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The Salt Shaker ~ September 2025

September 30, 2025October 11, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – Hey, it’s good to be back home again! (John Denver); renewing friendships; family visits; web page for songs online; John’s eye is healing; monthly and one-time gifts to our ministries; mower tire finally fixed, yard looked great when we got back.

Prayers – Continued eye healing; endocrinologist referral (found pituitary growth in John’s MRI); discipline to continue healthy diets and weight loss; truck repairs; new tires, decision on quotes and scheduling; web site visits, people finding our music.

“Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God, for he does not often consider the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.” Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 CSB

Hello to our followers, family, and friends:

Illinois was beautiful in September. It was 52 degrees on the 1^st with a high of 79, about perfect for Connie! Some rain, perhaps three days, which was much needed even though harvesting had begun by the end of the month. Typically it is very windy, but only a few days this visit. Connie had to drive home in some heavy rain after dark and will definitely avoid that if possible; her eyes are not as good as they used to be.

John’s eye slowly improved this month. The prayers of many have certainly been appreciated and answered. He made his first city drive on the 5^th (about 45 minutes with a couple of stops) before some motion sickness started. He was able to drive two longer stretches on the 13^th when we visited his sister in Macomb, IL with no motion sickness and again on the 19^th when we went to Peru, IL. One of our evening walks mid-month he didn’t use his glasses and could see a reasonable distance clearly. Both of us have been more mindful of when and what we eat, and we treated ourselves to a congratulatory Steak N Shake happy hour half-price milkshake on the 12^th. Our combined weight loss at that time was 15 lbs.!

We have some on-going water problems that started on the 7^th – Connie heard a consistent drip sound that John found coming from the shower area, running through the pipe hole, and ending on the water heater shelf and floor of our storage area. The water was turned off and we were thankful that we caught it early. Most of the month was spent back and forth with the pressurized ‘city’ water connection or the pump using our fresh water tank. Settings seemed to work for a while, but our final diagnosis was the back flush valve was bad. Once that was disconnected, we were able to hookup to ‘city’ water again. In the meantime, our pump was getting very hot so we only used it for short periods, and that will have to be checked into after we get home. Camp showers are not fun and hauling drinking water gets old very fast – not complaining, we’re just not used to real camping!

Although frustrating, it was a good month for Connie. The decision was made in August to hire a professional to complete our music E-Commerce web page. A Christian gentleman replied to our inquiry and she started working with him on 9/2. After 16 days the task was done! WordPress had been our platform for several years but their host price for our needs was very expensive so we changed hosting services. Then came her part, selecting samples from the songs; getting uniform information for author, year, type, etc. (metadata); selecting photos; and adding these ‘products’ to the web site. Trial orders, downloads, decisions, decisions, decisions! September 22 this page became LIVE finally after two years of thinking about it. Sixteen songs from our CD’s along with Conductivity are available online for a donation. (www.SaltyStrings.com).

John did most of the volunteering this month – 16 days, starting 9/2 and finishing 9/25 working on outside painting. Two cement block dorms and their doors (Goodness and Kindness cabins), two boat dock piers, and one zip line landing pad. The dorms included pulling the wood chip mulch away from the bottom blocks, prepping the walls, trim and roller all four sides, and replacing the wood chips. The dock and landing surfaces received two coats, and all the edges were painted as well. Needless to say, he was very tired and stiff several evenings. He didn’t have any problems going up and down the ladder, no dizziness, but did have some heat stroke symptoms once or twice. He was a bit lonely so Connie did help one morning, finishing a short end of the Goodness dorm.

The first three Sundays in September found us at Lane Christian Church (our former home church) where guest speakers have been providing the messages for almost a year. We were blessed to hear two excellent speakers, one a previously retired pastor from this church (before our time). The other speaker gave two messages from Joshua 1:1-9 (be strong and courageous); from the incoming pastor’s perspective and from the congregation’s perspective – both excellent messages applicable to any church receiving a new pastor. The last Sunday we were with Memorial Christian Church (Carlinville, IL) our 2^nd ‘home church’ where we shared some worship and special music as well as hearing an excellent message from their new pastor. We were blessed to attend Sunday School, evening studies, and renew friendships.

Salty Strings had two wonderful opportunities to share this month. We provided special music for our original church in Lane, IL one Sunday morning (and it fit well with the guest pastor’s message). We also prepared a special song and led the worship one Sunday in Carlinville, IL (our second ‘home’ church) and their new pastor tied his message into the songs. It is wonderful how God works all this out!!

A busy month, but filled with some much-enjoyed relaxation. Connie was able to get her sister’s memorial flowers laid out to dry and de-headed. John picked up a beautiful flamed maple electric guitar, amp, and another acoustic amp from his cousin which he enjoyed playing around with in the RV (with loud volume) when Connie was gone for the day. (Later in the month he got another guitar that needs some repairs!). We enjoyed the Wednesday volunteer day lunches at the camp (including cornbread and dipped cookies), and a few TV movie nights. Connie spent a morning struggling with our new printer and some extra time trying to get the formatting for our web blog photos to look good again. She also researched our back flush RV leak and pieced together photos to trace the plumbing lines (what a tangled web). John purchased new guitar strings for his Taylor guitar and had his patience tested when a new string broke because of his limited eyesight. Connie’s sense of adventure caused us to take a short-cut home from a visit on a dark, moonless night across a ‘dry creek crossing’ – at the top of the very eroded gully our headlights showed it was neither dry or crossable. She was able to back up a quite a way to a farm field access, get turned around on the narrow road, and proceeded home on the safe highways. So much for adventure.

We enjoyed (mostly) our consistent exercise this month. Lots of bike riding (with and without purpose) around the camp. Connie’s knee was a bit stressed with all the trips during Family Camp but she really enjoyed riding up and down the hills. There were mini-rides to get water from the RV leak or take the trash and longer rides just for the exercise. Almost every evening we would take a walk, sometimes down the RV driveway and other times more purposeful trips (around the pool or to see the logs from the 20×28 cabin kit). It is hard to get up after supper and move, but it feels so good after walking around a bit, enjoying the fresh air, and seeing the always changing moon.

Connie enjoyed a day alone galivanting through the countryside. She picked up lunch and visited a church friend (and Max, their new dog). Then back to our home town of Weldon for another visit with a wonderful lady that helped her serve ‘Peace Meal’ for the seniors when we lived there. She proceeded to drive around this little village past our old home, said ‘Hi’ to the neighbor on that corner, and chatted with another town friend before leaving. We’ve been gone for 10 years and it is such a blessing to reconnect.

