Catching up on my Blog!

I think this is my last entry for today!  I had a lot of catching up to do with photos from the last month or so.  This is my way of keeping a pictorial log of life for me and Sondra.

There are a lot of pictures in today's multiple entries.  Also, I forgot to post the June 29 blog with photos, as it had been kept in "draft" form for these several weeks.  Be sure to look at those pictures too.

This past week has been filled with errands and items to get done for church and church family.  It was a joy to hear the reports of what God has been doing in the lives of those I share my life with through church ministry.  Blessings as well as needs are the order of the day, no matter who we are and where we are in our spiritual journey.

Sondra's back has been giving her great trouble of late.  She has never had back problems, and she went to the hospital Urgent Care center twice as well as to her personal physician last week.  Her lower back muscles have tightened up to the point of excruciating pain, and she was given muscle relaxants and some pain meds.  Finally, in the last couple of days she has felt somewhat normal, with very little pain.  She just takes it easy and makes sure she does not do lifting or bending down to hurt the back muscles again.  Hopefully, all the pain and tentativeness will be gone soon.

Evan's transmission went out on his Toyota Forerunner, so he is trying to figure out what to do for transportation.  Right now, he is driving a 2002 Cadillac Escalade, which his fiancee's father has offered to sell to him.

I went in to Coronado Stone and did the 8 am Daily Devotional time last Wednesday, and then sat down with Brian Coulter (the CFO of the company) who in heavily involved in the Good News Parolee Program with me.  We had a good time of catching up on the latest news of the company and the parolee houses, and then we talked about getting together later for a trip to a local prison to work with another group for ministry purposes.

This past Saturday, we went over to Newbury Park for a wedding reception.  Our nephew Dillon Deffense got married and had a couple of reception times for us to attend, one in Agoura Hills and the other in Newbury Park.  It was good to be with family for this special occasion.  Sharon is Sondra's next youngest sister, and Dillon is one of Sharon's kids.  Evan and Callie were able to go, as well as Crystal and Shawn and the grandkids.  Alden (Sondra's oldest brother) rode with us to the get-togethers.  All of Sondra's siblings were there -- Danny (with Marci and their two kids), Alice (but husband Tobey unable to attend because of work), Alden, and Sharon and her family (of course).  In addition, two cousins from Taft were there -- Janet Johson and Connie MacKinnon.

Yesterday was an enjoyable and good time of worship.  A young deaf lady attended, so we had Nick (member of the church who desperately wants to be used in deaf ministry as he is hearing-impaired too) do the signing for the entire worship hour -- songs, prayers, announcements and message.  At the end of the worship service, he and others helped me talk to the young deaf lady about baptism, at her request.  She has made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as Savior but has never been baptized.  What a wonderful day.