really like to stop there." It was just a couple of houses and a large greenhouse, so we snooped around until we found a door. To our great surprise, we had stumbled upon the research center and bookstore for the Creation Research Society. When we mentioned we were headed to the Grand Canyon, the pleasant man (whose name we didn't even get) directed us to some resources and information about the Grand Canyon. Bruce bought one book, and I picked up a field guide of the Grand Canyon from a creationist perspective. Also, he told us about raft trips which are hosted by Canyon Ministries and are taken for the purpose of promoting a creationist perspective. We were delighted to get these materials and information, and headed on to the Grand Canyon.

Bruce and Jill never had been to the Grand Canyon and we hadn't been there in over 20 years. We enjoyed the spectacular views and the interaction with the National Park Rangers. The IMAX Theater presentation gave us a vicarious experience on the river and trail, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We headed from there to Flagstaff, the Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona. We had a great time, and now Bruce and Jill are on their way back to their home in Missoula, Montana.

Tour of the Tucson Mountains

2010-04-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Eric, Denny and I rode the Tour of the Tucson Mountains, just short of 28 miles. It was a beautiful day to be out. Denny fixed one flat as his duty for being Bike Patrol. Check out Eric's state of the art bike and outfit....

Louisville, Kentucky

2010-04-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

Well, half of our grandchildren moved to Louisville, KY. We met Carrie, Dali and Sophia in Houston, and flew together to check out their new life in Louisville. A pleasant surprise was to have Mike and Vickie McAllister come from Columbus, Ohio to hear Brian's first message at Sojourn Community Church April 11. Also, Carrie's good friend Corrie Welch and Josiah joined us for a fun day on Monday. Louisville was beautifully in bloom. We look forward to visiting again in the summer.

J.D. Hartman

2010-03-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

I read with interest the Caring Bridge update for J.D. Hartman today. I don't know this family, but somehow I started following their story of a near-drowning of their son, J.D., and the rough road to recovery over a period of more than a year. His father, John, who was writing today talks about how difficult it is to keep praying over and over for something (with conviction):

Praying a prayer for miraculous results over and over is hard to do, I want His answer (the one I want) now, not when He wants to give it and I need to turn the timer off and realize God hears my cries, pleas, demands and with persistence, patience and a heart that is true in my belief- He will answer.... I have often told myself and JD, I will be here and we will get through this thing however long it takes. Talk is cheap, now it is time to execute on that commitment and speak directly to God with a "right heart" everyday for as long as it takes.

Dear Lord, please help me have patience and faith while I wait to hear from You. Help me live in excited anticipation for the day when I will see how You answer my prayers. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Haven't you felt that way?
Why do I keep asking?
Am I being heard?
Does it make any difference?
Am I asking for the wrong thing?

I know that prayer is not all about asking, but I know right now, at this time in my life, I am surrounded by hurting, suffering people. Another one brought to my attention last week: Denise, a young woman with stage 4 melanoma. My kids went to school with her. We know her family. We know her sister died as a young mother of cancer. I add Denise and her family to my list. I'm praying for a miracle of healing for Denise, but also asking God to show HIs presence through all this nightmare of a situation they are going through.

Denny's muffins

2010-03-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Denny always makes these muffins. He eats them every day! I go on a diet, and he loses weight, so they must fill him up. Anyway, he wanted to know the nutritional information, so I entered the recipe on sparkpeople. You can view the recipe here . Someday I may even take a picture of them, or him eating one!

Denny yelled "Stop!" and I did!

2010-03-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

We were walking this morning, and I saw a snake right in front of me. I jumped over it and screamed. It was little, dead, and not a rattler. We laughed, and talked about keeping our eyes open! About 30 minutes later, Denny yells, "Stop!" I did. To the right in front of us, a live, big rattler in the road. We watched it for a bit, as it slithered to the side of the road and into a pack rat hole. The pack rat came running out of her back door! We stayed to watch. Sadly, she probably had babies in that hole, and stayed near the entrance, but did not re enter! The snake already looked pretty fat, so we assumed it had already eaten. So, again, we said, "We better keep our eyes open!" In response to this picture and story, I get an email immediately back from Carrie:

"MOM! You have to get out of that God-forsaken hell hole you call home! Move to Texas! :)"

I responded: "You have mosquitos bigger than that in Texas!"

