December 29, 2015. Madison, GA. 3.....2.....1.....2016

Counting down the final days of 2015. How quickly the year went by and in a few days we will be writing 2016 or /16 on all our checks, documents and other places where a date is required. A lot of "worldly" events will take place in the coming year: Super Bowl 50, the Rio Summer Olympics, a Presidential Election and all the events leading up to it, microchipping of all dogs in England, a bunch of space probes and first-time space events. We can anticipate a growing number of strange-named drugs with horrendous side effects, wilder weather and a host of theories on why it is occurring, and occurring more frequently. In all that will happen, we are certain that we have no certainty, and will constantly be "surprised" by what we as humans come up with and what the "world" is capable of.
But of more importance is the reality that we are all getting older, getting closer to the inevitability of our demise and what will take place to us thereafter. For believers in Jesus Christ, the future, while not fully known to us, will outstep life as we know it now, and our present peace and joy will pale by comparison to the peace and joy we will experience then. We don't know if 2016 is the time for this all to take place, but we should look ahead with anticipation and expectancy to God's "ultimate relief" and live each day until then with gratitude and thanksgiving for all He has done for us and the hope He instills in us.
I pray for the coming year, all God has in store for us, and for His peace to prevail in our lives and the lives of all we come in contact with. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, now and forever. Thank You, Lord, and Amen.


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December 26, 2015. Madison, GA. Blessed

I just woke up from a two hour mid-day nap, after sleeping almost two hours more than usual and having a morning of mostly sitting with my feet up in the comfortable co-captain's chair of our motor home. My brother, Phil, and I went for a leisurely walk this morning enjoying the 70-ish weather and the lack of rain after a very wet and soggy week here in Madison. Phil and Sharon arrived yesterday afternoon for a visit from Jacksonville, FL, and we have worked very hard at not working hard. It has been wonderful to just relax, lounge around, play board games with some of the SLM people last night, raid the refrigerator, chase lady bugs and "enjoy".
Our only real concern at the moment is a glitch in our bathroom and a possible inability to dump our "black water" and "grey water" tanks because of the over abundance of rain the past week which may have backed up our sewer line. I'm not sure how we will actually know when the line is usable, so, in the meantime, when nature calls, we jump in the car, ride up the hill to our Mission headquarters and use the facilities there. At lest we are getting some exercise, getting out of the RV and learning something about pre-planning and making due with minimal use of one potty for four people. Sleeping later, and taking naps, makes the situation less critical.
It's great to have the convenience and freedom we do. I say it often, how blessed Karen and I are to live as we do. We are well aware that we have little to complain about, much to be thankful for and humbled by the grace of God in allowing us to serve Him as we do, yet having a peace and joy that is beyond what we deserve or have cause to expect. Jesus told us, that in life there would be trials and tribulations, and we have all had our share, but He also promised life abundantly to those who sought Him and sought to serve Him. As we celebrate, Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, and contemplate the life He lived and the life He gave, it's wonderful to know that while we have been given so much, as we give back, we will see that the best is yet to come. Let's all rejoice and be glad and live in the peace of God and say again.........Thank You, Lord.

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December 24, 2015. Madison, GA. Merry Christmas

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December 22, 2015. Madison, GA. Staying Informed

We receive three television stations here in Madison; NBC, Weather Central and the Justice Network. If the weather is bad between here and Atlanta, we get no tv reception and sometimes even if the weather is good, the stations don't come in very well. When one station goes, they all go. The Weather Central station is good for getting the overall national picture, but when you've seen it more than once, you've seen it enough and The Justice Station is a lot of cops and robbers stuff which gets pretty tough to watch when you see all the nasty things going on in the country.
NBC is okay, but it can get tedious to see their line-up of shows. They have a lot of police-type shows, Dateline stories about crimes, three shows about fire, police and medical disasters in Chicago, soccer, The Voice, Lester Holt (who we like), Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, a host of off-beat and offensive ethnic-oriented comedies and infomercials on a host of medical issues and "buy my brand diamond" or vacuum cleaner or other product. It's hard to find real wholesome entertainment on our tv selections. Even the specials were questionable; The Wiz and it's second showing, "How Murray Saved Christmas" and it's second showing were kid oriented with a lot of adult "humor" thrown in. We did enjoy It's a Wonderful Life a few weeks ago. Always enjoy Jimmy Stewart.
With only a weekly newspaper, the on and off tv and no desire to read the news on a small cell phone screen, it's hard to stay informed on the events in the world, but I've becoming accustomed to being uninformed. When we hear people talk about something, we Google-it and that seems to be enough. We're pretty well settled on who we don't want to be President, so we can do without all the debates, the soon-to-come negative ads and the wild boasts, claims and accusations of the political process.
Our work here in Madison and at the Passion Play give us a good idea of what God has called us to do, the importance of an eternal perspective over the temporal one and our desire to live as holy, righteous and non-hypocritical a life as we can. As always, we seek God's will for our life and press on toward the "prize". If we stay informed with God and keep close to Him...........that will be enough.........that will be sufficient.

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December 19, 2015. Madison, GA. Thank You

Every morning, like clockwork, and usually without the benefit of a clock, I wake up around 5:30, turn off my CPAP machine, take out my earplugs, check to make sure the parts of my body which need to function are still functioning and begin the new day in a fairly similar way to what I have done every other day, I mostly take for granted that I have things to do and the ability to do them. I mostly take for granted that I have clothes to wear, food to eat, senses to sense with, money to buy the things we need and the health and strength to do what I want to do each day.
And yet, as I look around me, listen to the news, spend quiet time with God, or pray with a group of fellow workers, I realize more and more that I have a lot to be thankful for and that my life, while not always easy, is made easier and more joyful by the grace of God and His many blessings. While I may not always act like I'm thankful, I AM THANKFUL. My selfish streak often becomes a burden for others to bear and it amazes me sometimes that anyone wants anything to do with me or my moods, attitude or curmudgeon-i-ness. I'm convinced that because people love Karen so much, they put up with me as part of the baggage she has to carry. I am thankful for her and all she has endured the past 40 plus years we have been together. I'm glad she won the five hour dominoes game last night, was able to sleep in a little longer this morning, that I came in sixth in the game, was up at 5:30, able to look at life on a beautiful Saturday morning and say thank You to God who gave so much for us and continues to give us all we need and much of what we want, as well. Yes, I am thankful. THANK YOU, LORD.


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December 16, 2015. Madison, GA. The Best Laid Plans..........

Two years ago yesterday, Karen and I set out from Fort Collins on what we thought would be a three or four month journey and then back to Colorado for the Spring and early Summer to decide where to go and what to do next. It didn't work out that way. We have been back to Colorado only to take care of medical issues and our plans which never had a definite destination when we started has now revolved around Eureka Springs, AR and Madison, GA for two stays in both locations. Colorado has become our temporary permanent address and Arkansas and Georgia our permanent temporary address.
We still minister to Vietnam Veterans with our Ministry of Miles, but The Great Passion Play and Source of Light Ministries are where we give our "time and talents" and join God where He is at work, helping to advance His Kingdom by being part of a community which is devoted to preaching The Good News in different ways to different "audiences". We enjoy both and also enjoy the life style which we did not plan, but was part of a larger plan which we accepted. For now, we are planning to stay on a similar "schedule" for the coming year, but only He knows what lies ahead, and our plans will yield to His should they not be the same.
We watch the weather pretty closely, and right now even though we have rain in the immediate forecast tonight, we are thankful we are not in Colorado where it is much colder and snowier and has been so for a few weeks now. When we left there in December, 2013 it had been below zero for quite a spell and we were "fortunate" to have a warm day in the mid-30's to de-winterize and start heading south. The motor home has only traveled 11,000 miles in the two years, but it has served us well and we are grateful for the plans we didn't follow and the Plan we did. God is Good and we are abundantly blessed.

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December 14, 2015. Madison, GA. Taking Inventory, part 2

Leaves and lady bugs;  exempt from Inventory.    Whew!!!

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December 13, 2015. Madison, GA. Taking Inventory

This week we will begin the year-end process here at Source of Light of counting all the physical items on the premises. The major items are the publications stored in the. Madison Discipleship School and in the many cages and racks in the warehouse. There are thousands and tens of thousands of various publications and the system for keeping track of them is in transition at the moment, so it will be a challenge for those of us involved to determine an accurate count of what we have in stock and report it to whomever it is supposed to be reported.
As we get to the end of another physical year and fiscal year, the accounting people are hard at work getting their figures together for reporting to whomever they have to report it to and they too are working with a new system and a new accounting director, so they are hard at it as well. Sally has been working exceptionally long hours to be finished by her deadline.
There are also many individuals taking inventory of their own personal life, the year that has passed by so quickly, what was planned for the year, what was accomplished during the year and how it is being reported to whomever or Whom we are responsible for reporting it to. Our boss or manager or supervisor will rate us and determine what we will be doing next year or if we even will be doing it for them again. But ultimately, for us Christians, our inventory is already reported and our Boss, Manager and Supervisor are in the process of determining how we did and what He will be assigning us to do next. Some of us will be disciplined, some will be asked to do the same thing again, some will be given greater responsibilities and some may even be called to an ultimate reward. Our inventory of ourself may be accurate or not, but God's inventory of our past year and past years is totally accurate and already in the books. We don't know the count now, but we will eventually and the only way to assure a good report is to be obedient, be intentional, be a good steward and do the right things for the proper motive.
It's not always easy, but it is what we are called to and what will answer the prayer we pray so often; Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done. What we count is important, but what counts more is God's plan and purpose for us, and our adherence to it. And so we press on.

