Saturday, 2/24/24, Seasons of Refreshing 2024, Theme is Hope, talked to all the girls, they were looking out for me because I got hacked, dinner at Lumberjack’s

Our theme this year

Awesome worship 

Worship 

Bill and I, Michigan State Coordinators

Jane, Kathy and Jeff

Bill did a great job heading up the event and introducing everyone. I’m so proud of him!

Mel

Sean

Jeff 

Tiny

 

Bill introducing Jane and Jay, our National Evangelist 

Bill and I at lunch

Michigan leadership up front except Bill who was in back of the church taking the picture 

Our worship team 

 

I got up at 5:30 and Bill was up and said he already took his shower.  I got ready, then we read our Bibles.  We headed to the church and had a pancake and sausage breakfast there which the West Branch chapter put on to raise money for RFS through donations.  Louis, Don, Elaine, Cheryl from Faith Riders came today.  Great messages on the hope in Jesus we have and how we need to tell others about the hope we have.  Awesome worship, awesome prayer and great fellowship, plus the youth of the church made an awesome chicken noodle soup/chili/white chili/salad meal for donations and served us.  They did an amazing job.  They made $700 after their costs were covered.  

We had more teachings after lunch.  We had a time where the leadership prayed for people after the service.  Then we had officer training.  Those of us who aren’t chapter officers helped pack goodies up.

Then 20 of us went to Lumberjacks for dinner.  The food and the service was amazing! We came back to the motel after we ate.  I talked with Kenzie and she sent me a picture of the neat carrier she bought for me today.  She’s so sweet and thoughtful!

I talked to Melissa and Kimmy too.  I talked with Vikki, Rody and Stacie earlier.  They all cared about my Facebook getting hacked and wanted to help me!  I love my family!!!

Friday, 2/23/24, went to Breakfast at Mac’s Restaurant, went to the church, helped set up goodies, lots of fellowship during and afterwards, late lunch at Mac’s, back to church, came to motel to rest for an hour, back to church for service, than pizza afterwards

Cute signs in the restaurant that gave us come good laughs

The agenda for Seasons.  Bill did an amazing job organizing it and sure worked hard.  Praise God the first day went well and God was glorified.  Lots of prayer for people after the service.

Registration team

Bill

Worship 

Great turnout for a Friday

Jane giving a message

Jay giving a message 

Pizza afterwards with great friends 

I got up at 5:30 and got ready. Bill got up at 6:30. While he got ready, I read my Bible and did my devotions.  He read son of his Bible, then we left at 7:15 and went to Mac’s Restaurant. We sat with Jay, Jane, and Jeff Pezel.  Al and Lucy set at a

Booth nest to us.  Sandy and Jerry came in later.  Everyone at our table got two eggs, hash browns, bacon and toast.  The breakfasts were huge!  I couldn’t even eat half of mine.  No one else could finish there’s either. We left there and went to the church and unloaded the goodie trailer and set goodies up.  There were lots of people who came to help us, so that was a blessing  

We stayed at the church, then went for a late lunch.  We all got soup because we were still pretty full from breakfast.  We went with Jay and Jane and Sandy and Jerry. Their soup was really good too.

We went back to the church.  Bill had some last minute changes he had to go over, so I came back to the hotel for 1 1/2 hours to rest.  Then I went back to the church, visited more, and bought some items Barb was selling to raise money for Run for the Son.  Did more visiting til the service started.  It was a great service ad we had awesome prayer afterwards.  I got to FaceTime with Vikki for a short time.  Then we had pizza after the service and more fellowship.  So good to see friends from all over Michigan.  We came back to our motel after that and Bill finished reading his Bible while I worked on my blog.

Thursday, 2/22/24, no power from 6:20 a.m.til 11:09, packed last minute things, Bill went to his doctor appointment for his biopsy, left for West Branch, checked in Tri Terrace motel, went shopping, met Al and Lucy and Jay and Jane for dinner at 6, talked to Melissa, Kimmy and Vikki

Bill and I at the mall in West Branch. No coats needed today!!!

