Coming to the Still Waters

  So all through the winter I thought about this stand for Stephanie. This is how it came together.   Our first Saturday at the market with it unfinished but we tried out it function and noted a few modifications that we needed.   Then came the paint and a counter weight base to make it more stable. A rod to hang the animals and chalkboard paint brought it together.   We were informed that we might not be under the pavilion so a shade was needed. A friend gave me this old patio umbrella so a base was made to accept it.   Here we are at the market in the most completed mode. The umbrella is tilted for the picture. This was a banner day with the selling of 43 loaves of bread. My wife is so talented in so many ways. I am just so thankful that she lets me help her excel. Adam

Being the “Dung Gate” Guy

  The garden is starting to happen.  Here is a new bed of spinach.  We have had a couple of strawberry spinach salads and they were great.  We are thankful for the space to grow our own food. Well I got my first cold since some time in 2010.  It has been miserable but not to the point of stopping what I am doing.  I have been trying to build back up the wood supply for the winter and I got a few afternoons in this week for that task.  I am thankful for my health and I continue to eat for it.  It doesn't guarantee that you will never get sick but it sure helps in recovering when you do.   I am going to strike out on the book of Romans during our Sunday night worship times in the summer.  I am not sure if I am going to get past verse 1 this week.  I am looking for this to help me solidify what I believe of the gospel.  I will close with this video that I found that helped me see a picture of the camps or tribes that people fall into and to see really where I am at. Ada

It looks like so much bread when we unpack but we sold all but 2 loaves today.  It was slow with foot traffic so we are thinking that we might have to add 10 more loaves for next Saturday.  It is very gratifying selling something that you made and feel good about others eating something without all that other "stuff" in it.  If Stephanie can get a sample in their mouths, it pretty much sells.  We are still doing this effort to help with the college expenses of the boys but I think we know that it is bigger than that.  I also had some guys looking over the construction of the stand. The next 3 weeks are going to be different for me at the church.  It fell into place that we would have 3 missionary type speakers in.  I might not be preaching until the end of the month but I think that is okay.  It is good to hear of God's work in other parts of the world and also good to take a break from hearing the same guy each Sunday.  I know I will be fired up when we get back to M

     I joke with Stephanie probably too much about this but what an adjustment to life if you plan to keep as active as possible.  It gets in the way.  It dicatates the type of clothes you wear.  It is another chore to do weekly or less depending on your activity level.  It is a process that not cared for properly can lead to skin breakouts and breakdowns.  It is something that you either tell people about when the unexpected happens, or you say nothing about and try to "muffle" the sound, or you laugh it off but I haven't been successful with any of those solutions.  I am more comfortable around family and they sure have given me a lot of grace.  I can't seem to laugh about it.  I live with it and sometimes wish I had a third hand just for muffling purposes.  Am I getting a little to personal here?      This is what I wear.  I use the two piece system.  The flange is like a big super sticky band-aid that I relish taking off if only for a couple minutes in a week&

In my eyes my wife still looks as beautiful or better than this shot.  I on the other hand am missing a lot of hair - shaved off the mustache to look a little younger - and have a bag - but I am still smiling!! It was a glorious day and it is a glorious life and I have a glorious wife. Adam