Dear Praying Friends,

Happy New Year in Christ!!!!!  : )  In changing and shifting times our God is our Rock. : )  "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."  : )  Thank you for your prayers and financial support as the Lord provides and leads, especially during these times.

Remember the horse that was terrified of plastic bags?  After I came home from my six week course the Lord gave me the idea to try using carrot treats with the bag around Sunlight.  Whenever she made a positive move toward the bag she would get a treat.  It has been working!!  Now when I come out with a bag attached to my stick she is the first to come looking for, you guessed it, treats!!  Last week on New Year's Day I was able, while on her, to rub her with the bag on the stick.  A first for us!!!  Today I was playing "me and my shadow" in the snow for the first time with her.  I had the bag on the stick which was resting on her back.  She did quite well, especially with stops for treats. : )  Parelli does talk about making the scary thing the sweet spot and the Lord is helping me know how to apply that one step at a time.

The schools here have a two week break over the holidays so I was able to invest some time with "Alv" on several occasions.  We got into this Lord of the Rings mood and discussed the spiritual analogy of the story each time we watched the movies.  She also shared how she really doesn't like attending church because the messages are primarily in Navajo so she doesn't get much out of it.  Most young Navajo's do not understand the Navajo language.  She graduates from high school this year so I've been praying for an opportunity to meet with her more regularly for discipleship.

The Gallup detectives did come out on December 19th to interview the boys who were involved in the bike thefts.  Everyone came except the boy who was the ring leader.  He purposefully took off and hid out until the detectives were gone, then later that evening he hitch hiked to Albuquerque.  There will be a warrant for his arrest coming out as soon as the paper work gets through.

Every year I look forward to Christmas day as a day off from normal work to focus on the Lord more.  I like to have the majority of the day with the Lord and then visit a family.  This year the families I have been invited to visit were gone so I had the whole day minus the time to feed the four legged kids of several families plus my own.  Christmas Eve I went out to deliver a food box to a Navajo family I have witnessed to when given the opportunity.  The lady of the house was in rehab so I didn't get to see her but the rest were very happy to see me.  They were all drunk but they wanted me to read the Christmas story to them and sing some Christmas songs.  I had never been invited in before this night and had left my truck lights on so I could see where I was going with the box.  I ended up being inside longer than I thought.  When I got back to my truck the battery was dead.  Oh boy!!!  The family didn't have a vehicle so I'm talking to the Lord about my options and as I venture down the snowy muddy road toward a neighbor's house I'm telling the Lord this was not the way I envisioned spending Christmas Eve.  : )  The neighbor was home and is a maintenance man at the school whom I have a good relationship with.  He came over with his truck and gave me a jump.  After apologizing and thanking him for coming out I headed back home thankful to the Lord for such a quick resolution!!!

The week of New Year's I had company every evening playing games and watching The Lord of the Rings.  It was good to invest that time in the lives of others. : )

Sarah has had some rough times over the holidays but the Lord is working to renew her desire to be a witness in the community.  I look forward to when we can work together on that. : )  Thank you for your prayers for her!!!!

Some have inquired about my back situation.  Thanks to friends whose ministry is through Egoscue exercises, I am managing my back pain so that it is not making me run off to a chiropractor like I used to do.  I am also sharing some exercises with others on occasion to help them get some relief.  Thank you John & Billie!!!! : )  And thank all of you who pray!!!

In His Care,