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merry christmas!
CLICK ON INDIVIDUAL IMAGES TO ENLARGE
| [Ken and Deb 12/25/2016] We are enjoying a wonderful Colorado Christmas this season. Sans any snow, Faith sits alone down in Texas awaiting our return, but dressed as festive as ever! Wherever YOU happen to be, Deb and I wish you the most loving and warm Christmas possible. There are countless reasons to be excited for the Season, but none greater than the promise of Hope. MERRY CHRISTMAS! |
 | What is really cold and rhymes with "Holler prado?" |
[Ken 12/17/2016] While Deb and I appreciate the personalized Colorado welcome sign, we did not think that as soon as we got unpacked at mom's house in Denver that the temperatures would plummet. We were quite comfortable with the mid-70 degrees we had in Huntsville when we left Texas.
| We woke up this morning to a ther-mometer struggling to indicate a meager -1 degree outside temperature. An hour later it was -2 degrees. This was not a good trend. There were gusty winds, and overnight we were honored with the first Denver snowstorm of the season. Gifted with about 10 inches of snow, Geoff and I accomplished the snow-shoveling for mom -- I was quite happy when we finished as I no longer have any viable winter clothing. | |
These are the kinds of weather conditions that we joyfully left behind when we moved from Evergreen, CO, but <alas> here we are back shoveling snow and scraping windshields again. Since Colorado is not warm OUTside, we are sure glad we get to enjoy the INside warmth of family this Christmas season!
ON EDIT: Last night the outside temperature dipped to -15 degrees. Zowie!
ON EDIT: Last night the outside temperature dipped to -15 degrees. Zowie!
texan hospitality
| [Ken 12/10/2016] We had purchased a trailer to tow our Jeep (we have not been able to tow it 4-wheels down behind Faith since mid-summer, but that is another story). This weekend we found it necessary to do some work readying the trailer -- we were working in the parking lot of the local Lowe's store so that parts would be handy. It was a pretty breezy and brisk day. A police officer pulled up in her cruiser. Instead of commenting on our impromptu construction zone, she offered to go get us a couple cups of warm coffee! Then she invited us to the local Christmas parade that evening. We thought that we were going to be busted for using power tools in a public parking lot, and what we got was some of that great Texan hospitality. What a great police department! |   |
looking back:
our picks for
"best" of the year
[Ken and Deb 12/05/2016] Today makes it ONE YEAR since we pulled free of the thirty-six year spell that the great state of Colorado had cast upon us. We remember well the finale drive out of Denver in Faith, our motorhome, last December -- it was a bit bittersweet event. We had planned so long and worked so hard to be able to embark on this "Adventure in Faith." For a couple years it seemed as if it was endless planning and execution of a dream that might not even come true. Then we sold or donated all our possessions. Then the house. Then there was retirement. And the final good-byes to our friends. Finally, we were able to hit-the-road. We were so excited to start our adventure, but so sad to be leaving our kiddos, and especially our one week old granddaughter.
Last week we celebrated our 500th day living in the motorhome (we moved into Faith before the house had sold but after it had been [mostly] emptied). And 7500 miles driven in the motorhome (in the last 12 months). And 15,000 miles driven on the Jeep (in the last 12 months). We have also driven through 31 states and the Disctrict of Columbia (in the last twelve months), and re-visited 24 of those. These stats for 2016 impressed us, so we decided to compile a series of factoids that might summarize our year as full-time RV'ers and as first-year servants in the SOWER Ministry. I am sure that you will find this minutia unequivocally compelling, undoubtedly amazing, and quite enthralling! ENJOY!
NUMBERS
| Most Miles Driven in a Day (Jeep): 1225 (Denver to Dayton, OH (2X)) Most Miles Driven in a Day (Faith): 456 (Birmngham to Shreveport) Fewest Miles Driven in a Day: 42 (Livingston to Forest Glen Camp) Number of States Kayaked: 11 Number of Lighthouses Toured: 9 Number of Cannon that Ken Sat On: Too many to count Number of Forts Visited: 18+ Number of National Park System Units Visited: 33+ Number of Countries Visited: 3 (Canada, Mexico, USA) Number of nights Wally-Docking: 8 (overnighting in a parking lot) Number of Train Rides: 5 Number of Different Churches Attended: 23 Number of SOWER Projects: 11 (34 weeks total) Number of Great New Friends: See cannons that Ken sat on |  Email is a great way to keep up with friends and family! |
SOWER PROJECTS
Most Fun at a Project: Victory Camp, Alvin, TX (Deb), Oakdale Christian Academy (Ken)
Most Meaningful Project: Camp Loma de Vida, Edinburgh, TX (our first project)
Coldest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC
Hottest Project: Lighthouse Camp, Smithville, TN
Wettest Project: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Dryest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC
Smokiest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC (forest fires)
Most Personally Challenging Project: Summit Grove Camp, New Freedom, PA
Most Accomodating Project: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Best Project Leadership: Forest Glen Christian Camp, Huntsville, TX
Best Overall Project: Deer Creek Camp, Medina, TX
Most Meaningful Project: Camp Loma de Vida, Edinburgh, TX (our first project)
Coldest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC
Hottest Project: Lighthouse Camp, Smithville, TN
Wettest Project: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Dryest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC
Smokiest Project: Billy Graham Training Center, Asheville, NC (forest fires)
Most Personally Challenging Project: Summit Grove Camp, New Freedom, PA
Most Accomodating Project: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Best Project Leadership: Forest Glen Christian Camp, Huntsville, TX
Best Overall Project: Deer Creek Camp, Medina, TX
 | Ken's commanding bird's-eye view while motoring Faith down America's highways! |
"BESTS"
Best National Park Unit: Fords Theatre, Washington DC
Best State Park: Niagara Falls, NY, and, Fall Creek Falls, TN (tie)
Best Private Campsite: My brother Doug's backyard
Best Public Campsite: All of the State Parks in Texas are extremely well done
Best Wildlife: Rio Grande Valley State Park, TX (tropical birds galore!)
