Wow

 Wow, seven years since I posted on this blog. If I wrote everything that has happened in my life during that time it would be a thousand page book, and no one would want to spend that much time reading it. Hopefully I can just skim through and hit the high points. 

I'll start with telling you about the last year. We sold our house and moved to Montana. Whew, I wish it was that simple. We have been here for a little over a year. We moved in the middle of the Covid thing. last winter we were living in our 25 foot travel trailer on the banks of the Flathead river. During that time we both had Covid. The tempuature only got down to minus 13 degrees. (so far this year it has been down to minus 34 degrees ) 

Our two Grand daughters Kylie and Brook had another car go out ot control and hit them head on. God was watching over them and no one was seriously injured ... Thank You Lord.

We got into a new house in February ...What a blessing to be able to be in a house again. 

Just as we were getting things completed, Our yard,fence,gazebo, storage shed, and so many other things that I can't mention. In June we thought we could catch a breath. Jo and I went for a ride. We were talking about how we could start doing some thing again. When we got home our neighbor's big dog ran over and knocked Jo down. She broke her leg. It was her femur. It is the biggest bone in her body. It was a terrible break. We had to adopt a whole new life. God protected her through all of the healing process. Now after 6 months of intense rehab, she is able to get around. 

Even through all that has happend to us this year God has been so good to us.

Oh and by the way, Our close friends Steve and Lynda our next door neighbors from Florence moved here at the same time we did and live only a few houses away from us. They have their own story to tell. We also have one family of kids here too. The Stalters. They are in the process of building on four acres here too.

Such an adventure we have had. God has been with us all the way. 

We love it here and hopefully I, can get some photos of summer on here next.

Also, there is no shortage of wildlife here. This is a picture of wild turkeys. I can't even list all the animals we see every day. Not to mention the lakes and streams that are screaming to be fished.😊

So I'll stop here for now,                                                                                                                                 Thank the Lord God for his love and grace.

My First Gun

I just wanted to tell a story that I didn’t want to get lost. It is about my first rifle. It is a Winchester model 94 lever action in 25-35 caliber that my grandfather George William Shanks gave to me when I was fifteen years old.

In its self it isn’t a very expensive or pretty gun but I guess that now in 2016 it is fairly valuable because it’s somewhat rare. That isn’t why it’s valuable to me.

It is valuable to me because of the way it was given to me and by who gave it to me. When my Grandfather  gave it to me I didn’t fully appreciate or understand the significance of the gift that he gave me.

You see my grandfather wasn’t overly or outwardly affectionate. In fact when I was small I was a little afraid of him. Later in my life that fear turned to deep respect as I watched the way that he lived his life. He was honest, paid his bills, and made me feel safe and secure in an otherwise unsettled life without the feeling of safety in it. When I lived with him and my grandmother I was always warm, always clean, had food to eat. I doubt that he ever made more than a dollar and a half an hour.

My grandfather wasn’t a “big” hunter. In fact I never ever saw him get a deer. But he would take me with him in his old pickup.

My day would start at about 5:00 in the morning. My grandmother would wake me up and I would go out to the little kitchen to have breakfast. On the table would be my grandfather’s 32 special Winchester model 94 with a box of ammo. Along side of it would be the 25-35 that my grandfather borrowed from a friend for me to use, and there would be a box of shells on the table for it too.

Our lunch would be there too, along with a quart thermos of coffee for my grand dad, and a smaller thermos of hot chocolate for me.

We would go out in his old pickup to hunt for deer. I would walk beside him while we hunted. I would walk too fast so he always had to tell me to walk slower so the deer couldn’t see us. One time I saw a buck ahead of us and my grandfather couldn’t make it out, so he told me to go ahead and shoot, so I shot and missed. He never did see that buck but he told me at the time, “wow you almost got him”. Another time a jackrabbit took off in front of us and Grandpa said “get him” so again I shot and missed, but my grandfather told me,  “good shot you almost got him”.

Most of our “hunting” was done from the old pickup. He would drive through the woods and we would talk.

 He would take me to Fort Rock and places that he spent time growing up, and lived as a young man. Where he met and married my Grandmother. He taught me how to live my life and how to treat other people.

He bought That gun from the friend that loaned it to him, so that I would have it to hunt with, but when his friend died, the family wanted it back because they didn’t know that my grandfather had bought it. So he gave it back. Later my grandfather bought it for a second time and gave it to me for my fifteenth birthday.

I could go on and on about him, but this is really about the love of a man to his grandson, and my love for him. He never attended church but I hope that he was led to the Lord before he died. I wasn’t with him when he passed but I know that he knew he was dying. And there was a paster that visited him.  One of my greatest hopes is to see him in Heaven. And I want all of my Grandsons to meet me in heaven too.

By the way, I went on to shoot my very first deer with that little 25-35, and several more before I retired it.

