Pictorial Recollections (December 2012)

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Garms Family

The Garms Family blogger was slow to post this picture post of memories from December, but enjoy the photos anyway!

Also, thank you to everyone who submitted captions for this silly photo! To read all the captions, click here, and check out the winning one below!

“Was that Scott Fowler who just walked by?” (Caption submitted by Daniel Mount)

The 2013 concert season kicks off next week at First Baptist Church in Baxter, MN, so be sure to visit our calendar to see when we’ll be in your area!

: Sam and his new friend, the top of the Christmas tree. :)

: It happens every year: One string of lights just has to go out!

: Caleb pauses to smile during soundcheck. (Emmanuel Baptist, Mora)

: Sam rings – being goofy – a bell to collect more enewsletter sign-ups. (Emmanuel Baptist, Mora)

: Mom at the keys and Sam on the drums – great back-up! (Emmanuel Baptist)

: Leesha, Jayme, and Caleb – our “Powerhouses” – warm-up with “I’m Glad I Know Who Jesus Is”.

: Jayme and Leesha during soundcheck. (Emmanuel Baptist)

: A small portion of the crowd at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Mora, MN on 12/7/12.

: We saw Dr. Jeffrey Burkhart – a fabulous organ/piano player and Dad’s former college professor – in concert; here Dad and he catch up after many years.

: The Garms Family and Dr. Jeffrey Burkhart

: Shoveling! (What else would one be doing in Minnesota?)

: We were able to visit our special 100 year old Great-Grandma! Here Dad sings her confirmation hymn to her in German.

: Our passionate lead singer, Leesha, at Elmhurst Commons, 12/17/12

: Sing it! (Elmhurst Commons)

: The band. (Elmhurst Commons)

: Our beautiful, wonderful mother. (Elmhurst Commons)

: Our dear friend Mal came to see us sing at Elmhurst Commons – the first time he’s ever heard us in public!

: Dad and Mom talking with Pastor Anderson before we sang at our home church for Christmas Eve.

: Who knows? :) (Christmas Eve)

: “Turn that knob a hair to the left…no, the right!” Dad and Ben discussing sound at church.

: The Garms Family – Christmas Eve 2012

Hello May, Goodbye April!

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Garms Family

Hello Friends!

May has speedily come upon us and Jayme says it has come in like a lion, given the storms we experienced in our area the past two days. Last evening around 2:40 a.m., all of us except Caleb woke to huge crashes of thunder and continuous lightening. We were racing about to close windows, mopping puddles of water, and watching the intense storm from behind rain-streaked glass. Then we all went back to bed to rise again in the 5 o’ clock hour to attend a National Day of Prayer breakfast at 6:30 a.m. :)

Our concert season has launched fully now! We had three concerts in April, and the first at Open Range Cowboy Church in Isanti, MN on April 15th. It was great to start up again at a familiar place with familiar faces! Pastor Joe and Linda are great to talk with and we appreciate their hearts for the Lord.

Setting up on Saturday before the Sunday service at Cowboy Church.

The most unusual place for Sam to set-up his drums – behind the baptismal tub!

We all agree this is the most unique use for a Great Adventure Gospel Band CD. :)

Next, on Wednesday, April 26th, we traveled to Edina, MN and sang for the Edynamoes! We had a lot of fun making new friends and having our Grandma Garms in the audience, as well as a couple we’ve met at several concerts. While the Edynamoes had their meeting, we hung out in a separate room and enjoyed going through a few of our songs in a very impromptu practice session. :) Special thanks to Carol for being so accommodating and kind to us!

Leesha, Jayme, and Caleb watching Ben closely.

Ben. Don’t ask me why he was so interesting. :)

Christ Presbyterian Church; it was actually styled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

After the concert, we rested in the garden for a while, enjoying the beautiful day.

No comment. :)

This Sunday we had a fabulous time with the folks up at Barnum United Methodist Church in Barnum, MN. We had never sung in Barnum, though we had often passed it on the way to Moose Lake and Duluth, so we liked seeing a new Minnesota town. Pastor Gary and the congregation were so fun to spend our morning with and, while I did not take any pictures, I edited some videos from the service for y’all to enjoy:

Out of His Great Love

I’m Feeling Fine

Mountain with His Hand

May you have a wonderful, God-blessed weekend! We are excited to see the Ball Brothers in concert (Lord-willing) Sunday evening and then are looking forward to our next concert on the 15th at Camp Lebanon, MN. Hope to see you along the journey soon!

