Sat., 10/21/23, Fun day with Angie and Ray and all of our Family from Kansas

Wilson Lake in Kansas.  We went here when our girls were young with Tina, Jerry, Angel and Misty and Carol and Shani. Angie took us back by it today 

Lucy is so cute an such a good puppy 

Paisley after she picked 2 of  Vikki’s flowers out

Carla took these pictures of us on Angie’s deck

Tina and me

All of us at the table except Carla who took the picture 

Carla’s in this one at the far end

Lizzy, me, Bill, Angie and Ray

Baby MacKenzie, Libby and Justin’s baby who is almost a year old

Angel, Joe, Misty, Tina, me, Bill, Angie, and Ray

Angel, Bill and I…Carla was trying to photo bomb in the background lol

Bailey, Samantha, Carla, Paislyn, me and Bill

Angel, Misty, Joe, and Justin holding Mackenzie 

Mackenzie and her Grandma Angie

Bailey and Mackenzie 

Angie, Bill’s oldest sister,  Bill, and Tina , Bill’s youngest sister 

They were so funny 

Jacobs new Salt sweatshirt and shirt he got. Very cool!

Angie took this of Bill and I relaxing at her house at night.

Got ready, read the Bible, Angie, Bill and I had our morning coffee.  We visited and the Angie made us a delicious breakfast.  I helped with the scrambled eggs and she made the bacon and toast.  We had fresh fruit too.  

Angie, Bill and I went to a craft and art show. We met Bailey, Paislyn and  Samantha there and walked around together.  I was telling Angie this morning about my Rada knives and how much I like them.  Bill and I saw some at the craft show and bought a bread knife, paring knife and a peeler and surprised her when we got back to her house.  She hadn’t seen them there.  She was so happy! 

Carla, Bailey, Samantha, Paislyn, Libby and Justin came to Angie’s and we all hang on together.  It was funny because Justin moved some wood letters Angie had on her shelf and mixed the words up.  Oh no, Angie has someone doing to her what Jared does to me. We all had a good laugh about that.  We all left to go meet Tina and her family at the restaurant.  Stephanie and Brian were in Florida and Bob and Haley were in Las Vegas so they couldn’t come.  Angie said they were sad they were missing our get together.  

Zoey and Avoree and Jax and Saylor couldn't come either because they weren’t feeling well and didn’t want to spread it.  We had fun and laughed a lot.  It was so nice seeing Tina, Angel, Misty and Joe!  What a great day with family!

When we got back to Angie’s, I told Ray we would love to pray for him if he wanted us to.  He is battling prostrate cancer and bone cancer. 

We shared Scriptures about how the Bible says you must b born again to see the Kingdom of God. We also shared about how we are all sinners and how Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead and is coming back for those who believe in Him and follow Him.  We also told him the importance of reading the Bible every day to know Jesus and have a relationship with Him.  Then Bill asked him to pray a prayer after him, repenting of his sin and asking  Jesus to be His Lord and Savior.  He did and is now a child of God.  All of heaven is rejoicing.  We were too!  We laid  hands on him and prayed for his healing!  Then we prayed for our niece, Stephanie who had breast cancer and is being tested for lymph node cancer.  Such an amazing time that God blessed us with and His Holy Spirit moved in an amazing way.  We were so thankful to God!

Friday, 10/20/23, Left hotel at 8, Spent the night at Angie and Rays

Our morning ride was beautiful 

When we got close to a town we saw a hot air balloon

Another one going up

Bill did a great job washing the windshield when we got in Kansas

Bill, Ray and Angie when we were visiting

Lucy is so cute

Vikki, Isaac, Peyton and Rody at a new restaurant back home

Crossed into Oklahoma at 8:23.  Such a beautiful drive with some nice color. No phone signal for a long ways.  It said SOS where the signal usually is.  I will have to read up on what that means for a phone.

We finally got to a town and I called Vikki.

Last night they went to conferences  for the kids.  The teacher was so positive and said such great things about both kids.  Then she told Vikki when the teachers got together and she mentioned Peyton, all the teachers said, we love Peyton.  This teacher said it a few times to Vikki too.  Peyton always shows kindness to everyone and it always gets noticed by her teachers.  They both got excellent grades too.

