Mysteries of Heaven

August 30, 2008
Flash flood warning at the back country desk 7 a.m. - HIGH.
Chance of afternoon thunder storms - 50%.
Couln't ask for a more perfect day :)
Special thanks to Amberle for being our shuttle driver!

Aaron and Kim sporting their matching wrist wounds following the thigh-burning descent into the canyon.




Michaela's BFF Brittney basking in the beauty of this canyon.
Aaron & Kim in the shadows of some narrows.
The crew is all lined up and getting ready for the 8th rappel.
Michaela & Brittney
Kim & Heather

Aaron sitting contemplating life and his lunch.
Little black potholes.
It was around the corner at the next rappel - Mystery Springs - where I accidentally handed Rob the camera just as he was trying to handle one too many things on the edge of the cliff. We both watched as the camera, seemingly in slow motion, bounced to the edge and rolled off, bounced a couple more times against the rock, and then splashed 100 feet down into a pool of water. He didn't even flinch. I was so proud of him! So... I rappelled down behind the boulder, retrieved the camera in it's case and hoped that we could salvage the images off the memory card. The images in this post are off that card:) Pictures of the last 2 rappels will have to be borrowed from Kim & Aaron. Stay tuned.

Hurrah! Hopefully not the last one!

Well, life comes at you fast. School started this week. Summer flew by. I haven't had enough fun yet. So, Rob and I are taking Michaela and her friend Brittany down to Zion to hike Mystery Canyon tomorrow (Yes! I won the permit lottery!). Michaela wanted to go last year for her birthday in July but wild fires closed the back country. She has been patiently waiting for a whole year (and probably a lot longer in her mind!). Pray for clear skies and that the forcasted evening thunderstorms stay that way. In the evening:) Bryn, Quincy and Grandma & Grandpa Stoffers are holding down the fort.

With my total lack of consistent scripture study, this passage in James had to be suggested to me as study material by a rather strange source. Yes, my chiropractor. Yea, Dr. Meeks! Thank you. It is changing me.

James 1:2-4


"...count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (JST= many afflictions); knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

Isn't it interesting to read that we are to find joy in our afflictions.

I was also taught/reminded that some challenges are meant for us to overcome and some challenges are meant for us to endure. Hmmm. Isn't that interesting.

So here I am, "patiently" sitting here in the refiner's fire. Boy! Sure is hot!

Just a fun little hike for the kids...

Priceless

A couple of weeks ago...

Fuel for a Sunday drive/picnic with Grandma & Grandpa Stoffers in the beautiful mountains of Wyoming - $75.00

Refreshing soft drink for my honey, the Rock - $1.25

2 new tires to replace the ones that got "shredded" on the dirt road to beautiful Alice Lake (which we actually never saw) - $245.00 (Yep! One on the way up the dirt road and one on our way back to town).


Having kind, generous friends in far away places, with connections (to the guy at the tire shop), on a Sunday afternoon in Cokeville, WY.....PRICELESS!!!


Thank you AnnMarie & Joe!!! We are so glad you knew & found the "tire guy" in town so quickly and helped us:) It was also really neat to see the houses where Grandpa Stoffers was born and lived while in Cokeville.

Girl's Camp Memorial Park 2008

Day 1 - Laurels only. Rappelling into a cave in South Fork.
Scout

Me, DB - checkin' the ropes and coachin' first-timers.

Michex - Dropping into the cave. About 45 feet.


Day 2 - We were joined by all the YW campers and did a little tubing down the South fork. Our Camp was just a few hundred yards down stream from Causey Dam. Any idea how cold the water is that comes out of the bottom of Causey? Bone Chilling. Had to keep moving and stay distracted by the fun tube ride and the water gun snipers that lay in wait for unsuspecting camp leaders.
Day 3 - Hiked up to and around Causey. Very Beautiful.


After the hike, the leaders prepared a skit for the evening's entertainment while the girls plotted the old "cry wolf" lure to get us to come running to some one's aid. It worked. However only 3 brave leaders were foolish enough to join in the ensuing water fight. 25 to 3 are not great odds so we were forced to retreat to the cold river and stand our ground. Brrrrr!
The skit we performed was video taped and may soon be posted. Stay tuned:)

So, I got home from Lake Powell, worked 5 almost 12-hour days, another week of 10-hour days and then went to girl's camp. I am back now, showered, pumiced, laundered (which took all day yesterday) and preparing my YW lesson. I will post GC pics soon. We had a blast!