A FEW LAST PICTURES OF OUR COLORADO TRIP

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE LAST PICTURES OF OUR TRIP! I AM READING TO EMMA FOR THE LAST TIME FOR A WHILE. THIS WAS KIND OF SAD. IT WAS A TEARFUL GOODBYE BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS OVER.


ALSO AMONG THE PHOTOS ARE A SCENE FROM "GARDEN OF THE GODS," A BEAUTIFUL ATTRACTION RISING OUT OF THE EARTH IN THE MIDDLE OF COLORADO SPRINGS! IT'S AMAZING AND VERY PRETTY.


I ALSO HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE OUTDOOR SCENES TAKEN DURING OUR TRIP TO THE STATE PARK UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.

SORRY THE LAST PICTURE IS BLURRY. THIS IS EMMA IN HER "BOB THE TOMATO" HAT THAT AUNT RHI FOUND AT HER VISIT TO FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, ALSO IN COLORADO SPRINGS. I DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD PICTURE OF SOPHIE ON OUR LAST EVENING TOGETHER.

THANKS FOR SHARING OUR TRIP WITH US THESE LAST FEW WEEKS. THOUGH WE'RE HOME NOW, AND IT'S QUIETER IN ONE SENSE, IT SEEMS WE'VE BEEN ON THE RUN EVERY WAKING MOMENT SINCE RETURNING. I THINK THAT HAS HELPED US FILL THE TIME WITHOUT THE GRANDBABIES. GOD IS GIVING THE GRACE I PRAYED FOR.

FOR THOSE WHO CARE--THE SOCKS ARE NOT YET COMPLETELY 'EVOLVED.'

WE ALSO CAME HOME TO A CRASHED COMPUTER AND THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY LATEST BOOK AND ALL OUR OTHER FILES WHICH INCLUDED BOOK 4 AND 5 WHICH WERE ONLY PARTIALLY WRITTEN. IT NOW APPEARS THAT OUR COMPUTER GUY (A COUSIN) WAS ABLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING! PRAISE GOD! I HAD A FEELING I NEEDED TO TAKE TIME TO PRINT OUT BOOK 4 WHICH WAS READY TO GO TO THE PROOFREADER RIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT. IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST THINGS WE DID. IT WAS AS IF THE LORD WAS WATCHING OVER ALL THESE SMALL DETAILS. THE BOOK IS SO CLOSE TO PUBLICATION AND FOR 24HOURS I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNSURE IF IT SURVIVED HAD WE NOT TAKEN THE TIME TO RUN IT OFF ON PAPER RIGHT BEFORE LEAVING. I'M SO THANKFUL TO GOD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO SWEAT IT OUT EVEN FOR THAT LONG! BLESSINGS, LORI

CHURCH AND FAMILY TIME IN COLORADO

Today we had a great time going to church and spending some really good quality family time together. We started off by going to the 10 am service at the church next to the Bible college. It's called Charis Christian Center. The pastor is one of Jt's teachers. He gave an excellent message and we were warmly welcomed. The church is much larger than we are used to back home. It was nice to sit with the family--something I rarely could do at our church. Since I'm on the worship team at home, I am on stage for a large portion of the service, then usually sit in the front bench while Emma and Sophie are in nursery. Even got to sit next to my husband for a change. Pastor's wives rarely get to do that during church and it can begin to feel lonely when everyone else has someone to sit with.



After church we went out for lunch and took some pictures of the girls while waiting for our food. Sophie was in a rare smiley mood. Usually she is very serious. Emma didn't want her picture taken while we were out on the bench, but Rhi snapped a quick photo anyway.

I hope you enjoyed a great day of fellowship at church today. We are counting down the hours now until we say a goodbye that will last for a few months--maybe longer. It will be difficult not to see the girls as often as we did. We are taking advantage of every moment now. Please go to my daughter's blog--www.loaded6string.blogspot.com to see some really great family pictures that we took in the last few days. Check her last few posts for some great photography. Blessings, LORI

KNITTING IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Here are some pictures of our "tour" today into the mountains. It was incredibly beautiful scenery. We went to a state park and took our family pictures for our annual Christmas cards.

With this beautiful scenery, I couldn't resist having my picture taken with the wool I bought and the sock I was knitting. I know, it's a little weird, but that's my idea of a fun time--knitting and the beautiful wilderness! To me, wool and the colors of the earth go hand in hand. If you read my blog often, you've heard me say that I often look across the landscape and enjoy the colors of our cornfields back home or whatever scenery we see and think of wool, dyed in those shades.

The other evening when we were at the minister's conference, during worship we sang the Hillsongs song that everyone loves, "Shout to the Lord." As I was singing I was humbled at the lines that speak of the works of God's mighty hand. I suddenly thought to myself, 'I spend a great deal of time in my life with my handiwork, but it is NOTHING to the handiwork of God that is to be seen in creation.' This week has been a great reminder of that. No matter how intricate the work is that I am doing, He has done something so much greater in this beautiful creation! Blessings, LORI

A VIEW FROM OUR HOTEL

Though these pictures are a bit out of order, bear with me. Pike's Peak had snow on the top this morning. I couldn't resist taking a picture as I was out for my walk. That's the last picture.

