Praises – Safe travels; truck issues, God watching over us to reach our August mission.
Prayers – Ministry opportunities; our health as we face some challenges starting our August project (John vision problems and high blood pressure); being fit to serve wherever He sends us
You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. Psalm 40:5 ESV
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4 NIV
Hello to our family, friends, and followers:
Repairs continued in our multi-purpose area including finishing the attic electric, reconnecting the kitchenette light, installing six wafer/pancake lights, and putting up a few recycled towel bars in the bathroom (Connie usually showers here after our swims). Connie worked on repurposing a blank cover plate for the porch ceiling fan and John replaced the switch with one with a light (pilot switch) so we could tell from the RV if we forgot to turn it off. We decided to drain and clean both the hot tub and spa before we left this time. The spa drained well overnight with a suction hose leaving a few inches in the bottom to mop up. There was quite a bit of water left in the hot tub though! We did figure out the cover lift and can put that in place before refilling the hot tub. When we return there will hopefully be a spa service person to fix a leaky pump and install the soft tread (that finally arrived) so we can have our guide lines for swimming again.
Finally, we had contractors come and get some things finished up! We hired a roofer that was delayed two weeks due to weather and material – now the ceiling work can be done when we get back in October. We also hired a landscaper who put in a gravel sidewalk (a blessing for Connie) and fixed our foundation drainage/storm shelter entrance area. Weeds are gone, shelter has been cleaned up inside, steps added for safe entry, and the drainage worked well when we emptied the tubs! They will be back in October for the front drain repair and getting some sod down. John was able to repurpose some leftover ridge cap to cover our retaining wall, kinda cute don’t you think.
Mississippi was full of extreme heat warning days causing overheating for us both. Although Connie spent lots of time inside, she did get some things finished up by the end of the month. We had a sudden thunder storm with wind on the 1st leaving a double rainbow in the clouds above our RV for about 15 minutes. On the 8th John was driving in a thunder storm that brought some flash flooding to our area. We had two storms pass through while visiting Connie’s sister in northern Illinois; lots of lightening, wind, rain, and traffic lights were out for a few hours. Another storm front quickly passed through the Litchfield, IL area and we got our awnings pulled in just in time!
John spent quite a bit of time helping out with the Journey Church steeple that came off the roof during a spring storm. They loaded it onto a trailer to get closer to the building for a power supply. Old wood bracing was removed, new support/bracing was added, and a few others joined in with the sanding. Ready for some new paint now.
Some of Connie’s accomplishments for the month included: the June newsletter was finished early for a change, some light reading, lots of time researching and trying to get our music ‘store’ web page set up (failed, ready to hire someone), reprogrammed porch door lock (forgot code from a year ago), porch ceiling fan functioning, Goodwill sorting clothing and kitchen items, a few new recipes tried, and treating her ant bites successfully (ice and John’s back rub). She did miss two great opportunities to share her faith with fellow travelers: one at a rest stop with an older couple noticing our truck lettering, and another at a refuel stop with a polite young man traveling with two dogs.
John had many experiences this month with the mower – he started mowing and quickly found he had two flat tires, propped up that side, couldn’t get the lugs off, borrowed an impact driver, got the tire off, and had to take it to town for remounting; later on in the month he got it stuck and our renter rescued Connie from helping push it back to the driveway. There were a few property repairs and some clean up done, he trimmed back some branches around the driveway, siliconed the RV awning slides, put tools and things away or packed to go, and built a shelf for the cooler to sit on in the truck (worked great). He was a bit under the weather for a few days with some stuffiness and headaches. His big purchase of the month was finding a Shop Smith (will need some elbow grease for rust) that will serve as a good drill press and eventually a lathe when a rest and chisel tools are found. Connie came along to pick it up and the fire ants found both feet; it was a long drive back and we covered it for overnight, unloading it the next morning.
Salty Strings provided worship music the last two Sundays of July for Journey Church along with the monthly SALT gathering. We did a couple of songs at the Tishomingo Jam in Iuka and really enjoyed the diverse instruments and excellent players this month. John attended the Song Writers’ Workshop again, and Connie met with another hammer dulcimer player to share some wisdom, returning with fresh blueberries to enjoy! We were with the Booneville dulcimer group at the Natchez Trace Visitors Center early in the month, and joined them for two practice sessions. Connie was able to join the group for three programs and lunch in Booneville as well.
Our Wednesday night study continued in Revelation, making slow progress but we’re learning a lot and having some great discussions. We had a cookout after a morning service with wonderful fellowship and food, and there were a few lunches out after service as well. Our last Sunday the church gathered following service and prayed for our travels and ministry while we’re away and another couple that were flying to visit family for a week; these are always special blessings that abound when you are part of a Christian family. On our way home from our trip to see Connie’s sister we visited another “home” church in Carlinville, IL for their Sunday night study “Walking With God in the Desert.” It still amazes us at the loving words God provides when we most need them – of course DQ afterward was part of that blessing!
