Catching up a bit

It's been a while since I wrote about what's happening at the Brenneman household. There's been some changes. First of all, Dustin has returned to live with his mother. We had him for 1 year and 5 months. We feel good about this move and are praying that things work out with him and his mom. You can join us in praying for them.

Next we have a high school graduate coming up. Kyle will graduate on Sunday, June 4. We are having his open house on Saturday, June 3 from 2-6 p.m. at our house. Anyone who wants to can come. Kyle's plans are to work full time and not go to school right away. He's pretty burned out with school work and is looking forward to not having any. He talks about getting an apartment with friends. We'll see what happens. I'd rather he waited a year or so to do that. He still feels young to me even though he'll be 19 in October. Somehow Amber felt much older at this age. I often wonder why that is.

Bob and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary on June 14. We will probably just take the family out to a nice dinner. We've been open housed out with two in a row and one next year for Jezra. I can't think of having another. We don't have the money to really get out of town together but maybe next year. I'm thankful that God knew what he was doing when he brought Bob to me. We've had a great 25 year, not without our struggles but great none the less.

In July, Bob and I will be heading out to Iowa for a conference of the training class we've been doing with Francis Frangipane. It's a 4 day conference for all who have completed at least two tracks of the In Christ Image Training. We will make this our anniversary trip together.

We'll be finished with level one of this training by the third week of June. It's been a worthwhile course. So much of what we were learning was timely and spoke into what was happening in life at that time. God is so good! He knows what we need before we do and orchestrates our lives to coincide with what He wants to teach us through our trials.

At the end of July we have a Brenneman family reunion at a cousin's place in Midland, Michigan. We always enjoy these reunions. Our kids know Bob's cousins and their kids better than any others because we have gotten together almost every year with his aunts, uncles, and cousins for 14 years now. Breanna was 1 year old when we began getting together. Bob's grandma was aging and couldn't make the trip to Indiana from Iowa anymore so Bob's aunt began these reunion so she'd be able to see everyone. Bob's grandma passed away a few years ago but we keep on having them. The cousins are beginning to have the reunions at their houses to give the aunts and uncles a break. We meet usually on Saturday and Sunday. We all pitch in to help with the big meal on Saturday noon. The out of town guests either stay with family or get a motel.

I will be working 4 days a week this summer. Kyle, Jez, and Breanna all have summer jobs. That will help them stay busy. I can't find enough work to keep them busy in the summer anymore so I'm glad they will all have jobs. Kyle and Jez work as a desk clerk at a hotel (Jez hasn't started yet but hopefully will soon). Breanna will begin working a McDonald's after school is out. They are all growing up!

That's my busy schedule. I'll try and keep up with my blog more but I can't promise anything!

Open House Guests

The girls are Amber's college friends and the man is Matt's grandpa.

Open House Cake

The cake was made by Aunt Karen. She did a great job!

New house for Amber and Matt

They will most likely move in around May 20th. It's only a few houses down from where they live now.

Graduation Day (1 down, 1 to go!)

She finally did it! (Actually she found out she still needs 3 credit hours before she will get her diploma but she will by the end of the summer!)

Resurrection Day Service at TLCC

We had a great service last Sunday. I don't know why the pictures got all out of order. Top picture is our church getting ready to release balloons (after the service) to show that we are ready to have risky faith, show sacrificial love, become the walking redeemed, or fulfill our divine destiny. We each picked up a balloon of the area we wanted to be challenged in and released it as we said the Lord's prayer together. We released them as we said, "Your kingdom come!"

The next picture is Jezra saying his monologue as Edmond in Chronicles of Narnia talking about sacrificial love. The third picture is after the balloons were released. The last one is Breanna and Katie playing "Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded" for the offertory. It was a very meaningful service challenging us to fulfill the purpose Christ has for each of us. He died and rose again for a reason...so we can reveal his nature to the world and that his kingdom will come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Happy Resurrection Day!

I'm so glad that my Savior lives and paid the price for my sins! Hallelujah!

