A New Addition!

I wanted to introduce you to the newest member of our family. He came from Florida with my parents when they returned.
The bad thing is - I haven't come up with a name for him yet!
I was thinking about something along the lines of Morris the Monkey or something like that, but I'm not sure!
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Some Changes!

Several years ago, I inherited a large collection (it has gotten quite a bit larger since) of church announcements - revivals, youth rallies, etc.
I thought it would be fun to post one of them on here every once in a while!
The one above is one of several Penn View groups that we had while we were in Berwick. The people in the picture are (Left to Right): Dwight Rine, James Plank, Michelle (Mason) Durkee, Dan Durkee, and Dan Peachey.
You can click on the picture to enlarge it.
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Sounds Like A Good Reason!

Some people have sort of gotten on my case about why I'm still single. I've given these people various reasons - maybe I'll share some of them in a future post - as to why I'm still single.
Here is the most recent one that I heard of someone saying - "Be wise and stay single and hear the money jingle."
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Excitement In The Neighborhood!

Yes, those fire trucks are in front of our church - no, there wasn't a fire at the church.
It turned out to be a faulty smoke detector out the street from us. Somebody decided this would be a good place to wait until they found out what was going on, which fortunately turned out to be nothing!
Oh well, it did provide some excitement for a little bit on a cold - 12 degree - evening!
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THEY'RE HOME!

I think this sign says it all!
Actually, at this point, they're not home yet, but they are somewhere between Harrisburg and Lewistown!
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Update From The Travelers

Just in case anyone is checking here - I just talked to Dad a little bit ago.
They made it to Florida safe and sound - their flights went great. The flight from Harrisburg to Charlotte was actually a little early.
The only complaint (if you want to call it that) was that it is so warm down there and they're not used to that in January!
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P.S. - I tried posting this on Dad's blog but it didn't work - hopefully it will work here!

Fulfilling God's Call

Our Sunday School lesson this morning was titled "The Call To Service."
This lesson was looking at the issue of all Christians being called to do something and not just focusing on preachers, evangelists, and missionaries. Even considering that, I think that - considering his own calls throughout the course of his years of ministry - my Dad was very qualified to teach this lesson. I may be a bit biased, but, so be it!
After having served for quite a few years in the role of an assistant pastor(at the Lewistown God's Missionary Church), Sunday School teacher, fill-in minister, and nursing home ministry (which he feels was a call in itself) - he felt that God was leading him to step out into the area of being a pastor.
Let me point out here that there was no human reason for him to do this. He had a good job and was being offered a better job within the factory where he was working (the same factory where I am now working).
In the spring of 1988 we started going out for "trial services" (a very appropriate name!) in different churches.
To make a long story short, in July of 1988, we moved to Berwick, PA to pastor the God's Missionary Church there after God very clearly told Dad that's where he should go.
In 1996, after eight years at Berwick, God asked Dad if he would go to Lewistown to pastor. Dad, not knowing that the church at Lewistown even needed a pastor said yes. The condition that he eventually put on this agreement was that the people at Lewistown had to come to him - which happened a few months later!
Suffice it to say - in July of 1996, we moved back to Lewistown to pastor our former home church. This, despite our Conference General Superintendant's assuring the Lewistown people that Dad wouldn't leave Berwick!
Hopefully, after reading this, you can get a little bit of an idea - even though I left out a lot of details - why I said what I did about Dad teaching a lesson on "The Call To Service."
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Finally Done - Here It Is!

I said that I would try to post a picture of the project that I've been working on in the shop. Well, here it is! This is a project that I had started back some time ago and just got back to finishing it over the last week or so.
It measures 21 inches wide and is 13 1/4 inches high.
It is made up of 96 individual pieces of wood - not counting the backing board or the dowels holding the shotgun shells - and yes, those are real shotgun shells!
There are seven different kinds of wood in this project - walnut, aromatic cedar, poplar, purpleheart, birch, maple, and oak.
I just thought I would share this picture of one of my hobbies with you. Believe it or not (some people can't) this is one of the ways that I relax now!
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Another Week!

I just wanted to pop in and let you know I'm still around.
We're getting ready to finish up another busy week at work - it sounds like tomorrow could be pretty busy too.
I've been working on a special project in the shop - I may post pictures of that in the next couple of days.
Around home here - it's been pretty much business as usual!
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The End Of The Weekend!

