Hard Ground, Star Cacti Swim, Expensive Crater

200 miles prior to Grand Canyon, AZ, in the middle of the Mojave, we stayed at a camp ground. We pulled in at 7:30 pm. It was 100 degrees. It was hard to do anything. The tent took a long time to put up. The ground was so hard the stakes broke after getting past the first inch. Ephraim's rope and knot skills really came in handy! Even a simple dinner of lettuce leaves and yoghurt seemed difficult. Finally around 9:30 or 10pm we went swimming. We swam under the stars. We could see the cacti around the perimeter of the pool. By 10pm the temperature was 95 degrees and by sunrise it was 90 and rising. All night we lay in our underwear on our bags on top of that hot sand. The windows in the tent were open and we didn't care. It's good, I think, to be humbled by circumstances. Women need that and are saved through childbirth.

We were irritated at the Grand Canyon. I certainly was an incredible sight. You really cant imagine the depth and breadth of it without seeing it firsthand. This glorious handiwork of God should point to the Creator not man. The government is using it instead as a platform to 'educate the public' on human evolution. They seem to want to glorify the authority of government and the need for public education and eliminate any need for a God.

Yesterday we tried to look at a giant hole made by a meteor when it hit the earth. You have to drive several miles to find out that it's fenced off and costs $15 per person to see it. We plan to see the petrified forest this morning.

We are more excited than ever to raise up children that know God's word and abide in Christ. This world is so desperately in need of Godly men and women!

We love all of you. We begin to long to see our Wisconsin house. The other time we traveled to a new house I had not seen it. Leon gave it to me. This time neither one of us has seen it. God is giving it to us; to use for a time. We hope for a long time.