We are in Lebanon. Had a few nice days in Grants Pass getting the RV ready to travel. That meant taking off the cover, washing it, checking the systems, and loading it up for 12 days of travel. We had our share of rain but there were some beautifully gorgeous days. It was fun driving around with the windows rolled down. Finally on Saturday we headed out.
But before that could happen, I had to deal with computer issues. The last blog was written from my old desk top. This one is being written from my new laptop. Does it look different? I mentioned a great computer crash last time. As it turned out, Korak got it running – sort of. There was a point when I thought it was totally dead and another point when I thought it was totally fixed. Neither was the case. However, Korak helped me get the essential information off the old one so I am happy. I think he was getting tired of getting phone calls from me though. I tried to order a new Dell on line but that wasn’t going very well (probably because of the slow speed of my old desk top). On a whim, I went to Staples and they had what I wanted (almost) at far less money. By the time I added the programs I wanted and a few other things, it wasn’t “far” less money, but it was a nice savings. And it was almost immediate. So I’m a happy camper now.
Well, I’d be happier if we weren’t sitting in the midst of one of the worst rain storms in recent memory. Saturday night it started to rain and has only stopped for brief periods. Last night the rain fell, the wind blew, the RV rocked, and we wondered where we would be when dawn broke. The weather forecast is for… guess what? Rain! So we’ll tough it out. We had one minor leak but it is fixed now – or mostly so.
Sunday morning we attended church at Sweet Home. Matt and Susan are the pastoral couple I am mentoring. The only problem is that there hasn’t been much mentoring lately. He is doing well, however. They are a great couple with three kids and one on the way. He came from another denomination and has worked in churches before but never as a senior pastor.
This week is Wednesday Family Night at the Van Essen farm to hunt for Easter eggs and pet the new lambs. Oh my, I hope the rain gives us a break. Then a Good Friday service and Easter morning pancake feed and Celebration. It will be fun. Lots more fun if this rain stops – or at least slows down.
What is your weather like? Take the poll to the right. Let’s see what is happening around the world (hah! As if there are readers that far away.)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Not Bored Yet
Well… it’s not boring yet. We left our Lebanon house at 10:45 Monday morning, all checked out with keys turned in and a promise we would get our full deposit back. There was a quick stop at the mechanic’s shop to present them with flowers and a box of candy (read last week’s blog). Then it was to the church for Dave’s memorial service. We arrived in our grubby’s just as the service started so we sat in the sound booth, kind of out of sight. The church was packed, people were in suits, and a bag piper played at the end. Trevor led the service and he did a really good job. I was proud of him. We snuck (sneaked?) out as soon as it was over, got diesel, UPSed the TV stuff back to Comcast, picked up a story on CD at the library and hit the road. We arrived home about 4:30 Monday afternoon. The pickup was unloaded by 6:00, the house was a mess with all the stuff we jammed in, and we were tired. Good day, though.
So the week was full of sorting, tossing, and cleaning – the kind of things we will be doing for the next several months. We HAVE to reduce the clutter and we don’t need this much stuff!!! Gotta think about moving – how soon I don’t know, but it will happen. We took the tarp off the RV and washed it while the sun was shining. We had a beautiful, sunny week. By the way, the weather was great for the move – no loading in the rain and no need for a tarp while we traveled. Thank you, Lord. Mike and Joann helped us try out a new restaurant Thursday. It was good and not too expensive. They really promote their wine but that can be refused.
I ordered high speed internet from Qwest. Well… if you can call 1.5 megs high speed. They have faster but not in our neighborhood. Why Qwest? They offer the best flexibility if we (or when we) travel. Speaking of traveling… we have decided that the trip back east will not happen this year. I’m sad because I was looking forward to it but there is too much happening to properly plan. I think we’ll do some shorter trips, like to Glacier, maybe to Arizona, maybe Utah, some of the California National Parks. That sort of thing. Anyway, back to the internet service. Friday evening I sat down to go through the steps to get the laptop connected and disaster struck.
