Creation Museum

On May 11, we went to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.  Lisa and Simon went with us but didn't stay for the tour.  They mostly did the outside gardens and one of the multi-media movies inside.  This dinosaur was the first thing we saw outside of the museum.

This is the Creation Museum viewed from the garden.

 The garden was wonderful to wander through.  There were several different kinds of bridges, beautiful plants and water features.  There was also a petting zoo and camel rides.

 We enjoyed seeing this peacock wandering around.  Simon wasn't sure what to think of him.  The peacock did not spread his feathers for us, but he did cry his distinctive call for us.

 Simon loved the bounciness of this floating bridge!

 This is a suspended swinging bridge that was also fun!

 Some children getting a camel ride.

 Rowen and I enjoyed the day while Emily trailed behind us taking hundreds of pictures.

 The sun was bright!

 Another beautiful bridge

We took this picture of a strange looking tree to show Beth and Jason, who didn't get to go on the trip with us.

 Inside the museum, a large aquarium with turtles

 An exhibit about digging for fossils

 One of the friendly dinosaurs God created on Day 6 of Creation.

 A display about the ones who wrote the Bible

 Rowen and I reading signs while Martin Luther posts his 95 Thesis on the door.

 A walk through Creation, well done and beautiful

 Adam naming the animals

 A not so friendly dino who had killed his lunch.  Obviously it was after the fall of man into sin, because there was no death before sin.  This dino was moving and roaring quite convincingly.

 A display in which Methuselah talked to us, telling how things were when he was living his long life.  The figures were amazingly lifelike and when they talked, their eyes moved and blinked, and their heads and hands moved.

 Noah and one of his sons working on the ark.

 We ate lunch at Noah's Cafe out on the deck where we could enjoy the view of the beautiful garden.

These pictures are just a few of the 200 or so that we took, but I think you can get the idea that this museum is very well done, interesting, and worth going to!  There are two planetarium shows, one of which we had time to go to, and it was excellent!  There are workshops, concerts, a gift shop, and three special effects theaters.  You could spend the whole day there, but we only had time for about four hours.  This museum is trying to get across the truth of the Bible: we were created by an awesome Creator who made everything in this world in six days and He rested on the seventh day.  People can take the same fossil record and scientific evidence and come up with evolution, because they do not want to admit there is a Creator Who has the right to tell us how to live.

More God's Bible School pictures from our trip

Here are some more pictures of our time at God's Bible School.  The first picture shows the Chapel/Classroom/Boys' Dorm building on the left, the Girls' Dorm in the very back, and the Administration Building on the right.

 Another view of the Admin Building, and to the right is the library.

 The Music Building which is across the street from the chapel.  Secured parking is behind this building.

 President Michael Avery, a wonderful man of God with a heart for the students.  Because he is a detail-noticing man, and he knew Jeffrey was also, he added to Jeffrey's work duties to find any details that needed to be fixed on campus:  light bulbs to replace, binds that didn't work, loose screws, black marks on floors, etc.  Jeffrey took it seriously and worked hard.  The whole campus really looked nice!  All the students work together to make the campus wonderful.

 Inside the empty chapel.  This was taken on our tour of campus.  During the camp services, it was very full of up to 900 people.

 We hadn't seen the Richard Owens family since their kids were small.  They are from New York, but daughter Rachel is in school at GBS.

 Jeffrey with a few of his friends: Brandon, Rachel, and Amit.  Amit took us out to eat on Saturday.

 We have been cyber friends with Nikita, from Grand Cayman, for probably five years.  It was a blessing to finally meet her in person!  She has been an "adopted" daughter through video chat!  She has two more years to go at GBS.  She gave Emily and me a tour of the Girls' Dorm.

 I was visiting with Martha Glick, while Rowen and Jeffrey talked to Dr. Dan Glick.  Dr. Glick is a friend, adviser, mentor, professor, and pastor to Jeffrey.  We appreciate his investment in Jeffrey's life.  We first met the Glicks at McPherson Holiness Camp in 2002.

 Another picture with Seth and Alesia, including some Albertsons.  Seth is one of our "adopted" sons, and also our daughter-in-law, Brenda's brother.  Since we were so close to Kentucky, where they live, we asked them to meet us for a meal.  They were willing to drive two hours to get to see us!

 Here is the only picture we took of our nephew, Adam.  He was supervising Aubrey's play.

 This is the dining hall, which had some stuff sitting around for the graduation receptions that were going to take place there.  Between our nieces' homes and the friends we ate out with, we only ate in the dining hall once.

The picture below is cropped from a choir picture, just to show a couple of Jeffrey's friends.  The left arrow points to Andrew Blankenship, Jeffrey's roommate this past year.  The right arrow points to Jeffrey Paulus, a good friend who plans to room with Andrew and Jeffrey next year.  It might get confusing with two Jeffreys in the room, but they are good friends and are all serious about serving the Lord.

Pictures from our time at God's Bible School, Cincinnati, Ohio

May 10-14, Rowen, Emily, and I were able to be with Jeffrey at God's Bible School for the school end Camp Meeting.  It was a privilege for us to go and see where Jeffrey has been this school year.  We loved meeting his professors and friends, spending time with our nephews and their families, besides seeing old friends and making new ones.  After our time there, we took Jeffrey to Joplin where he will spend the summer painting for his brothers' company, ABE Painting, to make more money so he can go back to GBS in the fall to continue his study in missions.