Bill drove for two hours, then I drove for 3 1/2 hours.  Of course he got all the beautiful country roads and I got the expressway that took us right through Tulsa.  At least it wasn’t at rush hour.  After that there wasn’t much traffic at all.  

We stopped at a McDonald’s in Kansas so we could get a frappe and free fries with our apps.  Dad couldn’t get his app to work.  He had just got it. He ended up paying for his fries.  Then it finally started working while we ate so he asked me to get him an ice cream because it showed in his rewards. Bi went up and the girl showed me it wasn’t highlighted so hadn’t been earned.  I thanked her for her help and went and sat back down.  A couple of minutes later, the girl came and gave me a free ice cream anyway. So sweet of her. Dad was so happy too cuz I gave it to him.

We got to Russell at 4:30.  Stopped to get the truck washed, then went to Angie’s.   They took b Visited than ate a delicious meal Angie made.  We had meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, corn and fresh fruit.  We were all too full to eat homemade apple pie.  

Thursday, 10/19/23 Went to Iron Mountain, packed stuff we coul pack ahead, went to Cruisers, back to hotel to relax, back to Iron Mountain ,

Bill sent me the pictures I had him take when we set up our stuff to sell. They just give you a tiny spot.  Ours was between the yellow cookbooks and the flowered sewed items

RFS Sale tables

We got to Iron Mountain at 8:15 in the morning.  We visited with Jeff and Kathy.  We all decided we would eat meatloaf for lunch on the mountain and then meet at Cruiser’s at 4:30 for dinner.  It’s a drive in we always go to that has the Outdoor speakers you use to order.  At 9, the service started.  Peter Helgerson was the Evangelist that gave the message.  It was very good.  When it was done, we went to goodies and Bill got a Colors Sweatshirt and had them hot press CMA Colors on the back of it.  It only took an hour so we looked at the silent auction stuff that was out and also walked through the RFS sale area too.  I bought some small angels to pass out to people.  We ate the yummy lunch they prepared for us, then went outside and walked up the hill to walk through the vendor area.  We bought a huge lemonade with strawberries.  It was highly recommended to us.  It was super delicious!  It’s a good thing we split one.  We went to register for camping next year after that.  We found out they take care of State leaders first and because we are state coordinators, there will be no charge for camping on the mountain and we can come anytime in October and have the spot all the time we want during the month of Oct.  Their spots have full hookups too.  

We went back inside and had a meeting with Our National Evangelist, us and Paul and Debbie. They are going to take our place as area reps.  It was so good meeting together, talking, and praying.  

We went to Holly Ogden’s class on the new CMA website portal and how to use it.  It was interesting and we learned some new things.

We went back to our hotel and packed what we could in the truck.  We are leaving for Kansas at 8 a.m.  After we finished we went to Cruisers and ate with Kathy, Jeff, Mel and Betty. Sue came and talked to us when we were almost done eating.  She and Doug had came and parked and didn’t see us outside at the table, so just sat in their car and ate.  We felt bad that we didn’t see them pull in.

We came back to our hotel and rested. Bill read his Bible and I took a short nap.  I always get up an hour before him, and I read my Bible then, so I needed that nap.  

We went back to the mountain for awesome worship with Jerry and Darrell.  John Ogden Jr. preached and gave an anointed message.  We loaded the RFS stuff in the truck and left after the service.  

Wednesday, 10/18/23, Happy 46th Birthday Kimmy and Vikki, Breakfast at Fully Baked, We went to Magazine Mountain in Arkansas,

 

Happy Birthday Kimmy and Vikki!  We love you so much and we are thinking of you lots today.  We are celebrating the gifts you are to us from God!

Our precious newborn twin daughters, Vikki on right and Kimmy on left!

Bill, me, Jeff, Sue and Doug on Mount Magazine 

Our view. On the Mountain 

Bill at the lookout

Me at the lookout 

More of our view

Selfie 

Another overlook

The tent area of the campground at iron mountain 

My delicious chicken beef nacho for dinner tonight 

Bill and his nacho

We all are celebrating Kimmy and Vikki’s birthdays!