Quality Time with Grandson and Grandson's Best Friend?

2010-03-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Cody called me yesterday, asking if I would like to spend quality time with him and his best friend Michael. He also mentioned that he wanted to use our barbeque! I went and picked them up, and found out their desire was to go to Safeway and buy ground beef and cheese to make a "Juicy Lucy" burger with cheese stuffed in the middle. We got the meat, made the patties and they fully enjoyed their big, fat burgers. The only buns we keep in our house are those new Sandwich Thins. I got some out, and Michael said to Cody, "What are these?" Cody said, "I don't know". But they ate them and fully enjoyed their lunch. It is always fun to have the two of them around.....

African Daisies in March

2010-03-13T20:55:00.001-08:00

While traveling around on this beautiful Saturday morning, we saw so many African Daisies. They are just beautiful in all of the neighborhoods. They just seem to have appeared overnight! I want to get these going in my yard. What a beautiful welcome of spring in the desert.

the Garden Railroad Tour-2010

2010-03-13T20:49:00.001-08:00

We spent this morning visiting several homes in the Tucson area that have Garden Railroads in their yard. They were very amazing. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we enjoyed the company of 4 other couples from our church. One of the guys is a model railroad enthusiast, and invited us all to go. It was a fun morning, with lunch at Olive Garden in the middle of the tour.

Effie Brooks Obituary: Effie Brooksâ€™s Obituary by the Tucson Newspapers.

2010-03-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

Effie Brooks Obituary: Effie Brooksâ€™s Obituary by the Tucson Newspapers.

Sadie Brooks was a dear friend of ours. We stayed with Sadie and Doodie the first time we ever came to Tucson, in 1982. I remember her as a gracious, dedicated, Godly woman in our lives. She invited Denny to lunch every Wednesday for years, when I was teaching at Rio Vista. We have fond memories of both of them.

Denny's Leg Warmers

2010-02-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

Denny and I have been bicycling with the Vistoso Cyclists. They ride Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 am. It is cool at that time of day, even in Tucson, so Denny decided to go to the bike shop and buy leg warmers. He bought large. Have you ever noticed Denny's legs? Well, the more I diet, the thinner HIS legs get! So, he puts on his leg warmers, and they just fall back down. So, he decides to use rubber bands to hold them up. Nope. They still fall down. So, today, he gets rope and tries to tie them on. I think it is time to return the leg warmers.

Visiting the grandkids in Cali

2010-02-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

Recently we spent time with our grandkids in California. We enjoyed going to the park, geocaching, and seeing what they were capable of on the computer. They are going to be moving to Louisville, Kentucky this month, so we were glad to have the time with them while they are still fairly close.

Sophia Photoshoot

2010-02-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

We just spent time in Houston with Carrie, Dali and Sophia. We went to a photoshoot in very cold weather, but the pics turned out so cute. Here are a few that we liked:

Sophia is Mama

2009-12-08T08:29:00.001-08:00

I miss our little Sophia!

We're Home

2009-12-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

We are so glad to be home. We had a wonderful trip, but we are glad to be back to our family and friends. Our trip from the cruise ship all the way to Shirley and Jack's house took us 18 hours. We were tired old folks!

Cartegena, Columbia

2009-12-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

I just overheard a lady saying she would have never gotten off the ship in Columbia. Well, it helps that Denny speaks Spanish, and he can get us around fairly easily. We decided to make our way onto a main thoroughfare from the ship, and look for a city busy or a taxi and head to the walled, Old City. We did just that for $6 (way cheaper than the shore excursions booked on ship). He dropped us right at the entrance to the walled city, and we did a walking tour. I just thought it was magnificent, because it wasn't as much a tourist place as an authentic south american city. There were definitely your tourist trap stores, but mostly, it was a historical area with beautiful narrow streets with flower covered balconies overhead. Most of the doors in that area were those huge mission-style doors, but cut into each one was a smaller door for entering. Our taxi driver told us only the "upper class" lived in that area. We stood on the wall, built in the early 1600's. We thoroughly enjoyed our only visit to South America. Now, we are at sea for two days, and then will land in Miami Sunday morning. We will fly to L.A., where we will be picked up by Shirley and Jack's daughter in law. From there we will go to Silverlakes to spend the night, then head home on Monday. Denny will be glad to be back on solid ground again, as his stomach has been a little queasy with the rough seas. I just think he needs a cup of real coffee! So, our first stop on Monday, will be Starbucks in Victorville!

