When we left Georgia last April, it was so wet, the ground was saturated, there was no place for the rain to go but sit on the surface and puddle. It wasn't possible to run the tractors and mowers close to the drainage ditches without fear of bogging down and getting stuck. We had to dig ruts to channel water off the low points of Mission Lane so as not to have to walk through ankle-deep water. There were areas around the RV sites that were muddy and remained muddy for weeks on end.
This summer and fall, we have been told, has been almost the opposite with so little rain there is a draught warning for most of Georgia. There have been fires in northern Georgia which have created pollution issues for much of central Georgia including the Atlanta area. We have not seen a drop of rain in the two weeks we have been here and it has been months since they have seen any significant moisture. The lakes are down, the streams are down and spirits are down, as well. But the forecast for the next two days is for rain. The weather map shows a major weather pattern to our west in Mississippi and Alabama and with the forecast being what it is, our farmers, firefighters, dirty cars and parched ground are anxious for the wet, non-snowy moisture. Part of our motor home repairs in Arkansas were new slide-out awnings and slide-out caulking so the rain will be a good test of how well we have remedied our leak problems of the past two years.
So, for a multitude of reasons, we are ready for some rain, a chance to work on some indoor projects and maybe put a dent in the draught conditions in this part of the country. Let it rain, Lord, let it rain.
Sent from my iPad
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Monday, November 28, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
Pictures from Georgia
Let the pictures speak about the fall colors and my Georgia buddies in the field next door.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
November 22, 2016. Madison, GA. Thanksgiving
In two days we will celebrate Thanksgiving. We certainly have a lot to be thankful for as Americans. No matter what status we have in our job, our family or our community, what we think of the economic, political or social situations we face, we have so much to be thankful for. Even if we have troubling health conditions or medical concerns, we still have a health-care system far superior to any in the world, and should be thankful for it.
Too often we find fault with things, complain about the rising cost of everything, and look at the things we don't have rather than the things we do have and are discontent rather than thankful. I'm not writing as someone always positive, always upbeat, always seeing the glass more full than mostly empty. Karen reminds me often that I have a tendency to make Eeyore, of Winnie the Pooh fame, look like Mr. Optimism. And the fact that some of my closest friends in Arkansas and Georgia are donkeys, makes her evaluation of me truer than I may want to admit.
But, Thanksgiving shouldn't be relegated to a single day of the year, but to every day we get up on this side of the grass. I do realize, and blog very often, how blessed Karen and I are, how fortunate we are to be doing what we do, be in the roles we are at this time of our life, and how blessed we are to be part of God's family and in His service. So, in two days we will sit down with a number of our Source of Light "family", enjoy a meal together, have a time to think about a host of experiences and look forward to whatever may come our way in whatever time we have left for us, and..............BE THANKFUL.
But let's not forget to be thankful for the day we are about to put to sleep, thankful for tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, and then thankful for Thanksgiving itself...........and..........
..............THANK YOU, LORD for the hope we have in the future You have planned for us.
Sent from my iPad
Too often we find fault with things, complain about the rising cost of everything, and look at the things we don't have rather than the things we do have and are discontent rather than thankful. I'm not writing as someone always positive, always upbeat, always seeing the glass more full than mostly empty. Karen reminds me often that I have a tendency to make Eeyore, of Winnie the Pooh fame, look like Mr. Optimism. And the fact that some of my closest friends in Arkansas and Georgia are donkeys, makes her evaluation of me truer than I may want to admit.
But, Thanksgiving shouldn't be relegated to a single day of the year, but to every day we get up on this side of the grass. I do realize, and blog very often, how blessed Karen and I are, how fortunate we are to be doing what we do, be in the roles we are at this time of our life, and how blessed we are to be part of God's family and in His service. So, in two days we will sit down with a number of our Source of Light "family", enjoy a meal together, have a time to think about a host of experiences and look forward to whatever may come our way in whatever time we have left for us, and..............BE THANKFUL.
