First Winter Storm

Three Cowboys at church

 We had our first genuine winter storm a couple days ago - about 8 or 9 inches.  I spent about 45 minutes plowing our driveway with the blade on the front of my ATV.  There wasn't enough snow to warrant plowing, except for the fact that our driveway stays in shade all year once it freezes, the ice ruts are there to stay until May.  

We held our first Christmas Eve Candlelight service at church last week.  We put out 188

chairs, thinking we probably wouldn't even fill that many (it was our first time - chalk it up to our lack of experience).  The service started at 5:30.  When people started arriving at 4:45, we realized we'd probably underestimated the crowd.  They just kept coming and coming until the entire parking lot was packed, and we had to bring chairs and benches up from the restaurant to seat everyone - and even then we had at least 50 people standing in the back.  The final count was 436 people.  For this small mountain community that's the equivalent of 5000 down the hill in Denver.  It was incredible.  I didn't recognize at least a third of those who came, many who'd heard about it from the flyers we handed out at the Christmas parade, and 100 posters we put up around the community.  What can I say - the Lord blew us away. 

New Teaching Series

I've finished teaching through the book of John, and now I'm taking a couple of weeks off to prepare for the next series called "Jim's Believe It Or Not! Amazing But True Tales From The Mission Field". I've hesitated up till now to share a great deal of our background (growing up in Kenya for me and in Zimbabwe for Daphne), and of our twenty years serving overseas, because I thought the folks here would not be able to relate.  Then it occurred to me that it's up to us to help them relate by telling our stories.  The best preachers are those who can tell a story that will hook the hearts of their listeners, draw them in, and help them to find themselves somewhere in the story - and hopefully learn something significant in the process.  This is the first time for me to pull together some of the most significant lessons the Lord taught me in the 28 years I spent living internationally, and I'm excited about the opportunity to share our lives with those who attend the mid-week service.

Deer In Our Front Yard This Morning

I've started putting grain out to attract the deer, and they've caught on quickly.  I don't know where they hide, but it isn't usually more than 30 minutes for them to show up once the feed out.  They've become very bold and only walk a few steps away if I come out to where they are.  I'm sure we're not the only ones who feed them judging by their weight!  I would love to draw the elk closer in, but they tend to wander further than the deer.  We saw a herd of 30-40 at the top of our road a week ago, but then they disappeared.  Now that the rutting season is over, the elk gather in huge herds of up to 200 - I'm dying to show them to Daphne's folks, but they're never with us in the car when the elk appear.  Murphy's Law.

First Plow Of The Season

 

The Back Deck

Elk On The Road Just Above Our House