September fellowship was great, a bit rushed, but great to connect with family and friends. The month started with our last day of Family Camp followed by the local Men’s Fellowship gathering that raises funds for the camp. Mid-month we traveled to visit John’s sister and niece in Macomb, IL where we enjoyed the Farmer’s Market, helped his niece pack up her booth, had lunch with his sister, and conversation at her apartment before heading back to camp. We enjoyed an evening pizza meal with a couple we see each year, had another evening meal at Texas Road House with a church couple, and enjoyed an after-church meal with another church couple – that’s a lot of catching up with great friends we look forward to being with on our annual trip to this area. We had another visit with John’s sister and niece when they drove to meet us at a nearby town for lunch, and were excited to get to see some of John’s cousins this trip, meeting at Olive Garden in Peru, IL with lively conversation. Once we arrived in Litchfield towards the end of the month we had supper with our friends at Steak N Shake, without water, coffee, and soft drinks (boil order). Carlinville church friends, retired translators in Columbia, invited us over for a grilled chicken lunch and we met their new pastor; a great meal, garden produce to take home, and wonderful conversation. We were treated to a Mexican lunch after church the next day. That’s a lot of relationships, encouragement (for us and them), and wonderful stories to treasure!

Our renter took over the mowing and weeds for August and September. We had fixed a flat tire before we left, however it continued to be a problem. It had three strikes (and considerable frustration) before the final fix and the property looked great when we arrived home! Our thanks to those who took care of the repairs while we were away.

Our last week in September was fairly relaxed even though we were on the ‘pack up–hook up–travel–set up’ cycle. Friday 9/26 we had a short uneventful trip from Clinton to Litchfield, IL where we stayed three nights visiting with friends, eating out, and sharing our music. Just after leaving we received a notice that the RV park was under a boil order – no drinking water at camp or in town with our supper meal! We boiled water that evening for drinking and the boil order was lifted early Saturday.

We started home Monday 9/29 with an overnight stop at the RV park next to Lambert’s in Sikeston, MO. Although we had an early stop (forgot to tighten the instrument shelf straps) and another ‘shoulder of the road’ stop before crossing the Mississippi (personal necessities), John drove part way and we were set up with most of the afternoon free. We unhooked and were able to tour the Flea Market, get our end-of-the-quarter free medical supplies, and refuel before returning to the RV for supper in bed (so we didn’t have to unpack our living room). Tuesday morning was leisurely and hooking up to the RV went smoothly after John got the truck backed up at the right angle (Connie couldn’t get it this time). This was our first time seeing green and white cotton fields and realizing the old manual labor picking would have been very hard work. We arrived back to our peaceful surroundings early afternoon, got mostly set up, and took a walk up the road thanking God for safe travels, a beautiful place to live, and a wonderful evening for a walk.

DEVOTION THOUGHTS THIS MONTH:
God’s promises are not always immediately visible, but they are always trustworthy. God calls us to trust him, not our outward circumstances or feelings: those things change, but God is constant.
We do well to remember that God takes care of all our needs. Be content with the blessings God provides and give thanks for the physical and spiritual gifts he gives to us.

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” 1 Timothy 6:7-8 NIV

Please keep us in your prayers . . . and THANKS for catching up with our adventures!

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

Now through Thanksgiving – Home in Mississippi
November 29ish-January 9ish – SOWER Volunteer Project, French Camp, MS
January 9ish-March? – SOWER Volunteer Project, DeFuniak Springs, FL

The Salt Shaker ~ August 2025

August 31, 2025September 11, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – Wake up call to take better care of our bodies; ability to still do detailed work, thanks to special eyeglass treatment; spiritual growth

Prayers – God continues to heal John’s eye; for us as we keep putting off truck repairs and tires; eCommerce web site up and running

“The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world. The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it and moves out across the skies . . .” Psalm 19:1-5 The Living Bible

(When your life has unplanned complications, you may feel unrest in your mind and body; keeping your eyes on the eternal rather than the temporary keeps you grounded – God is still in control.)

Hello to our followers, family, and friends:

John had many music store stops this month. On the 1^st we went to Kenosha to get his amp ‘repaired’ only to find it was working fine; the store gave us a free used cord (in case his was bad) and charged nothing for diagnosis. Guess bouncing an amp around traveling 650+ miles will realign anything. This store had a 3-shelf corner display of accordions and some interesting guitars. We continued to the second music store with nothing of interest but encouraged another shopper to purchase a dulcimer followed by Chinese buffet lunch, grocery shopping, and home for the day. We were invited to a maintenance department Birthday lunch our second volunteer day, enjoyed a Pizza Ranch lunch with a Beloit friend, ate out in Beloit twice, a grilled dinner with two couples we worked with in Florida, and were treated to dinner by our ‘boss’ at the end of our volunteer time. Another music store stop we saw a guitar body fitted with a stained-glass top, something similar was added to Connie’s list of things to do someday! We did plan a stop at Fleet Farm (bucket list check off) where John found some oriental snack mix. Gears shifted after arriving in Illinois, we went to two antique malls to look for lathe tools and actually found an old new set with a lot of rust. On checking prices, it was cheaper to order a new set.

The end of July we started reading through a book together as a daily devotion time, the title “Fit to Serve: Spiritually Suitable-Physically Able.” We had decided to lose 5 lbs. each by the end of August but did not know the physical and spiritual attacks that were coming. At the end of our first volunteer week John felt a bit dizzy and thought it was eye strain and being tired. That Friday Connie drove several hours for errands and visits while John dealt with seeing double, motion sickness, and he couldn’t ride bicycle over the weekend. We were able to get in early Monday morning at a nearby eye doctor who wisely sent us to the ER for some tests and an MRI. The news was not good, high blood pressure, slightly high blood sugar and cholesterol, and ocular nerve damage. The next afternoon we were back at the eye clinic where they added a prism lens (like a window cling stick-on) to his glasses bringing much better central focus. He is still having double vision and depth perception problems, especially peripherally, but was able to trim walls again. Some medications were started, a blood pressure monitor was purchased, and big changes in our eating as well. Lots of prayers, questions, and realization our lives and lifestyles are not guaranteed.

