Honey Is Gone

Honey is a 1997 Ford Escort.

She has been a very reliable vehicle.

With very few problems she has run like a top.

She has been like a family member.

We bought Honey in 2002 from a car lot in Fort Worth, TX.

We had a pick-up truck that we had sold and we needed something to replace it with.

That was when we found Honey and bought her.

We have been preparing to take Mercy out on her maiden voyage

(go back a few posts to "Meet Mercy") and we have been downsizing.

It is not always easy to do that.

It was time for Honey to go.

My friend Ivan wanted to buy Honey for his mom in the Texas panhandle.

I gave him a price and he took it.

On Monday Honey left us.

Ivan and Hannah came and drove Honey away.

I do not know when Honey will return to Texas.

I think Hannah wants to keep her.

Good bye Honey. We will miss you.

2011 Men's Retreat

This past weekend I went to the 2011 AZ Calvary Chapel Men's Retreat.

It is held each year on the first weekend in November.

The theme this year was Abiding In Christ.

It was an amazing time of teaching and worship as we covered John 15:1-17 in depth.

This was my fifth year to attend the retreat.

Normally the weather is really nice and sunny.

But this year the weather was a little different.

On the way to the retreat from Grand Canyon

I fought really high winds all the way there.

On Friday night as we were

worshipping and the

teachers taught there was a massive rain storm.

Then overnight the snow came in.

But the weather did not slow down the teaching or the worship.

A good time was had by everyone.

The Lord did some amazing things in many lives.

Afterwards many of us headed over to In-N-Out Burgers for lunch.

It was fun to see the place overrun by a bunch of believers.

We just couldn't get enough of that good fellowship.

I must admit that I am already looking forward to next year.

Meet Mercy

Please welcome the newest member of our family.

This is Mercy. She is a 29 ft AlpineLite.

We picked her up a couple of weeks ago.

We will escape the winter months at the Grand Canyon with her.

Her name is from Lamentations 3:22-23.

Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

She is a picture of God's mercy and a stark reminder of how faithful He is.

We are looking forward to heading out this winter.

It Came In The Mail

In the late 1980s I heard The Choir for the first time and went nuts over their music. The first time I saw them in concert was 1990. They were touring to support "Wide-Eyed Wonder." I remember being totally blown away. The music was relevant and the lyrics were not shallow. I was hooked for life and I began to look for all of their music.

Last year The Choir recorded an acoustic version of one song from each of their albums. The result is "de-plumed."
This year Derri Daugherty stepped up to the plate and released an instrumental album of atmospheric guitar work entitled "Clouds Echo In Blue" and this is his chance to shine. This is a beautiful album of instrumental music that is perfect for those cold nights when all you want is a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.

It is always good to open packages that come in the mail.

Good-Bye Bill

In February of 2008 we bought a cargo trailer.

Since it is our custom to name everything he got the title of

Wild Bill.

Wild Bill actually got used a whole lot.

He made a few trips with us

but he was used for storage more than anything else.

Bill recently got a face lift inside.

We painted his walls white and the floor red.

He actually looked pretty nice.

Then he got sold.

Wild Bill has moved down the street to a new family.

Who (or what) will be sold next?

We have sold Tex, (our camper)

and now Wild Bill!

Stay tuned. It looks like we may be selling

a long time family member.

Sunday Left Overs

This past Sunday I took a vacation day and headed to Prescott for church.

It was a great time of worship, teaching and fellowship.

It was the first Sunday morning service that I had been able to attend since February 6!

Now that does not mean that we have not been to church.

We have gone on many Wednesday nights.

But there is something special

(and right)

about showing up for Sunday morning worship.

There are some strange ideas

"out there"

among Christians about "going to church" and fellowship.

Some Christians will say that they

"don't need to go to church to be a Christian."

There is also the idea that

"I don't need to go to church. I get everything I need right here at home."

Then there is the idea of

"God told me not to go."

An interesting verse concerning believers gathering together is in Hebrews 10: 24-25.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

as is the manner of some,

but exhorting one another,

and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Pastor Chuck Smith said this regarding this passage:

"Part of the purpose of the church, as we gather together,

it that we might be encouraged to good works,

encouraged to seek the Lord,

encouraged to forsake the things of the world,

and encouraged to walk close to Christ.

This exhortation is part of the reason we gather,

along with being built up and edified in our faith,

and being comforted together in the Scriptures."

Another wonderful passage that I think goes along with this idea is found in Psalm 133.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron,

Running down on the edge of his garments.

It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the LORD commanded the blessing--Life forevermore.

The need for fellowship.

The need for corporate worship with the body of Christ.

The need for solid teaching from the Word of God.

Good reasons to show up for church.

Good-Bye Tex

In June, 2008 my daughter went to camp for a week. My wife and I had been looking for a truck camper since we had sold our Airstream a few months before. We had looked at a truck camper in Flagstaff and really liked what we saw. So while Janie was out enjoying summer camp we bought "Tex."

We actually used Tex a whole lot. He got broken in well a few months later when Missy and Janie took him to Colorado for a few weeks. I did not get to go on that trip. (Somebody had to stay back and support their trip financially.) We would also take Tex to town whenever we went to Prescott for church and shopping.

My favorite trip with Tex was in December 2008 when we took three or four days and hung out in Prescott. We went and watched the Christmas tree lighting at the courthouse in old downtown Prescott. We went and enjoyed Christmas lights in Prescott Valley. And of course we went to church on Sunday morning.

This past Friday Tex was sold to a family in Flagstaff. What is funny he returned to the neighborhood where he came from. Tex is no longer a part of our family but we will remember him well.

Good-bye Tex. Hope you get used a lot.