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December 10, 2015. Madison, GA. Irma

Irma is our GPS. She's been with us about four years and has been pretty reliable. We've been from coast to coast and almost border to across the border and she has only had one hissy-fit when she came close to being replaced. At the last minute, she decided to come to her senses and we reinstated her into our menagerie of electronic gadgets and Irma stayed in the family. She does insist that we get to the city center of every via point we enter in our routes, and since we travel almost totally on back roads, and not the Interstates, she does want us to get the full scenic tour down "Main Street". Most times she has a "recalculating " tantrum until we can get past the last possible dirt road back to the via point and she realizes we are going ahead and not back. We talk to her like she understands, and on we go.
Our new phones have a talking map feature, so on our recent trip to Augusta, we had Irma and the Google Maps lady ( we haven't given her a legal name yet) both giving directions to Hobby Lobby at the same time and I couldn't figure out how to silence Google Lady, so it was quite a battle for a while. We arrived without incident and we're grateful for the assistance. For over 35 years Karen and I had travelled without a cell phone, without a GPS, with only a paper map and my firm belief that I knew where we were, where we were going and how to get there. How did we ever manage that?
Karen and I have done a lot of driving around this country. I can't estimate how many miles, but it's been a lot. We started our married life with a car trip from Colorado to Washington, DC the morning after our wedding and we have been driving ever since. We have been to every state but Alaska, have been to the four corners of the United States and the Four Corners Monument where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona meet and we continue to explore as we seek to answer God's call on our lives. Karen has done most of the actual driving. I have done most of the travel planning and navigating and we are both content to fill those roles. The technical advances have certainly made travel easier and far less stressful than it was for those early "adventures".
We are grateful for Irma and her unnamed assistant. But most of all we thank our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and The Holy Spirit for the ultimate plan, the ultimate destination and the freedom we have to serve where we are led. How blessed, grateful and thankful we are.

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December 7, 2015. Madison, GA. Turn Over a New Leaf

I spent another full day gathering leaves on the Source of Light grounds. I can't believe how much effort it takes to keep up with the uncountable number of leaves which are falling from the uncountable number of trees on the Mission property. I miss Ron, my leaf gathering partner from last year and unfortunately, no one has stepped forward to take his place and be my leaf buddy.
But, fortunately, Marvin has made repairs to the mower-leaf rake combo machine and it has allowed me to mow, mulch and pick up more leaves quicker and deposit them in the area we have for them, and do so more efficiently than last year. But, the leaves just seem to keep coming......down. Most of the trees are almost bare, so I think I am finally getting the upper hand. Tomorrow we are leaving (pun intended) for the day and will run some errands in Augusta and then return for print shop and leaf duties the end of the week.
It has been good to be able to work outside. The weather has been good, no snow, and only one night close to freezing, so I can't really complain; other than trying to understand why trees which are so gorgeous in the spring and summer when the leaves are green and full, turn to multiple colors in the early fall and then fall down for us to rake and collect. Someday, we'll understand the reason, but for now, just get 'er done.

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December 4, 2015. Madison, GA. 12345

I have an easy birthday to remember......12345......December 3, 1945. I've never been very much of a proponent of "celebrating" holidays, like Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, wedding anniversaries or birthdays, while I do make a point of observing Memorial Day, Veterans Day and prominent historical events. But yesterday a lot of people wished me a Happy 70th Birthday with texts, cards, calls, singing, and invites to a meal.
When people ask me what my birthday is, I always respond "12345" and say there is no excuse to ever forget my birthday even though most people I know do forget it. I had a law school friend who knew my birthday, but for the years I knew him always gave me a card on January 23, with the comment that, after all, it was still 12345, just 1-23-45, instead of 12-3-45.
I did have a wonderful birthday, though. It is amazing to me that I am now 70 and still not old enough to play softball with The Kids and Kubs in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. Still have five years to go to be able to do that, but will probably decline that " profession" since it's been about 20 years since I last played ball. A pulled hamstring convinced me that my softball days needed to come to an end then.
In any event, yesterday was fun. Living this long has been fun and I think there are still things on God's agenda for us, so we will carry on and heed the call. And, by the way, if you didn't remember my birthday, or didn't know when my birthday was.......there's always January 23rd.




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December 1, 2015. Madison, GA. Four Days Off

It was nice to have a four day break from my "work" at Source of Light. Karen has been under the weather with something she brought from Arkansas that was compounded by something that has been making the rounds here so she has been "down" for over two weeks. With only two television stations, and those dependent on the weather conditions, she has been reading a lot, watching a bunch of DVD's and catching a lot of daytime zzzz's. She is doing better and ready to get back to her duties, but at a less than energizer bunny pace.
I just wanted to let my body get some relief from the almost constant activity of the past two years on the road. I didn't really appreciate how pooped I was until I made a conscious effort to do nothing, or as close to nothing as I could. When I did go back to leaf patrol yesterday, it was nice to finish the day and realize that I wasn't exhausted. The break had been worthwhile.
Karen and I have enjoyed our volunteer roles in the church and as on-the-road ministers, and have always been willing to help where needed, but we both know that we can sometimes overdo it, and rest and time off needs to be part of the equation of our life. Hopefully, we can get Karen back to feeling good, and me more rested and free from the aches and pains of physical labor. We're so blessed to be able to do what we are doing, have the freedom to travel or not travel and serve where we have been serving. We have made some wonderful friends, matured in our faith and been able to minister and be ministered to in ways we would never have imagined when we set out from Fort Collins nearly two years ago. What a journey God has orchestrated for us. Thank You, Lord

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November 28, 2015. Madison, GA. Old Friends

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November 28, 2015. Madison, GA. Old Friends

I'm not a country boy. I grew up in mid-sized cities, went to college and law school in big cities, never had a pet other than a paranoid cat for about three months, and was never around animals. But for the past two years at the Passion Play we have been close to animals and I have developed a fondness for them, especially donkeys. The Passion Play donkeys are a hoot. I made a point of visiting them in the barn area whenever I had some free time and was able to have closer contact with them during the Play when I had the role of either Thomas or Philip, who fetched the donkey for Jesus before the Triumphal Entry scene.
Here in Madison, we are adjacent to a large field which "feeds" a herd of cattle and four donkeys. A year ago, I befriended the donkeys here and when we came back earlier this month I was able to renew that friendship. A few days ago we met at the fence, had a petting and sniffing session and I was able to get some pictures. It's been wonderful to catch up with our human friends here and get back to the work of the ministry, but it gives me such a peaceful, contented feeling to be with friends who expect nothing more than having their nose and forehead rubbed, their back scratched and maybe some freshly mown grass to eat. All part of God's glorious creation for us to enjoy.

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November 25, 2015. Madison, GA. Bob

We met Bob and Wanda Hearing a few days after we arrived in Madison, just over a year ago. They lived just up the hill from our RV site. They were a couple in their mid-80's and had been with Source of Light Ministries for about 7 years, after a long career in the mission and various ministry fields. They were purchasing agents for SLMI. Bob had been Director of the Madison Discipleship School (MDS) for a number of years.
Bob had surgery for a cancer condition the week before Thanksgiving last year, and while he was in surgery, Wanda began to unexpectedly bleed internally and before her condition could be addressed, she died right there in the hospital the day after Thanksgiving. Bob awoke from surgery to be told that Wanda had passed away.
But Bob was a fighter, recovered from that surgery, returned to work and was determined to continue on at SLMI and was doing very well. When Karen and I came back to Madison three weeks ago, we were glad to see Bob doing so well, working in MDS again, and deeply committed to guiding prison inmates through the Bible Correspondence Courses. He became emotional whenever one of his "students" accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and he was moved by the letters he received and the exchange of communication with them. Last Friday, Bob worked his normal hours, went shopping for groceries on Saturday morning and when he returned home, he carried one load of bags into the house, and while taking the second load in, suffered a massive stroke and fell while going up the outside stairs. He was found a short time later, taken by ambulance to the hospital in Athens and never regained consciousness. Bob went to be with his Lord and Savior this morning at 5:55. The man he trained to take his place as Director of MDS was with him when he went to Glory. Brian had been reading some of the Correspondence Course answers to Bob through the night and while Bob was not conscious, he was "working" until the end.
Bob was a fighter for The Lord. Like the apostle Paul, Bob was prepared to do whatever was needed here to serve the Lord, but he was also prepared to be with the Lord, and his beloved Wanda in Heaven. Wanda, with The Lord the day after Thanksgiving, 2014; Bob with the Lord the day before Thanksgiving, 2015. Bob's children were delayed by weather from seeing him before he passed on, but they did arrive just a short while ago. We grieve for their loss, but we are glad for Bob and the new life he now enjoys in Heaven. We are thankful that we got to be with the Hearings, if only for a brief time. Their lives, and their new lives, are an inspiration to us and the many others they touched over the years. Thank you, Wanda. Thank you Bob.......and, Thank You, Lord.
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November 22, 2015. Madison, GA. November 22, 1963