Panama Canal

2009-12-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

We are just finishing up on the last lock to head into the Caribbean Sea and on to Columbia. This has been such an amazing trip. The Panama Canal was so very interessting! Well, the pics say it all.
OK. Well, I guess I forgot to upload the pics. I will add them in a bit......

The Zip Line Pictures

2009-12-02T11:37:00.001-08:00

I have limited time online, so I will spend it with adding our pics. The Canopy Tour, riding a zip line over the rainforest was just unbelievable. Denny and I were definitely the oldest. The most terrifying was standing on the narrow platform 5 stories up hugging a tree so you didn't fall! Also, I had a hard time slowing down, so I was pretty sure I was gonna crush the guy who was supposed to catch me on the next platform. Thankfully, he knew what he was doing and slowed me down from his end..... I am not sure I would do it again, but I would definitely recommend that you try it!

Panama Cruisin'

2009-12-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

We are going through the Panama Canal, and you can SEE US!!! I am sitting on ship watching us on the webcam.....don't know how to save it!

Somewhere Off the Coast of Guatemala

2009-11-29T10:03:00.001-08:00

Well, I have some catching up to do. We have been to Cabo, Acapulco and yesterday Huatulco. Cabo is not much........ but we did sail right past the famous arch that everyone takes pics of. Acapulco was pretty fascinating, and we walked quite a bit, saw the Cliff divers, saw the Old Town, took a bus to Starbucks (of course), and saw the newer resort area. We enjoyed many sights and sounds of Acapulco. Yesterday we disembarked in Huatulco with the intention of going snorkeling. We found a taxi and headed to the beach the driver recommended, La Entrega Bay. We rented snorkeling equipment and had a fantastic time snorkeling. Another couple told us to head out around the point and go to another beach, so we swam out there and saw many, many colorful fish. We headed back to the ship, but stopped and ate $1 tacos near the marina. It was so good. When we returned to the ship, we found out that Jack and Shirley had eaten at the same taco stand. We went back on the ship and ate lunch, then headed to our room to relax. There was a marimba band on the deck right below our balcony, so it was fun to sit back and relax and listen to the music from our room. Our first cruise we had an inside stateroom. Having a balcony is just fantastic. It is so great sitting out there, doing my Bible study, or just watching the sea. Early this morning dolphins were jumping out of the water, visible from our balcony. I would not want to take another cruise without getting a balcony room.

Panama Cruisin'

2009-11-25T09:08:00.000-08:00

Hey, we are on a cruise ship, cruisin along the Pacific shore of Baja. Can you believe how much luggage we brought to the ship? Of course, that is for four of us. We left L.A. on Monday, November 23, and we are about to disembark at Cabo. I don't have a lot of time to update today, but for those of you who don't know, we are on a cruise to the Panama Canal, then across the Caribbean to Miami. We have left my mom in the good care of Denny's sister Joni, who is holding down the fort for us back in Tucson.
We are with my cousins, Shirley and Jack Parkes. So far, wonderful experience on this, our second cruise..... We have a balcony room, so we can sit out on our balcony and enjoy the scenery while reading, etc. It is just a wonderful break!

On the Road Again

2009-11-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

We just received information about the family for whom we will be building a house in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. We will leave next week, taking our grandson, Cody and his friend Mike with us. We are looking forward to being involved in this endeavor with Northwest Bible Church and Amor Ministries.

Why Not? It is an Adventure and We're Retired!