When we arrive in a new area John always checks the local churches to see “who, what, when, and where.” Then, we pray and choose which one to attend. Again, God in His faithfulness, led us to a small Methodist Church with wonderful people. We spent 4 Sunday mornings with this congregation (never did make it to their Wednesday evening study) and were blessed being there and able to help them as well. It was a tough month for them: the Pastor was gone for two weeks with some personal matters and the music leader was out all month with throat and vocal issues. We were able to provide our sound system, hymns, and a short concert for their ‘Sunday in the Park’ service and Connie played piano and we did a special for our last Sunday there.

What beautiful weather this month – after Mississippi it was so refreshing to have nights in the 60’s and breezy non-humid days! There were a few thunder storms and heavy rains, but we were not affected by any nearby flooding. A few over-nights and mornings we started our electric fireplace to warm it up a bit and there were many days that we didn’t need to use the a/c. Our friend meeting us in Elkhorn was delayed waiting for the hail and rain to let up for our lunch meeting. We had a few day trips bringing us home after dark – one evening we had a cat, deer, and geese crossing the road with a huge golden-red sunset and a pale reddish moon rising, dipping behind clouds, then returning slightly out-of-shape to become full again. Another evening coming around a bend behind a hill there was a big orange moon, actually the orange silo of Fleet Farm (which was on John’s bucket list to stop at).

While we were in Wisconsin Connie spent some extra time preparing for her sister’s Celebration of Life and was the emcee and speaker (with help from her niece). All our kids were able to be there, a wonderful blessing, and several of Connie’s aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. Extended family gatherings are a thing of the past it seems but there tends to be a least one in each generation that keeps everyone in contact. We left with some personal contact information, quail eggs from our daughter, and three wildflower bouquets (we could already smell them upstairs that night). The plan is to let the flowers dry, collect the seeds, and plant them in the spring with our other wildflowers.

Our August ‘project’ in Wisconsin included 104 volunteer hours under maintenance direction. We started painting two large walls in the office building and continued with two classrooms. There were a few things to move out of the way in the office (a large oak cubby cabinet and some window shades), and the last classroom we took several pictures so we could put things back the way they were when we finished. Cover plates, TVs off their wall stands, white boards, etc. along with some spackling and a hole to patch before starting and everything put back in place when we finished a room. It was great inside work and we were finishing up as the first-year students arrived and teachers organized their rooms.

We moved outside our last volunteer week, much warmer and a few rainy days, but we scraped, primed, and completed the final coat of a 3-sided fence around the main electrical panel. In our down time John started organizing the shop garden tool storage area, putting up beveled 1×12” boards then adding pegs and hanging rakes and shovels. We enjoyed our tour on our first day and know those that work here have a heart for the ministry they provide.

August was a good month for us to start working on our diets and exercise habits. There were great roads to ride our bicycles with a few very slight hills, and we did most of our own cooking this month. Once we arrived in Illinois the hills were tougher, Family Camp weekend there were 5-6 trips each day, and we are still riding several times a week. We are also trying to walk in the evening if we haven’t been very active that day.

Connie tried a few new kitchen recipes that did not go well – baking brownies in microwave pods (burned most of them leaving a brownie fragrance every time the microwave door was opened for several weeks) and chicken and dumplings that were a bit mushy (leaving them sit for over an hour before eating didn’t help). We were doing good with bicycle riding almost every day until Connie’s tire went flat (the 7^th) and John’s vision/balance was off (the 9^th). John was able to get the bike tire off and back on and we were good to go again on the 17^th! Our humming bird feeder was put out and the little guys showed up the next day. With all the commotion our monthly newsletter update was a bit behind, but the mail copies were finally sent from Kansasville, WI which we found amusing. John also replaced his bicycle gear guard (broken for over a year) when Connie found the part while setting up the office area. We did get the oil changed and new wiper blades finally for the truck, but the low gas warning light is still reminding us that we have some issues and need to have service soon (which we’ve known for several months).

Salty Strings was busy with an annual program in Illinois and the church in Wisconsin. We were to provide music for worship in the park that was expanded to include a message time concert. Although John’s eyes were not working and we forgot two microphones (thankfully our RV was almost next door to the park), everyone enjoyed our songs and God was present! We were almost finished eating when a thunderstorm rolled in, had to leave in a hurry, and we were given large catering pans of Italian beef and mostaccioli to take to our fellow maintenance workers. Our last Sunday at the church we shared a special song for those who didn’t make it to the park, and Connie played the piano for the service. We began practicing and organizing songs before traveling to Illinois for our annual Jolly Seniors program. The weather this year was great (usually it rains), and even though we were not at our best, everyone enjoyed our songs.

We had one short trip (5 hours) to make in August. Everything got packed up and we headed out at 9:30 Monday morning (8/25). This was a different trip with Connie driving all the way (with a few prayers and several stops). It was great travel weather, partly cloudy, and we noticed some interesting fence post decorations we had never seen before – ladies blue jeans likely stuffed with something ‘hanging’ from the top wire, and another field with Tonka trucks on the posts! How cute and innovative. We arrived in Illinois around 2:30, John backed the trailer into our site (with great difficulty), got mostly set up, and headed into town for a Mexican dinner.

We made reservations for Family Camp at Little Galilee this year for the speakers and a place to park before and after Labor Day weekend. The sessions were about Joseph (of the many-colored coat) and family dynamics, the morning devotions were from John 1:1-18, and the mission presentation was from their summer camp missionary and her family’s ministry in Pakistan. Part of the weekend was a celebration for the 70 years this camp has been operating, including a hot air balloon filling and “race car” carrying the camp logo. The weather was fantastic and the tables were dry (no dew) two of the three mornings for devotions!

DEVOTION THOUGHTS THIS MONTH:
Your attitude is always a choice. When you have God’s perspective you understand that everything you see is transient; it is temporary. In this life, you walk by faith – obedient to the words of Scripture, the words of the Creator God. When you experience the troubles of this life take comfort in the Lord’s promises.
What is happening when the Lord appears to be quiet? When your soul aches from the stress of life and you are breathless, hoping to hear from Heaven, don’t misunderstand God’s silence. Far from ignoring you, He is likely saying, “Hold on, loved one… and wait.” Many times God uses ‘wait’ to train His heavy lifters.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. . .” James 4:8a ESV

Thanks for traveling with us and being part of our family too!