Real disaster. The computer hung up trying to boot up Windows. With the assistance of a nice lady on the “help” line, I got the desktop connected. That is what I’m using now. Saturday, Korak tried to help me get the laptop running. It was getting quite complicated and he needed to leave for a birthday party – HIS birthday party. (Isn’t he a great son-in-law to work on my computer on his birthday?) I was able to salvage my “contacts” from Microsoft Outlook but a few minutes later – before I could copy “my documents” – the whole thing crashed. Nothing on the screen except a cursor in the corner winking at me and taunting me to do anything about it. Bad. Real bad. Tomorrow I’ll see if some computer guru can salvage anything. Did I have a backup? Yes, but it’s several months old because the external hard drive I got for a backup system stopped working on the laptop. My tales of woe could go on and on. You know what I mean. But this too shall pass.
Today we worshiped with the Nazarenes who are using the Allen Creek Church building. It seemed kind of funny (and a little sad) that we were there but it wasn’t a Free Methodist group. However, they are doing real well. They just started having three services – one Friday evening and two Sunday morning. It was a good time of worship and there were people there from the old Allen Creek church.
Among a lot of other things, this week we have to concentrate on getting the RV ready to travel. We’ll be in Lebanon next Saturday. Better go rest up.
So the week was full of sorting, tossing, and cleaning – the kind of things we will be doing for the next several months. We HAVE to reduce the clutter and we don’t need this much stuff!!! Gotta think about moving – how soon I don’t know, but it will happen. We took the tarp off the RV and washed it while the sun was shining. We had a beautiful, sunny week. By the way, the weather was great for the move – no loading in the rain and no need for a tarp while we traveled. Thank you, Lord. Mike and Joann helped us try out a new restaurant Thursday. It was good and not too expensive. They really promote their wine but that can be refused.
I ordered high speed internet from Qwest. Well… if you can call 1.5 megs high speed. They have faster but not in our neighborhood. Why Qwest? They offer the best flexibility if we (or when we) travel. Speaking of traveling… we have decided that the trip back east will not happen this year. I’m sad because I was looking forward to it but there is too much happening to properly plan. I think we’ll do some shorter trips, like to Glacier, maybe to Arizona, maybe Utah, some of the California National Parks. That sort of thing. Anyway, back to the internet service. Friday evening I sat down to go through the steps to get the laptop connected and disaster struck.
Real disaster. The computer hung up trying to boot up Windows. With the assistance of a nice lady on the “help” line, I got the desktop connected. That is what I’m using now. Saturday, Korak tried to help me get the laptop running. It was getting quite complicated and he needed to leave for a birthday party – HIS birthday party. (Isn’t he a great son-in-law to work on my computer on his birthday?) I was able to salvage my “contacts” from Microsoft Outlook but a few minutes later – before I could copy “my documents” – the whole thing crashed. Nothing on the screen except a cursor in the corner winking at me and taunting me to do anything about it. Bad. Real bad. Tomorrow I’ll see if some computer guru can salvage anything. Did I have a backup? Yes, but it’s several months old because the external hard drive I got for a backup system stopped working on the laptop. My tales of woe could go on and on. You know what I mean. But this too shall pass.
Today we worshiped with the Nazarenes who are using the Allen Creek Church building. It seemed kind of funny (and a little sad) that we were there but it wasn’t a Free Methodist group. However, they are doing real well. They just started having three services – one Friday evening and two Sunday morning. It was a good time of worship and there were people there from the old Allen Creek church.
Among a lot of other things, this week we have to concentrate on getting the RV ready to travel. We’ll be in Lebanon next Saturday. Better go rest up.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Ready to Roll
Well, here I am in an almost empty house, sitting on the floor, propped against the wall writing my last blog from the canal-side mansion. What a day it has been! What a week it has been! I preached this morning. Then they had a potluck for us in our honor -- even though we'll be back in 2 weeks. Then we had a Leadership Council meeting. I got back to the house at 3:00. Joyce had most of our stuff packed up. Mike and Joann were here on a short RV vacation so they took some things back with them -- the hard to pack items like pictures and plants, plus our clothes, plus my TV. So I started loading the pickup. It is now ready to roll except for our air mattresses, the cleaning supplies, and the food that will go in the cooler. About half the house is clean so tomorrow we'll finish it off, get an inspection, and hit the road.
Probably hit the road all the way to the church for a funeral service. They are having a memorial for the man who died last Sunday and we would like to attend if possible. So about noon we'll be on our way home. By the way, the weather is nice -- a little cool but no rain forecast until at least Tuesday. I hope they are right because I didn't tarp the load.