The picture of me standing by the sign was taken on Wednesday just after we crossed the state line of Colorado. The really bad one of me by the fence was taken just outside of Colorado Springs this morning when Clint took me on a "fiber hunting" expedition. I found a WONDERFUL store with more roving than I've ever seen in one place in my life. They had looms, spinning wheels, and dye materials as well as a complete knitting shop. I bought one ounce each of white and gray Blue Faced Leicestershire to spin.

I should mention that we went as visitors to a session of the leadership/minister's conference at Charis Bible College last night. The service was wonderful. We got to hear Andrew Wommack preach. This was a big deal for me since I really enjoy his teaching. My son, being a first year student, was helping out as an usher. It was an experience I'll never forget. The Lord has really blessed me in the last few years to be able to meet or see several of the very famous Christian ministers. A few years ago we met John Hagee on a trip to San Antonio. We attended his church and then met him afterwards. I also met Lisa Bevere and Natalie Grant while in England. Our contacts with Resurrection Life Churches based in Grandville, Michigan has allowed us to meet other nationally known Christians as well. This has been a huge blessing to meet the faithful people that God is mightily using in the world today. Oh, to be used by God to win souls! May it be so! Blessings, LORI

THE EVOLUTION OF A SOCK AND OTHER FALL PROJECTS

It seems like I've really worked hard this week! Everyday it was one big project after another. We are trying to get alot of little details done in preparation for our big trip out west in just a few days!

This trip came up suddenly and so we are scrambling to prepare in a number of ways. I never thought I'd get my applesauce and spaghetti sauce canned before leaving, but you see it--all done! I didn't do as much this year since we have leftover from other years and with half the family out west, we will use less as family dinners will be less frequent.

I had frozen tomato juice as I got enough tomatoes out of the garden little by little. I got it all out and made up the sauce on Thursday. As soon as it was in the pressure cooker, the apples were underway. Thankfully, Rhi got home early that day and could help and my Mom helped as well. We watched the girls in the afternoon and I was glad we were at the end of the canning project by then!

As well as canning and cleaning up the garden for the fall (digging potatoes, weeding, and tilling), I decided to start on a pair of knitted socks. I have long desired to become the queen of sock knitting. I figured I better get started or I'll never meet that goal! Since we are anticipating a long trip (20 hour drive one way), I thought it was a good time to begin a project. Here you see the first stages of a sock. I use the double-pointed needles because I haven't had time to have the girls in the spinning and weaving guild show me the trendy new toe-up, two-at-a-time, double circular needle system, though I'm anxious to try it. Since I am an old-fashioned girl, this will work just fine until I can learn the new way! I'm pretty pleased with these so far. They have a lacey pattern to them. Despite a few mistakes, I think they are going to be ok. I was trying to watch the pattern and watch Charles Dickens' "Bleak House," at the same time. Probably not a good idea. We are fans of his literature and decided to watch this very lengthy movie before we left for Colorado. I enjoyed it so much.

I will be gone and probably not posting the rest of the sock evolution until I get back. We plan to be gone for two weeks. I'm sure I'll have many beautiful pictures of the Rocky Mountains and our trip to share then. Pray for us if we come to mind. Blessings, LORI

ZEHR'S AT THE ZOO!

One day recently, the Zehr's went to the zoo! Emma loves animals. She loves animal book, toy animals, animal videos, animal documentaries...you name it...if it's animals, especially zoo animals, Emma loves it!

She and Sophie had a great day with Mommy, Daddy, Granny, and Papa. The big special event was feeding the giraffes. Granny kind of thought that was special too since they were her favorite animals on her African safari back in 2004.

Though you can't tell from the picture, Emma is wearing her new giraffe dress from the second hand store in Colorado Springs. Her mom and dad got it for her when they were on their recent trip out there to set up things for their upcoming move. JT will be attending Bible school there and working for a Mr. Rooter business. That was a real blessing and the story of how he got the job is a real God planned story. It won't be long now before they leave and we will be very sad to see them go, though we feel it's God's will for them and are very proud of them taking this leap of faith. After all, we did the same thing in 1990 and have never regretted it. I'm sure our parents were sad to see their little grandkids move to Ohio for a year to attend Bible school in preparation for ministry, but they let us go with their blessing.

So, these little trips and outings we've been able to make this summer are even more sweet knowing we will soon be separated for a time. It kind of reminds me of Jesus. We Christians are now separated from Him for a time, but someday we will be rejoined in Heaven, be it through our deaths or His second coming. For now, the time we spend in His word and with His Holy Spirit guiding us is very sweet. Blessings, LORI