Marrena's Memories

Paul moves out on his own

2010-01-09T09:29:00.003-06:00

The new year has started with new beginnings for the Ralph family. Paul completed his degree requirements at BJU on December 17th and is now a college graduate (he will walk in the graduation ceremony in May). We are so thankful to God for clearly directing Paul where he should work and live. We have absolutely no doubt that Paul is where God wants him to be. On December 18th Paul accepted a position with Answers in Genesis at the Creation Museum doing IT work. His title is Solutions Developer. On his trip home from BJU Paul stopped in KY to find an apartment and signed a lease at Sanctuary Place Apartments for a nice 2 bedroom apartment.

Between December 18th and January 5 we had a graduation party, Christmas, Christmas with Jen's family, New Year's Eve Annual Party, and packed all of Paul's belongings and painted furniture that was given to Paul.

It has been awesome to watch God provide for Paul's needs. Everything that Paul has for his apartment was given to him. These items came from family, friends, and http://www.freecycle.org/. One of the concerns Paul had was the need for a bed. We watched God provide a "like-new" queen size mattress, boxsprings, and bedframe at no cost to Paul. Close friends gave Paul a couch and loveseat, and other friends gave towels, shower curtain, dishes, and monitary gifts.

I have posted a photo albumn on FaceBook for those who would like to see photos of Paul's apartment.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T18:57:00.002-06:00

The entire Ralph family wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas. We trust that you will remember the reason for the season with your loved ones and enjoy lots of family fun.

To update you on each of us:
Paul
Just completed his college career at BJU and has accepted a position as Solutions Developer for Answers in Genesis in Petersburg, KY. He has signed a lease for an apartment in Hebron, KY and will move into his apartment on January 6th.

Timothy
Has had a very successful sememster at Pensacola Christian College where he is majoring in Graphic Design.

Peter
Is a senior at Tri-City Christian school. He is class president and is the statistician for the boys basketball team. He keeps very busy and hopes to go to college in the fall.

Andrew
Is a sophomore at Tri-City Christian school. He is in the Tri-Citians ensemble and is song leader for his class.

Arrena
Is now a teenager and in the 7th grade at Tri-City Christian school. She is enjoying being a cheerleader and takes piano and voice lessons.

Rusty
Continues to work for Liberty Schools as their network administrator and runs the embroidery machines for our home-business, Custom Creations. He is in the church choir, works in the sound booth, helps in Kids 4 Truth club, and volunteers for Kids 4 Truth International. Needless to say he stays busy.

Marrena
Continues to work for Kids 4 Truth International as the Clubs Program Administrator and Office Administrator. Last winter we moved my office to the house so I now work from home which is very convenient and saves time and finances. I sing in the church choir, Administrate the Kids 4 Truth Club, and Administrate, Coordinate, or is a Consultant for many children's events at the church such as vbs, children's revival or evangelistic meetings, and Children's Missions Tour.

As we go into 2010 we will have changes as Paul goes out on his own and the kids continue to grow up and advance in college or school.

We trust all is well with you and yours.

Merry Christmas,
Love,
Rusty & Marrena
Paul, Timothy, Peter, Andrew and Arrena

Happy 21st Birthday, Paul!!!

2009-04-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

2009-04-18T11:30:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

2009-02-16T21:56:00.001-06:00

invites everyone to watch the newest Kids 4 Truth dynamation at http://kids4truth.com/ladylucy/.

2009-02-16T21:54:00.001-06:00

invites everyone to watch the newest Kids 4 Truth dynamation at http://ping.fm/oCeRu

2009-02-16T19:45:00.001-06:00

loves the family God has given her.

Busy Times!

2008-10-20T07:02:00.012-05:00

One would think that as your children grow that life slows down and gets a little less hectic... So far, I haven't found that as true.

This summer found two of our boys working out of town and one working hours just opposite of ours...so our summer went fast and we didn't have much time as a family together.

Paul spent the summer in Knoxville, TN working. For the past couple summers he has had the awesome opportunity to work as an intern under Rob. This summer he lived in Knoxville, spent many evenings with the Gillens, enjoyed spending time with the Oakridge Baptist Church's singles, and enjoyed some additional freedom of basically living on his own. Paul is in the midst of his junior year at BJU where he works at least 2 jobs (cook & lab monitor) and is a computer science major.

Timothy worked in town but with hours almost opposite mine and Rusty's. Tim and I shared a car...so I would get home in time for him to go to work. We tried to use times when we were both off work to do our "college shopping". He had the opportunity to submit some graphic work to an area politician, and although his designs failed due to office politics, he gained some valuable experience. Mid-August we said our goodbyes as Tim drove off to PCC where he is working as a cook and is a graphic arts major.

Peter also worked out of town this summer. He had the opportunity to work on the Tech/AV/Progaming Staff at Southland Christian Camp (http://www.southlandcamp.org/). He absolutely loved the chance to work at the camp and still feels as God is directing him toward camp ministry. He is begging to get his driving license asap (I think this will happen next week). He is the class president of the junior class at TCCS.

Andrew continues to grow, but I guess when one has a size 13 shoe he has a LOT of growing to do! He is right at the 6' point and shows no signs of slowing down yet. He has been working hard to help with our current home remodel project. He loves to keep things organized.

Arrena is right at passing me! I can't believe my baby is now 12! She plays the piano and french horn, loves to read, does well in school, and loves K4T club on Sunday evenings.

Before the college kids all left for college, we got together as a family at Dad and Mom's. It was great to have all David & Jen's and Rusty and my children together with Grandpa and Grandma. We enjoyed watching them play games, tease, and love on each other.

After Tim left for college we found an evening to go to PowerPlay out in KS. This unique indoor gaming center is mostly all blacklite and was loads of fun! I was surprised at how inexpensive it was for us to spend a few hours today doing something fun and different. Paul, Peter, and Andrew enjoyed a round of free-throw shooting together...we found that Andrew had quite a talent shooting free throws! Peter threatens to tell Coach Christensen.

Graduation and a month!

2008-07-05T21:04:00.006-05:00

The past couple months have just flown by...I keep saying that I need to write a post, but time never seemed to allow for it. So I will try to catch everyone up to speed.

Saturday, May 24...we celebrated Timothy's graduation from Tri-City Christian. We are so proud of the young man Tim has grown to be. He plans to attend Pennsacola Christian College this fall and major in Graphic Design. Tim loves to work in children's ministries at the church. He is involved in children's church, puppet ministry, and Kids 4 Truth. We celebrated Tim's graduation with an open house complete with family and friends. We are grateful for the family and friends who came from out of town to make this time special for Tim. Congratulations Tim! We are so proud of you!

Sunday, May 25...Peter left for the summer to go to Southland Christian Camp where he is working on staff for the summer. You can learn about his summer ministry at: http://peterralph.blogspot.com/. We are excited for the ministry he has this summer.

Tuesday, May 27...Paul left for Knoxville, TN where he is doing an internship again this summer. We are so grateful for the opportunities God has given to Paul. He is able to gain valuable experience, learn things that help him in school, and earn money for college all at the same time.

Sunday, June 1...Andrew and Arrena left for Mississippi to spend some time with Rusty's folks. The truck & trailer was full of people and animals when they left our house with 5 dogs, 3 cats, Grammie & Grampie, Brant, Neal (friend from Mississippi), Andrew, and Arrena. The kids enjoyed their time with Grammie & Grampie and Brant (their cousin from FL). Andrew even caught a catfish the size of his arm!

June 8 - Saturday June 14...Rusty and I took 47 junior-age children, 10 teens, and 3 adult sponsors to Southland Christian Camp for Junior Camp. Arrena joined us on Monday and we were able to see Peter. It was a great week of camp watching many bus children make professions of faith and church children make life changing decisions.

June, 22-28...Rusty drove a bus to Southland Camp again to take our teens to camp. This time Andrew joined him on Monday and once again he saw Peter.

June 27-29..For the first time ever I flew in an airplane. I went to Greer, SC to teach a Kids 4 Truth Advanced Regional Event. It was amazing to see God's Creation from the clouds! A bonus on this trip! Paul drove over from Knoxville, TN to see me and help with the training (he taped it all) and I stayed with my brother and his family. It was good to see them all and see Paul after a month! I had a great time teaching (enjoy teaching), but was so glad to get home to my family. It was smooth flying there but the trip home was full of delays.

July 4...We spent the fourth as a family. I went shopping with Tim in the morning/early afternoon getting clothes for college. In the evening we went to Ralph and Adele Roberts (our adopted family) to have a cookout. We enjoyed fresh fruit, hotdogs/brauts, and homemade icecream. The beautiful clear sky make watching fireworks special.

Well...I'll do my best to update the blog more frequently.

Prayer Requests

2008-05-01T21:47:00.003-05:00

The past couple weeks have been difficult emotionally for my parents. A couple of their siblings are having major health issues that we need to bring before our God in incessory prayer.

Darlene Mauss is my dad's sister. She turned 80 in November. Shortly thereafter, she fell and broke her hip. She has been through surgery for a hip replacement but it is not taking. The doctors have determined that previous radiation for tumors/cancer in that area has prevented the area from healing. In addition they have found new tumors in the area. The doctors have decided it would be best to allow the area to heal itself. So she is in a nursing home while she heals.

Don Mills is my mother's only sibling. He has multiple health issues that includes Kidney transplant, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and Hardening of the Arteries. Yesterday, my Uncle Don fell and broke both of his legs real bad. He will be in a cast from the waist down on both legs. The legs really need pins, screws, and plates, but they cannot do this because of his other health issues. He also needs to be put on blood thinners and have a filter, but they cannot do this because the thinners will react with his other medication and the filter goes where his transplant incisions were. Because of the many health issues he has he must go to the nursing home as there is no way they can take care of him. This will not be easy because of all his health issues – nursing homes don’t want that many problems to deal with.

The family requests that we put them on any prayer lists that we have. They desire our prayers as they know that only God can provide the healing and peace we need.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T13:10:00.000-06:00

We hope you have a very merry Christmas celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior with your family and friends.

We are happy to have all our children home for Christmas and will be celebrating with my sister and her family tonight.

On December 31, we will host our annual New Year's Eve Party. If you are in the area you are welcome to come by.

We have much to be THANKFUL for...

2007-12-17T21:59:00.000-06:00

The day before Thanksgiving our family got together for a family photo. This is something our parents have begged for and something I have really wanted for awhile.

Rusty and I are so thankful for the children that God has given to us.

Paul is now a sophomore at BJU. He works several jobs to pay his way through college. We are so thankful for the blessing Paul is to our family and for the way God has provided for his college bill.

Timothy is a senior at TCCS this year. He has applied to college and is working to finish the application process so he can hear if he is accepted. He works as an intern for Kids 4 Truth and for the facilities department at Tri-City Ministries. He works in children's church and in the puppet ministry at church.

Peter is a sophomore at TCCS. He is interested in photography, technology, and is one of the basketball managers. Peter never knows a stranger and is always a delight. He would like to work in camp ministry and currently works in the bus ministry, children's church, puppet ministry and does audio for the youth department.

Andrew is in eighth grade at TCCS and is a huge teddy bear:-) He has passed up both Peter and Tim (much to their dismay) and will do anything to help others. He loves to cook and does a wonderful job at it. Andrew participates in the junior high choir, junior high handbell choir, junior high percussion ensemble, and junior high band. He works in the puppet ministry at our church.

Arrena is in the fifth grade at TCCS. She is our little princess. She is getting close to passing me up (which I know doesn't surprise anyone). She had her hair trimmed for the first time in 3.5 years in time for our photo and lost about 4 inches in the process! She loves to read and memorize, and excels in all that she does. She plays the piano and is learning the french horn. She also works in the puppet ministry at church. She is a joy and blessing to our entire family.

