2012 …

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Many times this year we said, “LORD! LORD!”
 Sometimes in joy and sometimes in sheer panic.

This was our 25^th wedding anniversary year and we had plans to go to Alaska until Jeremy purposed to Sarah on Christmas Day 2011 (JOY! JOY!) and set a June 12^th wedding date.  So we went back to the Midwest instead.  We had not been back to Illinois since we came out west in 2005 so we wanted to see everyone we could.

We didn’t think we needed much planning. We’re experienced travelers. Lou did put new E rated tires on the rear of the F-350.  We knew we wanted to take more than usual along since we’d be on the road for about five months. I was not concerned about weight. “Ford tough” and the Host camper’s motto “Lightest in its Class” really fooled me.  Because we were over loaded and climbing Priests Grade into Yosemite, we had a shock as our tranny seal leaked. (We really thought we were on fire when we saw all that smoke. “LORD!~LORD!) After the repairs were made we had another problem when we tried to leave Kings Canyon because some wires were not connected right. We couldn’t get the truck to start. It was getting dark. It was April at over 6,000 foot elevation and we didn’t want to tow the truck DOWN that steep grade. As soon as I prayed, “LORD! LORD!”, a van pulled in next to us and when the two men got out I asked, “Do either one of you know anything about Ford transmissions?” They were looking at each other like, “Who’s she talking to.” And I said, “I just prayed and you just pulled in here so you have to be the answer to my prayer.” At that, the one man said that he’d look at it. He had just put a new transmission in his Ford pickup. In no time, he had it connected and the truck started up! We almost had a blow out in Arizona. A real angel saw the bulge and flagged us down as they went by. LORD!

My son, Jeremy, married Sarah Wild on 6/12/12 and we were there along with 8 others! Receptions were held several days later in Wisconsin and then in Illinois on Father’s Day. It was so GREAT to see so many of our friends and have a big family gathering. All three of Lou’s children were able to be there and Lou got to meet his 2^nd and 3^rd Great Grandchildren for the first time.They weren’t quite walking yet at that point. They are now! If we thought Lou’s grand children were cute, you should see these three!! (JOYFUL! JOYFUL! Praise the Lord!)

We were in Michigan for the first two weeks in June and then Illinois for the next two weeks but we did not get to see everyone we would have liked to.  Lou came down with Shingles. We had to have additional leaf springs  & shocks put on the truck. That cost us a few days. Just before the wedding, on 6/1, our truck was broken into and a computer, camera and a bag of expensive tools were stolen. (LORD! LORD~!) We lost some important pictures but not the memories. It took some time to file paperwork into the insurance company but worth it.

My sister, Vina, ill for over two years, passed away in January and in July her ashes were scattered when we arrived in North Dakota. I wasn’t ready to see her go. (oh Lord. oh Lord.) But I think she was. She was tired.

On our way to ND, we had a bulge on a 2^nd tire but saw the bulge in time. For July, we were in Bismarck visiting nieces and nephews, family and attended my 40^th class reunion. We also weighed the truck. LORD!~ 1,000 lbs over weight on the rear axle. (Too heavy for the “E” tires so we went to “G” rated tires  and 19.5” wheels.)  In August we were at Lame Deer, Montana, enjoying a few days with our friends, the Boles, when lightening fires forced an evacuation. We raced 20 miles in high wind and smoke to get away from the blazes. (Lord! Oh Lord!)

That was not the last “fire” scare either.  Just two weeks ago, our truck camper’s fridge caught on fire.  Lou was working on the fridge and was able to put it out but we were both scared silly for a bit.In all of these things, not a hair has been harmed on either one of us. (Praise GOD! YOU are so GOOD to us!)

We are now full time volunteers with Hard Hats for Christ for the first time since we joined them in 2005. We are on a project serving the needs of Mountain Ministries as they remodel an old high school into a Life Skills center where women and women with children are discipled in a one year drug/alcohol addiction program. We get to see Christ in each one of them as they begin to know Him and Trust Him. We are blessed to be a blessing here. We see His goodness and HIS hand in everything. God is so GOOD. 

  Mountain Ministries Women of Faith

Pictured:Connie & Tad with their two daughters 
(the oldest is standing wearing a purple jacket and the youngest is sitting at Connie’s feet.)

Standing on the far left is Tad and Connie Kruse, the directors of the Mountain Ministries Women of Faith. That is what they are called.  Not enrollees in a 1 yr program but women that are being discipled. Mixed into the photo are women that have just started, women that are about to graduate and women who have graduated and have stayed on to mentor the ones coming behind them.  They are a family.

This picture was taken a few months ago and since then we’ve had two new babies born while their moms were getting free of drug and alcohol addiction. One baby was born 4 weeks premature.

An old high school building has been donated to Mountain Ministries to be remodeled into a Life Skills center for the Women of Faith. (Dorms, kitchen, classrooms.) It is not about the building.  It is about the people. The building is only a structure to house them while they heal. The healing that goes on inside and the awakening of Christ in them and their acceptance of Christ as their Lord and Savior is the most important of all. It is a joy for us to be here to see this. Here is the web album link.CLICK HERE (Email us at louiskathy@att.net  if this does not work.) 

They are why we are here and we could not do what we’re doing without prayer support. We can not do anything by ourselves. We need God and we need skilled helpers. We are blessed to belong to Construction Workers Christian Fellowship, known as HH4C, Hard Hats for Christ, a group of dedicated Believers who have construction skills. The Mountain Ministries men will come to help but they are not all skilled and few have their own tools. We’ve asked two Hard Hats for Christ couples to come and help. One need is to drywall the ceiling in the gym. (Why would anyone drywall a gym ceiling?) The fire code requires a barrier between the gym ceiling and the auditorium above it on the third floor of the old high school. The auditorium is needed… so we’re going to do this to get use of the auditorium.  Another need is to complete the kitchen area. There is a lot of work to do here.

Usually the project we are on will give some support to HH4C by either funding the volunteering couples to be here or in some other way, supporting the HH4C ministry. This is not a usual project.

To partner with us on this ministry, please send funds to Construction Workers Christian Fellowship, P.O. Box 636, Kelso, WA 98626-0056.  Please note Aschenbrenner # 375 on your gift. We will not use this money for ourselves. It will go to fund the needs of the Mountain Ministries project. May the Lord bless you for your prayers and much needed support. You are a blessing to us and others. Thank you.

We pray that the Lord will bless you in 2013. Just keep trusting in His promises and His unending love.

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

Hugs, (His Utmost Gift is Salvation)

Kathy and Lou Aschenbrenner,

411 N. 6^th Street  #1498,  Emery, South Dakota  57332

Email:  louiskathy@att.net