Hello!
When you read this, we might be in Arkansas, or perhaps Ohio, or if not there, Iowa or California.

We have been making our way to California. Details include leaving San Antonio on Nov. 5th, and visiting a number of families as we traveled thru TX, AR, MO, TN, KY, OH, IN, IL, IA, NE, CO, UT, NV and into CA.
Highlights include visiting many of the ALERT Cadet group families that I worked with 7 years ago, in Abita Springs, after Hurricane Katrina.
Visiting the Creation Museum, and driving through a rain/snow storm to Iowa, where we were helping with Rebecca's sister's wedding in Iowa. My sister also got to come.

As we prepared to leave Texas in November, we needed to sell some stuff. We are not expecting to come back, and we did not need to take the furniture that we aquired with us. So Craigs list was the thing!
Almost all of our furniture and items for sale were gone 2 days before we left. Of note, it was good to sell the Mazda. And as we looked for a small trailer to move in, Craigslist came in handy again.
We found a good, 4x8 tilt trailer, and while I was buying the trailer, it also came to my attention that he was selling truck tires as well.

I had been searching for new tires for our truck, as we were praying for new tires, as we were doubtful our rag-tag set of tires would make it another 3500 miles across the country. New tires alone would have cost at least $600-700.

God provided the 4 New tires (With less than 100 miles of wear on them) and the new aluminum alloy rims for $420. What a blessing! We were pretty excited about that!
We got all our stuff into the truck and trailer, and headed North, picking up a third passenger, my Sister, on the way.

In California, Lord willing, we are expecting to spend a few months in CA, to do a building project, and build a house for a client. Also Rebecca is working to get accepted in a CNA training program. When that is done, we are hoping to return to Alaska for summer ministry, and possible longer term stay in Alaska.

It took 2000 miles to get to Iowa for the wedding. We enjoyed meeting many friends, and made some new friends. We were blessed by the hospitality of all.

We camped at a lake called Still House Hollow lake, watched the election results come in after playing some frisbee, and then doing another 'first' for me.
I got to ride/touch a horse for the first time!
At the Reckners ranch, (Higher Ground Ministries) we spent two days and enjoyed that whole aspect of life. Learning how to saddle a horse, and then riding it. I felt very comfortable on the horses I rode, and enjoyed moving some cows and a bull.

In Indiana, I met with most of the fathers and sons that I worked with 7 years ago, after Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Many of the sons were not much older than 8 or 9, and so it was a stretch for me to try to name some of them, they have grown so much! It was a treat to meet them and the fathers I worked so hard alongside.

Then it was time to get ourselves to Iowa to help with my wife's sister's wedding. We arrived and were very busy in wedding preparations. It all went well, and I was allowed to be second photographer for the wedding and reception. That, and the visiting of folks over the next couple days was a little tiring, before the family thanksgiving/Christmas gathering/dinner.

You can see we are traveling with our little trailer packed, and sealed, keeping any rain or snow out.


Woman

The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam;
not made out of his head to rule over him,
nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him,
but out of his side to be equal with him,
under his arm to be protected,
and near his heart to be beloved.
A quote by Matthew Henry.


By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.

They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

















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