It was 52 years ago, this date. As I was on my way to class at New York University a report came over a car radio near the main classroom building. President John F. Kennedy had been shot and was being rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. No further news at that time. I was only 17 years old, a freshman in college, and not yet eligible to vote. I had attended a Kennedy rally in Schenectady, New York when he was running for President in 1960 and was close enough to him at that time that I felt like I knew him personally.
But that Friday in 1963, I felt like I was reading a novel and not experiencing a piece of history which would change many things in our country and alter my ideas of what was important and where I might end up after college. The events of the next few days, the capture and then death of Lee Harvey Oswald, the investigations, speculation, suspicions, the Warren Commission Report, conspiracy theories, documentaries and Hollywood renditions of the events all fueled a growing distrust and uncertainty. Were we being told the truth about the events of that day and were other events open to question as well? The uncertainty seems to go on even to this day.
That day, so many years ago left a lasting impression on me. Many history-making events have occurred since then, far too numerous to list here, but something changed on that Friday afternoon and I still remember the empty feeling, the fear, the loneliness and the reality of a loss of innocence and the security I had felt when I left home to attend college in the Big City. I gave a little thought to this date in history as I looked at the calendar a few days ago, not thinking it would be a blog topic, but it grabbed me as I wrote the date on the subject line just now.
Life holds no certainties for us, no guarantees of success, no promise beyond the present moment. God knows, but He doesn't put it down in writing for us other than the Words of Scripture and in that we do have certainty, guarantees and promises to rest on. And for this, I gratefully say.......Thank You, Lord.
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November 19, 2015. Source of Light Ministries International, Madison, GA. Go and Make Disciples

Source of Light Ministries' main mission is to create and print Bible Correspondence Courses, disseminate them to missionaries around the world who then use the lessons to disciple people and bring them to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In one way or another, everyone here at SLMI is in the "business" of making disciples. Many of the workers here, whether paid or volunteer, have been in the Mission Field, have been preachers, evangelists, involved in outreach, prison ministry, church planting or any number of other Matthew 28:19-type endeavors.
Since we have been in Madison, there has been a big push to prepare the "Reaper", a quarterly review of SLMI activities and a means of securing funds needed to operate the ministry. We printed, collated and ink-jetted labels on over 30,000 copies which were bulk-mailed to donors and others on the SLM mailing list. Quite a task, completed this afternoon, and then back to the normal activity of printing, collating, packaging and inventorying lessons for the many courses to be sent out by the Madison Discipleship School to people wanting to learn more about Jesus Christ, His purpose for their life and the need to dedicate that life fully to Him.
How desperately this world needs Jesus, the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Go and Make Disciples. We can all do our part, by praying, giving our time and resources where we see God at work, and "going" where God calls us; to a foreign country, another city or state, our own neighborhood or around the corner and take the message of Jesus Christ with us. Yes, go and make disciples.

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November 16, 2015 Madison, GA. It Makes Me Sad

There have been times in my almost 70 years of life when I have been sad about things I did or failed to do; sad about events out of my immediate control which changed the direction of my life; sad about things which happened to others which changed their planned course of action and hurt them tremendously.
The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, the almost daily news of violence against innocent people, the state of our political and judicial system, the radicalism we are seeing in "religion", the decline of the moral fiber of our country and world and the things we call entertainment and for which we pay an ever-increasing price; these things make me sad. We claim to be united in our abhorrence of violence and hate, yet we are becoming a more fractured country and world, with more people determined to hold on to their material goods, with an "over my dead body" attitude, and it makes me sad. There is so much sickness and disease, the cost of some medicine is outrageous and many people are giving up on the good programs and people who are committed to helping and being compassionate and many of them are walking away from their profession or volunteer activity.
I don't profess to have an answer or solution other than trusting God, depending on a strong faith, and trying to be around people who are optimistic and eternally directed, but that too can sadden me when they, or I, yield to worldly forces and temptations.
Let's all resolve to start anew, right now, to fight the spiritual fight, stand up for what we believe and Who we believe in and live with a resolve that "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." God is faithful and He can, and will, turn sadness into joy and mourning into gladness. Thank You, Lord for the Hope we have in You.

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November 13, 2015. Madison, GA. Old Stuff

In the grand scheme of God's creation we are not very old, but in the smaller scheme of our immediate sphere of influence and the things we use in our daily life, we are pretty old. The Passion Play has been around for less than 50 years and Source of Light Ministries has been here for just over 60. Some of the stuff we use and some of the people we work with are getting on in years, have been with these ministries most of their life, and after many repairs, replaced parts, operations and body parts no longer functioning as they were originally designed to, we are more and more realizing that old stuff needs old, experienced people to keep functioning properly.
Today I was going to start the leaf gathering operation using a rebuilt tractor-style mower with a gas-operated leaf-rake attached. The mower needed to be jump started, the leaf rake with a pull-cord needed a few shots of starter fluid and on the first pass of the area, a pulley holding a belt broke and the mower ground to a quick halt. Upon further investigation, Marvin, a 40+ year maintenance man here at SOL discovered a host of problems which will need to be addressed before the leaf gathering can proceed. But Marvin, nearly 80 years old and a machinist and "fixer" most of his life is confident he will be able to fix the pulley, replace the worn belt, repair the mower blade shaft, key way and spindle, repair the leaky fuel filter, reattach the mower deck and be up and running early next week.
Marvin, like many of the "old timers" we worked with at the Passion Play and here in Madison, have "been there and done that" before and in his quiet way keeps the old stuff, and himself, running to do the work The Lord has put before him. I did not grow up in an environment where we fixed what broke. We found someone else to do that and paid them for their expertise and willingness to help. It's eye opening to me as we travel and volunteer our non-technical skills, to see how people have lived off the land, raised the animals or hunted for what they will eat, are able to fix things which break, build their own houses and barns and keep the old stuff, and themselves, running. We have been blessed to know such people and hear about the lives they have led and The Lord they give all the glory to. We hope to be able to continue to serve as we have, acquire new skills and hopefully pass on our experience and experiences to those who come after us. Discipled, so we can disciple others. Thank You, Lord.

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November 10, 2015. Madison, GA. Sunshine and more

About noon today the sun snuck through the clouds, the clouds disappeared and it has been rainless for the first time in over two weeks. The forecast for tomorrow is another sunny, dry day. The local residents are ecstatic that the rain has stopped and it will be an opportunity to get outside and start the task of raking up all the leaves the rain knocked off the trees. The ground here at Source of Light is covered, but the trees still have a lot left on them, so the leaf-gathering will not be completed quickly. I will be part of the crew which is assigned to leaf duty over the next month or so. A chance to get back on the mowers and tractors. Thursday it looks like we will be back in the print shop for collating some Bible Lessons to be sent out to SOL students.
Karen has already boxed up all the 2013 accounting paperwork, making room in the cabinets for the 2016 files and doing something with the 2014 and 2015 papers so they can be available for tax time and other needs. We are both back into the "routine" and it is good to be here. We have been to church, had a get-together for lunch Sunday, dinner with another group last night and will be going to Veterans' Day activities tonight and tomorrow at the High School and here at the Mission. We've already been to the Verizon store with questions on our new phones and the Walmart is only two miles away instead of ten, so we have been there a few times in our first five days. Don and Sonja (my book suppliers from last year) have already given me a book to read (The Price of Freedom) and I look forward to it and the others yet to come.
Yes, we have settled back into our "winter" home. The bins are all cleaned out and reorganized, the lady bugs seem to be on the wane, the mice hopefully are gone and life is good. The sun is behind the trees out our front window and it is not a "rainy night in Georgia". And, we rest on God's assurance that the best is yet to come. Thank You, Lord.

