At Home and Abroad

 I experienced my first Executive Committee with the Rocky Mountain Conference. I was blessed. All the committees in the Rocky Mtn. have to be at least 51% lay members. As a result, I found the people very down-to-earth practical. The President, Gary Thurber, is very spiritual and diplomatic. I predict that this experience will be very pleasant and revealing. The more I mix with Adventist in high places the more respect I have for the brethren. Yeah, I know. I'm naive. May the Lord keep me that way. The picture above is of the ride to the Exec.Comm. at the Glacier View Adv. camp. Awesome scenery.

 This is our own (Eden Valley's) Michelle Perez. Her mother offered to sing with her, but she refused. She definitely could do it on her own. She did a smashing job. No fear.

 Here is a picture of the gang that installed the two hydro electric plants for my wife. They worked hard and got the job done. Nothing could please my wife more than getting work done. 

 

 The problem with sophisticated equipment like this is that my wife won't want to leave it in the hands of the local people. To shut everything down when she leaves will be a perceived and real deprivation. What to do? Would you like to go babysit a hydro plant so my wife can come home?

 I assume this is above the falls. They are damming up the flow so the pipes will never draw air to ruin the machinery. . . I think.

She's the boss. He's her advisor. (Notice the look of determination on her pretty face.) That's why things get done around there.

At home, I've finished my first weekend of Evangelistic Meetings. (Only three weekends to go.) It takes a lot of energy to keep above the stress of it all, but God is my support. All is well. We have approximately 60 people attending regularly. On Sabbath night, we had 80 people come. The non-SDA attendance is lower than the SDA attendance. Anywhere between six and ten nightly. No matter, I'll give what I can and will continue to pray that the Lord will bless whoever is there.

Keeping up with everything else is the problem. I still don't have all my sermons prepared, so I shouldn't be writing a crazy blog. You guys are just too important. Pray for this venture, won't you?

I'll be doing a series of meetings in Maine in May. Come to find out that the other speaker is my brother John. Now won't that be a tag-team of a different color? John also reminded me that I will be the guest speaker at his camp meeting in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, in July/August. It crowds the ASI Convention a little, but I intend to do it. Lord help us.

If you haven't, check out Angie, Julie, and Jason's blogs lately. The style is changing, and it is very effective. Someday, I'll join them. Chow.

Coming Down to the Wire

 Last night's sky. When I left the office the whole world was orange. Surreal.

 Our new sign. Ron Dettman from Michigan built it and an engraver from Loveland sandblasted the logo. Great work. 

Eden Valley hosted a cooking class by Mark Anthony. 57 attended. 

I'm preparing for the public evangelism that will happen starting a week from tomorrow. Some moments are frustrating, like yesterday. I took all day to prepare a sermon, only to discard it at the end of the day. No matter, the Lord will bless. 

This week we will do a Breadth Free seminar. I'll let you know what happens.

The team of men helping my wife with two hydro-electric plants will be with her for another day or two. She thinks they will finish what they started. 

We are losing three staff by the end of the month. I have a short list for the one that needs to be replaced. I guess I should start working on that.

Roger Julian and I walked 10 miles on Friday distributing flyers. On Sabbath, we walked 5 miles. We distributed, door to door, approximately 900 flyers.  

Fall News

I wouldn't let time pass like I do if my life wasn't so crammed with fun things. Well, with things, anyhow. I keep reading Angie's blog and my, what photography. I like to use pictures too, but I forget to take pictures when it would count most, and when it doesn't, I remember. So the pictures in this blog are of trees on the way to DayStar, cars in our church parking lot at Convention time (which you can hardly see), and the Dettman family from Michigan. (Thy came to Convention and did a pile of work. So good were they that we are hiring one of their daughters, Ruthie, to work in our wellness kitchen.

Our Convention was a huge success. As you remember, this year is Eden Valley's 50th Anniversary. For that reason, many, many people came to celebrate with us. Three hundred and fifty people, approximately.

Another reason they came was that Shawn Boonstra was the main speaker. Steven Grabiner did an amazing job with the message he gave also. Twenty five thousand dollars was raised for EVI and its projects on that weekend. A few days later, a check came thru' the mail with another $10,000. The Lord is blessing.

Our board meeting was smooth and peaceful. No issues, no arguments, no reproaches. All was great. We finished early. Out Conference President, Pastor Gary Thurber did the devotional. He told a story about himself, which revealed his genuine humility. I truly appreciate this man. (By the way, I've got another job. I've been voted on the Rochy Mountain Conference Executive Committee. Actually, I'm excited about it. I've always wondered what these Conference employees talk about. What I really wonder is what I'll have to contribute. I should call John for some tips.) 

My wife has her hydro electric engineer and his team at her place. They are going to install two plants, and her kitchen cabinets. My wife, like her mother before her, is in bliss when she has a team of workers advancing her cause. 

The DayStar board went as smooth as the EVI board. As a matter of fact, we finished early there too, and we got home by 7:30 PM. The DayStar farm had an amazing year. They sold $247,000 worth of produce. With that they made $70,000 profit and they still have $80,000 worth of wheat and hay to sell. Wonderful. But it isn't enough to carry a whole academy. Something more needs to happen. They've got great kids this year. I think they'll end well.

Our new sign is up, but it still needs to be engraved. As soon as it is, I'll post a picture. I think it will look great.

Two or our staff resigned last week. They need to find work to pay their school debts. We will miss them sorely. We are suppose to have a new doctor coming in sometime this week. 

In three weeks I start an evangelistic effort based on the Sanctuary. Do pray for us.