I am writing this at the ripe old age of 68 years old. October 6th 2016

Jim Kent

GOD IS SO GOOD

Oh, by the way We are still here.
No one would know it by my lack of activity on my blog. It seems like I should have plenty of time to write , but time just gets away from me.

It has been almost a year since I wrote on here, but I thought that I should at least wish everyone a very merry Christmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS.

In the last year the Lord has blessed JoJo and Me so much. I almost don't know where to start. But I'll start with my healing. It has been just over a year since I had open heart surgery. I had a double bypass, and a new aortic valve. It has been quite a year recovering but now I am feeling sooo much better. The Lord has completely healed me. Praise the Lord.

Also after the turn of last year Jo and I realized that we might not be able to do the traveling in our 5th wheel that we had planned to do, so we started looking for a house to buy. We didn't find any that we really liked or could afford so we found a new little subdivision with some new spec homes. We liked one of the plans and started the process of having one built. With a few tweaks of the plan we got it started. and now about six months later we have been blessed with a brand new home. The fence is being built right now and we are looking forward to putting in the lawn in the back yard this coming year.
Moving into this neighborhood has opened the door for meeting new people and inviting them to church.
Also two of our friends from church,
 Steve and Lynda Weiand are in the process of building right beside us.
So have a merry Christmas and a Happy and fruitful New Year.
God Bless You, Jimbo and JoJo.

When I was very young, my mother would send my sister and me to sunday school every Sunday.
My mother never went to church, but she sent us there just to get us out of her hair for a while.
I really didn't have any intrest in Sunday school or God either.
In fact I used to act up so bad that the Sunday school teacher would kick me out of class because I
was dissrupting the class and keeping him from teaching the other kids about the Lord.
(we all know a kid like that)
Then when I was about 15 years old I joined a youth group at a small church mainly for the fun things that we did there.
I went to church camp and enjoyed all of the fun things that we did.
But I still didn't know the Lord as my personal Saviour.
Not long After that I just quit going to church or anything that had to do with God.
I graduated from high school and got a job.
I got married and had two little daughters.
I had my business and other intrests that I put first in my life.
And was just too busy to take the time for God.
So I have said all of this to follow it with this true story.
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people?
We always ask, Why did that happen to them when there are so many bad people in the world.
I don't understand why God would allow that to happen.
They live for the Lord, they attend church, they give of their time and money.
It just doesn't seem fair.
If we wait upon the Lord in these things, He might reveal to us the answers.
I am standing here today because of something bad that happend to a good person.
And I believe that I know one of the reasons for it, Well I think I know a lot of reasons for
something bad happening to a good person.
There was a man that had to have open heart surgery. He had a bad heart valve from birth.
I know that this sounds very familiar and it sounds like it could be me, but it isn't.
This man was my brother inlaw. He was married to my older sister Shirley.
This man had three very young children. He had a happy marriage and was a very good friend.
We used to go fishing, hunting,and many more things together.
He also attended church and was a Christian.
We all knew that he had a bad heart,and used to tease him because he couldn't keep up with us when we were hiking or hunting.
We used to call him "throb" in a joking way.
When he was only 28 years old he had to have a valve in his heart replaced. Back then this was still a new and very risky operation.
After the surgery he was told that he was doing better than almost anyone had done up to that point.
His recovery was very fast and after about three months he seemed good as new.
So in August of that year several of us friends were having birthdays so we decided to go out with our wives to dance.
We were dancing our first dance of the evening When I looked down beside me, and on the floor layed my friend.
There was nothing that I could do to revive him.
After many futile attempts to save his life, my friend died in my arms in the middle of a nightclub dance floor.
I couldn't understand why God had allowed this to happen.
But now, 42 years later, I believe that God has let me know the answer to this question.
After his death I started thinking about God, and all of the seeds that were planted in me when I was young started to sprout.
And I knew that I should get right with God.
I think the many reasons that God allowed this include my salvation, and the salvation of my children and my grandchildren.
I also pray that it doesn't stop with these.
I hope that there are many,many more "reasons"to come.

Wow how time can get away from me. I haven't added anything to my blog since the first of the year. Jo and I have gone through some pretty amazing things in the past few months. The women's ministry that Jo has developed in our church has grown into almost a full time job for her. It includes a blog that is called Soul Sisters and can be accessed through our church web site.
http://florence4square.com/ Just go to ministries and then Women's ministries- Soul Sisters.
I am so proud of her for what God has enabled her to accomplish with it.
In the mean time I didn't have anything better to do so on March 12th I had a heart attack.
The Lord wasn't ready for me to come home at that time so he saved my life and impressed on me to try to be a better fisherman of men. I haven't caught my limit yet but I'm going to try. Shortly after I came home from the hospital, I felt that I needed to write down my experience and how the power of prayer worked in my life, so I did and even though it is written in all caps, "I didn't think at the time that I would be sharing it" but here it is and I hope that it touches some lives and maybe helps me "catch my limit"