Rusty and I counted ourselves as very blessed. We keep very busy with our family and jobs, but are so thankful for all God has given to us.

God provides...

2007-09-29T20:35:00.000-05:00

The old saying is "When it rains...it pours." Well, we have felt like that recently. Recently, we have had our share of car problems. About the time Rusty fixed the GEO a while back...the Fiero decided to go down for the count.

But you know, God ALWAYS takes care of His children. The Fiero went out the night of the TCCS back to school retreat. Rusty was going to the church to pick up Peter when the car lost all power on the road across from the church. Timothy called Rusty to find out where he was and when he found out he was across from the church he grabbed Peter and four friends and they pushed the Fiero up the hill and when the light turned green they pushed him across the street. Then one of the young men got his SUV and pulled the Fiero into a parking spot right under the lights where it would be safe. How good of God to allow the car to breakdown right across the street from church instead of along the road to Liberty. So, Rusty has had the Fiero in pieces in our garage since Labor Day. He is repairing the engine of the car, and had hopes of getting it back together by the first part of this week.

Well...like I said, when it rains it pours:-) And, yesterday I received a call from Rusty. First of all, he asked me how I was feeling as the doctor had ordered me to bed until Monday because of a severe infection and bronchitis. And then he asked "Want to go car shopping tomorrow?" And...I was on my way to Liberty to pick Rusty up and look for a new car.

It seems as though Rusty was on the way home and the car started acting funny. He thought he would pull over at one of the district's buildings while he looked it over. Well...it was amazing to hear him tell the story of how he coasted up to the stoplight and then into the driveway which was downhill and coasted right into a parking spot. He said a friend came out and helped his assess the situation. They found out that the timing belt had broke on the car...which requires pulling the engine to fix. Something he just doesn't have the time to get done this weekend. We simply cannot get by with one car next week.

So...Rusty decided with the ages of our cars it was time to get another car in the family. So today, we went out and purchased another car.

Welcome our new car: 1999 Ford Taurus. We praise the Lord for providing us another car at a price we felt was fair and we could live with. Timothy is already begging to drive it; and in fact, had to have his chance behind the wheel before we ever got it home.

We still plan to fix the Fiero and the GEO. Please pray that Rusty is able to get these on the road soon. With four (soon to be five) drivers in the family, three active teenagers and one college student, a elementary child, and two full time jobs it is important for us to have dependable transportation.

Water Garden Part 2

2007-07-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

We have been working on the water garden and are thrilled with the way it is coming along.

We still have a long ways to go, but I think we have finally decided upon a look we like.

Family Project - Water Garden

2007-07-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

After years of dreaming of having a water garden God has provided by giving us a used water garden liner at an unbelievable price. My dream was to have a waterfall and possibly a fountain as I love fountains:-) It looks as though I am going to have both!

This is exciting for me as we have not had any flowerbeds at this house. Our house has beautiful mature scrubs out front, but no real place for a nice flowerbed. Now we will have the perfect place for a beautiful flowerbed. In addition, we hope to use the water garden to help reroute the drainage in the backyard to keep the basement from flooding into the boys bedroom.

This month we went to Mississippi to visit Rusty's folks and while we were there they gave me a frog fountain for our water garden. Saturday we went shopping for a water garden pump and found one that not only operated a fountain but also had the parts for a waterfall!

Andrew, Peter, and Rusty worked hard on Saturday and Monday to dig the hole for water garden. I think it is coming along real nice.

Watch for updates on how the water garden is coming.

New office furniture

2007-07-05T15:17:00.000-05:00

The Kids 4 Truth office was given some office furniture this week. Our office now has a new look/feel inside with office desks for our growing staff, interns, and volunteers. We are very grateful to the generous donor, and praise the Lord for His provision for His Ministry.

Erika teaches Riley Kids 4 Truth!

2007-07-05T15:02:00.000-05:00

I guess Erika decided she needed help in the customer service department and that it was time for her to train her assistant so today Erika introduced Riley to Kids 4 Truth:-) So she began unloading the display shelves showing the shirts, bags, and yes the Books.

They kept this up for some time....finally showing him all of the curriculum books. They had a good time together and Riley now has a full understanding of the products we offer and everything the TruthBooks have to offer. (We had a great time watching the two of them together!)

For those who do not know Riley: Riley is the son of our newest Kids 4 Truth staff member, Laura Graham. We are excited to have Laura on staff and look forward to the increased customer support and resources that we will be able to offer.

TCCS Elementary Spring Program utilizes Kids 4 Truth!

2007-05-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

I had a joy and privilege this evening that I am sure is very rare that I would like to share with you…

Tonight I have had the blessing to watch as TCCS elementary children have presented a program called “Thy Word is Truth”. This is a program that Cynthia Simmons wrote using the Kids 4 Truth Curriculum and Songs (http://equipu.kids4truth.com/blogs/clubsblog/archive/2007/05/08/Kids-4-Truth-Program.aspx). I was literally been in tears as I listened to children quote the curriculum and sing the songs not for a program, but to the Glory of God. Listening to the children sing out loud and clear the songs has been a blessing. You should have heard the 1st & 2nd graders sing One in Three and To Be Like Jesus…would have brought tears to your eyes.

So have I sparked your interest? You may purchase the DVD of the program at: http://store.tri-city.org/detail.aspx?ID=475. You may download a copy of the program Cynthia Simmons put together at: http://equipu.kids4truth.com/files/folders/generic_programs/entry1902.aspx.

Cynthia shared a few notes with me regarding this program:

"I enjoy teaching the children the Kids 4 Truth songs. I feel like I am teaching them something eternal. They are learning Bible doctrine when they learn the songs, and that makes me feel good.

One of the major dilemmas in teaching music is coming to the balance between preparing for concerts and still having enough time to adequately teach the necessary musical concepts in the curriculum. With only two, thirty-minute time periods a week, it seems like an impossible task. As I was preparing for the Spring Concert using the Kids4Truth music, I was able to use the songs to reinforce my curriculum and continue teaching the required musical concepts for grade levels. I did this mostly in the 3rd through 6th grades. In 3rd grade we begin introducing the concept of harmony singing with rounds, so “Your Word is Truth” worked great. Also some of the songs are two-part or include descant and this reinforced skills I was teaching 5th and 6th grade. We have been analyzing form and so were able to do that with several of the songs. “And Yet God Loved Us” was particularly nice for this because it is an ABA form with a major-minor-major composition. We were also able to examine key signatures and meters and thus continue teaching as well as learning good principles of choral singing and great Bible truths.

...I had one little boy in 3rd grade say last week, 'Mrs. Simmons I feel happy when we are singing these songs.' We were singing “Thy Word is True” and I explained to him it was based on several Bible verses and truths and he was singing Scripture and that was what made his heart glad."

A special thank you to Mrs. Simmons for putting together this program and to the elementary students and teachers at Tri-City for doing an awesome job presenting this program to the Glory of God.

I had more than one parent catch me after the service asking how they could get ahold of the music - especially a cd with children singing all twelve of the Kids 4 Truth songs. At this time we have two CDs available with the Kids 4 Truth music.

Kids 4 Truth Music CD - includes the first 6 Kids 4 Truth original songs - CD includes tracks for each song with vocals, and with just piano to use for accompaniment(http://store.kids4truth.com/detail.aspx?ID=276).

Kids 4 Truth Piano Accompaniment CD - Includes piano accompaniment for all 12 K4T songs (http://store.kids4truth.com/detail.aspx?ID=298).

The Kids 4 Truth Music Book is available at: http://store.kids4truth.com/detail.aspx?ID=311.

The Kids 4 Truth Staff are currently raising funds to do a CD recording of all twelve of the Kids 4 Truth songs sung by a professional children's choir. If you are interested in donating toward this project please contact: payments@kids4truth.com. We would be more than happy to tell you more about this project.

Happy 19th Birthday, Paul!

2007-04-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Happy 19th Birthday, Paul!

Today is the first time in 19 years that we cannot celebrate Paul's birthday with him in person as he is at BJU. It is kinda sad, but we did what we could to make it special for him. A couple weeks ago Timothy and Peter went to BJU for national competition and took a "Birthday Party in a Box" to Paul. The box had a few snacky items, presents, an apple cake that Arrena Jeanette made, birthday plates, napkins, and party horns.

Happy Birthday Paul. We are very proud of you and your love for God. May God continue to richly guide and protect you.

Have a great birthday!

Happy 17th Birthday, Timothy!

2007-04-18T22:22:00.000-05:00

Today is Timothy's 17th birthday. It is difficult for me to believe that he is already 17...as it seems like only yesterday that he was born.

Timothy has a fun-loving personality. He loves to joke and have fun. Sometimes he is extremely wacky in his behavior and other days he is very emotional (kinda like his momma I guess.) He will try almost any activity.

Timothy loves to minister to children and has a real talent doing so. He seems to know how to get their attention and keep it as he preaches or teaches a Bible lesson.

Happy Birthday, Timothy. Daddy and I are very proud of you!

Congratulations Bob & Sarah!

2007-04-15T07:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a day that many have prayed for as Bob Roberts and Sarah Zimmerman became husband and wife.
The day went very smoothly. The bride was beautiful, the groom looked sharp, and the decorations were simply elegant.

Several of Bob's relatives came for the wedding. This is a photo of the Roberts men.

Here are a few photos that Peter took so that you can catch a sneak at the wedding ceremony.

A special thank you to those who traveled to the wedding, helped in the wedding, participated in the wedding, or prayed for this special day.

And least I forget...Happy Birthday Bob! I do believe this qualifies as the best birthday present ever! [with the exception of those who would get saved on their birthday:-)] Peter says that Sarah should have come down the aisle on "Happy Birthday to You."

Sarah's Bridal Shower

2007-04-03T23:24:00.000-05:00

We had a great evening tonight as we celebrated Sarah's upcoming marriage on April 14 to Bob Roberts.

The shower was a drop in event that went from 5 to 9 pm. We had a steady flow of ladies from 5 to 8:10 pm before it slowed down a little. We still had a few ladies drop in between 8:10 and 9:00 with the ladies leaving shortly after 9.

We praise the Lord for the 55 people who dropped by to celebrate with us making a total of 67 people in my house tonight:-) It is a good thing I have a large living room!

A very special thank you to Julie Gillen, Marie Tabler, and Ann King for co-hosting this event with me. In addition I would like to thank my family for their help and work as they prepared food, cleaned house, and cleaned up after the party.

We have an awning!

2007-03-23T09:58:00.000-05:00

The outside of the Kids 4 Truth headquarters is about complete. This morning the awning company dodged the rain to get the awning in place. The final piece to the front of the building will be the address numbers.

The plan is to powerwash and paint the sides of the building to match the front this spring.

If you are in the area, drop by and see the beautiful facilities the Lord has provided for us.

We have signage!

2007-02-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

The Kids 4 Truth Team is excited to announce that our building now has signage. Now our friends, neighbors, and those looking for our building can find us.

We look forward to adding the finishing touches to the building within the next couple weeks. These touches include an awning, front lights, street number, and mailbox.

Rejoice with us as we rejoice in what God is doing in, through, and for the Kids 4 Truth Ministry!

Happy 13th Birthday, Andrew!

2007-02-12T21:56:00.000-06:00

I can hardly believe that we now have 4 "teenage" boys between the ages of 13 and 18....(and one daughter that is 10!)

Today, Andrew turned 13...and we celebrated his birthday tonight with his favorite dinner (Green Rice Casserole - aka broccoli casserole - brisket and home made baking powder biscuits.