But let's not forget to be thankful for the day we are about to put to sleep, thankful for tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, and then thankful for Thanksgiving itself...........and..........
..............THANK YOU, LORD for the hope we have in the future You have planned for us.
Sent from my iPad
Saturday, November 19, 2016
November 19, 2016. Madison, GA. Take the Weekend Off
Since April, when we went back to Eureka Springs for the Passion Play, we have not had a weekend "off". When we were in Colorado for our medical appointments, and when we travelled to Madison, we did have the weekends "free", but now we really are on a five day "work week" On Saturday and Sunday the Mission office is closed, projects are held over until Monday and there are no "performance days" or visitors or amphitheater to clean up. We don't have vehicle traffic passing our motor home on the way to the Christ of the Ozarks statue or the Berlin Wall display. At the Passion Play, we were always "on duty".
While there are always projects to be done around the house, like cleaning, repairs, laundry, blogging, shopping and all the normal activities of everyday life, we don't have work days which last until well past 10pm, I don't have to do laundry for a cast of 150, I know that only in emergency situations will there be a call to work on Saturday or Sunday or after 5pm during the week. It almost feels like we're on vacation. We serve in two different ministry environments, and each gives us the opportunity to share the grace and love shown to us with co-workers and others we come in contact with. In a sense there are no days off, we are always on duty for The Lord and when He calls we need to be prepared to obey, step into the "Jordan" and spread the Good News, encourage a fellow believer or reach out to a person "in need". Take the weekend off..........the Mission doors may be closed, but the mission never closes........there is so much work still to be done. Like Jesus, at age 12, staying behind in Jerusalem, don't we, too, have to be in our Father's house, even when we have the weekend "off"?
Sent from my iPad
While there are always projects to be done around the house, like cleaning, repairs, laundry, blogging, shopping and all the normal activities of everyday life, we don't have work days which last until well past 10pm, I don't have to do laundry for a cast of 150, I know that only in emergency situations will there be a call to work on Saturday or Sunday or after 5pm during the week. It almost feels like we're on vacation. We serve in two different ministry environments, and each gives us the opportunity to share the grace and love shown to us with co-workers and others we come in contact with. In a sense there are no days off, we are always on duty for The Lord and when He calls we need to be prepared to obey, step into the "Jordan" and spread the Good News, encourage a fellow believer or reach out to a person "in need". Take the weekend off..........the Mission doors may be closed, but the mission never closes........there is so much work still to be done. Like Jesus, at age 12, staying behind in Jerusalem, don't we, too, have to be in our Father's house, even when we have the weekend "off"?
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
November 16, 2016. Madison, GA. Welcome
The sign by our RV spot read, "Welcome Back!!! Hal and Karen" and when we arrived at sundown yesterday we were greeted by a number of the Source of Light people with whom we have spent the last two winters. Today we reunited with many more and it was good to see them again.
Karen worked a few hours while I went to the Operations Department prayer gathering, helped for a short time in the Print Shop, tended to set-up duties, straightened out an RV insurance "residency" issue and toured the Mission property to see some of the work done while we were away. I won't be on leaf gathering duty for a while, since most of the leaves are still on the trees. With the warm, dry weather they have had for most of the summer, and no hard freeze yet, it will be a while before the leaves get our attention. The fires in northern Georgia have created a great deal of smoke and haze with many people staying indoors when the wind is blowing in a non-favorable direction. This morning it was pretty hazy and smelly.
