MERRY CHRISTMAS

from the Rempel Family!

 

 

It's hard to believe that Christmas time is here already!  This is our "Christmas Letter" for this year, so some of the information may be a bit of a repeat for those of you following along our blog regularly.

 

We continue on here in Fairview.  Here is a little update on each of us.

 

Darren worked for Sherry's family through the summer and when wheat sowing began he began working for another farmer in the area.  Now that wheat sowing is finished and the weather isn't often suitable for outside work, his hours have dwindled considerably.  So he is currently looking for other employment.  He just filled out an application for an oilfield company, so hopefully something will materialize soon. Please pray with us that he would find some more employment until the timing is right for God to open a door for another ministry opportunity.

 

Sherry continues to work for the Major County FSA (Farm Service Agency).  It is a government job and she has had a steep learning curve but is enjoying it overall. While she enjoys the "perks" of a government job, like getting a paid holiday for Veteran's Day, she isn't so fond of only getting Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day off around the holidays.

 

Kylie is plugging away at Fairview High School.  She's had her ups and downs.  Her social life took a hit when softball season was over and most of the girls went out for basketball, which is a consuming sport here.  She also was having a struggle with an online Oklahoma History course, which was ridiculously hard.  God was faithful in helping us make a change to her schedule to get her in the Freshmen class and dropping the online course. Hopefully her experience with the online course and our complaints will benefit some students in the future. So after 9+ weeks of misery, the academic side of things is going much better.  She is making friends, but still misses her friends in Cimarron a lot.

 

Kaitlyn is finishing up her semester at Tabor College.  She is considering making a change to her major or minors.  She currently is a Communications Major with a Music and Theater Minor.  She is considering adding Bible in there somehow but isn't sure how yet, so please pray for her for wisdom and discernment as she tries to discern God's plan for her future as well.

 

We continue to live in our little 2 bedroom rental house at 518 W Cherry Street, here in Fairview.  We spent a lot of time painting it this fall, and haven't quite finished yet, as the weather turned too cold.  Two sides are complete and the other two just need a second coat.  So we are hoping for a warm enough day sometime to finish it up completely!

 

The house was pretty run down when we moved in.

It was painted white with pinkish trim which clashed with the orange colored bricks. 
It was quite ugly and lots of chipping paint.

We have our 53 foot storage closet parked beside the house!

 

 

 





A fresh coat of paint and a change of color does wonders for the appearance of a house!

 



We continue to appreciate your prayers on our behalf and your interest in our lives as we continue to "wait" on the Lord's timing and seek Him for guidance.

 

We are trying to be faithful and bloom where we are planted. The local Fair Building has been transformed into the streets of Bethlehem and the area churches have come together to put together 5 performances over the next 2 weekends called "The Bethlehem Experience." People can come and be part of a tour through the streets of Bethlehem while hearing the real Christmas Story.  Darren is a potter, Sherry is a basket weaver and Kylie is a leper.  It is the first time for the community to do this and we are anxious to see how it goes. It has amazing potential as tons have work have gone into it.

 

We wish you a Merry Christmas as we remember Christ's birth and the hope it brings to all of us!

 

Darren, Sherry, Kaitlyn & Kylie Rempel  



I know it is time for another post, but it is hard to know what to write. . .

On the positive side, I started my new job at the Major County FSA Office.  I am on my third week there.  It is a STEEP learning curve and working for the government kind of freaks me out.  But, I am slowly learning and catching on to a few more things. It has been a good job so far and I am thankful to have it.

We continue to be in "wait" mode.  Darren had a phone call about a week ago about some possible opportunities way up north.  I can't say we're very excited about the possibility of moving that far up north again, but are trying to remain open to what God wants for us.  Please pray with us as these are not firm options . . . the phone call was more exploratory in nature at this point.

We are kind of in a pattern of existence right now.  We all get up in the morning, go to work/school.  Kylie comes home and does homework all evening.  I come home and paint (we are painting the outside of the house as part of our rental agreement) until dark.  We eat supper and I help Kylie with homework the rest of the evening.  Darren comes home at various times in there . . . later now during planting season . . . and crashes for the rest of the evening.  So, not too exciting or much to tell. 

It is easy to get discouraged and have a pity party.  Yet, we don't have to look far to realize how fortunate we really are.  We love each other and have family that loves and cares for us.  We have food to eat, a roof over our heads, clothes to wear, and our health.  But I will be honest it takes effort to focus on the positives and not the negatives.  That could be a specific way you could pray for us during this time of waiting.

As Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my ways are not your ways, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. 

Our timing is not His timing.  We appreciate your continued prayers and interest in our lives.
Sherry

October 6, 2014

Well, we continue to wonder what God has in store for us.  We received a call last night closing the door with the church where we interviewed last week.  Darren's understanding of their explanation was that he was too good of a fit for where they are now and not where they want to go in the future. We can second guess things about the interview and whether or not we represented ourselves accurately, as we thought he would be a great fit and just what they needed.  However, the bottom line is that it wasn't God's will for us right now. However, it was quite disappointing and leaves us with a lot of questions . . .

What are we to do now?  While we are more stable than living in campers, we are living with the bare basics and the rest is still in the truck parked beside our little rental house. We were hoping our "temporary" living would be coming to an end soon . . . or at least we'd know when it would be coming to an end. 

I am thankful that I was able to start work at the FSA office today.  God does continue to provide. Darren is still working for another farmer and they started planting today.  However, the question remains . . . what happens after planting season and fall harvest?  Does he look at changing professions?  Does he continue to do "temporary" jobs and continue to wait for another opportunity to pursue?  Please pray for us as we seek to discern what the Lord is telling us and how He is leading us. 

We continue to trust and know that God is good.
Sherry

September 30

Just a quick update since our interview on Saturday. . .

The interview seemed to go well.  We think we would be a good fit for the church and Darren could really be an asset to their worship/music.  The biggest concern we have is for Kylie.  They have very few youth her age in the church.  They have 6th-12th grade together and only about 7 in that category.  So, a big prayer item is for a good friend for Kylie if that is where God is calling us.

The church board will not contact us now for about two weeks.  They want to pray about it and process the interview.  They also have had a few other people express interest in the position and want to give them an opportunity to apply if they so desire.  They said it was no reflection on how they felt about us.  So, we continue to wait and pray.  (You'd think waiting would be getting easer by now!!)

My job at the FSA office is also delayed.  First they didn't have fingerprint cards.  Then the State forgot to send fingerprint cards.  Got fingerprint cards and the courthouse wasn't doing anymore fingerprints that day.  Finally got them done last Friday, but the machine really didn't like my fingerprints.  So, I am a little anxious until I get the "okay" from the government that they actually have approved my fingerprint cards!  All the delays meant I couldn't start until this week.  Well, this week is the last week of the pay period and the government won't let anyone start work during this week.  So, right now my start date is October 6.  I hope that one really is correct!

I was hoping to only be off work for one week.  This is now week 3!  I've only had a call for 1/2 day of subbing, too.  Makes me nervous, but I have to keep being reminded that God is in control.  I am enjoying my time at home and doing a few fix up projects in the house.  That is part of the agreement with us living in the house, that we will fix up a few things so they can sell it next spring. 

Thanks again for your interest, but most of all your prayers.  God is good!
Sherry 

Praise and Prayer

Thank you for following us and our journey.  We appreciate your interest in our lives, but most of all your prayers. It is only by God's grace, through your prayers, that I am finally feeling a peace and contentment in our circumstances. 

We have some praise items to let you know about!  I got the job at the local FSA (Farm Services Agency) office and will start work hopefully sometime next week.  (There has been a holdup with getting fingerprint cards that is delaying my start date).  It will be basic backup secretarial work.  I am thankful to get an office job to add to my resume.  I have found that it is difficult to get an office job with so much experience on my resume in the school system.  If I am going to work full-time, I prefer to be in an office setting.  So I am thankful for this opportunity. Thank you, Lord!

Also, we received a call last night and have an interview on Saturday at the church in Oklahoma.  Please pray with us for clear discernment (on our part as well as the church's) that we would know if this is a good fit.  We don't want to be desperate and "make" something work that isn't "right."  Please pray for clarity from God as we explore this possibility together with them.  This is a full-time associate pastor position.  Half of the job description is music/worship, and the other half will be determined according to the giftedness of the person.

Again, thank you for your prayers and interest in our lives.  We'll keep you posted!
Sherry

September 17, 2014



It is amazing how quickly time passes and it is time to write another update! It has been about 3 weeks since my last post. So, let's see . . .

 

Kylie is settling into life as a Yellowjacket.  Last week things started to turn a corner for her and the girls started to realize she wasn't so bad after all.  She has been able to break into a few cliques and is finally making some new friends. 

