Los Angeles

Well, Jeremy Scott and I arrived a the airport around 8:30. Tony Jones met us at the gate. He flew from Savannah, GA. Do you all remember him? He was a major in the US Army in Belgium. His family of five kids would do some nice things for Jennie and me. We loved that family. Anyway, our church is providing his expenses to be a part of the conference. Shannon Brown and some others joined us in Chicago for the flight to LA. They were coming from NC.

On the plane I met a very nice family from Rockford who is looking for a church. I think. Anyway, had good fellowship with them.

The conference starts tomorrow. I will try to load a picture or two if I can.

You Son and Brother is Being Falsely Accused!

Check this SharperIron article out. It is funny.

French Bread, Anyone?

  

ENS

Today our house is infected with ENS. Empty Nest Syndrome. The symptom the most obvious is the quietness. The most painful symptom is finding the little lost mitten and knowing the other one is already across the ocean along with the owner and the rest of his family. The symptom the most encouraging is a sparkling clean house. But the symptom the most exciting is that in one week another birdie is coming home!

Thanks for coming Tim and Ruth, Micaiah and Miriam. We loved every minute of it. And we are eager to see you, Donna.

Miriam turns 1 !

  

Peter's Prayer

At the encouragement of my brother, I am going to post a "hymn" or two. That might be using the word loosely on some of them. Most of them are from the book of Luke, which Pastor Miller recently finished preaching through. In preparation for his sermon on Peter's denial of Christ, I wrote this song, a prayer from a changed Peter that recounts the contrast in his attitude from the first stanza to the last. It could be sung to TERRA BEATA (This Is My Father's World), but the music doesn't seem to support the text perfectly. I did write an original melody and it was sung as a male solo, but I'm not sure it was perfect either. So if one of you more inspired musicians want to write a tune that supports the arrogant-turned-humble "Peter's Prayer," I wouldn't object.

Peter's Prayer
Luke 22:54-62

“Lord, by your side I’ll stay, and be your closest friend,
While others waver in the fight, I’ll battle to the end.”
These zealous words I spoke, but ere the sun would rise
My faith would shake, my boldness part, and tears would swell my eyes.

“That man, I know him not.” E’en to a servant maid,
“Not one of his” again I’d cry because I was afraid.
“That man of whom you speak, the one from Galilee,”
The third and final time I’d say, “He is no friend to me.”

The shocking words still rang, when joined another sound
The rooster’s crow laid bare my soul, and sin and guilt I found.
Then Jesus turned and looked into my tearful face
And with rebuke I felt His love, His mercy and His grace.

“Lord, by my side you’ll stay, and be my closest friend,
Though oft I waver in the fight, you’ll keep me to the end.
Lord, soften now my heart, ‘til Christ you see in me,
And like a strong, enduring rock, Lord, make my faith to be.”

“Lord, build upon this Rock. Amen.”

The Ferry Ride

  

Raclette and the end of a wonderful day!

  

Beautiful Bordeaux!

  

The Tram!

thursday we went to town on the tram. It was a new experience for Tim and Ruth as well as M. because it was only a "project" 5 years ago. For those interested, the first two pictures are across from V. 3 and the last one is on Place de la Victoire.


 

Jogging with Poppa to the bakery

 

Miriam loved the goats!

 

Roman Ruins--Montmaurin

 

Spain Trip

Monday after we rented a brand new mini"mini" van (7 seats, but Minnie's mini van that Knickerbockers now own looked huge when we got to Escanacrabe!) we left for Spain. LouAnn treated us like real tourists and fixed Paella. Then everyone except the kids and me went on up to see Andy's farmhouse. I got my traditional haircut. We met at the bottom of the mountain after about 1 1'2 hours and headed back for France in search of the rainbow :-) 

We have just returned from a 2-day trek through a corner of northern Spain and Southwest France, covering 999.7 kilometers in about 36 hours. We began by visiting with the Keisers & Bonikowskys in the Basque region of Spain and then traveled on to Camp Arc en Ciel where Tim & Elizabeth Knickerbocker minister. We spent most of yesterday at the camp, but did take some time in the afternoon to tour some Roman ruins which date back to the 1st century A.D., as well as the Escanecrabe goat farm.