Now let me tell you about the pickup. Those of you who are our Prayer Partners know a little about it, but here are more details. Monday the pickup started running real rough and had no power. The same problem as one year ago in Tucson. They really couldn't find anything wrong and as they checked out wiring it stared to run better. So here we are stuck in Lebanon where I don't know any diesel mechanics, with a week full of running around ahead of us, and a move home in seven days. I usually handle things like this pretty calmly, just do what needs to be done and move on. But for some reason, this really threw me. I had trouble staying positive and was constantly wondering WHY.
The earliest a mechanic could look at it was Thursday. I rented a car so we could do our running around but had to bum a ride to Corvallis to get it. The Albany Enterprise would come and get me but they didn’t have any cars. Corvallis had cars but they didn’t go to Lebanon. Wednesday I took the truck to Millers – just down the road from us. He was recommended by a friend. Since then, several people have told me he is the best. I believe it. He spent most of the day Thursday tracking down one thing and then another – none of them solved the problem. Late in the day he called to tell me the sad tale and suggested we pull the fuel injectors on the 3 cylinders that showed problems in one of his tests. The “we” here is that he would do the work and I would pay him for it. The injectors would go to Eugene on Friday to be tested.
Try to understand my distress. We are at the end of the week, we have a rental car, and we need to move Monday. All I can see is a delay in getting the truck fixed, us camping out for a couple days in the church, and nothing going according to plan. My plan, that is. I was trying to stay focused on God but it wasn’t going very well. Finally I could say, “I wonder how God is going to work this out. I wonder how he will get any glory from this?” Thursday evening, I told Joyce I was discouraged about this whole situation. She tried to remind me that I’m always the one saying that cars break down and need repair or need new tires or something. It just happens so be prepared to pay for it. I know all that, but I’m still discouraged. I spouted, “Why couldn’t this have happened in Grants Pass. I have a car there. A mechanic could have the pickup as long he wanted.” And Joyce replied (you’ll love this), “Sure and then you wouldn’t have to trust God as much would you?” Ouch! But she was right.
Anyway, by Friday I’m resigned to spending big bucks on a bunch of injectors or maybe not even getting the pickup until Monday or Tuesday. Friday afternoon they called. The pickup is running! Yahoo! When I walked in to pay the tab, the lady looked real apologetic and commented that she was sorry the bill was so much. I was braced. I was prepared for $1,500. Hit me with it. She said, “$583.” I said, “Is that all?” Wow! He only had to replace one injector. But this is the neat part. The office lady (who is his wife) got up at 5:30 Friday morning to take my injectors to Eugene (usually they are mailed). She drove through a terrible wind and rainstorm and spent 3 hours there so she could bring them back with her. Then he went right to work putting it all back together so I could have the pickup by the weekend. Isn’t God good? Even in my doubts, he comes through. We are taking her some flowers on our way to the church!
So tomorrow we start a new phase in the journeys of Gene and Joyce. Stay tuned. It might even be boring!
Probably hit the road all the way to the church for a funeral service. They are having a memorial for the man who died last Sunday and we would like to attend if possible. So about noon we'll be on our way home. By the way, the weather is nice -- a little cool but no rain forecast until at least Tuesday. I hope they are right because I didn't tarp the load.
Now let me tell you about the pickup. Those of you who are our Prayer Partners know a little about it, but here are more details. Monday the pickup started running real rough and had no power. The same problem as one year ago in Tucson. They really couldn't find anything wrong and as they checked out wiring it stared to run better. So here we are stuck in Lebanon where I don't know any diesel mechanics, with a week full of running around ahead of us, and a move home in seven days. I usually handle things like this pretty calmly, just do what needs to be done and move on. But for some reason, this really threw me. I had trouble staying positive and was constantly wondering WHY.
The earliest a mechanic could look at it was Thursday. I rented a car so we could do our running around but had to bum a ride to Corvallis to get it. The Albany Enterprise would come and get me but they didn’t have any cars. Corvallis had cars but they didn’t go to Lebanon. Wednesday I took the truck to Millers – just down the road from us. He was recommended by a friend. Since then, several people have told me he is the best. I believe it. He spent most of the day Thursday tracking down one thing and then another – none of them solved the problem. Late in the day he called to tell me the sad tale and suggested we pull the fuel injectors on the 3 cylinders that showed problems in one of his tests. The “we” here is that he would do the work and I would pay him for it. The injectors would go to Eugene on Friday to be tested.