 

Softball season is brutal.  It is short and intense.  They have games multiple nights a week.  She is enjoying it, but is getting weary of the fast pace! It has been a great way for her to get to know some girls though.  

Kylie has been able to be a pinch runner a few times.

Coach has given her a few opportunities to bat, but she prefers not to have this opportunity!

Bruised shins come with softball!

Housing - About 2-3 weeks ago, we moved into the rental house I mentioned in the last blog.  Our new address is: 518 W Cherry, Fairview, OK 73737
We have our semi trailer parked right next to the house and have just gotten things out of it to set up a basic household.  The Lord orchestrated the packers of the truck to put things to where we have been able to get most things we need right now.  The others we are either borrowing or making do without!  Another praise is that with our renter's insurance our belongings in the truck are covered as long as it is on the property of the rental house!

We are enjoying sleeping under the same roof as a family again.  Kylie said one of the first nights, " I don't have to go outside to get to the kitchen anymore!"  I said, "I love my washer and dryer!" 

Since there is no garage or barn or shelter of any kind with the rental house, we now have both cats inside with us.  It has really gone pretty well, amazingly!

 Darren started working for another farmer last week.  It seems to be going fairly well.  He comes home very tired each evening.

Job Update - We have not heard from the church in Woodland Park, CO, so we are assuming that one is out.  We have had a little contact with the church in Oklahoma.  It still looks promising, but is a slow process. So, we continue to wait and pray.

Kaitlyn is coming home this weekend for the first time.  She has an extremely busy 1st semester and this will be her only chance until Thanksgiving.  We are looking forward to having her home and she is looking forward to seeing where we/she now lives!

Sherry worked at the elementary school for 3 weeks as a teacher's aide in the 1st grade.  While I wasn't overly excited about it at the beginning, the little ones kind of grew on me.  However, they didn't have a continuing position in that area.  They offered me a permanent substitute position and a long-term sub position in 3rd grade.  I declined both of those offers and have re-applied at the FSA office.  They didn't get any applicants when they had the opening listed earlier and my application came in too late.  So, they re-advertised it and I reapplied.  I hope to hear soon if I get that position.  If not, they have also recently offered me another long-term sub position in jr high math.  While that is more in my area, I really prefer not to teach at this time in our lives. 

I am enjoying my week off this week.  Since we moved into the rental house while I was working full-time, I haven't had a chance to really get things settled.  I finally feel like I got it a little more livable today.

We are plugging in here as we are able and continuing to trust the Lord for His timing.  He has us here right now for a reason and we want to be faithful to fulfill that purpose right now.

We appreciate your continued support and prayers as we continue on this journey.

Sherry

P.S.  I had a follow-up eye appointment today and my eyes are doing great!  Thanks so much for your prayers!



August 29, 2014

Well, here I am again with another blog post and few answers to the questions that everyone wants to ask . . . You can pretty much assume with no blogpost there is no big news. 

But, I will bring you up-to-date on where we are with life . . .

Kylie started school in Fairview on August 21st.  We waited until the last minute for God to do a miracle, but finally enrolled her on August 19th.  I never would have dreamed that one of my children would be a Fairview Yellowjacket.  In fact, if you would have told Mandi Hiett and Kylie that they would be going to Fairview High School together ten years ago, they both would have laughed at you!  But, God must have a plan and a purpose not only for Mandi at Fairview High School, but also for Kylie right now.  
(For those of you who don't know Mandi Hiett, she is my cousin's daughter.  She was in California and her dad came to Fairview two years ago to be the pastor at Fairview MB.)

Kylie misses her friends in Cimarron as well as volleyball, since volleyball isn't offered at many schools in Oklahoma.  But Kylie is making the best of a difficult situation and decided to go out for softball.  She didn't join the team to "play" softball, but merely to be a part of the team and to get to know some girls.  She is perfectly content to sit in the dugout with the other girls and not play!

   Kylie with 2nd Cousin, Mandi Hiett

 

We have been so proud of Kylie and her attitude through all of this.  She is lonely, as Fairview schools (like most small towns) are not real welcoming of new students . . . especially in high school.  Thankfully she has Mandi and a couple of other girls from church that do a few things together, although none of them are juniors like Kylie. Since Kylie is a junior, she is already getting in on fund raisers for the Jr/Sr Banquet/Prom.  She is having to sell mums for Homecoming, which has been a tradition here since I was in high school, although the flowers are no longer real, but fake. 

