A Miscellaneous Post!

This past weekend was the time for the annual "RiverFest" festivities here in Lewistown. One of the big events was the raft regatta. Here are some pictures of some of the rafts.
There were some "rebels" with the Confederate Flag
Obviously, this wasn't one of the rafts, but we thought this was neat

There was a floating farm - notice the gate, wagon wheel, and watering trough

A dragon

Saturday evening was the fireworks

Here is the sunset we got to see Sunday evening

If you want to see more pictures, click here to go to Dad's blog.

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A Birthday Celebration!

Here I am again!
Today was my birthday and as a result, I took the day off work. We originally had some other plans but those got changed. Mom and Dad kept asking me what I wanted to do on my day off but I wasn't being any help in that area! We left home this morning and headed over the mountain in the general direction of State College. Our first stop was at the Elk Creek Dry Goods store - a very nice Amish store near Rebersburg. From there, we went over the mountain - a beautiful drive - to the Hillside Variety store near Loganton - variety is a very appropriate word for this Amish owned store! They have everything from a wide variety of used and new merchandise to furniture to canned goods! We left there and went a couple miles down the road to Kauffman's - an Amish owned hardware store. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures of these stores. From there, we went to the PA Fish Commission's Tylersville Fish Culture Station. That's where these pictures begin.
This is looking out over the fish runs.
The fish in the runs range from these ones that are about 3 - 4 inches long . . .

to these ones that are about average sized . . .

to the ones in these next two pictures. I thought these ones were very nice sized fish - then one of the men that was working there told us that these are next year's trophy fish! I would have considered any of them a trophy now!

After we left there, we headed to Centre Hall for lunch. We did stop at a yard sale on the way! We had lunch at the Whistle Stop Restaurant - a very nice little restaurant with great food.

We left the restaurant and went to Boalsburg to the Pennsylvania Military Museum - a place that I have wanted to visit for quite some time.

They have a wide variety of items in their displays. Here is a display of handheld weapons.
This gun is just a little bit bigger!
Then there are the cannons.

They also have different kinds of vehicles and other items on display in the museum.

This is just one of the four tanks on display outside the museum.

This is part of the memorial area outside of the musuem. It is a beautiful setting.

After we got home, Mom & Dad gave me my birthday gift. It is a train crossing bank that stands 4 feet high. When you drop a coin in, the lights flash and a train whistle blows.

I like this picture better. Nothing against Dad's picture taking - it's just that I'm not in this one!

We wound up the day at Sal-Lee's Restaurant for supper - baked haddock, macaroni & cheese, stewed tomatoes, applesauce and rolls - it was good!
It was a very nice way to celebrate my birthday - beautiful weather, neat places to go, and time together as a family!
Thank You for everything Mom & Dad!

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Penn View Choir

Last evening - for the first time in years - the Penn View Bible Institute Chapel Choir was at our church. They did a tremendous job! Besides the choir singing, there were a couple solos, all three PR groups sang, and there was a duet on the piano for the offertory - I don't know if that piano has ever been played like that!
Here are a few pictures from the evening. There was no way of getting a picture of the choir singing "He Hideth My Soul" - they were lined back both sides of the church for that one and sang it accapella. It was beautiful!
This is the whole choir singing together.
ShaDawn Heidler singing one of the solos - what a voice!

Velma Ninjipa singing a solo - she did a great job as well.

Of course, PR man extraordinaire, Dan Durkee had part in the service as well!

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What A Book Sale!

This weekend is the annual book sale that is held at the Penn State Ag Arena. This year is the first that I've been over for a few years.
Here are some numbers to give you an idea of the size of this book sale - try to picture a 12,000 square foot arena with 225+ tables holding over 200,000 books. Now, insert into that arena several hundred (at least!) people trying to look at those books - some carrying boxes, bags, pushing handcarts, etc. Dad even saw one person trying to pull a wagon through the place! Add all of this together and you have what can only be described as a madhouse!
I did end up getting about 20 more books for my collection of history books.
This is one of three parking lots outside the building. This one is actually across the road from the arena.

This is a view out across the arena from where I was standing once I finally got done. Mom and Dad were still looking!

This is down along the outside edge of the arena where the six checkout tables (all of them with lines!) are located.

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My Two Favorite People

This might be sort of a different type of blog post and it is definitely a longer one than I usually do, but it is something that I felt like I wanted to do.
I wanted to do a tribute to my two favorite people in the world. Once you see the picture below, you'll know who I'm talking about.
Recently, I have been forced to ask myself the question, “Do I realize how good I have it when it comes to my parents?”
When I hear people talking about being glad when their husband / wife is gone, I see how fortunate I am to have two parents who truly love each other.
When I think of the help that my parents have been when I have been going through a battle – things might be rough during the day, but I can stop and think of how things are going to be better after I get home. I don’t even have to say anything to them about what I was going through – just being there with them has been and is a tremendous encouragement to me.
There have been times when they have gotten pretty straight with me when they were talking to me about something that I was going through. The way I look at this is, “They love me enough to talk to me that way.” Those times have helped me.
They’ll probably never know how much it has meant to me when they have expressed confidence in me. This usually comes at a time when I didn’t have a whole lot of confidence in myself. There have been times when the memory of something that they have said to me is what kept me going.
Spiritually, I have confidence in a lot of people, but Mom and Dad are at the top of that list.
My parents are, among many things – my cook, my taxi driver, my seamstress, my Pastor, my laundress, my counselors, my nurse
– but most important, they are my Mom & Dad!
Thanks For Everything Mom & Dad!

Some Miscellaneous Pictures

Here are some random pictures from our trip to IHC this year - Enjoy!
When I took the picture of Gene & Angie Davis with my parents, Gene asked me to make him look tall. I did what I could Gene - how's this?
A beautiful sunset that we saw one evening.

A typical breakfast for Dad - fresh made waffle, syrup, orange juice, and coffee (I usually just had toast and orange juice - the waffles did look good though!)

Even when away from home - Ebay gets checked!

Marie Plank hard at work at the recording sales counter.

Here's something that you don't see very often - Father and Son on the platform at the same time!

It only seems fitting that Jim Plank would be on the platform during the Patriotic Service!

How would you like to be greeted by this site as you're driving down the road? This picture was taken out through the windshield of the bus as we traveled down the interstate on our way home from IHC!

Don't panic! This one was actually traveling backwards behind the one that was pulling it!

People At The Podium

The next few posts are some pictures from IHC this year. I've divided them up by category (somewhat).
Check back in the next few days. I'll try to post some more random pics.
If you want to see more pics from our trip, check out The Happy Pastor here.
Here are a few pictures of the people who were behind the podium(s) at IHC this year.
Rev. Paul Kauffman - what a message!

Ron Coleman - Patriotic Service
Travis Johnson - Time Of Discovery - This may be when he was doing his "Top 10 Pick-Up Lines That Guys Shouldn't Use."

The one and only - Jim Plank

Outstanding Leader - Leonard Sankey

Song leader - Paul Gray

The Offering Taker Uppers

For the first time in a long time, they actually met their goal of how much money they needed to pay for the convention.
Here are some pictures of the different people that took of the offerings.
Marcus Doddrill - On the first night of convention, he raised something like $11,000.
Jim Plank and Mark Cravens - what a pair! They (with some help) raised around $30,000 the second night of the convention.

Don Bates - he was taking up the offering when they went over the needed $50,000 for the convention. Praise The Lord! There were some happy people that night!

IHC Music

Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of some of the music that we heard at IHC this year.
Aaron McCarty
Patriotic service quartet

The Cassadys

Penn View Quartet

Of course, one of the music highlights is always the Mass Choir.