Category Archives: The Glory Bus

The Great Alternator Saga

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Yesterday, I posted these 147 characters on our Twitter account:

But, 147 characters are not sufficient enough to explain the craziest day in the history of our band!

This week, after returning home from the Midwest Quartet Convention, Dad discovered that the Glory Bus’s alternator had failed.  (Mind you, this is the very same alternator which replaced the one that went bad back in June.)  Since the warranty was still applicable, Dad got another alternator on order, which arrived on Saturday – the day before we left for a concert in Duluth, Minnesota.

Saturday afternoon and evening found Dad working hard repairing the bus…and then he discovered a washer/spacer that needed to be removed from the alternator to fit properly on the bus.  Unfortunately, the Braham NAPA store was closed at the time, and would not open until the next day.

Late Sunday morning revealed the news that the alternator Dad was trying to install on Saturday had failed, new out of the box.  So another trip to another NAPA was required.  Dad and Mom were at the second NAPA for almost an hour and half, waiting for the man to pry the washer/spacer off the third alternator, which they then took back to Braham’s  NAPA to have it tested.

Mom and Dad prayed and held their breath as the the third alternator was put on the machine.  Would you believe the third alternator out of the box…failed?

Okay.  So the Glory Bus was out.  It was not moving from Quail Street.  Plan B was to use Mal’s old pickup truck and tow the trailer, while those who did not fit in the truck would ride in a different vehicle.  Ben went to start the truck while Dad and Mom were on their way home.  He had a sneaky suspicion, and sure enough, it was confirmed when the truck did not start.

It was time for Plan C.

Now, I should mention that the concert in Duluth had been rescheduled from a date in August because we couldn’t make it.  Our Glory Bus’s alternator belt had been destroyed, and all of our other vehicles were handicapped as well.  So we knew we had to make this concert.  Rain, snow, sleet, or hail…well, you get the point.

Plan C turned out to be raiding the trailer and evaluating what we could or could not do without for a concert, and then stuffing what we could into two cars.  Monitors, wires, microphones, guitar, keyboard, mandolin, harmonicas (by Sam’s request!), and a few other assorted items were squished into the small trunks of our ancient Mercury Topaz and Toyota Tercel, and whatever did not fit in the trunks was piled between the seats.

So, the Garms Family took off – later than expected – with Dad, Mom, Leesha, and Sam in the Mercury and Ben, Jayme, Caleb, and myself in the Toyota.  We had visions of tire blowouts all the way, but aside from noticing several dead creatures alongside Interstate 35 and seeing blue smoke coming from the Mercury’s exhaust early in our travel, the trip north was wonderfully uneventful.

Once we arrived at Emmanuel Baptist Church and were greeted by Pastor Dave, the fun began trying to figure out how to set-up our “sound system”.  The original plan was to plug into the church’s board and use their main speakers, but (you guessed it!) their board was gone for repairs!

Dad, Ben, and Pastor Dave finally figured out how to make it work: We’d use our monitors as main speakers (raised up on hymnals) and use our piano monitor and one of the church’s small speakers as our monitors.  It certainly was unique, but we were pleasantly surprised to find it worked great!

The concert at 6:30 p.m. was the most interesting we have ever experienced (other than our state fair experience – but don’t ask us about that one!).  Ben and I were the main instrumentalists, with he on guitar and me on the piano for almost all the concert.  Sam covered a few harmonica solos, Dad played guitar on a song, and I played the mandolin on our opener.  We sang many of our standbys with minimal instruments, and it was very different to say the least!  We did toss in a few previously unrehearsed songs, like “I Will Magnify the Lord” (a Capella) and Sam, Jayme, and Caleb’s arrangement of “Amazing Grace” (whew – that brought tears to my eyes!  And the congregation’s singing on the last verse was outstanding!).  Though there were a few people who were disappointed by not seeing all our instruments, many people enjoyed the simplicity of the program, and the message still came out loud and clear.

After the concert, we enjoyed fellowshippin’ with many friends we hadn’t seen for a while, and even got to meet some relatives (our grandpa’s cousin and his wife)!  That was very special to us.

But…the night wasn’t over yet.

When it was time to load up the cars, Dad went to start the Mercury.

Nothing.

He tried again.

Absolutely nothing.

We couldn’t believe it.  By then, most everyone had left, except for our friends Steve and Rose Oswell and Pastor Dave.  Steve went out to help Dad while we all stood in disbelief and prayed.  Dad and Steve determined that the Mercury’s battery had died, so Steve drove Dad and Mom up to Wal-mart to get a new battery while Rose and we kids hung out at the church and ate our packed suppers (and then later solved the world’s problems with Pastor Dave!).

