Another great action-packed week has passed filled with graduation, open houses, family gatherings and Memorial Day activities all wrapped up in three days. It was an emotional weekend. Larry and I are usually on the road for most holidays so we were thrilled to be able to attend two grandnieces' graduation and open houses which brought a large number of family, friends and relatives together. Of course, with those ingredients we also had lots of laughter and lots of delicious food.

From the celebrations and laughter, we then solemnly moved into Memorial Day. We definitely felt the change in mood as we visited the cemetery. Larry and I slowly approached the area of the cemetery that is designated to the military. We were sobered by the growing number of veterans, servicemen and servicewomen headstones representing all ages. Only too often, we get caught up in our busy lives consumed by our jobs and activities forgetting those who have fought and sacrificed their lives so we could have freedom yet in America. I'm afraid our freedom is frequently taken for granted. As Larry and I stood there, we watched families as they stood by their loved ones grave(s). I couldn't help but wonder what was going through their minds at that very moment. What pain they must have felt as they relived the day of their loved one's birth to then only be flooded with the memories of the moment they heard the news of the death of that husband, father, brother, son, wife, mother, daughter, sister, etc. I watched on feeling helpless, wanting to provide comfort but all I could do was pray a silent prayer for them.

We then inched our way down the narrow cemetery road to where my dad is buried. We stood and relived some touching memories of Dad and his antics that so often entertained us. From there, we sauntered over to my grandparents' headstones. I recalled all the fun and fond memories I was privileged to have with them while I was a child. Just a few feet away from their headstone lies a small marble marker that bears the name of my one and only sister. I placed pink flowers on her grave and knelt somberly for a few moments. Janet was only one week old when she died of heart problems. She would have been three years older than me. As I have many times before while standing by her little grave, I threw out an inaudible question, "Why, God? Why did she have to die? I would have loved having a sister." I have tried to imagine what she would have looked like, what type of personality she would have had, if she and I would have resembled each other? What and where would her life have taken her? Would she have been as goofy as me? Would we have been close doing things together all through the years?

Only God knows. Mom told me years ago had Janet lived, doctors told her that more than likely she would have been very sick and possibly wheelchair bound. So, I guess I can be thankful that God took her home to spare her from a life of pain and limited abilities. Anyway, some day soon, the Lord will return and we will be reunited. Wow what a day that will be!

Many years ago, I was feeling a bit cheated for not having had a sister and was instead tossed in the middle of ten brothers. God in His sweet way reminded me that I had several wonderful sister-in-laws that are like real sisters to me. Each sister-in-law is special in her own way and I dearly love each one of them.

Sandwiched in between all of the above, it was especially fun to have our daughter, LaDawn, and our grandchildren, Dante' and Myanna, come home for the long weekend. We hadn't seen LaDawn since early January so it was a sweet coming together. Dante' and Myanna loved seeing all of their cousins and relatives. Of course, they also brought the "granddog" along with them. What a circus! Those three days went by only too quickly. Now...it's back to work!

I spent most of this morning calling friends and partners who are going through some deep heartbreaking valleys. The prayer requests span from a small boy diagnosed with leukemia, following up on a young lady who was in a car accident a few weeks ago, to a dear friend dying of cancer, and another friend who is going into the hospital to get a hole in his heart patched plus prayer for a precious sister-in-law who is battling cancer. It seems like almost everyone we talk to is facing some valley or trial in their lives. The bible encourages in James 5:16, "Pray for each other so that you may be healed". Each one of us at this very moment can name someone who is desperate for a touch from God. It is our privilege and duty to call or contact them so we might pray with them. They need to know someone cares for them. A card, letter, or phone call may be the very thing that will pull them through another painful day. Let me challenge you...after you finish reading this and God brings someone to your mind, take the time to contact them. You will be blessed! Have a great week!

Gloria

OUCH! Does your calendar look like ours? Yes, I am sure most of you can identify. I always plan my days but they never go as planned! HA!

Somehow through the years, I hoped that when I came off the road, I could just putz around doing just the things that I enjoy. My dream bubble burst however, when all of the "have-to's" escalated to the top of my to-do list successfully bumping my "want-to's" further and further down the list. Several years ago, I was kind of whining and expressing this disappointment to a friend. She tossed back her blonde hair, placed her hands on her hips, and sarcastically, yet humorously, said, "Why do you think you should be able to come home and do nothing when everyone I know including ME can't? We even live at home all the time!"

Wow! What a stern slap that was for me. I guess I needed to hear that realistically only a chosen few are afforded that luxury. In my mind, I thought that those who live at home day in and day out would be more organized than me allowing them to be caught up on their work so they would have an abundance of playtime. Was I ever wrong?! Now, the older I get, the longer it takes for me to get anything done. When I get up in the morning, my head says, "Let's go!" My hearts says, "Yeah...let's do it!" My body, on the other hand, often wants to reject both the head and the heart. HA! I like the old bumper sticker that says, "I owe, I owe so off to work I go."

A year ago, Larry and I marked our May 2007 calendar designating May 21-25 as a work week on the house. It is amazing to me that things fall apart even when we are gone. So, this week, we have six dear friends from Nebraska and Minnesota who set aside five days to come help us work and repair. The list for these five days includes: fix the leaky roof, tear down and replace the dissolving chimney, painting, bulldozing over half of our lawn to reroute the flow of water contributing to our water issues, tear out some bushes and a tree that were ruined by an ice storm a year ago. Well that about sums it up! Those tasks are what is on the slate for five days along with the urgents of the ministry.

