And the Beat Goes On

C, our drummer boy

Here is a picture of C with his electronic drum set.  He's been taking drum lessons for over two years now.  His drum instructors and we would love to get him a "real" set and he has a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, but it doesn't look like it is going to happen any time soon.  Lessons are on Tuesdays with his original instructor and on Wednesdays he goes to church with me and while I work, he practices with Pastor Barry for the upcoming Sunday's praise and worship songs and learns new techniques.  He is being groomed to take over the drum set in a year or so since the current drummer will be graduating high school and moving on.  Pastor Barry played drums all through college and became a music teacher before becoming a pastor.  Our church has received a double and triple blessing of musical talent.  B plays the guitar every week and I sing occassionally.  I actually have a solo coming up on the 17th of April and again for another church the same song for their Maunday Thursday services.  KR has taken piano lessons before, but she tired of practicing.  H would dearly love to play something, but wants to sound professional right out of the gate and so has ceased trying.  We have several instruments hanging on the wall in the theater in the hopes that someone will pick those up and play, but it hasn't happened yet.  Anyone want to try trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, flute, trombone or electric guitar? 

B left for Texas again this morning.  He'll be gone for about a week and a half fixing up the oil well equipment, which was part of the deal when we sold the property.  God is good!  He heard our prayers for opportunities to be able to have B not reenter the corporate world again.  There is enough variety that B doesn't get bored and he is able to flex his brain muscles in new directions as he has also been given a very good mentor.  (Another answer to prayer!)  B will be setting up our pop-up trailer on one of the 3 properties to avoid having to pay for a motel.  I stocked the refrigerator and cabinets with food so he can have a bit of home and save money in food as well.  Missing him already.  We both cried like a couple of star-crossed lovers this morning saying our last good-byes.  We agreed that we like it that way. 



One of the wells in Texas that B will be working on this week


We received a check-in call from B around lunch time.  He had made it as far as TN and needed gas.  He hit a stretch with next to nothing as far as stations and pulled off the interstate hoping to find fuel since the gauges showed that he only had about 10 more miles left on the tank and he'd been looking for a service station for the last 30 miles.  He found an abandoned gas station, but knocked on the doors of two houses that were adjacent, with no answer.  Upon returning to the van, he noticed a bearded man with a backpack coming from the direction of the gas station.  Thinking that perhaps this man was the owner closing up to walk home for lunch, B waited in the driveway hoping to ask a favor of reopening to get gas quickly, but the man walked past him.  Pulling up toward him now, B opened the door believing that he had been prompted by God to offer the guy a ride.  (B is Not one to pick up hitchhikers)  The man got in and B let him know his circumstances but said that he would at least get him to the nearest town and they could have lunch, B's treat.  Come to find out the man is about 37 years old, lives in Florida, but is hitchhiking to Ames, Iowa for the summer to work at a youth camp run by his friend.  B asked to pray before lunch and the man asked if B would pray for his safety to Ames, which he did.  The man's name is Jeff.  Jeff is an ex-marine.  B asked that we continue to pray for Jeff, so I am extending that to all of you who read this blog.  B has had dreams of wanting to use the trailer and travel and minister since we purchased it for our 6 week trip the summer of 2009, but neither of us envisioned the opportunity such as today.  Strange how life turns out.