Summer fun

This summer on Monday evenings, I have been doing a Bible study called "The Purpose and Plan for the End Times" by my friend Mary Ellen.  It has been very good!

"The LORD foils the plans of the nations;  

He thwarts the purposes of the peoples, 

but the plans of the LORD stand firm forever.  

The purposes of His heart through all generations."  

Psalm 33:10-11

Each week she opens with an ice-breaker.  One week she asked "What do you consider "summer fun".  There were all sorts of answers.  How would you answer that?

I always enjoy a trip to the beach but this summer that wasn't in the plans.  I LOVE the beach but we had a trip to Romania instead.  We have begun to talk about beach plans for next summer, however.

I do go to water aerobics at the Newton pool's lazy river!  It is a blast!!  Not as good as the beach, but....

One thing I enjoy about summer is having a little break from the regular yearly things I am involved in:  teaching Awana Cubbies (3-5 year olds), teaching young moms Bible study, the routine things one does and being just a bit more relaxed.

I have been doing some studies on my own and asking the Lord to guide me and my friend Sarah in what we should teach in the fall.  I LOVE digging into the Word of God!  

I do love to read!  I've been reading several books this summer from our church library while enjoying coffee from my 1-cup Italian perculator that our hostess in Romania gave me!  Thank you, Lavinia!!

I've enjoyed watching the sky.  That isn't just a summer thing, of course.  God "paints" the sky every day!!

Sunrise

Sunset

I do love a good summer storm (as long as it isn't destructive!) and we've had a few.  

Kansas has been in a drought for quite awhile.  The wheat crop this year is the worst it has been in 60 years!  

We have had quite a bit of rains lately, although too late for the wheat.  Many fields were goners.  They didn't even bother to cut some of them at all.  

The corn is doing good with all the recent rains!

Our purple martins were having quite a time flying in the wind during this last storm!  I saw one flying backwards!!  I heard we had 60mph winds.  Dodge City had 100mph!!

Summer time is a fun time to watch the baby purple martins!  

The parents are bringing the babies lots of dragonflies!  And we've seen a couple of the fledglings try their wings!

Bird watching is fun all year and I enjoy the bird walk at the college too.

I went to a make-up show that one of my young mom's gave.  This old lady needs a fixing up!  Ha!  I HAVE turned 68!

I did enjoyed my 68th birthday!!  Didn't really do anything special.  But the family always makes me feel special!

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."  Proverbs 31:28   I definitely feel their blessings to me!

We still go to the Manor to help with hymn sing on Sunday nights at times.  One night the song leader couldn't come so Al was "roped" into it!  He did a good job.

We went to listen to chamber music one Sunday.

It is music to my soul!

We visited Allen's brother and wife in Hutch.  They sold their house and have down-sized to an RV!  A very nice RV!  They will live in it part of the time here on one daughter's property and also in a "dawdy haus" with their older daughter and family in Texas.

We aren't quite ready for that.  We aren't sure what we will do about retirement, but we won't worry.  The Lord will guide us and we just wait for Him to lead when the time is right.

We enjoyed Amish cooking at the Dutch Kitchen with Reuben and Brenda.

Then went to Pretty Prairie for their monthly Night On The Prairie and fireworks.

While we were in Romania, we heard that our daughter-in-law was in the hospital.  They aren't for sure the problem, but sounds like Guillian-Barre.  

She has gone from not being able to walk to walking.  Physically she is doing much better but cognitively, it has been a very slow progress.  As Staci has said "we live out the 'in sickness' part of our vows."  They are trusting that the other's heart and motives are good, and are praying to have eyes to see the best in each other.  For their anniversary, they were able to find a quiet place to go out to eat - the first time since this illness struck.  Would you pray?

Our daughter, Jill and her family took a vacation to Washington DC, New York City and Niagara Falls! 

Mindy's family is visiting his family this week and will be coming to be with us for a week!  Can't wait to snuggle those 2 babies!  And hug Jason and Mindy too, of course!

I am so grateful that we can facetime each of these kids.

Loving technology in that aspect!

When I was growing up, we relied on air-mail letters!