John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry

Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
30A Hwy 367
Burnsville, MS 38833

TRAVEL PLANS AND UPCOMING LOCATIONS
<> August 25-September 24 – Clinton, Illinois area; volunteer work, music
<> September – Visits with friends in the area and family in Macomb, IL
<> September 28 – Memorial Christian Church, Carlinville, IL, Special Music
<> September 29 – Travel back home, Burnsville, MS

The Salt Shaker ~ July 2025

July 31, 2025September 6, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

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 1^st leaving a double rainbow in the clouds above our RV for about 15 minutes. On the 8^th 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 4^th 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 9^th 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

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

The Salt Shaker ~ June 2025

June 30, 2025September 17, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – Our ‘family’ in Mississippi; thankful for so many things we take for granted; He is our Jehovah Jireh (our Provider)

Prayers – God’s will and timing; ministry opportunities; safe travels; contractor safety, weather, and completed projects; weight loss and overall health, being fit to serve wherever He sends us

“May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 Christian Standard Bible

Hello to our friends, followers, and family:

It always amazes us when we look back and pull our newsletter thoughts together. A month seems so long ago but summarizing it is a great way to feel good about what has been accomplished as well as see where we could have been more effective. We were home on June 1, leveled, water and electric connected, a few things put away, some TV, and early to bed. That first shower after traveling always feels so good, more putting things away, water temperatures reset and treatments done, a trip to the post office for our mail (including breakfast out), groceries, planting of the North Carolina tree (looking very shriveled and sickly), and the final step of connecting the sewer lines to drain the tanks on the 5^th; back to normal.

Salty Strings went in many directions this month. We continued with the Booneville Dulcimer Club, enjoying our times of programs in care facilities, the Visitor’s Center, and the fellowship during lunches. There were many extra practice times and getting the instruments back in tune following humid weather and traveling. John attended his first Songwriter’s Workshop, greatly enjoying it, and has almost completed his “homework” of writing a song about an unexpected act of kindness to take back to the group in July. In addition to the jam sessions in Iuka, there is one at a church right down the road that we prepared some double dulcimer tunes for; we were there on their ‘fish and chicken fry’ community outreach night!

John has spent many sweaty hours in the attic this month, very productive hours getting the wiring moved, reconfigured, adding a 3-way switch, getting junction boxes in for outlets and switches, and has about two more trips in the heat to get it finished up. He also spent a morning in the church attic running thermostat wires – cooked to well done more than once this month. He got new glasses for mowing and they are working well to keep things from getting in his eyes. He worked at our rental mobile home to get an old furnace vent sealed up and keep it a bit cooler there, and he has cooked a few great breakfasts of hash browns and eggs with veggies, a real treat for Connie.

Connie began the month with research and ordering a new printer that arrived and ended up being broken; it was returned a few days later. In the meantime, we purchased a different brand with mixed reviews for printing CDs; got that unpacked to find it did not print CDs so it was returned and another printer ordered. Finally, on the 16^th our new printer arrived and was set up; ready to print in beautiful color the newsletters that we mail every month and a great test CD. Another successful project was working on our toilet flap/ring and getting it to seal again. Some scraping, scrubbing, soaking with vinegar and toilet cleaner, along with prayers and patience brought a much better flushing experience! Connie mixed some cosmos seeds from Illinois with top soil and scattered them on the berm for a bit of color now, and she cleaned all the filters and chemically treated our swim spa and hot tub. She woke early one morning starting our toaster oven for some baking, made a few dozen deviled eggs and a pot of spaghetti for various potlucks, and got our procedure down for fresh hash browns. The month ended with some research and attempts to get our recorded songs with samples available for donation through our web site – no success yet but frustrated enough to hire someone!

There were several shopping trips and returns this month including window blinds and a printer. We enjoy having Sunday lunch at Captain D’s (good senior specials) and decided to try again, arriving later to avoid the rush. We did some shopping first, arrived around 1:30, waited 15 minutes in the order line, left and walked next door to Arby’s. No line, ordered, and were done eating by 2:15, with the same people still in line next door. We had a fun shopping blessing using our over-the-counter health product money that expires every three months; $150 free supplements and covered groceries. It took some time and lots of bar scans but we survived. Of course, there were mornings we slept in and some ‘lack of energy’ days with a lot of TV shows and a few movies.

During our May travels Connie spotted some red clover and rabbit’s foot clover so she ordered some seeds but has not cleared the area along the bottom of the berm yet. She needs to decide which clover will be in front, get some cooler weather, and get it planted for a border of sorts at the bottom of the wild flower berm. Lots of ideas but no ambition!! John put together his Father’s Day porch “rocking” chair with no arms, but hasn’t enjoyed it yet with all the heat and humidity. We finally made more detailed plans for our August/September travels, have some specific dates, and will be making some church contacts for ministry opportunities. Connie received word that her sister (Karen) was coming home in hospice care after a 9-day hospital stay. We will be making a short trip to northern Illinois for a visit, July 9-17, then will be close by when we’re in Wisconsin in August.

John found a great mobile RV service that came one morning and cleaned both roof a/c units along with trouble shooting some of our other concerns. Good news, some pointers for awning operation; bad news, some roof sealing is needed so they will be coming back again. We finally decided to get a cover lift for our hot tub, a trial to see how easy they work and what we would need for the big covers. It arrived the end of the month and it took us 2 days to figure out how to assemble it to work!

You know a really bad day, the kind where nothing goes right no matter what you try – Connie had one. The printer came broken, the window blinds were too wide, and she attempted to do laundry but only had soap for one load! Character building to say the least. She did help in the multi-purpose room with the wiring and blinds once we had the right sizes, and was able to modify a clearance $10 blind to work for the door. John did most of the work and framing for the lights and ceiling fan to work on the porch, and he added a pull-chain light in the attic. He also put the plywood back on the swim spa and had a few days of painting the ceiling (scaffold is needed now). We finally found a roof contractor on the 30^th and have contracted with a landscaper but all the rain has put them behind, we are hoping to have a sidewalk and other drainage issues fixed by the end of July.

Connie continued to play the keyboard for worship at Journey Church along with the pianist, and we learned a new song for Homecoming Sunday services. Salty Strings shared two songs that afternoon after a wonderful potluck meal, giving the featured group a break. John went to the men’s fellowship morning, and our Wednesday evening study in Revelation continued with lots of interesting conversation. June had five Sundays, meaning Cross Point Church in Iuka has a potluck after their service that focuses on testimony and music – great fellowship as well as us sharing a few songs.

Our big event for the month was being live on the radio. Stress, fear, preparation, anticipation, etc. coming in waves throughout the month! We practiced 5 songs over and over, coming to the conclusion the day before that we were over practiced, as we fumbled and sounded awful. It was an early and long morning, but we made it through the interview and songs with several good comments. We were glad radio waves don’t carry images.