Last night, after we came in, we were feeling our consecutive 13-hour days. We all collapsed as we sat around the table and agreed that we just aren't as young as we used to be. Much of the work done yesterday was done in drenching outbursts of rain and stifling heat. (The weather forecast predicted a few possible thundershowers.) At one point, during a heavy rain squall, I peered up on the roof and three of the men had made a tent out of heavy plastic holding it over the chimney opening. All I could see was Larry's backside protruding outside of the tent with rain literally running off it. Sorry, but I just laughed out of control because I thought it just couldn't happen to a nicer guy! Isn't it great how God allows us moments of laughter amidst detours in our planned schedules!

Right now, I am safely tucked away in my writing chair to compose this update. Out of the window, I can see all of the progress that has taken place up to this point. In all reality, it appears a demolition crew was just here with the way it is all tore up. Iit almost takes my breath away. My mother used to often say, "Missy, sometimes things have to look worse before they get better." It is really true in this case. At this stage, I have to encourage myself that this too shall pass. It will get better; I have full confidence in that fact. Believe me, it won't be done in five days but we will have accomplished a lot with the generous assistance of our wonderful friends.

Sometimes, spiritually speaking, our lives can be a lot like our house and lawn project. We float along in life without really realizing that things start falling apart. Our crisis comes along, sometimes gradually wearing things away, and other times WHAM! immediately everything falls apart whether it be our relationships, marriage, health, prodigal children, finances, etc.

We realize that in spite of the detours or destruction in our lives, we have to cry out to God for help. Sometimes when I first cry out, it seems like things get worse instead of better. It is then that God bids me, "Casting all your care upon Him" (1 Peter 5:7). I know He is my only source. At that moment, I can't look at the now, it's too devastating. I have to willfully submit it to God, pray and expect a miracle answer. It is hope in Him that gives me hope!

I don't know what you may be facing today. It may be nothing, but more than likely, it's a something! I encourage you now to give it to God. He's waiting to carry you through.

I pray you will have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and that you will thank God for the hope we have beyond this life.

Gloria

Another action-packed week is now history! It is so good to be home! We are busy, busy, busy but it is truly wonderful. We were tickled pink to have our two grandchildren, Dante' and Myanna, come and spend a week with Grandpa and Grandma while their mommy, LaDawn, took a long overdue getaway with her sister, LaShawn. They flew up to Toronto, Canada, to see their brother, Donovan, and LaShawn's fiancé, Liam, for six days. Even with their crazy schedules, we encourage the siblings to try and breakaway in order to spend a few days together a couple times a year. It's important for them to keep in touch! When they were younger going through their teen years, I encouraged them to concentrate on building bridges and close relationships with each other. I would tell them, "Just remember this, all your friends will come and go...but keep close to siblings because some day you will need each other...and that's when you want family there for you." There is nothing like a family bond to share in the good times and with which to tide the storms of life. Anyway, the kids called from Toronto and told us they had a wonderful time together. It was music to our ears!

Meanwhile back in South Dakota, we thoroughly enjoyed the grandkids...ohhhh...and the new grand-dog named Paris. (Can you imagine a black pug names Paris?-chuckle) She brought with her a whole new form of entertainment. Of course, I told the kids before they came, "The dog stays outside or in the entryway!" They just couldn't believe that Grandma could be so heartless not allowing the dog the rule of the house. I have been through that game twice before with my kids and it didn't work. HA! I do have to admit, however, the grand-dog stole our hearts as well.

We had a great Mother's Day weekend. I had the privilege of speaking on Mother's Day at our home church in Sisseton, SD, with Pastor Vern and Mary Donnell. We are so blessed to have a wonderful sweet-spirited pastor and wife who are great people of prayer and have a burden to reach the lost. We were especially honored to have my 91 ½ year old mother, Julie Brooks, there. I had the opportunity to publicly and personally honor her along with all mothers on that special day. It was indeed a precious time.

Just before I spoke, the church had a three generation family of four sing a song. It was so special! Julia Hills, (grandmother) 90 years old sang along with her daughter, Gloria Slaamot (secretary of our home church), and her two daughters, April and Holly. Grandma Hills still has a strong singing voice. WOW! She encouraged me to keep on singing! It was precious to see this three generation family singing together.

Gloria Slaamot shared the following: "First of all, I appreciate the graciousness of Gloria to allow us to sing our three generation trio that morning. Mom just turned 90 in April and I thought it would be fun to sing together on Mother's Day. I didn't want to get in the way of what Gloria had planned for that morning but when I called her, she was so very sweet and said it would be fine. Like Gloria said in the service, what a heritage some of us have in regards to having Godly mothers who helped us find our way to God. I love the fact that Gloria is so 'REAL', letting us know that she and Larry go through struggles, too, but with God's help, they make it encouraging us to do the same! They are always a blessing and we love them dearly!"

I missed not having my son and daughters with me for Mother's Day but I was so happy to have my grandkids and some of my family. After church, three of my brothers, along with Larry and I, grilled chicken and had all the yummy trimmings to go with it. To top off the day, Larry took Dante' and Myanna out to the Lundstrom farm to ride horses with our nephew, L. J. Lundstrom and little Zach. The kids were ecstatic!

Monday morning, Dante' and Myanna packed up all their stuff and we motored off to St. Cloud, MN, for the annual Larry Lundstrom Ministries board meeting. Afterwards, our friends, Doug and Deb Jones, took Dante', Myanna and the dog back to Apple Valley, MN, to see their mom. They were anxious to get back home to her.