2009-11-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

Wes, Julie and Tressa at the Copper Canyon overlook

Eating lunch of Gorditas and Chili Rellenos

Picking up some trinkets made by the Tarahumara

This Tarahumara women was weaving baskets

She was delighted to show off her darling baby

Views of the Samachique Village

Typica

"Why not, It's an adventure, and we are retired!" Those are always Denny's words when I suggest we do something that we haven't done before. Last week, I was chatting on Facebook with my good friend, Julie Shoemaker. She and her husband, Wes have ministered to the Tarahumara people in Samachique, Chihuahua, Mexico for many years. We have supported them (minimally) and Denny has taken groups of young people down to help them at various times, but I have never been to their village.
Wes had bottomed out on one of the horrible roads he needs to travel to various villages and towns. He did not realize he had a crack in his oil pan and all of the oil leaked out of his engine. The engine seized up and he was stranded out in the middle of nowhere. The Wycliffe mechanic felt that Wes should bring the van back to the states if at all possible. Julie asked if we were up for an adventure. She needed someone with a truck like ours to take her and Tressa (their daughter) down to Samachique, hauling a car dolly to bring Wes and the van back to the states before their visas ran out. Of course, you know our answer, "Why not? It is an adventure, and we're retired!"
We left early Saturday, October 31 and drove for about 15 hours, through the Copper Canyon, to the village. On Sunday we went to the English gathering in the village and did a walking tour around the village. On Monday, Tressa had some medical and dental work attended to at the hospital in the village while Denny and Wes loaded the van and I visited with some people who shared their vision for expanding the birthing center to include training in midwifery. On Tuesday morning, we loaded up the truck, pulling the van and headed to Creel. We dropped the van in Creel and took a side trip to the lookout of the Copper Canyon. We bought gifts made by the Tarahumara people there, and ate Gorditas and Chili Rellenos. It was quite an experience. We headed back to pick up the van and began the long trip home through beautiful Chihuahua. It looks nothing like Sonora. There are farms and rather modern, more developed cities. We stopped in Gomez Farias and got motel rooms and ate dinner at a local restaurant that Wes and Julie were familiar with. They have made this trip many times over the nearly 20 years that they have been doing translation work with Wycliffe.
On Wednesday morning, we got up and headed home, twelve hours two days in a row.
My respect and admiration for the Shoemakers, who have willingly let go of the comfortable life to live in an area with few modern conveniences. They do not have running water in their home. They take a shower by heating water, hoisting it up in a bucket and standing under it! They walk through the long grass to an outhouse. There are some other ministries in this same village, including a large hospital with four doctors, a birthing center and a full time midwife. We met many missionaries from various organizations working with these people in unique endeavors. One was a man who is attempting to teach the village people to build furniture as a means of income.
Wes and Julie are friends and neighbors to the people of this village and they do many things for them besides working on literacy projects and Bible translation.
We were very impressed that they really need a high clearance, four wheel drive small truck. We have watched Julie and Wes get along with other people's cast off vehicles for all the years we have known them. We really want to help them get a decent vehicle that will facilitate the work that they do. I lay in my comfortable bed last night wondering how we were going to do that, but it is a goal of mine to get the word out. We have seen pictures of the village and read the Shoemaker's monthly update for years. There is nothing like visiting Samachique and seeing it for myself.

Howard Family Mexico Trip 2009

2009-10-26T22:23:00.001-07:00

Each year our family gathers at Playa Bonita RV Park in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. All of our family was there, plus some friends and extended family. It was a great, relaxing time.

Where in the World is the Howard Family?

2009-10-18T12:17:00.001-07:00

We have had a great time with the family in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. Most everyone has now gone home. It looks like this is the only time this year we will all be together, so we were able to get a last minute family picture before everyone took off.
We are still here, sailing, walking on the beach, reading and generally enjoying the beachfront site on the Sea of Cortez. Also, we have several couple friends who are always here in October. Today 8 of us went to the Family of God Church and then out to breakfast. We spent the afternoon sailing.

Ray and Denise Go Geocaching With Us

2009-09-05T15:31:00.001-07:00

My brother Ray and his wife Denise are here visiting my mother and us for the long weekend. Last night we went karaoking with them, and Ray brought down the house, but the place we went shall remain nameless! Today, they went geocaching with us.

Life in a snapshot - The Boston Globe

2009-09-04T15:31:00.001-07:00

I had a pleasant moment on the phone today with an old friend. We were catching up, and she was telling me about her two little 2 year old grandsons. She commented that she had thought maybe she would never be a grandparent and then here are these two grandsons born three months apart. She spends her days now running Grandma's Daycare!
It reminded me of a column I had read by Ellen Goodman. Here is an excerpt:

Life in a snapshot - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis
"Parents - I remember well - are caught in the dailiness of child-raising. But grandparents, imbued with a different sense of time, create a narrative arc across generations. If parents are the forward momentum of a child’s life, we become the curators of traditions.

How odd, I think, as I sort the photographs, that of all the generations, mine would end up as traditionalists. Weren’t we the ones who upended the whole culture, the relationships between husbands and wives, the preconceptions about family? Aren’t we the people who were born before TV and, in a blink, got Medicare cards and iPhones at the same time? Weren’t we our country’s designated change agents?

