Slowing down???

On July 9, I wrote that July was for slowing down... This did not really happen. I just looked back at the previous three weeks and my head is spinning. During my dermatology visit on the 9th, I found out that I have a basal cell ca on my back, which they will excise some time in the future. It fortunately is not worrisome, but needs to be dealt with in any case. The cutting is scheduled for September.

On the 13th we got a new kitchen counter. It really looks beautiful, but we had to clean out our cabinets, or contend with saw dust. So, Tuesday, after volunteering at the VA all day, we emptied our lower cupboards. Wednesday after the new counter was installed, we also put our stuff back. We did get rid of some of the items we had not used for a long time. So we have some more space as well.



After that we relocated the furniture on the loft, primarily into the guest bedroom, to prepare the loft and the stairs for new carpet. We had done done some of that earlier in the week as well. Surprising how much small stuff accumulates, and how much is really useful and necessary.
We did get both the kitchen and the loft, back into shape before Thursday night, when we entertained dinner guests.



Then we dog-sat our grand doggy. Our kids from West Des Moines had sold their house and were moving over the weekend. On Monday we helped with clean up and moving some fragile items. I rode the motor bike and my thermometer registered the outside temperature at 101. I wore my helmet and gloves after that, but tucked my armored coat away.
We kept the dog until mid week. This requires us to take her for walks, she likes more walks than we do. It was hot most of July, so the walks were more like a chore, particularly in the heat.




Nice get-togethers and some needed shopping trips filled the next few days. We did enjoy a really nice long motor bike ride on Monday, the 25th. Board meeting, dinner guests, overnight guests and a dental check-up finished the month.

In August, September, and October we have trips planned. I guess we rest when we can, and slow down between activities to play catch-up.

JULY is for slowing down

It seems that my life is less exciting, because I have not blogged since the middle of June. But that is not correct. As I stated in the previous blog, life has been hectic. We planned some home improvement projects and also scheduled some personal vacation time later this year.

Our activity with the DELTA kids was great fun, although we did not sleep much during the two overnights we spent with them. When the rain let up we went for motor cycle rides. July has been much better weather wise. So, we have been on a few longer rides through the country side of Iowa.




On the weekend of the 4th of July we went on a group ride with “Hope’s Angels.” The group is primarily comprised of a group of motor cycle enthusiast of HOPE Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. We also attend here. Although it is a very large church, it does not seem like a very large church. Just click here if you would like a neat description of what goes on there.

During the month of June we did so many things, that I was wondering how come we had not gotten paid yet; I honestly though that much more
time had passed than it actually had.

Time to slow down and smell the roses.

Sheep and other activities

I posted a low res video of our encounter with the Big Horn Sheep on Facebook. Here is a better resolution clip. I thought that it would be fun to share this.



We have been home from Glen Eyrie for about 10 days now and time has been hectic. There were many open activities we needed to deal with. Like new glasses, new license plates, bills to pay, and a doctor's visit. Tonight we are spending the night as chaperones for a group of high-schoolers from The Navajo nation, who are in Des Moines as guests of Lutheran Church of Hope. The are engaged in leadership training for the week. This is the second time we have invited a group like this to the Midwest; a long ways from New Mexico.

BigHorn Sheep

Usually I like to write about the places we visit and the activities we are involved with. But because I have blogged pretty extensively about Glen Eyrie, the Navigators, and the Pink House, I decided to mainly share some pictures of our surroundings.


Sunday we went on a nice hike with our daughter, son in law, and another volunteer. We especially wanted to see some scenic sights, so we took the “Echo Rock” trail and migrated up onto “the Scar” which is an old gravel harvesting area. There we encountered a large herd of Big Horn sheep. Of course we took very many pictures. I included a few for your enjoyment. Also some scenic views from the scar give a great shot of the “Castle” and the “Garden of the Gods” with Cheyenne Mountain in the background.

The Navigators

big horn sheep on our front lawn
We are here! One week has alreadygone by of our current month at Glen Eyrie, home of the Navigators.
We went from winter to summer.
Last week we had snow on Sunday and Monday, but now we had 70 degrees (F) on Saturday and 80 today!


We took a hike on Thursday also with beautiful weather. One of the places we hiked to was Dawson Trotman’s grave. He was the founder of the Navigators. The Navigators is a non-denominational Christian organization. Trotman wanted to share his knowledge of God with anyone who would listen. He worked regularly with military staff, starting in the Navy. He taught them to navigate through life, hence the name “Navigators.” The biblical basis for the teaching methods used is found in 2 Timothy, Chapter 2, verse 2. Trotman developed a memorization system using small card, simple booklets, and pamphlets. Such trained Navigators spread to college campuses after their military service, spreading the salvation message and learning system. The Navigators also provided counselor training and follow-up for the Billy Graham crusades. In 1953 the Navigators were able to purchase the property known as Glen Eyrie, here in Colorado Springs. The property contains National Headquarters and Nav-pres, the International Headquarters, the Glen Eyrie conference grounds, where we work, and Eagle Lake.
Eagle Lake is one of the reservoirs general Palmer built for water storage and is used as a summer camp for many youths. You can get much more information by going to the navigators web site. (www.navigators.org)



As I said earlier, we are the volunteers at the Pink House. We also manage the newly renovated “Eagles Nest” which contains 4 premium rooms, a great lounge, and a guest kitchen. I am being groomed to become a tour guide, which is a really fun job. It allows me to share the richness of this beautiful valley and the Creator, who allows us to enjoy it all.

We are preparing to travel to Colorado to again spend another month as Pink House hosts at Glen Eyrie.

I did some elaborate blogs on Glen Eyrie in October - December 2009 and also in May of 2010. You can find some nice pictures and a description of our duties there.



Spring is here , I guess. We had snow every weekend we were gone from here. When we were visiting our children in Missouri we has sleet and frost and had to scrape the ice of the windshield. During the visitation of Corrie’s mom in Michigan, we were exposed to cold weather with hail and sleet. When we visited our children in Minnesota last weekend, again we had sleet and ice to deal with.

I wonder what will happen when we get to Colorado this coming weekend; last year we did have snow here as well. Fortunately, we have missed the devastating storm which have caused so much havoc in many parts of the Midwest and even further east.

Easter was here. We celebrated Resurrection Day with thousands of other worshipers and again focused on the words of the apostle Paul: “...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile;...”

Even Bertrand Russell (atheist) said: “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.”

Our life is meaningful !

SPRING?

I have been lax in keeping up with my blog. I could make excuses, but that does not alter the fact that it has been over one month since the last post. Some sickness, unexpected travel, an a funeral do take up a lot of time. While looking for spring we found more snow and after the funeral of my mother-in-law in Michigan Iowa welcomed us with summer-like weather.

Needless to say, we found a winery to ride to with our local children. As the dust of the last several weeks settles, we are preparing to go to Glen Eyrie again. We are looking forward to work there for the month of May.


Our trip to CEF in Missouri was cut short because of the passing of Mom Kasper. She reached the ripe old age of 94 years and three days. The farewell ceremony was officiated by the oldest grandson and was attended by a majority of the family which consists of 38 grandchildren and 86 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. All eight of the still living children were there. These numbers do not include the spouses, just the blood-relatives. Life goes on. The youngest family member there was just 2 months old and another great-great-grandchild was expected “any day.”