View out our big sliding glass door 

Our cozy room

Beautiful pottery Kimmy made

  

I got up at 6:00 and was going to turn the kernel burner off and saw it was already off.  I thought Bill had already turned it off.  I turned the furnace on, thinking Bill had forgot. I went back to bed and set my alarm for 7:30.  We both got up at 7:30 and went to turn lights on.  No power.  I looked on the Consumer’s Energy page and the first reported outage was at 6:20.  It said the power would be back on at 12:15.  It said the cause wasn’t known.  Bill had his doctor appointment to go to, so he took a shower.  The water was still nice and warm so that was good.  I opened the bedroom curtains so I could see good to finish packing.  I packed pb&j sandwiches for our lunch on the way and also packed snacks and drinks in the cooler.  I got ready, but couldn’t do my hair.  I decided it didn’t look too bad so would go as is.  Bill read his Bible before he left.  I filled Kit Kats food dispenser up and put two containers of water out for her.  Then I did my nails.  I read my Bible and devotional.  Bill got home and we packed everything, then left. It was sunny and 50 degrees out by that time.  

We got to the motel and our room was ready early so we checked in and then unloaded our stuff.  We went to the church where we will be having Seasons and met with the pastor and went over some details.  Then we went shopping in a strip mall.  We went to Old Navy, a thrift shop, an antique shop, and then to a candy store where we bought some candy. I got the same thing I did at St. Laurent’s for half the price.  We came back to our motel and rested.  At six, Al and Lucy went with us to meet Jay and Jane, our National Evangelists, at the Lumberjack Restaurant.  We both had 1/2 fish dinners which were huge.  We had a great time visiting, then came back to our room to relax.

Wed., 2/21/24, Kimmy, Melissa and Vikki came over. Bill and I went to Lowes, Home Depot, and to Kroger. We went to Menards too. It was sunny and 55 degrees

Me, Kimmy, Melissa and Bill going for a ride in our motorhome

Rehvyn...he’s getting so big and is just the cutest!

 

Beautiful sunset

Hyacinths are poking through

 Kimmy came around 9:30.  Bill left shortly after she got here to meet Charlie for coffee. 

Kimmy and I listened to a podcast from Jacob’s church.  It was another great message.  

We visited after that.  Melissa came a short time later and brought Badger with her.  We all had a nice visit and had fun looking at pictures in old church directories. 

We ate pot pie for our lunch.  The girls liked it, so I was glad about that.  I like to make things they like for our Friday’s.  Bill got home and wanted us to got with him for a ride in the motorhome so he could charge up the battery.  We went on the expressway for a while, then went off an exit and then back on the expressway.  It was a fun ride even though Kimmy and Melissa were a little nervous a couple of times.  We came home and Bill parked it and we came in the house.  It was 55 by then and was so nice out.  Vikki came and visited for a few minutes, then Melissa and Kimmy had to leave.  Vikki stayed and visited with me until she had to pick up the kids.  Vikki had super great conferences last night for Peyton and Isaac.  Their teachers couldn’t say enough nice things about them.  They are both getting great grades.  I am proud of them!  

Bill and I went to Lowes, Home Depot, Krogers and then to Menards.  We got snacks to take to Seasons of Refreshing this weekend.  We’re taking venison sausage sticks, Venison Hickory Stick, cheese cubes and cuties mandarin oranges.  We packed most of our stuff and will pack the last minute things in the morning.  Bill has an appt. at 10:30 at the VA hospital and then we will leave when he gets home.  They are going to go over his biopsy results with him.  Praise God it no cancer.  Just some crystals they are going to give him things do do to help.  

We watched a good Christian movie based on a true story.  Talked to Melissa a couple of times for a while.  

 

 

Tues., 2/20/24, Garbage and recycle day, Beautiful 49 degree and sunny day! Went to Sam’s Club, Made a couple of Chicken Pot Pies, went to prayer, Bill surprised me and cleaned up the whole kitchen while I was gone

When I left for prayer, the cupboard was loaded with dirty dishes, flour, measuring cups, the whole mess from making the pot pies.  The sink was also loaded with dishes I had rinsed that needed to be washed.  The stove had dirty pans on it too.  I was thinking it would take me a long time to clean up once I got home from prayer.  Bill surprised me and cleaned up everything and had the dishes done too.  I went to unload the dishwasher, because it still had the clean side of the reminder showing.  I opened it and the dishes were already put away.  Wow what a great surprise and what a sweet thing to do for me.  I sure was one happy girl!  I sure do love him and am sure thankful for him!