 

Darren has continued to work on the farm, but they are running out of work for him to do and will not need him once they begin planting, which is in the next few weeks.  So, he has been looking for other employment. He will most likely go to work for another farmer next week, although that hasn't been confirmed yet.  Jobs in small towns that pay more than minimum wage are not real plentiful!

 

Church Update

In the last post, I mentioned that Darren had resumes in at 2 churches - one in Woodland Park, Colorado, and one at a church here in Oklahoma.  Well, we have heard nothing from Woodland Park except that they received his resume.  He has had a little contact with the church in Oklahoma and finally talked personally with the senior pastor there today.  While Darren felt positive about the conversation, it sounds like it will not be a quick process.  This was a brand new position when Darren learned about it and the church hasn't even seen a job description yet.  They are presenting it to the congregation on Sept. 7.  They still have to do interviews and candidating and once someone candidates, they wait 2 weeks before the church votes.  So . . . it could still be quite a while before this would materialize, IF it even materializes. So, we continue to WAIT . . . TRUST . . . PRAY . . . and SEEK THE LORD'S WILL.

 

Living

We are still "camping out" in the campers.  However, we have been contemplating moving into a little 2 bedroom, 1 bath rental house in town that has been offered to us at a very reasonable rate.  In light of the conversation with the church today, I believe we will begin the process of cleaning the house and moving in sometime in the next few days.  It will not be an easy task as we have things in the campers, things at my parents' house, and we will have to go through and pick and choose things out of the semi trailer.  BUT, we will finally be able to have the stuff we are using at one location and have some of the stuff we've been needing that is somewhere inside the truck.  It will give us a little stability, that is much needed by some of us (ahem, me!) It will also give us a chance to air out our stuff from being in the trailer as it all smells heavily of mothballs! (Gotta look for the positives!)

 

Sherry (I) began a new job this week.  After school started, I decided to turn in my substitute teacher application.  Although Oklahoma sub pay is pathetic compared to Kansas, I decided little pay was better than no pay.  I've debated about applying for a job in the past, but who would want to hire someone who couldn't tell them how long they would be around . . . So, I decided subbing was my best bet to bring in some income. 

 

Well, after I turned in my application, they called me and asked me if I wanted to work all this week at the elementary school.  They had a flood of kids when school started and needed help and were still figuring out what/how they were going to manage them all.  They had 75 kindergarteners and over 60 first graders and were scrambling. So, I agreed to work this week.  For those of you that know me, elementary kids are a stretch for me, being trained in secondary education.  But, I figured I could survive a week.  I asked if I was subbing or a para or what I was doing.  They said they didn't really know, maybe a combination of both, but to show up at 8:00 Monday morning and they'd tell me what to do.  I was terrified I'd get stuck in kindergarten. 

 

Well, I showed up Monday morning and the principal took me around introducing me to others as a teacher's aide that was going to be helping for a little while.  He left me in 1st grade to "float" between the classes.  So, I felt my way around that first day "floating" between 1st grade classrooms and ended up there all week.  The teachers are excellent and exhibit an enormous amount of patience and calmness with these little folks.  Yesterday, the principal approached me and offered me a full-time temporary job.  They have a 1/2 time 3rd grade teacher who is having a baby and due on September 12th.  He asked if I would like to teach her class in the mornings and then be an aide in the afternoons.  I went in and helped in her classroom today and within an hour wanted to run away!  That just isn't my cup of tea.  While I would like to help them out and the pay/benefits would be nice, I don't think my nerves could handle it right now given our situation.  So, I kindly told him "no."  At this point, I am going back to continue working with the 1st graders next week.  We are kind of going on a week by week basis.  

 

I have also turned in my application at our local FSA office who has been advertising for a temporary position.  It would pay a lot better . . . so, we'll see how the Lord leads.

 

With school starting and fall programs starting, we are trying to plug in here a bit.  I joined a ladies Bible study this week that is doing Beth Moore's newest, "Children of the Day" which is a study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  I believe there is a men's Bible study starting in the next few weeks that Darren will most likely check out as well.

