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Life is lived best given away. Our Youth Group and other willing parishioners found that to be true when we travelled to Northeast Nebraska on June 25 and 26, 2019 for our first ever work trip.
Eleven of us gathered at Kurt and Denna’s in Nenzel for departure. Kurt and Annalise Busenitz, Addi and Aubrey Johnson, Tresa, Mattie, Conor and Braden Garwood, Paul Hotz and Rob and Janet Parkhurst started the trip and were joined by Byron Garwood and JP Johnson Tuesday evening. We began our journey with devotions and prayer. After a stop in Valentine to load a second skid steer (thanks to Mark Johnson(skid steer) and Danielski Farms (grapple bucket)) on our trailer we were on our way. The girls in the van and the guys in the pickup made for good fellowship on the remaining two and a half hour trip to Spencer. We stopped for lunch at the Butte Park and rode some bucking horses there. The kind that stand two feet off the ground that are stuck to the cement with spiral metal. Janet and Paul were the only brave souls to enter the contest. I think Janet won. J
Our destination was Verdel, Nebraska located 30 miles east of Spencer where we would spend the night with the Garwood family and Pastor Gary Binder and his wife, Beth. (Many thanks to both for their hospitality.) Verdel is located East of the Spencer Dam that broke in the historical flooding of March, 2019. Even though the rest of the world has moved on, the people of the area still have much to do to get back to “normal” life.
The debris and wiped out fence causing farmland to be useless, still remains. Bridges are still out making commutes to work in some cases, three times longer than normal. Water is still unsafe to drink. There are not enough hours in the day or enough hands to keep up with the normal daily work and continue the cleanup.
When our group arrived at our work site on the south side of Verdel on the banks of Crippled Creek, we were met by Jeremy and Audrey Mahon, their 4-year old son, Cooper and Lavone, Jeremy’s landlord for the property that needed cleared. Our mission was to complete three tasks. The first was to clean out a corn bin that held about five feet of corn that had gotten wet. The top third was still good and the bottom was a stinking rotten mess. Debris consisting of logs, sticks and corn stocks covering about a 1000 feet by 350 feet on the north side of the creek and more than that on the south side needed cleared. There was also a fence to be replaced. Lavone also had a list for us…thick glue-like mud in her garage and shed needed removed, some gravel that was washed in moved and the sticky mud removed from the driveway.
Eighty-two year old, Lavone, and her wheel chair bound daughter, Charlene, thought they would be safe the day of the flood as their home was built up higher than others around them. They were babysitting the Mahon’s 18 month old niece that day. But, then the dam broke and another wave of water came. Jeremy had tried to get their neighbors to the north in his tractor but the current of the flooded river swept his tractor back to where he started, making it unsafe to try again. By the time a boat was found to make the rescue darkness had fallen. Using a light to see, two trips were made to rescue the three. Fence posts lurking under the water and huge blocks of ice floating in the raging water made for dangerous conditions but all were evacuated safely. It would be three days before they would be able to return home and know whether their home was flooded or not. The garage and shed were but the house was not.
“I was so thankful!” said Lavone. They had spent the three days in the Spencer Motel.
Our first afternoon ended with the garage and shed cleaned, Lavone and Charlene’s cars washed and the driveway cleared of mud, half of the corn bin cleaned out and the north side of the river cleared. We headed back to the Garwood home for hot dogs and s’mors roasted over an open fire. Showers were welcomed after a hot day in the sun and for those who took on the stench of the corn bin! On our way back to Spencer we were able to see where the dam broke and see where they are repairing the highway bridge. The work on the bridge continues 24 hours a day.
One of the many blessings of the trip was to meet the Binders who pastor a church in Butte. They, too, had stories of the flood. Pastor Gary hefted sandbags for hours, helped coordinate the many people who wanted to help, and sometimes had to turn help down when there was too much. They continue to host work teams and minister to the still suffering area.
The next morning brought breakfast (thanks Donna for breakfast burritos!) and devotions before we journeyed back to the worksite. Six eager souls headed back to the rotten smelling corn bin without complaint and had all the corn out after the first hour. The skid steer crew headed to the other side of the creek for the day, while others started the re-building of the fence. Lavon’s gravel pile was moved with four-year old Cooper’s help and the debris cleared site on the north side was walked and cleared of sticks and parts of logs that were left behind by the skid steers.