At our CMA night service 

Holly and John!

We called Kimmy and Vikki both and sang Happy Birthday to each of them and told them we love them.  Hard not being home for their birthdays.  They sure are my double blessing from the Lord!  After that, we went to the Fully Baked Restaurant and had an amazing breakfast with wonderful friends.  Bill, Jeff and I headed to Iron Mountain so I could go to a meeting and the get a table to set the stuff I’m selling for Run for the Son on.  Bill helped me set the stuff out and then the three of us left to meet Doug and Sue to travel to Mount Magazine together. Jeff rode with us and Sue and Doug followed behind us.  It was a beautiful day in the high 70’s and a beautiful ride.  I was so happy when Kimmy and Vikki face timed me while we were riding.  I was so happy Melissa and Kenzie were there too!  They are waiting til I get home to go get their birthday dinners at Zehnders so I can go too! Yay!  

Going up the mountain was just amazing and pretty thrilling at times too.  We stopped at a few lookout points and admired God’s magnificent creation.  What an amazing God we have!  The heavens and earth declare His Glory!!!

We came down from the mountain and there was a nice town, but Bill didn’t stop to eat.  Well it was a couple of hour trip and we never did see another town with a restaurant until we got back to Mena where we’re staying!  We ended up going to Papa’s Mexican Cafe in Mena.  Kathy, Lisa and Wayne joined us all there too.  It was the best Mexican food I’ve ever had!  

We went to Iron Mountain for the evening service after we were done eating.  We checked and some of our stuff on our table sold!!!

The service was amazing with awesome worship and an amazing message from John Ogden Sr.  The Holy Spirit was moving.  

We saw Paul and Debbie from our Sandusky chapter and talked with them.  They are going to be our Area Rep. replacements most likely.  National is in the process of checking them out to approve them.  We are all praying on it.  We took them up front to meet Jay and Jane, our National Evangelist.  

We came back to the hotel and read our Bibles, then relaxed.

Tues, Oct.17, 2023, Went to leadership training, shopping at Bealls, to Walmart! Back to Iron Mountain for dinner, to our hotel

Our Michigan leaders at Leadership Training. Only Ron and Bev are missing 

Holly Ogden sharing about CMA Internationale 

Art and Pat from the U.P.  We took Run for the Son packets to Al and Lucy’s camper and passed these cute friends of ours sitting in the back of their car. 

 Bill drank his protein drink and I had a bowl of oatmeal, then I went to the dining hall of our hotel and put flavored creamer in my coffee mug.  I didn’t put coffee in it til I got to Iron Mountain.  Then I drank it during training sessions.  Holly Ogden was the first one who shared.  She is just a young wife and mom, but she is over all of our CMA International Countries.  She visits all of them and helps them and is so amazing.  She shared about each one and did an awesome job.  These countries are doing amazing things, even during lots of hardships because of their love for Jesus and how the Holy Spirit is helping them.  She also is on the team that is over the new Web Portal.  She does an amazing job with that too and did a great job explaining some changes and how things are working now.  Our National Evangelist share some about the website too.  Then Jerod shared a great teaching on prayer and how important it is.  We went to lunch and had chicken salad sandwiches, chili and hotdogs, salad, chips and dessert.  At 1 we went in for mor training.  Ben and Rachael shared about the youth movements in every region.  They are just a young couple with a baby, but do an amazing job with the youth and travel all over the US to every region.  They have been to our state Rally a couple of times. John Ogden Sr. Spoke again, then we were dismissed at 2:30.  We cleared our table decorations and tablecloths off and packed stuff up.  It didn’t take long at all with so many of us.  We went to Bealls, a store we love in Florida.  We just realized they have one here. It’s kind of like ShopKo was in Standish.  I found a really nice comfortable pair of sandals on clearance, so got them and took the cheap Walmart ones back, because they weren’t comfortable. We relaxed after that til we went back for fried chicken dinner at Iron Mountain.  Yum! Everything was delicious.  We all sat at the tables visiting and then finally left to go back to our hotels.  We have tomorrow as a free day so will be traveling to see the country side after we all meet for breakfast.

