Busy! Busy! Busy! + Prayer Requests

Hi folks!
Well it has been a busy month! We are in the throes of preparing for summer and winding up all of our school year events. The triple "P" puppet team is also busy raising funds for our summer trip and we are planning a graduation party for our daughter Kristine!

This last weekend I travelled to the fellowship of Christian Magicians conference in Portland, Oregon where I had the opportunity to give two workshops, a morning devotional, and MC the Friday evening program. Then to my suprise I was asked to be the auctioneer for our used prop and book auction! It was the first time I had ever been an auctioneer. It went pretty well but I kept so busy auctioning I didn't get to place any bids myself! I think I do better at "Hey, batter hey batter!" than I do at "I've got 20 who'll give me 25!"

Curtis Davey went with me and we had a great time on the road together and at the conference. We stayed with Mike and Melissa Pace (newlyweds) and Mike joined us at the conference and helped man our product table. I love it when Mike helps out because I know that stuff will sell and I get to move away from the table and visit! Mike is a salesman at Sears and does his job very well! Thanks Mike and Melissa for all you hospitality!

After the conference we all went out to eat with all our magician, vent and clown friends. It was good to spend some time visiting with Duane and Mary Laflin, Craig and Cathy Brown, John Homes, Timothy Sonefelt and many new friends! I think Curtis may have been overwhelmed with all the "Magic" talk but he had a great time. Oh and Mike Pace stuck me with his dinner bill by leaving early! Oh well he worked hard for me and deserved it!

I can't mention everyone who attended but it was also good to see Steve Taylor, Mike and Bob Puckett and families, Loren Deshazzer, and Matt Strawn who brought his (and his wife Angela's) new baby. She was adorable! It was good to see all of you - even if it is only once a year!

Another highlight of the trip was seeing our friends at Sellwood Baptist Church. I dropped in unexpectedly and was very honored by Pastor Mike Wilson when he asked me to give a short update. We got to see many friends and were thrilled to meet another new addition to the church - Daniel Vernam - brand new (6 months) son of Don and Jenny Vernam and grandson of John and Susan Wold! Jenny's brothers were in my youth group at Sellwood and we have known her since she was in grade school! Where are my pictures Jenny?!

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of these events because I did not take the camera with me! We need to get a new camera because we broke the one we bought last summer! Cindy's folks gave us their old digital camera which is working well but cannot do a lot of the things our new one did! If you got any FCM pictures I would be glad to post them here!

As we get ready for summer we have two important prayer requests. Some of you know that our support was down this last year which caused us to take a pretty substantial pay cut. I need to raise another $400 dollars a month to get back to our normal salary. If there were 16 families that could take us on for $25 a month that would solve the problem (or of course 4 families at $400 a month! :0)). Please pray that I will be able to make up these funds without taking a lot of time away from my ministry repsonsibilities.

Our second prayer request has to do with a new vehicle. Our present van has about 230,000 miles on it and I am pretty sure it cannot handle a summer of traveling. We need to find a used vehicle with not too many miles on it that can carry 6 people and quite a bit of luggage and equipment. Right now it looks like a suburban would be our best bet but that will mean greater cost for gas. I can raise the funds for gas but I need help purchasing a new vehicle. We have a good start in our car fund but will need more before this summer so that we can get the new vehicle. If God lays this need on your heart please contact us as to how you can donate funds. Your prayers are always appreciated!