Just before we left Sisseton on Monday morning, the grandkids took Paris outside for a walk on the lawn. Just than a Senior Community transit bus was coming down the hill by our house. Quicker than the blink of an eye, Paris lunged out of Dante's arms and ran after the bus. She took off like it was the Indy 500 race. In a panic, Dante' dashed after her tackling their dog before she got run over. A look of panic appeared on Dante's face as he tried to discipline her for taking off. He looked at me and said, "Oh, Grandma, Paris makes me so mad when she doesn't mind me. When I call her, she won't come." I chuckled, "I know the feeling. We went through that when you were a toddler."

Until a certain age and stage, a child has no fear which is why we, parents, have to discipline and teach them of the dangers in life. If we let them run wild not addressing the issues of life that God wants us to, they will be run over spiritually, emotionally and physically. John 10:10 says, "...the devil is out to kill, steal and destroy", and that means our families as well. God has given us a responsibility to raise our children and grandchildren in the fear and admonition of the Lord. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:24, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." God's intention and instruction to us as parents is to lead and instruct in order to save them from worse dangers and consequences due to their own free will resulting in eternal damnation.

Yes, we, parents and grandparents, have a great mission field and responsibility for this generation. It is Larry's and my prayer that we can have a godly influence on our children and grandchildren.

Well, it's time to run. Have a great week!

Gloria

It's official-we are now in our home state of South Dakota! What a good feeling...although I wondered for just a moment when we got caught in the path of torrential rains, flash floods and 30-50 mile per hour winds. There were 20 tornadoes that ripped through the state of South Dakota last weekend. I was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof! I'm not usually anxious but the wind was swooping-- lifting and shaking our motorcoach like it was cotton candy. This is the first storm we have experienced in nearly 40 years that had me totally unnerved. I think if Larry would have had a tranquilizer gun, he would have given me a big shot!

Just before the high winds set in last Thursday night, we pulled into Wagner, SD, to hold a weekend of services. On Thursday night, May 3^rd, we had the privilege of attending the National Day of Prayer meeting at the Wagner church. It was so refreshing to have so many various denominations represented in one sanctuary praying together for our country, leaders, schools, children, city officials, military and churches. Everyone dropped their denominational tags for a few hours and joined in one voice and one spirit to hit the throne room with prayer. To me, this was practicing heaven on earth.

On Friday night, we held a soulwinning service. Saturday morning, Larry spoke at a prayer breakfast. Saturday night, there was a youth rally with special guests. Sunday morning and evening we again held soulwinning rallies. It was thrilling to see many make decisions for Christ.

Pastor Hofer had this to say about the meetings: "What a refreshing time we had with Larry and Gloria. We saw that they have not left their calling in soulwinning. We had to set up chairs for the Sunday morning service with many making choices to follow after the Lord. Many first time commitments were made to the Lord. Larry has not lost his humor which is important in sharing the Gospel to show the Christian life can be full of joy. We were blessed by their servanthood at the youth night on Saturday. We had Angel Dean sing and Chad Moser speak. Larry did the altar call with ten people making commitments for Christ. What a great weekend!"

This was our second trip back to Wagner, South Dakota, to be with Pastor Glen Hofer and his precious wife, Selby. We were there five years ago for an outreach at the armory. One night during that outreach, the owner of Boom's Pizza and Family Restaurant came to Christ. He is a preacher's son who grew up in the church and on the pew. Somehow he had drifted away, but that night he felt the Spirit of God tugging at his heart's door. When Larry gave the invitation, Scott Aldering stepped forward, along with his daughter, and made peace with God.

Last Sunday night, we asked Scott to share his testimony and he joyfully exclaimed, "My wife gave her heart to Christ this morning!" He was beaming from ear to ear. Scott is turned on for Christ and is active in many areas of the church as well as in the Wagner community. It is always a joy to watch converts grow in Christ and then lead others to Christ.

There were so many outstanding Christians at the weekend outreach. Two of them that really caught our attention helped Larry load out our equipment. If anyone was having a bad day or was discouraged, all they would have to do is meet Jason Pearson and Jim Meyer because Christ absolutely pours out of them to all they meet. They were a real inspiration to us and to others.

After our Sunday night service, we packed up and made our way towards Sisseton by way of Brookings, SD, for dental check ups. Larry had three fillings....oooohhhh...his sweet tooth got to him! We then went on to home. We pulled into Sisseton just before sunset. The rays of the sun were golden and everything looked like a picture. We drove up to our house, and we saw that the leaves on the trees had just unfurled. The grass was so green it looked like a carpet, and one tree was exploding with the most beautiful fragrant blossoms. I jumped out of the motorcoach and sighed, "Yeah...now this is what I have been waiting to see." When we left in January, there was blowing snow and arctic cold temperatures, so coming home to sunshine and blossoms was a very sweet welcome. After Larry and I unloaded stuff, stuff and more stuff into the house, we nestled into our favorite chairs for a cup of coffee. Larry looked at me and said, "Do you realize this is our 63^rd and 64^th summer season that we have been blessed to see?" He continued, "I can hardly believe the years have flown by so quickly. If God continues to bless us and allows us to live until we are 83 and 84, that is only twenty more trips back home." WOW...that hit!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven; a time to be born and a time to die." The verse, a time to be born and a time to die, is a span of time that I call the dash in life. None of us know the days that God has numbered for us, but we do know that we have a say of what we do with that allotment of time.

