We've been in Eureka Springs, AR on the grounds of The Great Passion Play for 42 days. That eclipses the length of our "reunion" trip last summer by 2 days and almost gives us resident status in Arkansas. This is a different environment from Colorado, for sure, and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the Passion Play ministry, to be able to minister to Vietnam vets through our Ministry of Miles as we meet them here on site or on our forays to Berryville or Branson or the other towns in the area and to visit with others who are ministering as God has called them. God is at work in so many ways and has "recruited" an army of workers to His harvest. Keep them coming and keep them strong, Lord.
When I say this is a different environment, let me throw out some examples. I'm a city boy married to a small town girl and we are now living in what might lovingly be called "the sticks". We are continually seeing and feeling new bumps, welts, and itches in places on our body where no respectful critter should ever dare to go. We have heat rash on top of insect bites. We have red bumps between toes, under waistbands, behind ears and in places we would be embarrassed to show a doctor. We fidget and twitch, we scratch and swat. You'd think we were a third base coach giving signals, the way we jump around and react to all the gnats, biting flies, chiggers, no-see-ums, spiders, mosquitoes, beetles, bugs, ticks, creepy-crawlers, lizards, snakes, ants and a multitude of other critters I wonder why God created and Adam gave unusual names to. We have more lotions, creams, medications, and home remedies at our disposal and suggestions from the locals than you can shake a stick at and yet we still squirm and squawk and can't find relief. I've made friends with donkeys, camels, Jacob sheep, baby lambs, a Nubian wild-ass named CrossAnna, miniature horses, Earl the cat and have even made some new human friends too. But in spite of all the "gripes",,,...we love it here and feel so blessed to be where we are. No we're not in Colorado anymore, and like most places, if you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes and it will change, but we are adapting. There is beauty in the rolling hills, the lushness of the trees and the coolness of this morning after a few days of high humidity and intermittent period of pelting rain and threats of violent weather. We are blessed to be where we are and thank God for bringing us to this place, this ministry and this community of believers. Resist the urge to scratch, pass the calamine lotion and Praise The Lord.
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