Andrew is a lovable "teddy bear" who would never hurt anyone. He goes out of his way to take care of those who are hurting and has always watched over others. He is a whiz when it comes to computer games as he has excellent hand/eye coordination.

Andrew loves minister to children through the puppet ministry and VBS programs. He had the opportunity this past summer to help his grandparents in two different VBS programs at churches as well as had a role in the skits at the VBS program at our church.

Currently Andrew is teaching himself to juggle.

Happy Birthday, Andrew! May you bring Honor and Glory to our Lord and Savior in all that you do and say.

God Protects - Sometimes In Mysterious Ways

2007-01-13T21:15:00.000-06:00

Ever had one of those things that you did and you really don't know why you did it? Or perhaps you had one of those days when you were running late and didn't know why and then came across an accident that took place about the time you would have been in the area. Perhaps, like Timothy this past August, you went through an accident in your car, at work, or at home and you know that there is no way you should have come out of it alive or without injury...and yet you did. You know that God was the only way that you were protected in that situation. I have a testimony to share with you of how God recently protected our family. I share this giving God the Honor and Glory for His protection and provision!

On December 29 for some reason I unplugged my mixer...now I NEVER unplug my mixer because it bothers me when I try to use it and it is unplugged. However, even when I unplugged it I thought "Why am I doing this? I don't like my mixer unplugged..." but I kept it unplugged and went on with cleaning my house and kitchen.

On December 30, I started a large pot of gumbo. When I make gumbo I fill a 16 quart stock pot to the top. My pot is large and overhangs the burner by a good 1.5-2 inches. I started the pot of gumbo in the morning and allowed it to simmer all day long, because anyone who has ever made gumbo knows that the longer you let it simmer the better it is:-) And, once I had my gumbo started and chili meat started in another pot, I went back to cleaning my house.

Around 4:30 I wore out...and told Rusty "Let's go to the store and look at dishwashers." I knew if I stayed home I would continue to work until I dropped, and I was ready to get a new dishwasher after handwashing dishes for the past 6 months! I was hoping to get a dishwasher and have it installed by the next day - dreaming wasn't I? But, I know our God!

So, we didn't tell the kids where we were going but we left to "go to the store." I didn't want them disappointed if we didn't find a disherwasher at a price we could afford. We drove a good 30 minutes to the Sears Outlet store and looked at dishwashers only to find they had $1200 machines marked down to $800-900 which was well over our budget. So we stopped at Home Depot to look at one we had seen before - we had forgotten to check the price the first time, and then ended up going to Sears in the Mall to "see if they had any good sales today."

God provided us with a beautiful dishwasher with all the features I "wanted" including a stainless steel interior - which was one of those "extras" God provided. This particular disherwasher had been sold, but apparently when it got to its original location there was a large nickle size scratch in the front panel and it was returned to the store. Instead of sending it to the Outlet store as usual they had it on the floor at the mall. They had marked it down a good $250 because of the scratch, and I said "I can cover that with white fingernail polish." (which I did when I got home.) And, since it was at the store without a box, we had to "take it with us." The kids were so pleased when we came home with the new dishwasher.

By now it was about 7:00 and time for a late supper. I went to serve my gumbo and removed the pot from the stove to put it on the table. Nothing fancy that night as Rusty had the dishwasher to install. When I removed the pot from the store we were shocked to see that the power cord from my mixer had slipped under the pot of gumbo and touched the metal ring on the burner. The cord was burned and melted! We immediately praised the Lord for His protection. Had I not unplugged my mixer the day before we would have had an electrical fire in the kitchen. We knew it was possible that a fire could have happened while the kids were home alone. Yes, we have older children, but praise the Lord they nor we had to deal with a house fire. Just this past month we had friends at church have their house burn. We have heard the stories of their damage and working with insurance companies, reconstruction, etc.

We praise the Lord for His protection!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2006-12-27T12:03:00.000-06:00

We have enjoyed having everyone home for the Christmas season. Both Rusty and I are off work and enjoying extra time playing games and watching old movies with the kids. Rusty even brought home a projector so last night we watched Going My Way on a large sheet spread across the fire place.

Paul is home from his freshman year at BJU. He had a wonderful but busy semester. He enjoys college and his course work. He works in the Kids 4 Truth Club at Hampton Park in Greenville, and is in his society's choir that sings at area churches. He rejoices in the opportunity he has to continue to work as an intern for Kids 4 Truth and that is keeping him busy while at home during this break.

Timothy is keeping busy with his Junior year at TCCS. He is also working as an intern for Kids 4 Truth. This month he was able to take a trip to Greenwood, IA to minister at Bible Baptist church with Bob Roberts. He enjoyed traveling and visting with Bob and the time he was at the church there. He really enjoyed the youth deptartment there and how close the teens in the youth department were. Praise the Lord for the ministry Brett Denham has at that church. He played the role of young scrooge in the school play this year.

Peter is a freshman and is keeping busy as the Varsity Basketball manager. He enjoys technolgy stuff like Paul and Rusty. He received a puppet for Christmas and is enjoying playing with him. He desires to be a camp director and is doing what he can to prepare himself for the ministry. Peter was also in the school play and played several minor roles including the part of "getting engaged" to the boss' daughter. (I guess it won't be too many years and our boys will be getting engaged.) Peter is one of the happiest, most friendly young men you will ever meet.

Andrew is now in 7th grade. He is showing us that he will be the largest of our boys. He is only 1/2 inch shorter than Peter and 1 inch shorter than Tim. He will be taller and broader than the other boys. He loves to work with his puppet and enjoys drama. He does well in math and with computers. While more on the shy side like Paul, Andrew is a teddy bear of a young man and has a very loving and caring side. He watches out for others and hates to see anyone hurt. He would never purposily hurt anyone.

Arrena Jeanette is now in 4th grade and takes after Paul in being a star student and bookworm. She loves a variety of things such as scrapbooking, crafts, reading, and playing the piano. She has been letting her hair grow out for the past couple years and is happy that it is now down to her waist. Granted it is as straight as a pin and thin, but she enjoys having it long. She loves to have it french braided or have a spider web headband. Arrena could talk your leg off if allowed to. She loves stories whether it be to listen to them via dvd or cd or to read a book. She loves to get into stories and feel a part of another timeperiod or world. She is loving and every bit all GIRL! Definitely NOT a tomboy even though she has four brothers!

Rusty and I always keep busy. Between our jobs, church, our embroidery business, and five children our life is definitely not boring.

We praise the Lord for the provisions of this past year.

We have watched as our children have grown and matured.
Our health has all been good and we have had all our needs met.
Paul graduated high school.
God protected Timothy through a terrible car accident that should have killed him.
Paul has one semester of college under his belt.
The children continue to attend Christian school.
Our parents are healthy and still able to take care of themselves.
We have children that desire to honor, serve and please our God.

God is good and on the throne! We praise the Lord for His working in our lives and pray that He will continue to work in our lives this next year.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Carena!

2006-11-28T21:04:00.000-06:00

Today I had the privilege of sharing Carena's 2nd birthday with Debbie, Julie, and Erika.

We went to lunch at El Maguey's and then visited the K4T office. El Maguey's is a Mexican restaurant that serves "authentic" Mexican style food. Because most of the staff at the restaurant are Mexican and speak Spanish we thought this was appropriate for Carena's birthday. The staff made a fuss over both girls...they just loved them. I asked if they would sing Happy Birthday to Carena in Spanish since she speaks both English and Spanish, and he said sure. He later came back and said that the ladies who do a good job singing the birthday song were on break and instead of singing they wanted to give Carena fried icecream that would be large enough for all of us to enjoy. Sure enough they showed up with a huge fried icecream sundie. So we sang Happy Birthday to Carena and had a great time.

Then we took Debbie and Carena over to the K4T office. Carena was so cute when she saw all the K4T books and said "I need a book." So...we gave her level 1 book A. She was so proud to have her own K4T TruthBook, and Debbie was thrilled to be able to start her in the K4T curriculum. Later, when we got back to Grandpa and Grandma's house I showed Debbie how to get lesson plans and coloring sheets to go along with Carena's TruthBook.

Happy Birthday, Carena. We praise the Lord that God has placed you in our family. May God richly bless you with understanding of His Word, and may you come to know Him early in life and serve Him with your life.

Castle Making

2006-11-27T22:45:00.000-06:00

Andrew and I had a good time tonight building a castle. I thought you might enjoy seeing the project.

One of the assignments for 7th grade history class is to do a project. Peter choose to make a flan when he was in 7th grade, but Andrew choose to make this castle. Although the directions said to make the castle from cardboard, the teacher told Andrew he could use styrophome. So...of course, Although Andrew started the project a month ago...he never finished and we had it to do tonight...so he and I spent a quality time filled evening on the kitchen floor, cutting, hot gluing, and then finally he painted it on the front porch in the rain with Rusty.

All in all I think it turned out pretty good.

Travel with Care...see you in 2.5 weeks!

2006-11-26T23:38:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with all of our children (even Paul!); Dad & Mom Raymer; Dave & Jen and Crystal, Jarid, Lynnae, Craig; and Russell, Debbie, and Carena! It was great to eat, relax, play games, and just visit together on Thursday.

Friday, Paul, Timothy, and I along with Alyssa and Peter had our traditional "After Thanksgiving Shopping Trip." We hit the "techie" stores like Office Max and Circuit City...along with a camera shop, and several other stores. I heard it said several times and I agree the sales and specials were not as good as in years past...and thankfully, my checkbook agrees! as I didn't purchase much this year.

Saturday was a busy day...running errands, cleaning house, sorting old clothes, and working on wedding plans with Sarah and Bob. It was a good day with much accomplished.

Today was a normal Sunday with church services and family time.

Paul's ride decided to leave tonight instead of tomorrow morning, so we received a call around 10:00ish asking for Paul. He was out at a college/career SS class party and hurried home. They wanted to leave the church at 11:15 tonight instead of 6:15 tomorrow morning. Thankfully, I had told Paul to pack before church and he had done it with the exception of the last load of clothes in the dryer...so he had time to change and get things together and be up at the church by 11:15. They pulled out of the parking lot at 11:20!

So...if you think of it, please pray for the guys as the travel through the night and tomorrow. Wade says that he will definitely let others drive on the way back:-)

And...one last time...I will say thank you to both Paul and Wade for my special Thanksgiving Surprise gift. I loved being able to visit with Paul in person and to have our traditional Thanksgiving time together.

Thanksgiving Surprise!

2006-11-23T22:52:00.000-06:00

I went to bed on Tuesday evening suffering from the start of a mild flu bug...I awoke on Wednesday still feeling ill and having suffered from a headache all night, and told Rusty he would need to get the kids off for school and promptly took 4 ibuprofrin and a migraine tablet and headed back to bed. As Rusty began getting up and ready I heard the front door open and wondered who was going outside...I heard the door again and decided to get up and check it out.

As I walked down the hall I saw Timothy say something to someone who ducked into the kitchen. Thinking that Jarid had dropped by after work (knowing he was to come over before noon I thought maybe he wanted to see Tim before school) I walked into the kitchen to say hello...and was greeted by PAUL!

Yes, Paul totally surprised us all by planning to come home for Thanksgiving. The only person in the family he told was Timothy...and that was to make sure he let him into the house and had his bed cleaned off!

It has been wonderful to enjoy talking with Paul and having him home for a few days. (well, 2 so far.) He returns to school on Monday, but it has been great to see him.

Oh yes, much to the disagreement of others...I will not believe that BJU food is as bad as it sounds....Paul seems to be picking up weight just fine on it! I think he has also grown taller by a couple inches!