Yet, here we are after all this time, with our children’s children. We have become, of all things, of all people, the collectors of memories and builders of family traditions. This is what we do with small people on a small island, one snapshot, one story, and one summer at a time."

ACLU uses Facebook quiz to warn that users' personal data is at risk | www.azstarnet.com ®

2009-08-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

ACLU uses Facebook quiz to warn that users' personal data is at risk | www.azstarnet.com ®

This is why I ignore most of the invites on Facebook. I don't want to take the chance of Identity Theft. Please don't take it personally...

Cash for Clunkers?

2009-08-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Geocaching Around Home

2009-08-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

We are at home in Tucson, supervising the remodel of our swimming pool. Also, I have been doing my payback days to Amphi district by doing Dibels testing with first graders at Mesa Verde Elementary School.
When it cools down a bit in the evening we go geocaching. We found one this evening not far from the house.... about 1 and 1/2 miles. We picked up some trash on the way out, as we usually do.
I thought I should show off my geocaching boots which my sister gave me. And since my mother keeps putting Denny's socks in MY sock drawer, I figured I would wear them to keep the cholla from "jumping" on me!

Jamie Slocum - Dependence On You

2009-08-23T17:51:00.001-07:00

Heard this song today in church. Loved it. Hope you enjoy it as well. What great lyrics....

My Photo Was Published!

2009-08-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

I took pics of a roadrunner and sent it to the Explorer Newspaper.
If you scroll down on the front page, you will see it on the left, Reader Photo of the Week! Woohoo!

Sophia's First Birthday

2009-08-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Geocaching with the Grandkids

2009-08-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

We got started geocaching because Caitlin's teacher took some of the students in her class. It seemed like a fun thing to do with the kids. While they were here in Tucson, we found two caches near our house. When Chandra and the kids went home, they continued to geocache there. You can find out more about it at www.geocaching.com. Tonight Denny and I found two more within a mile of our house....

How Can Denny Drink Hot Coffee in the Summer?

2009-08-10T20:29:00.001-07:00

Breakdown in Arizona

2009-07-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

We decided to get out of the heat (forecast 112 degrees), so we headed up through the Phoenix area toward Payson and the White Mountains. About 20 miles out of Payson on the Beeline Highway, the truck just stopped. 6 hours later, we had been towed into an RV park in Fountain Hills (where it was only 106 degrees) and the truck was taken to the Chevy dealership. After 2 1/2 days, we were able to get back on the road and up in the cool pines. This picture of Denny was taken while we were mountain biking right along the Mogollon Rim.....like...... on the edge! It was beautiful, and we had a relaxing time hiking, biking, reading, exploring. Now we are back in the heat but at least we had a little break.

Summer Fun with the Grandkids

2009-07-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Staying close to home in the summer isn't all bad. We had such fun with the kids and grandkids. Brian and Chandra and family were here for three weeks, and we had a chance to get to know our grandchildren from California much better. We miss them now! We wish they lived closer. Here are a few of my favorite pics:

Being Held Captive by Grandma! Help!

2009-06-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we have had five of the grandkids with us this week. Last week we went camping with Brian and Chandra and their four ages 4, 6, 8, 10. Caitlin came along also. This week we are on our own with those same five. We are very thankful for videos, popsicles and the swimming pool! We used playground chalk to make pictures of igloos on the concrete driveway (in 103 degree heat!). We have played in the sprinklers, visited the Children's Museum, and today we made hot pretzels in all kinds of fun shapes! Denny has decided if he were to take a job as a Nanny he would charge a lot of money!

Night Blooming Cereus

2009-05-30T20:33:00.001-07:00

We have these two dead looking cactus, called night blooming cereus in our front yard, far up near the fence, in a very inaccessible spot. Each year they bloom just once in the dark of night. This year we have 10 blooms. It is pretty awesome!

Cody Promoted from 8th Grade to High School

2009-05-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Cody just finished middle school and will go to high school next year. He is our oldest grandchild, and we are so very proud of him. This is a kid who has survived leukemia and all the associated physical complications in his short life. He is a survivor, and he is our dear grandchild, and we just feel so very blessed...

Retirement Isn't Always Fun!

