The Bread of Life

When traveling to Wisconsin, we generally leave early in the morning.  But my women's Bible study was beginning this new study of the "I AM" statements of Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of John.  I surely did not want to miss it!

  

The first "I AM" statement took us to Exodus 3 where God told Moses that His Name is "I AM".  Not "I was".  He IS!

God desires to be all we need and all we want.  

When the children of Israel were in the desert, they began to grumble against Moses instead of turning to God, the One Who promised to provide and sustain.  But God Who is our Daily Bread, provided for them with manna, a special bread that rained down from heaven.  EVERY day! (Except the Sabbath, but He would provide double portion the day before.)  He alone could provide for them.  

Ruby did not have manna, but she did bring many types of breads for our morning "snack"!!  It was amazing!  

She even had spreads from Israel!

“I AM the Bread of Life” John 6:35

Ruby had also made some unleavened bread and we had communion to remind us that the Bread of Life was broken for us on the cross.

I went home and finished packing up the car.  After prayers for the journey, I took off for Wisconsin.  This would be the last time I would be driving this car there.

I made a stop at Dale's Supermarket in Hillsboro for sausage for the kids.

As I drove through the Flint Hills, it was quite smoky.  Each year ranchers burn off dead grass in their pastures to encourage the growth of new grass for the cattle. 

To pass the time on the way, I listened to talk radio, some sermons, Christian music and classical music.  I also reviewed some verses and spent time in prayer for people.  

Along the way I saw quite a bit of road kill; lots of deer and also several coyotes, one that was all white!  Quite unusual.   Kept my eyes open for any critters that might dart across the road.  

I also saw a mattress set all broken up.  I called Al to tell him to be sure the mattress in the back of his pickup was tied in good!

I got to Des Moines, the half-way mark, just as it was getting dark.  I like to watch HGTV (we don't have cable so this is always fun to look forward to.)  

Drive to continue...

A delivery to Wisconsin

Al had 2 great-uncles, Jonas and Chris Goering, who lived on the farm in Pretty Prairie.  This is where Al grew up. 

They never married and when they passed away, the farm went to their sister, Edna, Al's grandmother, and then on to Al's parents.  

On the picture below, Grandma B., as she was known to Allen and his siblings, is the 2nd from the left in the back, next to her husband, Grandpa B.  Uncle Jonas and Uncle Chris are on the front row, bookending the great-grandparents.  The 2 older sisters were Elisabeth and Anna.  Elisabeth and Grandma Edna shared a birthday, only 14 years apart.

Jonas and Chris and Great-grandpa Johann.  

Back around 1980, we were visiting Al's parents on the farm.  We saw an antique bed in the roundtop shed.  We asked Al's dad about it and he mentioned that it had belonged to one of those uncles.  We asked Al's dad if he would mind if we used it for Josh since it seemed to just be in storage.  Josh was growing out of the crib and we would be having a baby too who would need a crib.  He said we would be welcome to it.  So we cleaned it up and refinished it.  Being a 3/4 size bed, we couldn't find any mattress that size, so we had one made at a mattress factory.  This became Josh's bed for awhile.

As Josh grew, he wanted a loft bed and this 3/4 bed became Jill and Mindy's.

Recently, Jill made the remark that Hannah, almost 16, was wanting a bigger bed.  A twin wasn't cutting it anymore, especially since the dog sleeps with  her.  I asked if she would like to have the 3/4?   She replied she would!  We would swap the 3/4 for a twin.  (for when grandkids come to sleep)

The night before I left for Wisconsin, I helped Allen load the bed in the back of the pickup. (He would drive it up on Saturday.)  We wrapped them up in zippered mattress covers to protect them.

Al and I were going to drive separately to Wisconsin because not only was Hannah outgrowing the twin bed, she is soon going to be 16 and needing wheels.  We recently purchased this sweet (and CUTE) Infinity so, not only were we going to deliver a mattress up to Wisconsin, but our old, but still in good shape Taurus too, which I would deliver!

Slowly, we can pass on to the next generation some of our "treasures".  We've asked them "Are there things you would like?"  So far, they aren't keen on our "stuff".  Of course, the MOST important thing we have been able to pass on is for them to follow Jesus Christ!

Recently we found out that Uncle Jonas and Uncle Chris had mineral rights on property in Texas, where the family spend winters.  And we, along with all the cousins, are going to be recipients of that!  So, thanks, great-uncles, for the bed and for perhaps some $$???  Maybe our ship will come in.  Ha ha!!

To be continued...