Redneck

The redneck stampede was a blast.  Im not sure of the ministry value of the night but it was a lot of fun.  No one died and no one got arrested.  In youth ministry usually consider that a success.  The teaching was about the original redneck Esau.  I got the idea from T.J.  It could have been a meaningful talked but it ended up dragging on because of lots of distractions.  I spoke the Word.  It won't return void, but sometimes you wonder if anyone heard anything or if it meant anything.

Got to bring in some firewood with Cameron's dad today and meet Cameron's grandparents.  I can see where Cameron inheritted his amazingness from.  Although I did beat him in madden again last night! 

Tomorrow grandma Pam got us tickets for another play at GBPAC.  I'm not sure what to expect but we are going.  Then I should probably study I the afternoon.  I have lots of reading to do.

I might be a redneck

So I was doing some research for our Redneck Stampede tomorrow night.  I was looking up you might be a redneck jokes.  Is it bad if about half of them pertain to me?  I think what sealed up my redneckedness was when I turned two toilets into racing carts today.  You might be a redneck if you do that, and I did.  I did spend more on my education than on my hunting dog though.  Although, the education I have isn't really helping me anymore so I guess i should have saved that for a hunting dog.  The education I am getting now costs me the same amount as the dogs I have.  I hope the education is more useful than the dogs.

I think tomorrow night will be a bl

Not Herd from in a While

It has been a busy time.  I have been absent from blogging for several days.  We are doing well.  CAMRY is gaining weight and Annie is losing weight.  They are both beautiful.  Annie and I celebrated our 9th anniversary last Thursday.  Boy did that time fly!  Five kids later we are still madly in love. 

Student Connection stuff has been going well.  We have been learning and growing together.  180 just concluded about a 6 month study of the book of John.  It has been quite a journey.  Next week are going to learn some apologetics.  These kids are faced with the world every day and the need a ready defence for the hope that is inside them.

The middle schoolers are doing pretty well.  We are also studying John but are quite a bit behind 180.  We just got through chapter 14 tonight.  We learned a lot about the Holy Spirit.  Very cool!

Tomorrow is MOPS so I will have as many as three kids to watch in the morning.  If the weather cooperates I will be straightening light poles with Scott.  If bad weather I will be doing homework.  Started my new class on Daniel and Revelation this week.  I hope I learn a ton!

Day Off... kind of

It is spring break so we didn't have herds today.  I cleaned all of the cat smell out of our garage and then Camry had her 2 week appointment.  She has gained a good amount of weight.  The doctor was very pleased.  We don't have to take her back for a monh and a half!

Tomorrow is our 9th wedding anniversary.   We got each other the board game Stratego.  My brother Seth will be extremely jealous.  We used to play the game constantly at the babysiter's house when we were little.  Annie loves board and card games.  I pretty much hate all off them unless I am guaranteed to win.  However, I love Stratego.  I think it will grow on Annie.  I do like Farkle also and Yahtzee is okay.  I must enjoy dice games somewhat.

I am not sure how we will celebrate tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure the girls will make us lots of cards and 'snacks.'  They are so sweet.

Friday some students and I are attending a conference in DesMoines.   It should be a blast.

Sabbath

We observed our Sabbath today.  It was a great day.  We had family worship time and studied Acts 2 together.  It was a major blessing to all be home together.  This afternoon I pulled the kids behind the lawnmower in redneck style.  I hitch up a broken power wheels jeep and the kids' wagon.  It was almost like a parade.  Daphne got to hang out with the bite kids outside again.  She is getting so big.  I think she looks extra huge because Camry is so dinky. 

Tomorrow we are kind of on vacation.   There are no Herds this week so I do not have much Stuco stuff to do.  I need to send in my bills in and that's it.  I am excited for another day with my wonderful family.  I knew we had a lot of kids but it becomes glaringly real when they are all together.  All of the kids converged on our bed this morning a about 8 o'clock.   We had seven people in our bed.  It is a big bed, but we pretty well filled it.  I am one proud dad.  The Lord continues to bless and provide.  God is great!!!

Dodgeball Tournament Champions!!!

Our team, the Cameron Crazies, won the dodgeball tournament today.  I was definitely not anticipating that.  I told my wife that I would be home by noon.  I figured we would maybe win one, lose our two games, and go home.  The Lord has a sense of humor and he let us 180 guys win it all.  It was really unbelievable.   I am not sure who was more shocked, us or the teams we were beating in the finals.  I will never forget the look on the one team's faces when we caught almost every ball they threw.  It was Crazy, Cameron Crazy!  I am gratelful to the boys for including me.  I said our team name should be 5 Young Bucks and 1 Old Goat. 