A Tree-climbing Dog!

I was watching Cinnamon bark at a squirrel in the tree when I saw her jump up to the split and come through it. I had to watch a long time for her to do it again for the camera but it was worth it! She was in the tree between the two big branches! What a dog!

Time change for hoosiers!

We survived our first time change! Last Sunday, us non-time-changing hoosiers had to set our clocks ahead one hour on Sunday morning. It's been a little weird for me because I feel like I'm getting up so early! And at 10 p.m. I don't feel tired enough to go to sleep. It's also weird for it to be light outside until almost 8 p.m. Monday night Breanna said, "Dad, why are you home so early?" I said, "Breanna, it's 6:15." It was still sunny outside and not getting dark at all so it felt very early to be eating supper! The nice thing about it will be having a lot of daylight after supper to get yardwork done and to see Dustin run in track. It also means that I will always be on the same time as my sisters!

It's spring break this week so our kids don't have to adjust to the earlier time to school until after they are adjusted to the new time.

I'm sure all of you who've been changing your time for years and years don't have much difficulty with it anymore. I know it will get that way for us hoosiers, too, unless our silly legislature decides to change it back to the way it was. I wouldn't put it past them!

Dustin's new baby sister, Kiana

Fun with the fire burning up the little branches

New game with a stump!

One tree down (it was mostly dead) in our back yard

Dance, Dance Revolution (Computer dancing game)

Kyle and Amber and trying to step on a pad on the floor at the proper time in step with the music. It's hard, I've tried it!

Our youth group is going to Mexico next summer for a mission trip. Last Saturday evening they held a Mexico-themed banquet fundraiser to raise money for the trip. I was looking forward to going since I heard about it but alas, Saturday I developed stomach flu along with a fever and horrible headache and couldn't go. I told Bob to take pictures so I felt like I was there. Even though pictures are nice, it's just not the same! Breanna played her contest solo for part of the entertainment. At least both her grandparents and her dad got to hear it. (I was at contest when Bob was traveling home from New Orleans.) I sure wanted to be there. The food was great. The desserts are shown in the middle picture.

Mexico Fundraiser Fun!

Armor of God Prayer

I've been through some tough times the last week and a half. Today, I came across this prayer that I prayed every day for about 2 months or more about a year and a half ago. I had forgotten about it until I saw it today. My prayer is that it will help you in whatever circumstances you may be facing right now. I got this prayer from our 2004 Ladies Retreat speaker, Cheryl Weaver.

Armor of God Prayer
Lord Jesus, I thank you for assuring me of victory today if I will but follow Your battle plan. So by faith, I claim victory over every hardship, every challenge, every trial, and every temptation that I may face today.

To prepare myself for battle, by faith I put on the belt of truth. The truth about You, Lord, is that you are a Sovereign God who knows everything about me, both my strengths and my weaknesses. Lord, You know my breaking point and You have promised not to allow me to be tempted beyond what I can bear. The truth about me, Lord, is that I am a new creature in Christ and have been set free from the power of sin. I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit who will guide me and warn me when danger is near. I am Your child and nothing can separate me from Your love. The truth is that You have a purpose for me today; someone to love, someone to share with, someone to encourage.

Lord, by faith I put on the breastplate of righteousness. Through this I guard my heart and my emotions. I will not allow my heart to attach itself to anything that is impure. I will not allow my emotions to rule in my decisions. I will set them on what is right and good and just. I will live today by what is true, not by what I feel.

Today, I put on the sandals of the gospel of peace. I am available to You, Lord. Send me where You will. Guide me to those who need encouragement or physical help of some kind. Use me to solve conflicts wherever they arise. Make me a calming presence in every circumstance in which You place me. I will not be hurried or rushed for my schedule is in Your hands. I will not leave a trail of tension and apprehension. I will leave tracks of peace and stability wherever I go.

