Is That Fall That I See?

Well Fall has begun! Where did the summer go?

Our Fall has begun in full speed. We're busy, but having fun with it. With school in session, the kids are busy with school work nearly every night. I just don't remember having that much homework when I was in school. That may not necessarily mean that I didn't have it though. ;-)

Michael is in driver's training. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Just kidding; he actually is doing very well. He says he's pretty comfortable at the wheel. I don't know if that should make me concerned or not. Seriously, he's doing fine. He takes a break from sports during the Fall. He'll do basketball in the Winter and baseball in the Spring. He's done some throwing practice over the summer. However, we often switched places at pitcher and catcher. I wish I could do what I can do now with pitching when I was in high school. I've actually surprised myself. There have been times when I've gone out and thrown the ball at the tarp we have set up, without Michael catching. It feels pretty good, but I think I'll keep my day job. Speaking of my day job - the Bible institute has begun at FRMBC. Check it out here.

Katie had her first volleyball game yesterday. Her team won the first two games. I think the scores were 25 to 18 and 25 to 23. They play the best out of three. They played the third game to 15 and they won again, 15 to 10. Katie did a great job! Her serves were spectacular!! I'll get some pictures up soon. I think I may have only taken one or two because I didn't want to distract her.

More later.

Summer Almost Over

I have been terrible about posting this summer. With planning and implementing ministry and dealing with the church basement, it's gone by fast. Our family has been busy. We haven't even been able to take a vacation anywhere. Most people don't realize the small window that a pastor has to take a vacation with all the "things" going on. I can't just drop things and take my family and go. People tell us, "Oh yes you can." No offense but... they just don't get it. Anyway, the details are too personal to post. Sometimes I just wish people could see things from where we sit. Enough of that though.
Michael and his friend Tom have been up at my parents since last Friday. They'll be back this Thursday. Michael, Sandra and I have to be at the school for orientation on Thursday night. Katie and her friend Cassandra did their annual trip to my parents a few weeks ago.
Most of the summer, Michael hung around the house during the day. In the summer time he does all the lawn maintenance. He does a great job! If I had a dollar for every time I heard him say that he was bored, we'd have enough money to take one of those vacations [oh yeah... no time ;-) ].
Katie's summer was typical of the last several summers with having to do "vacation station" - a workbook to give her "practice" (so they say) on "school" work. She hasn't had a normal summer vacation in several years. I don't think her school has handled her situation very well, but that's another personal thing. Katie was still able to do volleyball camp for a week this summer. She loves volleyball and is planning on playing on the Junior High team this year at school.
Of course the summer included Vacation Bible School, Youth Camp, and we just finished a great week of revival meetings. Now we're in the last week of summer vacation for the kids. Their school starts next week and the Bible institute starts on September 8th. So it's back to the grind! At least we can be together as a family in all this busyness and the Lord's work is getting accomplished.

Katie's Piano Recital (a little late)

I forgot to put Katie's piano recital pictures on the blog from back in May.

Katie Playing Softball

Katie has been doing very well in softball! Here are a few pictures I took this past Saturday.

Katie making a play at 3rd base.


Katie pitching.

Summer Is Here!!

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy with end of the school year stuff. Michael's baseball team became District Champions but lost in the regionals. Katie had her piano recital and they both had part in end year school programs. Now summer is here and the kids can relax a little. However, there's been plenty to do. Katie is still playing softball, and now that school's out, she can spend more time with her friends playing. Michael has been helping me with VBS props and has taken somewhat of an interest in wood-working. We're working on a backstop for his air-soft guns and his slingshot. Below are some baseball pictures of Michael. I’m working on Katie’s softball pictures.

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

Baseball and Softball News

Both Michael and Katie are having a great time in sports this year. Last Thursday, Katie hit a milestone by hitting a double down the left field line. Unfortunately, Sandra, Michael and I missed it. We were at the Inter-City Baptist High School graduation (Michael sang in the chorale). But never fear, Grandma Miller was there with the camera!! Katie has been doing very well in both the hitting and fielding departments.

Michael's team played this past Saturday and won two games to become the district champions! They will be playing this Saturday in regionals. Though Michael's playing time has been limited as a freshman on the varsity team, he's done well. The last game that Michael pitched, he came in as a reliever and did a great job. He even fanned a few batters. (That means he struck them out.)

Katie / Flat Rock Girls Softball

Michael / Inter-City Baseball

Michael's Baseball & Katie's Softball

Both Michael and Katie have been busy on the ball fields. Michael got his first win as a Freshman pitcher last Friday. He was pretty happy to say the least. The team lost this Tuesday by one run in extra innings. Overall the game was well played. There were a few mistakes in the end, but it was a hard fought game.

Katie's first softball game is this Saturday. All the Saturday games start at 7:30 at night. Personally, I think that is kind of dumb to have the games so late, but oh well. Katie is excited about playing. So far in practice Katie's coach has had her playing third base. She's got a great arm and can throw all the way to first base better than anyone else.

I'll try to get some pictures on the blog soon. I keep forgetting to take the camera to Michael's games.

Discovery Bible Clubs and ProTeens are almost over and plans for summer church ministries and activities are taking shape. We're looking forward to the warm weather.

Back From Kentucky

We had a great time in Lost Creek, Kentucky with the Salem Missionary Baptist Church and Pastor Michael Wilder and his family. We were blessed with a good trip down, though it was interesting driving down a narrow, two-lane road in the fog. Bro. Wilder gave us perfect directions, though, and we made it to the church without any missed turns or detours.

I've known Bro. Wilder for several years without ever having the opportunity to really get to know him. Well, we took care of that this week. We hit it off right away. It's such a great blessing to get to know other pastors and their families who are earnestly contending for the faith. Michael and Katie got to know two of the Wilder's children: son Kristopher, who is a year or so older than Michael, and daughter Mikayla, who is a year younger than Katie. They had a great time!

The meetings were blessed with good singing and great fellowship, and I pray that the messages were a blessing to the church there. They have a Christian school as well as a great ministry called "Seedline". This ministry is all about assembling a booklet of John and Romans, and distributing them out to a lost world. It is fantastic! The folks at Salem Baptist are wonderful people and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.

We came back on Thursday (4/3) and went to the Tiger baseball game on Friday to see the tigers lose to the White Sox. We haven't given up on them though; the season has just begun.

This is the view from the top of the drive from the road.

The church building

This is their "gym". On the left end is the new addition
they build to house their "Seedline" ministry.

This is the parsonage. The main living area is upstairs.
The prophet's chamber is down below - wonderful accomidations!