Spring is Here!!!

Posted on April 21, 2014

Spring has arrived in Rough Rock!  I know this for sure, because I googled the phrase “how to keep snakes out of your house” for the 1st time ever today.

I spent part of my afternoon on my computer working on Story Night (we are already in Judges!) and Casper, my dog, was going CRAZY watching all of the lizards outside.  That was when I started to wonder about snakes.  Tonight, Lavina confirmed my fears by informing me that rattlesnake season has begun!  She also told me that the little lizards will get in your house and they are harmless and will just live with you for the summer…

The good news?  There are pellets you can put around your house to deter snakes… (thanks google!)

I hope all of you had a good Easter!  This was a busy week here!  My week began with a surprise visit from my friend Sherry.  She is from Ft. Wayne, but lives in Phoenix.  She runs a ministry here to encourage people in ministry on the Navajo Nation.  She periodically travels hundreds of miles to visit people and just bring them encouragement from God’s word, resources for ministry and to just cheer them on.  We joked that I’m doing the same thing here with this church, but without the traveling!

Sherry was visiting churches in Farmington and Gallup, so she swung by here and spent the night on Monday.  We stayed up and watched the eclipse and talked for hours.  It was really so nice to just visit with someone else who has worked on the reservation for years.  She has so much insight into how God is moving here, and it was so fun to hear stories of all the lives that God is changing across this land!

Sherry’s treat to me was a horseback ride in Canyon de Chelly.  If you have never been to Canyon de Chelly, it is one of those “must see” stops in Arizona.  It is stunning.  Like a mini Grand Canyon.  I was a little apprehensive about riding a horse.  I think the last time I rode one was in high school.  They put me on a short lazy horse named Peaches.  Our guide referred to him as “pokey Peaches”.  Haha!  He was pokey!  It was a gorgeous day for a ride and I loved every minute of it!  Sherry treated me to lunch at a REAL restaurant (!!) and it was just so nice!!!

Wednesday we had Bible study and I have to say- the Navajo are getting really good at leading it!  This week, we finished James and at the end, one of the men said that he decided that if you come to know Jesus and don’t read his book that you will never change.  Then he said that the Holy Spirit is like a perfect pastor inside your heart that teaches you what the Bible means.

***smile***

Thursday was the Easter Party at the Senior Center- it went all day and they had SO much fun! There was a huge meal, dancing, singing, games, prizes and a HUGE (I honestly think we hid several thousand eggs) Easter egg hunt.  I’ve never seen senior citizens move so fast!  Most of the eggs were tucked into cactus or prickly tumbleweed and they just went for it!  That night I had everyone from story night over to watch “Prince of Egypt” since we just finished lessons on Moses.

Friday we had story night~ Joshua and the battle of Jericho (and the Veggie Tale remake, of course!  Gotta love those french peas!)

Saturday the ladies of the church made breakfast casseroles for Easter service and then we had a movie night at the church.  I am SO technologically challenged… trying to connect a projector, sound system and a borrowed DVD player… sigh.  Not my gifting.  We ended up taping a microphone to the top of the projector.  One of the families offered to bring “Jesus Son of God” to watch.  What they brought was a bootlegged copy of “The Bible”- the entire New Testament.  After 4 and 1/2 hours (well past Pentecost and into the life of Paul) I finally cut us off around midnight.  I think we should all watch the rest sometime- it was really well done and everyone was loving it!

Sunday, the church had decided on a Sunrise service at 6 am.  I got up early and made coffee and watched the sunrise alone- it was incredible!  Everyone came at about 7 and we had service and yummy breakfast casseroles together.  And then I took a HUGE nap! 🙂

One of my favorite parts of this adventure has been just having time to spend with people.  I was down to one free night a week in Indiana and there’s no way I would have been able to do the things I’m able to do here.  There’s so much time for conversation and relationships.  This week there have been so many interesting conversations with people.  While we hid Easter eggs, while we walked, while we made casseroles, while we tried to figure out a sound system.  Nothing is rushed.  There is time to talk and sit with people.  There is time to drink coffee and watch the sun come up with God.  I think this is how things are supposed to be all the time.

Anyway, just rambling about my week here.  Hope you don’t mind!  I wish you all could be here to experience it with me!

An answer to prayer: Delbert (the man who was going to Flagstaff about a possible cancer relapse) had his appointment on Friday and his oncologist reviewed his CAT scan and said he is still cancer free!  Praising God for that news!  Thank you for praying!

I hope each of you had a good Easter and had time to reflect on all that happened to secure our freedom in God.  I am continually thanking God for you all- I know that you are praying, because I can see God answering here!!!  Thank you!!!!!!