And just like that, the new year is here. We hope you had some great time with family and friends and spending time with our God. Christmas vacation was a bit different for Jennifer and I. The kids are spread out all over the world so it was a bit more quiet this year. Which we were glad to slow down a little. Kayla got to spend some time with Mamaw and Papaw and flew to Greenville to be with Tyler and Alyssa. She had a wonderful time, she learned to longboard, went on walks with Alyssa and played lots of games. Her only complaint was she didn’t see the sun except for about 10 minutes. Oh the little things we get excited for!! That left Jen and I at home and we did some remodel in our bathroom, it’s almost done.
We jumped back to work on Jan. 2. We had a mission team that came from Alaska, South Carolina and Nebraska. We are remolding the Broken I Ranch stores. The building was built in 1982, so you can imagine how straight the walls and floors are, insert sarcasm. With that old of a building and living in a area that has earth quakes, its just a bit off in places, so you have to work around that. We are expanding the store, adding two new bathrooms and a seating area. If a building could tell stories, this one would have some great ones. A few just from my time of being here. 1. I dedicated my life to serving in ministry full time. 2. One summer as I was working I got in trouble (I know its hard for you to believe) but sat in Mr. Ricks office and got a “talking to.” 3. I had a camper one summer when it was our meeting room, that started to walk out to accept Christ as his Savior, but he turned around and choose not too, his name is Chris. I will not forget that and the hurt, sadness, and crying I did that night. I still pray for him, have no idea where he is today. That building was also my church for a time until we moved into our current building. If walls could talk, there is no doubt that building would be able to share blessing of people accepting Christ as their savior as well. It has been a school, church, meeting hall, registration, offices, nursery, game room, coffee shop and I am sure I am missing something.
40 40
40 40, well what is that. Every year in January the biggest thing people due is….Oh the New Years Resolution. Some people call it look at the past year and plan, as the Lord wills, the new year. Well, I am not much a person that does “New Year Resolutions.” But this year we decided to do something different. I saw on a Facebook feed a thing called 40 40. So, I looked it up and it intrigued me. Well what is it. Walk/Run a mile a day for 40 days and study through a book of the Bible and a few other “challenge ” type things. I am not here to promote them, but I am here to promote our God and spending time with our God. As of right now there are about 20 of our friends and family doing this. How it works for us is, I spend time each morning, listening to the Bible reading for that day. I go to work, then when I get home, Jen, Kayla and I go on our 1 mile walk, and then at the end of the day, the 3 of us read it and spend time in prayer. I would encourage you, if you don’t have a consistent relationship with our God, that you would make that a priority in your life. Our God, who created us, gave us life, and gives us salvation to spend eternity with Him, why would I not want to spend time with Him?
Summer Camp is coming. Be sure to save your spot.
Ben and Jen 