Closing out at YWAM

We have finished our time at YWAMand have the opportunity to attend a 25th anniversary celebration at Dothan Community Church on January 27.  They will be holding a service to honor those who helped them build their new addition.  But, before that we have a couple more shots fromYWAM in Lindale.

Lindale has a very nice museum donated by a Lindale resident.  These articles are all from his personal collection.

 

 

This is an actual working line shaft which they use to grind grain. 

Before we leave the property there was a bit of finishing to be done in the Village, a job that started before Christmas and had to be put on hold for a group of Koreans who held an event there between Christmas and New Year and for the remodel of the hotel room.

A little caulk, a bit of tile grout and---

---a new coat of paint---

---and we have a bathroom ready for use.

Now comes the preperation to get under way.  How come the basement always gets in such a mess in only two months?

Of course we did take a little time to hang a hammock for a friend and neighbor---

---and entertain a couple of Crossroads ladies and their "little" pets.

Here we are again, Dothan Community Church, Dothan, Alabama.  After the service today we were treated to a wonderful lunch and we are waiting for the time when the fund raising is complete so we can come back to Dothan to help them build the youth areas. 

From Christmas through the first week of the project.

We had a very lovely Christmas here at YWAM.  We had an experience on Christmas day.  When we got up in the morning it was pretty cool and raining.  After a walk in the rain it turned to snow and covered the ground with about 1 1/2 inches of snow.

AS you can see for yourself, the day after Christmas was "COLD". But it was really beautiful.  God provided a perfect morning to remember the SON.

Just a little taste of South Dakota! Did we remember why we are on the road?

But the birds (tufted titmouse)--- 

---the herd of does and fawns--- 

---and the "big" guy himself were enjoying the day. 

On Monday, January 7, we began the January project. The GL and LL (Group Leader and Lady Leader) here on the left are beginning the morning devotions on this first day.  Across the table are Lyn and Penny Allen, Sowers, next to them, Patty Beck from YWAM, then Ron and Shiela Coombs, Mission Builders and Sower coordinators.

This is the first major project.  The bathroom---

south wall of the bedroom---

---and north wall.

I showed you those walls because this is how they look now.

Some of the rebuild is done and now it is time to connect the drain of the new bathtub.

This is how the rest of the walls looked at the end of the week.  More later.  Have a blessed 2013.

The end of the December Project!

It is almost Christmas and we have completed the project here at YWAM for December.  The weather is still very nice here although we may have a soggy, even snowy Christmas.

 

There is still a lot of green and the view of the Chapel across the lake is so restful.

We have had quite a group of visitors this month.  We saw 9 wild hogs but it was at night and we were not able to get a picture but these deer came out in the morning and grazed on something for a long time then slowly walked into the trees.

 

It seems we are on a blackbird flyway as we had large flocks of birds land for several days.

 

One of the visitors that showed up was actually in the house.  I don't know if he came with the poinsettia or if he landed on it on the way from the truck to the house.

The other morning, after we had put out our bird feeders, this crow and fat squirrel were there to clean the ground under the feeder---

---and the finches (which we had not here-to fore seen) flocked in and cleaned the feeders.  I don't know how they find the feeders?  Maybe God puts a "bug" in their ear!  haha.

We did have some domestic duties to perform.  On our way home from town we heard a brake squealer and knew that it was time to change some pads---

---and there is always that pesky laundry to wash and dry.

 

Some of the work we were able to do was to put a new door in one of the houses.  The old one was beginning to come apart and really needed to be replaced.

This garage door opener was a wonderful place for the mud dabbers to build nests.  The only problem is that when they build them on the printed circuits in side the door won't go up and down.  I believe I removed at least 10 pounds of mud nests from inside this one, cleaned everything and brought it back to life again.  With the addition of the nylon screen they won't get back in either.

There were a couple of sites which once held a mobile home but needed to be converted to RV sights.  We trenched the water, electric and sewer from where the had been to a new location, added a 50 amp RV plug and they are now ready to inhabit.

This is the view from the stall and sink area into the shower area.  Not very private!  We can fix that!

With the addition of a framed wall and some sheet rock---

---add a little mud and a coat of paint and problem solved.

This tub had a cracked bottom so with the help of a saws all and a crow bar it is no longer there.   

Add a little green board and a shower stall and we will be back in business.

 

And since there are guests expected the day after Christmas it would be great is the facility was ready for them.  In steps my most able assistant.  Thank you!!

May the best of Christmas blessings be yours!

 

 

One week closer to Christmas!

We have completed the first week at YWAM.  There were a few things to fix and finish.

It seem like people get the sheet rock hung but never have time to finish it.  Oh, well it's a joy to work for the Lord.  Later I replaced a badly failing front door and put a garage door back into service by removing at least 20 pounds of mud dabber nests from inside the opener and on the wiring.  They won't get in there anymore, unless they figure out how to get through nylon screen.

Just a few details left on the house trim.  The job for the rest of the week was to work in the kitchen helping to prepare the daily meals.

But we did have time to prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth.  Kinda makes Alfa look a little like Rudolf doesn't it?

But at night it could be the star in the east.

The proud parents rest on the living room table with that Wonderful new baby!

And, the sugar plum castle keeps watch at night.

Merry Christmas to all and may the blessings of knowing, really knowing the One who was the baby take you safely into the new year.

Welcome to TEXAS!

By the grace of God we have made it safely to Garden Valley, Texas.  The weather is much warmer here than it was in Purdy.  We are set to start work on Monday, December 3.  Today, December 1, we decided to take a trip to the rose capital of the US, Tyler, Texas.

Here we are, home sweet home in the woods.  It makes it difficult to get a dish signal but we will slog through.

This view is across the pond from the center of the activity of YWAM.  They tell me that there are bass and catfish in the pond.  I picked up some worms today and will make an effort to reduce the population.

The chapel is on the bank of the pond and has a wonderful view of the lake out of a large window.

 

We made a trip to Tyler today and visited the Tyler Rose Garden and Museum.  There were still a number of roses in bloom and this is one of the best.

 

But it didn't have much of a rose smell.

This young lad is on a rock in the middle of the rose garden chasing the local frogs.

 

This one smells like a rose should smell!

The piece of equipment that allowed the rose growers to expand their fields and the number of roses they are able to produce is represented by this '37 Farmall A.

The Rose Festival which Tyler is noted for is a very big deal.  These gowns are from a couple of the maids in waiting.

Here is a view of one of the queens and her maids.

 

Check out this queen and her court!  They really do it up big.  They have been celebrating the Rose Festival since 1933 and look to keep things going for the future.