I AM A LIVING BREATHING MIRICLE. BECAUSE I AM HERE,  NOT IN PAIN, OR EVEN FEELING BAD AT ALL.
A SHORT TIME BACK ED CAME UP TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT GOD HAD SOMETHING IN STORE FOR ME AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE MEANT.
 I TOLD HIM THAT WHAT EVER IT WAS I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT INCLUDED SPEAKING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE AND THAT I DIDN'T EVEN FEEL GOOD BEING CALLED TO PRAY OUT LOUD. HE SAID THAT I MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT GOD HAD IN STORE FOR ME.
LAST THURSDAY OR FRIDAY I FOUND A MESSAGE ON MY PHONE FROM ROB. HE SAID THAT GOD HAD PUT ME ON HIS HEART AND WAS LEAD TO PRAY FOR ME.
I WASN'T ABLE TO CALL HIM BACK THAT NIGHT AND THOUGHT OF IT EARLY THE NEXT MORNING BUT IT WAS TOO EARLY TO CALL. BUT THEN I FORGOT TO CALL HIM BACK. SO ON SUNDAY I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM HIM. HE SAID THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT GOD HAD PUT ME ON HIS HEART AND TOLD HIM TO PRAY FOR ME. I TOLD BOTH MEN THAT I NEEDED ALL OF THE PRAYERS THAT I COULD GET AND THANKED THEM.
I TOLD MY WIFE JO ABOUT IT BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT AND I WONDERED WHY GOD HADN'T IMPRESSED ON ME WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.
BUT NOW I KNOW THAT HE KNEW THAT I DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE HE ALREADY HAD IT UNDER CONTROL.
TUESDAY MORNING I WAS WORKING IN THE FLOWER GARDEN BY OUR FIFTH WHEEL AND JO CALLED ME IN TO HAVE LUNCH. I TOLD HER THAT I NEEDED ABOUT ANOTHER HALF HOUR AND I WOULD BE IN.
WHEN I WENT IN TO EAT LUNCH I FELT VERY FATIGUED AND MY ARMS WERE STARTING TO ACHE AND I WAS VERY HOT. SO I WENT BACK OUT SIDE TO COOL DOWN BUT FELT WORSE AND WAS AFRAID THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON SO I WENT BACK ITO THE HOUSE AND SAT BACK DOWN AND TRIED TO EAT MY LUNCH. BUT I STILL DIDN'T FEEL LIKE EATING SO I WAS JUST SITTING THERE. JO NOTICED THAT I WASN'T EATING AND ASKED ME IF I WAS ALRIGHT AND I TOLD HER THAT I WAS VERY HOT AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE EATING UNTIL I COOLED DOWN.
SHE KEPT AFTER ME TO FIND OUT IF I WAS OK AND I KEPT TELLING HER THAT I WAS, BUT I STARTED FEELING WORSE.
AT THAT POINT I HAD A FEELING THAT IT WAS MY HEART SO JO GAVE ME AN ASPRIN AND I ALSO TOOK A NITRO GLICERYN THAT I HAVE. BUT I STILL FELT BAD.
SHE KEPT BUGGING ME TO GO IN AND GET CHECKED OUT SO I FINALLY AGREED TO, BUT WAS AFRAID IT WOULD BE A FALSE ALARM AND JUST COST US A LOT OF MONEY.
WHEN WE REACHED THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THE HOSPITAL THEYCAME OUT AND GOT ME AND TOOK ME RIGHT IN.
THE DR GAVE ME AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM AND TOLD US THAT IT DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING BAD BUT THERE COULD STILL BE SOMETHING GOING ON.
AFTER THAT I DON'T REMEMBER HOW THINGS PROGRESSED BUT I KNOW THAT I STARTED TO HAVE EXTREME PAIN IN MY CHEST AND MY ARMS.
I DO REMEMBER THINGS WENT INTO HIGH GEAR IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
THE DOCTERS AND NURSES THERE STARTED ASKING ME ABOUT MY PAIN LEVEL, AND IT WAS OFF THE CHARTS.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WHEN YOU ARIVE AT THE HOSPITAL THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE HEIGHT OF THE PROBLEM AND FROM THAT POINT ON THINGS WOULD START GETTING BETTER, BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
I HAD ONLY BEEN AT THE HOSPITAL ABOUT TEN MINUTES WHEN THE WHEELS FELL OFF AND I WAS IN DEEP DISTRESS.
I COULD HEAR THE DOCTORS AND NURSES SCURRYING TO SAVE MY LIFE.
I WAS CALLING OUT TO JESUS AND ASKING HIM TO FORGIVE ME OF ALL OF MY SINS AND ANYTHING THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CONFESS IN THE PAST.
AT THAT POINT I KNEW THAT I WAS READY TO GO TO HEAVEN.
THERE WASN'T ANY FEAR FOR ME AFTER THAT.
THEN THINGS STARTED TO TURN VERY FUZZY AND I CLOSED MY EYES AND JUST WAITED FOR GOD  TO TAKE ME HOME.
SOMEONE SAID AT THAT POINT MY BLOOD PREASURE WAS ONLY 40 OVER 20
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DR GRABBED ME BY MY FACE AND YELLED AT ME. HE SAID OPEN YOUR EYES, JUST STAY WITH ME ,DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES.
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES OFF TO MY RIGHT WAS MY WIFE JO AND MY PASTER GEORGE.
IT BROKE MY HEART TO SEE THEIR FACES IN SUCH ANGUISH. I STARTED TO CRY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO BE SAD FOR ME.
I ASKED TO HAVE PASTER COME AND PRAY FOR ME AND HE CAME OVER AND CALLED ON THE LORD TO TAKE CONTROL AND GUIDE THE DOCTORS SO THAT I WOULD BE SPARED. GOD ANSWERED HIS PRAYER.
AT THAT POINT I FELT THE PAIN START TO SUBSIDE IN MY BODY.
BUT THAT ISN'T WHERE GODS HEALING STARTED WITH ME.
IT STARTED WHEN GOD IMPRESSED ON ED TO PRAY FOR ME AND WHEN GOD LAID ME ON ROB'S HEART TO PRAY FOR ME EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY WERE CALLED ON TO PRAY ABOUT. HE SENT HIS ANGELS BEFORE ME AND THEY PREPAIRED THE WAY FOR MY RECOVERY.
I HAVE ALWAYS PRAYED THAT GOD WOULD GO "BEFORE" ME AND PREPARE A WAY FOR ME THAT I WOULD FOLLOW. AND TO KEEP ME AND MY LOVED ONES IN HIS HAND AND TO COMPLETLY COVER ME WITH HIS OTHER HAND, AND HE DID.
WITH IN MINUTES I WAS BEING PRAYED FOR BY LITTERALY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I WAS INSTANTLY PUT ON PRAYER CHAINS AND HEAVEN WAS BOMBARDED BY PRAYER WARRIORS. I AM SO VERY THANKFULL TO EVERYONE FOR THE PRAYERS AND I THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST FOR ANSWERING THOSE PRAYERS.
I WAS LIFE FLIGHTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN EUGENE AND WAS TAKEN RIGHT TO SURGERY. I RECEIVED THREE MORE STENTS IN THE SAME ARTERY.
OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ON THURSDAY AND HOME BY NOON
GOD IS SO GOOD.
So I hope that this testimony will touch someone and that you will come to know the
Lord in an even deeper way.
Jimbo

