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Dear Family and Friends,
At the end of October we put up our Macs MountainView sign. Jeannie wanted to frame it with the beam hand-hewed by her great-great-grandfather. Her mom had taken two beams out of an old building on the family farm in Wabaunsee County, KS. Both beams were used as mantels, but ours was an 8-foot floor joist with several notches. When we built our first home in Silver Lake, KS, it sat over our wood stove. When we sold that home, Jeannie insisted on taking it down and bringing it to NC. Because it was kept outside since 2002, we decided to use it outdoors and it works well for this purpose. The dinner bell and other memorabilia also came from the family farm. (You can read about this area and its connection to the UGRR in Jeannie's first book, Dawn of Day.) The actual mountain view on the sign is not in this photo, but those "M" shaped mountains on the sign will be visible from our house when we get it built! We positioned it this direction because we wanted folks to see it from the road, and we enjoy looking at it from the windows of our camper. 
continue to ref after his music studio is up and running! Jeannie has a feeling he will find a way to combine these two loves, music and basketball, just as he has done their entire 45-year marriage, (celebrated two days before our move!) Whenever Dennis works on his music or is away to officiate a game, Jeannie can do her reading and writing thing, so it works out well. Jeannie hasn't been idle in her writing during the past year. She keeps up her monthly website blog, has been working on her craft, and preparing for the next project. In our last newsletter, she shared about attending the Rubart Writing Academy in April. One of the things on the "Road Map" she was given, was to get out into communities and take her books to the people. Thanks to fellow writer Georgia Wilson, she (and her characters, Winny and Ginny) attended their first street festival in October. You can read about it here. Another thing that has filled her time since moving was to help Dennis move all his tools to the front of our little barn. Then Dennis helped her turn the back half of the barn into her "library" instead of storing her book cases and books in our new storage building. Now Jeannie's beloved books are again at her fingertips and available to share with friends and neighbors. There is no electricity, so no electric lights or computer, heat, or A/C, but it was a happy homecoming for her when she sat down at her desk surrounded by her books. Jeannie is a happy camper. When we moved, she donated many boxes of secular books to her favorite local used bookshop and many more boxes to begin our church library at Cherokee Bible Church, so these are her favorites and special collections. On good weather days, her barn library, and the screen room, will be places where she can begin her next writing project. She is ready!  While Dennis finished up some fall projects on the land, Jeannie took stacks of bins filled with her mom's almost 40 photo albums covering seven decades. There just wasn't room in our new storage building to hold them. Jeannie spent many days going through each one, enjoying the memories, and pulling out photos of family and special friends that she wanted to keep or share. The last two days in October, Jeannie's brother Dave, and his wife Rhonda, came from Topeka to see us. It rained both days they were here, so our mountain sightseeing was curtailed, but the first evening, after Carolina BBQ, was spent in our little camper going over photos from mom's albums. We had a good time, and the next day enjoyed a drive in the rain around Franklin, Cherokee, Maggie Valley, and ate at two of our favorite restaurants. It was great to see them and share Macs MountainView. Rhonda asked
One last thing. Jeannie's ebooks will be on sale for Christmas, so after Thanksgiving, check the website (www.jamcphail.com) for more information. But she wanted those of you who receive our newsletter to know about a special gift offer first. Until December 15, her Tresia Trilogy is available for $40 including postage and a free Tresia Tote in your choice of jewel colors. If you are interested in giving these to the kids in your life, send a check for $40 for each set, to J.A. McPhail at our new address below. We would love to hear from our "Clan." If you've read this far, thanks! We'd love to hear what God is doing in your life. If you reply to this newsletter, and tell her you want to be included and what color tote you want, Jeannie will put your name in a drawing for the three books and bag to be given away in time for Christmas.  Our vision verse up to this point has been Jeremiah 29: 11. But the Lord gave us a new scripture for Macs MountainView and we want to share it with you.
Psalm 118:23 This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. Have a BLESSED Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Dennis and Jeannie (J.A.) 368 Allen Road, Franklin, NC 28734 Dear family and friends, Spring is half over and everything is already bright green, but we waited to send this edition of MountainView Moments because things are beginning to “spring” forth on our four acres in Franklin, NC! We are so excited to take the first steps on our Vision journey and share them with you. 
We are using the word Vision instead of Ministry to describe what we are doing, but rest assured it is a Holy Spirit led venture, and what we do there will fulfill and blend our callings and benefit the household of faith. We can’t wait to share more, but for now, our tag line for Macs MountainView tells the story: A resting place where books and songs are born and shared. Check out the “Vision” page on the website for photos as we build. We can tell you that the first building up will be a studio/workshop where Dennis will be back using his musical talents and adding new music-related interests. He already helps out in the sound booth at Cherokee Bible Church, (while Jeannie keeps watch over the church library.)
Jeannie made “Divine Connections” with 14 amazing women writers who are on the same author journey. She also discovered direction for her current books, and next project, “Tresia Depot Tales,” which she is excited to begin. With school and library experience from her past, it was pointed out at the academy, that she has the perfect platform to take her books and writing to community groups. It’s always been her desire to pass on her love and belief in of the power of story, and this is another way to do that. Please pray with Jeannie that this avenue will open up and she will have the confidence to present her love of books in a way that will encourage others to explore their own journeys in reading, and how stories can bring to light unexpected treasures in the Kingdom.  Once we are living on our land, while Dennis builds his studio, Jeannie will create a place, (maybe in a corner of their barn with portable cooling and heat!) where she can begin her next book. It may also serve as her new Kingdom Corner, instead of the cramped camper couch! If you don’t know what that is, check out the website Kingdom Corner Connection section.