Well, here we are at the end of another weekend. Is it just me, or do the weekends seem to fly by faster than the rest of the days of the week? Maybe it's because I look forward to them so much!
Friday evening we went to some friends' house and played a whole game of dominoes. I lost - as usual! We had a good time!
Saturday I got a chance to work in the shop for a while. In the afternoon we went away and out to eat. It was great just to be together as a family! I worked in the shop for a little while in the evening.
Sunday has been pretty much a normal day - Church in the morning and evening and rest in the afternoon!
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Possession or Profession?

Dad preached a tremendous message tonight on "Possession or Profession?"
After he read the Scripture, he proceeded to ask the people if they would believe him if he told them that he had a million dollars with him.
He then preached a great message on the need to not only profess Jesus Christ, but also to possess Him.
See the pictures below for the rest of the story on the million dollars!
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He set the bag with the money in it out for all the people to see - just to keep them wondering!

Yes, he does possess it - but is it worth anything?

This is what the money looks like up close.
Once he pulled it out of the bag, Dad's point was that while he did possess what he said he did, it was worthless.

A Beautiful Sunrise

This is part of the sunrise that we saw this morning. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it was beautiful!
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

New Years Eve Service!

We had our regular service this evening. Actually, it was a communion service, so that made it special.
We also had a special speaker during the service. Dad asked my mother to read a poem that she had found in a book. She did a great job!
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Christmas Again!

We actually got to have two Christmases this year!
Yesterday, my brother (Darv), his wife (Christi), and their four legged kid (Katie - the golden lab) came down for Christmas.
We had a good time with them. When they are here, it gets interesting sometimes!
Below are some pictures from their visit!
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Of course, when Katie's around, there has to be a game of tug-of-war!
I'm not sure who won this round!

It looked to me like Darv was trying to put Katie to sleep by putting Christi's sneakers in front of her!
Fortunately, Katie didn't suffer any ill effects and, the last I knew, she was doing okay!

By about midnight, everybody was getting pretty tired!

Christmas Day

We were here at home by ourselves for most of the day today. That's not as bad as it might sound to some people. Unlike some people, we actually enjoy being together as a family!
We took it easy today, then this evening we went over to my grandparents' place for a couple hours. In this picture, Dad and Pap are discussing one of the gifts that they were showing us.
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Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take the time right now to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May we all remember the real reason for the season and have a Christ centered holiday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Luminaries Again

I remember when, several years ago, we used to put luminaries out at Christmas time. We hadn't done this for quite a while. This year, however, Dad & Mom decided to do this again. So, this evening, at the end of our Christmas Eve service, I came over and set up the bags and lit the candles.
I thought it looked nice.
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All Ready - Well, Almost!

It's Christmas Eve, and I'm just about ready. I've got about four more gifts to get wrapped (they shouldn't take long), and a list to get typed up and I'll be ready to go!
As has been the tradition for the past 37 years or whatever, Dad cooked Christmas Eve supper tonight. Talk about a meal fit for a king! The menu was - Baked Potato, Scallops (huge ones), Crab Cake, Marlin (you know, the fish), crab stuffed mushrooms, and shrimp. You can click here for a picture of that meal.
I think I saw the dessert in the refrigerator, but I suggested that we wait until after church to eat that.
After we got done eating, I said, "Forget the crab stuffed mushrooms. Right now, I'm a seafood stuffed person!"
Thanks Dad, it was delicious!
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An Unconstitutional Christmas

Tonight we had the privilege, and it truly was a privilege, of attending the annual Christmas program at the Beavertown God's Missionary Church. This years program was titled "Unconstitutional Christmas." I don't have the words to describe this program.
This program is a very stirring program that portrays the way things seem to have been going in our nation recently, but ending with a reminder that we, as Christians, will really be the winners in the end.
All I can say is a great big Thank You to the Beavertown Church for a wonderful program!
You can click here to read an article that our local newspaper ran about this program.
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I also want to say, Congratulations on a job well done!

Tim and Pam Calhoun of The Winding Tale (you can check out that blog for more pictures and commentary about the program) did a wonderful job portraying Mary and Joseph - or Mr. and Mrs. Nelson.
By the way, that is a real, live calf in the nativity scene!