Try to understand my distress. We are at the end of the week, we have a rental car, and we need to move Monday. All I can see is a delay in getting the truck fixed, us camping out for a couple days in the church, and nothing going according to plan. My plan, that is. I was trying to stay focused on God but it wasn’t going very well. Finally I could say, “I wonder how God is going to work this out. I wonder how he will get any glory from this?” Thursday evening, I told Joyce I was discouraged about this whole situation. She tried to remind me that I’m always the one saying that cars break down and need repair or need new tires or something. It just happens so be prepared to pay for it. I know all that, but I’m still discouraged. I spouted, “Why couldn’t this have happened in Grants Pass. I have a car there. A mechanic could have the pickup as long he wanted.” And Joyce replied (you’ll love this), “Sure and then you wouldn’t have to trust God as much would you?” Ouch! But she was right.
Anyway, by Friday I’m resigned to spending big bucks on a bunch of injectors or maybe not even getting the pickup until Monday or Tuesday. Friday afternoon they called. The pickup is running! Yahoo! When I walked in to pay the tab, the lady looked real apologetic and commented that she was sorry the bill was so much. I was braced. I was prepared for $1,500. Hit me with it. She said, “$583.” I said, “Is that all?” Wow! He only had to replace one injector. But this is the neat part. The office lady (who is his wife) got up at 5:30 Friday morning to take my injectors to Eugene (usually they are mailed). She drove through a terrible wind and rainstorm and spent 3 hours there so she could bring them back with her. Then he went right to work putting it all back together so I could have the pickup by the weekend. Isn’t God good? Even in my doubts, he comes through. We are taking her some flowers on our way to the church!
So tomorrow we start a new phase in the journeys of Gene and Joyce. Stay tuned. It might even be boring!
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Not Like Last Week
Sorry to everyone looking for another exciting installment in the life of Gene and Joyce. No scandalous cross-dressing this week. No thought provoking ladies luncheon. Although I did take it on myself to put address labels on envelopes, photocopy the newsletter, fold it, stuff it in the envelopes, stamp a return address, affix postage, and mail it. Sounds like a secretary’s job, huh? Well, I wanted it out before next whenever.
The usual things were good as usual. KidZone was fun and Family Night was well attended. I worked in the office getting the new directory ready (so did Trevor). We passed around a proof copy today. Good thing we did, because there are some corrections. It will be completed by next Sunday.
This weekend is Men’s Advance at Aldersgate Conference Center. I went up Friday evening and again Saturday evening. We have 8 or 9 guys who stayed the whole weekend. The speaker was Len Sweet. Really good. Deep thinker but able to break it down to such chewable pieces that everyone can get it.
Shanette preached today. I preach next Sunday. Monday the 15th we move back to Grants Pass. This week will be busy with a lot of last minutes things. I don’t know when I will be able to blog again because I have no internet connection in GP. I will go to hotspot until I get something hooked up. For those who are curious, we will be back in Lebanon March 27 thru April 4.
We found out this morning that a man in the church who had prostate cancer went home to glory. I suppose that is something we will be dealing with this week. Trevor and Shanette had made good connection with he and his family.
So the next phase of our life’s journey is about to begin. God goes ahead of us; God goes with us.
The usual things were good as usual. KidZone was fun and Family Night was well attended. I worked in the office getting the new directory ready (so did Trevor). We passed around a proof copy today. Good thing we did, because there are some corrections. It will be completed by next Sunday.
This weekend is Men’s Advance at Aldersgate Conference Center. I went up Friday evening and again Saturday evening. We have 8 or 9 guys who stayed the whole weekend. The speaker was Len Sweet. Really good. Deep thinker but able to break it down to such chewable pieces that everyone can get it.
Shanette preached today. I preach next Sunday. Monday the 15th we move back to Grants Pass. This week will be busy with a lot of last minutes things. I don’t know when I will be able to blog again because I have no internet connection in GP. I will go to hotspot until I get something hooked up. For those who are curious, we will be back in Lebanon March 27 thru April 4.
We found out this morning that a man in the church who had prostate cancer went home to glory. I suppose that is something we will be dealing with this week. Trevor and Shanette had made good connection with he and his family.
So the next phase of our life’s journey is about to begin. God goes ahead of us; God goes with us.
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