We had lunch with the Mahon family at the Verdel Legion Hall with the Mahons, Jeremy’s parents and Audrey’s mother who was visiting from Rose, NE. It was a blessing to get out of the heat and visit with the Mahons. They needed to tell their stories and talk about the tragedy that had befallen them.
“It’s just nice to see smiling faces,” Audrey commented.
As Shirley, Jeremy’s mom, relived the tragic day of the flood, tears rolled down her cheeks. Her son Brad, held tightly to his 18 month old daughter as they rescued her and Lavone in the above-mentioned story. “I just knew the boat would capsize and I just kept telling myself, ‘keep her head above the water, keep her head above the water.”
Shirley helps babysit Brad’s two children. Their mom has to stay in O’Neill away from her family Monday through Thursday to hold her job that before the flood was 40 miles one-way and now is 150 miles one-way because of the washed out highways. The debris left from the raging waters is not the only effect of the flood.
Continued clearing of the debris on the south side and finishing the fence filled the afternoon. All too soon it was time to say good-bye to our new found friends and load the skid steers for our return home.
We made one more stop to eat supper at a café in Butte, where the owner offered dessert for free when she found out we were a work team to help the area. We left the café to a flat tire on the trailer. The Garwood’s knew people who were more than willing to help us out after hours.
Thirteen tired bodies and hearts overflowing with blessing loaded the van and pickup. Our prayer had been that lives would be changed, the hearts of those receiving and the hearts of those giving. We believe God did indeed change us all. The tears and hugs of appreciation from the Mahons and Lavone were proof. It is a beautiful thing to experience the body of Christ in action, working together to fill a great need of another. We were blessed beyond anything we could have imagined. Indeed, life is lived best given away.
Respectfully submitted by Janet Parkhurst
Eleven of us gathered at Kurt and Denna’s in Nenzel for departure. Kurt and Annalise Busenitz, Addi and Aubrey Johnson, Tresa, Mattie, Conor and Braden Garwood, Paul Hotz and Rob and Janet Parkhurst started the trip and were joined by Byron Garwood and JP Johnson Tuesday evening. We began our journey with devotions and prayer. After a stop in Valentine to load a second skid steer (thanks to Mark Johnson(skid steer) and Danielski Farms (grapple bucket)) on our trailer we were on our way. The girls in the van and the guys in the pickup made for good fellowship on the remaining two and a half hour trip to Spencer. We stopped for lunch at the Butte Park and rode some bucking horses there. The kind that stand two feet off the ground that are stuck to the cement with spiral metal. Janet and Paul were the only brave souls to enter the contest. I think Janet won. J
Our destination was Verdel, Nebraska located 30 miles east of Spencer where we would spend the night with the Garwood family and Pastor Gary Binder and his wife, Beth. (Many thanks to both for their hospitality.) Verdel is located East of the Spencer Dam that broke in the historical flooding of March, 2019. Even though the rest of the world has moved on, the people of the area still have much to do to get back to “normal” life.
The debris and wiped out fence causing farmland to be useless, still remains. Bridges are still out making commutes to work in some cases, three times longer than normal. Water is still unsafe to drink. There are not enough hours in the day or enough hands to keep up with the normal daily work and continue the cleanup.
When our group arrived at our work site on the south side of Verdel on the banks of Crippled Creek, we were met by Jeremy and Audrey Mahon, their 4-year old son, Cooper and Lavone, Jeremy’s landlord for the property that needed cleared. Our mission was to complete three tasks. The first was to clean out a corn bin that held about five feet of corn that had gotten wet. The top third was still good and the bottom was a stinking rotten mess. Debris consisting of logs, sticks and corn stocks covering about a 1000 feet by 350 feet on the north side of the creek and more than that on the south side needed cleared. There was also a fence to be replaced. Lavone also had a list for us…thick glue-like mud in her garage and shed needed removed, some gravel that was washed in moved and the sticky mud removed from the driveway.