 Jeffrey and Emily in the golf cart he uses to deliver packages. This was a part of his work study job.

 Jeffrey pretending a Curious George story with Elliott and Simon.  They have gotten fond of Jeffrey over the school year.

 Our nephew, Aaron leaving his house to go to graduation.  He has been head of General Studies at GBS.  This picture shows how close his house is to the next one.  We were amazed how tall, skinny, and close the houses were in Cincinnati.

 The GBS choir singing in the camp meeting services.  They were a blessing to hear.  Every service was anointed and helpful.

 The chapel is the level where the pretty, big windows are.  Above are offices, below are classrooms, but the upper levels are Boys' Dorm rooms.  I have marked Jeffrey's room with the arrow.  Rowen says there are 60 stairs to get up to his room!

 An interesting stairway down from the chapel area to the street where Aaron and Lisa live.  There are stairs everywhere in this city of seven hills.

 Jeffrey in front of the church he attends: Florence, Kentucky Church of the Nazarene.

 We had a meal with Seth and Alesia Stevenson while we were in their territory.

 This lady approached me and asked, "Are you also a cancer survivor?"  We had noticed we had similar "coming back from bald" hairdos!  Her name is Patty Jo, and she has also come through the breast cancer journey by God's help.

 One of the stained glass windows in the front of the chapel.

 Lisa and Elliot Profitt and her mother, Leta Witt.

 Aaron and Simon Profitt.  Aaron and Lisa graciously allowed us to stay in their home with them.

 Emily and me on Mother's Day.

Rowen and me on Mother's Day

Valerie Profitt and her girls, Aubrey and Annie.  We got to eat at Adam and Val's twice.  Sorry we did not get a good picture of Adam.

 Rowen and me on the picturesque stairs.

Don and Karin Litchfield, "electronic friends."  We got to meet them in person and enjoyed sharing a meal and conversation together.

Visit with the Lauritzens

 On May 5, we were privileged to have the Lauritzen family for a meal and visit.  Robert and Mary are missionaries to Ghana, Africa with their children:  Emily, Titus, Isaac, and Miriam.  They also have older children that are married.  Before this, we had never met them in person, but Emily has been penpals with Beth for several years.  She has also been a faithful subscriber to God's Girls' Newsletter that Beth publishes every month.  Other times when they have been in the US, Emily has texted with Beth, but this time, they were coming to Colorado for deputation services, and we were able to get together!  We enjoyed the evening of visiting and learning about God's work in Ghana.  On Sunday morning, May 6, we went to the church where they were speaking so we could learn more.  We thoroughly enjoyed meeting these wonderful people.  In the pictures below, they are wearing the native costume of Ghana.

Beth and Emily

Charissa's dedication May 16, 2012

Charissa was dedicated to the Lord on Wednesday evening, May 16th.     She went to sleep during the earlier part of the service, so she "behaved" very well for the dedication.

Brenda had made her a beautiful satin dress to wear. 
                            Tim and Brenda pledged to teach and train Charissa in the Lord's ways.                                             

Grandpa Scoles, Charissa's great-grandpa, read the dedication service and prayed for Charissa.

After church was over, Charissa woke up for picture taking.

Charissa with her Grandpa and Grandma Albertson, and Great-grandpa and Great-grandma Scoles

Charissa is blessed to get to see her great-grandparents often.  They love her very much.

Charissa with her great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents: Tim and Brenda

  Charissa with Grandma and Grandpa Albertson

Charissa with grandparents and Aunt Emily and Uncle Jeffrey

Charissa is dearly loved by her family and the Lord!

     
                                               
                                  
                                          

Mother's Knee surgery

 My mother, Wanda Scoles, had both knees replaced back in 1999.  Her right one was giving lots of trouble lately, and she had surgery on it on May 7.  We were grateful the replacement parts did not have to be replaced, but the doctor was able to modify what was causing the trouble.  We got to Joplin on Tuesday, May 15 when she was already in rehab and doing well with her therapy. Below is the automated exerciser that is slowly moving her leg and bending it to 90 degrees at that time.  The blue thing is a ice pack that she is still using at home.  It is hooked to the "thermos jug" on the windowsill, which has a motor and circulates ice water in the pack.

 

Janet visiting with Mother.  She was thrilled with my wavy hair, like I knew she would be!

My friend, Phyllis McKibben, came to see us while we were there visiting Mother.  Phyllis and I were bosom friends in nursing school.  We graduated in 1981.  We have written letters through the years, and seen each other a few times, but this year, we have been corresponding often through email.  It was so fun to see her again.  Phyllis knew my parents those many years ago, and they were glad to see her too.  Her coming gave Mother other things to think about besides her knee!

Mother got out of the rehab hospital on Wednesday afternoon and was in church Wednesday evening!.  She didn't want to miss seeing Charissa get dedicated!  (Watch for that post!)  We were so grateful that she was able to do it.  She is still weak, but doing great with a nurse and a therapist making home visits.