Final Paul Youngblood Interview

We did our final interview with Paul Youngblood on WNTA in Rockford last Tuesday. This was an hour long show but after taking out the commercials it is less than 40 minutes. So we took the audio and added some of our best scenic shots to it and made a video out of it. We talk a lot about what life on the road for our family was like after 21 months of this great adventure!

Creation - the Great Draw

Sorry, but you'll have to purchase our book to read this post!

Champ

While we spoke at a church near Plattsburgh, New York, we crossed over Lake Champlain on a ferry from Vermont. this was pretty exciting for everyone because, well it is out of the ordinary. We have been on a ferry before, most recently to Balboa Island last March. But this is the first time we have taken Howard on an ferry. This was both cool and expensive.

While crossing the lake we kept a sharp eye out for America's Loch Ness monster - Champ. Champ has been rumored to live in these deep waters for many ages and there have been some sightings even photographs. We thought we might have spotted him ourselves - see if you can see him in the photograph below.

The church had a great little spot for us to camp at while we were there. This little camping spot was perfect because we full hook-ups, a quiet location, playground equipment and it was right next to Lake Champlain. Thus we had more opportunity to spot our mystical creature. We definitely saw a few loons and kingfishers at this beautiful location!

The church we spoke at is in nearby West Chazy and will soon become our home. We were there to candidate and were eventually offered the position of senior pastor here. So our full-time traveling days will be coming to an end when we start at West Chazy Community Church on July 1st. We plan on keeping Howard and still traveling from time to time. Our love of exploring will always burn bright.

Our GPS while on the ferry - in the middle of a lake!

Be sure to keep tuned in to our blog as we will continue sharing updates from the road these next couple of months and wrap it up once we stop. We also plan on writing a book detailing our journeys!

The Angel of Mary's Heights

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" -

 Jesus

This post has been removed because it is part of our new book - Napkin Dreams!

 

Billy Graham Library

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Kidology to Go - Pinellas Park, Florida

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It's Complicated

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Coca Cola Space and Science Center

We stopped over in Columbus, Georgia at the Coca Cola Space and Science Center in town. Our main reason for this visit was to see a film they were showing at their planetarium screen. During the month of December the film Bethlehem Star which explores some of the possible scientific phenomena that could have happened to cause the magi to seek out the child Jesus.

The film was well presented and quite fascinating. At the end of the film the narrator stated that a miracle does need a scientific explanation, which made the film a true hit in my book. There were several possible scientific explanations for the star, but in the end the film presented the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn with Earth in about 6 BC as the best natural phenomena that could have grabbed the attention of the magi.

The birth of Christ certainly took place somewhere between 3 and 8 BC, for those who were concerned about that! I also believe God could use natural wonders and phenomenas in His grand plan. After all He is the One who set the planets and stars in their orbits in the first place!

There are a few other things to explore at the museum including some flight simulators, remote control mars rovers and a weather reporter station. It is a very small little museum, but it is on our reciprocal list, so we did not have to pay to get in and got a great deal on the omnimax film.

Christmas Camp

One of our volunteer opportunities we had while staying at Hephzibah Children's Home was to give the daily devotions this past week at Christmas Camp. We had a lot of fun speaking at the camp, doing illusions, puppets, science tricks and showing some Toy Box Tales. Blake and Tanner helped us some with puppets and Brendan, David and Chase all got to attend Christmas Camp here!

Chase learning to bat at Christmas Camp!

They really enjoyed getting to play with other kids, swim, and have a bunch of snacks. God continues to not only provide places for our family to minister but He is giving our kids unique opportunities to experience and a place to volunteer as well. He has proven to us here at Hephzibah that you can't out give God!

Hephzibah Children's Home

No longer will they call you Deserted, 

   or name your land Desolate. 

But you will be called Hephzibah,

   and your land Beulah; 

for the LORD will take delight in you, 

   and your land will be married.

Isaiah 62:4

One of the goals of our trip was to find some ministry outside of being a pastor's family. Jesus certainly did not limit the ministry he did to inside a church (Ok a synagogue)! We really prayed that God would open some doors for us in this regard.

The door opened for us to stay at Hephzibah Children's Home for most of the month of December. There is a small RV Park with full hook-ups here at Hephzibah for people who come here and volunteer at the home.

Hephzibah has been serving the needs of children since 1900. For more than a century, the Home has been a stable influence on hundreds of children and young people in need of out-of-home care. Hephzibah is located on a beautiful piece of property, around 200 acres in Macon, Georgia. The mission of Hephzibah Children's Home is to provide a Christ-centered, safe and wholesome environment for children and young people in crisis.

So far we have been at the Home for almost a week and we have picked up trash, helped a new mother move to a new room, cleaned an apartment, set up a room for a banquet, changed light bulbs on very tall chandeliers. and other assorted tasks. We also met some new friends who have been very kind in making us feel welcomed here at Hephzibah! We have had some free time to play football and let the kids ride their bikes and all the kids love getting to ride around on the golf carts!!

This works our really well for us in Howard as well, so we can set up a tree and all our Christmas lights and we do not have to move the rig and take it all down each time we move to another place.

Fields of the Woods Bible Park

Sorry, but this post has been deleted because it is a part of our new book called Napkin Dreams!

 

First Walmart and Sam Walton

Sorry, but this post has been deleted because it is a part of our new book called Napkin Dreams!

Sam Walton's 1977 pickup

Sam Walton's office

Arkansas - our 30th state

We have now visited three-fifths of the states on our Napkin Dreams trip. Arkansas had the distinction of being number thirty. How many will we get to? Forty, forty-nine, maybe even fifty? Time will tell how far we get!

MagiQuest and Smokey Mountains National Park

We are so sorry, but this post has been removed because it is a part of our book Napkin Dreams that details our trip around America!

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