It's good to be here, a very different atmosphere from the Passion Play, and we do miss the activity and routine of Arkansas and our friends there. We are fortunate to be able to live as we do, see so many parts of the country and meet a wide variety of people with drawls, accents, jargons, funny expressions and varied attitudes and opinions on various subjects. Yet, all are seeking contentment in their work, a healthy relationship with their family and friends, and hope that the future will be better and less stressful than their past. Our faith in God, reliance on the finished work of Jesus Christ, and the guiding of the Holy Spirit make us comfortable, content and welcome wherever we find ourselves. It' good to be welcomed "back". It's good to be welcomed "home". And what a welcome is still to come. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPa
Karen worked a few hours while I went to the Operations Department prayer gathering, helped for a short time in the Print Shop, tended to set-up duties, straightened out an RV insurance "residency" issue and toured the Mission property to see some of the work done while we were away. I won't be on leaf gathering duty for a while, since most of the leaves are still on the trees. With the warm, dry weather they have had for most of the summer, and no hard freeze yet, it will be a while before the leaves get our attention. The fires in northern Georgia have created a great deal of smoke and haze with many people staying indoors when the wind is blowing in a non-favorable direction. This morning it was pretty hazy and smelly.
It's good to be here, a very different atmosphere from the Passion Play, and we do miss the activity and routine of Arkansas and our friends there. We are fortunate to be able to live as we do, see so many parts of the country and meet a wide variety of people with drawls, accents, jargons, funny expressions and varied attitudes and opinions on various subjects. Yet, all are seeking contentment in their work, a healthy relationship with their family and friends, and hope that the future will be better and less stressful than their past. Our faith in God, reliance on the finished work of Jesus Christ, and the guiding of the Holy Spirit make us comfortable, content and welcome wherever we find ourselves. It' good to be welcomed "back". It's good to be welcomed "home". And what a welcome is still to come. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPa
Sunday, November 13, 2016
November 13, 2016. Marianna, FL. In Transit
We have known Jerry and Renee for three years from our Passion Play days and they come and go from there due to their involvement with Campers on Mission. Jerry does a lot of the plumbing work at TGPP, and with COM they have travelled to many states for projects and rallies as well as visits to family members. We decided to divert to the Florida Panhandle for a few days to see the "major" project they will be involved with after January 1st, and spend a little more time with them before we land in Madison, GA for the winter.
We needed a "break" and some quiet time after our stay in Eureka Springs, and even though Jerry and I will be searching for water leaks tomorrow, this will have been a lazy few days for Karen and Me, and probably Tuesday we will head to GA and Jerry and Renee will head off to family west of here. It's nice to have flexibility with our schedule and not be required to be in a specific place at a specific time. We certainly are blessed to be living as we are, even if we do poop out sometimes from the hours we volunteer. It's all been "good stuff" - good to be in transit from place to place, but also realizing that we are, in fact, in transit through this life to a better place and "better stuff", with the promise that the "best stuff" is yet to come. For this good, better and best we ..........Praise You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
We needed a "break" and some quiet time after our stay in Eureka Springs, and even though Jerry and I will be searching for water leaks tomorrow, this will have been a lazy few days for Karen and Me, and probably Tuesday we will head to GA and Jerry and Renee will head off to family west of here. It's nice to have flexibility with our schedule and not be required to be in a specific place at a specific time. We certainly are blessed to be living as we are, even if we do poop out sometimes from the hours we volunteer. It's all been "good stuff" - good to be in transit from place to place, but also realizing that we are, in fact, in transit through this life to a better place and "better stuff", with the promise that the "best stuff" is yet to come. For this good, better and best we ..........Praise You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, November 10, 2016
November 10, 2016. Florence, MS. What an Election
I tried to stay up for the whole thing, but didn't make it. Karen woke me up to hear Donald's speech, and when it was over, I went back to sleep. It's not that I wasn't interested, just that It was past my bed time and I had a feeling Hillary wasn't going to get to 270 before Donald did. And now, it's official, and we are in the throes of civil unrest, threats, sore-loserism, and behavior which will do nothing to unite us and potentially do us a lot of harm.
We all need to accept the reality that the public has spoken, the election like many since I have been voting was close and our country is just as fractured as it has always been and we need to show some maturity, be humble winners and gracious losers, and set about the task of making the best of the situation. We need to do what we can to minimize our differences and build on the things we have in common. Give the guy a chance. He needs our support, not our censure. This is not an easy time to be President or any other elected official. Personally, I haven't been all that pleased with any of the Presidents we have elected since 1964, the promises they made and didn't keep and the situation we are now in as a country. But, let's give the guy a chance.