2009-05-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well, we enjoy retirement, but you should know about the bees......
We have been fighting bees in our gables for over a year. We have tried everything we know. They just like our house! We have taken everyone's advice and tried every remedy that we know of. Any ideas? Here is Denny up on the top of a ladder spraying them with wasp and hornet foam,hoping they will get annoyed and leave!

A Quick Getaway to California Coast

2009-05-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

We decided last minute to help drive Joni as far as Ventura (HWY 101) on Sunday. We wanted to get her through LA traffic, and we knew once she was on 101 she would be fine. We took the fifth wheel and parked at Emma Woods State Beach, intending to take a bike ride the next day. Brian, Chandra and the kids surprised us with a quick visit, and we were able to play in the water and go out to eat at Joe's Crab Shack.
There was a very odd odor at Emma Woods when we were trying to park. We got kind of busy parking and forgot about it somewhat, but it was very pervasive, and as the wind changed, it got much worse. We soon found out there was a dead Elephant Seal on the big (as big as a horse!). It was a terrible smell. We found out that California has decided they cannot afford to dispose of such dead sea creatures, so it had been on the beach for 10 weeks! We commented to the campground host that he should tell people before they take those camp spots. He said, "Believe it or not, the smell has gotten a lot better!" Well, we had a great bike ride (34 miles.....) went to Santa Barbara and looked around in the evening, and then headed back to Tucson.

2009-05-19T14:05:00.001-07:00

Grandchildren are just wonderful

2009-05-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

I just heard William Paul Young speak (on the web). If you have never listened to him, you really should. He is a very humble and Godly man. He had some fun things to say about being a grandparent. We now have seven grandchildren and we are just delighted with them. They range in age from 9 months to 14. Some of the highlights of the past few months have been:

Trying to get all 7 grandchildren to pose for a picture day before Christmas (not easy).
Andrew calling me to discuss the Redwall Series, which we are both reading
Jackson telling us that every time his brother hits him he has to give him a dollar (but he clarified that a "high five" doesn't count)
Caitlin's 11th birthday party at our house today
Visiting Sophia in Houston and keeping her home to play with us while mommy and daddy went off to work.
Getting our pictures taken together with Sophia for Mother's Day
Cody playing his guitar for us.
Having each of the grandchildren come down to our RV while we were camping together and having breakfast with us.
Watching Kinsey and Ashley play with their friends at Lake Havasu.

We thoroughly enjoy having the time to spend with each of them...
I think Denny would tell you also that we receive extreme joy watching our children be parents. We just could not be more blessed...

2009-04-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Palm Springs, Ca January 2009

2009-01-23T18:39:00.000-08:00

We are working concessions for Hole-in-One Sports Catering again this year. The work is fun, and the weather has been fantastic. We have been able to see some of the celebrities, including Dan Quayle, John O'Hurley, Kurt Russell, Yogi Berra from our stands.

Christmas in Tucson, AZ

2008-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

We were so blessed to have all of our children, grandchildren, Great Grandma, and Aunt Joni all together for Christmas. Everyone but the kids values having a family picture.

The Presidential Grounded?

2008-12-22T16:18:00.002-08:00

That's right. We were in Houston, caring for Sophia for most of the month of November. We flew to Nassau, Bahamas, December 1. While there, my mother ended up in the hospital with heart problems. We flew back to Houston, drove back to Tucson, and moved her back in with us.
You would think since we are retired, we would have time for Christmas cards, but we have been very busy with her move, her medical issues, etc. We are delighted that she is back with us, as we can keep a closer watch on her, and enjoy her company.
So for now, we are enjoying being home in this beautiful, sunny weather.

2008-12-22T16:18:00.001-08:00

Casas Church - Sermons in MP3 Format

2008-11-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

Casas Church - Sermons in MP3 Format

Recently Joni heard this sermon at Casas, and wanted her friends to hear it. I thought if I published it, some of you might be able to get to it more readily. Enjoy.

Tucson AZ..Just Passing Through

2008-11-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

We spent a week in California with our four grandchildren. I volunteered in Jackson's classroom at Bridgeport Elementary School. We spent time riding bikes, eating Dip'n Dots, going to the park and watching Jackson play basketball. We played games and watched movies together in the evenings, and helped with homework. We headed home Saturday, November 8. As soon as we got home, we did laundry, repacked for our Houston trip and spent one evening at home. On Sunday, we went to church, finished packing up and headed toward Houston, to care for our three month old Sophia. We arrived in time for Carrie's best friend, Jennifer's delivery of her baby. Carrie went back to work today, a very sad mommy to leave her baby. We are hoping our time here in November will help her ease back into work.