We were able to attend two date nights this month but also enjoyed a fantastic slug burger and BLT at White Trolley (our first time there in several months) and the 4th of July Jacinto Fire Station breakfast. Another Friday night we were invited to join the Johnson Family Reunion again this year for some fellowship and great food. Of course, several more meals out with friends from all places and some great pizza in northern Illinois!
Connie’s sister was released to home hospice care after nine days in the hospital on extremely high oxygen due to lung damage from years of chemo and radiation. We made a trip to the Rockford, IL area staying in a hotel and were able to spend a few days with her. She needed 24/7 care so there was a bit of day relief we could provide as well as encouragement. Connie was six years older, missed her sisters’ teen/college years, and didn’t know she was so strong-willed and stubborn; lots of struggles keeping the oxygen on and calming panic attacks. We received word that her sister passed peacefully, what we had been praying for, on July 27.
We left for Connie’s sisters’ on the 9th and stayed overnight with friends in Litchfield, IL. Our route took us by a field of tasseled corn in rows, lit by the morning sun. Somehow, we took a different route that avoided St. Louis and crossed the Mississippi River into Chester, IL. What a great adventure – it was beautiful with some huge barges and plaques about Lewis & Clark and Popeye. We had rush hour traffic as we headed north to the interstate but we did see the Brooks Catsup Bottle water tower in Collinsville, IL as a consolation prize. Our friends provided a great dinner, bed, and breakfast along with fellowship. The next day we arrived early afternoon after missing the last exit before the freeway causing a long detour to her house. We started back Sunday afternoon, saw a deer grazing at the top of a hill when switching drivers, met church friends for their evening study, enjoyed DQ treats, got some fresh produce to take back with us, then back to our “bed and breakfast” in Litchfield. After another great breakfast, we hit the road for another 7.5 hours, arriving home at 5:45 exhausted. We put a few things away in the refrigerator, got our pillows, and crashed after a 1500-mile whirlwind 6 days!
Our truck decided to give us a scare on our last travel day to Wisconsin. John was driving uphill passing a semi, Connie had just turned on the a/c, then there were dings and a warning on the dash “reduced power.” He went to the shoulder, not getting any acceleration, and we limped along for perhaps a mile. Connie frantically pulled out the owners’ manuals, read everything regarding this message, checked what it said to do and we eventually shut off the truck. After a quick prayer, we started up again and all was working normal except we didn’t use the a/c since most of the manual referred to engine overheating issues. (We have had diagnostics since and it appears to have been a freak situation.)
The end of the month finally arrived and we left for two months of volunteer work! We finished cleaning/draining our tubs, checked the air in the tires, packed up things in the RV, made sandwiches, hitched up (by 6:30pm), drained the tanks, showered, and were ready for an early start in the morning. July 29, 8am, we were headed out the driveway! We had sandwiches and snacks to eat in the truck, a few stops for gas and short breaks, the “add DEF” dash message informed us our speed would be reduced soon, and we arrived at our camp spot around 3:30 making great time. It was very hot the whole trip, the RV was 99 and 95 inside, we got set up and headed into Litchfield, IL to meet our friends for supper and stop at Walmart for DEF fluid (put in the next day, John forgot to bring the stool). We planned two overnights so we had a great restful day with some reading, crochet, a movie, and showers before going to a great home-made lasagna meal with two other couples. Back at the RV we made sandwiches and packed up, leaving only a little to do in the morning.
We left about 8:15am July 31, just as a slight drizzle started, had a bit of rain early in our drive, some engine trouble, and arrived in Union Grove, WI around 2:30. We quickly got things settled and had a general walking tour of the project for anything we might need over the weekend (the official tour would come on Monday). It was a very windy day for traveling (14-25mph) but temperatures cooled to an enjoyable 70. After finishing our set up we walked across the street and, after a long day, treated ourselves to a Dairy Queen supper – a fitting end to the month of July!!!
DEVOTION THOUGHTS THIS MONTH:
>> Notice what needs to be done and do what you can without complaining. God has blessed you with gifts to serve. Use them. <<
** You were planned for God’s pleasure, you were formed for God’s family, you were created to become like Christ, you were shaped to serve God, and you were made for a mission. It’s not about you. **
We so appreciate your prayers and notes of encouragement!!
John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
30A Hwy 367
Burnsville, MS 38833
Phone – John 909-336-8910 or Connie 909-336-8912
Email – SaltyStrings@hotmail.com
Facebook – Salty Strings Music Ministry
Web site – SaltyStrings.com
ONLINE DONATIONS via PayPal through our web site
TRAVEL PLANS AND UPCOMING LOCATIONS
August 1-24 – SOWER Project, Union Grove, WI; friends and family
August 25-September 24 – Travel Clinton, Illinois area, family, volunteer work, music
September – Hopeful visits, Macomb, IL and Kirksville, MO
September 28 – Memorial Christian Church, Carlinville, IL, Special Music
September 29 – Travel back home Burnsville, MS