Fall in The Peace

FALL in the Peace Country means our Ladies Retreat. Our team of young ladies did an excellent job in planning and carrying out our fun day. You will notice that we had a "What Not To Wear" show with Stained Up Stella, Raisin Wrinkled Rosie and Mismatched Molly (alias Carmen Enns, Bridget Zylstra and Christine Parker). MC's for the show were Stacy Lou (Rae Hale) and Quintina (Mona Wilson). The theme of our retreat was "A Fresh Brewed Life" which is also the title of a book that our speaker, Teresa Rilling, referred to while speaking. We enjoyed coffee and tea tasting (talk about a caffeine HIGH) and a judging of the cups that the attendees had brought as their favorite coffee/tea cup/mug. We ate, laughed, cried and fellowshipped the day away. Thanks youngins!!

Sunday we had a good day in worship, fun singing with the folks in Harvest Lodge and our Young Marrieds were looking over "the goal of marriage". Another full and rewarding day.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL - we know of one couple that loves football up here in our neck of the woods and since they are dyed in the wool Carolina fans and Dallas was playing the Panthers - we had a party. We grilled steaks and ate baked potatoes, caesar salad and yummy bread - followed by peach cobbler at halftime. Josh & Katie both had on Carolina Jerseys - so Ray and I need to step it up and get Dallas tee shirts anyway!! First half was awful but the second half was better (sorry Josh).

Ray and I took off to Grande Prairie to make a Costco run on Tuesday after I kept Alexis for a while (her brother goes to speech therapy here in town and she has more fun with me). It was a rainy day but we did get some pictures of the beautiful leaves and the Dunvegan Bridge. We enjoyed our time and as always the trip to and from GP is filled with plans for church and Hope making lists. When we stopped to pick up our mail as we got back to Fairview - I noticed that the rain had turned to something a little lighter..... ugh. SNOW on September 29th!! I think I may develop SAD (seasonal adjustment disease) before this winter is over. Just north of us they were blessed with 11" of snow.

Here is hoping that you are having a good Wednesday and living your life full of purpose and for eternal value. This time on earth is only temporal you know.. Get your voice tuned up to sing praises for all eternity. Love you, Hope

A Trip to Edmonton

Edmonton skyline

HARVEST time in THE PEACE

Thursday, September 17th - my baby brother's birthday, Ray and I drove to Edmonton. It was pretty much raining the entire way but we sure enjoyed our time together. We made a stop at Costco when we got into town and then checked into our hotel. We met Dennis Rempel and his fiancee for supper at Moxie's. Ray is to do their wedding next May so he began their counseling in our room. There were actually two rooms and I escaped to the bedroom and read while they got in 2 or 3 sessions since it will be long distance to do counseling.

Ray had an Executive Board Meeting on Friday at 12:00 (which is why we went to Edmonton). We had a chance to go to the Education Station which has great Sunday School supplies and I did some shopping for a blouse.

I just read while Ray was in his meeting - now if I had had a girl friend along I would have been shopping so it is good that I was on my own!! After Ray was free we drove home through Slave Lake for a different view. It was after 4:00 when we left Edmonton so if you count a six hour drive we should have been home around 10:00.....when we were outside of Wanham we were being very mindful of "animals" on or near the road and we saw a light....it was a young girl hitchiking. Of course we stopped and picked her up. She asked if we had any water and had been walking for some distance and still had about 50 km to where she was going. She was 16 and had been ON HER OWN for two years and had just lost her job at a SLAUGHTER HOUSE. She was walking to a friends house in Woking. We told her we could take her to Rycroft and then we would turn north. Please remember I had been sitting in the car for 4 hours BEFORE we started home BUT was not surprised when Ray told Jaycie that we would take her to where she was going. Neither one of us could stand the thought of her walking all night in the dark! We shared the Lord with her and gave her some pamphlets to read - all she had was the clothes on her back.... but you do understand that she was not an exception - there are many "kids" in the same position she is in. Our hearts were heavy as we arrived home at almost midnight. We are praying for protection for our young friend.

Sunday was quite the change of pace and Ray and I both had itchy throats. I did my Sunday school class with 8 two/three year olds and my helper was working....ugh! Ray preached and then we had a church business meeting and he talked a lot more. It was also the day that was scheduled for our service (singing) at longterm care. OK - three down and one to go.... we had college Bible study at the house with sloppy joes (Sorry Tabitha - did not know we had a vegetarian in our midst - but will plan for next time). It was a good study time even though there were only 7 of us. It is always good to be in the WORD and talking about how great our God is and always will be. Yeah we made it and accomplished all the Lord had set out for us on this day. I was tired and Ray was totally wiped out. Almost like those COWBOYS!!!

I kept 3 kids for about 2 hours yesterday and worked on a puzzle to settle back down after Sunday... it was a great puzzle with 9 large colorful Mexican plates on shelves. I loved it and Ray actually helped me some.