Steve Stahl did a wonderful job singing "I Don't Belong" - a song that reminded us, that as Christians, we aren't going to fit in in this world, but someday we are going to a world where we will belong and fit in.

Doug Rine does a tremendous job singing "One Day Late" - a song with a wonderful message about the danger of waiting until it's too late to seek God.

Bro. Plank gives the closing remarks and invitation at the end of the program.
Thanks again and congratulations on a job well done!

I'm Sorry!

This is just a note to offer my apologies for not keeping this as up to date as I should!
I guess what it boils down to is being too busy, but I guess somebody that's too busy to blog is just plain too busy!
I'll try to put some more on here in the very near future.
Thanks For Dropping In - and once again, I'm Sorry!

Just Letting You Know!

This is just a short post to give you some information - I think on TV they call them infomercials.
Anyway, if any of you have tried leaving a comment on my blog and it hasn't shown up, please try again. For some reason there was a glitch with the blog and some of the comments might not have been getting through. I think it's taken care of now - if it's not, then I don't know what else to do!
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Festival Of Ice

Tonight was the first night of the annual Downtown Lewistown Festival Of Ice. This is an evening when we enjoy walking around downtown Lewistown. Different businesses will sponsor small ice sculptures along with a few large sculptures. Different people will have booths set up throughout the town selling food, crafts, baked goods, etc.
It was an enjoyable evening!
Below are a few pictures from our evening.
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Someone had some llamas there. They are interesting creatures!

Each year, the Indian Valley High School Drama Club does a display of live mannequins. Yes, those are real, live people in that picture!
It's neat to stand there and wonder how anybody can stay that still for that long!

One of the highlights of the evening for me was the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club's display. Each year during the Festival Of Ice, the club has an open house with their trains running. I thought it was neat.
Here are a few pictures of their trains.

A train load of New Holland equipment.

A circus train coming around the bend.

A passenger train crossing the Rockville Bridge.

An Evening Of Wonderful Music!

Tonight was our annual service with the Bruce Byler family from Michigan.
It was a wonderful service with some fun times and fun songs included!
This is a service that we look forward to every year.
Below are just a few of the pictures that we took tonight.
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A final round of practice for the service.

Bro. Byler introduces his family.

Keep on the Firing Line - All I can say about how this song was done is WOW!

Tremendous singing by tremendous young people - a job well done!
This is just another reminder that the devil doesn't have all the young people!

Special Service!

I would like to invite everyone to a special service at our church on Friday, November 24 at 7:00 P.M.
The Bruce Byler family from Michigan will be with us presenting an evening of Thanksgiving through music.
The instruments that they play include the keyboard, guitar, violin / fiddle, upright bass, and harmonica.
Come out and enjoy an evening of music giving praise to God for His goodness.
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Dogsitting For The Weekend!

This weekend (Friday & Saturday), we were babysitting - or dogsitting, whatever you want to call it - my brother and sister-in-law's dog, Katie while they went away. She's a yellow lab that also happens to be a big baby at times - she doesn't like it if no one is paying attention to her! We had a good time with her! I don't think Katie was very anxious to leave when the time came!
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I think we must have played her out!

Katie was glad to see Darv - she wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to Christi!

Yes - I'm Still Alive!

Just in case you were wondering (and just in case anyone reads this), I wanted to let you know that I am still among the living!
It hasn't really been a case of being too busy to post anything on the blog - it's been a case of not really knowing what to say.
Work has returned to a somewhat more normal pace now that we've gotten through our end of the month run for October. I don't have any orders to work on in the shop - although I have been working on some Christmas gifts. I have actually enjoyed doing that. I have said that now, working in the shop is relaxing for me!
I have gotten back to putting some stuff on ebay again. You can check out my auctions by clicking here. God has really blessed with these things and I'm very thankful for that.
Dad has also been selling quite a bit on ebay lately - you can see his auctions here.
Ok - that's enough rambling for now - I'll try to get this updated again within the next couple of days.
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Harvest Home

Yesterday was the annual Harvest Home at our church when the church people bring in food and other items to show their appreciation for their pastor and his family - at least I think his family was included!
We really appreciate the goodness of the people in what was brought to the house along with what was brought to the church.
God is so good!
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Fall Foliage Trip