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!

Taylor for TGF

After Extended Silence…

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Garms Family

Hello Friends!

As you have probably noticed, our family’s blog has been relatively silent – word-and-update-wise – though we have posted quite a few videos as of late. This is mostly due to my negligence and striving to limit my computer time. Apologies!

The Garms family has been happily enjoying life as family. The days are filled with unexpected adventures and daily lessons, and we continue to travel day by day the journey God has placed before us.

Some of you might know that our friend Mal fell last week after coming home from a doctor’s appointment. He has been steadily weakening, and the fall was inevitable as his shakiness has increased quickly over the past few months. He had decided to cease the weekly Walmart trip several weeks ago because of the difficulty and weariness of walking.

Mal actually had a good appointment on Thursday and allowed Mom and I to push him in a wheelchair to the various parts of the clinic. When we returned from the trip, he was worn out and walked unsteadily into the hallway to his room. On the threshold of the door between the main part of the house and Mal’s room, his foot caught and – boom, BOOM! -down he went. Dad and Jayme both saw the fall and Dad quickly raced to assist him. I had just been debating about whether or not I should continue walking with him to his room, and was horrified to hear the crash.

After landing squarely on the floor, God spared Mal from any broken bones and major injury. He only experience minor bruising on his nose, a cut on his forehead, a hurt finger, and soreness. Just minutes before, I had been praying for God to put a bubble of protection around him, and God certainly did that! Praise the Lord!

We are firmly in the midst of “birthday season” now, with Ben’s 21st birthday speedily approaching and Sam’s 12th birthday yesterday. How the time flies…

2012 marks the 10th anniversary of our “Great Adventure”! If you’ve never read the (simplified) story, check out this link. We have begun to watch footage from that special season of our lives and have been finding “memorabilia” (like the Olympic torch drawings and the subsequent letter from Dr. James Dobson, but that’s part of the story that isn’t mentioned in the “simplified” version you’ll read online!). What amazing memories! It is so wonderful to see the hand of God so intricately involved in our lives.

The calls are beginning to come in for 2012 and our concert schedule is beginning to fill up. If you’d like Great Adventure Gospel Band to come to your church or event, get in contact with us; we’d love to talk with you! We are looking forward to our fourth year of ministry and what the Lord has in store!

We pray you all are well. We encourage you this new year to delve into God’s Word daily and wholeheartedly love and serve Him in all areas of your life, as we also strive to do.

Blessings and Joy in the Journey with Jesus!
Taylor for the Garms Family

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Garms Family

The Garms Family – Christmas Eve 2011 | From Left to Right: Front row – Sam (11), Caleb (8), Dad (David), Mom (Kris); Back row – Jayme (10), Ben (20), Leesha (17), and Taylor (19)

We pray you and your family had a delightful, most blessed Christmas; ours was relaxing and reflective, and we enjoyed our time at home. May you continue to be blessed exceedingly throughout the rest of this year, and into 2012!

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

(Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!
The Garms Family

Happy 10th Birthday Jayme!

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Garms Family

“Jaym-Jaym”, “Giggles”, “Jollylegs”, and most recently “Pipsqueak” (I called her that from stage during our last concert, and people afterwards kept coming up and calling her “Pipsqueak”!)…all these nicknames describe our little Christmas joy, Jayme. We celebrated her 10th birthday on December 22nd, and now she goes around exclaiming, “I’m a decade old!” :) She had been counting down the days to her birthday for several months (yes, really!), and was so excited when the day finally arrived. Jayme was doubly excited when Grandpa Pete and cousin Noah were able to spend the day as well.

Jayme – December 22nd, 2011

Jayme

Joyful (mostly!)

Amicable

Youthful

Musical

Excitable

Our little fiddler – December 20th, 2011

Jayme chose Psalm 62 as her psalm for the day:

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will all of you attack a man
to batter him,
like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.

Happy Birthday Jaym-Jaym – we love you dearly!

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!
Taylor for TGF