Larry and I have chosen to spend 42 seasons, all four seasons of the 42 years, together to travel and win as many people to Christ as we can. If we are faithful to go, He is faithful to draw and save the Lost. We are trying to use our dash in life to enlarge the Kingdom.

Speaking of using the dash effectively in life, my mother, Julie Brooks, 91 ½ years old, has and is using her dash to pray, guide and lead her large family of over 100 in the things of the Lord. She has dedicated a lot of her seasons of life to pray and intercede for her children, their mates, grandchildren and great grandchildren. This weekend, I have the privilege to share a Mother's Day message at my home church to honor my mother and all the other mothers. If you would like to read a special Mother's Day message, click here...

On this coming Sunday, Mother's Day, be sure to take this opportunity to call your mother or better yet, go and see her taking her out for a dinner and drive if you are able. Let her know that she is loved, thought of and appreciated...not just on Mother's Day but every day! Tell her you love her! Those are healing words to mothers. You never know how long you have her so don't miss the opportunity. May God bless you and give you a wonderful week.

Gloria

Greetings from the road! We are en route from Missouri to Wagner, South Dakota, which is located in the southeastern part of the state. We are getting closer to home! Someone asked me last week why we were gone for so long (referring to this four month tour). I looked at them seriously and quipped, "The older we get, the longer it takes us to find our way home." Our daughter, LaDawn, called a few days ago and exclaimed, "Okay, you two...the snow is gone, the spring flowers are up, the grass is turning green--now get home! You've been gone way too long!" "I agree...it's time to come home, " I assured her.

In the past two weeks, we have driven through different areas of Missouri. Much of the state is coming alive with spring flowers. The rolling hills are peppered with cattle and new baby calves. Larry gets very nostalgic during this time of year. Growing up on the farm as a lad, he loved the calving time in the spring. Several times, he had to pull over and I would watch as he would nestle up to the fence observing the new baby calves bouncing across the field.

Speaking of nostalgic...on our journey, our eyes beheld the sight of an old yellow  1965. Of course, our bus wasn't that new, ours was a 1948 model built in Laudinville, Ohio. Larry, his brother, Lowell, and wife, Connie, found it in California and purchased it for the grand price of $1500. The proper name for is was Flexible. That particular bus was used by the state of California. They would take it to disaster scenes and set up office in it. Thinking back to all the experiences we had in that old bus, we definitely paid about $1400 too much for it! HA!

We, the Lundstrom Team, had to live up to the name written on the front-FLEXIBLE! It didn't have air conditioning, nearly no heat, no refrigerator or bathroom. When it rained outside, it also rained inside. When it snowed and the winds blew, the snow filtered in through the emergency door and would create a tidy 3-6 inch snow drift on the foot of our bed. I would have to put our daughter, LaShawn, in her snowsuit when I put her to bed to keep her warm. I cringe every time I think about it! There were four adults and two children living in that blue and white wonder bus. We always wondered if we would make it to the next destination without a major breakdown. That old bucket of bolts broke down almost every trip. Larry had repairs down to a science! He could drop the transmission out and shove it back in within a ½ hour. Why? Because he had to!

As Larry and I walked around that old yellow bus, memories flooded our minds as we reminisced how our lives were way back then! Thank God we survived, and God continued to bless so we could get better means of travel through the years.

I truly believe we don't always appreciate the good things and the good times in life until we experience the bad times. Those days of primitive living on the road taught me to lean heavily on the scriptures in Philippians 4:12-13, (TLB) "I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be on a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want; for I can do everything God asks me to do with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power."

Oftentimes when I think back to the early days of ministry, I can't help but question myself, "How did I do it?" The answer always resounds, "Whatever God calls you to do, He will equip you to do it." God often puts a veil over our eyes for the future so we live only day by day. God knew that if we could see all the trials and valleys that we would encounter, we would all be in a mental institution. Mentally and emotionally we just could not handle it.

The other great lesson I have learned in life on the road, is to be thankful and grateful at all times. That's not always easy but it works. The scripture says, "In everything give thanks". If you can give God thanks in everything, even though you don't always understand it, you will always have something to give thanks for.

Here we are at the threshold of a new month already. I pray that each day you will give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good!

Gloria

Greetings from the road! It seems like I just wrote the "On The Road" update for last week and it's already time to write another. We had another action-packed week. We were in the Nashville, TN, area for a few days and then began our trek from Nashville through St. Louis, Missouri, and up to Carthage, Missouri, for weekend ministry. It was our first opportunity to minister at Carthage First Assembly of God with Pastor Larry and Donna Graham and prayerfully it won't be the last time. They are such sweet spirited pastors.

Right after we met at the church, Pastor Graham informed us that he remembered us from ministering at Central Assembly in Springfield, MO, in 1972 at a youth rally. He said, "I still remember Larry playing the big, upright bass. Wow, that was a long time ago." Pastor Larry smiled and gently said, "I was just a young man at the time and you were still with Lowell and Connie Lundstrom ministering together as two couples. You left a great impact on my life."

One of the greatest thrills for Larry and I is to see the children and teens who attended our rallies years ago now pastoring churches. What a great reward! You and I will never know how many lives we will impact in our lifetime.

We had a precious Sunday morning service at First Assembly. Several prodigals found their way back home to Jesus. Those tears of repentance and joy give us mileage to keep pushing on.

Pastor Graham shared the following: "It was a joy to once again hear the Lundstroms share their testimony and sing. I first heard them 30 years ago in a youth convention in Springfield, MO. They continue to have the same zeal and passion for the Lost. It was wonderful to share fellowship with this awesome couple."