Welcome Home Paul! Thank you for the great surprise! I will enjoy our traditional after thanksgiving shopping trip in the morning.

WOW! what a difference!

2006-11-03T13:50:00.000-06:00

Here it is...

We still have a few details to finish like triming the roofline, lights, numbers, aweing, and sign...but the building looks totally different from what it did on Monday.

Dated to WOW!

2006-11-02T20:38:00.000-06:00

It has been some time since I have updated you about Kids 4 Truth and my family. The main reason is because we have been extremely busy with the start of the curriculum year. We praise the Lord for the many new churches who have decided to begin using Kids 4 Truth.

The second reason...I have been helping Bob and Sarah with wedding plans:-) I really appreciate their allowing me to help. Read about their special engagement day at: http://www.kids4truth.com/bobsblog/A+Really+Really+Really+BIG+Personal+Announcement.aspx.

However, it is time to give you an update of what is going on around the K4T office. So, with great praise to the Lord we share how our building is going from dated to WOW! We are told that the refacing work will be completed tomorrow. After that we add the aweing, sign, address numbers, and mailbox. Praise the Lord for the way He has directed in not only giving us this new office building to rent, but also making it look so spectacular! Please rejoice and give praise to God with us. I will post another photo this weekend so you can see the completion of the refacing.

New Door and Windows

2006-09-21T08:56:00.000-05:00

We are making progress on the outside of the building. Tuesday, September 19 was a noisey one around the office as we received our new door and windows.

Our next steps will be the electrician for the outdoor lighting and the stucco. It is exciting to watch everything come together to make this building a sharp representation of our ministry.

Bob mentioned in his blog that the best changes happen from the inside out. I have thought about this statement over and over for the past few weeks...and it is very true. In our Christian life...as we allow the Lord to change us - change our heart, mind, thoughts, and actions - we become more pleasing and beautiful. I am not speaking of an outward beauty but of the inward beauty. However, how often does that inward beauty reflect on the outside...we begin to smile more, we are at peace with God and others, the worry and concern that showed upon our face before...has changed to a peace and contentment. I know that I want my life to reflect Christ in it...from the inside out!

20 Wonderful Years!

2006-09-20T17:34:00.000-05:00

Today Rusty and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. It has been a wonderful 20 years and I look forward to at least 40 more years with Rusty.

Last night I spent a few minutes looking through the wedding albumn and shared some photos today with those in the office. It was neat to think back to our wedding day. I thought you might want to see a couple photos from our special day.

God has been so good to us by blessing us in so many ways. He has given us five wonderful children who love and desire to serve Him. He has provided a house, vehicles, and every financial need we have had. We have never been without a meal and although it has been tight at times the bills have always been paid on time.

So today I am praising God for what He has done for us. For the blessing, joy & happiness of giving me Rusty and our family.

Rusty, my love, I praise God for giving you to me. I love you dearly and am so happy that we have each other.

1st Annual Executive BrainBurner Retreat

2006-09-17T22:20:00.000-05:00

Imagine this...6 of the 8 team members sitting around each holding a laptop and making plans for the K4T ministry. The backdrop is a beautiful lake, and most sessions take place on a beautiful screened in deck. The team has a unified purpose of determining what God has for the K4T ministry. Each member ensuring that plans are in line with our mission statement.

For some time we have talked of an executive team retreat. A time for us to reflect on where we have been, what we are doing, plan for the future, a time to build closer friendships, and a time to relax. Unfortunately, two of our members were unable to attend, but rest assured we will provide them with detailed notes and updates. They were missed, but we all understood why they could not attend.

We want to thank our hosts for the weekend: Dennis & Stella Gillen. They graciously opened and welcomed us into their house, provided refreshments, lunch, and provided some much needed relaxation and fun yesterday afternoon.

The weekend began on Friday evening as we departed Blue Springs and headed to the lake (a short 3 hour trip away). We stopped along the way in Sedelia for supper and were provided with an icecream social when we arrived at the Gillens. Then we had the first of five brainstorm sessions. (The first session each day began with a devotional by Bob and time to discuss the scriptures together and pray that God would use it in our lives. What a wonderful privilege it was to open God's Word together and apply it to our lives and ministry.)

Saturday we had sessions from 9 to 3 pm breaking for a short lunch break of grilled hamburgers with the works. Then it was time for some fun on the lake. We won't post photos of the lake, but we will say there was a lot of fun and excitement. I tried several new things like kneeboarding, jet sking, and tubing. I enjoyed it all...and have the battle scars, sore muscles, photos, and two movies to prove it to our children. We concluded the day with a Version 1 Celebration Dinner at Michaels on the Lake. What a beautiful night to celebrate together what God has done this past year.

Today it was raining so we moved our sessions indoors. We all sat around the dining room table with laptops and cords everywhere. We began sessions at 9 am with a Bible Study together. We met until 12:30 when we broke for lunch. We took our hosts out to lunch at their favorite restaurant and then resumed our sessions at 2:15....and met until about 4:30ish. We quickly packed the vans and were on our way home. We arrived back in KC about 8:30 this evening.

We praise the Lord for the progress that was made this weekend. Everyone has set goals to be working on and a renewed focus of their role in meeting our goals and objectives for the year. We have determined that it is important for us to get away and focus on the ministry this way and that we will definitely plan to make this an annual event.

Timothy, Peter, Andrew, and Arrena: thank you for understanding the importance of this retreat and for being responsible enough for daddy and I to leave you for the weekend. We love you greatly and are proud of each of you.

Refacing Work Begins

2006-09-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

Saturday the physical work began on the refacing of the Kids 4 Truth Office.

We would like to take a minute to thank Dennis Gillen, Dennis Hodges, Brian Bear, and Rob Gillen the office looks so much different than it did on Friday night when we left. The outside already looks better and we are excited to see the "new look".

Watch in the coming days & weeks for more updates. It is exciting to see the K4T look/feel coming to the outside of the building.

TCCS resumes

2006-09-05T10:18:00.000-05:00

The kids went back to school this morning. For the first year...Paul was not with them and I was not taking them. Timothy drove them all in the "teenager's car".

Timothy is a junior this year. He plans to be a teacher's cadet for Pastor Kevin Williams, and has a full schedule with school, volunteer work for K4T, and work. He will be on the Senior High Bible Quiz team as he met his goal and has his verses memorized on time.

Peter is already a freshman! How did my "little Peter" grow up so fast. Peter should also make the Senior High Bible Quiz team today. He also met the goal of having that completed today.

Andrew is now in 7th grade and looking forward to junior high this year. He has matured so much this year. He is a personality mix of both Timothy and Peter.

Arrena Jeanette is already in 4th grade. I went by her classroom this morning...and she already had her morning work completed before school even started! Her teacher was pleasantly pleased. She was sitting there reading one of her textbooks. She is looking forward to completing in MAACS regional competition this year. She plans to enter in piano, Bible Quizzing, and several accedemic areas.

Wonderful News!

2006-08-31T12:31:00.000-05:00

I just received the most wonderful news and I am literally busting to tell you all! God has answered some of our prayers regarding Timothy’s accident.

The insurance company just called me. They have made a very rare ruling in our case. They have determined that there is more than sufficient evidence that this accident was a “NOT at fault accident.” However, because there is not another vehicle and because they do not want us to have difficulty by them not paying the claim from the driver Timothy hit…they will pay for the damages and medical expenses of the driver Timothy hit. However, they are listing the accident as a “NOT at fault accident” which means Timothy’s insurance rates will NOT go up.

They said that it is extremely rare for them to make a ruling like this. However, they cannot deny the physical evidence on the car and the photos they took definitely show this evidence. The insurance adjuster in charge of the case said the onsite adjuster called her up telling her she “had to see” these photos…”this kid was definitely hit by another vehicle”. They took the evidence of both testimony and photos to the managers who ruled in Timothy’s favor.

They have advised and recommended several things:
That Timothy is told that this accident was NOT his fault – there is more than sufficient evidence that someone definitely hit Timothy causing him to lose control of the suburban.
That we should definitely get a lawyer to fight Timothy’s ticket.
And…that they will provide a written testimony from the insurance adjuster that there is evidence that Timothy was hit.
And…that they will provide photos that they took to the lawyer to back up their statements.
And…that they will support us with testimony or whatever we need in fighting this (short of funds of course.)

Please continue to pray:
That we find a lawyer.
That we will know what to say and do regarding the ticket.
That God will continue to “do the impossible” regarding finances this wreck has caused.

Thank you for your prayers.

Paul settles in at BJU

2006-08-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

Paul arrived at college yesterday afternoon and immediately began unpacking. He is rooming with a lifelong friend, Tyler Dowland, and the RA for his floor, Peter Warde. I guess Paul won't have trouble remembering Peter's name:-)

Paul has meetings today revolving around working on campus. He meets first with his supervisor and then with the general workers on campus meeting.

He is learning where everything is on campus, when meals are served, etc.

As you see...he looks very happy and is getting settled nicely.

Paul, we are praying for you.

Paul leaves for BJU

2006-08-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

Well...it is hard to believe that the summer is over and it is already time to say "good bye" to Paul. Actually, it is hard to believe that Paul has been with us for 18.5 years and is off to college already. Where did the years go? The last I remember he was laying on my chest, standing on my lap, and standing in his walker (his favorite as a baby). Now, he is a grown man...and off to prepare to serve the Lord!

Paul & Marilyn Hays were gracious and kind to rent a van and take a group of 5 college students to BJU. Paul has a seat to himself as he is the only guy besides Paul Hays on the van:-) The van was absolutely packed to the ceiling and the kids don't have much room to move around...but everything fit!

Our dearest Paul, we are so proud of the young man God has graciously allowed you to become. We are humbled to see your servant's spirit, loving heart, and tenderness to God's leading in your life. Remember your promise to me to allow God to work in your life while you are away from us. You know that has always been my rule and will remain my rule until the day I meet my Savior face to face. Study hard, give your best to our Lord, get involved in a local church, take time to enjoy college life, and e-mail or call often. We love you dearly and look forward to seeing you in a few short months.

Momma's got a new ride

2006-08-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

Well...I guess it is obvious that we needed a new car after Friday night. Saturday the Lord led us to a "new to us car". We were able to purchase a 1999 Astro Van to replace the suburban. I have driven it to the airport twice this week so it has received quite the workout.

So far...I like it. It seems to have room for everyone plus the things we need to take with us. The previous owners did a nice job of taking care of the car both inside and outside and added many extra features like remote door locks and starters. While these are not necessarily items we looked for when looking for a car they are neat features to have. I am enjoying driving around in a "little smaller" vehicle.

Peter has taken on the responsibility of transferring the 40 gallons of gasoline out of the suburban and into the other three cars. This has been a slow process for him and he has been bitten by many bugs in the process. Thank you, Peter, for doing your part!

So...we are calling this "Momma's car". Timothy has claimed the GEO as Paul will be going away to college next Thursday. Rusty has the fiero...which only he can drive (someday, I must learn to drive that car!) The Astro Van has been getting about 16.9 miles per gallon of gas which is much better than the 11 miles per gallon that the suburban was getting.

God's protection over Timothy!

2006-08-14T23:18:00.000-05:00

We praise the Lord for His protection over Timothy. Friday at 11:15 pm Timothy was coming home on I70 when the suburban went out of control and struck the concrete barrier dividing east and west bound traffic squarely head on and then slid around 180 degrees to face sideways on the interstate. It was a scary ride for Timothy and it is hard to believe that Timothy came out of this accident with only minor bruising to his face (where he hit the steering wheel), a bruised shoulder, sore neck and shoulder muscles, and a couple small cuts on the knee.