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November 7, 2015. Madison, GA. Rain (and more)

As we approached the western suburbs of Atlanta it started to rain, sometimes heavily, and it has been raining, on and off ever since. Back in Eureka Springs they had heavy rain and threats of severe weather just after we left and we have been told here in Madison, that it has been raining on and off for something like 40 days and 40 nights. We parked the "ark" where we were parked last winter, and will wait on the ground to dry before we move to the "to be completed" RV site up the hill near the Mission building. I'm sure I will be involved in the work to complete the two sites there.
In the meantime, we are renewing friendships, resting up from our 750 mile jaunt, and getting back into the atmosphere of Source of Light Ministries. A different atmosphere from The Great Passion Play, hard to .........hold on.........(interruption for another mouse capture. There seems to be a pattern developing: Eureka Springs(11/2)-evict mouse family from bin, blog that day, Tupelo(11/4)-catch mouse while blogging, Madison(today)-catch mouse while blogging).
This blog will be posted, but the thought interrupted will have to wait while Karen and I tgo on mouse patrol while the rain has stopped. I guess God didn't want me to blog on the "different atmosphere" theme just now, or maybe at all...........so........see you later............

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November 4, 2015. Tupelo, MS. In Transit

Last night we arrived in Searcy, AR for a scheduled RV repair, were able to hear some bluegrass music at a BBQ joint with one of our repairmen in the group, have the repair finished this morning and were on the road before noon. Tonight we are in Tupelo and settled in for our first Walmart stay in many months. We are not surrounded by semis and other RV'ers and are down to only a few lady bug encounters. The most hearty of the bugs did manage to cling to the windshield, some rode sidesaddle and a few stayed with us indoors. But it seems that the worst is over and we can only anticipate what the next critter assault will be.
We have been able to speak with a number of Vietnam vets in the past few days about VA benefits and give them encouragement that there are benefits available to those who served and have health issues as a result of Agent Orange exposure. We have been so blessed by the VA benefits, the change it has made in our lives and we feel the need to share what we have been through with those who have served and now suffer. 2 Corinthians 1, speaking of God's compassion and comfort to us is what we strive to pass on to others so they may be blessed too with that same compassion and comfort.
Either tomorrow or Friday we will be back in our winter "home" in Madison, Georgia, reunited with Hugh and LaVon and so many others we worked with before at Source of Light Ministries. Karen has been contacting many of our friends and letting them know our whereabouts and whatabouts and it feels very natural for us to be between assignments and back in a "Walmart RV Park". Thank you, Lord for blessing us so abundantly and giving us an enduring peace we have not experienced before. I say it again.........GOD IS SO GOOD.



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Noah Only Had Two

November 2, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Take A Break

Karen is known here as the "energizer bunny" for her always-in-motion style of work and the pace at which she gets her short legs moving. Most of the young people she works with are amazed at her stamina and work ethic. The only way I can get her to sit in one place for any amount of time is to let her know it's time to drive somewhere and then she gets behind the wheel of the motor home or car and for the next number of hours she can "take a break" and stay in one place while the vehicle becomes the bunny.
Today is our final day in Eureka Springs. Karen is busy moving inventory and "winterizing" the gift shops while I am readying the motor home for the road and trying to keep the lady bugs from coming with us. The pill bottle and vacuum cleaner are working hard and I am taking a semi-break to write and have a few moments of relief from the frazzling I feel when the bugs seem to be getting the upper hand. I did manage to dislodge a family of mice from one of our storage bins and prevent them from moving to Georgia with us, but the lady bugs are a major nuisance and a smelly one to boot. I used to think lady bugs were cute, but not so mush any more.
It has been a blessing to be part of the Passion Play again, and we will be back next Spring, God willing. We are ready for a break and a change of scenery. I've made a preliminary itinerary, Karen will get behind the RV wheel for the first time since June 16th and we'll soon be on the road again. Thank You, Lord for traveling with us and allowing us to travel with You. It' great to travel together. We trust You for the ultimate itinerary and destination.


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October 30, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. One To Go

Normally I would be on the set preparing for the start of the Passion Play. But, it is raining, the radar shows heavier rain on the way with the prospect of some severe weather as well, so tonight's performance has been cancelled and we are now looking at our final performance day tomorrow and the wrap on the 2015 season.
Last year the weather did not interfere with the PP schedule and all of the 84 performances of the play were held with only an occasional drizzle as an impediment. This year 5 of the 85 performances had to be cancelled for inclement weather and one performance was stopped before the play was completed due to a very intense lightening storm which "popped up" suddenly. There is a definite hazard involved with outdoor theater and a season which can have very unpredictable weather and temperatures in May when the season begins and October when it ends and everywhere in between.
There are still a number of people in the museums, enjoying the buffet and in the gift shops, and many of the people who would have come to the play are going to attend the gospel music show at the Ozark Mountain Music Theater ( formerly the Hoe Down). At least they won't get wet and cold there and it will be a boon to the sister-business of TGPP. Karen is going with some of her co-workers to the OMMT and I will relax with the World Series, sew some "stained glass" crosses and listen to the rain on the roof.
Our time here is winding down and we will leave with a mixture of sadness and excitement for what lies ahead. We will miss this place, the challenges of being in the "entertainment" business, maintaining an aging property and much-used equipment, and being subject to the ever-changing weather. But right now, we look forward to one more performance, finishing strong and serving God and serving people.
One day at a time, sweet Jesus.


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October 28, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Roll with the Punches

The Great Passion Play is a unique ministry, yet not all that different from a company with different departments producing different products for their clients. We do not have performances every day, yet we are always performing because people come to see The Christ of the Ozarks statue every day, visit the gift shop and Bible Museum every day but Sunday, and are always wanting to see the amphitheater where the play is performed.
While we may not be a Holy Land costumed presenter, we must always be ready to explain the various venues and be ready to guide a curious visitor through the Tabernacle or even take them on a golf cart through the entire venue and give them a taste of what they would see and hear on a performance day. When we arrive on the set for the play, we must be ready to play a part we haven't played before, or coach a person in a role they have never played before, or sometimes have a visitor sitting next to you as James the Lesser at The Last Supper. It's always fun to come to the next scene and realize that tonight's Barabbas was yesterday's Christ-figure, or that the three people on the crosses at Calvary are all people who have played the Christ-figure at one time or another. It's a lot different from most theatrical presentations where there is a set cast of characters, a printed Playbill with the characters listed and very little deviation from night to night. Here we must be flexible, prepared to change at a moment's notice, realize we are "professionals" playing before a paying audience and committed to presenting a first-rate product.
Yet, with all the "mayhem" there is a calm which seems to prevail. When something doesn't work exactly as planned, it still works, missing props are done without, and the "show goes on". It is a wonderful message we are delivering and even when an element or two, or three, or...........doesn't work just right, we roll with the punches, do the best we can with what we have, and trust God for the result. What a blessed adventure we are on. Only two more performance days for the season, then we "wrap" and look forward to what God has in store for us for TGPP-2016.

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October 25, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. It's Blogging Time Again

For nearly two years I have been a blogger. I have tried to stick to a three-day schedule, for no specific reason; sometimes I get the blog- bug on the second day and sometimes it will be four days from my last post. Today I have not been overly busy, just picking up the amphitheater from last night's crowd, finishing the cast laundry which others started last night, doing our own laundry, chasing a few lady bugs; watched some football, sewed some plastic-canvas crosses, ate lasagne, ice cream and some snacks, and with all that have not really been "inspired" with a blog idea.
I've had some heavy themes of late, so it's kind of refreshing not to have had a theme in mind to write about when I got up this morning, and to spend a day where nothing really jumped out at me to write about. But, I did want to kind of stick to the unofficial schedule for those who have become used to the unofficial schedule. It's good to know that I really don't have a deadline like many writers who make a living with their writing. It speaks to the life-style we have chosen, or rather the life-style God has chosen for us.
Well, I'm no closer to a theme, so I guess I'll turn on the Hotspot, crank up the Internet, post this to the website and see you again in three days.......more or less.
Thanks for checking in.


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October 22, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away........PLEASE

Last week I made a quick reference to the return of the ladybugs. Hugh and LaVon were our neighbors here at The Passion Play last year and had an infestation of the cute little critters in their storage bins, taking many of them to Madison, Georgia when they travelled there. It wasn't that big of a deal for them. We found one dead ladybug in a window well when we arrived in Madison, so it wasn't a big deal for us either. This year is different, really different.
We have been invaded big time, inside our RV, and we have had hundreds and hundreds of them the past three days. We have no choice but to capture them in a 3 inch tall pill bottle with a screw top and then dispose of them when the bottle is getting full, so they won't have the opportunity to revisit us. I know they are supposed to have an ecological purpose, but invading our home is not on any list I have read. Sorry, little fellas, but you are messy, have a musty odor and are getting to the level of annoyance of my other nemesis, the chigger. Fortunately, the chiggers are elsewhere for now and the lumps, sores and itching are only a memory, one I am glad is past. Maybe the upcoming rain and cooler weather will shortly abate the ladybug problem.
I have a better understanding and empathy for the plagues endured by the Egyptians in the Moses/Aaron era and the people of the Dust Bowl sufferered from the constant wind, dust in their homes and grasshoppers destroying their crops. There is certainly an anxiety when we are beset with situations we can't control and have little way to eliminate. Overdramatic, perhaps, but still glad to be where we are, doing what we're doing. See you in a couple of weeks, Hugh and LaVon. Your ladybug friends, and us, will be there soon.


