...something you don't see very often

Back "home" to Michigan

April 30 – May 6, 2010

We'd been looking forward to our Michigan trip for quite a while. We arrived at Dad's house on Friday night, the 30^th after an uneventful trip. Dad had parked his Winnebego alongside the patio so that, after the awning was pulled out it nearly reached the eaves of the house. He had planned for Landis, Hope and Faith to sleep out there and at first the three thought that sounded like a fun time. However, after lying out there in the dark alone for a while, they weren't so sure. I must have spent an hour out there with them, talking to them and cutting up with them to get them to relax. I finally just had to tell them goodnight but told them they could talk, figuring they'd wear out soon and fall asleep. But at midnight I could still hear them so I threatened them to be quiet or else... They went to sleep but in the morning I found Landis sleeping in the living room with Grace. He claimed that the night air bothered his breathing.

Bobby had worked it out to sing at the Nottawa Party Store where we love to eat ice cream, hoping the weather

Mom's brother, Merlin and sister, Ony

would cooperate and he'd set up outside on the deck overlooking the lake. The weather did not cooperate and he sang inside instead. We had a small crowd of mainly faithful family members and Bobby began to wonder why he even bothered with setting up his equipment and singing when we could have just had a family reunion. But two couples sat in the back of the room eating ice cream cones. One of the ladies approached me and asked if Bobby had a business card. She told me that they belonged to a motor home group that meets once a month and this first weekend in May they were just down the road from the ice cream store at the St. Joe County fairgrounds. She expressed interest in Bobby singing for one of their weekend gatherings, particularly she was interested in their largest gathering which is Memorial Day weekend. I didn't tell her we were to be in Arkansas that weekend, I just figured she'd call Bobby, he'd tell her but he'd offer to sing the following year and everything would work out. But after she left I felt so foolish

My cousin, Jesse with wife, Laura, and children Taylor and Aaron

because I didn't get her information. That could have been a really big contact and I let it slip between my fingers. But God is good. Those couples left halfway through Bobby's little concert, went back and told their friends and the friends came to the party store to hear the music for themselves. They arrived as Bobby was singing his last song and liked what they heard. Later I found Bobby in a booth talking to this couple and they introduced themselves as Dave and Penny Hough. They are responsible for the entertainment for this motor home group and informed us that their gathering on Memorial Day weekend sees 1000 motor homes with 25 states represented. It's huge and to think of all the church members that will suggest Bobby's name to their music ministers...hopefully.

Since they'd only heard half of one song, Dave and Penny said they'd plan on attending the concert in Three Rivers the following evening.

On Sunday morning we ministered at my dad's church, Morningstar Christian Fellowship near Topeka, Indiana, an appointment we'd been looking forward to for several months. Dad asked me to share about our experience with fasting instead of the usual testimony that I share. I figured God would probably speak to me through my husband so after asking God what He would have me do, I asked Bobby if he thought I should do as Dad had requested. The answer was affirmative and so I was taken out of my comfort zone and had a little homework to do to prepare for the Sunday morning service.

God was faithful and He ministered like only He can to the hearts of some hurting people in the room.

Pastor Jerry Stutzman and his wife, Laurie treated my dad, Bobby, the kids and I to lunch after the service in the quaint Amish and Mennonite town of Shipshewana. Since most of the merchants are Mennonite, the sidewalks are rolled up on Saturday evening and everyone goes to church on Sunday...not to work. However, a Chicago pizza buffet was open which made our lunch choice obvious. If you've never been, and you have a fascination of the Amish, you need to visit Shipshe, as my relatives call it.

That evening we made a return visit to Light and Life Wesleyan Church in Three Rivers,

All three girls side by side on the couch...rare!

Michigan. Pastor Sam Maddox was waiting for us and we got set up, cleaned up and ready to sing. This is a much more laid back congregation and the emphasis is more on good music and having a good time. My dad came and I got to see a couple of cousins, brothers, David and John Hostetler and their wives, Christine and Michelle. I got to visit with the Hostetlers after church like I never had before. We were able to spend more time talking and I really enjoyed their company. One other dear friend that showed up Sunday night driving over 50 miles and toting a homemade blueberry pie, was Becky Irving from Delton, Michigan. Mmmm. Thanks Becky!