Best Connection to History: Summit Grove Camp, New Freedom, PA
Best Spontaneous Meeting: Max Lucado, Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, TX
Best Sunset: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL, and, Lighthouse Camp, Barker, NY (tie)
Coolest Lighthouse: Thirty Mile Light, Golden Hill, Lake Ontario, NY
Best Restaurant Experience: Lambert's Cafe, Foley, AL (Home of the "Throwed Rolls")
Best Roads: All the roads in Tennessee were great
Worst Roads: I70 around Indianapolis, and, roads in the Schnectady, NY, area (tie)
Prettiest Campsite: Ponchartrain Landing RV Resort, NOLA
Worst Campsite: Winton Woods Campground, Cincinnati, OH
Best Drivers: Central Texas region
Worst Drivers: Asheville, NC, and the entire New England area
Best Museum: Noah's Ark Encounter, Williamstown, KY
Best History Lesson: Erie Canal, Lockport, NY
Best Hiking Trails: Red River Gorge State Geologic Area, Stanton, KY
Best Kayaking Trail: Erie Canal, Lockport, NY
Best Running Trail: Golden Hill State Park, Lake Ontario, NY
Best Biking Trail: Valley Forge NHP, PA
Best Putt-Putt Golf: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Best Scenery: The Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
Best State Park: Niagara Falls, NY, and, Fall Creek Falls, TN (tie)
Best Private Campsite: My brother Doug's backyard
Best Public Campsite: All of the State Parks in Texas are extremely well done
Best Wildlife: Rio Grande Valley State Park, TX (tropical birds galore!)
Best Connection to History: Summit Grove Camp, New Freedom, PA
Best Spontaneous Meeting: Max Lucado, Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, TX
Best Sunset: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL, and, Lighthouse Camp, Barker, NY (tie)
Coolest Lighthouse: Thirty Mile Light, Golden Hill, Lake Ontario, NY
Best Restaurant Experience: Lambert's Cafe, Foley, AL (Home of the "Throwed Rolls")
Best Roads: All the roads in Tennessee were great
Worst Roads: I70 around Indianapolis, and, roads in the Schnectady, NY, area (tie)
Prettiest Campsite: Ponchartrain Landing RV Resort, NOLA
Worst Campsite: Winton Woods Campground, Cincinnati, OH
Best Drivers: Central Texas region
Worst Drivers: Asheville, NC, and the entire New England area
Best Museum: Noah's Ark Encounter, Williamstown, KY
Best History Lesson: Erie Canal, Lockport, NY
Best Hiking Trails: Red River Gorge State Geologic Area, Stanton, KY
Best Kayaking Trail: Erie Canal, Lockport, NY
Best Running Trail: Golden Hill State Park, Lake Ontario, NY
Best Biking Trail: Valley Forge NHP, PA
Best Putt-Putt Golf: Baldwin Baptist Camp, Elberta, AL
Best Scenery: The Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
| Pulling into a new campground is always an adventure: "Another Front Yard!" |  |
...AND THE REST
Most Fun not at a Project Knoxville with the Howards, and, NOLA with Robby and Emma (tie)
Most Beautiful Town: Portsmouth, NH, and, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (tie)
Town that Most Closely Resembled a Town in a Hallmark Movie: New Freedom, PA
Most Unique Worship: Cowboy Church, Bandera, TX (YeeHaw!)
Most Memorable Worship: Mission Hills Church, Littleton, CO, "Jonah - Building His Faith"
Longest Season: Fall (it started when we were in Pennsylvania in September and we followed the
leaf changes all of the way south to Texas in December)
Most Wildlife Encounters: Wild turkies, chickens, long horn steer, alligators, white-tailed deer, turtle, fish, frogs, rabbit, squirrels, black bear, dolphin, and lots and lots and lots of birds
Injuries: None, but Ken did get Poison Ivy at Lighthouse Camp, TN
Greatest Disappointment: Towing the Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk turned out to be a Big Fail
Greatest Blessing: Discovering that serving the Lord in this way can be so fulfilling (for the Project, too!), and that so many of the people we have met have also received this validation.
Most Beautiful Town: Portsmouth, NH, and, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (tie)
Town that Most Closely Resembled a Town in a Hallmark Movie: New Freedom, PA
Most Unique Worship: Cowboy Church, Bandera, TX (YeeHaw!)
Most Memorable Worship: Mission Hills Church, Littleton, CO, "Jonah - Building His Faith"
Longest Season: Fall (it started when we were in Pennsylvania in September and we followed the
leaf changes all of the way south to Texas in December)
Most Wildlife Encounters: Wild turkies, chickens, long horn steer, alligators, white-tailed deer, turtle, fish, frogs, rabbit, squirrels, black bear, dolphin, and lots and lots and lots of birds
Injuries: None, but Ken did get Poison Ivy at Lighthouse Camp, TN
Greatest Disappointment: Towing the Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk turned out to be a Big Fail
Greatest Blessing: Discovering that serving the Lord in this way can be so fulfilling (for the Project, too!), and that so many of the people we have met have also received this validation.
| We love to grill dinner -- as often as we can. But S'Mores over a campfire are truly a special event! |  |