We were honored to have several friends that we have known in the past attend the morning worship service.  What a surprise and joy to look out over the congregation on Sunday morning and see Carolyn Johnson, one of the board members of Larry Lundstrom Ministries sitting out there.

They shared the following comments with us: "We thoroughly enjoyed your ministry at First Assembly in Carthage, MO. Your passion for souls was evident through your uplifting music, ministry and altar service. Your smiles, love for the Lord, and for each other have remained genuine throughout the years. We left the service feeling revived and with a stronger desire to always have a happy spirit and a passion for souls."

Jerry and Helen have a special place in our hearts as they were there for us when we were going through a dark valley in our lives. In 1979, Larry was diagnosed with a rare pinborg tumor in the right side of his mouth along the gum line. I'll never forget the horror that hit me when Dr. Waite of the University of Minnesota Hospital invited me into his office and announced, "Gloria, this is a rare cancerous tumor. We are going to do our best to remove it, but I can't promise you any good news. We'll have to remove some gum line and jaw bone more than likely. We will have to use bone from the hip to rebuild it." He added, "There is a good chance your husband won't be able to speak plain or sing again. He will probably drool the rest of his life."

Those words pierced my heart and sent fear racing through my body. At the time, our daughters were 12 and 8 and our son was 2 years old. The fear of the unknown almost crippled me. Reality hit me---if Larry couldn't sing or speak more than likely his ministry would be down the drain. What would we do? Where would we go? How would we make it financially? All these questions and more crowded my mind. In the midst of making preparations for surgery, Pastor Jerry and Helen McClure quickly offered to take our children to their home in the Minneapolis, MN, area while Larry underwent surgery in order that we could all be close to him. We are forever grateful for their kindness. Oh yes...just before Larry's cancer surgery the doctor added, "This tumor is not far from the brain so we could lose him!" What an encouraging statement to this already stressed out, fear-filled wife. Was I going to become a widow with three small children? Only moments in the operating room would tell...

Space and time doesn't permit me to tell the whole story. So as Paul Harvey would say, "And now the rest of the story..." Email me and I will send you a copy of Larry's cancer testimony entitled, Rendezvous with Victory. You'll cry, you'll laugh and you will rejoice with us through this thrilling story. Read it and share it with a friend who needs encouragement.

Reflecting back to that time in our lives the following scriptures were my refuge.

Isaiah 41:10, "Fear though not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

And also Isaiah 43:2-3, "For I am the Lord thy God.....For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel, thy Savior."

I literally inhaled and exhaled those verses to keep me going. If you are facing a valley or trial in your life, hold onto those verses. Also please request Larry's testimony, Rendezvous with Victory; it will lift you up.

May the Lord bless and keep you. Have a great week!

After a church service on Sunday morning, a young boy suddenly announced to his mother, "Mom, I decided to become a minister when I grow up."

"That's okay with us, but what made you decide that?"

"Well," said the little boy, "I have to go to church on Sunday anyway, and I figured it would be more fun to stand up and yell, than to sit and listen."

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

"True faith goes into operation when there are no answers."

-Elizabeth Elliot

 

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PIC OF THE WEEK

 

 

Tractors of the past! 

 

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

 

Here's a Missouri specialty!

 

Broccoli Corn Bread

2 sticks butter

1 tsp dried or fresh onion (optional)

2-81/2 oz boxes corn muffin mix

4 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1-10 box frozen chopped broccoli

Melt butter in 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix all ingredients together. Spoon mixture into pan with melted butter. Bake according to instructions on corn muffin box. May need to bake a little longer.

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HOUSEHOLD HINT OF THE WEEK

 

A cure for headache!

 

Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

Greetings from Nashville, TN, or otherwise known as Music City USA!

It is finally a beautiful day-like it should be this time of year in Tennessee. The Nor'easter has finally pushed off the East Coast leaving remnants of winter's (hopefully) last blast!

As I sit here looking out the window, I see a robin gleefully bouncing around picking twigs and blades of grass-- I imagine to build her nest. I am sure the robin is thankful for all this rain we've had as it makes it easier for her to pull those worms out of the ground. It is so fun to watch them at work. The birds are singing and as I said before, it is just a beautiful day.

On the other hand, our hearts go out to the 33 families in Virginia Tech whose loved ones were murdered just to satisfy one young man's anger and revenge. Life's plan is that when a mother gives birth to her newborn cradling and coddling him or her in her arms, she plans and delights to see him or her grow up, attend college, get married and have children. That's the plan! To have her child's life cut short by this young man who couldn't deal with his anger...how sad and senseless a tragedy. The Bible talks about perilous times in 2 Timothy 4. My interpretation for that word would be "dangerous" times. All one must do is watch the news or read the newspapers that are filled with mayhem, tragedies, and senseless killings. To me, they definitely describe perilous times. We need to continue to pray for all of the families who lost their loves ones, as well as, for those who were injured. There will definitely be much healing to go through.

Now, on to happier news...last week we traveled from Mississippi, through Alabama and onto Nashville, Tennessee. En route, we stopped in Birmingham, AL, to see our friends, Bill and Joyce Simmons, former employees of Lundstrom Ministries. It was fun seeing them again. Years ago, Bill and Joyce, and their three sons lived with us in our old bus along with Larry and I and our three children for several years. Imagine...two families which consisted of two couples and six children living in a 40 foot long, 8 foot wide bus. In the natural, that is not easy, but we were best friends. Bill is now working with a large church in Birmingham, AL, and Joyce is a conference speaker. Each month, you can see Joyce's financial article on page 4 of our newsletter and under the Family Matters-Financial Words to the Wise-section of our website. Even though, we hadn't seen them for over 2 ½ years, as soon as we connected, it was as if we were never apart. We just picked up from where we had left off and went on from there. That is what true friendship is about!