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October 19, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. It Cost How Much?

I was curious about how much was spent on the 2012 Presidential and Congressional election campaigns and was amazed to find that it was in the vicinity of $7,000,000,000. That's 7 billion dollars........ SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS. Can you believe it? I didn't go too much past the first few sentences of the article when I had reached my TMI (too much information) threshold. I stopped reading and started writing.
Since I didn't read the whole article I don't know who benefitted the most from all that money, but I do know that I was frustrated by the ads on television, the inability to really know where the candidates stood on issues or whose "truth" was the TRUTH. We don't contribute money to political campaigns, don't put bumper stickers on our vehicles, have always registered to vote as Independents wherever we have voted and don't go to political rallies or caucuses. It's wonderful that we have the right to vote and all the other rights afforded us by the Constitution, but it seems that more and more of our rights are being compromised by the officials we have been electing and the officials the elected officials have been appointing to positions of power in our bureaus, departments, committees and courts.
Wouldn't it be a novel idea to take some of the money contributed to politicians, and put it to use in addressing issues like hunger, crime, homelessness, medical research, lowering the cost of prescriptions and medical care.............and so on. Then we might be able to cut back on how often we say "it costs HOW MUCH?" and maybe even give our Social Security recipients a cost of living increase for 2016.
Now, about that $13,000,000,000,000, that's 13 trillion dollars........THIRTEEN TRILLION DOLLARS National Debt...........................



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October 16, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Out of Whack

This has been a strange week. Yesterday, after having a record high temperature for the date of 90 degrees, we had our first play cancellation due to a thunderstorm which had not been predicted, and came during the performance with such intensity that the audience "abandoned ship" and Jesus was flogged, carried His cross up the hill but never was crucified, resurrected or taken up to Heaven.
We have been short-handed in many areas of the Passion Play and where we do have people, they have been asked to perform tasks and roles that are totally new to them. We have had sheep not wanting to go where they have gone for the past five months, pigeons that don't want to fly, pig hunters on ATV's mingling with our guests as they tour The Holy Land, a Catholic School Principal ascending into the trees during a back-stage tour, Boy Scouts camping in the RV area this evening and Bubba and his friends from Louisiana coming to volunteer for anything we might have for them to do.
There have been some other unusual happenings; a sideswiped light pole, a paint spill in the back of a van, a broken throttle cable in my work vehicle, wasps in the Chapel in The Grove, the return of the lady bugs. But we press on, continue to expect the unexpected, interrupt the important to take care of the more important and know in our heart that God has it all under control. And what is out of whack for us, is in whack for Him and doable. We really do serve an awesome God, and for that we are thankful.

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October 13, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. My will or Yours?

Moses killed the Egyptian taskmaster, thinking it was his duty to right a wrong done to a Hebrew slave. But for the next forty years, he had a lot of opportunity, while tending sheep, to question whether what he did in Egypt was God's will or his own. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, it was obvious that God felt Moses was finally ready to serve Him on His terms and for His glory.
How often do we get ahead of God and get into ministry for what we want to do and not what God wants us to do? As I think back on our years of ministry in Fort Collins, I know that we did many worthwhile and useful things, and some of them were God-inspired, but there were some done for selfish reasons, not done with a loving heart and even some which were done only to be seen by others and for prideful ends. I am not trying to negate all we did, but I am trying to put into perspective what we did, what we are doing now and what we are planning for the future. The key to it all is "not my will, but Yours be done" and how we discern His will and be obedient to it. I don't believe there is a pat answer or a sure-fire formula we can plug into, but I do believe God speaks to us, The Holy Spirit prompts us and checks us and Scripture and history give us multiple examples of those who submitted to the will of God and did works which advanced His Kingdom and changed lives. From those examples we can be encouraged.
I pray that Karen and I, and each and every Christian, be receptive to God's Word, attentive to His voice however it may come to us and obedient to the call He places on us. Hopefully we can all live up to Jesus' words, "Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done".


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October 10, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. 10, 9, 8, 7..............

Three weeks and ten performance days remanning in the 2015 Great Passion Play season. Hard to believe, but true. We have been very content with the time we have spent in Arkansas this year and last and while we are in the final phase for this year, we are anxiously anticipating our return here next year. There are many issues the management of TGPP will be facing, and there are a number of key people who are at a stage of life where change may be initiated and this ministry will be impacted by it. We never know what tomorrow will bring, but we can plan and pray for God's input into our plans and our obedience to His call on our life.
For now we do what needs to be done, preach Jesus in our words and actions, and seek His call on our life and respond obediently to it. The parking lot is nearly empty from the large crowd which attended the play this evening. It was one of our largest and we have been encouraged by the comments, the prayers for this ministry and the optimism of our leaders and managers for what lies ahead. Today as I picked up the "remains" from last night's performance, a group of bikers came to the top of the amphitheater and I talked with them about TGPP, it's history, present situation and possible future and was humbled when the "sergeant at arms" asked if he could pray for the ministry of the play and proceeded to form a prayer circle and prayed an earnest prayer which all joined in and affirmed. Thank You for Christians in leather.
We never know where and how God will speak to us, encourage us to keep the faith, fight the good fight and strongly finish the race. Yes, we only have a short stretch before us, but there is still work to be done, there is a harvest to be brought in and many souls to be reached. Pray for The Great Passion Play and God's will being done in and through it. We are thankful, grateful and blessed to serve such a faithful and loving Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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October 7, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Parts is Parts

Scripture tells us that the body is made of many parts, and that each part is essential to the proper functioning of the whole body. Every part is important and every part must be treated with care and respect. The body referred to is the human body, but applies to the church body as well and to the gifts and service we as a church member bring to the whole fellowship of believers.
At the moment, I am nursing a very tender middle finger on my right hand. On Monday, I closed the car door on that finger and after a few hosannas and hallelujahs I began the process of Dr. Hal'ing the ouwee. With the help of WebMD and a host of home remedies, I feel that I will be okay in short order. The finger nail is a pretty shade of blue, but more than likely I will not have it for too much longer. In my marathon, triathlon and cycling days, I was very familiar with black toe nails and the need to remove them as a body part, so while this is my first hand in the door and first potential finger nail loss, I think I'll be able to handle it, no pun intended.
It's amazing to me how this very minor injury impacts so many other things. When I reach out to grab something or try to get something from my pants pocket, or do anything routine with my right hand, the first point of impact is the tip of the injured finger. Ouch. It makes me more sensitive to people with bigger and more painful injuries or illnesses and how insensitive, no pun intended, I often am to their pain and suffering. As Christians we are to mourn with those who mourn and share the burdens with those who can't bear them alone. We are to comfort those who are going through difficulties we ourselves have been through and sympathize and empathize with those who suffer and struggle with life's obstacles. Yes, the body aches, the body of Christ aches and all of humanity aches. Yes, parts is parts, and we are a part of the conglomeration of parts which make up our world. It's not always easy, but it is our duty to do our part and ask God for the temperament and character to do our part as He calls us to do it. Thank You, Lord, for Your example.



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October 4, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. The Unexpected

Everyone has faced situations in life where things don't go according to plan. It can happen any time, any place and if we aren't prepared we can find ourself in an unfamiliar, embarrassing or even dangerous situation. We can't always have a "plan B" because that would mean we are thinking of a way out rather than concentrating on the task at hand.
But when the unexpected happens we find out what we're made of. At the Passion Play a week ago, Jesus was in the Temple healing the lame, giving sight to the blind man and raising the dead girl back to life when all of a sudden the sound track (including the recorded dialogue) stopped working and over 100 actors found themselves needing to find a way to keep the play moving forward. Cal, the Christ figure, kept speaking, the actors kept responding and the play proceeded with "live drama" to an outdoor audience which stretches nearly 100 yards from where the action takes place on the set. There were some anxious moments as the sound booth made backup plans and when Cal healed the lepers and then had the sound track return only to heal the lepers a second time, there were some chuckles, but also many sighs of relief. It was interesting to find out that in 47 years this "machine eating tape" situation had never occurred before.
Prior to the next performance, the situation was corrected, a new emergency plan was instituted and many of us with "speaking" parts in the play realized that we had been way too trusting of our equipment and needed to really know our parts, be prepared to wing it if the situation called for it and focus on the job at hand. It's different memorizing lines that we are speaking to an audience and lip-syncing lines off a recorded script. In both cases focus is essential, but in both situations the unexpected can jump up and bite us at any moment.
We never know what is coming our way in the next moment. My last post spoke to a similar point, and I guess there have been quite a few posts over the past 23 months which have had the same theme. We press on, hope for some predictability in life, but know that it's all in God's hands. We are asked to keep on the path, keep the faith and keep trusting God for the ultimate result. We should expect the unexpected, do the best we can when it happens and know that God is always with us and will see us through. And in all this we can be assured that the best is yet to come. Thank You, Lord

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October 1, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Time Flies

Can you believe it's the First of October already? When the Passion Play would begin at 8:30 and it was already dark, we knew the season was winding down, but now the play begins at 7:30, in the dark, and it is even more evident that the season will soon be finished. Only 15 performances left. Where has the time gone?
Overnight the temperature dropped into the 40's and all this week we are expecting cooler daytime temperatures. It's nice to open the windows at night, not need the air conditioning during the day nor need to run the heater in the morning yet; but it all signals the changing of the season, the end of the Passion Play season and the need to start thinking of travel plans, winter destination(s), and how fleeting the time is. Earlier this morning I drove into our Holy Land, sat for a while at the Sea of Galilee, enjoyed the quiet, noticed the colors of the falling leaves, and thought about God, our life In Christ and the time we have been given to serve and glorify Him. Joy and sadness all mixed together in the reality of time moving on, and realizing there is nothing we can do to slow it down or stop it. Time flies methodically on.
There are no guarantees in this life, only God's promises of faithfulness and a future. The present moment is all we can be sure of and what life has in store for us is not ours to control, no matter how much we plan or prepare. Enjoy the moment, live it fully and trust God for what lies ahead. Time flies and we just need to hang on tight and fly with it.......and Him. All glory to God.

