Red River

Here are some pictures from our trip to Red River....some of my favorites.

In front of the cabin...

...lots of beautiful wildflowers!

A glimpse into the "cabin"

The beginning of the color--when we got there.

I love the river!!

Ok...I worked for 30 minutes to turn this and finally got it, but let me tell you the story of this tree!  I just happened to take this pic--because I loved the texture of the tree.  If you enlarge it, you might be as surprised as I was when I saw it on my computer!!   Ok...it wouldn't enlarge after I finally got it turned.  It says:

A B

♥

Dietz

2002

Is that not CRAZY that I didn't even see it when I took the picture???  (Andy loves to desecrate trees for me.  He did another one this year!)

Fawn Lakes area

Wild berries 

Caught a butterfly in motion

Beautiful golden color---this just doesn't do it justice!

We both had cameras....

A little more color before we left..

Lots more color the day we left.  It still wasn't peak! 

We had a wonderful time!!

Surprise Celebration

These are some of the most giving people in the world!

What a great group of volunteers!  They make my heart happy.

There's a reason this is so small...who knew they made you wear sombreros for an anniversary??

I keep counting my blessings.  I know I'm one of the most blessed women alive...honestly!  I know I don't deserve any of it but what a sweet surprise tonight.  Larry Barnes and George Nies were aware that Andy & I were going to Red River for our 35th anniversary and they cooked up a surprise.  Actually, they included Andy in on it so he could get me there.  Andy told me last night that we were going to the Plaza tonight...so I wasn't to cook anything.  I asked him if I wasn't supposed to ask questions...or what...and he told me I couldn't.  I didn't think too much about it.  But when he told me it was time to leave tonight, I saw the Sherman's car in the Yarbrough's driveway and asked, "So we're going w/ the Sherman's and Yarbrough's, right?"  He just laughed at me.  Then we drove by the White's house and their car wasn't in the driveway, so I said, "It's the White's, isn't it?  They're already gone!"  Another laugh.

I couldn't have guessed what I saw when I walked in the Plaza---the whole Living Water gang!!  I was so overwhelmed.  They just wanted to honor us on our 35th anniversary and give us a send-off before we left for Red River.  It was amazing.  We had so much fun fellowshipping with all our sweet friends.  And I was reminded yet once again....I am truly, truly blessed!!  Thanks, guys, for a wonderful surprise!  I love you all.

Help me win an iPad!

This is the photo I've submitted for a contest.  Threads is having a contest over the words Michael Kelley discusses in Holy Vocabulary.  Would you go HERE and vote for my photo?  It's not about the quality of the photo---but the message.  This is food being given to Living Water which will go to feed the hungry.  The "church" works together in tandem to help the less fortunate each week.  A basket accidentally fell over and those closest to the mishap began helping to pick it up.  This was a great day for the church.  One where we were all so aware of what we were doing to help others.
By the way, you can vote daily for my photo!

1975--2nd post

What was going on the year Andy & I got married?

• The Vietnam war ended
• Gerald Ford was president
• Average income was $14,100 a year.  We made $2500 that first year of marriage.
• Patti Hearst was arrested
• Love Will Keep Us Together was sung by Captain & Tennille
• JAWS opened in theatres.  We went to see it in Santa Fe on our honeymoon.
• Trans-Alaska Pipeline was started
• The first disposable razor was created
• Watergate Scandal occurred
• The price of gasoline was 44 cents per gallon
• Saturday Night Live debuted on television
• Tiger Woods was born
• Motorolla got a patent for first mobile phone
• Jimmy Hoffa disappeared
• Operation Babylift--orphans carried out of Vietnam
• Oil went over $13/barrel
• Wheel of Fortune premiered
• Average monthly rent:  $200/month.  Exactly what we paid for our rent that first year!  (Makes you wonder how we made it on that $2500 income!!)
• Have You Never Been Mellow was sung by Olivia Newton-John

35 Years

Andy & I will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary this weekend.  We're headed to the hills!

...to these hills.  The "cabin" we'll be staying in is actually in Angel Fire, New Mexico.  And I use the term "cabin" very loosely.  It's actually the HGTV dream home.  (Not really--but it's hard to tell the difference!)

I've heard the leaves have actually started changing.  Thirty-five years ago, we went to the same town for our honeymoon.  Red River, actually.  And the leaves were glorious then.  We were married on Sept. 27, 1975.  And Red River was mostly deserted that weekend.  The town was shutting down for the season.  Everywhere we went, we were some of the only people being served.  And everyone asked us if we were newlyweds.  I wonder how they knew??  (At least that was my thought process 35 years ago!)

Red River is one of our all-time favorite places.  We've spent many family vacations there.  I can hardly wait to get to the mountains and curl up by the fire and read a good book.  Andy can hardly wait to throw a fish hook into the water.  You might think 35 years sounds boring.  I think it sounds...comfortable and warm.



TWO MORE DAYS TIL....

Photo by Lindsey Dietz

Can you guess?

The Last Christian by David Gregory

If Jesus were to tarry his return, what do you imagine would be happening in the year 2088?  David Gregory has a pretty big imagination in The Last Christian and it really made me think!  With the way technology and knowledge is increasing, can you imagine people being able to visit face-to-face anyplace in the world in a virtual reality world?  Can you imagine brain transplants that would enable people to live forever?

That's only part of the story in The Last Christian.  Now imagine a 34-year-old daughter of missionaries coming out of a remote jungle village in Papau New Guinea into this virtual technological world--trying to save her village from a fatal disease.  And Abigail Caldwell is also one of the last Christians in the world.  Her grandfather has left her a virtual message which catapults her into trying to be a witness for Christ in this new world.  Abigail finds 2 men who respond to her kind spirit and gentle ways and who help her navigate this strange new world.

I'm not a big sci-fi fan.  So it was hard for me to get into this book.  I would read awhile, put it down, and then pick it back up.  But towards the last half of the book, I couldn't put it down.  That's when David Gregory began preaching his message through this fiction book.  And it inspired me!  And I do believe it's going to help me live my life differently.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.  Maybe if I were a sci-fi fan, it would be 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255