What a weekend to Remember! We had about a foot of snow or more (last weekend) and we were snowed in, but we didn't mind for we were at a weekend seminar! I don't want to be guilty of just saying my wife is important, but I want to be guilty of proving it to her! She wanted to go to one of these for a long time, but our circumstances haven't allowed us too. So when we found out that there was a Family Life - Weekend to Remember seminar here, locally, we chose to invest in our marriage and family. Sometimes we are so "bottom line" oriented that we only look at the dollars and cents and make decisions on this fact alone. Investing in our family and marriage can't be weighed by dollars and cents. It's an investment!

With that being said I state some of my core beliefs in these areas:

1. My relationship with God is first and comes before everything else. I am to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength!
2. My relationship with my wife comes second! When we got married, we became a family! Adam & Eve were the first family! Children increase the size of the family. They should not be the focus but an addition to the family! Our focus should be on our mate.
   
3. The children come next and are my third priority. "The best thing you can do for your children is to be a good husband to their mother." If I have a good relationship with my wife, loving and caring for her, it will bring security to the children.
   
4. Ministry/ Missions/ job/etc. comes 4th. This is not a selfish kind of thing where family comes above all else but a Biblical thing where I invest the most in the lives of those who God has placed under my responsibility. Why would I forsake those that I have the most influence over in order to spend more of my energies on those that I only influence for a short while. In reality, our family has expanded our ministry, not limited it!
   

The spiritual well-being of my wife and children is more important than any ministry or job that God calls me too! Now that I've said it and believe it, may God help me to LIVE it!

Recently, while my parents were here to visit, we took a field trip with the kids. (notice their notepads that they brought along with them) We went to the Creation Museum and it was a wonderful field trip. Not only was it Scientific but it was Biblical and you didn't have to constantly hear things like, "billions and billions of years ago". We came away not only learning more about Creation but more about our AWESOME God. Truly He is the only one who is AWESOME for it is only God who we look at in awe!

Here's the special assortment of flowers that I bought for Brittany. She's a special girl and God has been helping her tremendously!

For those of you who even care!!

Here's the answers to the birthday questions:
1. . How much weight has Daryl gained since he got married? 10-15 lbs, depending on the day
2. What is his favorite sport? Basketball
3. What is his favorite car manufacturer? Toyota - a wise use of God's money
4. How many states has he visited? 48 or 49, I've been having doubts about the state of R.I. other than that, I'm trying to figure out how I can arrange to visit Hawaii
5. How many countries has he been in? I think 16
6. What is his favorite non-veggie food dish? Chili
7. What was his favorite dog's name? Rita
8. What is his hobby? Playing basketball
9. Is he right handed or left handed? "Everyone is born right-handed, but only a few, talented, gifted individuals soon overcome this obstacle!" (that should give you a clue)
10. What foreign country did he enjoy visiting the most? Austria
11. What historical place did he like visiting the most? Hard to limit it but it would have been Red Square, Aushwitz & Dachau Concentration camp
12. What Bible College did he graduate from? (smile) I put this in as a little bit of humor because we had a bunch of our GBS friends over, so I had to get them to write down HSBC, Hobe Sound Bible College.
13. Is he an early bird or night owl? Mornings were made to be taken real slow and very little talking.
14. What is his least favorite household job? Cleaning the bathroom, in particular - the TUB!!!

Here's the three girls with their wonderful violin teacher, Mrs. Collins.

I will try to upload some of Natsaha's piece if I can, since the memory is quite large.

Here's just a piece of Brittany's piece. If there's any poor sound quality, it has to do with the digital camera, which isn't the greatest for videoing.

This is just a sample!

God really helped and we thank God for the wonderful teacher, Mrs. Collins.

Brittany is playing a piece by J. S. Bach, entitled Bouree

Here's a quote that I've recently run across. It is very profound and obviously, not original with me. If it was original with me, it wouldn't be profound. Don't say "Amen" to loudly!

"Politics don't determine a culture; Culture determines Politics."

It's no wonder we are in the shape we are in with our political world. We as the church have not done our job to reach the lost and therefore impact our culture.

The predicament we are in politically, should scare us to our knees and then scare us into actually getting out and impacting our world.

I usually don't buy my wife dead flowers for Valentines Day because of being too practical. Both of us would rather have something living, like a plant, but the Tulips reminded both of us of Russia, where Tulips were abundant (during the summer) and they were very inexpensive.

Here's the Cake that Laura made for me for Valentines Day! It's a red velvet cake and it used to be my favorite .........until I started eating my wifes pies, which are the best pies in all of the world.