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September 28, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. The Heart of the Matter

On a Monday night exactly seven years ago, I was in Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado having suffered a heart attack, receiving two stents to correct 99 and 95 percent blockages, having a heavy sandbag pressing down on my groin to apply pressure where a plug would not stay in place and told not to move until further notice. I didn't realize or even accept what was happening, but it was the beginning of a dramatic change in my life and my approach to it.
I had always thought of myself as confident and capable, and while I had given my life to Christ in 1999, I still held on to many of my attitudes and my pride. Over the next few months, God made it clear that not only were things about to change, but change was essential for me to continue my journey as a Christian and to serve Him on His terms and not my own. Physically I had to slow down, mentally I had to grow up and spiritually I needed to back off and let God direct Karen and me in our walk with Him.
The story is not one which can be told in a few sentences or the story would lose its impact and its import. Let me just say that our life changed and we are grateful for where God has taken us and what is still in His plan for us, even though we have no idea what that may entail, where we will be asked to serve Him or how long the journey will continue. I have spent more time than ever sitting quietly with no desire to think about anything or do anything besides sitting and am so at peace in those moments that I wonder how this can bring me such joy and contentment, and the next moment I am hard at a task which has arisen and I have no qualms about diving into it and getting it done. At days end, we put our tired bodies to sleep and rise the next day to willingly do it all again. God is so Good and He blesses us beyond what we could ever imagine. We press on believing, trusting and resting in You. Thank You, Lord.

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September 25, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Roar

This week has been noticeably noisier than usual in Northwest Arkansas as an estimated 400,000 bikers pour into the area for the annual Bikes, Blues and BBQ motorcycle rally. This area is popular with bikers because of the scenic roads, variety of tourist attractions and mix of urban and small-town activities. But this weekend we are already inundated with the almost constant roar of big bikes. There have been a growing number coming onto the Passion Play grounds to see the Christ of The Ozarks Statue, the largest Christ figure in North America.
While there will be a small number who attend The Great Passion Play, we hope that for many of the others the sight of the seven-story Jesus will plant a seed which conveys a quiet message which drowns out the roar of their bikes and the perception many non-bikers have of them. There are a number of bikers who work at TGPP or act in the play and there are a few activities which the Christian Motorcyclists Association sponsors during BB & BBQ week, so there is always hope that the still small voice of Jesus will be heard over the roar of the bikes and the secular activities of the event. Right now, the PP grounds are fairly serene and quiet, but there is a steady roar in the distance, the occasional biker passing by to the Statue, and the still small "roar" of Jesus speaking to a lost and needy world. Help us as Christians to overcome the roar of the world, the roar of materialism and the lure of worldly pleasures, and preach the message of Jesus in our words, actions and the hope we rest in.

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September 22, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Debt-Free

One of the goals Karen and I have aspired to over the years is to be totally free of debt of any kind. A couple of times we were within reach of that goal, but once a 500-year flood came along and another time a call (from God) to ministry on the road in a motor home caused us to enter a partnership with Bank of the West for a term of twenty years worth of monthly payments.
The flood came and went, the damaged house was repaired, then sold and a new house purchased with the same monthly payments as we had for our previous house. The past two years we have "owned" the RV and have lived on the road for most of that time. We have been able to adapt to a host of different weather conditions, a smaller living area and much fewer possessions and necessities. We have really liked the life style, the freedom to stay in a location or move on to another, to give our time and talents to serving The Lord and needs we feel we are able to address and help find a solution to. In the process we have met a wide variety of people, experienced different churches, worship styles and ways people live life. It has definitely opened our eyes to the many ways people do life.
In a little over a month, we will pick up stakes and head off to Georgia, or possibly a ministry opportunity in Louisiana. We haven't made a firm decision yet, although we do want to spend at least part of the winter back in Georgia. One thing we know, as far as our walk with The Lord is concerned, we are debt-free because of the sacrifice of Jesus on The Cross and because of that we are available to serve whenever we are called and wherever He wants us to take the home He has provided for us. Thank You, Lord.


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September 19, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. I Didn't Know That

We carry presumptions with us because of how and where we were raised, our educational training, our ethnic or religious background or any number of other cultural experiences. People assume that because we have a certain education we are an expert in that field. They assume because I have a legal education and belonged to the Virginia State Bar for over 30 years that I can handle their legal predicament, or because I was raised as a Jew, I am fluent in Hebrew, have been to Israel and can answer any question about the Old Testament.
Unfortunately, most of what I know I learned from Jeopardy or by Googling it and reading Wikipedia posts on the subject. Here at the Passion Play there are many Biblical Scholars, past or present Pastors, but very few people who have been raised in a Kosher Jewish home, so I field a lot of questions on the Old Testament and Jewish topics. As with the law questions, I have to admit that in most cases I don't remember, don't know or will get back to them later with an answer. Sometimes the answer I find from the Internet triggers a memory, but most times I have to admit that "I didn't know that" and while it may be true, it wasn't part of my upbringing.
It certainly is convenient to have a Smartphone, not have to consult an out-of-date encyclopedia, or run to a library and find the answer in a book or archived news clipping. Information is so accessible and easily verified. We always used to say that we need to learn something new every day or we haven't lived each day to the fullest. I can't believe how many things I did today that I have never done before, things I learned for the first time today and how much more comfortable I am with the life we have chosen to live and the path we are following as we get closer to the anticipated "well done" and our eternal Home. The world has changed, we have been changed and the best is still to come. No room for "I didn't know that" in that.

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September 16, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. There Oughta Be A Law

When something goes wrong, how many times do we hear someone say, "there oughta be a law" about that and before you know it some legislator is introducing a bill, a lawyer is filing suit or people are protesting or marching in front of city hall. Eventually the hubbub dies down, the issue is replaced by another and the whole routine is repeated again. Sometimes the situation does result in a new law, a new foundation being established or money collected for the wronged party and we never hear about them again.
There are too many "pet peeves" and personal battles being waged. We can't jump on every bandwagon, support every cause or get personally involved in every problem, disaster or "injustice" or we will not have the time, money or ability to handle our own issues. Discernment calls for us to balance our own life with the lives of our family, friends and complete strangers. Part of our belief and support system should be who we go to for help and how that help is delivered to us. Many of us take our problems, cares, needs and wants to God through prayer and our belief that He is able and willing to come to our aid in every situation. Although we ask for specific relief for us or for those we are praying for, God sees the big picture and brings a lot of resources, correct timing and unknown consequences into balance when He resolves the issue. It's amazing how often He steps in, gets it right and doesn't need a law, a lawsuit or a lawyer or politician to assist Him.
The past few days, Karen and I have been witness to a host of answered prayers, testimonies of God's intervention in bad situations with good results, and lives changed by the grace and mercy of our Triune God at work. We have seen injuries averted, good doctor reports, financial assistance where resources were scarce, needs met by people showing up unexpectedly to fill "holes" and people released from situations which were doomed to failure or danger.
I could say that there oughta be a law establishing God's rule and reign in our world, but that's not the way God wants to rule and reign. Preaching Jesus, making disciples and freely choosing to follow Him.........that's what He calls us to do and He is pleased when we willingly and obediently comply and the results will speak for themselves. We serve an awesome God and for that we are grateful and blessed.

