Saturday Evening Storm and The Thoughts It Brings

This past Saturday night the Metzger family invited us over for a tremendous meal with the whole family. The meal was super! In fact it was so good that I had devoured it before I remembered to take any pictures. But I did get some pictures of the series of storms that blew over while Bro. Metzger and I were sitting in the front yard. We had to retreat to the porch a time or two to dodge the showers and hail but it was a beautiful evening.

Kelly Jo and I learned to love rain many years ago during an October trip to the Smoky Mountains. We went to relax and enjoy the fall weather and to view the brilliant fall colors. Instead of sunshine and beautiful leaves it rained the whole time we were there. I didn't say sprinkle for a reason. It rained! It rained so hard that it beat the leaves off the trees and the only colorful leaves were on the ground mixed with mud and tears! It rained so much that we would get soaked going from the truck to a restaurant.

It could have been miserable....but it wasn't!

We loaded up in our little beat up and rusted out Isuzu pickup and we spent those two or three days driving. We drove on every little back road we could follow around Galtinburg, Pigeon Forge and the Mountains. While driving in the rain we discovered places we never would have known existed. In fact we found one little picnic area on those rainy days that our whole family has since enjoyed several times on more sunny days.

We found beauty in unexpected places. We laughed about silly things and talked about things both small and important. We held hands and drove.

We found out that vacations aren't about sunshine, leaves, colors, attractions or even food! We found that vacations are about family! In fact life is about family. We had a very cramped motel room, very little money, a beat up truck and rain. And you know what else? We had the best vacation we have ever had. We have been chasing the rain ever since. Sure, we enjoy the sunshine as much as anyone but we have never complained about the rain again.

The storms had taught us something we will never forget! They always do!

Davy

Pastor Appreciation

Sunday was Pastor Appreciation Day at Sun Valley Church and it proved to be a great day! The church honored Pastor Michael Metzger, Sis Debbie and their seven wonderful children, Rachel, Christiana, Peter, Leah, Hannah, Abby and Jessica.

The Metger's served as Missionaries in Sierra Leone, West Africa for 7 years before coming to Montana to pioneer this church 15 years ago. Their labor of love has brought forth much fruit and they are well loved by their congregation. It was a joy to be there and take part in the celebration for this man of God and his precious family.

(I failed to take a picture of Bro. and Sis. Metzger on Sunday. This one was taken a month ago at Sis. Leah's Graduation service.)

The children singing for their Pastor.

Sis. Sarah cracking us up with her heartfelt and hilarious tribute.

The youth choir singing the Sun Valley Church version of "Thank You For Giving to The Lord"

Shaking Hands and Hugging necks and telling them how much we love them...

What is a celebration without cake?

Pastor Metzger visiting while we were waiting on the food.

Surprise Candlelight Dinner for Two in the Mountains

You have time for a short story? It is a story of what a family here in Montana did for Kelly Jo and I in honor of our 25th wedding anniversary!

The Lockwood family attend the Sun Valley Church near Florence, Montana. They are a great family that we have been acquainted with for a few years and we love to be around them. They invited us over to their house for dinner this week and we were glad to go. When we arrived Sis. Lockwood met us outside and told us to get back in the Jeep and follow her.

We followed her out Hwy. 12 toward Lolo Pass and then up Elk Meadows Rd (which is gravel) for several miles. We turned off Elk Meadows onto another gravel road for a couple of miles and then one more turn to an absolutely beautiful place overlooking the mountains. We arrived to a most wonderful surprise.

The Lockwoods had set up a dining tent with a candle lit table set for two.




Bro. Gary Lockwood (King of the Grill, according to his chef hat) was cooking up the steak....as everybody else was scurrying around with all the final preparations...

They prepared salad, steak, baked potato, green beans, cheesy bread, black olives, carrots,peppers, flathead cherries, a slice of orange, peanuts, sparkling apple cider and a fabulous desert. I am sure I missed a few things because their attention to detail was amazing.

The whole family presented this fabulous meal with impeccable service and it was wonderful! I hated to eat without them but they insisted that this was our special day so I forced myself to eat every bite of food they offered. Everything was delicious!

The Lockwoods also provided the after dinner entertainment. They had prepared an elaborate skit based on a blog I posted on our Anniversary in June. (Link to that post) They presented our lives from kids in Harveysburg church all the way to our marriage. It included comedy, action, drama, romance, an actual church service and even a wedding ceremony. It was hilarious! I laugh till I cried or cried till I laughed, I'm not sure which.

This is Blake and Rachel as Davy and Kelly Jo (Notice the Big Blue Eyes) riding the first Boggs Mobile!

The whole cast from left to right. Blake-Davy, Sis. Lockwood-Aunt Hulda Livingston, Bro. Lockwood-Narrator, Ben-The Preacher, Joseph-stage hand, Rachel-Kelly Jo

The place they presented all this is amazing. The road dead ends at a flat spot and then a cliff. It is on public land but it is a spot that have become special to the Lockwoods through the years. They have had lots of family times up there camping, cooking and hanging out with extended family. We appreciate them including us in their family memories and sharing that extraordinary place with us.

I wish I had taken more pictures of the beauty but we were really overwhelmed by all that was going on. It was a surprise after all. I did take a couple of pictures of the surroundings that I can post.

In this one Sis. Lockwood is pointing out some of the beautiful scenery. I was trying to get her to back up about 6 more feet for the perfect picture but the drop off is pretty severe! You can't see it but her foot is right on the edge.

This is Joseph posing on the rocks for me.

Thank you Bro. and Sis. Lockwood, Rachel, Blake, Ben, and Joseph for your thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity you have shown our family. We will never forget that night on the mountain. May God bless you for blessing us!

That's all for now.

Davy and Kelly Jo