Dave and Jan enjoyed a recent visit with Stephen and his family at their town house in Burbank – one day before Ryan’s sixth birthday (and just a few days before Erin’s third birthday).  Because of the Corona Virus “pandemic,” everyone was pretty much confined to their homes by order of authorities in the state of California.  Like many others, Stephen was even doing much of his work for the Zeiss Lens Company at home.

Clearing out many things at the Balsley house in Brea in view of Dave and Jan’s anticipated move to Utah, Jan brought a Piranha preserved many years ago by a taxidermist in Venezuela where Jan’s uncle Dean Hollingsworth served as a missionary.  Ryan found the fish quite fascinating!

Erin was more fascinated by a container of Playdough and a stuffed kitten which belonged to Caroleen (the Japanese university student who lived with Dave and Jan for six years) before she moved to new quarters with another family from the Church at Green Hills (Green Hills Baptist Church).

After a pizza dinner, Jan produced some small gifts she had brought for each of the children – including some light up wands and some small office sets.

Who would have thought of indoor “smores” at the kitchen table with marshmallows roasted over the fire in a small can?

And Ryan enjoyed creating a robot with a set of magnetic blocks which he received for his birthday (with a matching set coming soon for Erin with the arrival of her birthday several days later).

Jan enjoyed the chance to fulfill her role as grandma by doing some reading for Ryan before the evening’s visit was over.

Dave and Jan will miss the proximity of Stephen’s family when they make their move (anticipated in mid-May) to Utah – but they will be a day closer to Andrew and Alissa’s family, so they will experience the pull of both sets of grandchildren and their parents with their move closer to the “middle.”  They look forward to sharing the beauty of their new surroundings with both families when they visit Cedar City were Dave and Jan were visiting when this blog was created.

Who would have thought we would be living with all the changes our nation and our world are experiencing today because of the Corona Virus?  It is amazing to think that a microscopic organism could cause so many things we are accustomed to experiencing to grind to a halt, but here we are!

In the midst of it all Dave and Jan have been busy preparing their house in Brea, California to be sold and anticipating the completion of the new house they expect to occupy in Cedar City, Utah.  But among the signs of the times they are experiencing is the “for sale” sign now posted in their front yard.

Changes along the way have included some upgrades:  some new cement for the driveway which was cracked because of roots growing under it.

Because refinishing the front door wore through the wood veneer the time had come for a new entry door.

And because the comfortable couch and chair which Jan’s parents bought many years ago was starting to look a little worn, the set was re-upholstered for the third time in Dave and Jan’s possession for a fresh look at their new address.

Meanwhile, in Cedar City the changes continue to mount with each week as the builders progress from what started out as an empty lot –

– to what is beginning to offer some promise as a completed residence.

The exact timing of the anticipated change of address is still uncertain, as both the sale of the Brea house and the completion of the Cedar City house are indefinite dates yet, but there seems little doubt at this point that change is not too far around the corner.  Dave and Jan are looking to the Lord for the details, resting in the reality that He is sovereign over the affairs of all of our lives in the midst of changing times.

Dave and Jan have enjoyed numerous anniversary celebrations in recent years with trips to visit family (Dave’s three sisters and their families) in the Monterey Bay area.  This year, uncertain about whether they would be needed to help Stephen and Meagan relocate their family to a new community near Stephen’s job during the Christmas holidays, no trip was planned until, shortly after Christmas, it became evident that the anticipated move would not take place quite yet.  So, on short notice, an anniversary trip took Dave and Jan to explore St. George, Utah, and visit Cedar City (weather permitting – which it did).  St. George will be the nearest “bigger city” (70,000 population) when the move to Cedar City (30,000 population) occurs.

The city included some very colorful Christmas light displays – some of them associated with Dixie State University whose campus is in St. George.

The drive along I-15 to Cedar City is very scenic, especially when winter snows coat the mountains behind some of the area’s characteristic red rocks.

The Christmas lights on Main Street in Cedar City were quite attractive.

And though not a great deal of progress has been made yet in the construction of the house Dave and Jan expect to live in, their lot has been cleared of its vegetation, and “piers” have been sunk deep into the ground to anchor the foundation to rock far beneath the surface in view of soil conditions in the area.  The 2015 Subaru Legacy, by the way, is a recent acquisition in place of the much enjoyed 2002 Camry because of its all-wheel-drive, a definite asset in snow country.