Timothy couldn't believe it when the police officer asked him if he had his seatbelt on as he doesn't think he would be alive if he hadn't had his seatbelt on.

The more we see the car (yes, it is sitting in the driveway), look at photos, or talk to people about the accident the more grateful and thankful we are to God. We know that Timothy's life was spared on Friday night. God has something special for Timothy to do and it was not his time to go home. For that, we thank and praise God.

At this time we do not really know what happened. The damage and marking on the car to the initial area where the car was hit does not measure up with the conclusion that was decided upon on Friday night in the dark. Therefore, we do not know what will be the outcome of this wreck as at this time only God really knows what happened on I70 between the three cars/trucks that were in that area. We pray that the insurance, police, and cameras that record highway activity will be able to determine what really happened. Please pray for us as this is resolved. If Timothy was not the cause for this accident, please pray that the ticket will be dropped.

If you happen by I70 and the 291 interchange...you will still find black tire rubber on the concrete barrier. As you see that, please remember to thank God for not only Timothy's life but also the lives of those you love. Take a few extra minutes to Thank God for those He has placed in your life: family, friends, work associates, and neighbors. Take the time to share God's Gift of Salvation to your loved ones and neighbors. You never know when your last opportunity to share the TRUTH of God's Word will be.

Showers of Blessings!

2006-07-10T07:33:00.000-05:00

Friday night the Kids 4 Truth Ladies and a few others celebrated the arrival of Erika Elizabeth Gillen to the Gillen home. What a fun and relaxing time to celebrate with these ladies. We enjoyed dinner, fellowship, and giving Julie and Erika gifts to celebrate her arrival.

The living room was full with the following ladies: Julie, Erika, Adele Roberts, Arlene Jones, Debbie Gillen, Grace Gillen, Addy Forrest, Leah Forrest, Jill Hawkins, Grace Hawkins, Susan Wilson, Glenda Howerton, Amy Campa, Arrena Ralph, and myself. My boys couldn't contain themselves and Peter and Andrew came in to join and watch several times! They were so excited to see Erika in person. We tried to include Joy via telephone, but alas, it didn't work...Joy...we missed you!

It is exciting to celebrate the adoption of Erika. As we reflect on God's Goodness to give Erika to the Gillens it causes us to reflect and remember His Goodness in adopting us as His Children and into the Family of God! Praise the Lord for His saving Grace.

In Mexico...

2006-07-10T07:28:00.000-05:00

Timothy, Lynnae, and about 50 others from the youth department are in Mexico this week. They went on working missions trip with Oremundo Ministries the ministry that my brother Russell works with. We are excited about the opportunities God will give them this week to serve and glorify Him.

They plan to do some work projects for the churches in Monterea, Mexico and also some VBS work. Timothy packed along his animal balloons and other "kid magnet" toys to use with the children there. He was excited to go minister with these children.

Please pray that God will give protection to the group and work in the lives of these teens as well as to those they minister with and to.

Welcome Home Erika!

2006-07-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to welcome Erika Elizabeth Gillen home to the KC area! This is a day we have all prayed and longed for and now it has become reality. By the time I post this email the airplane will have landed at KCI and Erika will be greeted by Nana and Papa Gillen and Mr. Big Bob! I don't know if anyone else will be there, but I am sure there will be loads of smiles and cheers of welcome!

We enjoyed preparing the house for Erika's homecoming. We put balloons and streamers out front and a huge sign on the garage door. It is a windy night, so I hope it stays long enough for Rob and Julie to see it!

Welcome home, Erika! Welcome to our lives and hearts. We already love you and pray for you! May God richly bless you as your parents raise you to serve Him.

Congratulations to the Gillens!

2006-06-27T20:37:00.000-05:00

Today is "Gotcha Day!" for Rob and Julie Gillen (http://gillenfamily.net/robandjulie/) as they officially received their daughter Erika Elizabeth. We are so very excited for the little girl God has given to them to raise for His glory and honor. Erika has a wonderful example to follow of parents who not only love God but are also willing to serve God with their time, talents, and treasures.

Rob and Julie,
May God richly bless you as you raise Erika to serve Him. May she early in life see her need for the Savior and personally receive His free gift of salvation. May she desire to serve our Lord with her entire life. May your home be full of blessings, happiness, and love that God gives to those who follow Him.

Christian Camps

2006-06-25T20:57:00.000-05:00

Some of you have probably wondered why I have not been online much the past two weeks, or why I have been slow to answer e-mails or telephone calls. Well, the answer is a two part answer... #1 - we have been gone to two weeks of camp at two different Christian camps. #2 - my computer died just as we were leaving town for the first week of camp. We believe we have a solution for getting it fixed at a somewhat reasonable rate, but please pray that this solution works as I am currently "borrowing" a laptop from my husband and using external hard drives to house my many files.

If you have never had the opportunity to visit a Christian Camp, I encourage you to take a group of children or teens to a week of camp. Rusty and I highly recommend The WILDS Christian Camp in Brevard, NC or Southland Christian Camp in Ringgold, LA.

For the past five years Rusty and I have had the privilege of taking the junior children from Tri-City to Junior Camp at Southland Christian Camp on behalf of Kids 4 Truth International. It is a joy and privelege that we do not take lightly. It is a blessing to watch God work in the lives of the children and to concentrate on praying for and loving the children during the week of camp.
Rusty has also been driving buses to camp for the junior and senior high camping trips for Tri-City for the past few years.

This year the two weeks of camp backed each other. And...this year...we decided that we would go on both camp trips.

So...June 11-17, we took 33 junior campers(4th - 6th graders), 6 assistant counselors, 6 sponsors, and one toddler to Southland Christian Camp for a week of Junior Camp. We saw 8 children from our group accept the Lord or receive assurrance of salvation and 16 other decisions from dealing with anger, lying, to surrender to the Lord for full-time Christian service. The trip to Southland takes approximately 14 hours and Rusty and I both drove vehicles (Rusty a bus and me a van).

Saturday, June 17 was an insane day as we tried to save everything from my computer's hard drive to an external hard drive (protecting the computer's hard drive for when my computer is fixed), catching a few hours sleep after driving through the night, washing laundry for 6 people (well make it 7!), and then repacking to leave the next day on the next trip.

Sunday, June 18-Saturday, June 23, we went to The WILDS Christian camp (an 18+ hour trip). Rusty drove a bus and this time I tried to sleep on a bus. (Hey, I actually slept both ways! This is very rare for me - thank you for those who prayed for me.) We enjoyed visiting the camp that we have heard so much about and worked with as Bob Roberts spends no less than 4 weeks at the WILDS each summer. We enjoyed listening to Bob speak to the Junior Boot Campers, walking around the camp, hiking to the 4th falls, I rode the giant swing and land trolly, and visiting with churches. Thursday, we spent the day in Greenville, SC meeting with churches from 9 am to 4:30 pm, stopped by BJU - said Hi to Eileen Berry!, visited my brother Ron and family, and visited our very dear friends Tito and Milly Noel. We got back to the camp at 11:55 pm after leaving at 7 am! What a full day it was. Needless to say....I skipped breakfast on Friday to get an extra hour of sleep.

So for the past two weeks we have been at Christian Camps with the juniors and then the teens. What a blessing it has been to watch God work in the lives of these children and teens. I will be honest with you - we are worn out! Driving two back to back trips like these is absolutely insane! But, I will say it was/is all worth it!

God blessed both trips with not only decisions from the children and teens, but also by giving us the opportunity to speak to many churches about the Kids 4 Truth Clubs and Curriculum. I was able to personally train a couple of churches at both Southland and the WILDS. I was also able to talk to several churches about the flexibility of Kids 4 Truth and what we teach and why we teach it. Many of these churches are considering using Kids 4 Truth in the future.

I know I normally post pictures with every post. I have all of my photos saved on Rusty's laptop (no, not the one I am borrowing, but his computer) so I will try to add some photos to this post later.

A special thank you to all of those who prayed for us while we were away. And special thank you to Julie for helping me out with telephone messages, office info, computer stuff, and all with my computer being out of service. (sorry I couldn't tell you goodbye in person before you left to pick up Erika, but know our prayers are with you & Rob as you are away.)

Paul Graduates as Salutatorian!

2006-05-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Paul graduated Tri-City Christian school as Salutatorian! We are very proud of his accomplishments. However, we are more excited over the award he received on Friday night during the awards ceremony. Paul received the Servant Spirit Award. This award is presented to the Junior or Senior that displays the most Christ-like servant spirit. Rusty and I want our children to be servants of Christ...whether it is in full-time or as a layman all of us should be servants of Christ FULL TIME.

We are told that the difference between Salutatorian and Valivictorian was hundreths of a point apart...which is amazing for all the activities Paul has been involved in. Paul has worked two jobs: Sonic and Kids 4 Truth Intern, been involved in school as varsity basketball manager, Tri-Citians, Bible Quizzing, Choir, Band, Handbells, MAACS fine Arts competitions such as acedemic testing in advanced math, english, and physics, Art: regional calligraphy piece (yes, his cousin beat him this year), computer testing, computer Graphic testing, and Handbell ensemble. This year he placed in several areas on the regional level. On the national level he placed in several group activities including Tri-Citians taking 1st place in the nation for vocal ensemble. Paul has had a full highschool career.

Paul's plans for the future include going to BJU this fall and majoring in Information Systems Management (computers) and minor in business. He would like to work in the ministry full-time in the future in the field of computers and graphic art.

This summer Paul will continue to work at sonic and for Kids 4 Truth as an intern. He will continue to work with Kids 4 Truth to get the curriculum into several Bible versions (KJV, NASB, ESV, and NKJV).

Paul, we are very proud of you and your love for the Lord. You have a submissive spirit not only to your parents but especially to your Lord. Your desire to serve the Lord using the talents God has given you brings glory to God and pleasure to your parents.

A Mother's Day...picture perfect.

2006-05-13T23:53:00.000-05:00

Saturday, we were finishing up some Mother's Day gifts for our mothers. I wanted some new photos of the children to put with the gifts...Arrena Jeanette gave us a couple of Picture Perfect photos...at least for the look/feel I wanted.

To our mothers...Thank you for the example you are to us. Thank you for not only your love for us, but also your love for our Lord. Thank you for your generosity, caring, understanding, patience, endurance, and unconditional love.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day! We love you!

Paul's final High School Concert

2006-05-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

Well, the school year is closing out. Tuesday night we attended the High School Spring Concert. It is, of course, Paul's final High School program/concert. Pictured here you can see the senior high choir. Paul is the third guy on the right on the top row, and Timothy is the first guy on the right on the front row.

Our guys were in several things:
Paul: Sr. High Band, Sr. High Handbell Choir, Sr. High Handbell Ensemble, Senior High Choir, and Tri-Citians.
Timothy: Sr. High Handbell Choir and Senior High Choir.
Peter: Junior High Choir

Great Job Guys!

"I can see"

2006-05-11T22:09:00.000-05:00

A little over a month ago...Andrew came to me and told he was having difficulties seeing in class. Andrew rarely complains and asks for things, so I decided I had better get him into the eye doctor. Of course, then he tells me that he has to get up from his chair in class to see the white board...I think "this kid is blind." Well, sure enough it was verified as I watched him take his eye exam. While he is not as bad as Paul - who can't even read the big "E" on the eye chart - he cannot read words at 20/70! So...glasses it is!

Andrew wanted one thing for his glasses. He wanted RED glasses. Yes, I said RED. Of course, my new glasses are red so I told him he just wanted to match his momma!

So...we thought you would like to see the boy who can now see the pictures across the room.

