It’s a Wrap – Cousin Camp 2025

Well, it’s a wrap. Cousin camp 2025 is in the books. I have 12 grandchildren and I had three that were able to come this year. Some of them are growing up and have jobs and are having to be adults now. That’s so sad for grandma . Some are involved in all kinds of activities and have jobs too for the summer.

I am so thankful for the three that were able to come. We were able to meet up with one other grandson for an evening meal as he was home from college for a couple of weeks. Grandpa and Grandma are very blessed to be able to spend this time with these precious kids as we see our grandchildren are growing up.

” Some family trees bear an enormous crop of nuts!” -Wayne Huizenga

We had a great time and Grandpa helped them in the woodshop to make some beautiful bookends and Grandma kept them busy with all kinds of crafts. We painted with our toes (this was a special request from a couple of years ago) and got some masterpieces! They did a turtle, penguin and a star fish. They did better with their toes than this Grammy can do with her fingers! We did some beading pictures with beads and double stick tape. This was an idea from my niece and was a real hit! This group is a talented bunch. I was amazed at their creativity as they came up with some really neat projects.

Time with a few additional cousins.

We played some games, went swimming at the pool and enjoyed the waterslides at the pool here in Quinter. We also went to a trampoline park in Salina and we played putt putt golf in Hays so all in all, it was a successful time. I think the kids and grandpa and grandma were tired at the end of the time together, but it was a blessing to be able to have these cousins here.

We shared some great devotions in the morning and some prayer times. Nothing no nothing could make us richer than be able to spend this time with these kids and our Lord. We’re going to keep declaring Isaiah 59:21. “The Lord says that my spirit is upon you and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants or from the mouth of your descendants, descendants Says the Lord forevermore.”

“Family. A snug kind of word.” Fannie Hurst

What a precious friend we have in Jesus. And what a precious time with this group. Just this last weekend we were blessed to spend time with six of our grandkids. We ate lunch for Grandparents Day at Addie’s school. She is the only grandchild we have still in elementary school. We got to watch her brother’s run in Cross Country. Luke took first in the fifth grade boys’ race. Judah and Jake ran very well in their races also. Then we drove to Kansas State University to have lunch with two grandsons majoring in Computer Science. It was a delightful lunch just hearing them talk about their classes and their time there on campus.

A Taste of Heaven

Floyd, Iowa does not have a grocery store. There are two truck stops and two antique stores. This weekend there was a Gospel Music Festival with 20 or more groups performing at the concert in the park. The Gospel Lighthouse Church has sponsored this festival since 1995. The gospel sing brings in funds for the Christian school that the church also sponsors since 1988.

This little town was booming. People came from many states to attend this amazing concert. Visiting with many attendees gives us much hope for our nation.

On Sunday we attended Lighthouse Gospel church and heard Keepers of the Faith. Their harmony is heavenly and their testimonies rich. We think that we tasted a bit of heaven! The Farmer and I were truly blessed to be in attendance. The group are Hawaiians that have moved to Washington State.

Some football was on our schedule Saturday. I and the Farmer drove to St. Paul, MN and the University of Northwestern to see our grandson. He is a Freshman there and is on the football team. It was so great to see him and to take him out to eat. The Christian atmosphere there on campus was tangible. Josh picked a restaurant called Kahn. The Farmer was unsure about this kind of Mongolian cuisine. He did find meat and potatoes so all was well!

“Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhitewashed fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at the gate with a tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals.”

Mark Twain

It sounds like this week was all fun and games and it was. But we worked very hard. Four of us are painting the exterior of a two story dining hall. It was red but is now tan, trimmed in brown. We used 20 gallons of primer, 15 gallons of tan and five gallons of brown so far. Yes, there are some sore muscles. And yes there are some sorer muscles. Some of the area has been sprayed, brushed, and rolled.

Jim and Cathy are our leaders and have really carried the load on this assignment.

“All you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.”

Bob Ross.

This is our last week to work here and we would sure like to see it completed.

What did the painter say to the wall? One more crack like that and I’ll plaster you.

Cousin Camp 2023

In June the Farmer and I hosted my grandparents’ family here at the homestead on the prairie. All but four of my cousins were able to attend. It was just a special time of remembering stories about our grandparents and our parents. One of my grandsons and his dad made the trip to spend part of the day with us. As my grandson listened to all our crazy stories, I told him, “Do you see why I have Cousin Camp at my house for you and your cousins? I had such a great time with my cousins that I want you to know and enjoy your cousins!” I think he understood. We even reenacted an old picture that I found of my cousins and I on the lawn tractor pulling a wagon load of cousins. We spent hours doing that!

“Cousins are different beautiful flowers in the same garden.”

-Anonymous

The first of August this grandma traveled to Olathe to gather the four cousins that could come to cousin camp. We were short eight cousins this summer and we acutely felt their absence. Four had to adult with jobs and internships, three were on a family vacation in Mexico, and one was involved in Cross Country practice already. Grandma still can’t believe that three chose the family vacation in Mexico over some great fun on the prairie!