 

I will admit that we are asking God a lot of questions.  Darren and Kylie have both done much better at staying positive and having a good attitude.  I am trying, but the living conditions are taking its toll on this Type A personality.  I appreciate each and every one of you that are praying for us.  That is the only thing that is carrying me along some days.  The break has been great for Darren and just what he needed.  He is doing much better and ready to get back into ministry (Praise the Lord!).  So . . . why isn't God allowing it yet?!?!?!  Someday, we may know, but for right now, we just have to continue to trust that God has a plan in His upper story that we cannot see right now.  We are trying to make the best of our situation and want to honor Him through it all.

 

Thanks for your interest in our lives and reading this blog . . . 

 

Sherry   

P.S.  My eyes are doing better overall.  I am putting steroid drops in them each morning and wearing my contacts 8-10 hours a day.  Not my 12-16 hour days, but better than nothing!  I am thankful they are doing much better and feel confidant in the care of my optometrist here.

August 13, 2014

 Kaitlyn has made a quick transition.  She had her last day of work on Friday, August 8th.  She had worked all summer here in Fairview at an oil company called Cimarron Acid & Frac.  They threw a party for her the last day and had a little fun with her.  While her work was all back-up secretarial work in the office, they took her out to the trucks and took pictures just for fun!

Kaitlyn and Betty, the lady she worked with/for this summer.



On Tuesday, August 12th, Kaitlyn moved into the dorms at Tabor College to begin her sophomore year.  While classes don't start until the 21st, she had to be there early as she is a peer mentor for the incoming freshmen who arrive on Friday the 15th.

While she was sad to leave us in our state of limbo, she was very excited to get back to her college friends.  After living in a camper all summer, the dorms were even pretty inviting this year too!

As far as the job front for us . . . not a lot of news.  However, Darren  learned of two new openings that he sent resumes to last week.  One is a full-time worship pastor position in a non-denominational church in Woodland Park, Colorado.  The other one is a full-time worship/associate position at an MB Church here in Oklahoma.  We have not heard back from either one yet but are hopeful that maybe one of these will be "the one!" 

Please pray with us as we continue on this journey and wait . . . .

Sherry

P.S.  Update on my eyes . . .I have seen the eye doctor here 3 times now.  The left eye has responded better than the right eye.  The vision in my left eye is almost back to normal, but the right eye is still struggling off and on.  I am able to wear my contacts occasionally, but not consistently yet.  Because one eye has responded better than the other, I often have one eye I can see clearly with and the other is blurry.  This has caused me numerous headaches as of late.  So, it continues to be an issue and I continue to covet your prayers on behalf of my eyes as well.  Thanks.  Sherry

August 5, 2014

Well, I guess it is time for another blog post.  Sorry, no fun pictures this time!

We are constantly getting the questions -
"Any news?"
"Any job leads?"
"Where is Kylie going to school? Are you going to start her in Fairview?"

Well, the answers are . . .
No news.
No job leads.
Only God knows where Kylie is going to school, and we don't know if we are going to start her here in Fairview.

These answers aren't very satisfying to most, and frankly, not satisfying to us either.  However, those are the answers we have right now.

God has been very silent lately and we have felt no peace, direction, or leading.  I admit, this is very difficult.  Those that know me well, know that this is completely against my personality.  I am a planner and always like to have my ducks in a row.  This summer has pushed me way out of my comfort zone as we have been forced to live a day at a time.

I have to admit that I had a couple of weeks where I was frustrated, angry, hopeless, and, in a sense, living in a state of panic.  God has not answered us in "my" time and I was not okay with that. However, on Saturday, Darren and I went to Roman Nose State Park and spent time talking, praying, fasting, and seeking.  While we didn't come out of it with any great revelations, I was convicted of my sin of taking control from God and trying to fix it all myself.  I had not been living out the faith I proclaimed.  I was struggling, because I am a Martha by nature.  I am a "doer" and Darren tends to be more of Mary. He was sitting at Jesus' feet while I was stewing that he needed to be "doing" something.  What does Jesus say in Scripture?  "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

Charles Stanley recently had a sermon on KJIL about Requirements for Answered Prayer.  I have listened to it several times.  He makes many good points, but one point he makes towards the end is a warning.  This isn't exactly how he said it, but basically he said if you pray and pray and don't get an answer, you are better off waiting than to step ahead of God because you think He isn't on time.  It will always get you in trouble.  

I feel like anything we do right now seems like we are stepping ahead of God and forcing something to work.  Nothing seems like a "fit" and we don't feel unified peace or desire as a family in any direction.  What I am sensing is that when God is silent, we need to be patient, be still, and wait.  