During this great month of February many great people were born, such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Edgar Bryan and the list could go on and on. Oh by the way, I celebrated one as well! :) My kids wanted me to have a party since it's been almost 10 years since I've had one, a party that is, not a birthday. So we had a bunch of friends over and wished we could have had more, however we were concerned about parking and not having enough space. So we enjoyed a good time of fellowship together with a bunch of our friends here from CNC. Then on my actual birthday we went to my favorite restaurant, Skyline Chili. After that, we went to a Brass Concert at the University of Cincinnati. Being good Missionaries, we found out that the concert was free, otherwise we would have opted for listening to Brass on a CD.

BTW: Here's a few of the questions that were asked at my birthday party to see how much you know about me.
1. How much weight has Daryl gained since he got married?
2. What is his favorite sport?
3. What is his favorite car manufacturer?
4. How many states has he visited?
5. How many countries has he been in?
6. What is his favorite non-veggie food dish?
7. What was his favorite dog's name?
8. What is his hobby?
9. Is he right handed or left handed?
10. What foreign country did he enjoy visiting the most?
11. What historical place did he like visiting the most?
12. What Bible College did he graduate from? (smile)
13. Is he an early bird or night owl?
14. What is his least favorite household job?

Hello, after a one month break! Yes we are still alive and God is helping us but I've chosen not to keep updating. My kids and wife have been after me to update the blog so I've given in to their wishes. :) I started blogging primarily just to keep people informed as to what was going on in our lives while we were on the Mission field. So now that we have been home on furlough, I kind of put it on the back burner because I'm not one to just surf around and read other peoples blogs. I also am not one to parade everything that is going on in our lives, so I just thought I take a break.

Continue to pray for Laura's back! Progress is very slow and she's still in pain! Pray that God would heal her, for His glory!

Once a month, the youth from Christian Nation Church try to go to the Ronald McDonald house. We bring all the supplies, cook the meals ourselves, serve it, and then clean up.

Many of the people that go to the hospital need to stay there long term, for different reasons, the Ronald McDonald house, provides a place for these people to stay. One man who we met on our most recent visit brought his little boy all the way from Chicago for bone marrow transplants. The boy must be here for 45 days and this boys father is staying the entire time. One can read the hurt, on the guest's faces. It is definitly an eye opener! It is a joy to be a light in their very dark world!

Here is Grandma Bryan with her long-time friend, and prayer warrior, Mrs. Downing.

These two saints enjoyed having fellowship together and Laura said she was so blessed just to be able to take Grandma to visit Sis. Downing and sit in on the rich fellowship.

Sis. Downing has never met us before in our lives, yet she said she has been praying for us every day. May God give her many more years for we can't live without the prayers of our dear prayer warriors who support us so faithfully with their prayers.

Here's Grandma Bryan playing dominoes with our kids. I wonder what it feels like to get beat by a 100 year old lady! I don't know because I didn't play.

She's a great lady and God has blessed her with many long years.

What do you do when you are 100 years old? We've had the wonderful opportunity of keeping Laura's Grandma for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Laura's parents are visiting their other favorite Missionaries. Grandma Bryan is 100 years & 6 months old.

She loves to read and has been reading us out of house and home. Just last week she read 5 or 6 Missionary books, just last week. Here she is reading the Sunday School Papers to the kids.

Yes, I'm still alive and doing quite well thank you!

Special Prayer Request:

Please do continue to pray for Laura's back. She is in much pain and she needs a special touch from God. Basically for the last 4 plus years, she's lived in pain almost daily, sometimes worse than others. She's been a real trooper and if it were me, I don't think I would have lasted as long as her, in fact, I know I wouldn't have lasted as long. She has had an MRI as well as several Doctors have told her that surgery is not necessary, but her body isn't responding well to treatment. We would appreciate your continue prayers in this matter. Natasha also is being treated for a form of scoliosis and pray that God will help her body to respond well to the treatment as well.

Thank you for your prayers and for your support!

God bless!

Here's Bro. Walter our elder statesman who has been on his knees most of the time laying tile. He's doing a great job and we are so thankful that he was able to come on the team.

This one is just for my family, since they requested it. I'm measuring for where the outlets will go. These are installed after the sheetrock and fastened to the sheetrock with little clips to hold the back of them.

Keep all of us in your prayers and that God will continue to help!

This is the sheetrock that has been pasted to the walls. Here's Steve and Donnie! (Sorry for the fuzzy dust in the air)

We're thankful for Ronnie being real tall!