He had the pot pies out of the oven and had them covered too.

I took this picture at a weird angle.  We both ate a piece when I got home.  Yum!  I love pot pie.  

We made the bed together which we always do, then Bill took the garbage out and I had my oatmeal and coffee.  I made him a coffee when he got in the house.  We read our Bibles and did our devotion books too.  

We went to Sam’s Club.  It was so nice out with the temperatures in the 40s and the sun shining brightly.  We got new cards first, then we shopped.  We picked up sale items and a few things that weren’t on sale.  After that, we went to Lowes and to Home Depot, to check to see if they have a 9” cupboard.  They do online they said.

We came home and unloaded the groceries and put them away.  Then I decided I would make pot pies for dinner.  I forgot how long it takes.  I got done and only had 5 minutes to get to church on time.  I just left everything out and it sure was a big mess.  I asked Bill to watch the pot pies and get them out if they were done when the timer went off.  I wrote about my big surprise when I got home above under the picture.  I still am wearing a big smile.  

Prayer tonight was awesome!  What a great time of praying together as the Holy Spirit led.  God has answered in amazing ways.  What a blessing to be able to gather.

Bill sure has been working hard on our CMA Seasons of Refreshing stuff.  Everything is all set not and he ran off all of the copies of the agenda for it.  He did a great job.  He had me proof read everything for him.  I am very proud of him.!

 

Monday, 2/19/24, Happy 15th Birthday Abby! Bill took Charlie to take his car in, then out for coffee, I picked Peyton up from school, Vikki came over, Bill and I went to Melissa’s, We went to Eli’s band concert

Evan with the birthday dog.  Abby turned 15 today.  Happy Birthday Abby!

Jack

Beautiful sunset as we drove to Eli’s band concert tonight

Bill driving

 

Me, Bill and Adam at Eli’s concert

Papa took the picture above and the picture below

 

Eli in his band concert

 

 

Hope and Adam after the game.  She played the French Horn in the High School Band at the concert.  They were going to Culver’s.  This was our first time meeting his friend Hope.  

Bill met Charlie to take his car in.  They went out for coffee afterwards.  I slept in this morning til 8:30.  I got up and had to empty the ash pan to the kernel burner again.  I have been having to empty it 3 times a day.  Must be the high winds, or kernels that burn to fast.  Usually I empty it once every 3 days.  

Vikki called and said Peyton was at school and had a bad headache.  She took her a Motrin, but it didn’t help, so I went and picked her up and brought her to my house because Vikki had to work.  I made her comfy on the couch with pillows and a soft blanket.  She did her homework right away, then watched some tv.  She showed me her grades and she has all A’s except in a class that she has to make up a test in.  She’s a smart girl.  I’m proud of her.  Bill brought me a muffin home and also yummy Amish sugar cookies Charlie got for us.

Vikki came over when she got out of work.  I made bacon and eggs, then everyone had egg and bacon sandwiches.  Vikki and Peyton stayed til they had to go pick up Isaac.  Peyton was feeling a little better.  Bill and I went and picked up some head phones that don’t go in your ears.  We both have a set and he found these for Melissa.  We took them over and dropped them off.  Got to see Abby on her birthday.  She’s such a great dog!  I’m sad to see her getting old and it being harder for her to get around.  

Kimmy called today and told me Eli had a concert tonight.  I’m happy we didn’t have any plans.  We went and it was a great concert.  It was the 8th grade band, 9th grade band and high school band.  They sounded amazing.  Eli did a great job.  Adam’s girlfriend, Hope, did a great job too.  We saw them walking in the parking lot afterwards and got to meet her.  She seemed very nice.  They were heading to Culver’s.

Kimmy, Jared and Eli went to the McDonalds right by the school.  We were going to turn around, but then decided not to because we figured they were getting take out shakes.  We decided to stop in Freehand and get our shakes.  We talked to them a long time.  When we got home with our shakes, they were just leaving their McDonalds.  Their shake machine wasn’t working, so they got Frappe’s instead.  Glad we didn’t go to their McDonalds.