Monday, 10/16/23, At leadership training from 9 a.m. til 8:30 in the evening

Our ride to Iron Mountain!  It’s way in the distance!

We had to get a new pictures taken for our State Leadership page 

Hailey got to go see her longtime BayShore friend Mia

She also got to see and hold her baby Ava for the first time. Such a beautiful baby!

Having fun together 

Hailey and her friends working for the weekend at Spring Hill!

 

We got ready, read our Bibles, then left for Leadership training.  We drank our morning coffee there.  We started off with amazing worship, and then John Ogden Jr. gave a great message.  We had great teachings on how we have the message of hope to offer those in the world feeling hopeless. Jesus is the answer!  At 11:30 we to a lunch break.  They had delicious sloppy joes, chicken salad sandwiches, ham and cheese sandwiches, chips and a salad for us.  After we ate and relaxed for a while, we went in and each National Evangelist shared some outreaches and events each state has done during the year and how they had accelerated from the he year before with new ideas and outreaches.  It was amazing seeing pictures and hearing each one talk about their leaders and chapters.  It gives everyone new ideas too.  Jay, our Evangelist for the Northwest region did a great job and told everyone what a great job Bill has been doing. I am very proud of him!  

 At 3 everyone was dismissed to go pick up their chapters who weren’t there, Run for the Son Packets.  Then the goodies store opened and we were able to shop and use our gift certificates we had gotten.  We both got a shirt and then we picked up some items Wes wanted us to get for him with his gift certificate.  We talked to different people, then at 5, dinner was served.  They made roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggies mixed, salad, and either peach or blackberry cobbler for dessert.  This meal was delicious too!  They feed us well here and don’t charge us anything.  

It’s all made by volunteers who come in.  This is such an amazing ministry to be apart of.  They have never borrowed and God has provided so much in amazing ways!  

Sat 6, we listened to the last two evangelists, then Jerod and Jennifer led us in awesome worship again.  John Ogden Jr. shared another Message and then there was more worship time and prayer for whoever wanted to go up.  It was a great day!

On our way home we stopped at Walmart and I got a $5 pair of sandals to wear here.  Bill found a nice comfy pair of shoes too.  Melissa and Hailey called and talked to us.  Hailey is home til tomorrow.  She sent me lots of pictures.  Evan also had to let me know he is taller than Hailey! 

Sunday, 10/15/23, Went to the Crossings Church, decorated our table for tonight a

Bill at breakfast.  He just had orange juice and coffee because he drank a protein drink in our room 

Swimming pool at our hotel.  Too cool today to swim

Our Michigan table

We ate breakfast at our hotel and I had my coffee with good creamer.  The couple who owns it came and sat and talked with us for a while.  They are so nice and make us feel right at home.  They are CMA members and will be coming to the rally.  We went to the Crossings church.  It was an amazing service and such awesome worship. Jared and Jennifer led the worship team. They sing amazingly and are so anointed.  They are leaders in CMA and are doing the worship tonight at our leaders training too.   We sat with Sue and Doug.  A lady next to me who is also in CMA and lives in Mena told me Calvary Baptist Church here was having a CMA day and making lunch for any CMA people who want to come after their 11 a.m. service. She told me to spread the word.  We told Doug and Sue, then went to decorate our table and told the others with us and I called Julie to let her know.  We all went except Jeff and Kathy. They had delicious chicken and lots of other great food and delicious desserts.  It worked out that we could all sit together.  We went back to our hotel and rested after that.  

At 2 we headed back to Iron Mountain and put the treats we brought in bowls on our table.  We registered and got our free Colors shirts.  We walked around the campground and visited Al and Lucy at their campsite.  Then we hung out inside at our table with everyone and also visited people at other tables.  At 5, they served us turkey, dressing, plus lots of other stuff and yummy blueberry cobbler. They always have coffee, ice tea and water available the whole day.  After dinner we worshipped.  Jerod and Jennifer did amazing at leading us.  Then we heard from the CEO of CMA John Ogden.  He had a great message about staying focused on Jesus and trusting Him no matter what!  We left and headed b

Ack to our hotel to relax,  we talked to Vikki on the way.  It was a very blessed day!

Worship time