I also take up the shield of faith, Lord. My faith is in You and You alone. Apart from You, I can do nothing. With You, I can do all things. No temptation that comes my way can penetrate Your protecting hand. I will not be afraid for You are going with me throughout this day. When I am tempted, I will claim the victory out loud ahead of time for You have promised victory to those who walk in obedience to Your word. So by faith I claim every victory even now because I know there are fiery darts headed my way even as I pray. Lord, You already know what they are and You have already provided me with the way of escape.

And now, Lord, by faith, I put on the helmet of salvation. You know how Satan bombards my mind day and nith with evil thoughts, doubts, and fears. I put on this helmet that will protect my mind. I may feel the impact of his attacks, but nothing can penetrate this helmet. I choose to be obedient and take every thought captive; I will dwell on nothing but what is good and right and pleasing to You.

Last, I take up the sword of the Spirit, which is Your word. Thank You for the precious gifts of Your word. It is strong and powerful and able to defeat even the strongest of Satan's onslaughts. Your word says I am not under obligation to the flesh to obey its lusts. Your word says that I am free from the power of sin. Your words says that He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. So by faith I take up the strong and powerful sword of the Spirit, which is able to defend me in time of attack, comfort me in time of sorrow, teach me in time of meditation, and prevail against the power of the enemy on behalf of others who need the truth to set them free.

I choose now to pray in the Spirit today on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, keeping open the lines of communication with You. With this in mind, I will be alert, keeping my spiritual eyes open, constantly praying for all the saints.

So Lord, I go now rejoicing that You have chosen me to represent You to this lost and dying world. Here I am, Lord, send me. May others see Jesus in me. May Satan and his hosts shudder as Your power is made manifest in me. To God be all glory, honor, and power. In Jesus' name, amen.

Music Contest for Breanna

Breanna played in 2 ensembles and played a solo for the music contest last Saturday. She got a gold and silver for her ensembles and a gold for her solo. Her solo was so hard. It had lots of 16th notes and her fingers were moving very fast over the strings. I had tears in my eyes as she played. When she finished all who were watching her (her private teacher, Matt and his parents, and two friends and one set of parents) were very impressed! That's when she said that she put her music on the stand and slid the second page over so both were showing. As she got to the second page, she realized that that sheet was upside down! She said she almost stopped but then realized that she could play it by memory. We never noticed a missed beat! We were laughing and laughing at her. I think her private teacher will tell that to all her students! It was so amazing that she could make it through that and not mess up. She said she changed her expression and kind of messed up a little but I didn't notice. Her private teacher said the only thing she did wrong was play it a little bit too rushed. I'm so proud of her. It was a piece hard enough to qualify for state but she choose not to be in the level that could go to state for her very first solo at contest.

More about his time in New Orleans

There were 7 men and 4 women from our church who went to New Orleans last week. They left at 5 a.m. Sunday morning and returned home Saturday at 1 p.m. They stayed in a church in a bad part of New Orleans. The first floor of the church had been completely under water. There were two other crews there to work. They all slept on the second floor that was pretty much undamaged. The other crews worked on the main floor putting in a drop ceiling and doing trim work. Bob's crew worked on the pastor's roof until Wednesday or Thursday and then split up and did other jobs. Bob helped put a new floor in the pastor's father's church. He's 81 years old and has quite a story.

There were 29 people sleeping on cots in a small area. The women all slept in a 10x10 room. The four of them had very little space in that room. There were two toilets (a women's and men's) and one shower for all of them. They had to wait in line for a 2-minute limit in the shower! They always had hot water but had to have the water turned all the way to hot to get it!

I'll let Bob tell you more. You can always call and ask him to tell you about the trip. He loves to talk about it!

9th Ward

The damage was so great here and still almost 5 months later, the debris is mostly just pushed off the streets. A lot of houses were on the streets and those streets are still not opened up. This was very sobering time for the crew. The barge is the one that came over the levee.

Bob didn't take a lot of pictures, but the rest of them did. We will get a CD with everyone's pictures on it. Anyone who wants to can call and we will be glad to set up a time when you can see them all. We should have them all before this Sunday.