Well we got through Christmas. We got to see almost all of the kids and their families. We did miss Annie, Chris and the kids this year and I really wish we could of seen them. We couldn't make it work out. This is the day after Christmas and I would just like to say that JoJo and I have been richly blessed. It will be extreamly difficult for me to put it into words that will express my true feelings.

So here goes.... This year has been beyond anything that we could of asked for in our lives. We have found a new town (Florence) that we love, We have found a new church that we love and we have friends that we love.

 

When we arrived in Florence we didn't know that we would like it as much as we do. With out trying to make it sound backwards or hokey, this town has a feel that takes you back to the times that were a little more simple and down to earth. The hometown feel just makes me happy and most of the people have been very genuine and friendly.

We are so looking forward to the new year and what God has in store for us.My new years wish is for God to continue to bless us, our families, our friends and our church.

Also I want to be able to fish out in the ocean without getting seasick or skunked.
So Happy New Year to everyone and may God richly bless you all.

Summer of 2012 in Florence

Wow, where to start? I haven't been on the blog since June. How time flies. This summer has been so full of things and people that I haven't had a chance to add to this. Of course we have been doing a lot of fishing. We found a great church and have been attending a couple times a week. And been getting to know the town and really enjoying being on the coast.

This summer We went to Tami's and she and Ryan visited us, Shirley came and visited us. The Stalter family came and visited us. We had 4th of July at Hether and Patricks.

The Fletchers and us have been very busy going and doing taste tests at a lot of restaurants; (we still need to do some more of that before we can decide which one we like the best.)

We had the boat moored for two months and just pulled it out. We'll have to launch it from now on when we go fishing.

Dave and I finally had "GUTS" enough to go out in the ocean. The first day was pretty foggy and we didn't take enough Dramamine. But the next time we had a beautful day and hardly a ripple on the water.

We went to see one of Reagan's football games so we could see her cheer at Western Oregon College.