We enjoyed (mostly) lots of swimming this month. John will still use the hot tub but Connie gets too over heated for that. Our swim spa needs some repairs; it now has a running faucet type leak when one pump is on high; warranty service has been contacted but no date has been set. John got a pair of walking poles (hand strap and adjustable height) that he uses when he walks around the woods rather than warped pieces of wood; they are lighter in weight and come in handy for clearing cob webs! Several times he has returned with spider/bug bites or a tick. Connie will occasionally walk around the driveways or to the mail box in the evenings, but usually the heat keeps her inside. We noted a few apples and lots of pears this year, but we haven’t decided if these are real fruit trees or ornamental. We will have to learn about spraying if we want any edible fruit. John has started to do some exercises between swim days, we have been watching our diet better, eating more vegetables and taking some supplements, but our weights are about the same. (Two potlucks, four date nights, a hot dog roast here, and a few spur-of-the-moment invites surely contributed to the outcome.)

June weather was difficult across the US, extreme storms, rain, winds, etc. No different here in northeast Mississippi. Connie kept saying (hoping) this was unusually hot and humid for June but kept hearing “no, this is normal.” Hot, very hot, hot and humid, a week of excessive heat warnings, and muggy were frequently used in her journaling for the month. Of the 20 days she noted weather, 12 of them included rain, heavy rain, and thunder storms. One downpour was so heavy we pulled off the highway and several times we couldn’t hear the TV as it beat on our RV roof. Another storm brought a few thumps to the roof, likely 2-3” chunks of smaller tree branches. Three-weeks in a row on our drive home after ‘Friday date night’ there were rainbows, 2 double and 1 single; so beautiful to see and to reflect on God’s promise shown with a rainbow! (Genesis 9:8-17 “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Vs 13)

DEVOTION THOUGHTS THIS MONTH:
** The reality of a “new normal” is what you progressively experience while the Lord is shaping you into His new creation. As the Lord leads you into experiences that are different and may be uncomfortable, He knows how to refine you and prepare you as a vessel to carry His gospel message.
** We fret over all the problems of life – We forget the One who is Eternal Life. Jesus has always been in existence; there is no starting point for the eternal Son of God. Jesus will always be in existence; there will be no ending point for Jesus.

[Jesus speaking] “So I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you.” Mark 11:24 New Century Version

Until next month – thanks for being part of our family!

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

July 9-16 – Travels to Garden Prairie, IL (Rockford area) to be with sister
July 29, 31 – Travels to Litchfield, IL overnight then to Union Grove, WI
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 Litchfield, Carlinville, Macomb, IL and Kirksville, MO

The Salt Shaker ~ April 2025

April 30, 2025September 6, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – God is good all the time! Progress with our addition, visiting friends, new music friends, physical strength to keep working

Prayers – New color printer for CD’s and newsletter, motivation, roofer, RV repairs and air conditioning, safe travels

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 NIV

Hello to our family, friends, and followers:

April brought some interesting weather; thunder storms, gusty winds, heavy rain, dark skies, tornado watches, and one tornado warning. Our rental family and us spent a couple of hours on the addition porch waiting and watching; the entry to the shelter was flooded and slick with mud. Getting that to drain properly is now on our list of repairs needed! Most of our nights were in the 60’s and days upper 70’s and some 80’s. We found attic heat was coming into the multi-purpose room (where the beam was added and closet supports removed) and spread a tarp over the attic floor to seal it up a bit. It will be a while before we get to rebuilding that area.

Salty Strings had a full month again with a few additions. April started with the SALT senior meeting. We were with the Booneville Dulcimer Club for two practice evenings and four programs; one of the care facilities added their Memory Ward this month where part of the group played for about 14 residents. Connie had several hours of practice with the organ for Easter songs, and there were many more hours together for all the church worship. We also participated in a twice-a-month jam session with lots of other musicians and music genres. We had fun, even though it was a ‘live’ event (everyone was on video) and they were set up for standing performers.

As we prepare for travel in May our focus shifted to some postponed RV needs. John checked the bedroom a/c unit and sealed around the bath fan early in the month. With a few heavy rains we found the leak continues; we’re still puzzled where the leak really is! Mid-month there were a series of problems – a vent cover on the roof is missing (patched up with a cool whip container), the slam latch to the water compartment broke, 2 days later a latch on the other side broke, the a/c won’t work at all on low, and the living room a/c started doing the same thing (not an emergency since they are working on high). Parts were ordered, the latches won’t work, and more latches were ordered, hopefully arriving in time to install before we leave.

Early in the month Connie had lots of work on our taxes, our first year to have to file in Mississippi as well as a full year as landlords. Once they were mailed off (on the 14^th!) there was paperwork to file away and notes to be made for next year. She also finished up our newsletter, just a bit late, with a sickly printer and lots of help from John. There were four songs Connie arranged and worked out, three for the Booneville Dulcimer Club (Ashokan Farewell, Wild Mountain Thyme, and the chorus for Down In My Heart) and the theme song for the Campers On Mission gathering in May; she enjoyed the challenges and time spent on something ‘fun.’ She also did some ‘not so professional’ phone recordings with the keyboard in multiple speeds to help John with a mandolin song. There were a few cooking experiments, including chiclet noodles thinking it might be faster rather than rolling and cutting. The harp, long neglected, even came out of its corner for a few hours!

Most of our April ‘work’ was in the addition. Connie washed most of the old exterior siding wall and did a lot of painting – primer and finish paint (ceiling boards, trim boards, and walls), and put all the wall electric covers back on. John found two adjoining windows were a bit uneven and fixed the sill plates. He also did lots of cutting, fitting, and putting up various trim. Connie was brave, once, getting on top of the spa to help put up a long ceiling board. Our roof person has not been by to fix the roof leak yet, so we still have ceiling to install, but it is good to see real progress and that our planning is looking good!

There were several meals out early in the month with our visiting camper as he prepared to move on in his music ministry. We had an evening farewell so he could leave early the next morning. We continued Friday date nights, once with our Journey Church friends before attending a Passion Play in Corinth, MS. One date night we enjoyed pizza at one of the homes where we were able to sit on their deck as we ate and watched the cat and crows stand off for the pizza crusts tossed into the yard. We were treated to a great Sunday buffet in New Albany, MS after church with friends, just one of many blessings God continues to provide. We enjoyed eating at Jack’s for our Anniversary and tax completion celebration (on the 14^th). The last day of the month we enjoyed a quiet evening out where we discussed our May travel plans and semi-planned for the rest of the year.