It was such a laid back evening that at one point, Pastor Sam asked Bobby and I to take some questions about what our life is like on the road. What a surprise. That was definitely a first and kinda fun.

Mr. and Mrs. David Hough from the motor home group showed up and after the service told us they liked what they heard and definitely wanted us to come to Berrien Springs, Michigan to their large gathering on Memorial Day weekend next year. Pastor Sam heard about that and suggested that we make plans to come back to Light and Life the weekend before that. So it looks like we'll be in Michigan again next year at this time.

So many times when I stay at my dad's house in Michigan, I spend too much time sitting at the house instead of taking opportunities to visit with cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. So before we drove up there I had made plans with my cousins, sisters, Regina and RoxAnne.

On Monday I picked up RoxAnne and we had lunch together. We chose an outdoor spot to eat our soup and as

My brother, Joel's pride 'n joy.

we sat down I looked across the table at her and said, “This is WEIRD!” We both just laughed so hard because it had been many years since we had been alone and were able to talk without interruption. She has 9 children and it's virtually impossible to visit at her home. The kids play well but there is just too much going on all the time for me to stay focused. RoxAnne is definitely the queen of multi-tasking. She can begin a conversation with me, get dinner, change a diaper, chase down a couple of kids that wandered off, punch her rising bread dough down, help a little one get a splinter out of her finger, give orders to her daughters about how to help with dinner and never lose her place in the conversation. She makes my head spin. We had a great visit over soup and under sun.

I rushed back to Dad's after lunch with RoxAnne, to wait for the arrival of two of my dad's sisters, Sue and Ann. I was so grateful for Becky Irving's blueberry pie. Bobby made coffee and I cut the pie and we had a great visit with my aunts. Bobby was nearby with his laptop and he saw that my youngest sister, Kristy was on Skype so he called her up, got a video of her and she sat at the table talking with us all the way from Hong Kong! That was cool.

Later that evening I took Landis and Hope over to RoxAnne's so they could play with Andrew and Ashley (RoxAnne and Jeff's 4th and 5th children) and spend the night with them. Andrew and Landis are both eat up with fishing and hunting and they crack me up with the things they find to do when they're together. Shooting frogs? Yes, that was one of the entertaining sports they enjoyed together.

On Tuesday morning I took Grace to get her hair cut. I love the way my friend, Amy cuts Grace's hair with a razor. The lady that cuts her hair at home might use a razor if I ask her to but she cuts it with scissors and then finishes with the razor. But there's a big difference. Amy gives Grace some cute cuts and so we held out for a trim until we got to Michigan. After Grace's cut, I took her back to Dad's house and then I returned to Sturgis to meet RoxAnne's older sister, Regina. I'm the oldest grandchild of 22 and Regina is only 2 months younger than me. We grew up together very closely, spending the night with each very often and meeting at the lake to swim on hot summer days.

But what we did on Tuesday, May the 4^th was something we'd never done together before and she had never done ever! She had a baby boy in October of last year and so instead of buying something for him, I bought something for her, a pedicure! She was delighted because it was one of those things that seemed unnecessary to spend money on, yet she would have loved to try it. She held onto that gift certificate and when we met in Sturgis that day, we bought some iced coffees first and then headed over to Hollywood Nails where she pulled out her gift certificate and I bought a pedi for me. We spoiled ourselves just a little sipping our iced coffees and getting pampered. It was a delightful afternoon and time well spent.

When it came time to go to church on Wednesday night, we decided that Firm Foundation was the right place to go since Dad's church didn't have service (although Bobby and Landis went with Dad to the men's Bible study on Tuesday evening). Pastor Don Smith leads this congregation and several of my family members attend here. If I lived in the area, it's probably where I would attend too. Bobby and I couldn't help but notice that the two churches we passed on the way to Firm Foundation each only had 3 or 4 cars in their parking lot. However, the country club we passed was packed out! It's not about legalism, it's about priorities and where your passions are. Not to mention the world is watching us.

We attended the National Day of Prayer service – something I've never participated in before – at Firm Foundation on Thursday at noon followed by one more stop at the ice cream store in Nottawa to meet our friends, Clint and Lori Zehr for some good fellowship. And finally on Friday morning I had the privilege of meeting some aunts and uncles at a cafe` for breakfast...a special treat. After breakfast it was back to Dad's to load the trailer and van and head for central Indiana for the weekend.