Eighty-two year old, Lavone, and her wheel chair bound daughter, Charlene, thought they would be safe the day of the flood as their home was built up higher than others around them. They were babysitting the Mahon’s 18 month old niece that day. But, then the dam broke and another wave of water came. Jeremy had tried to get their neighbors to the north in his tractor but the current of the flooded river swept his tractor back to where he started, making it unsafe to try again. By the time a boat was found to make the rescue darkness had fallen. Using a light to see, two trips were made to rescue the three. Fence posts lurking under the water and huge blocks of ice floating in the raging water made for dangerous conditions but all were evacuated safely. It would be three days before they would be able to return home and know whether their home was flooded or not. The garage and shed were but the house was not.
“I was so thankful!” said Lavone. They had spent the three days in the Spencer Motel.
Our first afternoon ended with the garage and shed cleaned, Lavone and Charlene’s cars washed and the driveway cleared of mud, half of the corn bin cleaned out and the north side of the river cleared. We headed back to the Garwood home for hot dogs and s’mors roasted over an open fire. Showers were welcomed after a hot day in the sun and for those who took on the stench of the corn bin! On our way back to Spencer we were able to see where the dam broke and see where they are repairing the highway bridge. The work on the bridge continues 24 hours a day.
One of the many blessings of the trip was to meet the Binders who pastor a church in Butte. They, too, had stories of the flood. Pastor Gary hefted sandbags for hours, helped coordinate the many people who wanted to help, and sometimes had to turn help down when there was too much. They continue to host work teams and minister to the still suffering area.
The next morning brought breakfast (thanks Donna for breakfast burritos!) and devotions before we journeyed back to the worksite. Six eager souls headed back to the rotten smelling corn bin without complaint and had all the corn out after the first hour. The skid steer crew headed to the other side of the creek for the day, while others started the re-building of the fence. Lavon’s gravel pile was moved with four-year old Cooper’s help and the debris cleared site on the north side was walked and cleared of sticks and parts of logs that were left behind by the skid steers.
We had lunch with the Mahon family at the Verdel Legion Hall with the Mahons, Jeremy’s parents and Audrey’s mother who was visiting from Rose, NE. It was a blessing to get out of the heat and visit with the Mahons. They needed to tell their stories and talk about the tragedy that had befallen them.
“It’s just nice to see smiling faces,” Audrey commented.
As Shirley, Jeremy’s mom, relived the tragic day of the flood, tears rolled down her cheeks. Her son Brad, held tightly to his 18 month old daughter as they rescued her and Lavone in the above-mentioned story. “I just knew the boat would capsize and I just kept telling myself, ‘keep her head above the water, keep her head above the water.”
Shirley helps babysit Brad’s two children. Their mom has to stay in O’Neill away from her family Monday through Thursday to hold her job that before the flood was 40 miles one-way and now is 150 miles one-way because of the washed out highways. The debris left from the raging waters is not the only effect of the flood.
Continued clearing of the debris on the south side and finishing the fence filled the afternoon. All too soon it was time to say good-bye to our new found friends and load the skid steers for our return home.
We made one more stop to eat supper at a café in Butte, where the owner offered dessert for free when she found out we were a work team to help the area. We left the café to a flat tire on the trailer. The Garwood’s knew people who were more than willing to help us out after hours.
Thirteen tired bodies and hearts overflowing with blessing loaded the van and pickup. Our prayer had been that lives would be changed, the hearts of those receiving and the hearts of those giving. We believe God did indeed change us all. The tears and hugs of appreciation from the Mahons and Lavone were proof. It is a beautiful thing to experience the body of Christ in action, working together to fill a great need of another. We were blessed beyond anything we could have imagined. Indeed, life is lived best given away.
Respectfully submitted by Janet Parkhurst
July 3, 2019 ~ a very memorable evening with Kevin & Heidi Cheng!
Kevin & Heidi Cheng along with Denna Busenitz entertained us with beautiful music tonight. The beauty of the music contrasting with the drama of the raging storm outside made it a magical evening! Thank you to these performers for an evening that we will remember for quite a while! ~ Marty Blocker, July 3, 2019
The Warm Side of The Hill
I saddled up this morning while the barn was still dark.
As I stepped out after breakfast I could hear a coyote bark.
When I trotted out to the far side the sun peaked and pitched its ray.
I turned up my jacket collar knowing this will be a cowboy day.
But the trail I needed to follow kept me in the early chill.
The sun warmed the valley west, but I was on the cold side of the hill.
Now I could have been over there but that would be the long way around.