In addition to our swimming, we occasionally walked around the driveway or up the road a bit, once with a neighbor dog following; all dependent on how stiff we were by evening. We haven’t received our replacement floor mat but we are getting a bit better at staying in the center as we swim. We noticed that there was a leak when using the swim spa, the end with the heater and pumps, and John was able to tighten the connection a bit by hand. A week later it started leaking again, this time he used the screw driver to get the connection clamp tighter, and so far, no leaks. Swimming was not as consistent this month because of plywood sheets on top to work on the ceiling.

For more relaxing activities: walks in the woods, guitar playing (almost has his regrown thumb nail trained out of its curve), and picking up sticks around the yard so he can start mowing again. There were several trips to the woods making more paths and going along the boundary markers while keeping an eye on the tree cutters on our neighbor’s land. It has been quite the experience to hear trees sawed (a huge machine can catch 3-5 trees and saw them near the ground) and stacked for transport as well as looking through the trees to cleared land. They have remained off our property so far, but we will only have a few trees left to our south once they finish. John has been making the arrangements for our trip east for some music and a visit to see our newest granddaughter and family. We had one smokey fire in our fire pit and are waiting for a good time to have a hot dog roast with friends and our renters.

We discovered all eggs are not equal – we helped put candy in 5,000 plastic eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt. It was a great time of fellowship, goofing around, and we even figured out how to get Dum-Dums into the eggs! All four Sundays in April we were leading worship at Journey Community Church. We chose to use the church organ for all the songs Easter Sunday, meaning John stretched his voice limits many times! Palm Sunday evening was the feet washing, Wednesday evenings found us back in Revelation most nights, and there was an evening hymn sing with the church pianist and Connie.

We’ve had a few calls and fixes this month from our mobile home renters – mice and microwaves. John spent some time inside, outside, and under plugging holes (expanding foam with steel wool) and spraying rodent deterrent. We worked together getting the old microwave down, finding the wall studs and a hidden GFCI plug, stabilizing the electric range plug, and getting the new shelf unit fastened to the wall. In the meantime, the renters used our little blue microwave on their counter. John spent several days designing, finding wood, cutting, fitting, glueing, and adding several coats of spray finish. Holes were pre-drilled for easy assembly and a light was added after mounting – a beautiful job and a larger microwave!

John was sick (stuffy head, sinus, headaches, very tired) April 2-6. Then Connie caught whatever bug he had for a week. That slowed us both down and the after effects included another two weeks of feeling worn out. It seems when we finally get in a groove or schedule, something always comes around to knock us off course; we just don’t bounce back as quickly as when we were younger!

Devotional quotes for April:

The best route to higher ground only comes by climbing up through the valleys.
Corrie ten Boom once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”
Don’t tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big God is.
What is over your head is still under Jesus’ feet.

Jesus speaking: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17b-18 ESV) “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)

Tune in again next month for our progress and ministry update!

John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry

Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
30A Hwy 367
Burnsville, MS 38833

TRAVEL PLANS AND UPCOMING LOCATIONS
** May 13-early June – Aiken, SC and Fredericksburg, VA for music and family
** August-September – Illinois/Wisconsin, volunteer work, music, family, and friends

The Salt Shaker ~ March 2025

March 31, 2025September 8, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – Glory to God for safe travel, protection from area storms, provision, seeing renters enjoying the property, the beauty and rebirth in springtime

Prayers – Safety on scaffolding, roof leaks (spa room and our trailer), music ministry, recording and getting songs online

Question: Why would God limit the roads to heaven to just one? Because He doesn’t want us to guess the way there; Jesus is the only right direction. Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. John 14:6 The Message

Hello to our followers, family, and friends:

March – in like a lamb, out like a lion? Our final days at our Florida project included a few camp meals, a great Mountain Man breakfast cooked over charcoal in a Dutch oven, planning routes (including how to get out of our parking area), a final evening camp fire, and packing up. Another volunteer removed a low tree branch and great spotters made our exit uneventful. We were all watching the weather with high wind and storm forecasts; since we were headed west into the wind we left early on the 5^th and only struggled a bit the last hour as winds increased and we turned north.

At the invitation of some Campers on Mission volunteers, we stayed a few days in the panhandle of Florida. John joined them for morning devotions and did some work sanding bunk bed rails and helping with porch construction while Connie remained in the RV enjoying the down time. We had 3 days of fellowship including supper when we arrived, and visiting SOWER friends in the area.

Our final recreation rest was an afternoon along the Gulf coast with a few stops at some Panama City beaches. Although it was breezy and cool, we started at access 54 (west) at a pier and watched people and waves. We ended at access 2 and found it quite different with clearer water, the surf seemed warmer, but the tide pools forming were still cold. Connie kept her jacket on and walked up and down with her kite picking up a few small shells (John found some as well) as the tide came in. There were red helicopters, trucks patrolling the beach, John recognized F35 stealth and F80 star fighters (Tyndall AFB to the east and Pensacola Naval Air Station to the west), and a patrol boat bouncing from the waves as it towed another boat. We found a Culver’s, yes in Florida, for supper and returned to the RV to prepare the cooler for traveling. We left early on the 8^th knowing we had a very long day to get home to Mississippi. We gained an hour (CST in the Florida panhandle) and gained another hour with daylight savings time when we arrived home, a bit of ‘jet lag’ perhaps?

We were welcomed back to Journey Community Church, although we were a bit weary from our long travel day, and Connie joined right in with the keyboard for worship. It was good to be back, especially rejoining their Wednesday night study in Revelation. The 5^th Sunday, the 30^th, we traveled to our other ‘home’ church in Iuka for their Worship and Testimony service where we shared a few songs and what we did in Florida before enjoying the potluck lunch. That evening we celebrated the 18^th birthday of the Pastor’s son with another meal at Journey Church. March also included a dessert celebration for Pastor’s Wives’ month, plenty of delicious food!

Our first week home was a lot of figuring, organizing, and shopping! First thing Monday was to retrieve our mail, stop for final adjustments for John’s hearing aids, purchase scaffolding at Harbor Freight, and our usual grocery stops. The scaffolding was assembled and stabilized using ladders, and John started removing the old ceiling panels, stapling the insulation, filling some gaps where birds were coming in, and figuring out how to properly mount the boxes for the pancake LED lights. We played the ‘scaffold vs hot tub location’ game for a few days, purchased plywood and tongue and groove boards for the ceiling (110 delivered thankfully), moved the boards inside, and started priming the ceiling boards. Some days Connie helped by cutting boards to length so John could stay on the scaffold. Not bad for our first week back!

