~HEATHER'S HIGHLIGHTS~: ~Life has been grand, real busy, but real grand, The Story of Norm, Bryan Family Reunion.~

Our first man from the community, who attended our Strait Creek Church (from the first service we opened) is now in Heaven with Jesus! I will tell you His story!!!

~Norm & Joe are 2nd and 3rd from your left in this pic.

(In between Chris & Phillip.) ~

~The Story of Norm~

It was March 2024 and the day before we were to open the old White Church on the corner of Strait Creek and Route 41. Phillip had a long to do list to get done, but as he drove passed a camp grounds, just a mile from the church, he felt impressed to pull in and "check it out."

When he did, there was only 1 nice camper, an old beat-up truck, and one lone very discouraged man standing beside it all! Phillip pulled up and started talking to the man and found out his name was Norm.

Phillip started talking to Norm about Jesus and invited him to our first service at Strait Creek Church the next night.

Norm got tears in his eyes and told Phillip that he was an ANSWER to his prayers! He said that he had JUST PRAYED..."Lord, I need some help! Please send someone to help me!"

Phillip told Norm that he was an answer to his prayers as well, for Phillip had been praying for someone in our community that we could help!

Norm promised to come to the church the next night,

And He did!

He was there for the very first service.

He started coming to church and we became his friends!

Phillip would go and see him often, we prayed a lot for Norm, and Phillip and he texted a lot!

He had met a man name Joe and started bringing Joe to church with him too.

Norm had had a troubled childhood. He later got married and they had 5 children. But due to some troubles he and his wife were not together.

Recently he had been in excruciating pain.

In fact, the Sunday after Christmas he showed up at church for service, and asked to be prayed for and anointed for the pain in his stomach. We gathered around Norm and had a good season of prayer for him! He was in so much pain, that he left to go home before service was out.

But Thankfully, before Church, Phillip had slipped Norm some little red shot gun shell lights, that Phillip had found on sale, so that Norm could hang them on the outside of his trailer.

Phillip figured that those lights would make Norm happy.

They did!

On Thursday, Norm had texted Phillip that he had his lights hanging on his camper

and that he loved them, and that they meant so much to him!!

(THAT WAS NORM'S LAST TEXT TO PHILLIP!)

The Friday after Christmas Joe called Phillip and told him that the ambulance had just taken Norm to the hospital and that he was to have a procedure done that evening.

Phillip quickly got dressed and drove the 2 hours to Columbus to see Norm. When he got there, he was already back getting the procedure done. When Norm came out and woke back up, the nurses and doctor said that Phillip could read some Scripture and pray with Norm.

Phillip said that Norm would drift off to sleep, then wake up and cry out to God, then doze again. The nurses and Phillip asked him if he was in pain, and he said he was ok.

He kept waking up and praying the whole time Phillip was with him!

Phillip had earlier felt like God wanted him to read Norm the story of the thief on the Cross.

So, Phillip read that Scripture to Norm,

encouraged Norm to Call out to Jesus, and prayed with Norm.

Phillip got home Late that Friday night.

The next morning found him and the guys working in the COLD ...

under the church to replace a rotten beam.

I purchased Pizza and drinks and everyone came here to eat.

Around that time, Joe started calling Phillip.

When Phillip talked to Joe, He learned that Norm had coded that morning and the doctors had brought him back. :-(

Phillip quickly got cleaned up and drove the 2 hours to see Norm.

When he walked up to the room were lots of people in the room.

There had not been anyone there the night before,

so Phillip quickly left the room and went to the nurses station to see if that was still Norm's room.

They said that it was still his room.

So, Phillip went back into the room and every one turned to look at him.

He introduced himself as Phillip Dickinson and that he was a friend of Norm's...

actually that Norm had called him Pastor.

The people around the bed were Norm's children, and they told Phillip that Norm had told them all about that old white country church and Pastor Phillip and that he loved us!

Then they asked Phillip if he would please pray for them. So, Phillip prayed, he cried, and they cried, and when he finished and he opened his eyes, he looked at Norm and knew that he was gone.

