Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Traveling Back Home! Yay!

 I flew into Milwaukee on the Monday night
before Thanksgiving.  I met Adam & Katie
in the airport (they had flown in to spend
Thanksgiving with her family in Wisconsin).
And then Tina & Steve came to pick us up!
It was so much fun to be able to see everyone
again, especially my adorable niece and nephew! :-)
I left with Tina, Steve, and the kids on Tuesday
afternoon to travel to Michigan for Thanksgiving.
We had a great trip!  On the way there, Levi
kept asking to hold my hand, and then when
I'd look back at him he had this cheesy grin
on his face :-)  So adorable!
 Levi enjoyed listening to my "mucus" :-)
 Of course, we stopped at Culvers for dinner! :-)
It was so nice to eat Culvers again :-)
Please appreciate Levi's hard work of
arranging his fries in his ketchup :-)

UCLA Football Game

 Since it was our last week of the semester,
we could stay a little longer on Saturday
to go to a UCLA v. Colorado football game
with the youth group for free!  Can't beat that! :-)
It worked out at the last minute for Janna to come too! :-)
 So glad you were able to come, Janna!
It was fun learning football together :-)


 

 The youth pastor bought us all hot dogs!
They really are so sweet and took such good care of us!
 They had amazing Kettle Corn, too!



 The half-time show... pretty stupid :-)



 Yay!  UCLA won! :-D
(I was rootin' for them since I was there, but
as you can see I proudly displayed my MI attire!)


 It was pretty entertaining on the way back as
people did their cheers... VERY LOUD too! :-)
Instead, Janna and I had a good, deep discussion :-)
What fond memories, huh, Janna?! ;-p
Love you and so glad you could come! :-)

That night after the game we traveled about two hours
to California City where we were ministered at a small
church on Sunday.  Sunday night after church we said
goodbye to Thomas, Monday morning around 6am
DJ and Dr. Jim started their 41-hour drive to Florida
with the van, truck, and trailer, and then the pastor
took the rest of us to the airport to fly out to WI.
It was sad as we all parted ways, realizing that it
will never be the same again.  So thankful that
the Lord brought this team together "for such a
time as this".  It's amazing to see all HE has done!
The end of War of Special Forces fall 2011 semester...
the start of VACATION! :-D

Our Final Week in Canoga Park, CA

 When we got into town on Saturday night
we went to Red Robin for dinner.  As we
were walking back to our cars, we saw a
arm sticking out of the truck of someone's
car!  It looked real at first glance :-)

 Our Accomodations
Crystal's Room
 Our "Jack n' Jill" bathroom
 SO glad to have Summer join us for the week!!!
Since it was a large school (around 400 for Jr/Sr
high), Dr. Jim flew her in to help us for the week.
Each of we three girls were co-captains for a team.
It was a lot of fun but a lot of craziness, as I'm
sure you can imagine :-)  What's new?! ;-)
We went all out for the last week!
 Summer & I shared this room
 Some other pictures of the house...


Mrs. Pentland's collection

 It was so great to catch up with Summer!  I'm SO
EXCITED for her and David and their upcoming wedding!
Summer and I were talking on Saturday night, catching
me up on the latest, and then she handed me this card.
She told me that I had to look at the bold lettering first...
Can you tell what it says?
 Made my night! :-)
So excited to have a special part 
in this very special occasion!
 The people at Faith Baptist Church & School treated
us like royalty this week!  We had a huge, delicious
meal at Stonefire on Sunday after church.
 Monday night decorating... well, kinda... :-)
Here's Summer "leading the band" :-)
 Matt bowing to me to give me something :-)
I'm glad he's finally learning since it was already
the last week! ;-)  Matt & DJ always tease me
about being "her royal highness"...
I can live with that :-)
 What one will do to hang up flags :-)
 Haha I loved this one! :-D
 Love ya, Sum!  So glad to have you for the week!




 The door going into the foyer
 We did school in the foyer this week :-)
 The youth pastor, Pastor Matt, volunteered to get
us all Starbucks one morning... yummy! :-)
 Mom sent me a package... I love the Michigan bag!
 Our recycling spot on a back pew :-)
 We found another truck for Crystal!
I think this one is the best one yet! :-)
 Does it look like Crystal is enjoying her back rub? ;-)

 What someone will do for a good pic! :-)

 Nicole & the Big Ball :-)
 The girls did their reports for us.
They did a great job!  Their time
and effort paid off!  Very interesting topics!
Good job, girls... and Crystal :-)



 Miss Summer didn't get away from teaching this week :-)
 Emma, the youth pastor's daughter
Pastor Matt, the youth pastor, and his wife, Irene
Thank you for all your hard work to make this week possible!
 I loved all the Philippino students! :-)
 They had Colonial day in the school.
It was so cute to see the little kids dressed up :-)
 Summer, Crystal, and I had the opportunity to
"preach" on Friday for split chapel.  We actually
did it twice!  Once for 7th and then again for 8th!
Yeah, Friday was a crazy, busy, FULL day! :-)

 Chapel was packed out!
 Final Friday night service
We had an awesome testimony time!
There was a major breakthrough that afternoon
after the guys preached the split chapel.  
I think almost everyone responded!
 Matt, Angel, and Jennifer


I met Melissa on Thursday night.  She came with
her brother and friends.  She raised her hand for
salvation, but didn't respond.  I talked with her
after.  She came to the school some and came 
from a Christian home, but knew she wasn't saved.
We had a good talk, and you could tell she was
convicted, but she just didn't understand how
God could allow so many bad things to happen.
I knew she wasn't ready right then, but she said
that she was coming back Friday night.
Sure enough!  She showed up on Friday night,
sat through the majority of testimonies, and then
stood up to give a testimony.  She was crying, and I 
pulled her aside to talk with her.  I didn't waste a
lot of time but basically cut right to the chase and
said, "Melissa.. you need to get saved."  She knew
she needed to and couldn't resist the love of God
any longer!  It was so sweet to watch her just
be overwhelmed with the love of God - that He
would love and be interested so specifically in HER!
I choked up as I was also reminded of that amazing truth!
Through tears she accepted Christ that night!

 Thomas with his "little friends" :-)
 I recruited Rachel (on right) by Canoga Park High School
one day and then other kids from Faith recruited her later
that week, so she came!  I was very excited to see her
and to know that other teens had reached out to her as
well!  Rachel was also gloriously saved that night! :-)
DJ taking time to counsel and pray 
after the service with one of the guys
Three sisters... L to R:  Jeanine, Nicole, and Jasmine
(Jeanine and Jasmine are twins)
The sweetest girls!  I really enjoyed getting
to know the teens this week and having
the opportunity to get involved in their lives.
It's such an amazing ministry and I'm so
thankful that the Lord has allowed me this opportunity!