A house under construction in the neighborhood by the same builder who is building for Dave and Jan provides a rough idea of the style of the house to be built – including a similar color scheme on the exterior.

An anniversary hike found Jan wearing the kind of clothing which has gotten little use in Southern California but will be far more useful in Utah winters!

As Dave and Jan enter their 50th year of marriage, they are looking forward to some interesting and sometimes very “cool” changes in the year ahead – hoping that you had a wonderful Christmas celebration, and wishing a  Happy New Year to one and all!

Dave and Jan always enjoy the Christmas season because of its spiritual significance.  What a stroke of genius on God’s part that, though much of the world does not recognize the reality about His unique Son Jesus, whose birth is celebrated at Christmas (though no one knows exactly when He was born), much of the world joins in on the celebration of Christmas in one way or another.  A big part of many celebrations, of course, involves the giving of gifts and, with grandchildren living in the Balsley home in Brea since last March, gifts were definitely a part of the celebration!  Erin, Stephen and Meagan’s daughter, received a new dog to walk from her parents – with technical assistance from Stephen.

For Ryan, it was a remote controlled race car from his parents.

And a race car in a tube which Jan selected for Ryan.

And Jan’s selection for Erin was a shopping cart full of “groceries.”

Another part of many Christmas celebrations is the tasty Christmas dinner!

But the most important part of any Christmas celebration involves some serious reflection on the “reason for the season” – the birth of God’s incomparable Son, Jesus – come ultimately to “seek and to save that which was lost.”  In recognition of the birth of Jesus, Green Hills Baptist Church presented its 34th annual “Living Nativity” – viewed this year by somewhere in the neighborhood of five thousand people.

How thankful we are that God the Father sent His unique Son to provide salvation for all who will trust in Him as their Savior, Christ the Lord!

Thanksgiving Day is definitely a favorite holiday for Dave and Jan, with so many reasons to be thankful.  This year Stephen and Meagan’s son Ryan participated in his first school celebration of the thanksgiving season as part of a choir of youngsters from Laurel Elementary School in turkey costumes.

Ryan and Erin also enjoyed dressing in Halloween costumes a few days earlier, as seen in the photo below with their parents, Stephen and Meagan.

A major reason for thankfulness in the Balsley family this year is the great new job Stephen began the last week of October as a cinema technical sales specialist with the German lens company, Zeiss, at their new cinema lens demo center in Sherman Oaks, CA.  It appears so far that his new position is ideally suited to Stephen’s interests and abilities in the field of digital cinema.  He is not working in a store front, but in an appointment-only demonstration center for movie directors and other technical people in the cinema industry.  His office is high in a fancy high-rise office building in Sherman Oaks.

The company has just released a new set of seven cinema camera lenses which can be purchased for around two hundred thousand dollars per set, so it is a rather limited clientele who will be coming in to see demonstrations of these and other products available from the Zeiss Lens Company!

The center features cinema cameras and testing equipment and a small but luxurious theater where people in the movie industry can see first-hand the capabilities of various cameras and lenses so they know what they want.

The next hurdle for Stephen and family will be to find a suitable place for the family to live in the Sherman Oaks area as Stephen takes on the role of bread-winner and Meagan adjusts to her new role as full-time Mom.  At this thanksgiving season we are grateful for the doors the Lord is opening up for Stephen’s family – even as we anticipate changes in our own lives in months ahead.

Dave and Jan headed for the Phoenix area on October 14th so Dave could participate in the annual meeting of the International Board of Directors for UIM International (United Indian Missions) in Gilbert.  Dave has been a part of this board for more than three decades now, and was elected to serve another three-year term at this year’s meeting.  It has been an interesting assignment, serving with a great group of missionary administrators and board members.

Having traveled some 375 miles from home, Dave had decided to turn a round trip into a triangle by driving north to Cedar City, Utah where he and Jan are planning to relocate in May of 2020.  Following the board meetings, they drove north through Flagstaff, Arizona to spend the night in Kanab, Utah.  The drive the following day included spectacular fall scenery as they drove over Cedar Mountain toward Cedar City.

Because their last drive over the area featured a blanket of fresh snow, it was nice to be able to pay a visit to Navajo Lake and the numerous camp sites which occupy the area at the top of the mountain range there.

Arriving in Cedar City around lunch time, a picnic lunch was in order – in a park Dave and Jan have already learned to enjoy – near the part of town where they would like to live in years to come.