And just to be where it was warm I’d have to cover lots more ground.
Well that’s the way of this old world, there’s lots of discomfort, trials & thrills.
But as long as we are in it here, we’ll ride on the cold side of the hill.
There’s lots of times that this earth will wear us down and seep our pep.
But like this horse, when we see our final home we’ll quicken up our step.
Now I know for sure there’ll be a day when my time down here is done.
And I’m certain then my turn will be to walk there in the sun.
Someday I’ll top my final hill and that river will come in sight.
Then I’ll swap out my old cow horse for a dazzling mount of white.
I’ll cross over to my final range and leave this cold world behind.
I’ll be on the farther shore where the sun will eternally shine.
I won’t back track on this old place because I’ll be in the Father’s will.
And I’ll ride forever beside my Lord on the warm side of the hill.
By Marty Blocker, 2018
Sunday Morning Singing! - April 28, 2019
Gosh, you should have been there! The singing in church this morning was wonderful. Everyone, including the kids, had full voices this morning. As always, Denna led us with her talented piano playing & along with her daughter's assistance singing & with guitar, then add in Adam on the drums - well, we sounded pretty good even if I do say so myself!! We usually sit in the front so we get to hear that beautiful sound coming from the back of the church. It is so uplifting to hear the sound of worship to God. Seriously - you should have been there!
Respectfully submitted by Donna Blocker
Gosh, you should have been there! The singing in church this morning was wonderful. Everyone, including the kids, had full voices this morning. As always, Denna led us with her talented piano playing & along with her daughter's assistance singing & with guitar, then add in Adam on the drums - well, we sounded pretty good even if I do say so myself!! We usually sit in the front so we get to hear that beautiful sound coming from the back of the church. It is so uplifting to hear the sound of worship to God. Seriously - you should have been there!
Respectfully submitted by Donna Blocker
Before the Storm - March 2019
Marty was working out the details to trail his cow’s home from the north end of the ranch. He needed me to drive a vehicle for him. The snow was blowing but he knew we should get it done or we would not be able to get to the extra vehicle for several days if we didn’t do it then as there was another blizzard predicted for us later that week. There were times on our way up there when I opened my eyes and there was nothing to see but snow! It was truly a white out.
As soon as we were north of town I was having serious doubts about the “adventure”, but Marty promised me once we got past Hay Valley the visibility would improve. So, I just closed my eyes & started praying. The visibility did not immediately improve and it was terrible but by now we were too far to turn back. I prayed specifically that the wind would go down enough that we could see to get home. On the return trip he went ahead of me & all I had to do was follow him. He knows the road better than I do so I kept praying, at the same time knowing my husband would take care of me & God would take care of both of us.
My loving faithful God listened to me and answered my prayers! Coming home the snow was soft enough to drive through - and we went through some hero drifts - never once did the pickup stall or have problems. And the visibility was remarkably better. Got to Hay Valley & it was clear - even though the wind was still blowing we could see the road.
I know Jesus was in the pickup with me that day & what an awesome feeling it is to know that. Let Jesus take the wheel and he will get you through anything!
Respectfully submitted by Donna Blocker
Marty was working out the details to trail his cow’s home from the north end of the ranch. He needed me to drive a vehicle for him. The snow was blowing but he knew we should get it done or we would not be able to get to the extra vehicle for several days if we didn’t do it then as there was another blizzard predicted for us later that week. There were times on our way up there when I opened my eyes and there was nothing to see but snow! It was truly a white out.
As soon as we were north of town I was having serious doubts about the “adventure”, but Marty promised me once we got past Hay Valley the visibility would improve. So, I just closed my eyes & started praying. The visibility did not immediately improve and it was terrible but by now we were too far to turn back. I prayed specifically that the wind would go down enough that we could see to get home. On the return trip he went ahead of me & all I had to do was follow him. He knows the road better than I do so I kept praying, at the same time knowing my husband would take care of me & God would take care of both of us.
My loving faithful God listened to me and answered my prayers! Coming home the snow was soft enough to drive through - and we went through some hero drifts - never once did the pickup stall or have problems. And the visibility was remarkably better. Got to Hay Valley & it was clear - even though the wind was still blowing we could see the road.
I know Jesus was in the pickup with me that day & what an awesome feeling it is to know that. Let Jesus take the wheel and he will get you through anything!