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A Beautiful Start to the Day

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September 12, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. No Ifs, ANTS, or Buts

Wednesday night we were invaded by carpenter ants. This is the first time we have had ants in the motor home. In Georgia we had fire ants by the gazillions in large mounds, but they were content to stay outside and the powder we sprinkled on them and the occasional riding mower across their habitat kept them at bay. But the current invasion was unexpected and pretty intense. The fly swatter was busy and the strategic deployment of Trapper Max Glue Traps (sticky paper) caught many as they came in through one of our slide-out tracks and some ant and spider spray on Thursday morning completely stemmed the tide. I think our cold front and impending downpour Wednesday night drove the little buggers inside for a warmer and dryer environment, but they didn't realize who they were dealing with - critter fighter.
With the help of Google, advice from local critter haters and a wealth of possible remedies, we have been determined to protect our space from the onslaught of anything which creeps, crawls, flies, slithers, or has more than two feet. As opposed to Noah who brought everything into his house to preserve them for future generations, we are doing our best to keep a distance from them and let them survive in their natural state and not in our ark. Beside, Noah only had to deal with two chiggers, two ants, two...........well........you get my point.
I woke up to 49 degrees this morning and tomorrow it will be a few degrees cooler. Right now it is barely into the 70's and absolutely gorgeous. Fall has made its first appearance here and we have 7 weeks left in the 2015 GPP season. Enjoy each day, what we have this moment and rest on the promise of what is to come. God has a glorious plan for those who trust, believe and choose to follow. No ifs, ands or buts about it.


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September 9, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. No Ifs, Ands or Butts

When we break a bad habit, we have a tendency to look with disdain on those who are still "under the influence". Smoking is one such habit, and for those of us who have kicked it, we may say some pretty awful things about the people who spend a lot of money on cigarettes, smell awful, have yellowed skin, cough incessantly or throw their butts on the ground and expect others to pick them up.
I remember my time in the military, particularly in basic training, where almost everyone smoked and part of our daily routine was walking the parade ground or company area policing for butts we had "forgotten" to properly dispose of. Every day here at the Passion Play, I clean up after our visitors as well as our workers, picking up bottles, cans, napkins, half-eaten food, sunflower and pumpkin seed shells, wallets, candy wrappers, loose change, articles of clothing and hundreds of cigarette butts. I have never found a cigarette butt in the 4000 seat amphitheater for the Play, but everywhere else on the grounds and parking lots, there are amazing numbers of butts. The Christ of the Ozarks statue is a reverent and, some might say, holy area, but the cigarette butts litter the walking and sitting areas. There are special receptacles for cigarette butts, and they are loaded to the hilt, but butts do not always find their way there.
Being from Colorado, we have a different smoking issue, with medical and recreational marijuana use being legal. And while most users don't throw the unsmoked stuff on the ground, but save it for the next "joint", we have to put up with drivers doing 35 mph on the Interstates, tie-dyed hippy wanna-be's and life-style choices which test our own beliefs of morality and character. For the moment, I'm glad to be where we are in Arkansas, blessed to be part of this ministry and still willing to pick up the remains of a $50 plus carton of tobacco, paper and cellulose filters, hoping more people will break the cigarette habit and turn to e-cigs, vaping, or some other litter-less form of smoking.


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September 5, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. False Start

Yesterday I sat down to blog and part way through realized that I would need to write until the cows came home to say all I wanted to say. And, besides, the tone was becoming very negative, very critical and I was getting tired of listening to someone gripe and complain and moan and realized that I not only didn't like anything, but didn't like the author (myself) who was writing such stuff. So the blog disappeared into the Internet trash pile to be read only by those with far more Internet savvy than me or possibly lodged in some cloud somewhere, which is a mystery to me. The false start was a first in my blogging career and made me glad I didn't accidently hit the send button instead of the delete button. I start anew today with new thoughts and a better attitude.
Tomorrow we will have our last of two Sunday performance days as we get into the final stretch of the 2015 season. Our play will start an hour earlier which means we will finish at 9:15
rather than 10:15 and thus be able to get to sleep well before midnight. I have always wondered how entertainers or athletes who work late hours are able to unwind, get the nutrition they need and get to sleep and rest after doing their gig into the wee hours of the morning. I know my six years of working the night shift led to health issues and other issues which made life more difficult, and led to my early departure from the "work" world. My volunteer career has not always been easy, but it sure has brought me more joy and happiness and a feeling that this is the real "work" I have been called to do.
Thanks, Lord, for the call back to the blocks after yesterday's false start. I enjoyed writing and reading this blog and hope it sits well with those who have been following our journey. See y'all in a few days.


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Fwd: September 1, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Stay Between the Lines

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-------- Original message --------

From: Hal Schatz

Date:09/01/2015 5:51 PM (GMT-06:00)

To:

Subject: September 1, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Stay Between the Lines

        In June and July we had young people from Team Effort come to the Passion Play on mission trips to help with projects such as landscaping, painting, clean-up, construction and other assorted tasks.  I oversaw the groups which were responsible for repainting the parking spots, crosswalks, curbs and other traffic control areas.  Weather hindered our progress, other projects had priority and limited work hours left the job mostly undone when the groups stopped coming at the end of July.  So the project became mine to complete. 
        Weather, other projects and limited work hours hindered my progress, as well, for the first few weeks of August, but the project really made headway as the weather cooled, our play schedule decreased and within the next few days, the project will be completed.  New parking spots have been created, handicap spaces (more then 50) are now all marked with the blue wheelchair symbol and barricades and poles are all freshly painted.  One pair of cargo pants looks like a piece of modern art and the back of my work vehicle looks like a paintball game has taken place there. 
        The work has been a one-man operation and repetitious, to say the least, and has necessitated moving traffic cones and taping off areas to keep traffic from running over the freshly painted  lines.  But it has been fun, less physically taxing than some of the other tasks we have here and I will miss it when I wrap up in a few days. 

           (Part of original post was lost)

     9/2/15.   New projects will arise.  The final two months of TGPP season will proceed and each day will bring new joy and mercies.  God is Good and we look forward to His plan and the lines He wants us to paint over, paint anew or stay between or work outside of.  He will show the way.   Thank You, Lord.

August 29, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Smiling Inside

Phil and Sharon took off for Jacksonville this morning. We all agreed that it was a good six day visit. We were able to do a bunch of stuff, see a lot of things, have some serious talks about serious topics and laugh at things which were meant to be laughed at. We hope to be able to have another get-together after we get back to Madison, GA where we will volunteer again with Source of Light Ministries for the winter months. If that is part of God's plan, it will be so.
We have been blessed with unseasonably mild weather and minimal moisture the past few weeks. It is usually well over 90 with high humidity this time of year in Arkansas, but we have had mild temperatures, open-the-window nights and low humidity. It has been wonderful. The coming week has some projects on the to-do list, and I am eager to get at them.
Karen and I are back in our "world of our own" mode, back onto the routine of Passion Play performance day and I am smiling inside and happy to be serving as we are where we are. God is Good and we are grateful for the life we have been called to. None of us has any idea of what the next moment will bring, but speaking for myself, I am okay with that, content what life and ready for whatever lies ahead, because I know that God's hand is on it. I pray the smile inside is evident on the outside. All glory to You, Lord.


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August 25, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Vacation

Karen and I are stepping out of the volunteer mode for a few days. Phil and Sharon (my brother and sister-in-law) are visiting from Florida and we are in our third day of "we'll take care of that later" mode. Yesterday we traveled to Springdale to visit with Mark and Susan and their son, Christian, who pitches for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals double A baseball team. Tonight we will go back to see the Natutals play ball. We don't often lounge around into the early afternoon, eat a cooked breakfast, put four people in one bathroom and share less than 400 square feet of living space and still manage to keep reasonably civilized and cordial. Only occasionally is heard a discouraging word and the skies have been non-cloudy the past few days.
Phil and Sharon drove about 1100 miles from Jacksonville and are seeing the ups and downs and twists and turns of Arkansas roads for the first time and the beauty of country life. Karen and I have relished the change from city life to rural-ality and wonder if we will ever be able to go back to being city-fied. How blessed we are to be on "vacation" for most of the year and still be able to give our time and efforts to God's work and the furthering of His Kingdom. On Friday, we'll get back to some of our Passion Play duties, but mostly we'll let Phil and Sharon experience The Great Passion Play and the Holy Land Tour and experience it with them as "customers". I will "do" the Play as usual and Karen will have the chance to sit and watch the Play without having her usual duties to distract her.
Thank You, Lord for the relationships You have orchestrated, the people who have been part of our life and the relationship we have with You. It's a joy to worship You, to serve You and to be on vacation with You.