K4T Year End Awards Night - Eagle Heights

2006-05-11T21:48:00.000-05:00

Last night we had the privilege of attending the Kids 4 Truth Year End Awards Night at Eagle Heights. It is a joy and blessing to get to watch the children receive an award for the work they did all year. Bob delivered a message on Psalm 78, how the children earned these awards, and a taste of what is coming soon with K4T.

One of the joys of being in the ministry is the people you run into who are serving the Lord. Pictured here are several people who are "special" to me. In the top right photo is a woman, Karen, who my husband rode to college with the first year or two he was at BJU...she is one of the small group leaders at Eagle Heights. Her daughter is the second on on the right in the bottom left photo. Her daughter won the "Diamond Award" which means she earned every award possible for her TruthBook this year.

Finally, the young lady on the bottom right is the daughter of a friend of mine. Her mother, Crystal, went to TCCS with me from 5th to 8th grade. We were very good friends back then. She, of course, is now married with three children who are all in the Kids 4 Truth program at Eagle Heights. Her daughter won the "Gold Award" and is proudly displaying her Kids 4 Truth Gold Year End Pin on her standard. Crystal and her husband work in the Kids 4 Truth Program at Eagle Heights as well. She works with one of the small groups and her husband is in charge of the GYM time.

To those at Eagle Heights: Thank you for inviting us to attend your special night. We are pleased with the progress your children has made and the great work you are doing with your club. We love visiting your club!

Julie moves in!

2006-05-02T10:22:00.000-05:00

Julie has "officially" moved into the office. Last week Bob and his dad made several trips to the office with the inventory. This weekend, because of a donation, Rob and Julie were able to purchase some shelving and storage bins for some of the inventory. As you can tell the space is filling up real quickly. Therefore, we are praying for another donation so that we can purchase the remainder of the shelves we need to finish the job.

This month we expect to receive the year-end award pins and certificates and next month we will begin receiving supplies for this fall. This includes 6000 standards, many award patches, and the new TruthBooks. Therefore, the need for storage is vital as we will need a place to put all of the inventory.

We praise the Lord for how He continue to provide for the needs of Kids 4 Truth. It is a blessing to watch God provide for His ministry.

Arrena plays in Honors Concert

2006-05-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, April 29, Arrena played in an Honors Concert that her piano teacher had for her students. She played in a double piano duet (4 people playing the same piano duet at the same time on two pianos). She had the privilege of playing with her teacher and her daughter, Ann & Ashley King, and a friend from school, Becca Codemo.

Shown here you see Arrena & Ashley on one piano and Ann & Becca on the other piano. They did a very good job and we are proud of them.

Great work ladies!

#1 in the Nation!

2006-04-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

Meet my niece, Lynnae. She is 17 and has just won 1st place at National competition (America Association of Christian Schools) in calligraphy. Lynnae did a beautiful piece for a friend who is getting married this summer. Lynnae and Paul have been rivals the past few years beginning several years ago when they tied for 1st and continuing with one or the other taking 1st every other year. She beat Paul out both last year and this year...and yes, she deserved it! Lynnae has a beautiful, effortless calligraphy feel and style that is just absolutely beautiful to look at. She definitely deserves her first place and I am very proud of her for her dedicated work in calligraphy. Calligraphy is something she does constantly...not just for competition...and it shows in her work. She truely enjoys her art and it is quite the work of art. She definely has "RAYMER" in her blood! Congratulations Lynnae!

Happy 16th Birthday, Timothy!

2006-04-25T17:25:00.000-05:00

Happy 16th Birthday, Timothy! and .... Congratulations on getting your drivers license! Timothy took his test during his lunch hour yesterday and passed! He wants to drive home from work solo tonight. It will be interesting to see if Rusty says "yes".

Timothy is a fun loving young man who desires to please the Lord with his life. He has a desire and talent to teach children the truth of God's Word. He believes that God is calling him to be a children's pastor or evangelist...and we can see that God is preparing him for future service.

Life is never boring with Timothy around! He makes you laugh, smile, and cry. He loves people and loves life. He works for Subway...making sandwiches. He enjoys working in the bus ministry, puppets, children's church, and youth choir at church. He is a joy and blessing to our home and a real help to me. Happy Birthday, my Timotheus Russell!

Happy 18th Birthday Paul!

2006-04-25T17:06:00.000-05:00

Last week Paul celebrated his 18th birthday. It is hard to believe that he is already 18 and about to leave home for college. Next year Paul plans to attend Bob Jones University and major in Information Systems Management (computers) and minor in business. He will graduate from Tri-City Christian school on Saturday, May 27.

Paul enjoys anything computer/techie related, plays several instruments including the french horn, guitar, bass, mandolin, and dulcimer. He is well on his way of following in my father's footsteps. He works for both Sonic and Kids 4 Truth...so he keeps real busy. He is a quiet young man who desires to please the Lord. He is truly a blessing to our family. We love you, Paul!

Gotta love technology!

2006-04-05T20:35:00.000-05:00

I love the phone system for the new office! It has some absolutely wonderful features I know I am going to enjoy using. In fact, it is very tempting to switch to this for my home telephone system...only we don't get too many calls at home.

We decided that it would be wise to use a Vonage line (IP) for the new office. This system allows voicemail to be delivered directly to my computer - it includes the caller's phone number (thanks to caller id), time of the call, and a recording of the call. This is great because I can forward the message to the person it belongs to or actually catch a phone number -- because it comes to me listed in the email -- when a person is hard to understand on the voicemail message.

Other features I am going to love are call transfers and call forwarding. I can actually transfer a call to Joy in Rockford, IL, Bob when he is out of town, or Julie when she is working from home without the caller ever realizing we are not in the same office. I can set my phone to forward to another phone like my cell phone or home phone when I am working from home or at another location.

Moving IN!

2006-04-05T20:28:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy week of moving furniture and boxes and we have only begun.

Bob's office and my office is "basically" set up the way will will have it with furniture. However, we still have books to bring over and put into the bookcases.

Julie's office has a long ways yet...as we have not started in there yet. We are waiting for the inventory storage space to be ready so that we can organize her storage and office.

We are still working to set up the internet service (waiting on the cable company) and the network. Lanier is working to get our printer up and running (THANK YOU, Jamie!).

Currently we are officing from both the old and new location...as most of my office has moved over but we need internet connectivity to ship packages, etc. Soon we will transfer our UPS service to the new location - probably start that next week. If you are trying to reach us, please use the new phone numbers listed on the EquipU and main website.

Tri-Citians prepare for ministry trip

2006-04-05T20:23:00.000-05:00

Sunday night the Tri-Citians (small senior high ensemble) sang in the evening service at Tri-City. They did a wonderful job of sharing testimonies and singing for the Glory of God.

Paul, our oldest and a senior, is in his second year in the ensemble. This is a special group that you must audition for and only a few are selected. He also surprised us with a duet that he and Tyler sang together throughout most of the men's group song.

Please pray for the group as they are on a ministry trip today through Monday. They will be back just a few days before heading out to nationals at BJU.

Kitchenette has doors

2006-04-01T20:09:00.000-06:00

Today Rusty finished the kitchenette cabinet doors. We needed to put louvers on the front of the kitchenette since the cold air return is behind the cabinet. This is the final item that needed to be done before we can totally pass final inspection. We will call for final inspection next week. We are looking forward to removing the building permit sign and know we have full occapancy.

Today was also the annual face to face board meeting. Six of our eight board members were able to attend the meeting in person today. We held the board meeting at the new office using folding chairs and tables. It was a blessing to be able to show the board members the new office and our plans for the facelift on the outside of the building. We appreciate the heart and part these men have for and with the Kids 4 Truth ministry.

Temporary Occapancy Permit!

2006-03-29T15:43:00.000-06:00

Today was the big day for the final inspection. We received a temporary occapancy permit and will receive final approval once the kitchenette has cabinet door fronts and we have a sign on the door stating that the door should remain unlocked during business hours.

After church tonight, Mike, will lay the carpet in Julie's office and piece in carpet where the countertop used to be in my office. Final touch-up of the paint was being done this afternoon.

We plan to move in next week. We are currently working on getting internet service - the cable companies are trying to decide whose territory we are in, working on stopping a small leak, installing the carpet, and cleaning the existing carpet.

Most of the current office is in boxes. So please remember Julie and I in your prayers that we will have patience and endurance to do our jobs as finding things sometimes takes a little time and patience right now. We praise the Lord for the work of volunteers over the past couple days to box up much of what is in the current office.

We passed! One more inspection!

2006-03-27T09:23:00.000-06:00

The finish line is even closer as I was just informed that we passed our over the ceiling inspection.

We plan to finish the final projects (ceiling tile and kitchenette) this evening. Then we should be ready for final inspection.

The finish line approaches!

2006-03-26T22:20:00.000-06:00

Almost there! This Saturday was a big work day. We had many hands involved in many of the finishing touches this weekend.

Our electrician finished the electrical work...someone even donated brand new lights to the office! That was a huge blessing and praise.

We worked to install the door handles, outlet covers, quarter round molding, blinds, heating coils, worked on the kitchenette, and many other projects that needed to be done before the final two inspections.

We praise the Lord for those who were able to come by and help this weekend. We had no less than 14 people helping this week alone!

Tomorrow we hope to pass the over the ceiling inspection. Tomorrow night we will install ceiling tile and finish the plumbing on the kitchenette and a couple other things that need finishing before we can pass final inspection. We will then call for final inspection.

It is exciting to be to this place. Please continue to pray as we finish this project. Pray that God continues to bless this work and ministry with the workers and funding needed to finish the task. Pray as we continue to work during the day on curriculum, training materials, and talk to churches who are considering using the Kids 4 Truth Curriculum. Pray that the move and transition into the new office will go smoothly, safely, and quickly.

Take it to MAACS!

2006-03-26T22:05:00.000-06:00

Well, I have to say that I am glad that MAACS (Mid America Association of Christian Schools) Regional competition is over with. It is always a stressful time of the year for us.

Last week Andrew participated in band, choir, and academics for the elementary MAACS regional competition.

This Thursday and Friday, Paul, Timothy, and Peter all competed. I have lost track of every area the three of them competed in. Peter was in topical preaching, Bible Quizzing, and choir. Timothy competed in handbells, choir, Bible Teaching, and Bible Quizzing. Paul was in academic testing, art (calligraphy), desktop publishing, Bible Quizzing, handbells, choir, band, and two ensembles.

Needless to say, the children are glad for spring break this week and so am I. Then Paul will go on the Tri-Citians tour. He and Tim will both go to Nationals the week of their birthdays. So both boys will be away for their 18th and 16th birthdays....Hey! would someone at BJU please make sure they get at least an icecream cone for their birthday!

Rusty with his dream erector set!

2006-03-18T20:27:00.000-06:00

Today we worked in the office:-) Rusty installed the sink and toilet and then assembled the ceiling grid with Bob's and my help.

Bob's parents did various jobs around the office as we all worked together finishing some of the jobs that were started this week but needed finishing.

Please pray as we continue to move ahead toward completion of this project.

Work continues

2006-03-17T22:02:00.000-06:00

Today work continued on the office. Ryan did a beautiful job trimming out the office. In fact, we were told that a man came by and offered Ryan a trimming job! Great work Ryan!

We still have much work to do. Tomorrow we will continue the tasks begun this week.

Please pray for Gary and Ryan as they drive home tonight.

Coming together!

2006-03-16T20:06:00.000-06:00

We have watched the project come so far, but yet there is still so much to do.

Last night Gary and Ryan Leffler came to town to help with some of the work that remains. Today they worked with Ralph Roberts and Darrell Morris to begin trim work, hanging doors, and installing the ceiling grid. We praise the Lord for the work these men accomplished today. They will continue the job tomorrow.