So . . . as ridiculous as it looks from a human perspective, that is what we are choosing to do right now.  We are "being still" and "waiting."  We know when we left Cimarron without another job lined up, it also looked unwise from a human perspective.  But, we clearly felt Him telling us to "go" and we felt peace and unity as a family.  So, we are doing our best to trust God, listen, obey, and follow.  For those of you that just went through "The Story" study with us at Valleyview, we are trying to trust that God has a plan in the Upper Story that we cannot see yet down here in the Lower Story.   

We have seen Him guide us all along the way, from selling our house, to providing a trailer for our belongings, providing summer jobs for the girls, and the list goes on.  Our God is too big and too great to bring us this far and just drop us and leave us hanging.

Kaitlyn moves back in at Tabor next Tuesday, August 12th.  Thankfully, we packed most of her stuff at the back of the truck, so we can get to it.  This will be another transition for us.  She is excited to go back to school, but struggling a bit with leaving us in this state of limbo. 

So, please continue to pray for us.  This journey is not easy.  Some days are easier than others.  Please pray with us that God will show us at exactly the right time what His Will is for us.  Please pray that we will know what to do with schooling for Kylie.  Please pray for peace and unity in our family when He does give us guidance.  That it will be crystal clear and we will know without a shadow of a doubt that it is His leading.  Please pray that God will be glorified through this all.

Psalm 37:7 - Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
James 5:7-8 - Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.
Exodus 14:14 - The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

P.S.  One additional prayer request is for my eyes.  As many of you know, with my arthritis, I often have trouble with my eyes.  Well, the last few weeks I have had a flare up.  It got bad enough that I finally went to the eye doctor here.  He said I had 3 strikes against me . . . 1) arthritis that just looks for a place to attack in my body; 2) dry eyes; 3) allergies caused by the conditions here.  He gave me some potent eye drops to try to calm down my "angry" eyes.  I went back again last week and they were improving, but I go back again this Friday. They look and feel much better; however, my vision has been affected this time which hasn't happened before.  Please pray that my eyes will heal and my vision will go back to normal. 

July 25, 2014

We spent July 21-26 in Idaho with Darren's Spiritual Formation Group.  It was a much needed break for both of us.  The theme of the week was "Rest, Refuel, Re-think." We talked about what it means to live in the kingdom here on earth.

Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

We looked at this verse and what it means to become like little children.  When I thought of little children, it occurred to me that they are not afraid and don't have a care in the world if they are with someone they trust, like a parent.  I feel like God was asking me to trust Him in this way.  It is easy to tell other people that God will take care of them and not to worry, but do I really believe it?  

Stop Worrying - Matthew 6

²⁵ “So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes?

²⁸ “And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. ²⁹ But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. 

³³ But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you. ³⁴ “So don’t ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

As I was contemplating these thoughts, I looked down beside me and here were all these wild daisies growing.  I felt like it was a reminder from God telling me not to worry.

We are still in "Wait" mode. I didn't realize how much I would need to trust God at the retreat when I had my daisy/lily encounter.  But yesterday we received word that the church with the part-time music/worship pastor position decided to go with another candidate.  This will most likely take the college position of Director of Contemporary Christian Music out as well, as they were connected. Darren contacted the Christian high school who had offered him a position to see if they had finalized anything and they had given the position to a part-time person in the meantime.  So, we are back to square one. It is a little scary only weeks away from school starting, but we are trusting that God has a plan.  Darren got another inquiry call last night about a position.  I have my doubts if that one will go anywhere, but it was a reminder that God hasn't forgotten us and can bring things "out of the blue."  He is working in ways we are not aware of and cannot see.  So, we continue to trust.  The song "You Are God Alone" keeps going through my head this morning.  "You are God alone, in the good times and bad, You are on the throne, You are God alone." So, we continue to trust and wait.

We moved out of our house on Monday, July 21st, and closed on Tuesday, July 22nd.  It was a relief, yet sad to say goodbye to our house that we loved.

Our belongings are now here on the farm in the trailer waiting a destination, along with us! Another prayer request if for our belongings in the truck.  We have been unable to insure them due to the "mobility" and unconventional way of storing them.  Companies are used to storage facilities in cities.  This is "outside the box" and we have been unable to find affordable coverage, so we are trusting the Lord to protect and watch over them.
 

Kylie is getting anxious to know where she is going to school next year.  She doesn't even know how to answer people anymore when they ask, so her latest answer is, "I'm taking a year off!"  She is almost finished with her summer babysitting job.  August 1st is her last day to watch little Brinley.