:-(

Phillip was able to assure Norm's children that he thought that Norm had made Heaven! He told them that Norm had prayed A LOT the night before, and had cried out to God, and Phillip had encouraged him with something like,

"That's right, Norm, call out to Jesus, He is here for you."

I Believe that Norm is in Heaven...mainly because Jesus, the Gentle Shepherd,

was pursuing Norm, PRAISE JESUS \o/

and because of Strait Creek Church and Pastor Phillip.

~Jesus had Norm move to that campground a mile from our church....

THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE TO REOPEN

THE OLD COUNTRY CHURCH FOR SERVICES!

~He had Norm Pray, "Lord, Please send Someone to help me!"

~He Had Phillip feel impressed to pull into the campground to "check it out!"

~God was so Faithful to Norm, And now Norm is with Jesus...where he

DON'T NEED NO RED LIGHTS TO HANG ON HIS CAMPER,

FOR JESUS IS THE LIGHT THERE!

Phillip recently said,

"This makes me want to LOVE everyone I meet,

like it's the last time I will see them!"

Phillip got to have part in Norm's funeral and our

family got the privilege of singing.

(Thanks, Cousin Laura, for some of these pics.)

~Norm's funeral was held in the Church in Wilmington, where Norm used to attend.~

~ We were delighted to get to meet Norm's dear children.~

~The Church in Wilmington served a yummy meal.~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From Dec. 14th until Jan. 15th we had 67 guests in our home, either for a meal, overnight, or for several nights. We had a blast hosting our Strait Creek Church family some, getting to be with our Dickinson family for Christmas, as well as the Hausmans around the New Year, and then the next weekend part of my Bryan family got to come.

Daryl, Laura, and Darla were here for the days leading up to the New Year, but sadly could not join us for the small Bryan family reunion the weekend of Jan. 9th. We missed them!

There are now nearly 50 of us Bryans, and there were only 22 of us here, so that is why I said that it was a "Small Family Reunion."

:-)

Family is Such a BLESSING from Jesus that we do NOT take for granted!!

We also got to have 2 groups of missionaries come through to speak in our Strait Creek Church. Julianna came by one Sunday and did a great job. The following Thursday, Matthew and Brooke Smith came through and did a great job with their service too.

Kimberly was just 6 years old when our 3rd baby, who was due on Jan. 1st, kept hiding out and not wanting to come out to meet this cold world. ;-)

So, I remember asking Kimberly if she would mind if the baby came on her birthday. She said that she did not mind at all.

And on the morning of her birthday, Noah decided that THIS WAS THE DAY he would come!! So, they have been birthday buddies ever since...we Call them our TWINS...6 Years Apart.

Each January, we normally go up and celebrate their birthdays at Grandpa and Grandma's house with Michael and Beth and kids too. We recently did that and it was fun to celebrate them.

Now, Let's see some fun pics!

~I forgot to post this fun pic of dad and Phillip last time.~

~Little Stella in our new youth chair that I got on a major sale at that antique store.~

~On Monday, After Norm had passed away on Saturday, Our family went up to visit Joe.

This is a campgrounds where Norm had lived, and Joe lives,

up on the mountain, a long ways from anywhere.

~Phillip and Elijah helped Joe move his camper and tried to help him get all set up.~

~The rode was so neat coming back down the mountain.~
~On Tuesday, Phillip, Noah, and I used our Cracker Barrel GIFT CARD that Elijah had given us for Christmas, to enjoy supper. The kids were up with their cousins.~
~My Dear Parents were able to come to our house on Thursday, the day of Norm's funeral.~
~And then on Friday AM, My dear brother and sis-in-law Lincoln & Lyn showed up!~

~Then we went to Ponderosa for an early supper. We met my oldest brother Andrew and

Vonnie there, as well as their son Drew and his Hannah and their 2 adorable kids. Drew's family live in AK, so we were thrilled to get to see them!