Yesterday, we had the privilege of going on a fall foliage trip with Bro. Andy Cooley of Cooley Coach and Charter. Our trip took us to the northern part of Pennsylvania around Wellsboro. After having vacationed there several years ago, it was good to go back. This is a very beautiful area that I would reccomend if you want to see some beautiful scenery. I would also reccomend Bro. Cooley if you want to go on a bus trip.
I have posted a few pictures from our trip below.
There are more pictures on my father's blog, The Happy Pastor, if you would want to check them out.
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Our first stop was at Animaland outside of Wellsboro. We saw alot of interesting animals there including these Jacob's (or four horned) sheep. I thought they were rather interesting looking critters!
We also saw whitetail deer, sika deer, fallow deer, buffalo, kangaroos, siberian tiger, asian leopard, cougar, black bear, pygmy goats, and a lot of other animals including some beautiful birds.

The Grand Canyon

Our next stop was at the Leonard Harrison State Park where we saw Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon. What a wonderful reminder of God's handywork. To me, the ruggedness of the canyon is one of the things that makes it beautiful any time, let a lone with the different colors of leaves that the fall brings.

A Beautiful View

This picture was taken in the opposite direction down the canyon from the one above.

We stopped in beautiful downtown Wellsboro for lunch.
Although we didn't get to eat at the Wellsoboro diner, I still took this picture of it.
After lunch, we walked up the street where we ended up at a used book store. That shouldn't be much of a surprise for those of you who know how much we love books. Yes, I bought some books - history books. No real surprise there either.

We also stopped at Patterson's Maple Farm where we were given a tour of their facilities. It was a very interesting tour where we learned a lot about the process of making maple syrup and the many products that are made from it.
This is a picture of the evaparator room.

Story Time!

Bro. & Sis. Cooley kept the trip interesting with trivia questions, jokes, stories, and other interesting things. Here, Sis. Cooley is reading us a story.

What A Welcome!

As we got off of the bus Saturday evening, this was the sight that greeted us - Tim Calhoun attempting to take pictures! Actually, he was trying to take pictures of us before we even got off of the bus!
It was like the media was after us for some reason!

Back From Vacation!

We just returned today from a weekend vacation (too short!) at a cottage along the river. We had a great, relaxing time. The weather was cool but beautiful. We enjoyed the fire in the fireplace most of the time we were there.
I took this picture during a walk that I took the first day we were there.
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While we were away, we got to spend some time with my Aunt and Uncle who we hadn't seen for almost two years. We had a great time together and it was great to see them again.
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It's About Time!

I thought that it would be a good idea if I would post a picture of one of my favorite preachers while he is preaching. From where I was sitting, I could take this picture, and he was the only one that would know I was taking it!
I've posted other pictures of Dad, but never one like this, so here he is!
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Dad got some willing helpers to sing the song "Oh Be Careful Little Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Hands, Feet" in church this evening. Actually, I don't know how willing some of them were, but they helped anyway. He then preached a very good message on how we all need to be careful, not just the children.

We Forgive - Do We Really?

The subject that has been on a lot of our minds as well as being the topic of many conversations this past week has been the shooting incident at the school in Lancaster County. The main theme that seems to be coming out of this story is one of forgiveness.
Matthew 6:12 says, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” I don’t think I have ever seen such an example of forgiveness as we have seen the Amish people extend throughout this incident. Actually, it can be easy to say that we forgive someone when they wrong us – but it can be something else altogether to live out that forgiveness. However, that is what we have seen from the Amish people this past week. How was this forgiveness extended? The initial demonstrations of forgiveness that we heard about was their words of forgiveness, meeting with Mr. Roberts’ family, and asking that a fund be set up for the Roberts children along with the one to help the Amish families. Now today comes the word that about half of the people at Mr. Roberts’ funeral were Amish people. What kind of a message did that send to the Roberts family? However, the news that left me shaking my head was the news that yesterday some members of the Amish community had stopped at the Roberts home to deliver food. Friends, we can talk about forgiveness all we want to, but when we start living it, that will be the proof that we really believe what we say we believe. One man said the other day, “The Amish walk the walk as much as they talk the talk.” What a reputation to have! While I don’t agree with the Amish on all of their beliefs, I think all of us could learn some lessons from them in this area of forgiveness.
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