We will close with a tribute to Jeannie’s Uncle Lindy Aadalen, who recently went Home to Heaven. He lived in Colorado and was 90 years old. Up until a couple years ago, he still loved to drive his Mustang across country to visit family. First pic was taken when Uncle Lindy and Aunt Judi were on a visit to KS to see Jeannie’s parents. Now they are together again! Second pic was taken on one of his last road trips. We were able to join Uncle Lindy and his oldest daughter, Jill and her family. Jill’s daughter, Lilly, was also a YAB girl for the Tresia books. One of Jeannie’s favorite things about being a writer is using friends and family names for characters in her stories. You may have recognized some other names in this newsletter as characters. Now Uncle Lindy will forever drive his Mustang in Book II of Trinity Tales of Tresia. (He read all the books, too!)
We have much to accomplish yet at Macs MountainView, but we also long for the Heavenly reunion with Jesus, family, and friends. Until the Harvest/Holiday Edition, unless the Lord takes us Home first for that grand reunion, we pray you will enjoy the warmer-months and activities with family and friends. If you are near Franklin, please let us know! We would love to show you around our new hometown. We always like to hear back from you. Our email remains the same, and by next newsletter, we will have a new address for you. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you think would be interested. BE BLESSED! Dennis and Jeannie (J.A.)  We hope this newsletter finds you enjoying the beautiful fall weather and God's artistry in the colors of autumn. The mountains of North Carolina are just beginning to turn, but as this photo shows, for the first time ever, we were able to see the Aspen in Colorado in all their glory!  We left Franklin, NC, on Sept. 10, jogged north to KY to visit The Wrights (one of our family of adopted kids and grandkids,) and enjoyed a service where they ministered. We then spent a week in the Topeka area visiting Jeannie's brother, Dave, and his wife, Rhonda, and Den's stepmom, Doris, and his brother, Brad, and wife, Kelly. Also, Jeannie's nephew and family, Adam, Kelsey, and Benton, and Den's Uncle Melvin, Aunt Marcia, and her husband, Gary, and cousin Gina, her husband A.J., and daughter, Avery. It was good to catch up with several friends, including Tim Oathout, and his wife, Lisa, and their growing family, son, David, and soon to meet daughter! Jeannie had a good visit with Deb Tubbs, high school friend and interim director of Topeka YFC.
It was great to see everyone and we are sorry we missed the rest of you this trip. Next time! One of the highlights for Jeannie was visiting the Silver Lake Library, where she was the director in the 90's, and seeing the new renovation, and library friends, Cindy, Karla, Amber and Ashley. It looks great, inside and out! The current director and children's director, Cathy and Tracy, have done a fantastic job! (BTW, they have copies of all of Jeannie's books, and will soon have Book III in the Tresia series!) 
After our Topeka visit, we took off for Colorado with John and Marj Oathout, and their daughter Lisa, and her husband David. We sang with John for almost 25 years in the Messengers Quartet and have spent many summer vacations in CO together, but this was the first fall vacation. We stopped in the Denver area first to visit Jeannie's Uncle Lindy and cousin, Amy, and her family. Another cousin, Tim, and his family were there the same day, so we enjoyed a mini Aadalen family reunion. This is the cabin where we stayed for five days in Salida, CO. Jeannie made the last edits to her book in this gorgeous spot! We spent three days in John's four-wheeler on the trails in the high country and saw so many wonders of God's creation. Here are a few of our favorite shots: 
 On the way back to KS, we stopped near McPherson to have a short visit with another adopted daughter, Carol Nelson, who is also Jeannie's webmaster and fixer of all things technical in regard to her writing! Carol has been invaluable! (Jeannie is still a bit non-techy.) Carol's daughters, Caitlyn and Emalee were on Jeannie's Youth Advisory Board for the Tresia series. We went the northern route back home through Louisville, KY, and enjoyed a short visit with Jeannie's cousin, Jill and her sons, Sam and Jack, and daughter, Lilly, who is also on Jeannie's YAB.
Jeannie spent October finishing up the final proofs on her book. Trinity Tales of Tresia, Book III: A Perfectly Magnificent Cane, will be officially released on November 1, but is available now for preorder on her publisher's website.
We have decided to winter in our lovely campground in Franklin. We have a nice sheltered spot at Mi Mountain Campground, a wonderful campground owner, and we have adjusted well to living in a 26 ft. camper! Dennis is winterizing what is needed to keep us safe and warm, and Jeannie is determined to find room for a small Christmas tree and a few outside decorations! Dennis will work games several times a week, so that will keep him busy in the winter months. If it snows, they will cancel school, so Jeannie won't have to be concerned about slippery drives home! We are looking forward to working on the land during the cold months when things are more easily accessed and cleared. By late spring we should be ready to begin the process of getting utilities hooked up, an RV spot ready, and moving the camper out to Macs MountainView Ministries. Over the summer, we hope to get our first cabin built and Macs Music Recording Studio established. Dennis is very excited about that. Our high school friend, Bob Iwig, and his wife, Diane, visited a couple months ago and his brother, Mark, took this photo of the Franklin area from the top of the mountains. You will find a print of this in our cabin one of these days! We are so grateful and amazed that God picked out this spot for us.  Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think may be interested in keeping up with the Macs. God is so good and we are excited for the next steps on our re-firement journey! We would love to hear from you!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas season! Be BLESSED! Dennis and Jeannie |
Archives
November 2019
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BooksTresia Book III -- A Perfectly Magnificent Cane (Includes short allegory, A Glimpse, The Truly Excellent Scepter)
Tresia Book II -- A Quite Extraordinary Umbrella Tresia Book I -- A Most Remarkable Hat I Will Not Fear A Chosen Life Dawn of Day |
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