By the time the new battery was installed, it was getting late.  We thanked our friends for their amazing kindness and patience – what a blessing!

The trip back home started.  We were a little anxious because of the huge amount of deer alongside the road…and let’s just say, when one almost stepped in front of the Toyota, we were really nervous!  But God protected us on our journey home, and we made it to Braham safely.

Yes, it was a B.A.D. day – Battery, Alternator, Duluth – but God preserved us through it all.  Though Satan was trying everything to discourage us and keep us from singing, God triumphed!  We praise Him for His goodness, and we do ask for your continued prayers for our family.  Now more than ever we have been battling discouragement because of many different circumstances, but we need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord!  (And thanks to all who prayed yesterday for our family; we certainly needed it!)

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

Below are some pictures from the ordeal yesterday – enjoy!

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!

Taylor for TGF

P.S. As of 12:14 a.m. (which means it is now October 23rd, and yes, I know it’s late!), we have now discovered the Mercury’s brand new battery from Sunday night is DEAD.  So the saga continues to continue…  :)

And, apologies for the pictures being still small when you click on them – I’m still trying to troubleshoot that issue!

Chronicles of the Sightings: Counting Our Blessings

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On Monday, November 21st, our family was traveling in the Glory Bus to celebrate our grandpa’s birthday with him when disaster struck.  Leesha tells the story below and shares the numerous blessings which came from the day…


“The cheesy potatoes were baking as they recorded the commercial and mmmm, they smelled so good!” Jayme chattered excitedly to Mom.  Then she stopped, suddenly seeing Mom’s fixed stare at Taylor.  At that moment, Taylor smacked her forehead, “Oh! I should have just made the cheesy potatoes and brought them along to cook at Grandpa’s!” she groaned.  Both Jayme and I looked at each other confused; until it dawned on me what they were talking about.  “So that’s what you meant when you said we were bringing potatoes for Grandpa’s birthday!” I cried.
  
“Yeah,” said Mom, “they were to be baked at Grandpa’s so they would be warm for supper.”  Still Jayme did not grasp the situation, so Mom patiently explained to her why the cheesy potatoes should have been only made, not baked.  


I turned to Taylor and said, “Sorry Taylor, I didn’t realize you shouldn’t have baked them.”  “It’s okay, but I wish I had thought about it before I cooked them,” she sighed, “But we need to get busy; we have yet to make cranberry sauce and a cake, not to mention doing the dishes from supper.”  Wearily, we both got up from the couch in our family room and headed to the kitchen.


Jayme came prancing into our room on her stick horse the next morning, saying “Wake up girls! It’s Grandpa’s birthday!” and galloped out.  I groaned (while saying to myself “Next time Jayme, could you sing a song or something other than making your horse say, ‘I like it when you brush me!’”) and looked to see what time it was – more specifically how long it would take us to get out of the house.  Then I cracked a smile and called down to Taylor from my top bunk, “At least the cheesy potatoes are made!”  Taylor only groaned, rolled over, and threw her covers her head.  


Despite having a late start in leaving, we were finally all in the “Glory Bus” (or as Taylor has started to call it the “Adventure Bus”) on our way to celebrate Grandpa’s 71st birthday.  “Isn’t it nice to be going down just to visit Grandpa and not having to pack suitcases and set up at a church?” remarked Taylor from across the aisle from me.  Ben and I nodded as we bumped along down the road.

We were about at the half-way point in our trip when Dad suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no! We have a problem!  I’ve got to pull over, the engine is over-heating!” Unfortunately, we were in the middle of a busy highway during the lunch hour rush.  In the next suspenseful moments, Dad slowed down and took several exits to get off the highway.  To make matters worse, the roads we turned on were under construction!  Finally, finding a gas station, we turned in – only to find all available parking spaces filled.

Driving a little further, we found a nearly deserted parking lot; Dad pulled in.  As the engine shut off, we all thanked God we had made it this far without the bus exploding into flames or maybe worse.  Ben and Dad exited the bus to look around and see what was going on with our “whale on wheels”, while Mom took stock of the position we were in.

Soon Dad and Ben came back in with what they thought was wrong.  Dad thought that a hose was leaking coolant, thus causing the engine to over-heat.  But a more careful inspection (I am so glad Dad is a mechanic) showed a belt almost completely demolished.  This belt controlled the alternator, the water pump, and the fan, all necessary for the running of the engine.  And this was beyond what Dad could do (he happened to leave his tools at home on this particular trip); we needed help.  With the aid of his GPS, Dad began calling different auto shops to see if anyone in the vicinity could help.

