Praises – Wonderful music opportunities, new friends, free lunches, great surroundings for walking and biking
Prayers – Discipline to continue healthy habits; God to watch over our property and tenants while we’re away; consignment items to sell and their new owners to be blessed; continued music ministry invitations; right hearing aid not working
Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27-28 Good News Translation
Hello to our followers, family, and friends:
The Advent season has passed, Christmas is over, and a new year has started. The message remains the same: Fear not, God is with us, and Jesus will return again! There were lots of holiday activities available; we missed a few but did attend the Community Christmas program, the school choral concert, and the Christmas Dinner (fancy dresses and suits for the students, kind of like prom with dinner, photo booth, and entertainment, followed by activities in the gym). We walked to church for the Christmas Eve service, continued around “Old French Camp” for the lights, and back home, perhaps 1.5 miles total. Christmas Day, we had a great lunch of fried pork chops and rice (mild to Cajun according to preference) and opened a present this year!
Lots of fellowship this month as well. On the 3rd we drove to have dinner followed by a game of Mexican Train at the home of a fellow SOWER in the area. The full moon helped with our drive home. There were two Sunday meals at the Carmack Fish House with our fellow SOWERs and new Pastor friend; the first week we cleaned up the buffet as they closed. We also had a pre-Christmas lunch with this Pastor and his wife, Christ-centered conversation and fantastic food! There was breakfast one Saturday at the French Camp Masonic Lodge, the guys got together one morning for coffee, we toured the finished counseling building where John worked 3 years ago, and we watched a video of the live performance of Jonah for an entertainment night. The 31st we drove to Houston (MS) meeting our northern friends at a small Chinese Buffet for lots of hugs, conversation, and passing some free shop equipment along (a saw for a woodworking friend and an old planer for John to tinker with).
Opportunities for exercise were plentiful here, along with a bit of guilt since the track is across the parking lot. We walked everywhere when the weather permitted along with intentional walks up the big hill, past the stable, around the camp cabins, and a bit through the woods OR up the other hill, around the campus and downtown. Either way was about 1-1.5 miles. John added bicycle riding (Connie couldn’t handle the many hills) and a workout routine along with extra really fast walks. Connie did her 10-minute videos almost every morning. Some days were hard to get started; some walks were really cold and windy. On the 28th we ambled up the big hill, stopping at the lodge where we sat on the porch and watched the sun set over the lake.
We attended Sunday School and church services most Sundays at French Camp Presbyterian Church. Our first Sunday was the first Sunday service for their new pastor. There was one unexpected meal after a service which we enjoyed. We were able to visit the Baptist Church the last Sunday in December. This is where we went when we were here 3 years ago.
The ladies were a part of 5 bread mailings (sticking lots of shipping labels on their respective envelopes and taping them to boxes of frozen bread for USPS pickup) interspersed with splitting donated hotel queen into small twin-size blankets for the dorms. The bread mailing was completed (didn’t get a final count, 4000+) in the first 2 weeks, the blankets were finished up before Christmas with some extra hours during our break period. We also had two days painting the bookshelf wall cabinets (lots of window panes included) where the men were working.
Connie’s ‘extra’ time included the newsletter, some tax preparation work, harp music transposition and practice, and lots of crocheting. The academy provided some interesting yarn she used to make 4 nylon scrubbies, and she started 2 waffle stitch doilies/wash cloths; all will be sold at the gift shop. Connie redid the elastic in John’s pajamas, a positive side effect of losing some weight. We purchased a second streaming device so we could watch something on the bedroom TV; a programming adventure for Connie. There is poor reception in this area, but it has improved a bit since we were here 3 years ago.
By December 5 we had emptied one propane tank and planned a ‘shopping day’ to Louisville. That didn’t turn out so well – Tractor Supply wasn’t filling tanks and Murphy diesel was roped off! We managed to get groceries and headed back, getting the propane tank filled in Ackerman right before they closed, and diesel was across the street. After putting groceries away, the TV went on and we relaxed with a movie. There were two other shopping trips, propane again on the 22nd and two stops at Walmart.
Our volunteer work started on December 1 and we accomplished a lot in the allotted 3 weeks. The men worked on a staff house, repairing walls (lots of sanding); preparing the old oak floors in the living room, hallway, closets, and dining room (pulling up tack strips, removing tile glue); sanding and finishing these floors with stain and 4 coats of poly; 2 bathrooms were spackled, sanded, and caulked; multiple walls were trimmed and painted and just a few aches either from going up and down ladders or being on knees. John fixed a broken chair and finished up painting, caulking, and adding the final poly coats at the house during our 3-week break.
We have been very blessed sharing our music again this month, your prayers have been answered. It was a God-incidence when a Pastor stopped at the Welcome Center as the guys were enjoying morning break (ladies were shipping bread). As conversation continued, we were invited to visit his church and share our ministries with slides and music. We visited and enjoyed lunch with him on the 7th and shared the following Sunday at Shiloh Independent Methodist Church. It was a great blessing to all and we continued, without slides, the last 15 minutes after the power went out. Our 2nd blessing was being invited to share in a memorial service for a gentleman who played dulcimer and hosted jam gatherings at his log cabin home. The former pastor returned for the service singing and playing guitar, Connie played dulcimer, John played mandolin, the bread maker (with a wonderful voice) joined in with harmony, and they had an empty chair holding his dulcimer in tribute. Our 3rd blessing was scheduling music at God’s House of Hope, a local rehabilitation center, more about that next month!
Our weather wasn’t very pleasant this month. Around Christmas we had 4 days in the low 70’s and there were 3 days in the 60’s. We turned off our water 4 nights where it was in the 20’s or below freezing for the whole night. We have to use our propane furnace when it is below 45, which was many nights. We woke on the 20th to a heavy frost and stayed in until it melted off (we don’t have ice scrapers any more). Lots of drizzly days and some foggy mornings. Connie started crocheting some slipper socks (her ankles were getting cold) on the 1st and had them finished the next day, nice and toasty tootsies now. Only one stormy night, the 29th, with cold temperatures, 40+ mph wind gusts starting around 11 pm, and Connie eventually slept backwards to help some with the sound of the slide awnings flapping around. Even though we have cause to complain and do so at times, we cannot begin to count all the ways God provides and cares for us!
DEVOTION THOUGHTS THIS MONTH:
>> ‘Someone else needs to be fixed. Someone else needs to turn things around.’ It might be helpful if we first look in the mirror and see if there are things about ourselves that need to be changed. Repentance has two parts: 1) to acknowledge shortcomings, failures, and guilt, and 2) turn to Jesus and find forgiveness. Recognize your guilt, then turn to Jesus and find the peace of forgiveness!
>> Waiting requires patience. You can stand firm and eagerly wait for the blessings Jesus has in store for you when he comes back to take you home to heaven. Patience isn’t a natural virtue in any of us, especially when life isn’t going right, but that’s how God wants you to handle your frustrations and challenges in life. ‘I can’t wait!’ can be your motto for the return of Jesus.
. . . as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight . . . . two men stood by them in white robes,and said, “. . . why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” From Acts 1:9-11 English Standard Bible
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!
John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
Purchase our songs: SaltyStrings.com/shop
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
** January 8, 2026 – Long travel day
** January 8-March 6 – SOWER Project DeFuniak Springs, FL
** Return home – One or two days of travel