Following lunch was a stop by the real estate office (Century 21, Prestige Realty) from which they have been receiving e-mails each week, with real estate possibilities in the area.  Their realtor was not in the office, but intended to meet them the following day, so they drove around town to several locations they thought might be of interest – preferring a site where new homes are being built which would seem ideal for their needs.  The house with the floor plan they were most interested in was scheduled to be built on the lot pictured here.

When they met with the realtor, as well as the builder, the following day, they learned that they could have the house they were interested in located on any of several lots in the area which the builder had purchased for future houses in the neighborhood.  So Jan (with Dave’s concurrence) preferred a lot across the street, because it backs up on an attractive golf course – a nice view from the anticipated dining room and the back yard.

The builder is currently building three houses in the immediate neighborhood, including this one on the lot next door to the lot Dave and Jan have chosen.

Dave and Jan were very pleasantly surprised when they were able to sit down with the realtor and builder and plan out many of the details for the house they would like to purchase, and they were able to put money down and sign the papers to initiate the process of having the house built.  The projected date of completion is May 22, 2020.

Before their stay in Cedar City was over they were able to further explore the city and ponder the day when they should be experiencing “life elevated” – which is the state motto for the state of Utah (in view of the fact that, like Cedar City with its 5,000 ft. + elevation, much of the state is characterized by higher elevations than many others).

Before dinner in a local restaurant on Thursday evening, Dave and Jan enjoyed a short hike on one of the many hiking trails in the area – including many which originate in town.

It was a very refreshing trip, and another fun and exciting visit to a city Dave and Jan look forward, before too many more months, to calling their new home!

It has been almost two months since the family gathered for the back-yard celebration of our son Stephen’s 38th birthday.  Many things have happened since that time, but Dave and Jan have always had many reasons to thank the Lord for bringing Stephen (as well as Alissa) into their lives.  And Meagan’s life has been changed in many ways as well because of Stephen’s life.

The family who gathered for the birthday party included (left to right) Chip Clampitt, Connie Seymour, Heidi Clampitt, Jan, Erin, Dave, Meagan, Stephen, Bruce Seymour, Benjamin Clampitt, Ryan, and Amos Clampitt.

Missing from the family picture (because Dave didn’t realize she had gone into the house) was Zerlinda Clampitt, shown here beside her grandmother, Connie Seymour.

Instead of the traditional birthday cake, Jan made ice cream pies – some of Stephen’s favorites when it comes to dessert.

Among Stephen’s birthday gifts was a package of “face coasters,” with a variety of facial alternatives for those who like to experiment with different facial options.

For the youngsters the day included some cruises in one of two motorized cars a neighbor put out on the sidewalk with a “free” sign several weeks before Stephen’s birthday arrived.

The youngsters also enjoyed some play on a “slip and slide” on the lawn in Dave and Jan’s back yard.

Another reason to celebrate came soon after Stephen’s birthday when he received word of a job offer from Zeiss (Carl Zeiss, Inc.), an international lens company headquartered in Germany.  After around two and a half years of unemployment and under-employment we are all excited about the company’s offer of the position of Cinema Technical Sales Specialist.  He will be in charge of a new office in a high-rise in Sherman Oaks, beginning Monday, October 28th, where he will handle technical issues and sales for Zeiss’ cinema lenses – something Stephen is very familiar with because of his 7-8 years with Red Digital Cinema and, more recently, two years with Maxx Digital.  With his wife Meagan out of town for a homecoming celebration at the college she attended in Indiana, the family joined in a small celebration of the long-awaited good news of Stephen’s employment opportunity.

Given a November 31 target date to have his family relocated in the area of his new job, Stephen has been making trips to explore housing options in the Sherman Oaks area north of Hollywood where the family would like to settle.  We are all very grateful for the Lord’s provision, after a lengthy wait, of what looks to be an ideal job situation for Stephen for the years ahead – on a job which will pay a significant starting salary with a company which has over 200 years of experience in the lens business (making virtually every kind of lens imaginable).  As you can tell, there is plenty of reason to celebrate!

Monday, August 19, was the first day of kindergarten for Stephen and Meagan’s five-year old son Ryan.  Unlike his grandfather, Dave, who found the prospect of kindergarten very frightening many years back, and marked the first day with tears, Ryan was quite excited about the beginning of school.

