Abounding Hope and Joy Conference

Doyle and I attended Abounding Hope and Joy Conference in Redding, California May 2-3. 

I have been following Steve and Wendy Backlund, founders of Igniting Hope Ministries  for 11 years. I am a different person since I began following these people and their ministry.

Steve Backlund.

We met people from all over the world and made some new connections and friends.

Who says you can't have fun at church?! 😉

New friends Jenny and Andy Fitzgerald. Part of the Backlund Team and also have their own ministry called Imagine Life. Jenny is a Beliefs Trainer for Igniting Hope.

We had a great time!

Have a good one!

More Bike Riding 05.01.25

We enjoyed riding the e-bikes so much that we rented them again and rode a little farther.

I missed posting a few pictures from the ride the day before. These Canadian goose and goslings were right along the bike trail.

 

I shared in the previous post this picture that Doyle took of me taking a picture of an eagle but didn't include the photo of the eagle!

It appeared the eagle had taken a bath as I saw it grooming itself and I could tell their feathers were wet.

Wild flowers along the Sacramento River.

We rode the same bike trail but this time when we crossed the bridge we rode to Keswick Dam. (We turned right.)

More beautiful flowers.

Keswick Dam

We rode a little farther on the trail past the dam to a hilltop. The terrain reminded me of home except for the mountain in the background!

This bike trail goes all the way to Shasta Dam which is about 19 miles. We didn't want to ride bikes the entire day. I would like to do it some day.

We did put in 17.6 miles!

We have been to the Sundial Bridge many times but never at night. Doyle wanted to do that. There was a special event  happening called Glowing Wild Lantern Festival at Turtle Bay. 

View of the Sacramento River after sunset.

It was pretty cool!

Have a good one!

Biking Along the Sacramento River 4.30.25

Doyle and I went to Redding, California April 29th. In times past we have gone to a Leaders Conference at Bethel Church.

This year we went to a conference put on by Igniting Hope Ministries. The founder, Steve Backlund is a leader at Bethel Church. I have been following Steve for many years. I have so bought into his message of renewing my mind with truth. Replacing negativity and lies with positive statements and truth that God says about us, our circumstances, others and God. 

Doyle and I had the best time! We will go to this conference again. It was nice to be at a smaller conference than the one at Bethel. There were greater opportunities to make connections with the staff and meet new friends.

The conference didn't start until Friday. We arrived on Tuesday. We had Wednesday and Thursday to do what we wanted at our leisure. 

We chose to rent e-bikes and ride the bike trails along the Sacramento River. I am so glad we did! It was a blast!

Yes, we rode this trail! The e-bikes do most of the work!

Poppy's are the state flower. The purple flowers reminded me of our beloved Bluebonnets but they are actually called Lupines.

Doyle with our e-bikes. We are about to cross a bridge over the Sacramento River.

Doyle got a head start on me!

The trails are so nice!

There were shaded parts of the trail too!

Love this view. We are crossing another bridge over the Sacramento River.

If you click on the picture to make it bigger you can see in the distance a snow covered mountain. That's Mount Shasta.

We rode to the park where the Redding eagles nest. Doyle got a picture of me taking a picture of one of them in a tree. You'll have to make the picture bigger. The eagle is perched in the top of the dead tree to the far left of the photo.

We racked up 13. 7 miles!

Have a good one!

Hodge Podge April 2025

April 10th - Kennedy needed a ride to a babysitting job that was about 15 miles North of town. It was in a rural area. On my way back home from dropping her off I saw a hawk on the ground in a open field. I found that odd. I found a place to turn around. Before doing so I put my zoom lens on my camera and got it ready to take pictures. I drive by again slowly taking pictures from the road. It never moved. 

I wanted to get closer so I turned around again and parked on a road off the road that ran along side the open field that the hawk was in. I make my way slowly hoping to get closer. I get this photo before it takes flight.

I was so disappointed that it wasn't in focus. I decided to share it anyway. It would have be a great shot if it had been in focus!

April 11th - Kennedy at bat playing high school softball.

April 20th Easter Sunday.

This was taken at the Floyd property in Weatherford. The kids spent Easter with her step-mother's family.

L to R Kashton (12), Kennedy (15) holding Barrett (18 mos the kids cousin) and Korin (10).

Going Away Party 03-23-25

 

Wayne and Kelley have been wanting to go back to Colorado. Sofie, Kelley's daughter graduates next month. Wayne learned of a job opening within his company in Colorado. He applied and was offered the job. He started the end of March. They held a little get together before he left Texas on March 23rd.

We didn't go as their little condo couldn't accommodate all of us. They took this picture.

L to R Jerry (Addison's fiancé) Kai (5), Scarlett (8) behind her Whitney, Addison holding Eviryn (3 mos) Wayne, Taylor, Destiny, Ryan, and Mom.

The day Wayne left for Colorado (4-1), he came to Mineral Wells, and had lunch with Mom, Doyle and me. No, Mother and I did not discuss what shirts to wear, we just showed up wearing the same color! It happens a lot!

Sofie will graduate May 23rd and then Kelley will join Wayne in Colorado. Right now Wayne is staying with Kelley's sister who lives in Golden.

Have a good one!

Kashton Turns 12 March 5th.

Kashton turned 12 March 5th. The kids are so busy right now we celebrated Kashton's birthday with a family dinner on March 7th.

Of course he wanted me to make his cake as all the kids do!

This is the card I made him.

Reading my card before he opens the present from us.

Good thing Vanessa gave me what he wanted. Don't you just love his expression. He's like this with nearly every gift he receives!

It's a soft pellet gun. 

He got some other gifts too. Vanessa had a "taco bar". Keannon's mom was there and Vanessa's brother Jacob, his wife Alyssa and son Barrett. We had a good time.

Have a good one!

Softball 02.25.2025

 Kennedy is playing high school softball. 

She plays first base and sometimes right field.

She gets a hit.

This at bat she got on base because she took a ball to her helmet!

Kennedy has gotten to suit up and play some with Varsity. She got a hit in the game the night before this video (March 19). I posted this video because they announced her then coach called her over to tell her something. Unfortunately she struck out when she got to bat. 

Have a good one!

Basketball 02.15.2025

 Kashton played basketball. Unfortunately, Vanessa didn't get a schedule to me so I didn't make very many games.

Kashton made the free throw.

Kashton scores.

Have a good one!