Please pray as we all continue to work together to get the job done and get moved into the new office. Pray that the last two inspections go well.
Thank you guys for your hard work!

Wow! Look, we have PAINTED walls!

2006-03-14T19:01:00.000-06:00

Things continue to move ahead. Today Dave Welshans painted the walls in the office. The walls look absolutely wonderful! Great job!

For those who would like to know the colors of our walls we used the following Ralph Lauren colors:
Bob's & Julie's offices: NA69 - light taupe
My office: NA65 - medium taupe
Bathroom: VM173 - dusty plum

Tomorrow Dave will paint the doors and trim. The walls will look great with the white doors, cabinets, and trim.

Gary is coming in town to help this week. He plans to help with many of the finishing touches we have yet to do. We appreciate his heart and willingness to take of his time and energy to help with this project.

Priming done...on to painting!

2006-03-13T17:46:00.000-06:00

Julie, Arrena, and I went over to the office after school today. The office is now completely primed and ready for painting. It looks great now, but we can't wait to see the paint we choose on the walls. So....I imagine that another trip is in order for tomorrow:-)

It is exciting to see the project nearing completion.

Open House - May 6 (12-4 pm)

2006-03-11T18:23:00.000-06:00

You are invited to attend the Kids 4 Truth open house at our new office on Saturday, May 6 from 12 to 4 pm. We invite everyone to join us in a celebration over what God has done and how God is using Kids 4 Truth International.

Ready to paint!

2006-03-11T18:16:00.000-06:00

Today Jeff Campa and Chad Christensen textured the walls in the office. They used process called "knockdown" and the walls are very nicely textured. We praise the Lord that the Jeff and the Christensen's own the sprayers and have done this professionally many times. What a blessing this is and what a wonderful touch to the new office.

Next week, Dave Welshans will paint the walls and the men will hang the ceiling grids and lights.

We still have several steps including painting, ceiling grid, electrical finish, trim, plumbing, and installing the ceiling tiles. During this process we have 2 inspections to pass...an above the ceiling inspection and I believe the final inspection for permission to occupy.

Please continue to pray that we will be able to move in the last week of the month. It will be spring break here and that means extra hands will be available for the move.

New Office Update

2006-03-07T18:28:00.000-06:00

Things at the new office continue to move ahead. It is coming together and getting closer to move-in day every day.

Last night Bob C. finished mudding the wall. He will go back later this week and finish sanding the wall. I am told that the walls and ceilings will be textured on Saturday. Rob and Brian Bear have been able to finish firewall, so it is ready for the firewall inspection.

Painting will begin on Monday, and once again like everything else God has provided a professional to volunteer his time and services. We praise the Lord for how He has provided the people to do the work of this project.

Next, the men will begin the grid work for the ceiling, finish the plumbing, work on trimming out the office, install the flooring, finish the electrical work & lights, and install the ceiling tiles. We have two more inspections which will take place between now and the time we can move in.

We are pressing ahead and look forward to updating you next week with photos as the office looks the same as the photos last week. If all goes well we will plan to move in the end of the month.

On May 6th we will celebrate our move with an Open House. We invite everyone to attend! Come, Rejoice with us over what God has done.

A Family Together!

2006-03-07T18:08:00.000-06:00

Some of our closest friends are the Kids 4 Truth Team Members. I guess when you share a vision and goal it is only natural that you gravitate towards each other. You rejoice when they rejoice, weep when they weep, and pray when they pray. It seems as though we all become one big happy family:-) and we like it that way!

So...meet our newest "family" member: Erika Elizabeth Gillen! Rob and Julie are being blessed with the privilege of adding Erika Elizabeth to their family. This week they have the awesome experience of visiting her and holding her for the first time. Even though I have had the privilege of holding each of my children for the first time right after they were born, I don't believe I will ever truly grasp how it must feel to hold the child you have chosen to adopt into your family for the first time. What a marvelous blessing it is that God allows some of us to have children naturally and others to be able to adopt children who have no home. What a wonderful example of God's unconditional love for us when any of us add children to our home. We love our children unconditionally just as God loves us unconditionally.

Rob and Julie...we rejoice with you. We shed tears of grateful praise and blessings to God for the great gift He is giving to you. May God continue to richly bless you as you raise Erika Eliabeth to serve Him. She has a wonderful gift from God of parents who are His true servants.

2005 Kids 4 Truth Award

2006-03-01T23:31:00.000-06:00

Meet Carrie! Carrie is the winner of the 2005 Kids 4 Truth Award at Tri-City Ministries. We were finally able to present to her the sword she earned for being the top 6th grader last curriculum year. Carrie not only finished her TruthBook but also memorized over 240 bonus questions and answers. Carrie kept both Bob and me busy providing her with the bonus questions and answers. She showed enthusiasm and a zeal for learning the Kids 4 Truth curriculum.

Carrie, you are a blessing and encouragement to us not only with your sweet attitude and love for God, but also with your love and zeal to learn God's Word through the Kids 4 Truth curriculum.

Bob presents K4T to TC

2006-03-01T23:26:00.000-06:00

Tonight Bob was able to present K4T to Tri-City Ministries, update the church on where we are at, thank the church for allowing us to lease offices in the past, and announce to the church that we are relocating our offices. We praise the Lord for the service in which we could do this.

Bob did an excellent job telling where we have been, what we are doing, where we are now, and why we believe teaching doctrine to children is important.

We praise the Lord for the work He has allowed us to do. We praise the Lord for the team He has put together to do the work of the ministry. We praise the Lord for HUGE part Tri-City ministries has had in the start up of Kids 4 Truth. We praise the Lord for all of the churches He has burdened to use Kids 4 Truth materials.

Joy visits the new office

2006-03-01T23:21:00.000-06:00

After being away for almost 2 months, Joy came into town today. We had a "girls lunch out" and then went to the new office to show Joy the progress that has been made.

Life is always fun when Joy is around...and she proved it once again today as she left notes on Julie's floor.

Welcome back to the K4T Headquarters, Joy! We LOVE having you around:-)

Drywall Taping Update

2006-02-27T10:13:00.000-06:00

We continue to move forward toward the completion of the remodel project. This past week/weekend much of the taping in the office was done by Bob Christensen. He will put a second coat on the wall and sand it before he is completed.

Rob plans to go out this week and work on the upper firewall portion.

It is exciting to hear the men talk about sanding, texturing, and painting now. It won't be long and the offices will be ready to be occupied. Please continue to pray for those who are volunteering their talents for this project.

We passed....inspection #2.

2006-02-22T22:05:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we passed inspection #2 which was the firewall inspection. Praise the Lord! The plan is for the taping and mudding of the drywall to begin tomorrow. Please pray for these men as they work in the building. Pray that God will richly bless them for the service they are doing for Him. We will try to post photos later this week of this phase of the project.

Ready to tape, texture, and paint!

2006-02-21T08:07:00.000-06:00

We are ready for the taping to begin. Last night the office was carefully cleaned and plastic laid out to cover all of the carpet. The carpet was laid in the office a couple months before we rented the office; therefore, we are taking steps to protect the carpet.

Please note… things are getting ready for mudding spraying… if you come to the office, please be very careful as there might be a lot on the floor that will follow you out the door. Also, the windows have been carefully covered with plastic… please do not remove the plastic until painting is completely done.

We are excited over what God is doing to give us this new office. The next couple steps will be done by professionals who are volunteering their time to help us because they love the Kids 4 Truth ministry. We greatly appreciate all those who have donated their time and labor.

Drywall is UP!

2006-02-18T21:00:00.000-06:00

Drywall is up! Today Brian Bear, Rob, Rusty and Bob all worked a long day to complete the job of hanging the drywall. They put in a long day, but got the job done. The firewall is ready for inspection, and we are ready to begin taping the walls.

The office really looks nice and you can "feel" the space we will have now that the walls are up. There is still much work to be done, but much has been accomplished in the past few weeks.

It is exciting to watch our dreams become a reality and know that we will all appreciate the office more after putting in the hours to get it ready.

So many have volunteered countless hours to make the office the nicest it can be. It is a joy to work with these humble servants of the Lord. They are using the talents and time God has done so that we can continue to do the work of the ministry.

We will continue to post updates as the taping, texturing, painting, ceilings, lighting/electricity, plumbing, trim, and moving are still ahead of us. We ask that you continue to pray for our strength, safety, and funding as we continue to work on the new building.

To all who have worked, to all who have prayed, to all who have contributed, and all who are friends of Kids 4 Truth a HUGE thank you! for your part in the Kids 4 Truth Ministry. We praise the Lord for you, and praise the LORD for what He has done. We look forward to seeing this project finished to the Glory of God.

Drywall going up!

2006-02-15T21:13:00.000-06:00

The guys accomplished much work this weekend. They were able to hang drywall on many of the walls - most of the firewall is completed with only piecing left to do on several walls.

I would guess that another good day like this past Saturday and the guys will have the drywall hung and ready for taping.

We praise the Lord for the men who have volunteered their time and talents to do the work in the office for us. This past weekend we had: Brian King, Brian Bear, Dan Nelson, Rusty and Rob all working together to accomplish the task. Great job guys!

International Reports - 2-14-06

2006-02-15T20:45:00.000-06:00

Sixth Grade International Reports were yesterday. Andrew teamed up with Spencer Rehn to do Italy. I thought they did a real nice job on their board and materials. They dressed the part of gondoliers to give their oral report.

This photo shows you how tall Andrew is getting to be. He is approximately 5'4" and is the second tallest in his class. I believe he is taller than his brothers were at this age. Although I must say both Paul and Timothy also passed me up their sixth grade years. Peter tried real hard, but had to wait to pass me up until his seventh grade year.

Happy Birthday Andrew!

2006-02-12T08:30:00.000-06:00

Today Andrew turns 12! It is hard to believe that we have had him for 12 years already. Andrew is quiet and reserved, but loves to work in the puppet ministry at church. He received a puppet and hoodie for Christmas this year. Since he wears his hoodie constantly, we thought he would like a hoodie for "Jim" (the puppet). It worked out perfectly that this morning the puppet ministry is doing puppets for the 3-4 year olds, so we gave it to him before church - something we never do. Andrew had a difficult time understanding why we would give him a hoodie that was too small for him. That is....until Peter brought him Jim. Then he knew immediately and was so pleased. Happy Birthday, Andrew! WE love you!

Happy Birthday, Julie!

2006-02-09T21:46:00.000-06:00

Tonight we surprised Julie with a birthday party. We were actually able to pull it off. We had a good time eating, talking, and playing games together. It was nice to be able to relax together. I meant to get several photos throughout the evening, but unfortunately, I had to leave early so I did not get the photos taken.

We were able to share several praises with each other...things we had not shared yet. We are amazed as we watch God provide for the Kids 4 Truth ministry. It truely is His Work and He is providing in so many unexpected ways. We praise the Lord for His Goodness!

Tri-Citians sing at Lee's Summit Bible Church

2006-02-08T22:20:00.000-06:00

Tonight we had the privilege of watching Paul minister with the Tri-Citians at Lee's Summit Bible Church. The teens did an excellent job praising God with their voices.

New Office Update - Insulation

2006-02-08T22:07:00.000-06:00

I found out this afternoon that Rob and Brian Bear worked last night and installed much of the insulation for the building. So....since we were in Lee's Summit tonight to watch Paul sing with the Tri-Citians at Lee's Summit Bible Church - we had to swing by and "check the mail" and take a few photos.

I also thought you would like to see the new door that Rob surprised me with on the workday. It is much nicer than the door that was originally in the building.

Our family!

