"Father, even when my circumstances take a terrible turn for the worse, please help me by your grace to stay faithful...Help me when I am wrestling in my own slough to keep looking in Your direction." - from The Pilgrim's Progress Devotional by Cheryl Ford

Prayer requests:

~ Guidance in completing our floor plan for the new house in a timely manner so that the excavation, foundation laying, and framing can begin before winter bites.

~ Continued healing for the kids as they battle terrible coughs and interrupted sleep.

~ A daily hunger and thirst for righteousness for each of our family.

~ Thanks for the healing of Wynn's foot.

~ That God's will would be our desire and that we will not forget what He has done for us.
(Psalm 106:12-15)

~ Thanks for all who have continued to provide blessings and support for us in so many unique and varied ways.

Recently two of my dear friends, Diane and Jeanne, each gave me a care package. They both had given me tea pots and tea cups which burned in the fire so they sent lovely replacements to remind us to take time for tea and to encourage us that we are cared for.

Fireman Psalm celebrated her birthday with the firefighters and paramedics of the MatSu Fire Station, some of whom had valiantly fought the fire which consumed our home. They joined us for singing, cake, and ice cream and then gave us a royal tour before they were called out on a call. What an incredible team!

Psalm helped decorate the cake this year which was shaped like our house and sported firefighters - one even rescuing our two kitty cats.

Grandma sent a sewing kit.
Tracy and Carol, the owners of Wings and Things Restaurant in Wasilla, generously provided a complementary and tasty family dinner for us which we enjoyed as part of the birthday celebration. What a treat!

Wynn proudly displays the quilt Margaret taught him to make.

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."

~Proverb 14:26~

On Sunday we received a cherished visit from Saki as well as from Mark and Denise and family - friends from the distant past in Kodiak. Tracy and family joined us to greet them.

Andrew, Gregory, and Matthew join the McKinnis boys at a church potluck which raised money for a mission trip.

Dressed as Sons of Liberty Isaiah and Wynn distributed the History of Famous American Flags as well as miniature American Flags in honor of Flag Day while under the patriotic guidance of Mr. John.

A day hiking at Hatcher Pass with friends provided a good respite from tedious studies and monotonous book work.

There is nothing quite like the heights of a mountain to clear the head and refocus the perspective.

We were so excited when Steve and Shirley dropped by from Fairbanks to say hello - After we had worked from 12:30 until 9:00 p.m., the secret dinner they provided was a very welcome surprise. Thank you guys!

Margaret provided some gas to mow the lawn and Bruce and Wanda hooked up the water so that we could test the well.

Seemingly endless book inventory won't last forever despite appearances.

Kenton found an appropriate book cover that needed just one word changed to fit our situation ~ "This WAS the house that Jack built!"

Burying our two cats, Midnight Shadow and Fluffy Cat, earlier this week was a sad occasion for us. Besides the goldfish, the cats were the only pets that didn't survive the fire. (We had to wait until the ground thawed to have the burial.)

Our Fluffy Cat caught on my cell phone camera which was the only phone to make it out of the fire.

"Though you have made me see troubles,

many and bitter,

you will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

you will again bring me up."

~Psalm 71:20~

Attention!!

We plan to work at the site Friday and Saturday afternoon. Join us if you like.

After our house burned, our niece, Elsie, drew two pictures of our house to remind us of what it used to look like.

Thanks to Elsie we have plans to work from.

And another little friend, Elise, drew this special autographed picture which she presented to us when she and her mother brought us a tasty dinner.

Today Debbie called to see if she could bring us dinner. We happily accepted. What a blessing! Because of her delicious generosity we were able to work from 2:00 until 9:00 without leaving the site. (By 11:30pm, it's just starting to get dark here in Alaska.) The lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and banana/chocolate chip cake tasted so good to our hungry crew. Thanks Deb and family!

Last year, Doug and some friends hunted black bear. This special knife, the Grayman Mega Pounder, one of Doug's favorites made by Mike of Grayman Knives, attended him in the field to help with the heavy work of skinning, butchering, and wood chopping. One of the photos taken during the hunt was published on the Grayman website. It sported a beautiful, menacing black bear clutching in warrior fashion, the big, equally menacing knife in its mouth.

After the fire, to Doug's delight, while crews were cleaning up debris, both a life size tanned black bear hide and the knife were recovered. So was born the photo below. It was sent to Mike to let him know what happened to our family and the knife.

So Mike & his wife, Sue, sent a wrapped package in the mail....