On our way home from Olathe, we stopped at a Russell Stover shop and indulged in some chocolate! Nothing starts off cousin camp better than chocolate. The two youngest ones got caramel apples which they really enjoyed at the next stop, the zoo. The afternoon was warm, but all agreed it was a fun time. We got wet wherever we could find water. It was nice and cool in one area, but the two girls could not take the smell! They desired the heat over the stench! PU! The boys were undeterred by the smell.

“Cousins are people that are ready-made friends, you have laughs with them and remember good times from a young age, you have fights with them, but you always know you love each other, they are a better thing than brothers and sisters and friends ‘cause they are all pieced together as one.”

-Courtney Cox

Highs, lows, and buffaloes is one thing our daughter’s family does every evening at the dinner table. This makes for some great sharing and discussion of each family members’ day. It was such a great idea that the Farmer and I incorporated it into our evening meal. Each member of the family shares their “high” of the day. This is something that was the best part of their day. Then they go around the table again and share their low of the day, and then their funny, silly, or weird thing of the day (this is called a buffalo). Grandma was delighted to hear what the kids enjoyed every day about cousin camp.

Our youngest grandchild thrilled us when she wanted to pray at each meal after grandpa prayed. She threw her arm up in the air and sing songed, “Thank you, God! Thank you, God! Thank you for our food and all the things you do. Thank you, God!” I know the Lord was so pleased with her enthusiasm!

We always try to make a trip to the local soda fountain in town for some extreme ice cream treats. This year a gentleman from Ohio was there and he paid for our ice cream. I don’t know his name but would like to send thanks. We also went swimming at our local pool and tried out all the slides. It was decided that the purple slide can be pretty painful so should be avoided but the green and blue one are so much fun.

“God made us cousins because he knew our mothers could not handle us as siblings.”

-Anonymous

The farmer had a woodworking project for the cousins. They made a wooden tablet/phone stand. They had fun staining, sanding, and finishing this project. They used the router to make some nice edges. Grandma had them tie dye pillowcases and hair scrunchies. We also did other crafts. A scavenger hunt around the farm is always a must and using the lawn tractor to pull a wagon load of cousins is, well its tradition!!

That’s a wrap! Cousin Camp 2023 is in the books and the pictures and hopefully in the memories!

Living Waters Bible Camp

Work is now underway for our SOWER group at Living Water Bible Camp. We have four couples here and one single man who lost his wife a few months ago. Three of the people that are here we already met in Texas in March. It is delightful to see SOWERs you are now familiar with. There are 170 mission projects and places to serve across our nation and in Canada. SOWER stands for Servants on Wheels Ever Ready. Retired couples with a camper can join and work at these camps and projects. It is RVing with a Purpose. There are around 800 couples who are SOWERs either active or alumni.

We are in a cottage right on Grand Lake near Weston, Maine. From our cottage we can see Canada across the lake. Tomorrow we will take a little breakfast cruise and will go very close to the Canadian waters. This facility caters alot to Canadians so it has been a difficult two years for this camp and for the people who work here for the summer, who are across the border. Many of their summer homes are here left unused.

This place is very active and full with kids and families of all ages enjoying water skiing, wakeboarding, horsemanship, crafts, wall climbing, fishing and Bible study and worship. We have been able to attend church every evening with a dynamic pastor from Kansas (of all places.) He preaches the Word and speaks the truth about the days we are living in.

Putting insulation and boards on the ceiling of a new lodge is the project some of the men are working on. This new building will house some kitchen staff and be such a wonderful blessing to them. The men cannot complete the bathroom in the lodge however due to rules and regulations for sewer for this county. The kitchen staff is excited to move in anyway.

Painting is the word for the women many times in the SOWER world. We are painting the outside of the Camp Office building. There is enough painting to do on this place that it wil keep volunteers busy for many months. We have a good time doing it and love teasing each other and the camp staff. There are also some crafts for us to help with when it rains. One of the women is working in the bookstore every afternoon also.

They feed us well here both physically and spiritually. The views are out of this world. The loon call every night is eerie. The speakers amazing. The love of God and children is evident. Here at this camp it gives us hope for the future. Hope that young people will continue to love God and serve Him and their nation.

Found Spring

Green is a beautiful color! My six year old grandson, Luke loves green. I love green grass and trees! This spot at Highlands Lake Convention Center is so beautiful. I think the birds love green also. They are singing and praising God! So many different varieties! We also found flies and bees at our picnics today. They loved the smell of food. We are right on Lake Travis.

Our new friends from South Dakota said that it is a saying in their town in winter to get in a snow plow and keep heading south until people start asking, “what is that you are driving?” Then you know you’ve gone far enough.

Everyone is so friendly here. We’ve met several great people already and two of the couples we will be working with. Our project has changed since we arrived for the men. I am not sure what the ladies will be doing, maybe painting. Glad I brought some paint clothes. Hope we are painting green!

We are not in a good wifi spot so I will have to make some effort to get these updates posted.