Would it have been any better with a Hillary victory? I don't think so, except we probably wouldn't have had the civil disobedience we now see in our cities. The rural folk wouldn't be burning their fields or dumping their milk on the ground. Give the guy a chance to review some of his harsh remarks, give the media a chance to broadcast some of his well thought out remarks, and remember, Hillary, Bill, Barack and Michelle said some pretty nasty things as well.
Give the guy a chance to mend some fences (no pun intended), and realize what a tough job he has ahead of him, and that he needs all of us working for him and not against him to make our country great again. We all need to take a deep breath, know that there is a good reason for what happened and that it has more potential for good than did a Hillary victory. We need to get at the business of not letting any of this undo the fact that regardless of how bad we may think we have it, we are still the best, richest, most powerful country in the world and we have the ability to keep it that way and the potential to improve upon it. Just give the guy a chance.
And remember, our current President still has two months in which to do what he was elected to do, and that is to unify us and not divide us. We have to hope he will set the stage for his successor by realizing that the country did not give his record a ringing endorsement, did not elect the person he supported, and that the Republicans still have the majority in the Senate and House.
In all of this, remember again..........WHO is Really in Charge.
Sent from my iPad
We all need to accept the reality that the public has spoken, the election like many since I have been voting was close and our country is just as fractured as it has always been and we need to show some maturity, be humble winners and gracious losers, and set about the task of making the best of the situation. We need to do what we can to minimize our differences and build on the things we have in common. Give the guy a chance. He needs our support, not our censure. This is not an easy time to be President or any other elected official. Personally, I haven't been all that pleased with any of the Presidents we have elected since 1964, the promises they made and didn't keep and the situation we are now in as a country. But, let's give the guy a chance.
Would it have been any better with a Hillary victory? I don't think so, except we probably wouldn't have had the civil disobedience we now see in our cities. The rural folk wouldn't be burning their fields or dumping their milk on the ground. Give the guy a chance to review some of his harsh remarks, give the media a chance to broadcast some of his well thought out remarks, and remember, Hillary, Bill, Barack and Michelle said some pretty nasty things as well.
Give the guy a chance to mend some fences (no pun intended), and realize what a tough job he has ahead of him, and that he needs all of us working for him and not against him to make our country great again. We all need to take a deep breath, know that there is a good reason for what happened and that it has more potential for good than did a Hillary victory. We need to get at the business of not letting any of this undo the fact that regardless of how bad we may think we have it, we are still the best, richest, most powerful country in the world and we have the ability to keep it that way and the potential to improve upon it. Just give the guy a chance.
And remember, our current President still has two months in which to do what he was elected to do, and that is to unify us and not divide us. We have to hope he will set the stage for his successor by realizing that the country did not give his record a ringing endorsement, did not elect the person he supported, and that the Republicans still have the majority in the Senate and House.
In all of this, remember again..........WHO is Really in Charge.
Sent from my iPad
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
November 8, 2016. Rogers, AR. Who Is Really In Charge?
There was a time in this country when politicians were respected and a career in public service was viewed as a noble goal. There was a time in this country when professional athletes were so modestly paid they had to find other jobs in the "off season" to support their families. And, there was a time in this country when entertainers and television "stars" were not experts in areas outside their performance area.
Unfortunately, the lines have been blurred and it's hard to really know who is in charge of what. Our politicians are using athletes and entertainers to rally support and we see former athletes running for office, cashing in on their fame and popularity on the field to enter the political arena. And in all of this merging of professions, we are at the mercy of the media and how much we know about the facts, the truth and the real story behind the hype, sound bites and "spin". Are we really knowing all we need to know to make informed decisions, or are we at the mercy of which celebrity news reporter we choose to believe? Ultimately the only thing we know for sure: we have lost control of who is really in charge of the decisions which impact our lives. But we do have control of Who controls our future.
