To Wisconsin; driving along the Mississippi River

We left for Wisconsin after noon, as I wanted to go to Bible study in the morning.  We knew we would be going only partway this first day. 

It is getting costly to travel with gas prices rising!

We drove the usual route up 35 all the way to Des Moines.  It takes about 6 hours.  It was suppertime so we stopped at a restaurant that we do not have close to us.

Our granddaughter, Claire, age 9, enjoys playing "Guess Where I Am", an on-line game.  It will show a picture of a place and you have to guess what country or city this picture is from.  I took a couple of pictures to send to her to try to guess where we were. 

Can you guess?  

Probably many people have been here, but we rarely have a chance to go to one.

It was dark by the time we left Des Moines.  We drove until about 9 o-clock when we pulled into a place in Le Claire, beside Davenport.  Our room overlooked the Mississippi.

Picture taken from our room the next morning.

Across the river, on the Illinois side is the town of Port Byron.

We read that these two towns have an annual tug of war across the river!  Isn't that a fun tradition?  I found these pictures on-line.

After breakfast, we drove across the river into Illinois.

Oof!

We were heading up the Mississippi River.

I love these old homes!

This one would be fun to re-do!!

We followed signs to Albany Mounds.  

It would be fun to take these trails someday.  Not this day.  Too cold and too mucky as snow was melting.

Lock and Dam 13 past Fulton.

Fulton is named after Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat!

Look how the river widens after the dam.

A penitentiary close to the town of Thomson.  A plan to house Guantanamo detainees at this facility was shut down.  Thomson is also known to be the melon capital of the world!

Savannah, Illinois

I'd enjoy shopping here.  But Al doesn't care for antique stores, so if I want to stop, I'll have to do it when I'm driving by myself.   He tells me we are trying to "down-size", not add more stuff to our home.

Hmm.  Not a great name for someplace I'd want to eat at.

Someone was having a tree in their yard cut down.

to be continued.....

Rejoice, Even Though

The women's ministry team at church planned a retreat, a weekend getaway to focus on our relationship with Christ and to fellowship with other women.  My daughter, Jill Utecht, was asked to be the speaker and she was going to teach through Philippians where we would learn to "rejoice even though" (insert life situation here) and find joy in Christ.

We were going to have the retreat at a camp in Oklahoma, but an ice storm made the roads to the camp impassable!  "Rejoice even though"!  The retreat team scrambled and were able to get reservations for all of us at a hotel in Wichita!  It may have been disappointing to some, but truly, it was a great place!!  God provided!

Jill and I were rooming together and had a room overlooking the river.

Day view

Night View

After I checked in, I went to the airport to pick Jill up.  She had pre-recorded her first talk, just in case of a delay.  It was quite incredible that she was able to change her flight from Oklahoma City to Wichita.  When she was ready to board the flight in Atlanta, it was announced that they had over-booked by 1 person and they would pay someone $500 to wait for another flight.  Perhaps, just perhaps, there was someone who had been praying for help financially and God provided for them!  The fact that Jill was able to get that flight was just an answer to prayer!  "Rejoice even though"!

Jill and I got to the hotel just in time!   The group clapped as we entered the meeting room - a clap offering really, for God Who had allowed Jill to arrive safely and on time! 

They were in the midde of playing an opening game.  The women were divided into groups of 8 and were given instructions to get in line according various categories.  According to age, or according to how many countries you had visited, how many cousins you have, your shoe size, etc.   As soon as your group was lined up, you would blow a bazooka.  It was loud, it was hilarious!!

This was followed by worship.  Thank you, ladies for the singing time!!

Jill mentioned that she felt a little "discombobulated" after the day of travel.  Incidently, she mentioned that the airport had a  place "for passengers to put on their shoes, gather their belongings, and yes, recombobulate."

The retreat is a time when we can retreat from the normal pace of life and "recombobulate" and reconnect with friends and with the Lord!

Jill began the evening introducing us to the book of Philippians.  Even though Paul was in prison, his joy was in the advancement of the gospel.  The enemy thought he'd "won", putting Paul in chains.  But no.  That isn't what happened.  What about us?  

The enemy probably thought he'd won by bringing an ice and snow storm, trying to cancel these plans for us to learn what God had for us.  

Do we live for ourselves?  Or for Christ?  How would you finish the statement "For me to life is .........."

Paul was looking death squarely in the face.  If we were in prison, perhaps our first concern would be getting out!  It was not the main thing for Paul.

We are to live in unity; our common goal being the advancement of the Gospel - the Good News!  We live out our purpose with the Spirit of God IN us; the people of God BESIDE us.

Jill took us through Philippians on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday morning.  My heart was filled with the truths of that book.  The JOY of Christ "even though".

****

It was a delightful time with friends!

Each session, names were drawn for gifts.

The team came up with such FUN games!!

"If you've ever in your life ever gone 3 days without a shower, move 3 seats tthe left.  If you've ever walked to school, move 2 seats to the right.  If you make your bed every day, move 7 seats to the left.  If you wear makeup every day, move 2 seats to the right."   We ended up in eachother's laps!

Singing around the "campfire" was GREAT, even if not around a true campfire!

We sang hymns but also silly songs like "The alligator is my friend."

Craft stations

Prayer stations

Since the retreat was moved close to home, Al was able to come and have lunch with us in the Delano district closeby!

Sunday morning, we donned our retreat t-shirts for a group picture.  Several had to go home early, so this isn't the whole group.

Thank you, Jill, for using the gifts God has given you to teach us God's Word!!

I can "rejoice even though" because, even though you were going back to Wisconsin, I would be driving to Wisconsin to see you in just a few days time!