~Phillip had told Lincoln and Lyn about this neat place called Murphin Ridge Inn, and so they had gotten rooms there.
I rode with Andrew and Vonnie, because I wanted to see it.
I had heard about it, but had never seen it.
~It is a nice place to stay.

In the winter it is cheaper...I hear it can be quite pricey in the Summer and Fall.

~The guests that stay there get a free yummy breakfast and get to use these neat cups.~
~We went through this bridge before we got to Murphin Ridge Inn.~

~That morning Lyn, Mary, and Abigail had helped me make lots of fun treats. Here Lyn, Mary, Hannah, & Vonnie were helping finish the pecan / pretzel rollos!

I have always loved my sis-in-love's Vonnie and Lyn! They are such sweet ladies and we get along great! ~

~Vonnie and Lyn brought yummies to go along with the snacks I had...so we had plenty on which to snack.~

~Andrew playing checkers with his granddaughter Ember.~

~We were so happy that Josh, Sarah, and Adelynn could come on Saturday.~

~Lincoln and Lyn had to go back home on Saturday afternoon,
so we took them by to see the church.~
~Little Andy wanted to ring the bell.~

~Drew's Sweet Hannah! I have loved her from the minute I met her!~
~Yours truly with my oldest 2 girls, Sarah, and Kimberly.~
~Noah and Drew enjoyed talking about Men Arise.~

~Playing games.~
~Gram with little Ember.~
~Abigail and Andy~
~The 4 Edgar A. Bryans!

Daddy...Edgar Andrew Bryan I

Andrew...E. A. B II

Drew...E.A.B. III

Andy...E.A.B. IV

~Andy, Ember, Stella, and Adelynn playing hide and seek.~

~Abigail getting to play Checkers with Uncle Andrew.~
~My 4 loaves of bread I made for Sunday.~
~Julianna shared that morning and did a great job.~
~Melissa Loper brought Julianna out to our Strait Creek Church, so we had them both in for Sunday dinner.

~All of us ladies together.~

~Phillip reading us one more Christmas story before Daddy and Moma went home.~
~This was the "morning after, the morning after, the morning AFTER!"

So, I look pretty exhausted!

~Kimberly treated me to some yummy coffee at White's Bakery.~

~I got Some organization done!!~

~Central PA Youth Convention coming up next week!

PLEASE PRAY FOR CPYC!!

I take our kids up every year,

and of course I want them to have fun,

but the main thing is that I want them in God's Sweet Presence.~

~More organization happened!

A dear classy friend gave me 2 bags of clothes!

She told me to donate anything I didn't want.

So, I went through her clothes and put everything I didn't want into one clear bag,

then sorted my cloths and got rid of 190 things!

I enjoyed drinking out of my new cup while I purged my closet!!

I am still looking around and getting rid of extra mugs,

and things here or there.

~All ready to donate to a Christian thrift store in Wilmington, OH.~

~FAMILY NIGHT!~

We told the kids to each write a couple ideas down for family night!

Mary's idea was

HIDE AND SNEEK IN THE DARK!

So, we turned off all the lights and played this as a family!

It was so FUN!!

(I have always LOVED HIDING!)

~KIMBERLY AND NOAH'S BIRTHDAY!!~

~Matt & Brooke were here for supper and a missionary service.~

~Phillip went to school with Brooke's Mom, and we both went to school with Matt's Dad and Mom.~

~Thanks to cousin Laura for these nice pics.~

The Lord helped Matt & Brooke and they gave a nice service.~

~CELEBRATING KIMBERLY & NOAH'S BIRTHDAY AT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA'S HOUSE!~

~Kimberly heard Grandma say that she wished she could have a book of pictures of the newborn pics of her grandchildren.

So, dear Kimberly gathered pics of each grandchild....their newborn pics, and a RECENT pic too...and she included Chris & Josh, Adelynn and Stella and made a book for Grandma!

Such a NICE GIFT FOR GRANDMA!!!! <3

~We ate Skyline for supper together at G & G's house.