Please especially keep her in your prayers, as this is most unsettling for her.  Kaitlyn knows where she is going.  In a few weeks, her life will be "back to normal."  For Kylie, it is still unknown and with school supplies out and activities starting, it puts pressure on knowing what she is going to do. 

 Our trip to Idaho was rather eventful with airline travel.  We had two unexpected overnights, courtesy of United Airlines.  On our trip home, we boarded our first plane twice in Spokane, due to maintenance issues and three times the following day in Denver, due to maintenance issues.  It was to the point of ridiculously funny anymore, along with incredibly frustrating.  But, God took care of us and reminded us along the way that He is still working out the details for us.  

Our last day in Idaho, we took a drive into Montana to see some big cedar trees and beautiful falls.  There was a swinging bridge over the river with the falls.  

Our lives feel a little like we are walking along this bridge right now.  Our footing seems uncertain and the water below (current situation) looks threatening and scary.  It is uncomfortable walking across, but we are fixing our eyes on God and knowing He is the bridge to safely carry us to the other side.  

"I will never leave you nor forsake you," Hebrews 13:5

We appreciate your continued prayers on our behalf as we walk this journey.

 

 

July 11, 2014

 Kelyn & Marissa (Hiett) Vix's wedding was held here in Fairview on July 5th.  For those of you that don't know, Marissa is the daughter of Marlin & Michelle (Sherry's cousin) Hiett who used to be the pastor at Valleyview.  Marissa was born in Dodge City! Marlin is now the pastor of Sherry's home church here in Fairview.  

It was fun to be around here for the wedding and take part in lots of wedding preparations and activities.  We had LOTS of family come for the wedding and they were around for about a week prior to and after the wedding.  So we have had LOTS and LOTS of family gatherings in the last two weeks!

Kylie with the Bride & Groom!

Kaitlyn & Kylie were gift carriers.

Kaitlyn with Cousin Lacey Lott.

Kelyn and Marissa left the reception riding into the sunset on horseback!

Darren and Sherry on their 24th anniversary.  Our anniversary was spent with family this year, as we had a family gathering/picnic out on a farm near Fairview.  They had this caboose all refurbished.

The girls enjoying the food. On the right is Johanna (Marlin  & Michelle's exchange student from Denmark) and Mandi Hiett, Kylie.  On the left is Johanna's sister, Kaitlyn, and Lacey Lott.

Kaitlyn & Kylie headed to the caboose.

Micah & Leanne Hiett enjoying the food!

 

 Kevin (as named by the girls) is a cardinal that lives by our trailers and constantly pecks at the windows.  He must see his reflection in the window and think it is another bird.  He is a beautiful bird, but gets annoying at times!

Tiger had his first mishap on the farm.  We don't know what happened and if you haven't seen him before perhaps can't see the swelling in his face and chin.  We came home one night and he was bleeding around his left eye and was puffed up.  It lasted about 24-48 hours.  We are guessing he perhaps tangled with a bullsnake, but we really don't know.  We are thankful he appears to be okay.

House - We are now scheduled to close on our house on Tuesday, July 22nd.  We will come to Cimarron on Sunday evening, July 20th and have borrowed a semi-trailer that we will load our belongings into on Monday, July 21st.  A pastor friend (Carey Gosen) called us and had this trailer that we could use.  What a blessing from the Lord!  A shout out to Wayne Bartel who is going up to Oberlin, Kansas, to pick it up for us.  Thank you, Wayne! We will be able to leave our stuff in the trailer until we have a place to go with it.  So we will bring it down here to Fairview until then.

Job - Things are happening on the job front, but nothing clear yet.  Darren had two contacts this week from churches looking for lead pastors.  However, we have concluded that he will not consider a lead position at this time.  He has also been called about being a band teacher and offered a position at a Christian School here in Oklahoma as a Music Teacher with other duties.  The "other duties" side of it is not very inviting and so he is not ready to give them an answer until he hears back on the worship/music pastor position and Director of Contemporary Church Music position at the college.  So, we are once again in "wait" mode.  But we are thankful there are options out there.  It is hard to say "no" and be patient for the "right" one as we are doing our best to follow God's leading.

Darren is doing much better after having over a month break from ministry.  I am starting to see his jovial personality return.  He is more lighthearted and motivated. We go to Idaho next week to meet with his Spiritual Formation group, which is where the recognition that he needed a change began last summer.

