Category: General (Page 25 of 29)

It’s January in Colorado!

1/31/2005 / RHonda

Yes, folks we are loving the mild winter here! It is awesome. We had lunch on the patio last weekend. This weekend it is above freezing and snowing. Gorgeous huge flakes wafting down, sticking to the trees like a picture postcard. It snowed 6-8 inches Saturday and then overnight Sunday, we got another 4 inches or so. Yes, it is wonderful! The roads are all melted off this afternoon and that is one of the awesome things. When you drive home after work, the roads are mostly dry. It snows and is mild enough to go out in a light jacket. Totally awesome!

I sure wish I had gotten the boots and poles to go with my snowshoes. I would be up in Ute Vally snowshoeing!
That’s the problem with being sensible and buying things as you can afford them! It takes TIME and snow waits for no man or woman!

Enough of the Colorado commercial, you probably want news! Well, I started my fourth week at MI today and I do enjoy it so much. God is so good! It was an awesome minstry weekend for John and Lisa. The stories that were shared this AM at the “Monday Meeting” were fabulous and exciting! John was in Clearwater, FL at Josh’s church for part of the weekend. Josh got to be at the Partner breakfast on Saturday and then got to hear John speak on Sunday. He got to see the magnificent teaching that I get to hear alot of the time and was challenged beyond words. Josh said he has never heard anyone speak in such a practical way as John does. He was very excited about how he was challenged. John and Lisa have such great love for the Lord! He has anointed them to speak directly to hearts about life change. We are seeing God pour through the Bevere’s in such a way!! It is so wonderful to be a part. Continue reading

Kristina Goes ‘Out There’

1/25/2005 / RHonda

This should have been written a couple of weeks ago but with a new job, exhaustion from the ‘old’ one and the emotion of all “the transitions” in our lives, neither of us have taken ‘up the pen’ to write about one of the latest chapters in our lives. Kristina has, to quote one of our favorite movies; Nemo, gone “Out There”. Out into the big unknown like Nemo did – going out beyond the safety of the Reef! Also like Nemo’s Dad, we know that Kristina will keep on swimming, finding many new things that will cause her to stretch her boundaries. She will be challenged and then rise to those challenges; coming back to tell the stories and strengthen us all.

There has been a stirring in Kristina for some time. In early December, she got real serious about her own life and it’s direction. She was feeling very strongly that she had something in Iowa that she needed to “take care of” as she put it. We had been praying for sometime that God would make His way clear for her and we believe that He did.

She had made several preliminary plans that had not materialized and her grandparents, Jack and Peggy Grimes, volunteered to have her stay with them until she could get settled in a job/apprenticeship and her own first home. She accepted. On Jan 2nd , Kristina and Matt stuffed the Jeep FULL! The following morning, we gathered around for tearful hugs and then prayer. She slipped into her trusty blue Jeep and disappeared down the street headed East to the heartland and her Big Adventure. Continue reading

January Tidbits

1/13/2005 / Matt

Just some basic ramblings here….

Winter is kinder here in the Springs. Plenty of sunshine and moderate temperatures. It has been in the 40 and 50’s some weeks and colder others. This week will be mostly low 30’s. I read in the paper today that the snowpack up in the mountains is now between 100% and 165% of normal. That is a very good thing for our water supply. If it continues we should be safely out of the drought.

Ronda started her new job this week. She is working for John Bevere Ministries (Messenger Intl.) up in Palmer Lake. It’s about a 30 minute commute. She is helping out in several areas essentially working as an adminstrative assistant. The standard 8-5 Mon-Fri workweek is a blessing after putting up with the erratic schedule she was working at Chico’s in the retail world.

Nothing new on my end career-wise. I interviewed last week for a systems administrator position with a local software company. It would be very convienient if I got it. The office is only a mile down the road. I could walk or ride my bike to work.
Continue reading

Snowed In

1/13/2005 / Matt

Post from Kristina:
So here’s the deal. I’m snowed in. I came to the farm Tuesday afternoon…hoping to go to a I-35 game that night..but it was cancelled.