Respectfully submitted by Donna Blocker
Youth Group trip- Feb 2018
Sometimes you wonder if you made the right decision. Sometimes you are fairly certain you made the wrong decision. And yet, somehow the wrong gets righted.
Our trek to Kearney for our Youth Group Event was such a time. I had prayed that God would either have the weather be perfectly good or really bad so the decision to travel or not would be a no-brainer. That didn’t happen.
We left home with snow pellets just starting to bounce off the road and weather reports showing only rain and higher temps beginning around Brownlee. Decisions to at least go to Nenzel and then at least to Valentine led to thinking we could be slow and careful and would gradually run out of the storm the further South we went. That didn’t happen either.
By Brownlee, the snow was deeper, the roads slicker and the visibility poorer. After a sashay or two on the other side of the road and a near miss with a little blue car in front of us, silence replaced the earlier joyful chatter of my young occupants. A pickup truck with a U-Haul behind jack-knifed on our side of the ditch, brought me to the conclusion that, indeed, we had made a bad decision.
Thedford finally appeared and, lo and behold, the roads were clear and only wet. Praise God! At the welcomed gas station stop, Pastor Kurt said, “We may have made a bad decision, but many times in adversity our faith grows the most.”
It was so. Our amazing God revealed Himself over and over again that day. It reminded me that many times in God’s economy, what seems foolish and coincidental in the eyes of the world becomes inspiring and wonderful in the eyes of His seekers.
Dangerous roads became normal but our arrival time was much later than intended. Our later arrival time could mean waiting to play laser tag or not playing at all since after three o’clock on Friday is normally a busy time. Lo and behold, a group was just finishing. We would be able to start right away. After signing in as Ninja Chick, Shadow, Tinchin, Bob, D Danny, Coler and other equally original names, each team battled closely for bragging rights. (Well, maybe it wasn’t really that close, but the losing team had an older lady that could only muster a 2% shooting accuracy) Laser tag was definitely the bomb!
On to supper, with only an hour to make the Todd Becker Foundation Event early so our free book could be signed by Lee Strobel, famous author of The Case for Christ. We had decided the book would be the perfect “thank you” gift for the Ravenscrofts, provider of our tickets. Fifteen people don’t always make it through a restaurant that fast during supper hour but, lo and behold, we had the best waitress ever. We were out in record time.
Arriving at the event, time allotted for the book-signing was over but, lo and behold, we were told there would be signed copies of the book to be picked up after the event was over.
After worship music, a talk by Keith Becker and keynote speaker, Lee Strobel, and an unplanned, spirit-led time of prayer, our lives were no longer the same. We were challenged to become bolder in sharing our faith. We were challenged to make God the priority of our lives. We were reminded how much young people especially need Jesus to light their way at a key point in their lives, high school. “What if the Todd Becker Foundation had showed up at my high school?” Lee Strobel asked. His years of atheism, alcoholism, and anger might not have been.
Wondering on the way down if we might have to stay in Thedford for the night, lo and behold, we sailed home on dry roads.
What if we hadn’t taken the risk and stayed home? Would we have seen God’s protection over us on those poor road conditions? Was it really just coincidence that kept our car from hitting the little blue car with the baby inside? Was it really just coincidence that made Kurt stop and clean his wiper blades off, slowing him down a few minutes so that his car wasn’t topping the hill at the same time the pickup truck and U-haul were sliding across his lane? Was it really just coincidence that everything went so smoothly once we arrived in Kearney? Was it really just coincidence that John purchased 15 tickets before we knew how many of us would be going and that was exactly how many we needed? I think not. I believe the God we do our best to serve was answering the prayers of those who prayed for us all day.
Had we stayed home, would our thought process have been changed by what we gleaned from hanging around 2000 other Christians whose passion for Jesus set out hearts on fire? Would we have connected with one another in a way that happens only when believers seek God together?
Sometimes you have get out in the storm to witness the hand of God. Sometimes you have to take a risk to realize how He is in the midst of every detail of your life. Sometimes you have to make what looks to the world like a bad decision to be reminded that sharing the hope we have in Jesus with even one lost soul is worth every sacrifice you might have to make.
Our decision truly was a good one, a very good one.
Respectfully Submitted by Janet Parkhurst