Reflecting

As I sit here, with cool weather coming upon us, reflecting on these past 9 years since I started blogging back in February, 2003, I am struck by the journeys I have been on.  I have been looking at a few of the keepsakes that are here with me: the glass bottle with dirt from Dine Bikeyah, the doll called "Gypsy" that Robby got me as a gift, the cedarwood flute I am learning to play, and the few photos about the room with friends and places from the journey.   These past 9 years have brought many people into my life: many, many more than I can list (or spell all the names of... ~_^)  And of course, it brought me Robby, too!

One of the biggest surprises and blessings has been my little sister, Chissy, and her son (my nephew), Ethan, entering my life.  Chrissy was a surprise to me on so many levels.  First that she was in my life, after not being for 24 years.  Now, I am shocked that we have become best of friends, the "forever friends" that sisters should be.  Tis not a bad shock, but a joy I never dared dream would be mine. What a blessing it is to have Chrissy and Travis back in my life again!

So many things have changed over the past 9 years, but these three remain the same: my love for Celtic Christianity, my desire to journey and travel for God, and the calling (now clear) to Dine Bikeyah.

"May Jesus's peace rest with you all, and may you each find your journey-tasks!  Blessings! Amen."

~ "Morria"

Dreams and Hopes...

When one dreams of a place, when one starts talking of hopes for the future, what do they look like?  I have often dreamed of land, children, missions, homesteading... all in Dine Bikeyah area.  But for many years it was just that, a dream.  I was not going to ask really for anyone to do that... Then, my beloved Robby, began to share his dreams for living out in Dine Bikeyah.  And he spoke to my heart...

He spoke of a homestead or sheep camp in the area of Dine Bikeyah, with sheeps, goats, a few horses, rabbits, chickens, gardens, and such.  A home with room for me to do some kinda hospitality/art-music ministry.  And my heart awakens with dreams and with hope.... maybe there is more to fight for then even I knew...

~ "Morria"

Great Thoreau Flood

 Yesterday, monsoon season continued as expected, but what came after has not happened this bad in over 10 years... The Great Thoreau Flood.  Our backyard and drive way turned into a literal river.  I had to rescue our dog Nikida back onto the porch.  The rain had stopped and she had gone out to relieve herself, but in the 2 minuets she was out... the flood hit.  Robby had just walked from the front window to the back, and back to the porch...and it hit between leaving the back window and the front porch.

 We had to wait till our driveway stopped being a river to get over to the church. The church got hit too.  Our back field, which last week we used for a cowboy church service, was "Thoreau Lake" yesterday.  We were blessed with sandbags from the Fire Department, and bagged every door of the church to keep it from leaking through the doors, more than it had at least.  We had pizza and fellowship after cleaning up the church.

Even more unbelievable was the flooding out of the train tracks.  These tracks have been used since the 1890's by first the Mitchel's lines and now the Amtrak and Santa Fe Railroad.  Trains were waiting till about 9 till 10 pm for the water to go down and the tracks to be cleared off enough for the trains to pass.  At 6 pm when I took the pictures, the tracks were still flooded out... It was totally and unbelievable sight!

~ Rob and Michelle 

Torn..

Here I sit in a home soon not to be mine, torn between my life here in Dine Bikeyah and the new life I will lead in Kentucky until our return... Yes, the open road is calling me.  Yes, I am very restless.  BUT  I have so many friends here.  I have a good life here, except for no work... *la sigh* Tis that not work part thats killing me... 11 days and then farewell, for how long I know not... Next time I will ask for more than a year settled down...

Tis not like we don't have friends in Kentucky; we do, and family, too!  It is just we have not lived there in 3 years.  We both have changed, grown, and become different.  We know where "home" is, where we are called.  Until the day we get to settle (though the road will always be part of my life), the day we establish "home base" here in Dine Bikeyah... I will be among the wanderers.  As Tolkin said, "Not all who wanderer are lost."

~ Rob and Michelle

Monsoons and Birthdays

Monsoon rains have come.  And this makes an already exciting existence more adventuresome.  It also make daily work more difficult. I cant take my bike, Gypsy, out because our old paved roads get too slick with the rains.  Gas is too expensive to drive my husband's truck, Rez Rocket, just around town.  She is a good truck, but as a 1986 Chevy Scottsdale, she is also a gas drinker at slow speeds.  So its foot for us for a while.  That can be a challenge, as monsoon rains come up fast and some times with little warning.  But it can be fun to out run the rains...

Yesterday, I was at the open air market (sometimes called a flea market out here), and one of the vendors had an awesome ammo box, a good pocket knife, and a very used tool bag, perfect for my bike, Gypsy.  The ammo box and knife were for my husband's birthday, which is today.  I love the open market!

~ Michelle

Basketball Camp

Wow, what a week.  Last Sunday through Wednesday we were swamped with children and teens for our church's (First Baptist Church of Thoreau) summer basketball camp.  We had 13 salvation/re-dedications (plus a few more that we didn't get names), and 30-40 young people every day.

We had at first planned to just give them snacks, juice, and water, but the Lord provided for us in away that only He can get the credit for.  Every day we were able to feed these youth full meals, plus snacks with donations and food that was provided for us.  If any stomachs left hungry, it was because they did not eat what they were given, not that the Lord did not provide!  PTL!

We were sad to see the team from Crossfire leave, but with more outreaches, including another basketball camp later in July, we have much to prepare for as the summer moves forward.

Keep Robby and me in prayer as we seek God as to how He wants us to serve even more.

~ Rob and Michelle

Rez Rocket ~ The Truck

After Michelle's truck, Gypsy Dakota, died back in December, we had been vehicle-less for 6 months.  But now, we have to introduce you to our newest vehicle, my truck "Rez Rocket".  She is a 1986 Chevy Scottsdale, and I feel in love with her the moment I spotted her at the car lot here in Thoreau.  She is not great to drive around town in, but she is good for hauling woods, and gathering good supplies in Gallup or Farmington.  She is powerful, but at slow speeds she hogs gas.

Like a good Rez Rocket she has vroom.  She also needs a plow under the drivers seat and a tail gate.  She is beat up, but loved.  Now at least we have wheels again.  Thanks for everyone who prayed.

~ Rob