A Week of Increased Activity

This past week we had the visit of our circuit overseer.  He's new to our circuit, having just come from the Everett area of Washington state.  We are his second circuit.  Among other things, he wanted to encourage as many as possible to get out in the field ministry on Saturday, as well as to be ready for the possible formation of a new congregation in the Bend area (which would meet in our Kingdom Hall).  It turned out that we had 100 meet for the field ministry on Saturday, wow!  Unfortunately I was working that day.

This week it appears that winter started in earnest, with much cooler temperatures and snow overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning and afternoon.  Time to get those snowshoes out!

Musings Over Morning Coffee

I'm up early this morning (thanks to the cats wanting breakfast), so I thought I'd do some personal study and preparation for our special service day today and post an entry on the blog.  Today is our congregation's monthly special effort to start Bible studies with those interested in learning what the Bible really teaches.  Those going out in the morning meet at the Hall at noon to enjoy some hot soup and regroup for afternoon activity.

We're hoping to go up to Longview to visit friends in the Cowlitz congregation over the thanksgiving holiday, but everything hinges on whether or not I will get Black Friday off or not.  There is a strong possibility I will not.  If I am allowed that day off work (which is an open day on my route), then I likely won't find out til the last minute.  This will be the last getaway we have this year, and since it's been seven months since we got to do something like that, we're feeling "getaway withdrawals".  Our last weekend getaway was back in April when we got together in Seaside with some good friends and went to the seafood festival in Astoria.  That was fun!

Next March we're planning to take a romantic weekend getaway to a more calm part of the Oregon coast, around the Pacific City area.  One of our favorite bed and breakfasts, the Sandlake Country Inn, is located just outside of Pacific City in the small community of Cloverdale.  We've been to this B & B a few times now, and it has proven to be the perfect place to relax, recharge, and do a little exploring.  Their website is http://sandlakecountryinn.com/    We always stay in the Starlight Suite.  They also have a blog here at this site:  http://blog.sandlakecountryinn.com/ 

Vacation's Over

Well it's back to work today.  Vacation time always goes by too fast! 

The week was definitely enjoyable, though.  I was able to spend time out in the field ministry with some in the congregation that I didn't know that well, and I got to know them a little better.  A good friend came over from Longview, WA and we enjoyed catching up and working together in the ministry.  We also went to the Sunday meeting over in Silver Lake, which is at the gateway to the Oregon Outback.  I'd never been in that area before, so that was a real treat!  We stopped off to take a couple pictures of Fort Rock, which was neat.  That's my friend Jim in the picture pointing at Fort Rock.  All in all it was a very good week.