Tonight, we will have elected a new President of the United States. The balance of power in the Senate and House of Representatives may be altered and we may see our Judiciary impacted very profoundly over the next four years depending on the election results. We may see very serious changes in our personal freedoms, the moral character of our nation and our place of influence in the world. All of this can be very upsetting to some, encouraging to others, give us a hopeful or a hopeless feeling, a spirit of unity or divisiveness. Some will be happy and some sad. But we do have control of Who controls our future.
I personally believe we are approaching a time of decision greater than any which will have been made today by the voters of this country. I believe that decision is: Who is really in charge? And, I vote for The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If we vote for Them, are fully committed and surrendered to Them, then whatever the results of today's election, we will have no worries, no anxiety and no fear. For, then, our todays are secure, our destiny determined and our future does not rest on a politician, an athlete or an entertainer. The polls never close. There is still time to elect the One Who is in Charge. Vote early, vote every day, vote now for your Eternity and rest secure in the decision. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Unfortunately, the lines have been blurred and it's hard to really know who is in charge of what. Our politicians are using athletes and entertainers to rally support and we see former athletes running for office, cashing in on their fame and popularity on the field to enter the political arena. And in all of this merging of professions, we are at the mercy of the media and how much we know about the facts, the truth and the real story behind the hype, sound bites and "spin". Are we really knowing all we need to know to make informed decisions, or are we at the mercy of which celebrity news reporter we choose to believe? Ultimately the only thing we know for sure: we have lost control of who is really in charge of the decisions which impact our lives. But we do have control of Who controls our future.
Tonight, we will have elected a new President of the United States. The balance of power in the Senate and House of Representatives may be altered and we may see our Judiciary impacted very profoundly over the next four years depending on the election results. We may see very serious changes in our personal freedoms, the moral character of our nation and our place of influence in the world. All of this can be very upsetting to some, encouraging to others, give us a hopeful or a hopeless feeling, a spirit of unity or divisiveness. Some will be happy and some sad. But we do have control of Who controls our future.
I personally believe we are approaching a time of decision greater than any which will have been made today by the voters of this country. I believe that decision is: Who is really in charge? And, I vote for The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If we vote for Them, are fully committed and surrendered to Them, then whatever the results of today's election, we will have no worries, no anxiety and no fear. For, then, our todays are secure, our destiny determined and our future does not rest on a politician, an athlete or an entertainer. The polls never close. There is still time to elect the One Who is in Charge. Vote early, vote every day, vote now for your Eternity and rest secure in the decision. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Saturday, November 5, 2016
November 5, 2016. Eureka Springs, AR. Westward, Ho
While the plan is to head east to Madison, Georgia, tomorrow we are heading west to have our motor home serviced in Rogers, AR. It's been a while since we have had the coach worked on and there are a number of items needing to be worked on before we move to our winter home. We hope that by Wednesday, we will be Eastward, Ho.
We had a nice send off by a number of our co-workers on Friday, spent some time today with Dick and Joan, Etta Fay and Susie their pets, and had dinner with Isy and James and capped off the evening with them by having our legendary root beer float dessert. We will miss our Passion Play family, but look forward to our third winter with our Georgia family at SLMI. God has blessed us with great friends, fellow believers and ministries which challenge us and expand our areas of service. It's also nice to have a 25 hour day even if we only have it once a year. Extra time to blog.
It has been a good time for us in Arkansas again. We put up the sign on our RV slot reserving it for next year and there are already plans in the works for what we may be asked to do when we return. Yes, Joe and Kent, I will pray about it. We've learned not to get too attached to our plans and our ideas of what we want to do. God has a way of letting us know what He wants us to do and asking us to get in step behind Him. Things go a lot smoother that way. But for now, we will head west, set a spell, head east and set a longer spell, and God willing, be back here again for the 2017 PP season. But, I'm getting too far ahead of the moment.
Tomorrow......we head west.......