God’s timing is good, even when it means more things to do! As we started our travels home, we received a call from a renter that their showerhead needed to be replaced; we were able to fix it ourselves. We now have a renter in the house and were able to meet her and ‘Hank’ her great Dane who love the walks in the woods. John was able to attend a “God’s Man Conference” along with the men of Journey Church; the timing was great even though the conference was cut short due to storms in the area. Before leaving Florida, we were greatly blessed in receiving cordless nail guns from a fellow SOWER and they are being used! We were spoiled while in Florida with great internet and lots of TV stations; that ended when we returned. Again, God’s Hand was in the timing and decisions as we visited the phone store, switched and added a line for unlimited hotspot, and came out money ahead every month. It has proved very useful, and being portable our visiting camper was able to have internet for his stay.

With all our travel and work this month there have been several days we’re just too tired to do much for exercise. We stayed pretty diligent with evening walks … for about a week, Connie started her morning exercises again … for about a week, and there were a few swims when the plywood wasn’t over the spa, but nothing consistent. One morning we were both looking forward to a swim but found, to our surprise, our floor mat in the spa was curling up on one end; by evening both ends were curling; and the next evening the whole mat was floating. Calls were made and a new mat is coming but we’ll have to drain the spa before we can position and stick it down – swimming and water exercise are much harder with no center line and a slippery surface. Other than several slivers, a few hammer slips, and some sore muscles we’ve enjoyed good health this month.

We had some special fellowship at the end of the month with a visit from a friend who travels full-time for nursing home music ministry and church visits. We connect every few years when our paths cross and finally he arrived, the first to use our full hookup RV site. Although a bit under the weather and not able to do any singing or speaking ministry, we were able to provide some meals, eat out a few times, deliver carry-out containers from the potluck, and had shower and laundry facilities. Date nights resumed on Friday evenings; we had missed this fellowship while away. Journey Church had a 2-day garage sale where we found a small blue microwave and deviled egg trays (no more recycled Chinese candy tray and John had commented 2 days earlier that he wanted a microwave to heat his coffee while working).

Connie spent some time almost every day priming the ceiling boards, usually 10 at a time, and gets more efficient each batch. John got the first 2 ceiling rows up and leveled (the hardest part), finding rafters a bit off and creating more waste than we figured because each end has a few inches added to accommodate the overhang. By the 22^nd we had the ‘short’ side of the ceiling done, all using the scaffold, and the hot tub ready to fill and heat; that’s real motivation! The next thing was getting the 12’ 4×4 support post fastened to support one end of the ceiling beam – after a few sketches, some materials, and a few prayers we were able to get it fit and in place. John cut boards for the inside window trim and ripped some 2×4’s for 3” ceiling/wall molding trim. Connie sanded some furring strips, all of which were primed along with the trim boards. The longer side of the ceiling was started, again having to get it leveled first, working from ladders for the first 3’ then moving to the ‘easy’ stuff with plywood on top of the spa. More motivation, no swimming until another 8’ of ceiling is finished!

We seemed to bring storms and weather with us. It was cool, rainy, with wind gusts above 30 mph leaving Gainesville, FL. It was in the upper 40’s when we left Bonifay, FL with some sprinkles along the way home. Once back we had some really nice spring days, our plum and apple trees blossomed, the tree leaves started opening, and we needed the air conditioner a few times. There were many more days however that were cloudy, thunder storms, tornado watches and warnings, overcast, damp and chilly, lots of rain and flash flood watches, pollen turning everything yellow-green, and the plum blossoms blew off the same day they opened. Definitely good to have the inside work. A few days started in the mid-30’s with mid-70’s for a high. We did enjoy the night sky on the 1^st with a silhouette moon sliver and Venus shining bright, and John was up for the eclipse on the 14^th.

Before leaving our Florida volunteer project we made an afternoon trip to the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo (Gainesville, FL) and had a beautiful relaxing day. We wandered around for over 2 hours enjoying animals, birds, otter training, a wandering peacock display, gibbons creating a noisy ruckus, trying to see the new ‘joey’ tree kangaroo, and meeting a wandering injured turkey vulture that has claimed this spot as home. Although a small zoo, the grounds and winding paths are beautiful. The zoology students had just started a new semester and were willing to answer questions, even though they weren’t that familiar with their new subjects.

On one of our last days in Florida, Connie spotted an air plant on the ground, picked it up, and it ‘bloomed’ releasing lots of tiny seeds with fuzzies (like miniature dandelions). Although none of the seeds have grown, she separated the main plant, tied pieces to drift wood, and amazingly they are still alive! Connie started daily posts for 40 days of prayer, finished a sample flower shaped dish rag scrubber (with a few modifications it will work perfect), and procrastinated on the taxes finally getting serious the last week of the month.

It was good to be back with the Booneville Dulcimer Club and the programs at the care facilities. We are now official members with our new T-shirts! There was a music celebration one Wednesday evening at church with us using the hammer dulcimer (by request). Our church friends had special friends visiting so there was lots of music, including great 4-part harmony hymns which Connie was able to play (without practice) on the piano. We have recently been encouraged by others and believe we are entering a new season of music ministry; we need to pray, search for open doors, and allow God to use us through our music.

(Jesus speaking) “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 New International Version

Thought for the month: From a devotion ~ Despair will cast you down, keeping you from standing. Fear will tell you to retreat. Impatience will tell you to do something now. Presumption will tell you jump before your landing is ready. God often tells us to simply stand still as He reveals His plan.

Thanks for traveling with us and being part of our family too!

John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry

Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
30A Hwy 367
Burnsville, MS 38833

TRAVEL PLANS AND UPCOMING LOCATIONS
** May 14-early June – Aiken, SC and Fredericksburg, VA for music and family
** August-Sept – Music, Volunteer work, Family Camp, Clinton, IL area
** September – Illinois and Wisconsin family visits

The Salt Shaker ~ November 2023

November 30, 2023September 6, 2025 Salty Strings Music Ministry

Praises – Ongoing healing from whatever bug got us again this year; learning to slow down and let go of ‘our’ plans; doing all things for God’s glory alone.