I am assuming the Lord was with us because I do not think we would have won otherwise.  We did not have the very best atheletes.  I do have an analysis that would make sense of how or why we won.  It was a blast and I really thank Jesus that I didnt get hurt.  We will have to see how hard it is to get out of bed tomorrow.

On another note.  I was very impressed tonight by the middle school play.  The kids were so well organized and did a wonderful job.  Their director Kelly Voss did a phenomenal job preparing her kids.  It was so much fun to watch.  The costumes were well done and we could really here most of the lines well.  I am very proud of all those young people and Kelly.  I look forward to future performances!

I am going to Aplington Baptist tomorrow.   Apparently they are canditating a new pastor.  We are still searching for a church home.  To make things more interesting the pastor that the ABC just fired is moving back to town this week too.  That might be a bit awkward.  I am very excited for them to be back.  Pastor Dan has two boys that I adore.  They are great young men and I'm looking forward to working with them again.  

Last Night

Herds went well yesterday.  Early Herd kids did a really good job of paying attention and following directions.  We learner about Zaccheus.

The Herd was a bit smaller crowd than we have had.  That may sound like a bad thing but it really makes it easier to control the crowd.  I feel like the kids learn more in the smaller group also.  I'm not saying that I don't want lots if kids to come.  I'm just saying that there are advantages to the smaller group.  God continues to bless the ministry.  I can't wait to see what he does with the Student Connection in the years to come!

Herdles Crossed

This week is shaping up to be pretty good for Herds.  I was a little concerned because with baby coming.g early I wasnt sure id be able to get much together but the Lord has provided and it should be good tonight. 

Early Herdos will be learning about Zaccheus.  It is very interesting story and I think it says a lot more about conversion than we give credit for.  Herd will be studying Jesus washing the disciples' feet.   What an amazing example of the humility of the God-man.  It also is a great metaphor for the process of sanctification.  We are already made clean, but we need a continual washing to keep us on track.

Not that it matters in the scheme of things, but I think that the games will be a lot of fun tonight too.  We don't aim just to entertain, but to equip these young people for the Christian life.

What beautiful weather we are having.  I got so much work done outside yesterday.  If things dry off a bit I will be spending a lot of time cutting wood hopefully. 

The new baby has an appointment this morning.  I am anticipating a good report from Annie.  All the other kids got a trip to Urgent Care this morning.  All the kids have been coughing.  We are over the fevers thankfully.  Well my lunch is here so see you next time.

Home Day!

Today I have been home with the family.  Kind of anyway.  I spent some time outside murdeeing trees in my backyard.  That was pretty fun.  I chained them to the tractor and pulled them out like a rotten tooth.  Some guys from the Butler County extension office came out and looked at our property for a possible windbreak site.  They also gave me some advice on caring for our grove that we already have.  They suggested removing a few trees to help another one grow better.  I was all about it because I was super tired of mowing around those pokey trees.  We also have an oddity on our property apparently.  Scotch Pine is apparently all but extinct in Butler County and we have one in our yard!  I have never seen anyone so excited about a tree before.  It made the extension guys' day.

I only have one week left in my current college class on theology.  Then I begin a class obser Daniel and Revelation.  I am very interested to study the end times prophecies.  It should be very interesting.

I need to get to work on preparing for Wednesday night.  I think the younger group may study about Zacheuss.  He's a super cool story.  The older kids will have a lesson over John 13 or 14 I can't quite remember.  Either way it will be a blast.  We only had on week off for baby, but I really miss the students.

Camry home!!!

We got to bring Camry home today!  We are bvery excited to have our entire family under one roof!!!  Thank you to all of you who have interceded on our behalf.  We are very grateful.  It will be 2 months before Camry can make any public appearances by doctor's orders.   We can have visitors, but really have to keep her away from germs.  It will be a trying time, but will be much better than her getting sick.  We love her so much!  Praise the Lord!

Camry update

Camry has been feeding well!  They removed her iv today!  Looks like she will get to come home tomorrow or Tuesday!!!!  The Lord has been good to us.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  We are so excited to be a family under one roof again!

Camry update.

Camry is doing well today. We have a minor setback her billirubin level is a little bit high so she has to be on the glow worm light.  Daphne has a fever still.  She is watching lots of Dora. 

Camry Update Again

Camry is eating well and breathing well.  It is just a matter of time until she gains enough weight to come home!!!  Thank you all for your prayers.