We have had a busy summer as a family, but a good one. I would like to update you on our family a bit and give you a preview of things to come for this school year. Thank you for your faithful and generous support over the years. If you ever have a heart to work directly with teens in the Bushnell area, please just give me a call at 309-333-6186. God bless you!
It’s amazing how many things you can get done over the summer. As a family we have attended VBS, gone on a mission trip to Arkansas, gone to Cornerstone Festival, gone to Fun City, and gone to many, many ball games. If you didn’t already know, we are a very competitive family. This summer happened to be one of the best as far as records go. My dad shot a hole-in-one at the YFC Golf Outing in June. He then pitched a perfect game in slow pitch softball in July, and in August we took 3rd place in the Illinois State Softball Tournament. It has been a summer to remember.
Michelle likes to read, can food, take care of the pool, and go to all of the ball games. Andrew loves playing baseball, being batboy for the softball games, and playing on his ipod touch. He also recently got his Christmas present put up next to the driveway (a basketball hoop). Abby has gone to most of the games, where she mostly hangs out with her cousins. She went to Lamoine Christian Camp with a very good friend in July. She loves animals and takes care of her horse, three dogs, and umpteen cats, as well as feeding the calves. Katy is a little firecracker. She loves the pool, playing games, playing with her cousins, and doing anything her brother and sister will let her do with them. She really needs to be in charge, but is the youngest child. I think God has big plans for her. Pray that she will let Him direct her paths. Pray that for all of our kids if you will. They are all growing physically and spiritually. Praise the Lord.
Lately I have had opportunities to work with teens around the farm and home, taken them to Ball Fore in Macomb, IL, and had a “Day at the Lake” with the Schraeder’s. Thank you, Ken and Marianna, for a wonderful day. I will never forget flipping the sail boat that got turned upside down in the middle of the lake, nor the fast corners on the tube. The spiritual moments come when you least expect it. One day we were baling some hay and the baler kept braking. It is in those moments when everything seems like it’s not going well that other things pop up. I realize now, that my reactions to the things going wrong make a big difference. Later, one of the teens said to me, “I like to learn how to do things and work hard, but when they didn’t go right or I broke something, my dad would beat me.” I couldn’t believe it. I simply told him that is not the way God treats you and that I was sorry for his father’s behavior.
Some things to pray about for the upcoming school year are:
• Staff Conference in Aug. 16-18 - that we would surrender ourselves for the Lord’s use
• Volunteer meetings to prepare for Campus Life – to add a couple of volunteers
• Open House at YFC house – August 25 – time to see some changes in our facility and Macomb staff
• Campus Life Kickoff’s in early September – for lots of teens to attend