Two beautiful knives! The 15 inch long, 9 inch bladed Mega Pounder 9 and the Suenami 4. God's kindness shown through His people has truly been incomprehensible, yet so much appreciated. I encourage you to look at the Grayman Knives website at graymanknives.com.

Doug now sports cherished gifts given by his friends: Major Casey's Major League sweatshirt and Mike & Sue's handmade knives.

After Seth worked for five hours today he was thrilled to find the remains of his Mac laptop.

Psalm had received this night light from the Alaska State Fair last year.

Beethoven finally met his match ~ Micah's piano bag since he was seven.

Amazingly, more salvageable photos were found after more than two months under the dirt; a few are shown below:

A polaroid shot taken when Darlene and I taught Micah's Sunday school class at Wasilla Bible Church. (Wendy is holding Kenton while Micah is third from the right.)

Even though this seems like only yesterday, the years have flown by.

In college I spent one summer as an Alaska State Park employee in Kodiak.

My mother and her two oldest siblings; her brother was later killed by a car when he was seven years old.

My maternal grandparents on their 60th wedding anniversary.

Though somewhat damaged, it was a joy to find this snapshot of my father and his dad.

What a great find: Our missionary "matchmaker" Florence, from Kodiak.

In the Statue of Liberty when my sister and I were on a family summer vacation a few years ago.

Tracy and I in New York.

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint."

~Isaiah 40:30-31~

Recently unearthed in the rubbish pile were photos including these shown below:

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."

~Psalm 127:3-5~

Seth's newborn hospital picture discovered on Sunday.

Look out world - Micah is turning two!

Seven-year old Kenton relaxes in the grass.

Memories of fishing at the Kodiak Kids' Pink Salmon Derby.

Arriving at the site on Sunday afternoon -following the annual Walk For Life- were many highly motivated and skilled TeenPact excavators including Kenton, Micah, Seth, Jacob, and Colin.

Semper Paratus- Always ready to fight debris!

Who are you going to call? TeenPact!

Many hands make light work.

After tackling the charred bookshelves Micah became surrounded by a sea of pages.

Inventory photographers Kelly and Emily were supervised by Quality Control Specialist Riley.

Immediately after Robin found a hymnal she insisted we take a break to sing.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Dumpster diver Kenton prepares to assist muscle man Micah F. in lifting another heavy load.

Fireman Riley is ready for action.

Detective Jacob makes even Sherlock Holmes look like an amateur.

We never knew carrying containers up a chicken walk could be this much fun; now we know how the girls feel on the balance beam.

Examining an artifact to see if it is identifiable.

Let's see...Did I ever get a chance to read this one yet?

Robin supervises the workers ensuring that confusion is kept to a minimum.

Anna in the ashes.
Question of the day, "Will the dumpster hold it all?"

Daniel evaluates the sorry state of my flute.

~ One fantastic family work team ~

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, the one will lift up the other: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth;

for he hath not another to help him up." ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Thanks everyone for lifting us up.

Wow! This job would have taken us months to do.

Over fifty TeenPacters and their family members were among the participants in the Heartreach Pregnancy Center's annual Walk for Life on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to the numerous and generous donors the Walk raised over $25,000. On the 9th the Center gets their ultrasound machine!

Micah, Hannah, Jessica, and Logan

Some of the TeenPact crew take a break after playing frisbee.

Friends: Robin, Wendy, and Shirley enjoy some fellowship.

Soaking up the sun was the job assigned to Grandma, Tom, and Shirley.

Scott and Robyn, family, and friends picnic on the green.

Precious and her family brightened our lives with their smiles.

Two of the prize winners at the walk were Joseph and Noah.

Smiling Elsie scootered her way around the track.

A Blockbuster movie basket was Nathaniel's prize.

Micah selected a Kafe Neo gift card.

Picking out a Mahay's Riverboat Tour for two pleased Kenton.

Psalm has been wanting a digital camera for a long time. Now she has one in her favorite color.

It didn't take Wynn long to choose the mountain bike.

On Saturday while Seth and I worked at the site, Doug took the others to the annual Birchwood Youth Shoot near Eagle River. Tom and Joe were there, too!

This year Psalm got to shoot with the big kids.

Shooting the bow and arrow.

Watch out Annie Oakley!

Kenton~ ready for action.

Ready, Aim, Fire! One of Micah's favorite hobbies.

Wynn happily volunteered to visit the on-site ambulance where the paramedics examined his nail-injured foot. Paramedic Emily is shown in the foreground.

Wynn's Foot Report: Infection diminishing, antibiotics being taken, however we are having much trouble filling the tetanus shot prescription quickly.

(Note to remove excess concern: color of foot affected by Betadine)