Its Thursday now and I’m still here. No complaints other than I have terrible Cabin Fever. DREADFUL Cabin Fever in fact. It annoys me because under most circumstances I would be playing this up as much as possible..telling dramatic stories and trying to stay as long as possible. HOWEVER. The irritating realization that I need a job weighs pretty heavily on my mind. So the 3rd day in I’m kind of getting crazy. but eh, its been fun and I’ve been disgustingly lazy. I’ve gone sledding, played guitar, ate too much food, drank 3 cups of hot cocoa..mmm….had a great time with my cousins, watched way too many movies, the list goes on. So really as I think about it..I don’t mind being here at all. in fact..its pretty doggone fun. oh and I cant check my email for some dumb reason. *pout* dumb reason being cause I can’t remember the link to the page. *pouts some more* Well, that’s enough complaining about not having any responsibilities for 3 whole days for me. I hope your all having fun going to classes and work, earning a living. Because I’m here. drinking hot cocoa..and not doing a thing.

See you in the real world….soon.

~*k*~

Today Is Our Anniversary!!

12/30/2004 / RHonda

Twenty-eight years ago today, it was VERY cold in Iowa! It was my wedding day and I will never forget how cold it was. I understand why some Iowans want to be married on the beach somewhere! It was a day that started off with a number of challenges besides the weather! None of them small. My dress wasn’t done, our rings had gotten lost in the mail (it was the Christmas season, you know!), my veil had not come in. Yes, it was a morning of tears and action that needed to be taken. Everyone supported us and dried my tears. We worked together to do what needed to be done -finding a dress, running errands, getting the ‘demo case’ rings etc. It was an exhausting day but obviously, a memorable one! Continue reading

No Greater Treasure

12/30/2004 / RHonda

It is the middle of the night. A storm is brewing over the mountains and the occasional fighting of two wind currents is taking place. This, of course, causes WIND! Here, that means BIG gusts! I am still adjusting to all the sounds of the city when the wind blows so hard and howls down the streets. Not like the wind of the Iowa landscape, blowing mightily through the hollows and over the cornfield. The neighbors garbage can sliding haphazardly down the concrete street has a different affect on the senses. So I find myself here, awake, thinking ‘outloud’ about life and relationships, tomorrow being my last day at CHICO’S. Atleast for now.

I think of many of you whom I have not spoken with for sometime and wonder how you are. How was your Christmas? Are you well? How is God pouring into your lives and growing you? I ask God to richly bless you and bring you closer to Him and His plan and purpose for your life. I wander over to see if my lovely daughter has written any recent thoughts on her blog. I have seen her very little of late as we are both working retail and until three weeks ago, were both working two jobs. Time together has been precious but sparse. Her blog often helps me keep my finger on her heartbeat. Continue reading

Job Opportunities – Update

12/24/2004 / Matt

Got some bad news the other day. The job offer I had with Booz Allen Hamilton (the one I got back in July that I’ve been waiting on) finally went down the tubes. The govt. ultimately decided not to fund the project. The thing about these “research” projects is they depend on discretionary funding and with the high operations tempo over in Iraq there is not alot available. This made me sad because it would have been an exciting project. But, on the other hand, I’ve gotten really tired of waiting and I’m glad to have a final line in the dirt.

There are several other possibilities in the works but most everyone agrees that nothing will happen until the first of the year. In the meantime I’ve been doing a little consulting work with Gilcrest Jewett Lumber (back in Iowa) upgrading their wide-area network and also taking a serious look at starting up an Internet-based business.

While researching my coffee hobby I realized there was a gap that I could fill. Everyone in the specialty coffee industry knows that freshness counts. Everyone knows that only your neighborhood coffee roaster, who sells a limited variety of beans roasted in small batches daily, can truly claim to offer fresh coffee. All that whole bean, vacuum-packed stuff at the supermarket is the result of large centralized roasting companies attempting to cut into the sales of the neighborhood roaster.

Yet, no one seems to be deliberately marketing these folks. So, I am building a website that will showcase the local Colorado Roasters and take orders for their products. I’ll let you know how it goes…