The Most Important Issues In the 2008 Election

2008-11-03T16:58:00.001-08:00

Which Prayers Do You Forward?

2008-10-23T11:12:00.001-07:00

So many people send prayers over the internet, requesting that the prayer be forwarded. Many or most of them I do not forward, because they seem shallow and manipulative ("If you don't forward this....... etc.....") Often they are not even based on truth. Also, lately I have been troubled by so much misinformation on the internet coming through blogs. I love blogging, but realize that words can hurt, heal, encourage, discourage, and there is a great responsibility in what I say in my blog. In the best of circumstances, there may be confusion or disagreement. What is the truth?
Today I read this prayer on the Desiring God Blog, and I decided that it was one I would forward. It comes from a book by John Piper, entitled Spectacular Sins and their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ.

A Closing Prayer

Gracious and glorious Father,
because you are rich in mercy,
and great in love,
and sovereign in grace,
we ask that you would make this little book
a window onto the panorama of your glory,
and a skylight to your supremacy in all things.

By the truth-loving power of your Holy Spirit
grant that the glass pane would be clean—
that what is faithful to your word would be confirmed,
and what is not would be forgiven, not confusing.
We ask that your cloud-banishing illumination
would be given to our minds,
and that spiritual understanding would fill our hearts,
and that according to the command of your apostle,
we would grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May we see the spectacular sins of the world
as horrible as they are.
And may we see the holiness of God
as pure as it is.
And may we see the rule of God over the sin of man
as righteous as it is.
And thus grant the steel of ultimate reality
to strengthen the spine of our faith,
and sweeten our lips for the bruised heart.

Put the ballast of biblical truth
in the belly of our little boats,
lest the crashing waves of calamity
in these changing times
cause us to capsize in the sea of trouble.

And according to your apostle's warning,
forbid that the increase of our knowledge
would cause the increase of our pride.
Rather, O God of infinite wisdom,
reveal, with all our understanding,
the unfathomable sinfulness of our hearts without Christ,
and the infinitesimal smallness of our strength
in comparison to yours,
and the absolute dependence of our life on you,
and the unfathomable depths of your judgments,
and how dim is the mirror in which we see.

Grant to our minds and hearts
new and deeper capacities to see and savor
the glories of Jesus Christ.
With every new glimpse of his glory in your word,
let there awaken new affections in our hearts.
Ignite our souls to treasure Christ in a way that
destroys our sinful lusts
and delights the deepest recesses of our being
and displays his truth and beauty
to a world that does not know
that this is what it needs more than anything.
And from this all-satisfying treasuring of Christ
may there flow a liberation from selfishness,
and a triumph over bitterness and anger,
and a freedom from worry and fear,
and victory over depression and discouragement,
and the severing of every root of sensual lust.

All this freedom, Lord, we seek for the sake of love.
Grant that our contentment in Christ would be a
dissatisfied contentment,
eager to expand by including others.
Grant that the joy of the Lord would not be a solitary joy,
but the strength to sacrifice
for the good of others,
even those who hate us.
May brokenhearted boldness
and contrite courage
attend all our deeds of compassion
and all our commendations of Christ to a lost world.
Awaken in us tender affections
for those who hurt,
and self-forgetful attentiveness
for those in our presence.

And in this treasuring of Christ for his supreme glory
and this overflowing love for others,
may Jesus be exalted above all things—
honored, admired, adored, esteemed, enjoyed,
praised, extolled, thanked, and worshiped.
May our light shine in this world
so that people see you in our sacrificial deeds of love
and our uncompromising words of truth
and give glory to your hallowed name,
Father.

Through Jesus Christ,
your Son,
Amen.

Rocky Point, Mexico Highlights October 2008

2008-10-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Denny Getting a Haircut on the Beach

2008-10-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

The vendors in Rocky Point are always looking for a new way to make a buck. Along comes a guy on a bike asking if anyone wants a haircut. Well, Denny got his haircut for $5 plus $1 tip, a soda and "could I borrow some scissors? I lost mine on the beach". So Denny gave him an old pair of barber scissors he had in his toolbag for some reason.