Sometimes parents feel like chauffeurs, but Rich and I arm wrestled over Zoe’s cross country ski practices. Taking her thirty minutes to the local trails became one of those unexpected blessings because the driver was guaranteed at least an hour of solo skiing. For her part, Zoe placed fourth in the state competition in Casper, WY, where we all enjoyed the National Trails Museum commemorating the thousands of brave emigrants to the US West just before the Civil War.

Another weekend at the ski area found a group from church enjoying the trails, in some cases reconnecting and moving toward reconciliation. On the way back from the slopes another day we stopped by a special birthday party: the 90th of a young lady who was just baptized last November. What a joy!

As I type today, we’re returning from our first venture into winter camping, winding along a river through the Wind River Canyon, enjoying the views of the tunnels over the road and the train tracks on the far bank.. Yesterday, we skied two miles to a one-room cabin near Meeteetse, WY in the deepening dusk and today after skiing further up the canyon and roasting s’mores at 10am we slid back out, tired from the stove’s hourly feeding all night, but quite satisfied with the venture’s success.

Gifts of adventures like this are a bit like salve on the wounds that pockmark any sort of ministry (it is spiritual warfare after all!), but please pray with us that the relationships we develop in our various involvements would draw people toward Jesus. And please let us know how we can lift you up as you travel your road.

Wood River Cabin in Meeteetse, WY (How’s that for a town name?!)