Sent from my iPad
We had a nice send off by a number of our co-workers on Friday, spent some time today with Dick and Joan, Etta Fay and Susie their pets, and had dinner with Isy and James and capped off the evening with them by having our legendary root beer float dessert. We will miss our Passion Play family, but look forward to our third winter with our Georgia family at SLMI. God has blessed us with great friends, fellow believers and ministries which challenge us and expand our areas of service. It's also nice to have a 25 hour day even if we only have it once a year. Extra time to blog.
It has been a good time for us in Arkansas again. We put up the sign on our RV slot reserving it for next year and there are already plans in the works for what we may be asked to do when we return. Yes, Joe and Kent, I will pray about it. We've learned not to get too attached to our plans and our ideas of what we want to do. God has a way of letting us know what He wants us to do and asking us to get in step behind Him. Things go a lot smoother that way. But for now, we will head west, set a spell, head east and set a longer spell, and God willing, be back here again for the 2017 PP season. But, I'm getting too far ahead of the moment.
Tomorrow......we head west.......
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
November 2, 2016. Eureka Springs, AR. How many.............?
How many times a day do we say how many? How many times do we ask questions because we don't know something, and think someone else knows the answer? And do we know they know the answer, or are we just relying on them because we don't know where to find the answer for ourself? I'm afraid this is going to be an endless list of questions, without any real idea that it will ever come to a conclusion or a final answer.
When I got up this morning, knowing it was a "blog day", the thought came to me that there is a lot of written material in the world and we can't possibly read it all. So, why do I add to the compendium of words which go largely unread by the billions and billions of readers in the world and hope that I am going to say something unique, or earth shattering that will attract the attention of more than my faithful few readers? Everyone has the dream of writing the Great American Novel, and some have even used that title for their book, yet there is no answer to the debate of which book meets that high standard.
I wanted to know how many books have ever been written, and didn't find a current number beyond the estimate of some 129 million as of 2010. Have no books been published in the past six years? I wanted to know how many words are in the English language, but found a wide variety of answers, with the most widely held number to be 1,025,109.8. Eight-tenth of a word? That means one ten letter word only has eight letters. That's absolute(ly) ridiculo(us)!!!!!
There's not much point in going on with this blog. I don't know how many more unanswerable questions I can come up with. And besides, it's time to go stucco or rake leaves or work at something that will provoke more questions than answers. Like how many eighty pound bags of Portland cement plaster mix did we apply to the walls of our Marketplace project this summer or how many leaves will I be raking here at the Passion Play and when we arrive at Source of Light in a few weeks. Just keep at the task, run the race, do the best we can, one day at a time......how many adages, saws, aphorisms, cliches, maxims are there, anyway............?
Sent from my iPad
When I got up this morning, knowing it was a "blog day", the thought came to me that there is a lot of written material in the world and we can't possibly read it all. So, why do I add to the compendium of words which go largely unread by the billions and billions of readers in the world and hope that I am going to say something unique, or earth shattering that will attract the attention of more than my faithful few readers? Everyone has the dream of writing the Great American Novel, and some have even used that title for their book, yet there is no answer to the debate of which book meets that high standard.
I wanted to know how many books have ever been written, and didn't find a current number beyond the estimate of some 129 million as of 2010. Have no books been published in the past six years? I wanted to know how many words are in the English language, but found a wide variety of answers, with the most widely held number to be 1,025,109.8. Eight-tenth of a word? That means one ten letter word only has eight letters. That's absolute(ly) ridiculo(us)!!!!!
There's not much point in going on with this blog. I don't know how many more unanswerable questions I can come up with. And besides, it's time to go stucco or rake leaves or work at something that will provoke more questions than answers. Like how many eighty pound bags of Portland cement plaster mix did we apply to the walls of our Marketplace project this summer or how many leaves will I be raking here at the Passion Play and when we arrive at Source of Light in a few weeks. Just keep at the task, run the race, do the best we can, one day at a time......how many adages, saws, aphorisms, cliches, maxims are there, anyway............?
Sent from my iPad
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