From Sea to shining Sea

At the beginning of this month we were privileged to go to San Diego, CA. I haven't been on the west coast much, neither on the east coast very often. But what I have seen I like the San Diego area. My brother, Jonathan, went there for his medical boards and a medical conference. He took his family with him. We met him there and spent a couple days visiting various places and enjoying the area. One thing I found very disconcerting. You're driving along on Interstate and you see this sign that says "Dead End", you look beyond and you see the Great Big Pacific Ocean! That's quite an eye opener when you see it for the first time. We had lots of fun. We will try to catch up later. It seems like yesterday was Oct. 1, and tomorrow is Oct. 31.
Seth

Enchanting Tidbits "Columbus Day"

We have been taught all our lives how in 1492 Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover the New World. We even have a National Holiday celebrating it. I have a Question to ask. Was he? Now I've heard there are some archeology sites along the east coast that some believe are remains of the Vikings. I'm kind of a history nut and when I find a book about history I like to look at it. Well, this summer at a second hand store I found a book titled "Mysteries & Miracles of New Mexico. Right down my alley. I bought it. There have been some very interesting things that have transpired in New Mexico where there are no explanations. Not very far from my sisters house in Grants, is basalt rock with very strange lettering on it. There are 11 sentences composed of 214 letters. For years some have tried to read and decipher these words. Some believe they are Phoenician characters. Others believe they are archaic Hebrew and a summary of the 10 Commandments. Others say they are Greek. What ever the case is, Scientist agree that they are very very old, dated close the the time of Christ. One thought maybe 500 B.C. Again the question I ask is, "Was he the first?"
I haven't seen this yet. I have only recently learned about it, but I am anxious to see it and photograph it.
Seth

Something else that makes this teacher excited!

I love teaching but I also love school breaks and this coming week we are taking a three day fall break! We are planning to take Seth's sister with us and travel the 9 hours to San Diego to meet his other brother (who will be attending a medical conference) and sister and their families. Please remember us in prayer that God will grant traveling mercies and undertake with some other concerns. Thank-you and have a great week in Jesus! Mel

What is happening in school?

This year we are traveling the road of success: "and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; "

For every 100%, the student receives a car to put on the "Racing to Success" poster.

We now have 6 weeks of school completed, which means that every student should have 2 PACES completed in every subject. Yes, they all made it, everyone has met the requirement!! I'm a happy teacher!

Our Memory Work for this month is Psalm 121, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." We certainly need help to run this race, so it is good to know where to look! And yes, all the students said all six verses, even the 4 and 6 year old. This makes for a very happy teacher!

For our unit theme, which we spend about 10 min. in studying in the morning, we travel to one of the 50 and learn some interesting facts! We have talked about the 5 Pacific States, and they know where they are located on the map and why they are called the Pacific States.
I am one very excited and proud teacher. I'm looking forward to a great year of "traveling". This week every student completed their goals and received a green star on their goal chart for the day. When they receive a green star for every day, they get a small prize the following week, for some its a "hot pickle" that they absolutely like, certainly more than their teacher. My K student, with stars in his eyes, turned to the 1st grader and said, "We learnin lots of new things, right?" I pray most of all, it will not be just an academic race, but a spiritual one --- Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!!!

Mel

Okay,I've been tagged!