Prayers – building up our strength; finish the house remodel; renters for the house; travel to our Florida volunteer project by end of month.

People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord’s will is going to be done. Proverbs 19:21 Good News Translation (People can make all kinds of plans, but only the Lord’s plan will happen. New Century Version)

Hello to our family, followers, and friends:

What a month! All our plans and striving to meet timelines kept getting shuffled around and changed, how rude!! Looking back, we did accomplish a lot and learned to lean on God and others rather than ourselves.

Our contractor was back for a few days adding insulation and repairing the mobile home skirting for winter temperatures. He also plugged a few holes and sealed up the crawl space in the house so we’re overnight-freeze temperature ready. We worked together getting the repurposed flooring in the utility room and new flooring in the bathroom (had to stop that day because it was too dark to keep sawing outside). One milestone – a shopping trip without a stop for supplies at Lowes!

Winter is here, we always know because we manage to run out of propane once, always in the wee early morning hours, and wake to a chilly home. November 3 was the date this year, 62 downstairs and 66 upstairs, so winter propane protocol is now in place. And there is the winter water protocol as well, we have had to shut off the water once; another reason our ‘schedule’ called for getting to Florida this month.

We always appreciate our health so much more after we’ve been through the worst of an unknown illness. This Thanksgiving we spent in bed, John on the couch, Connie upstairs. John started on Monday with a chest cold, by Tuesday the severe headache, chills, heavy chest and coughing settled in. Connie pushed through until Wednesday night (after appliances were delivered) when it all caught up with her. One nap a day is highly unusual, but there were several days when she had 3 long naps during the day plus 10–12-hour nights. After a few days food started sounding good and a big pot of rice turned out to be our first good tasting meal. We leaned on each other as much as possible, and finally turned to friends to get two propane tanks filled and some groceries. Homemade Wassel the next day (along with Thera-Flu) helped greatly in our still slow recovery.

We’ve seen our share of TV and took special notice of a new insurance commercial – ‘Mayhem’ is sharing the market with ‘Ludacris’. We have had plenty from these two this month! We made a good choice when we remodeled our microwave shelf so it was an easy fix when the microwave died mid-month. A few days without one and off to Walmart we went to get a new, cheap one – hot food again with the touch of a button. Then, the call from our renter with a dead refrigerator. Connie checked it out, definitely not cooling, and with a few phone calls and a trip to the bank, everything fell in place with used appliances being purchased, delivered, and the old refrigerator hauled off. It was a blessing to meet our renter’s father and friend who did the leg work to find the refrigerator, electric dryer, and washer all in one trip plus the muscle to get everything in place and move our stack washer/dryer downstairs to our multi-purpose space. Of course, remodeling is still providing plenty of rabbit trails as well.

Our house remodel is still progressing – we had leaky plumbing that is resolved; drywall mudding has led to smooth, primed walls; and ceilings have all been sprayed. Ceiling fans have been cleaned and put back, room by room; old 2” sturdy plastic window blinds are down awaiting cleaning/shortening and new blinds have been ordered for other windows. John got the new electric panel connected and the dryer wire in place for our area; replaced paneling and repurposed baseboard in the utility room; and is repairing and modifying three doors for cold air vents. Connie found cardboard egg cartons work well for drying and lubricating the ~40 hinges from the cabinets; put up two LED lights under kitchen cabinets; and spent lots of time cleaning, sanding, wiping down, and painting.

With the strict work schedule this month Connie squeezed in a good batch of split pea soup (with cornbread, chocolate pudding, and cool whip) as well as combined a couple of home-made recipes for an excellent chocolate pudding microwave-baked cake. We stopped at White Trolley twice for a double slug burger, BLT and spicy fries’ lunch, and Captain D’s after church before a shopping run. We did go twice on date night – of the three couples it seems one of us will have a problem with their order. It was our turn the night after we went shopping. John ordered a BLT and spicy fries, the fries came very well done; and Connie ordered a small pizza, that came very burnt and crispy. The gal doing the cooking came to the table and apologized for the pizza, cooked a second one, and got John some good fries. It was great to see a young person taking responsibility and making a tough decision to make things right.

Salty Strings Music Ministry presented a morning concert and testimony time at Macedonia Freewill Baptist church one Sunday morning. We all had a great time and they enjoyed our songs, scriptures, and stories. We tend to forget (especially when we get over-extended) how God can use even the smallest things to be a blessing to others. Connie spent some time during Journey Church Men’s Fellowship playing their piano, realizing how rusty her fingers and brain are, but enjoying this long overdue treat. There were a couple of songs for the November 1 SALT Seniors group and we helped with the worship music one Sunday. Our “scheduled final Sunday” at Cross Point Church in Iuka was spent quarantined in the trailer (we actually missed two Sunday’s not feeling well or wanting to share our illness with others).

Connie kept trying to get rid of excess items, along with the frustration of listing items and keeping up with the replies from Marketplace – when it works it is wonderful, but we seem to get all the glitches. We succeeded with a propane heater (from the mobile home last winter) and the barn door is out of the shed.

November weather has had lots of warm beautiful breezy days, leaves falling, and the changing of the seasons. There have been some beautiful sunsets and a few foggy nights coming home from shopping and date nights. The magnolia trees (Connie had given up on) became one more thing to do but we got them planted in the very hard clay dirt along with a cedar tree one morning before a nice soaking rain. We definitely know when changing weather is coming; achy shoulders, knees, and stiff joints along with some cold, misty, damp, days that leave us chilled (we’ve definitely acclimated to warmer weather, it’s still in the 40-50’s here!). John still likes to take a walk through the woods almost every day. He has found all our property boundaries and is making plans for a bridge over our (usually dry) creek and for more cleared areas.

From a recent devotion: Corrie Ten Boom once said, “There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans.” What a wonderful message for us this month!

The Lord who rules over all has made a promise. He has said, “You can be sure that what I have planned will happen. What I have decided will take place.” Isaiah 14:24 New International Readers Version

May each of you and your families have a blessed and wonderful Christmas/New Year!

Our prayer for you during this busy season is to remember:
There is no panic in Heaven, God has no problems, only plans for each of us.
May our eyes and ears be open to those plans!

John and Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry

Contact Information:
Mail: John & Connie Nicholas
Salty Strings Music Ministry
3916 N. Potsdam Ave. #3962
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

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

Still here ?!! – Our property, Jacinto, MS – house repairs/rental
December ??-February 2024 – SOWER Project, Bonifay, FL