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August 22, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Change of Season

In August the Passion Play faces a host of changes as the summer winds down, autumn begins, school is back in session and the freedom of summer for many turns into the busyness and clutter of lives in transition. Karen and I are blessed to have the freedom to travel where and when we want, to not have financial stress, to not have family obligations which tie us down or limit us in our life style. We have had times when life was not joyful or particularly pleasant, but in this season of our life, we are content.
This week we only had two performance days and they were not easy or smooth ones in the Holy Land or on the set of the play. We were short of workers, actors and customers and long on the need for patience, restraint and dealing with the unexpected. We made it through and next week as Karen and I have my brother and sister-in-law visiting us, we will be adding to the woes of the play as we will be less available for our usual volunteer duties. It will be different for us, but we too need the change of season and pray that there will be others who can pick up the slack and bear the extra load. We trust God for bringing the right people at the right time as He has always done in the past. When we try to do it all ourself, or think we are the only ones to do a certain task, we get in God's way and dictate to Him what we want rather than be obedient to what He wants, and accept that He is more than capable of doing what needs to be done without us for the moment.
God is still on His throne and still in control of everything. Let the new season bring what it may, and just let God be God. It will be okay and His will will be done and His Kingdom will be expanded and stretched beyond this place to all places. Remember REST stands for Release Everything Starting Today. Thank You, Lord.
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August 20, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Time

There are certain constants in the natural world, like gravity, distance, pi, time and a bunch of other scientific "givens". We may think that we can control the rate a body free-falls, or the distance around a quarter-mile track, or the passage of a minute or an hour or the time between birthdays, but we are powerless to alter the unalterable. We use the expression, "time flies" or it "seems to last forever" when referring to how we perceive the way time passes. Yesterday it seemed that it took much longer to return from Berryville to our motor home, but the distance was the same, the speed we traveled was close to previous trips, and when we did arrive we were home earlier than usual. How do we explain that?
And, today while talking to Kent, he mentioned that yesterday seemed to go on forever, and some of the tasks he set out to do were completed and yet there was time "left over" and it was too early to go to sleep when he thought it was already past his normal bed time. Did God make the day "longer", allow us more time to relax and allow Kent more time to do more work?
Today I kept looking at the task I had set out to do, thought it might be completed by 4pm but was still at it at 7:00. Somehow, I had the stamina needed, the materials needed and the desire to finish the task before a performance day tomorrow, when I would not be able to complete any of the of the work I didn't complete today. God knows what needs to be done, knows the time needed and the right people to "git er done". Yes, there are constants, but God is the ultimate Constant and what He controls, He controls in every detail. Quite a journey we're on, isn't it? Glad we're on the journey with The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

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August 17, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Resist the Urge to............

Addiction is a harsh burden to carry. No matter what the addiction, it puts a stress on us which makes life far more difficult to navigate through and forces us to exert extreme will power and determination to overcome that which seeks to overtake and defeat us. The list of addictions is endless and whether it be tobacco, exercise, alcohol, aversion to germs, chocolate, drugs, the Internet, a favorite television show, ice cream, work, money, sex or a host of other things, too much of anything is too much, and the urge must somehow be eradicated.
I have been addicted to far to many things in my life, and have been fortunate to have gained the upper hand over some of them, but there are a few (or a few more than a few), which still plague me and although I am not the New-Years-Resolution-type, there are some urges and addictions I am resolved to defeat. The remedies for chigger-relief are failing, the itching is constant, but I am determined to resist the urge to scratch. They don't seem to want to leave me alone, so I will just have to apply Aquaphor and scratch no more.
I am cutting back on my "need" to eat sunflower seeds every morning while journaling and doing my reading during quiet time with The Lord. I do need to maintain my cranberry juice and psyllium cocktail each morning to combat the dreaded kidney stores I have a tendency to collect from working in the hot weather and not staying adequately hydrated. The VA doc told me two years ago to eliminate milk, cheese and ice cream from my diet as a way to minimize calcium buildup and the propensity to stones. But resist the urge for ice cream.........root beer floats on Monday nights..........and ice cream in any form at any time the urge hits...........I'll really have to pray about that one............Help me, Lord.

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August 14, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Who?

Have you ever heard of George Lee Andrews? I have to be honest; I've never heard the name and had no idea that he is the Guiness World Record holder for the most performances in the same Broadway show. In 2011, after 9,382 performances in a featured, but not title role, George left The Phantom of the Opera and at age 68 had to look for a new job after 23 in the same one. He was an original cast member in Phantom when it opened in January, 1988.
It's hard to imagine doing something over 9,300 times, maintaining the enthusiasm for that task, and retaining the physical and emotional ability to make each performance appear as if it's the first time it is being done.
Have you ever heard of Thomas Stoddard? Thomas worked for the same company for 80 years, retiring from the Speakman Company in 2008, starting in the mail room and ending in the board room. Again, hard to imagine such dedication and stick-to-itness. Many, many people have had long careers, done the same job countless times and thought nothing of getting up each day to face the same routine, the monotonous or the repetitious, the ordinary and the mundane. It takes a special person to stay the course, to overlook the drudgery or the boredom of life, to be a nameless servant, to do what needs to be done and still find joy in doing what they do. We all face these obstacles, but the key to happiness or contentment is pressing on, disregarding the lack of recognition, acclaim and publicity and just doing what needs to be done and knowing that someone, somewhere at some time will be blessed by what we do. In the end we will be blessed, God will will be glorified and we will wake to a promised reward. Who? Each of us to does what it is we do as unto The Lord. Stay the course.

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August 11, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Writing the Right Words

Sometimes the words come easily and other times they don't. When I woke up this morning, a sentence popped into my mind and I immediately wrote it down, thinking it would be the theme for my blog today. I know it stemmed from our Monday evening get-together with three other Passion Play couples:

"Life is not easy, and sometimes it doesn't seem fair........"

Jesus told us that following Him would involve trials, sorrows and even persecution. James 1:2 tells us to "consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance......." and then on to spiritual maturity and completeness in Christ. The words are straightforward, but they are not easy and they don't seem fair. Habakkuk 3:17-18 compels us in times of draught, famine and utter destitution to rejoice in the Lord, to be joyful in God my Savior. Again, not easy and certainly not fair. And yet, we are to "maintain our spiritual composure" and have "cheerful expectations of Him" (quoted from today's Streams in the Desert). In this same devotional, written for me to read this morning and pass along to others, are the words of Eben Eugene Rexford:

"Last night I heard a robin singing in the rain,
And the raindrop's patter made a sweet refrain,
Making all the sweeter the music of the strain.

So, I thought, when trouble comes, as trouble will,
Why should I stop singing? Just beyond the hill
It may be that sunshine floods the green world still.

He who faces the trouble with a heart of cheer
Makes the burden lighter. If there falls a tear,
Sweeter is the cadence in the song we hear.

I have learned your lesson, bird with spotted wing,
Listening to your music with its tune of spring----
When the storm cloud darkens, it's the TIME to sing."

Mary and Gideon - I don't know if any of these words are the right words for what you have been through the past few months, but I hope you know that you have friends who love and care for you, and that you have the infinite love and care of The Heavenly Father, Jesus our Savior and The Holy Spirit to guide you. This is the victory that has overcome the world........






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August 8, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. The Lost Sheep

Every night as The Great Passion Play is preparing to start, a herd of sheep is released from their pen behind the set. They run down the Via under the leadership of one of the older ewes and take a right turn to a holding area behind the "eastern gate". Two young shepherds run after the last, and smallest, sheep to make sure they all get their food at the trough in the first holding area. However, last night, the shepherds did not realize that one very young lamb was trailing far behind and exited the Via after the others were in the holding area and out of his sight.
Of course, he had done this routine about 40 times already, but without someone to follow, he was unsure of where to go......he was indeed, the lost sheep. Calling for his friends, he wandered around, not sure of where to go or what to do. The young shepherds heard the bleating, came back onto the main set and saw the young lamb start back up the Via to his pen at the barn. Doing their job as they had been instructed the young shepherds left the main group, followed the lost sheep back to the pen, made sure he was safe and returned to the main group for the remainder of the sheep's routine in the Play.
The script of TGPP does have the parable of The Lost Sheep told by Jesus to the crowd and directed specifically to the tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees and teachers of the law. It is meant for all to heed and implement in their daily life. All of us are to seek out those who do not belong to the fellowship of believers, return those who have strayed to the fold and celebrate with them. And in all this we are to do our utmost to not be tempted to walk away from the faith ourselves.
Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to witness the parable of the lost sheep in a different way, to see two young boys do their best to right a bad situation and remember the command we all have been given to seek the lost that none may be kept from the place prepared for us in Your eternal Kingdom. Praise You, Lord.

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August 6, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. In the Morning When I Rise.........

I'm not a big music listener. I'd rather sit without the constant hum of something in the background, and when there is music playing or conversation of which I am not a part, I can easily tune it out. For me the quiet of the morning, before the birds begin to chatter and the sounds of traffic or work invade the stillness, that is the most calming and peaceful time of day. I do my reading, journal my prayers and personal thoughts (not always my blog which are my "in the world, but not of the world" thoughts), and have this quietest time for quiet time.
Today, my mind focused on the song which starts with the words in the topic of this post. I googled the words and read the rest of the lyrics, and while they repeat often, the theme is............give me Jesus.............at all times, in all situations, in life and in death, in everything.........give me Jesus. You can have all of this world, all the stuff, all the noise, busyness, striving, pride, greed, conflict and grief. Jesus is all i need and that is more than enough.
Help me, Jesus, to receive You, accept You and know that You are all I need, sufficient for life and death, more than enough, the means to the end and the meaning of all i am here for..........now, and forever. Thank You, Jesus.



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