2006-02-08T12:59:00.000-06:00

I thought you might enjoy the latest Ralph Family photo. It is hard to imagine that our children are getting this big. This was taken in January.

Paul = almost 18 - senior at TC
Timothy = almost 16 - sophomore at TC
Peter = 14 - 8th grader at TC
Andrew = 12 (well on Sunday he will be) - 6th grader at TC
Arrena Jeanette = 9 - 3rd grader at TC

A big hello from all of us!

We Passed! - Inspection 1.

2006-02-08T11:53:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we had our first remodeling inspection - the Rough In Inspection. We passed! Therefore, we can begin hanging drywall in the office. This weekend we will have a drywall workday at the office. Please keep the men in your prayers as the lift and hang the drywall into place.

We learned yesterday that we will have 4 inspections instead of 3. We will have a firewall drywall inspection before we can "mud" the firewall. This is to make sure that the firewall is correct before we get too far.

We will continue to update as we can.

Office Update...

2006-02-04T16:13:00.000-06:00

I cannot help but praise God over and over with how He is providing for our new office. I have always enjoyed watching God work, lead & direct, and provide for His Children and His Ministry. God has provided not only the materials for the project but also the workers to do the project. It is amazing to see the talents we already had within our ranks or those we know well. God is GOOD ALWAYS! not some of the time or just when things are going right, but ALWAYS:-) God always provides in His way and His timing, not man's. God's timing and way is always perfect.

I have been asked this week what is happening with the new office, and so I guess I should bring you up to speed:-) This week we have been planning and getting ready to do the electrical work.

I went out to the office on both Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, I met Ralph & Adele Roberts and Arlene Jones and we took everything out of the office with the exception of tools. That means, if you go by the office there are no chairs to sit in or drinks to be had...so better bring some along if you want either:-) They also did some yardwork in the side yard.

On Thursday, I met Ralph & Adele at the office. They had been doing more brush cleanup/pickup, and wanted to power-wash the gutters. It took some work, but Ralph was able to begin power-washing the gutters just enough to realize that he needed another man or two to help him. The gutters are so full of dirt that when the water hit the soil it created a dam effect. So he needs someone to prode it along while he directs the water. A third person would be helpful to carry the power-washer unit back and forth as those will only reach so far without having to get down off the ladder and move it. So, we will try it another warm day. Would you believe it was over 60 degrees on Thursday, Feb. 2nd? That is not typical KC winter weather. They were able to bring over the open trailer and pick up not only our brush pile but a good part of the neighbor's huge brush pile on the property line. We praise the Lord that the Roberts live out in the country and are able to burn much office tear out and brush. This saved us from having to pay to take this to the dump.

Today, Rob, Rusty and Dave Jaeger spent the day running the electrical wiring, network cables, and a little necessary plumbing. We should be ready for the rough in inspection (inspection 1 of 3) on Monday. After that...I understand that we will begin to hang dry wall...and that is when we can really see things happening.

Senior Parent Day Breakfast - 2006!

2006-01-27T20:08:00.000-06:00

Today was parent day at the school. The seniors hosted the 2nd annual parent's day breakfast as a fund raiser. Our children were happy to have Rusty attend this year. They are used to having me at events during the school day, but it was a special privilege to have their daddy attend one this year!

Paul served biscuits and gravy all morning and kept the line moving. Timothy was unable to come to breakfast due to play practice, but he and Lynnae skipped out of practice for a minute or two to say "hi" and get a photo with Rusty. Although you can barely see Peter in one of the shots, he was there...only he skipped out to be with friends as soon as he finished eating.

Marrena

New Office Update!

2006-01-27T19:14:00.000-06:00

It has been an exciting 2 weeks as we have worked on the office. A very special thanks to all of the volunteers who came out for our first office workday last Saturday. Thanks to the work done on the eveings and Saturday the new office is now framed in and ready for the electrican to do the electrical work.

Once we pass an electrical inspection, we will begin hanging the dry wall.

The pictures here give you an idea of the new office. A special thanks to Rob and Brian Bear for their many hours of work. And...thank you to Rusty for installing the new doorknob and locks.

Marrena

Here it is! New office.

2006-01-23T19:13:00.000-06:00

Well...here is the picture of the outside of our new office. We plan to do a facelift on the front of the building later this spring or early summer. The big window you see on the left is my office and the one on the right is Bob's office. The door has already been replaced with a new door. I will try to post an updated picture later.

Probably the next warm day we will powerwash the entire building. We also plan to clean up the yard on the east side of the building. The building faces south. There is loads of parking available on the north side of the building. The parking lot belongs to our building so we will not lack parking spaces. There is also parallel parking available on the street.

Office Workday - 1-21-06

2006-01-22T07:52:00.000-06:00

Yesterday when we arrived at the office there was a flury of activities happening. One could not help but notice how much had already been accomplished. There were two trucks and a trailer already full of trash and scraps. Everything that had been in the office was on the sidewalk outside the office. Things were organized in piles of trash or keep. Drinks were lined up along the wall within reach of the workers.

Upon arrival I started pots of coffee and water. It was a cool day and the workers were ready for some coffee to drink and a donut to eat. It didn't take long for those to be consumed and the workers to return to their tasks.

Rob Gillen has done an excellent job of organizing the tasks that need to happen. Drawing on past experience, he has been able to plan and organize the remodel project. He took me aside to bring me up to speed and show me a "special surpise" he had for me. There in the back where Julie's office will soon be was a stack of beautiful new doors. By watching the money carefully and finding good prices he had been able to get all new doors...including a new front door. How exciting that was! These beautiful new six panel doors will make a beautiful difference in the new office.

The day was full of activities including filling the holes in the brick wall, tearing off the rest of the old paneling and pegboard, removal of old ceilings, building new walls, fixing/fine tuning existing walls, cleaning, plumbing, and removal of old equipment. A delicious lunch was provided by Ina Gonzales and Ann King.

We had many people help us on this first workday. On behalf of the Kids 4 Truth Team I would like to thank the following people: Brian & Ann King and Daniel, Levi, Zachary, Ashley, and Valerie; Justin Wise; Brian & Autumn Bear and children; Rusty Ralph and Peter, Andrew, and Arrena; Ned & Ina Gonzales; and Ralph & Adele Roberts.

Cleaning up

2006-01-20T15:05:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took my children over to work in the new office for about an hour. We were on "trash duty" - meaning we were getting rid of the remodeling tear out. The children enjoyed working along with Ralph and Adele Roberts and filling up the trailer with old paneling, pegboard, and old boards. It was amazing how fast the trailer filled up.

Arrena had fun doing the job she has for Saturday (picking up nails). She counted over 80 nails that she picked up yesterday.

Peter and Andrew also had to get a head start on pulling the nails out of the 2x4s.

Timothy enjoyed looking around and took charge with Ralph on getting the trailer loaded and ready to roll down the road.

I guess I didn't prepare them well...I thought I had, but they were surprised when they saw the office. Of course, a gutted office always looks different from a finished office space:-)

I will post some photos of the office later, so that you can watch the progress. Thanks to Rob we are off to a real good start. He has the office ready for the work crew tomorrow and has his list of jobs to be done.

After we worked I took the kids to Pizza Street. One place I can afford to "fill up" my children...it takes alot of food to fill growing teens - especially teen boys! What am I saying...Arrena eats as much as her brothers:-)

I'll tell you all more later!

Someday....

2006-01-18T22:47:00.000-06:00

Well...maybe someday I will be as techie as some of my husband and closest friends. Until then...I am liable to go insane trying to figure out this devices that are supposed to help you publish these blogs and photos easily. If anyone knows how this Hello Picture thingie works...please tell me...I cannot seem to add a photo to my profile, but I can to my page. Imagine that!

Anyway...this is a blog page about my family and our ministry with Kids 4 Truth International (www.kids4truth.com). On this page we will share some of the things the Rusty, the children, and I are doing to minister with Kids 4 Truth.

The children are excited to see the office space for the first time tomorrow. Paul will be out of town on a sports trip so he will miss the first job they get to help with. Tomorrow they will help load a trailer with scrap wood to be taken off and burned.

Saturday is the first official workday at the new office building.

Peter and Andrew will have the job of pulling all of the old nails out of the walls and making sure that the 2x4s are ready for the sheetrock.
Arrena will pick up the nails off of the floor so that no one gets stabbed by a nail and so that the nails do not go into the vacuum.
Paul: out of town:-(
Timothy: working:-(
Rusty will plan to work on the electrical and check out the plumbing.
Me: I will keep everyone happy and working.

We are rejoicing that someone has offered to bring lunch to all of the volunteers. That is a huge blessing and help.

Pray for us as we begin the "grunt" labor of remodeling the new office.

Marrena

2006-01-18T22:42:00.001-06:00

Rusty and I

Family in Reynosa, Mexico

2006-01-18T22:42:00.000-06:00

December 29, 2005 the family visits the church where Russell & Debbie minister in Reynosa, Mexico.

We returned home 7:20AM on 12-31-05 after a much needed vacation in Mission, TX. We enjoyed spending Christmas vacation with my parents, Ron & Arrena Raymer, and my brother & sister-in-law and daughter, Russell & Debbie and Carena. We had a wonderful time relaxing, playing games, playing music, visiting Mexico, seeing Christmas lights, and just being together. We never imagined swimming on Christmas Day! but we did:-)

Later, I will post some of Paul's senior pictures. We are very grateful to Russell for taking about 150 pictures of Paul for his senior pictures. He did an outstanding job and we are very pleased with the photos. We are picking our favorites and will post them shortly.

I took a break from our vacation and was able to conduct training for a church in Mission, TX on Monday night, December 26. It was a great time with a church who has been using Kids 4 Truth Clubs for the past month.

We went into Mexico twice. The first time was on Tuesday - Dad & Mom, Russell & Debbie and Carena, Our family -- all 7 of us!, and the Meyer family. We enjoyed shopping in Progresso, Mexico. We returned to Mexico on Thursday. This time it was Russell & Debbie and Carena, Renae & Tina and Lukas, Maria, and our family. Russell showed us the church they minister with and then we went shopping. This time we went to Reynosa, Mexico and we got to see a different side of Mexico. I believe we are all more grateful to God for the blessings He has given to us in the United States. We are rich compared to our friends in Mexico.

Thursday night, Dec. 29 was a special night. We found out that Dad and Mom (www.raymerstudio.com) were playing a show at Tip O' Texas. So we decided to stay and go with them. They invited Paul to play three songs with them, and it was special to see him play with his grandparents.

Friday morning, Dec. 30 at 10am we left for home. It was a long 22 hour trip home, but the kids all travel well. We praise the Lord that our children get along so well together.

Saturday night, Dec. 31 we saw the new year in with our good friends the Joiners and Farrells. We have been blessed to have this as an annual event the past 4-5 years. This year the Joiners hosted the event since we were just returning from Texas - I greatly appreciated their kindness in hosting this year.

Monday, Jan. 2, we spent the afternoon with Dave & Jen and family. It was great to be together and allow the kids to play as they are all close cousins (both in age and friendship). David will report into Whiteman AFB tomorrow as he has once again been called up to active service.

Although Paul and I saw Ron's family right before we left town, we will not be able to get together with them. Ron & Lisa and family are on "an extended vacation" to South Carolina while Ron is working there. They plan to put their house on the market within the next month, and Lord willing, it will sell quickly so that they can get a place of their own in South Carolina where he is currently working.

We wish you all a happy New Year. This year we plan to focus more on our family. As our family grows and matures it seems we all get busier and busier. Both Paul and Tim work part-time jobs. Paul also puts in hours for Kids 4 Truth as an intern - so he keeps very busy.

Marrena