We then proceeded up to Nashville. Two of our children, LaShawn and Donovan, make their residence in Nashville but are away most of the time traveling due to their jobs. It just so happened that they were both home this week. Were we ever thrilled! I had sent them Easter cards and told them if they were going to be home when we came through Nashville, I would fix them a belated Easter dinner. They quickly responded they would be home and requested a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. I spent all Monday preparing the meal and goodies. What fun! We laughed, told stories on each other, and of course, they always have stories they tell on Mom and Dad. We laughed until our sides hurt. There is just nothing like family! I sure miss my children when we are gone. Next month we will be able to see LaDawn and the grandkids...we are looking forward to that.

I want to thank each one of you who have e-mailed and have written to us telling us how you have enjoyed the website. We appreciate the hundreds of you who join with us weekly following us "on the road".

We wanted to leave you with a comment from New Orleans where we ministered on Easter Sunday:

"When the Lundstrom bus pulls up, it is as though an extraordinary supply of love is entering the premises. Larry and Gloria are 'family' to us...they have proven themselves to be loyal and faithful to our church and we love them beyond measure. Their ministry brings the presence of the Spirit in abundant measure and blessed all of those present with a message that bids, 'Come, today is the day you will receive salvation, healing, emotional stability or whatever you desire of the Lord."

Today, we are driving towards Carthage, Missouri, for a service this weekend. We appreciate your prayers as we travel and also request prayers for sustained health. We will talk to you next week!

The Assistant Pastor was filling in for the Children Church leader one Sunday in autumn. To get the children's attention, he began with a riddle, "What climbs trees, collects nuts for winter, and has a bushy tail?"

In the front row a hand shot up. "I know the answer is supposed to be Jesus," the youngster said, "But it sounds more like a squirrel to me."

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

"All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself.

It's what you do for others."

-Danny Thomas

 

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PIC OF THE WEEK

 

 

How about this bike...wouldn't you be interested in meeting or seeing the owner?

 

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

 

Tell Your Neighbor Cake

1 package cake mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 package INSTANT pudding mix

1 cup water

 

Mix and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

 

FROSTING:

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

4 Tbsp flour

 

Mix the above and cook until thick. Then add ½ cup butter or margarine and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat well and put on cake.

 

The following are some good combinations....

White cake mix with lemon, coconut or chocolate pudding.

Yellow cake mix with pineapple, lemon or butterscotch pudding.

Devil's food case mix with coconut cream, chocolate or vanilla pudding.

Use your own imagination to make a unique creation!

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HOUSEHOLD HINT OF THE WEEK

How to Remove Melted Wax

Candlelight is romantic but there's nothing lovely about prying or scraping melted votives out of their holders. Instead, place the glass holders in the freezer for a few hours; the wax should shrink just enough to pop out.

Greetings from New Orleans, LA! We were here 2 years ago and oh my...you wouldn't recognize it since Hurricane Katrina. I'll share more about it next week, along with some photos. Since last week we drove from Fort Myers, FL up to Georgia and on to Mississippi...and then back to New Orleans. I can definitely feel all those miles on my body today. I told Larry that I'm declaring a day of rest tomorrow to unwind. We really haven't had a free day since the second week of January. I will call it the "National Norwegian Holiday"- HA! Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." I need to be still long enough to catch my breath so I can feel the presence of God and hear His voice above the clatter of this busy life.

I didn't have time last week to tell you about our rally in Thomasville, GA. Long time friends of Larry's, since before he got married, pastor New Heights Assembly of God in Thomasville...Pastor Bob and Mona Smith. We knew when we scheduled this service that it would be hard as we are not known in that area. It's hard enough to get people to come out when you are known; and with all the things going on in everybody's lives it makes it even more of a challenge for attendance. Of course, God always brings them in! Larry encouraged Pastor Bob and Mona Smith to take a risk and schedule a service at the Holiday Inn conference room. We pulled into Thomasville on Thursday, set up our equipment in the conference room and prayed, "Lord you have to bring them in from somewhere." We knew it was going to be a small crowd, but intently prayed that souls would be saved that night. About 60-75 people turned out and each one came with an open and hungry heart. We had a wonderful time with the people. When Larry gave the altar call, about 1/3 of them responded to pray the sinner's prayer. Most of them were first time commitments. After the service was over Larry was visiting with a couple in the hallway and a precious little girl, Renee, approached me and in her darling accent said, "I couldn't find pastor Larry", then tears filled her eyes and she continued, "tell him thank you for saving my daddy." Her tears turned into smiles and she said, "I've been praying for daddy for 2 ½ years." I almost crumbled in tears and joy. I cuddled her up to me in a hug and said, "Let's go find Larry so you can tell him for yourself." When we reached Larry, she looked up at that 6 foot 3 inch frame with a smile on her face I'll never forget and again explained, "Thank you for saving my daddy...". I'm always amazed at God's timing. Renee and her parents were visiting from Hartford and are planning on moving to Thomasville to begin a business. God knew all along their schedule and our schedule, but most of all God had His divine timing for her daddy to receive Christ. Isn't that just like the Lord? Thank you pastor Bob and Mona for taking a risk to bring us into that conference room. Many came to Christ because you cared enough to go the extra mile. After the service pastor Bob and Mona invited us over to their home for a delicious taco feed- mmm...yummy!

