The gift of a quick airplane jump to join with our family in Denver is so valued. The van trip from Lincoln to Denver flew by. A stop at Fat Dogs in North Platte brought smiles – you are nowhere.
DIA was our rendezvous point. The band is back together! Yay!
We cruised around the metro and drove by the meaningful places of our kids younger years. Littleton, Columbine, Morrison, Abiding Hope, and Willowbrook. We owned and remodeled 5 different homes here so we drove by each one and told stories of years gone by.
The kids made me add up how many addresses I have had in my 50 years – even I was surprised by the number of – 18! But slowing down – only one address in Washington in 7 years.
Willowbrook CaveAlumni Baptismal home
Now for a short rest before our 13 hour drive through the Rocky Mountains on our way to Salt Lake and Boise. The wheels are ready to roll west as majestic beauty awaits! Go west!
Norah was up early and ready to head to her qualifying race at Green Lake with Blanchett High School. Even though the 5k race is less than 30 minutes it took about 5 hours of the day. Her team ran well and her time qualified her for the September travel meet to Los Angeles. She worked hard on this challenging course and came home happy! She is officially on the high school cross country circuit. Let’s go!
Rest – homework – and more home work – play time with our poodle Rico – an awesome salmon dinner with friends – and a beautiful sunset at Redondo – all before jetting out to Denver at sunrise tomorrow. Thanks be to God.
In Nebraska, the family said their tear filled goodbyes to Joe and Billie.
Time with relatives playing mini golf, visiting a wildlife safari in Ashland, playing Life, and yummy sloppy Joe’s made for an excellent day.
“I could never in a hundred summers get tired of this.” – Susan Branch
Tons of activity in our various locations today. Cross Country practice, Fed Back to School event, summer Geometry class nearly complete, laundry, watering the gardens, football, yard play, four wheelers rides, visiting with relatives and eating pizza and fruit pizza, watching the divergent series, calendaring and fall family planning, prepping for race day tomorrow, and more. All good in our neighborhoods.
In the joy of today, I was mesmerized by how 8 apples can be growing on one very small branch. How does it not crack under the weight it carries? How did it gain enough nutrients in such a high and small space? How many bees helped make this possible? Talk about rooted and rising! Talk about producing and bearing good fruit! I want my life to be like that small branch producing life and love for Jesus in this world.
Galatians 5:22-23 New International Version
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Colossians 1:10 — New Living Translation (NLT)
10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
The fruit of love that’s found in the heart of our human family is so good to behold.
Today we jetted out early and made our way to Omaha. But first a quick stop for the famous Centerville Zebra donuts.
We then cruised the 3 hours south to get Norah and I to the airport for our afternoon flight to Seattle. A stop in Sioux City at the Palmer Candy Company was a must. A memory lane around the college campus in Fremont where Susan and I first met made the kids call out with sappy awwwws. It was Midland’s move in day for students. Man those college kids look so young now a days 😆.
The rest of the fam made their way to Lincoln and arrived to Grandpa Joe and Grandma Billie’s house. Susan’s family is all around the Lincoln area so they will spend a few days visiting everyone. Four wheeler rides are on the docket!
We will join forces again on Sunday after Norah’s qualification race. Good times will be had by all until then!
If we could have the gift of bi-location we would put it to use 🤣.
I was inspired by the dark sky and bright stars early this morning and found this writing by Len Sweet very meaningful…..May it help the light to shine.
“When the stars are out, the Son is not shining.”
That saying has stayed with me since some friends in South Africa reminded me of it. At night, the stars look brilliant, but their light isn’t really their own. At sunrise, they vanish—outshone by something infinitely greater.
My own gifts feel like those stars. Small sparks, meant not to dazzle, but to point toward the true source of light. Yet I confess: sometimes I want to be the star, the one noticed. I want to shine brightly in the firmament.
But maybe Christ calls us to something else. To be like stained glass—transparent enough for his radiance to stream through. No one enters a cathedral to admire the glass itself. Its beauty lies in how perfectly it lets the light pour in, filling everything with warmth and color.
Or maybe we’re to be like icons. Not idols that say “look at me,” but holy images that whisper “look through me and see God.”
That’s what I long for, Lord. If I shine at all, let it only be as a signpost to you. Don’t let me clutter the light. Make me less of a star and more of a window—the clear space where heaven’s glory enters the world. Amen.
Early to rise and late to bed for another jam packed day. After all the work and play, we took a few moments to visit family memorials and the old homestead. Lots of pics tell part of the story.
A well lived day on the farm. A high humidity fog filled walk kicked off the day. We then dove into some fun work projects – cutting down overgrown trees, painting an old fuel tank, mowing the lawn, feeding the horses and cleaning up stalls, weed eating, John Deere tractor time, and painting stepping stones. The life of a farmer and an acreage means there is always more work to be done. Today we also decided that every bug has made its way to South Dakota – holy cow they are everywhere and swarming. Jewel looked at me tonight and said straight faced, “how did you ever survive living here!” Ha.
It is so good to visit with Dad and Melissa and enjoy these summer days as a family. We ended the day with a special outing for a festive dinner together. Wow just wow.
We were up early today and driving through a tremendous Midwest thunderstorm. The lightening strikes and thunder and hours long downpours added up to some fun driving. We did a quick stop at the local Scheels sporting goods store. Of course we had to ride the indoor Ferris wheel and buy the Carmel apples before departing. Then a quick jump from there and we arrived to the farm in Viborg. Dad and Melissa greeted us with joy. The kids are very happy to spend a few days on the farm. I got Norah behind the wheel of our van and she drove the section. The good news is the wheels are still inflated and the ditch is empty. She did great! A true throwback teaching your kiddo on the roads you learned to drive.
Uffdah….see ya laters are hard. We hugged and cried and waved our goodbyes this morning after a phenomenal week together with family in Nevis. May happy trails bring us together again soon.
We then journeyed south to Austin, MN. Our life journey brought us here for a short time of ministry and life together. Our kids were in preschool thru 3rd grade then. We bought a farm and tractor and moved into the neighborhood. While our ministry here was for just a short season, some of our relationships will last through eternity. Today was a day to see the farm, drive by the school and church, see some special friends and remember, lament, laugh, and share in blessed conversation. For our Anyuak family we are forever grateful. Our time together in shared meal and conversation and prayer this evening was soul food for this life’s journey. With unshakeable hope in Jesus we lift up and encourage one another.
A Four wheeler, kayak, and water were the required items of the day. Countless hours of fun. Our time with family has been the best. Walleye and ice cream for dinner!
It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again.
Johnson 2025 Sabbatical 