Here are seven random things about myself:
1. I was the oldest for 11 years, and a Daddy's girl, in which he had me driving the tractor at 3 yrs of age so he could unload the manure spreader. He would tell me which way to turn, so he says, and laughed, cuz, I would turn around and look at him and go zig-zagging in the field. (I'm not sure I'd let my son do that!)
2. At seven, I ran the tractor in a tree cuz I couldn't turn the wheel fast enough to make it around the turn and it was very hard steering. (I don't think power steering was in exsistence at that time). After the front loader rammed in the tree, it stalled. There I sat crying, so sure dad was going to be upset. And when he saw me, he laughed.
3.Once a friend and I took a walk at dusk, some guys stopped to talk to us, we kept walking to get away from them. We could hear them drive down the road and turn around and start back, so we took off running in the woods and hid, unbeknowns to us, right in a patch of ivy poison, which we were both allergic too. We arrived safely home after dark, but suffered for weeks.
4. Another friend (Won't mention any names)and I went "cruising" down the main drag of town and while we were stopped at a red light a crazy man, who we thought was crossing the street in front of us, stuck his head in the window and screamed at the top of his lungs at us. (Lesson learned -- Don't do things just to be cool!)
5. At ten, I lost 4 siblings in a house fire, in dealing with some of the emotions involved, my Mom would stress that it could have been me, that died. God has me here for a purpose, and I need to find that purpose. I am a firm believer that there are no mistakes with GOD, no one is just an accident. We are special to God and here for a reason. This has become even more real to me as we have struggled with infertility and miscarriages. Thank God for our one miracle son, and for those who know about his birth can truly say he's a miracle!
6. In dealing with many issues and giving them to God, at about 14 years of age, I felt God"s call on my life to be a teacher in NM one day and approx. 14 years later those doors opened. I was about 7 when I started having a tender heart towards Navajo's.
7. My first date with Seth lasted approx. 8 hours! I was amazed that I felt so at ease, it was like sitting down and talking to a best friend, in which we still are!!!
Mel

Enchanting Scenes

We live in the desert, right? Right! Just sand, snake and bugs, right? Wrong! There are a number of things that have real beauty. An earlier post showed the sunset as it progressed. Recently I have been amazed again at some of the beauty even in some of the undesirables. You probably have heard of someone painting dried tumbleweeds and even marketing them. I have even fallen in one when I was younger and "oh the stickers". I've taken stickers out a week later. Did you know those nasty, prickly weeds have a flower? Well, they do as you can see in this picture. Notice the delicate petals and color. I wonder what this plant was like before the Fall of Man?

Then toward the end of August and into September you see these flowers pop up. I've seen quite a plot of these along the highway and then I've seen these in individual plants. I've often wondered what they were. After doing a search I found a name "Aster tanacetifolius" "Tahoka Daisy" or "Prairie Aster." I'm going to try to get some more pictures and post them later.

People often have a mindset that tells them that the desert is dry, barren, and empty. There are probably some that are, but most deserts have an amazing ecosystem thriving in them if you will take the time to find it.

Seth

Prayer Requests

Just a few things on my heart:
It's been a long week, but God is helping and aswering prayer. He especially helped us with the peaches.
1. I took four other ladies with me on Tuesday and we went to visit Grandma Edith in ABQ. She has been in a hospital since June 23rd. Actually, she drove school bus on the 23rd, even though she was feeling weak and in pain. After she went to the ER, she was diagnosed with double pnemonia, which led to collapsed lungs. She is definitely tired of hospitals and determined to come home. She was able to sit in a wheelchair on Tuesday and recently started feeding herself. It was also reported that she did stand by herself this week. She still has some hurdles to cross, one of which is a bed sore, which may require surgery. Thank-you for your prayers and please continue to pray for her. God is working! We are praying that it will make a positive spiritual impact on the family also.
2. Baby Wade was tested on Monday night, and he no longer needs oxygen. He is now up to 7 lbs. He and his family need prayer. We also need wisdom and understanding as we deal with his siblings and their adjustments and emotions. "Jesus in the family, happy, happy home" and sad to say, this song can not be sung in every home and it affects these little ones.
3. A prayer request for a little boy and his family, especially in the next 4 weeks.
4. That God would help Seth and James Hasdale this coming week to be able to have things cooperate, including the weather, so they would be able to get the new heating system put in.
5. Prayer request that if it pleases God, He will touch my shoulder. Been having quite a bit of pain, and after 3 treatments of $48 each time, would really like to feel a touch!
Thank-you for joining us in prayer concerning these matters!
Mel