Rockford Couples Banquet

If you want to see a short slide show of our couples banquet, go HERE.

Repas Agape 2006

Well, that's it for another year. We had 50 students, plus 6 workers & 6 Bixbys. A total of 28 nations were represented. It went great. Tim, of course, preached a wonderful message. His French is still there! About half the people present were unsaved.

Greetings from France!

We are grateful to be here and are truly enjoying our fast-paced visit. (With the special banquet tonight, life has been somewhat of a blur around this household trying to get ready for it.)

Many faces are new to us since our last visit. With the student population being such an integral part of the church here, the group turns over pretty quickly. We have been able to renew some old contacts, however, and look forward to seeing more people we knew in the past this Sunday. Mom Bixby asked me to give a short testimony in a ladies meeting yesterday, and I was able to testify of the Lord's goodness to us during the five years since we were last here, specifically through His leading us to CPBC. I was able to begin in French, and then switched to English (using a translator) to finish up and make sure I was understood! :-)

Wednesday afternoon we escaped for a brief visit to the nearby 12th-century village St. Emilion. Please pray for Tim as he will be preaching tonight for the Repas Agape (valentine's banquet) where we are expecting around 60 college students, probably 2/3 of which will be the first-time, unsaved visitors of the regular church students.

St. Emilion pics

Still as cute as a button!

Sweet!

What a feast!

 

Reading

What are you reading?

Currently, I am reading Mathematics for the Nonmathematician by Morris Kline, over 500 pages of headache. I am learning something, so I think it might be worth it.

I'm also re-reading C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity and John Owen's Mortification for the fifth time (I'm still a pathetic sinner). I just finished Lewis' Surprised by Joy. That was fantastic.

I'm almost through John Gilmore's Pastoral Politics: Why Ministers Resign. I might do a report on it for my blog. It is pretty insightful.

Jennie and I are using the Discipleship Journal bible reading plan. We're in Exodus right now.

Anyway, I always interested to know what you are reading at any given moment.

Raclette

Raclette! Using our gift from Dan and Brenda!

Pictured starting in left upper corner and going clockwise: Jack Cook (his dad was one of the missionaries that went in after the five martyred men of End of Spear fame). Bob Roberts of Kids 4 Truth fame. I wrote about him here. Joy McCarnan of Joy fame. And Tricia Brown of Shannon Brown fame.

Dan and Brenda, everyone had a blast with the Raclette. For those of you who haven't had Raclette, it's a cheese that is melted slice by slice in the machine that is pictured in the middle of our table. The top part is used to grill vegetables and what-not that is covered by the melted cheese called "raclette."

Here's some more of our girls!

Emergency Room and Thanksgiving

We are relieved that the accident was not more serious. The car that Patience and her babysitter were using was totaled. However, both Joy and Patience were ok. Patience, however, had a very tender spot on her head that wouldn't go away. Grandparents advised us to take her to the ER. Jennie wouldn't have slept otherwise. We just didn't know what to think of tenderness without swelling.

Yesterday (the accident was Monday night), Patience's doctor suggested that we try Motrin instead of Tylenol. Finally, that evening her headache started to go away.

We are just so grateful to the Lord for His hand of protection on Patience and Joy. Jennie and I were in Chicago at the time and we had a long drive back. On our way, we contemplated on how quickly life can change, how fragile it is, and how vulnerable we are. It is one of those moments that humbles us and makes us grateful.

Thoughts on their thoughts?

 

In France!!!

We are so excited to have Tim and Ruth and the children here with us in France. Here are a couple pictures of their trip.

Bobby and the girls!

I thought that this was cute of our girls and Bobby!

The Bixby Ladies

We men are blessed, I think.



And I am also particularly pleased with myself for being quick-thinking enough to spot these ladies standing in a group, all together, chatting. It took very little to get them to pose with their natural charm and dignity. This was January 24 at the meal preceeding Grandpa Morgan's funeral.