The girls are doing well.  Kaitlyn has two friends from college here for the weekend.  She made up a spoof flyer for them about "Camp KJ" giving them information about their amenities before their stay! They will have a great time, I'm sure.  Tonight they plan to ride 4-wheelers and have a bonfire.  Tomorrow they are going to get a plane ride from one of their classmates that live here.  Right now they are touring the farm!

Tiffany Huxman (Kaitlyn's future roommate) on the left and Courtney Reed (Kaitlyn's past roommate) on the right.

Kylie is getting rather anxious to know where she is going to go to school next year.  She's had a great attitude, but as time goes on it gets harder and harder to wait.  She misses her job at Clark's and her friends in Cimarron. . .

We continue to appreciate your support and prayers on our behalf.  The next few weeks will be crucial as we make decisions and figure out where we are going to plant ourselves in August.  We are trusting our Sovereign Lord in His leading and timing and doing our best to be patient and take one day at a time.

Sherry   

June 26, 2014

 

 

Our Temporary Home - 2 trailers

The girls are staying in the one on the left (with the indoor cat "Precious") and Darren and I are in the one on the right. The barn you barely see in the left hand side of the photo is where we lock the outdoor cat "Tiger" for night so he doesn't get eaten by coyotes!

 



We have 2 dining options - outdoors OR indoors!

Kylie seems to be enjoying "farm life!"  She's always up for an adventure!

The girls have opportunities to do things they wouldn't normally do - like ride 4-wheelers!










I thought it would be good to add some pictures this time  . . . to give you a little taste of our life right now.  Darren seems to be enjoying farm work.  They are now into hay season and he is learning new things, like how to run a baler.  He is sweating a lot in this humidity and comes home very tired each night.  This is all good, except not very conducive to filling out applications and job hunting! 

There are a few opportunities presenting themselves, so please pray for clear direction as he applies and we go through the process of discerning where God wants us. I think Darren might take a little time off soon to process and spend some time with the Lord.  He doesn't have much "think" and "process" time with the current schedule. . . All the opportunities are very different - teaching music in a Christian school in Oklahoma, part-time worship/music pastor, or overseeing and coordinating worship teams in a college setting . . . all of these are part-time.  So lots of details that would need to be worked out and come together for any of them.

We also found out today that the buyers of our house are completely approved and ready to set an earlier date than July 30 to close on our house in Cimarron.  Therefore, we now need to figure out what to do with our belongings and where to go with them.  We go to Idaho to meet with Darren's Spiritual Formation Group again July 13-19, so it will probably be soon after that. 

Being here has allowed us to take part in some opportunities we wouldn't have had otherwise.  As many of you know, Marissa Hiett, my cousin's daughter, is getting married July 5 here in Fairview.  We've had the opportunity to get together and help put together programs, centerpieces, party favors, etc.  What a privilege to be a part of this!

I've also had opportunities to help my mom do some cleaning and going through things.  She is probably ready for me to leave already, but it is much easier to do these things with someone than alone! . . .   I'm in clean out mode as I just went through my entire house and packed things up!

This is an adventure and it helps to look at it that way to make things more tolerable.  We've had rainstorms recently and therefore found out that our trailer had leaks. So we've spent 2 nights catching water in bowls and trying to figure out where all the rain is leaking in.  Cooking is a challenge.  We usually do breakfast at the trailers, everyone has lunch together at my parents', and then supper varies.  I only have minimal food and cooking items at the trailers, so it depends on what we're having. I am constantly transporting items and laundry back and forth.  The trailers are across the section from my parents' house, which isn't that far as the crow flies (or as Darren drives on the 4-wheeler each day), but by car it is 2 1/2 miles each time.  Invariably, we always need something at the other location . . . ugh. But we are starting to find a little bit of a routine. 

The girls are doing well.  Kaitlyn went up to Salina last weekend and spent the weekend with college friends.  Kylie had a friend from the Enid area come visit last weekend as well.  Two second cousins came in yesterday to spend some time on the farm prior to the wedding, so the next couple of weeks will be filled with family and events connected to the wedding on July 5th!

Thank you again for your support and most of all for your prayers.  We are trying to be faithful to God's leading in our lives, but that doesn't mean that it is always easy.  Some days are harder than others and we covet your prayers as we continue to process and seek the Lord's guidance for our future.

Sherry