The shredded remains of the belt.

It was around 12:00 p.m. when we stopped in the parking lot, and after the preliminary settling down, Mom suggested we all should have some lunch (we were all starting to get hungry) since it was looking like we weren’t going to make it to Grandpa’s any time soon.  As I made my way to the back of the bus and saw the cheesy potatoes, I exclaimed, “Hey, maybe it was a good thing after all that Taylor made the cheesy potatoes!  God knew we would need them today before we got to Grandpa’s!”   Everyone agreed; the first blessing counted.    


“Well,” said Dad just getting off the phone with roadside assistance, “it’s going to be an hour and half wait until the mobile mechanic gets here.”  ”I’m going to walk over to McDonald’s to keep warm,” said Mom, “And this will be a great time to get those spelling tests done, Sam and Jayme, as we’re not moving. Anyone else coming in with me?”  Taylor said she would also come, so Mom, Sam, Jayme, and Taylor set off across the parking lot.  Dad, Ben, Caleb and I waited in the ever-getting-colder bus.  Caleb, Ben, and I began reading books as the minutes ticked by.


Suddenly Dad said, “They’re here!”  All of us in the bus looked outside excitedly as a repair van pulled up beside our poor bus.  We all hoped the repair man would fix it soon so we could either continue to go down and visit Grandpa or go home soon.  Sam and Jayme came over and Ben, Sam, Jayme, and Caleb began playing games as the repair man, Jim, began trying to fix our bus.  Soon he (and we) found out that the replacement belt was too short and would not fit.  Then began the long process of finding another belt, waiting for Jim our repair man or some else to get a belt, and trying to make it work.  


Jim, the mechanic, discovered the tensioner for the belt was broken, so after another belt was picked up, we waited for that part to be fixed.  But even after the tensioner was fixed, the belts we had didn’t work!  In the end, Jim and another repairman moved the alternator to make one of the belts work.  


Meanwhile, all of us kids (with Mom) hung out in McDonald’s.  Boy, I was never as thankful for McDonald’s as I was then.  First, we sat around and chatted, but then we had the bright idea to play a game. We played one game for over an hour and got quite loud, so loud that Mom asked us to burn off some energy outside.  :)  After walking around in the parking lot, we came back in not wanting to finish our game.  Being supper time, we had gotten awfully hungry sitting in a restaurant.  Knowing it would be rude to bring in our food to eat, Mom said we could eat off the dollar menu (our last concert we had been given money for a meal, and well, it came in handy!).  


As we were eating, Dad and Jim came in to get warm and wait for the last belts to arrive.  Jim shared stories about going out to eat when he was young; how a cheese burger cost sixteen cents and a regular burger was fourteen cents.  He told us of growing up in a family the same size as ours with eight kids.   It was interesting to hear what life was like back in those days, before the age of technology.  


Around nine o’clock the bus lights went on (we saw through McDonald’s windows), and we knew the bus was fixed!  We could go home!  We cleaned up our school books, games, jackets, etc., at McDonald’s (we took up a lot of room, three booths!) and prepared to head out to the bus.

As we left the parking lot, we began reviewing the past few hours, seeing how God’s hand had been at work through all the crazy-mixed up day:

  • First, we were not out in the middle of no-where, but still close enough to the Cities (as we Minnesotans call Minneapolis/St. Paul and their suburbs), so that we didn’t wait hours and hours just for someone to arrive.  
  • It had been a nice day, not snowing or raining.  
  • Also, we were near a warm place with bathrooms.  
  • We had food along (already baked!) and it was cold enough they didn’t spoil during our long wait.
  • Another blessing was we had brought along games (more than we usually do) to play with Grandpa on his birthday.   
  • We were blessed with good mechanics who worked hard to fix our bus.  
  • God was watching over us; the bus didn’t break down on our way to a concert.  And even though it was sad not being with Grandpa on his birthday, we were not really pressed for time.  
  • God had also provided for a meal at McDonald’s, and He brought us back home safely – all in one day! 
  • Also, because of the amazing generosity of a certain individual, we were overwhelmingly blessed to not have to pay labor charges (which were very large) – we only had to pay for the parts.

All the way home, I was praising God for the good things He had done for us.  Truly I could say with David: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”  What a time to be mindful of all the benefits of trusting in God!  And how fitting that it was Thanksgiving week, a time set apart to be grateful for the abundance of our blessings so graciously given to us from a loving God.

