I am so sorry but am not going to be able to get the next post (in the series) up until tomorrow evening.
We have had a super busy week--so, so fun but I'm exhausted--a very good exhausted.
On Sunday we traveled with Renewal Ranch to Pine Bluff, just a little over an hour away.
We had a great service and their church put on a potluck the likes of which I have never seen--everything homemade! And dressing (my favorite food besides biscuits and gravy) in January. I don't think I've ever eaten dressing in January before. I am talking about the good stuff--no Stovetop Stuff(ing) or anything like that.
Yesterday we traveled with them to Swifton, AR to Butterfly Ranch. This is a similar type program to Renewal Ranch except it is for women. I fell in love with the women and we had an incredible service. Swifton is a little over two hours away so we had over four hours of driving.
Link to Butterfly Ranch
We battled some bad weather on the way there and back--and got a text while we were sitting in service that there was a tornado in Jackson County (that is where we were) and that we should immediately take cover. Our chaplain was in the middle of a very encouraging sermonette to the ladies and I just could not interrupt him. Thank God it went north of us.
There was damage all over the state of Arkansas last night as far as roofs being blown off houses and the like but no loss of life that I heard of--we are grateful for God's protection.
The ride didn't seem nearly as long because we rode on the bus with the guys--we told riddles and sang (for hours), visited and laughed all the way there and back.
Three of the guys who went play guitar (well) and one guy plays drums. All he had was bongos but he can make any song sound awesome.
I think we sang every song we had ever heard and I tried to get them to sing "The Ants Went Marching One by One--Hoorah! Hoorah! but couldn't talk them into that--
We have a bunch of new guys as of the last few weeks so the last several days have been filled with hearing testimonies that I have not heard before.
All of their stories are amazing--sad but amazing--
One of the most heartbreaking statements I heard by a 30 something year old went something like this:
"The only thing I ever shared with my father was a needle."
How terribly tragic--
But then to get to see first hand what God is doing in their lives absolutely blows me away.
I taught at the Ranch today so my days have been full but so rewarding. God is good!
The pear at the top is a digital finger painting that I did on my IPad--thought you might like to see what you can do while you are sitting around just relaxing--no mixing of paints, no brushes to clean, no water jars to fill--just pure fun.
I used an app called Brushes to paint the pear.
I have been working on that this evening while recuperating from the busy week. smile
Hope your week is just crazy wonderful.
I have a very exciting weekend ahead.
I'll tell you about it next week and hopefully have pictures.
I love all of you so very much,
Dianne
© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted
