Church Friends

This summer marks the two-year anniversary since our family has been able to meet each Sunday morning at a local retirement home. We are blessed by the opportunity to visit our elderly friends there each week and worship the Lord together.

Singing

This lady was a farmer's wife for many years and we always enjoy her farm stories!

This dear lady always has a smile on her face; she sang in a choir for many years

Meeting Mr. G., a new resident

"Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks,
unto thee do we give thanks: 
for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare."
{Psalm 75:1}

Happy Birthday Nathan & Jonathan

Happy birthday to Nathan and Jonathan! We are so thankful for your lives of diligence and hard work. God bless you this new year as you seek His will for your futures!

"Be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man."

{1 Kings 2:2}

The boys went camping with Dad, as is their birthday tradition. Then, on the eve of their birthday, they were surprised by some birthday company!

Enjoying warm food and fun conversations

Happy birthday, Nathan and Jonathan

Can you guess what game we were playing?

Nathan is taking a push-up challenge this month with some friends,
and had a hilarious push-up race with their buddies to end the fun night

Line up, everyone...

...that's better! Thank you all for coming!

Hope you had a wonderful birthday, boys!

"Let no man despise thy youth; 

but be thou an example of the believers, in word, 

in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

{1 Timothy 4:12}

It's Hunting Season

Jonathan and Mom heading out for an afternoon hunt

Hunting season has begun, and with it the aspiring hunters in the Bryant crew have been diligently stalking deer - yummy food for the winter months!

Jonathan shot a big doe!

Nathan also shot a doe - congratulations to you both, boys!

Here the guys are processing the deer with Mr. P.

Rachael went hunting early one morning for the first time -
Hopefully next time she will get a deer!

The Everlasting Light

Looking forward to that blessed day when we will worship our King and Creator, the maker of the stars and the moon, the earth and the heavens, with one voice: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Revelation 5:12).

"The sun shall be no more thy light by day;

neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: 

but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory."

{Isaiah 60:19}

Years Gone By...

Last week, we were surprised by a visit from friends we have not seen in a decade! We have many fond memories together of years past when the children were little. Great to see you, Miriam, Hannah, and Timothy!

We Will Not Forget

Ten years ago today, the United States was attacked by Muslim terrorists, killing over 3000 people in an event that irrevocably changed America.

Since that tragic attack, U.S. Military personnel have been in a continuing war between principles of right and wrong to defeat those who would destroy us and our way of life.  Those brave Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors have fought in conditions that most cannot imagine, made sacrifices that most cannot understand, and have families that have been forced to endure repeated separations.  Many have made the ultimate sacrifice: approximately 4800 in Iraq and approximately 2700 in Afghanistan.  Thousands more have been wounded, many severely, and their lives will also be forever changed.

Our enemies will stop at nothing to destroy the way of life and freedoms that we enjoy and the faith of our fathers – they hate us for what we are; not, as some would say, because of something we did. President George W. Bush summed it up succinctly: 

"The battles waged by our troops are part of a broader struggle between two dramatically different systems. Under one, a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology, condemns women to subservience and marks unbelievers for murder.
The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of Almighty God and that liberty and justice light the path to peace." 

The fight must go on. To quote former President George W. Bush again from a speech given on the 7th of October 2001, after the beginning of the U.S. military strikes on targets in Afghanistan: "We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail."

Please take a moment today to pray for the families of those we have lost, for those who continue to fight for our Nation and our freedom, for our president, and for our military leaders. May the Lord bless those who daily fight for our country's freedom, and may the name of Jesus Christ be exalted freely in every tribe and nation.

"The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens." {Psalm 113:4}

May God bless America.


~Tom, for the

Labor Day

On Labor Day, we checked our cattle on our land 

Checking fence lines

Rachael, talking to Leah, who is taking the fall quest!

It was a beautiful day, and the girls took advantage of it with the camera

Lunchtime

Before heading home, we met a neighboring family, which was a blessing!

Sarah and Krista

Sisters

Bird Hunting

What is your favorite caption?

Girl kitty earned the name "Dynamite" here...and she certainly lives up to her name. She is very curious and loves to hunt any moving creature - even cows in the field!

Pursuing the Lord

This summer, Loving the Lord Ministries hosted a summer pursuit which involved reading the Bible for 15 minutes each day, memorizing one verse a week, and calling an accountability partner every 2 weeks. Rachael and I decided to take the challenge, and didn't want to leave our brothers out of the fun, so they all joined us. Yesterday, the pursuit "ended," and as a reward we made Nathan, Jonathan, and Samuel a special dinner for their wonderful achievement.

I was so excited to see how diligent all my siblings were in reading the Bible each day; even if they were tired at night they would take the time to read. They each took initiative to not only meet the challenge, but also to exceed it. Samuel would wake up each morning and read for 15 minutes, and before going to sleep would read an extra 5. Jonathan read the Bible through in 200 days and Rachael read her Bible through this summer, in 90 days. Nathan undertook the memorization aspect with fervor and memorized many verses each week. He said that though he had never really memorized many verses before, he found it is not hard and he enjoys it. He and I memorized a few of the same chapters in the Bible!

Rachael and I with the tee-shirts LTLM gave as a prize

All of us children wanted to continue the challenge, so Rachael and I created a "fall quest" chart for September 1-November 31. The reading time is 18 minutes a day, and we are looking forward to another season of seeking God together. We welcome you to join us - here is a link to the chart. The rewards are untold as God's people seek His precious Word. Take the challenge with all your siblings - the more the merrier!

Congratulations!

"Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it."

{Psalm 81:10}

~Sarah for the