Ray is at prayer time with some of the pastors in the area but we have been invited by our friends Mert & Ivan to go camping for tonight. Not the rough stuff - they have a 5th wheel that is about 35 feet long. We were going to Figure 8 Lake but decided to go camp at the Hines Creek Golf Course and maybe get the last game of the year in. The temperature is to start dropping and continue until next spring! I do not think I am ready - NO, I KNOW I am not ready.... and for sure Ray always says he is not. Ready or not cold/snow is on the way.

Well, I am going to get ready to play some golf and camp/eat. Love you all, Hope

(Next Sunday we only have church, Harvest Lodge and young married Bible study!!)

Hope, Ray and Dave Brisbin

Hope when the COLD weather arrived.

This is our 4th September in Fairview, Alberta and the best (weather wise) so far. We are loving it! On Labor Day the Fairview Ministerial held their annual golf tournament and Ray talked me into playing. It was a scramble which helped but they had to use 2 of my putts and 2 of my drives - ok - I made it through that... thanks to the two other GENTLEMEN who played on our team. Dennis Radbourne & Dave Brisbin (pastor of the Gospel Chapel). They were such great sports! We played 18 holes with lunch separating the first 9 holes and the last 9 holes. The last two holes were played in rain/wind/cold. NO FUN!


Ray is out tonight playing for his Monday night league in the PLAYOFFS. It is beautiful today and I am so glad for him.

Yesterday was a marathon for us. Sunday school and church were of the normal variety but I was preparing lunch for all our teachers and spouses for teacher training which followed morning worship. We ate speghetti, caesar salad, garlic bread & pies. Ray did a good job with his presentation and inspiration for the teachers. We went home for a couple of hours and then had the kickoff for our "young marrieds Sunday night Bible study". We were at church a little over 3 hours with the "babies" - those guys look soooooooo young - and they are! We will be studying "Intimate Marriage".


Next week we will have Sunday afternoon service at the nursing home and be back to the College/Singles Bible study here in our home. Sundays do tend to be long days for us so please lift a prayer to the Lord and ask him to bless us with strength especially on Sundays.



It has not been that long since I wrote on the blog but wanted you to see us at the golf tournament. We got several prizes from drawings that were held at our dinner. Fun part!!

Extra pictures just for the fun...

Our Fairview golf course is so pretty this time of year. The flowers and green grass - just waiting to be covered in snow!! Ugh...

Some of my Sunday school kids - the love of my life! A church in Hudson's Hope that is several different denominations and Ray & Hope overlooking the Peace River (taken by a man who drove by who was from Corpus!!!) Such a small world we live in. But Ray and I watched a Passion DVD by Louie Giglio and WOW - how BIG is God's great creation.....awesome!!

What a beautiful start to SEPTEMBER

It is close to 30C today and Ray is out at the Provincial pasture - sorting cattle. It is hard to imagine but that man can get into more stuff! I have been watching DVD's for Ladies Bible Study and College/Single Bible study, cutting out my new Sunday school kit, making new roll sheets for Sunday, working on the ladies Christmas tea that will be on November 20th and trying to figure out teachers for Sunday. We are missing a couple of teachers from our roster and would appreciate your prayers on our behalf to have people in place for every age group.

Since I last wrote we took a little road trip to Hudson's Hope, BC and toured the W.A.C. Bennett Dam. It is one of the largest earth filled dams around. I was not too keen on going underground to see all the mechanial workings of the dam but that was right up Ray's alley. We stayed in a 3 level log lodge which was built and run by a couple from Switzerland. So very serene there and the evening meal was scrumptious. It was a relaxing time even though we talked and planned church happenings the entire time we were on the road. We went fishing on Charlie Lake in Fort St. John and caught some Walleye and one Northern Pike. Those were new for us up here so we enjoyed our adventure. We had to purchase fishing license for BC since our Alberta one did not work for them.

We have had several brand new married couples start coming to church and we had 3 couples over for lunch after church on the 23rd. We made some homemade ice cream and it was the first time some of them had eaten any homemade cream. It makes our hearts rejoice to see the couples starting out their marriage attending worship. Now, if we can get them into a Sunday School class.

Ray and Ivan did a wonderful remodel job on the baptistry and we are ready to use it some more - that IS the point. Seeing people birthed into the Kingdom. We are waiting to see if anyone notices the improvement!

I mentioned Luke's speech at the Nokia center and if you want to see what made us and his parents sooooooo proud - you can go to this website http://www.aisd.net/AISDTV/specials.aspx and click on convocation and then click on student speaker Luke. Laura received so many encouraged words via emails and calls. Quite the little speaker! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. He mentions the "kid entrepreneur contest" that he won last year but he says it a little fast and in case you don't catch it that is what he was referring to. He had to form a business, market and sell a product and talk about it. He was making men's christian jewelry and doing a good little business!

Since the 30th was a 5th Sunday we had a special service with all singing. The group did a great job and we have some very talented folks. We also recognized all the children that were being promoted into different Sunday school classes. I am losing 4 from my class but gaining 5 little girls!! What will Hope do with those?

As always it is our honor to call you friends and we draw strength from the Lord and your prayers for us and our ministry. May you be richly blessed as you serve our blessed Savior in your area of the world. Until we meet again. Hope

I will do a post with just some pictures....