Grandpa and Grandma got this nice ice cream cake for K & N!~

~That Stella LOVED G & G's new clock!!! She loved to push the button and watch it move around and play music.~

~Grandpa made some yummy homemade candy while we were there.~

~Stella "helping" Uncle Noah with his devotions.~

~We love to make spicy "Firecrackers" out of saltine crackers.

Well, Michael had the idea of taking these and making them into Firecrackers.

~uncle Michael tried and tried to win Stella over.

FINALLY, she came to him...

~AND LOOK WHO FELL ASLEEP!!~

Someone gave us some giant Oreo cookies...that were unstuffed. So, I stuffed them with ice cream.

~I have been enjoying writing out Bible Verses for the month of January.~

~It has been COLD!~

~Emma's Baby shower~

Grammy E. asked me if I would do the coffee bar for Emma's baby Shower. I knew that she was doing the theme, "We can Bearly wait" but didn't know what else she was using besides blue runners and bears.

I live an hour and a half from where the shower was going to be held, So, I asked Jesus to help me bring all of the right decor to coordinate with what Grammy had.

Jesus did help me, and I had a lot of fun.

Mary and Abigail helped me unload all of my decor,

then they helped Janie decorate the rest of the hall.

~I made decaf Cappuccino punch, Grammy made hot coffee, there were 4 different creamers, 3 different sauces and a syrup, hot chocolate packets, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips,

and spray cool whip.~

~So Cute!~

~I had to stop at a store right before I got to the hall, and found this adorable little bear for $4.98.

I melted!

~Cousin Laura loaned me her nice bear for this baby shower.~

~GRAMMY E. ALWAYS DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH THESE SHOWERS!~

~I was so glad that RaeQuelle and Kimberly and Baby Stella got to come.~

~Such a fun pic of Emma and her Mom and friends.~

~That's my sweet Abigail and my adorable grand girl Stella in that pic.~ <3

~Cute little soaps favor.~

~Look at this Neat retro pic of Me (as a Freshman with Braces), Rachel England, and Kelly Harvey.~

~These cute pics I borrowed from Cousin Laura.~

~That's my Mary and Stella right there. <3~

I would not have made it without Mary & Abigail's help!

They, Phillip and Elijah helped me load up all of my things into the van, and then Mary & Abigail helped me unload them at the baby shower, and then haul it all back into the van, then haul it back into our house. :-)

~The other evening, the boys wanted to throw some discs, but it was freezing outside, so we girls, including Kimberly and Stella, made hot drinks and sat in the van and visited.

~So enjoyed the snow the other day...and we are ramping up for the Snow storm this weekend.

Chris, Kimberly, & Stella are coming over to stay...so it feels like a Holiday. * * *

~Let's walk down Memory Lane with some pics I found on FB.

Little Mary holding Baby Abigail. (I can see that Stella looks somewhat like Abigail thru the eyes.)

~In Argentina.~

~Our Christmas Pic Dec. 2015, right before we left Argentina.~

~Kara B. took this fun pic of our family in Uruguay.~

~In the Chinese Church.~

~When the Beckers were visiting us in Argentina, we had the Chinese young people group over for yummy Indian Tacos. I think Percy, Sara, and maybe her mom joined us too.~

~Our family at Elijah & Mary's kindergarten graduation.~

~Every 2-3 months we had to leave Argentina to renew our Tourists' visas. So, we would go to Uruguay for a couple three days. Fun Memories.

Although the trip there and back WORE us out.

We would leave our house and walk to wait for a taxi.

Then we would take that taxi,

to a train,

we would ride the train,

then from the train,

we would walk several blocks to get to the Plata River,

then take a 3 hour large Ship ride,

then a 4 hour bus ride,

then another taxi ride ALL to get to the OLD hotel in Monte Video, Uruguay.

IT WAS AN ALL DAY AFFAIR WITH LITTLES AND A BABY!!! AND I WAS WORN OUT WHEN WE GOT THERE!

WHEW! I'M TIRED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!

Finally we got smart, and started going to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay...which was where we landed after the 3 hour Ship ride, and we eliminated the Long 4 hour bus ride! PRAISE JESUS! \o/