That same night in Thomasville, long time friends Fred and Ada Knauf from Escanaba, MI were there. They called us from Michigan and told us they saw we were going to be in Georgia on that Thursday night and that they were leaving on vacation and wanted to take in our service that night. Back in 1973, the Lowell Lundstrom Ministry team was holding a city-wide crusade in Escanaba, MI. Fred and Ada love country music and heard there was going to be a "concert" at the school. They said, "We came for a country music concert, but we left with much more. We loved the groups' gospel country music, and when Lowell preached a simple message we felt God tugging at our hearts. We worked very hard at being good people, but we realized that night that being good doesn't get you into Heaven...it's not through our good works...it's only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, and rose from the dead that we might live forever." John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." Since that night in 1973, Fred and Ada's lives and marriage have totally changed. Some 34 years later they still look fantastic and just bubble with the love of God. By the way, Ada helped take care of our daughters, who were 2 and 6 years old during the time of these services. It was such a blessing to us.

Last Friday morning, we were packing our coach and getting ready to leave Escatawpa, MS and head to New Orleans, LA. It was a hot, humid day and wouldn't you know the freon went out of our air conditioner. Of course, no A/C in a bus would make you feel like you're in a sardine can. Larry called around the small community and found Jimmy who had some freon we could buy to put in...the only snag was that Larry had to be over there within 30-45 minutes as Jimmy was leaving town. Larry hustled and got the bus going, unplugged the electrical hook-up, went to the back of the bus to make sure everything was okay, walked back up to me and groaned, "We've got a flat tire on the back dual." I said, "You're kidding." I walked back, and sure enough, he was not kidding. It was flat as a pancake. Now he was in a time squeeze. We had to get across town to get air in the tire before he could get freon in the A/C... the clock is ticking! He got the coach to the nearest gas station, quickly aired the tire up and scurried over to Jimmy's just in time to get the freon. He rushed back to the station to have the tire checked again, and they told us, "You just need to drive it a ways, about 30 miles, check the air pressure in the tires, then we will know how good or bad it is." Yeh, yeh, yeh, like we want to be on the busy interstate on a Friday afternoon testing out the tires. We drove about 30 miles, stopped and checked the tire, which appeared to be okay. We got about another 10 miles down the road and all of a sudden I said, "Larry, I forgot an important piece of equipment we need for our church service in New Orleans." He looks at me like, "You're kidding right?" I groaned, "No." He prides himself on the fact that I am so efficient in covering the details with packing. He looked at me with that "please tell me your kidding" look. Again I moaned, "No, I'm so sorry, I had so many last minute details...I left it where I wouldn't forget it." Somehow that confession didn't help soften the blow. By the way, we were trying to beat a huge, severe thunderstorm moving in from Texas that had already dumped 6 inches of rain in that state. Now that storm was nipping at our heels a few miles back. The fun and games began! We pulled off an exit ramp in the middle of nowhereville in MS, and see a cement slab and gas pumps that had been leveled by Katrina. We pulled in to park thinking, "This is perfect, we're in no one's way. We'll quickly unhitch the Suburban from the coach, drive back the 38 miles one-way (ugh!) and get that essential piece of equipment I left behind." We hoped we could still stay ahead of the impending storm. Larry ran over and talked to a man from a FEMA building next door to make sure it was okay to park there. The man said, "Oh no, the owner of that slab is a grumpy old man and anytime anyone parks there he calls a tow truck and has it hauled off." Ya, I know that's utterly ridiculous, but with everything else seemingly going wrong that day, we didn't need to come back and find our coach gone. We found another place nearby, unhitched, made the 80 mile round trip with me feeling horrible and repeating that I was sorry. Larry with his calm and positive demeanor said, "Honey, it's not a tragedy, just an inconvenience." Then he added, "Who knows why all this happened? Maybe God spared us from an accident or something else. It's okay; let's go." Thank God for an understanding husband. We finally pulled into New Orleans about 10:30 pm, rather than the planned 2:00 pm. While Larry was unloading the equipment from the Suburban to the coach the storm hit. A wall of rain soaked him. I had a hard time keeping from laughing as it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. We finally got settled in to go to bed about 2:00 am.

Anyway...and how was your day? Ha! In all of the above, we just kept thanking the Lord that all of this was just a minor inconvenience. The Bible says in Psalm 91, "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Aren't you thankful for the faithfulness of God? In this Easter week, we pray that you will feel the presence of the Living Christ. Why not invite someone who doesn't know Christ to go to church with you on Easter Sunday? This could be their moment of salvation. Happy Easter!

Gloria

You live in the Midwest when...

1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.

2. You're idea of a traffic jam is 10 cars waiting to pass a tractor.

3. You have had to switch from heat to A/C on the same day.

I know because that's where I'm from!

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 

"You had better make up your mind to accept what you cannot alter. You can live a beautiful life in the midst of your present circumstances."

- J.R. Miller

 

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PIC OF THE WEEK

 

 

Wow, what a week! The fuel pump went out on the car.

We took it to the car doctor and the bill was $656- ouch!

 

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

 

Apple, Carrot & Raisin Salad- Here's a recipe to accent your Easter dinner.

 

2 cups shredded carrots              1/4 cup apple juice, concentrate

1 apple, peeled and shredded     1 tsp. Lemon juice

2 apples, unpeeled and diced      3/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup mayonnaise                    1 Tbsp. honey

Mix ingredients all together. Cover and chill well until serving. Stir well before serving.

