Upland game at Nettie Bay Lodge

Last weekend about 18 guys (several from our church - along with a bunch of friends) headed up to Northern Michgan for some waterfowl and upland game hunting. The weather was perfect and the hunting was pretty good. We hunted grouse, woodcock, duck and goose - and as a group shot a few of each (mostly woodcock and duck). I shot my first grouse - while grouse hunting anyway - and woodcock, and a friend, Ken, also shot his first woodcock and duck (his Dad shot the squirrel over his right shoulder - Ken is not claiming that!)
I always enjoy this trip and next year will most likely bring Grant along. There is something special about spending lots of time outdoors in God's creation - something that both cleanses and expands the soul. The camraderie and excitement of the hunt add elements that make this trip one that I wouldn't want to miss.

Family Bible Study

Last night we drove down to Sandi's Mom's house near Detroit and held our first family Bible Study. This was a very big deal to me because my Mom (third from left, in the front row) came out and because this was a key way God reached out to me over 25 years ago. Back in 1981, when I was 13 years old, our family got together once a week for a very similar Bible Study. In fact, the same guy who lead the studies back then (my Uncle Tom - second from right) also lead this study. Uncle Tom was very influential in my life as a young Christian and has continued to study God's Word with a passion and teach with a lot of energy all these years. Thank God for people like Uncle Tom and Aunt Wanda who have been so solid for so long...

Sandi also had some family members come out - and we were especially happy to have her Aunt Connie join us along with her cousin. We will be inviting others from both sides of the family for our next gathering (November 14). For those of you who are Christians, please pray that God uses this study to bless our families with the good news of Christ and the new life he offers.

Good-bye to Summer!

Wow, I can't believe we are already into mid-October! Our kids have been back in school over a month now, and it has been a whirlwind of activity. But, with the recent heat wave (80 degrees again today) I feel like it's still August and wanted to take one final look back at the summer of 2008.

This picture was taken on the shore of Lake Michigan near Saugatuck at a friend's birthday party. It was a chilly sunset, but very beautiful. Our kids ventured into the big lake for a few minutes that day, but came into the house blue-lipped and shivering in short order. It was one of our final adventures of the summer, and all-in-all last summer deserves a B+ or better.

We spent the first week of summer in Colorado on vacation - which turned out to be one of the best vacations we ever had. Then we did some camping all around the state and spent 5 days at Brown City Camp. Our kids also spent a week at Camp Barakel and we ended the summer with a weekend at Spring Hill Camp in Evart, Michigan.

Our biggest adjustment was Sandi's work schedule...We had less flexibility for travel and spent more time around the house than usual. But with the great weather we had this summer and my travel for work lessened, it all turned out just fine. The good news is that Sandi really likes this new job and that God is providing for us (as he always does) even in this tough Michigan economy.

I am now looking at the autumn colors in our back woods and am ready for fall. The weather should cool off in a few days and that means I will be doing some deer hunting soon...More on that later.