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!   


- Leesha for the Garms Family    

Let’s Celebrate: It’s Our 3rd Anniversary!

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Sweaty palms, tightened throats, anxiety about off-notes and forgotten words…what were we getting into? It was Sunday, June 29th, 2008 and we, this unknown family who just loved to sing around the keyboard, were opening for a Southern Gospel group, Living Sacrifice from Missouri.
Now, three years later…
- A white bus sits in the driveway and Mom is at the kitchen table sewing curtains for its windows (wow, she is brave!).
- Most of the sound system is set-up in the living room, and around the room are scattered over 22 instruments.
- Dad is making a Great Adventure contact call, and I just added two more concert dates to our schedule for July, making a total of eight concerts.
- We’ll be practicing yet today for our two concerts this weekend and Mom and I have to put together a program for both of those events.
- Just two nights ago, Sam, Jayme, and Caleb performed their arrangement of “Soon and Very Soon” in the living room and absolutely sold it to us! (It’s amazing what the LAs come up with sometimes…)
- Nearby where I am sitting at the computer desk, boxes of our first CD are neatly stacked, and studio equipment is placed strategically in the boys’ room. (And Ben is currently mixing down a song for some friends of ours, the latest release from…ooo, but I can’t tell you! :) )
Did we expect this when we stepped on stage to perform our three songs before Living Sacrifice’s concert? Did we envision this? No! Wow, look where God has brought us! We had dreams, but not plans. We had passing thoughts, but never really expected it to happen in reality.
It has been a journey of joy mingled with trials and tears. We have learned much, prayed much, played much, and met so many wonderful people. To be bearers of the Gospel of Christ through music and message, words and lives is the most awesome responsibility we could ever have.
We have so many wonderful memories and are looking forward to making many more. On to another year of Great Adventures!
“Saddle up your horses, we’ve got trails to blaze…” :)
Blessings and Joy in the Journey!
Taylor for TGF
P.S. In celebration of the day, here’s the link to photos from our first “official” concert: http://greatadventurefamily.com/PhotoAlbums/album_1/
And also, here is a “Taylor’d Perspective” I wrote on our first anniversary (2009) for our e-newsletter:

We were at a concert at Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church back in June and I was enjoying talking with a gentleman there about the beginnings of Great Adventure. When he would ask questions about our ministry, the first words that would come out of my mouth were usually “It’s amazing!” and then I would proceed to answer his questions. It seemed my tongue was programmed to repeat this phrase over and over again. Later that evening as I was processing my day and my conversations, I realized that I was speaking the truth with this simple sentence.

The growth of this ministry has been truly amazing! The doors God has opened, the places we’ve visited, the people we’ve met, the lessons we’ve learned – all of these have been amazing.

We celebrated the one-year anniversary of our first official public appearance on June 29, 2008. On this day, Great Adventure Gospel Band sang at North Isanti Baptist Church in Cambridge, MN as the opening group for Living Sacrifice, a mixed quartet from Missouri. What a wonderful time it was, and a great learning experience! We sang three of our best songs (at the time they were anyway!) and received a good response. Through our mistakes and difficulties, God chose to bless us. It was amazing!

When I was little, I always dreamed of becoming a singer, but I never really thought it would happen, at least not this way. (I wanted to tour with Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace, Steven Curtis Chapman, etc. I didn‘t know what Southern Gospel or Bluegrass was!) Now as we travel to concerts and play to any number of people, I ask myself, “What are we doing? Is this really happening? This is amazing!”

We have played for small groups of seven at assisted-living homes and played for hundreds of people in a large church or outdoor event. We’ve weathered cold and rainy outdoor picnics, and survived sticky, humid concerts at local parks. The church denominations we’ve played at have varied as well: Lutheran to Baptist, Assemblies of God to Evangelical Free.

The people we’ve met have also left an impression on us: The man who danced to our music, the mother who asked if she could come home with us, and the widow who needed to hear the songs we sang. The tears and laughter have been unforgettable.

Our voices have matured and instrument playing has improved. (At our concert at North Isanti last year, I could only play a deadened chop, while now, I can play full bar-chords! Only mandolin players can relate to this!) The Lil’ Adventurers have grown and their love of music has expanded as well.

So many people have encouraged us over the past year as well. Pastor Anderson and our home congregation at St. Stephen’s Lutheran, Grandma Frieda Garms, Bob and Carol Wood, Curt and Lois Olson, and Larry and Lois Gustafson from North Isanti Baptist, Pastor Walt and Lee Reese, Bill Holbrook from River of Life Productions, the Berge family from Bemedji, the Gospelmen Quartet from Michigan, Terri Toney and the Toney Brothers from Tennesse, and SO many more!

This year has been a year of blessings as well. For instance, we had been praying for a trailer to meet our transportation needs. Then in April, God provided just the right one for our family! He has also been blessing us with funds for a future CD.

As I close this review of the past year, I am humbled at where God has brought us. Doors continue to be opened for our ministry and people are being encouraged by God, through us. All I can say is, “It’s amazing!”

Travel Log: June 1st, 2011 – Watertown, WI

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We are sitting in a Holiday Inn Express 359 miles away from home. Mom just finished reading the Sugar Creek Gang to Sam, Jayme, and Caleb…and to us bigger kids as well! We’ve eaten some food, gotten into our pajamas, settled in, said a family evening prayer, and have started to say goodnight.

What a day.

We left the home after 8:00 this morning to head to Watertown, WI. It took us about seven hours to finally arrive at our destination (counting numerous restroom stops!). Traveling is very comfortable in the Glory Bus; we are grateful for our “new wheels”. :)

The concert at Christ United Methodist Church went well with plenty of interesting happenings. Probably the most unique thing was the amount of bugs (mainly moths) which swarmed around the lights right outside the front doors of the church – exactly where we needed to load! So, suffice to say, that was rather disgusting. I think Caleb and Sam both ate a bug apiece, and their opinion was “crunchy”. Leesha had one moth go up her nose, and Sam and Jayme had moths in their eyes. YUCK! :-D

Anyhow, we had a wonderful time with those who attended the concert tonight! A special thanks to Barbara for making us feel so welcome and comfortable; she really went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed. We were blessed.

I will write more some other time about this whole adventure, but right now I’m too tired to think straight! :) (I’d better stop typing before I write something crazy!)

Tomorrow morning we are singing at Bethesda Lutheran Home here in Watertown. Bethesda Lutheran Communities is a service/home for those who struggle with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are looking forward to ministering to all the precious people who reside at Bethesda and the devoted staff!

Again, please keep us in your prayers during this busy week! We appreciate it!

Okay, goodnight friends!

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!
Taylor for TGF

The Chronicle of Sightings | Entry One: The Glory Bus

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“Sighting! Sighting!”

For years, whenever our family has clearly witnessed God’s hand at work in our lives, someone is always apt to exclaim: “Sighting!” The phrase comes from the time when us older four (Whit, Ben, Taylor, and Leesha) were just young whippersnappers and Mom was reading the “Tales of the Kingdom” series to us before bed. It was a highlight of the day and we eagerly looked forward to each new adventure and lesson. We came across a story which described a young boy looking for the King. Each time he would spy the King, in sometimes the most obscure ways, he would cry “Sighting!” Henceforth, it has become a favorite cry in our family. :)

Last year we began a notebook which we lovingly entitled, “The Chronicles of Sightings”. It came out of a period when I in particular was wondering if God truly exsisted and cared to be involved in our lives. Dad and Mom brought the idea to the family to chronicle the times we’ve spotted God clearly working in every detail, providing for all our needs, and moving mountains we were powerless to move. Stories began to fill up the pages over the weeks, but in the midst of cleaning for company shortly after, the notebook was moved from the kitchen counter to a quiet spot in the back of the home, sitting unnoticed for many months.

Not too long ago, we pulled the notebook out of its hiding place to resume its familiar resting spot. Since then there have been more entries, and I think it’s time to share and give God the glory through some of the chronicles we recorded. He alone deserves the wonderful praise for all the intricate and amazing things He works in our lives, sometimes things so small we overlook them, or so huge that we are overwhelmed by His gracious hand.

And what better and more timely topic to start with then the Glory Bus? :)

To quote the chronicle from May 11th, 2011…

“Ever since we traded in our van for the “Glory Bus”, we have seen God’s leading and gracious provision through:

- the sign of the rainbow;
- no high MN sales tax (it was an even trade);
- installing the hitch was half of what we were expecting to pay;
- special cleaning chemical worked for one of the headlights, instead of [having to buy] two new ones;
- diesel being less than regular gas. [Recently when we filled up the bus, it was actually less than regular gas!]“

God has worked many little details to provide for our bus while on a tight budget. Things we thought tough or impossible to cover financially God has provided. We are amazed at His provision; give Him the glory, honor, and praise!

Next up on “The Chronicles”, surprise blessings through Dad’s unemployment!

Blessings and Joy in the Journey!
Taylor for TGF