SNOW DAY! May 21st! Wellington, Colorado!

Hello from snowy Colorado!  Yes, that is correct.   Today is a snowy day here on the plains in Colorado and anytime there is a significant snow fall my New England roots kick in.  Snow falling heavily from the sky and accumulating on the ground causes me to cancel all of my plans and hunker down inside for what we New Englanders call a "snow day".  I love snow days because it gives me an opportunity to slow down.  So far this morning I have had extended time for prayer and Bible reading.  I have also had the pleasure of lingering over 4 cups of tea and two breakfasts (they were small breakfasts!).  The snow forces me to put all my outdoor chores on hold.....no weeding, trimming, planting or raking.  There is also no point in spending time housecleaning on a snow day because of all the snow and mud that gets tracked in from cats, dogs and humans.  The best part about a snow day is having time to spend with my family at home.  Time with family truly is a gift as we are usually rushing off in many different directions.  So today in Colorado, I am doing what any well trained New Englander would do on a snow day....hunkering down,  being thankful for some time at home and enjoying the day.

Operating at a slower pace during my snow day at home causes me to have time to reflect.  As I have reflected on our life in Colorado and on Soaring Wings Ministries.....I am thankful.  I look out our window at the beautiful, peaceful snow and my eyes are drawn to the addition.  The combination of the clean, bright white snow against the  bright, clean, gray siding of the addition is stunning!!! I am SO THANKFUL for our hard working, generous and wise volunteers who spent their Sunday afternoon putting up the siding on the addition.  They were very wise to start with the sides of the addition that take the brunt of the wind blowing down from the north out of Wyoming as on the plains we are completely exposed to the weather.  The wind can be very harsh at times and so we give a heartfelt THANK YOU to our volunteers who not only made the addition strong and snug, but also beautiful! 

I am also very thankful for my loving heavenly Father and my personal relationship with Him.  We have been hit very hard this winter and spring with multiple and significant health issues.  The health issues seemed to come one one right after another.  It was like strong ocean waves determined to pull us down and drown us.  But I am SO THANKFUL that God hears and answers our prayers for healing and good health.  With God's help we have persevered and are moving forward and ready for the next phase of Soaring Wings Ministries.  

So, what is the next phase of Soaring Wings Ministries?  We have clear and concrete goals and I am happy to share them with you.  1) We have two exterior walls on the addition that need to be have siding put on them.  2) We have flooring that needs to be installed in the addition.  3)  We have trim work that needs to be put up around the windows and doors.  3) We also have kitchen cupboards and cabinets to be installed.  4) We have closet doors that need to be put up. 5) We have a dirt road that needs to have rocks brought in and then graded. 6) We need a septic system installed before we can use the addition for bedrooms.  

There are many other chores and tasks to be accomplished at Soaring Wings Ministries but the six that I have listed above are the most immediate ones and the ones that we are looking to have accomplished this summer.  All the tasks that we look to accomplish this summer take time and money.  As I sit here at the computer Ed and Meredith are busy working on grant requests that  will soon be submitted; however, all that we have learned from professionals in the field of non-profit fund raising indicate that the bulk of the funds for small non-profits do not come from grants.  They are absolutely right!!!! The bulk of our budget since the inception of Soaring Wings Ministries has come from family and friends who believe in the work being down here in Colorado and who see the progress that is being made and who want to be part of the amazing miracle of Soaring Wings Ministries.  The checks that Soaring Wings Ministries  receives in the mail are mostly $25.00, $50.00 or $100.00.  Those checks are our bread and butter and over the past 3 years they have helped to build the addition for a homeless family.  So please keep those checks coming! Please do not think that any check is too small.  Remember the story in the Bible of how God took a meager 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and fed 5,000 people.  (Matthew  14:13-21). God is able to do much with a little! Truly Soaring Wings Ministries is a miracle because  the founders, staff, Board Members, donors, supporters and prayer warriors are ordinary people.  The miracle is that God can use ordinary people to accomplish much!  It is so exciting to see how he has provided and grown Soaring Wings Ministries.  We do indeed serve a loving, powerful, gracious and faithful God.  

To each one of you who have had a hand in this journey of Soaring Wings Ministries we thank you! God has used you in a mighty way! I pray that each one of you will draw closer to God and see more of Him and what He is able to accomplish when we relinquish our will to His.  I also hope that if you have not yet been out to Wellington, Colorado to see Soaring Wings Ministries that you would be a able to find  some time to come out for a visit.  We would love nothing more to tell you and show you all that God has done! 

My snow day is quickly winding down.  (The snow never lasts long where we live in Colorado!) As I finish writing this blog the sun is pushing hard to break through the clouds and the snow on the ground is already getting heavy and slushy from melting.  I am so thankful that I was able to spend part of my snow day with so you through this blog.  My snow day and my time spent writing this blog has been a blessing to me and I hope that it is a blessing to you, the reader, as well.  

May God bless you all and most importantly may He guide you all into a closer relationship with Him.

Anita Rennells
Soaring Wings Ministries
499 Trinity Lane
​Wellington, Colorado  80549





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