 

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FOOD FACT OF THE WEEK

 

What is the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh?

 

Lettuce.

What a whirlwind week it has been! The weekend of March 18th we ministered in Picayune, MS. Then we drove our coach and towed our 10,000 pound suburban heading for Thomasville, GA where we were scheduled for a service on Thursday night. We were only a few miles down the road when we heard a "clunk" and it felt like we hit a wall. Thank the Lord there was a place to pull off, which is not always the case in this country. We had just crossed over a long bridge and were thankful that it didn't happen while we were crossing that. Larry...my husband, preacher, provider, and mechanic...hastily exited the coach and ran back to see what had happened. The cross pin that holds the hitch into the receiver of the coach either broke off or fell out. That is very easy to understand as everything and every road in Katrina country is under construction. It may have broken off due to all the bumps in the road. Larry slid under the back-end of the rig and worked furiously for about an hour trying to repair it. What he didn't know was that he wasn't under there alone. Larry was lying on a hill of fire ants! He was so intent in his repairs that he was oblivious to them crawling on him.

He finally got the hitch repaired, slid out from under the coach, washed his hands and started driving again. Soon he started to scratch and scratch. In a few moments both arms were covered with welts...then sores. Then he scratched. Then they bled. Poor Larry! It has been 9 days since it happened and it still looks like he has a severe case of chicken pox. Since the weather is so hot here it only makes sense that he is wearing short-sleeved shirts. When we pulled into Thomasville, GA Pastor Bob Smith's wife, Mona met us at Applebee's for lunch. She looked across the table at Larry and his arms. Her pupils were as big as silver dollars as she squealed, "Larry, what is that?!" I quickly assured her that is wasn't chicken pox and that it wasn't contagious. After I told her about the fire ants she said in her southern accent, "Fire ants are awful. They crawl on you and then they all bite you at the same time." I guess so! The funny thing about this is that waitresses, strangers and people in the restaurants definitely kept a safe distance from him. Now I know how to get some private, uninterrupted time...place Larry in a fire ant pile! HA! Sorry...I know that's really not funny...but...it is!

That Thursday night we ministered in Thomasville, GA at the Holiday Inn. I'll tell you more about that exciting rally next week. From Thomasville, GA we packed up our sound system and everything we needed into our suburban and headed off for Miami, FL. It was nearly an 800 mile run. Needless to say, that trip required several coffee stops...and restroom stops. Sunday we ministered at both of the morning services and also the evening service at Central Bible Church in Miami. What a wonderful group of people, pastors and staff! The Senior Pastor, David Stocker was away at his son's college graduation into the ministry. The pastoral care pastor and his wife, Bill and Cecilia Thornton graciously hosted us for the weekend. What a precious couple. Their enthusiasm and dedication for Jesus shines forth. Last August, Larry and I had the opportunity to visit Central Bible Church and were so blessed by the worship and were fed the word so richly by Pastor David Stocker. After the good service that morning Larry and I commented, "I'd love to go back there and minister someday." We felt an instant bond with the pastor and church. Well, long story short...Pastor Stocker called us a few months ago and invited us to minister there last Sunday.

The worship time was beautiful and God moved in such a sweet way on lives and dozens responded to the altar call.  Associate pastor Thornton stated, "This was the first time Larry and Gloria Lundstrom ministered at our church, and I must say they have an excellent ministry. Their music and songs are anointed by His Holy Spirit. Larry's preaching is anointed by His Holy Spirit, and his message is all about Salvation. We had several people saved and many rededicated their lives to our Lord. God has blessed them with many testimonies during their life. It was a pleasure as well as a blessing to have them at our church. And the people loved Larry's wit and humor. We continue praying for their ministry."  His wife, Cecelia also shared, "We were able to visit with Larry and Gloria after the services and found them to be as warm and dedicated as they were on the platform. Their ministry was a blessing to us. Larry and Gloria don't seem to meet any strangers outside the church, they were a blessing even as we enjoyed lunch together."  They were such a blessing to Larry and I too.  Another blessing was a man named Martin Pino, who headed up the counseling. What an energetic and enthusiastic worker for God!  He commented, "It was awesome seeing how powerful the Lord moved through Larry and Gloria's ministry. I thank God for allowing me to be a part of the counseling team. Most of all I thank God for the many that got saved, restored and encouraged through their ministry. Thank you, Larry and Gloria. Please come back and minister to us again."  We loved seeing couples and families making decisions for Christ. This was just one of the couples who made a commitment to follow Christ.  I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to pray with many hurting people. 

Another brother in Christ we got to meet was Jeff Jennings.  He is the Student Ministries pastor and was doing group counseling in the counseling room.  All in all it was an awesome weekend of ministry and we are anxious to go back to Miami to minister with Pastor David and Mrs. Stocker.

I was reliving the above story and was readily reminded how the devil entices us with something or some things that sound so tempting or inviting. Unfortunately, often behind the temptation is the unseen and unknown that pull us into spiritual complacency, addictions to alcohol, drugs, adultery, gambling, excessive spending, etc...and like those alligators, seemingly resting in the sun, looking so docile and harmless, the devil will be waiting for us to give into temptation and will come after us as his prey to consume us. But I love what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (NIV) God promises that whatever temptation comes our way, if we will call on the Lord, He is able to deliver us or to help us bear it. Isn't God good! Well it's time to run. Until next time, have a great week!

Gloria