Not surprisingly, Ryan’s first day was a big day for the entire family.

Because the school is within a comfortable walking distance from the Balsley residence the big day began with a family walk to school.

Brea schools have a good reputation in the educational community, and Laurel Elementary has a long and well-established record as a good school.

Like many schools in our time, Laurel Elementary was asking school families to help provide some of the supplies which make classwork go better.

Ryan’s teacher, Mrs. Diaz, seems to have good control of her classroom, which is quite a relief to Stephen and Meagan, because Ryan is full of energy.

Playground equipment has recently been upgraded in what may be a joint venture of the school system and the city, because the playground doubles as a city park during hours when school is not in session.

Ryan’s first two weeks appear to have gone very well, so his parents are encouraged by the prospect of a good year and a productive education experience for a bright and energetic young member of the family.

Dave and Jan took advantage of the final opportunity, before the busyness of late summer and early fall months fills their weeks once again, for another short camping trip in the Santa Ana Mountains in south Orange County.  The Blue Jay Campground is near the top of the mountain range three miles north of the Ortega Highway which goes from San Juan Capistrano (not San Clemente as their last blog had it) to Lake Elsinore.  The campground is a beautiful but fairly primitive US Forest Service campground, where an overnight stay costs twenty dollars, but people with senior passes pay ten dollars.  What a deal!

The weather was fairly warm during the middle of the day, but nights were pleasant, and Dave and Jan found the perfect shady spot under mature oak trees to make their tent trailer more comfortable.

The campground has fifty camp sites (most of them unoccupied – so it was very peaceful), with space for an additional 140 campers in three group sites at the Falcon Group Campground.  The trail between the two sites offered views of colorful nearby hillsides.

Evening walks were very pleasant – with the the full moon lighting up the night.

Other creatures out for their evening walk each evening included quite a number of tarantulas crossing the paved roads – to prove, perhaps, that it could be done!

The only full-day-stay at the campground included a morning hike along several miles of the San Juan Trail which makes its way eventually back to the Ortega Highway, through primarily oak forests with nice views of surrounding mountains.

Much of the trail was shaded by the oak forest, and there were plants indicative of both shady forest and warmer desert-like conditions.

The trails displayed a variety of fruits and flowers native to the area.

It is always good to get away for change of scenery, if only for a few days, but it was nice to get home again to some of the conveniences of life – like showers – which most Americans take for granted.  Dave and Jan consider themselves to be richly blessed with the Lord’s good provisions in their lives and relationship – and they like it that way!

Dave and Jan spent some time vacationing in Orange County during the last week of June while Stephen and family joined Meagan’s parents and her sister and family at a family camp at Mount Hermon in the Santa Cruz mountains.  Their “staycation” included a three-day camping outing at O’Neill Regional Park in South Orange County in the Lake Forest area.

The park has around 75 individual camp sites plus group camp areas, an equestrian camp area (with corrals and arenas), day use areas, and many miles of trails for hikers and bike riders.  The camp’s facilities are very nice, with oak and sycamore trees and views of nearby Santa Ana mountain peaks.

Dave and Jan enjoyed the hike from the Featherly Day Use part of the campground up a hiking trail to the Mesa Trail on the ridge along the west part of the park – the Twisted Tire trail.

Tires would not have been the only twisted thing along that trail.  There were some very twisted trees in the park as well – both oaks and sycamores.

There were also some colorful flowering thistle plants along the trail.

The most amazing flower display on the trip occurred on the Bear Canyon trail high on the coastal range along the Ortega Highway (74) which takes drivers from San Clemente (on I-5) to Lake Elsinore (on I-15) to the east.

The trail followed a stream to a waterfall which dropped around 20 feet.

Along the trail there were an amazingly attractive number of wild flowers.

The stream offered some very refreshing scenes along the lower trail.

Jan’s good friend Lola required a little assistance along the 2 1/2 mile trail.

And, while much of the nation is experiencing the rising temperatures which are typical of the summer months, south Orange County was still enjoying the normal May/June reprieve of May Gray and June Gloom.

It was a refreshing camping trip.  And there is more to discover, because Dave and Jan drove to a somewhat primitive Forest Service campground three miles removed from the Ortega Highway with 50 camp sites, only one of which was occupied!  So one doesn’t have to travel far from home in Southern California to enjoy a very refreshing “staycation” – compliments of the amazingly ingenious Creator of it all!