Forty-seven years ago, I was a divorced Vietnam Veteran with a law degree. I had passed the Virginia State Bar, but had no desire to practice law and no desire to stay in the Washington, D.C. area. I headed west with no firm plans, no money, no debt and no friends. When my British racing green Triumph Spitfire broke down in Denver, I needed a job to pay for the repairs. Little did I know at the time what lay before me.
Yesterday, Karen and I cut the cord which tied us to Colorado. No......not a divorce; We sold the house we had owned in Fort Collins for 21 years, and are no longer Colorado residents.
Our house, for the moment, is the motor home we have lived in since December, 2013. Arkansas will probably be our home, unless...........
Karen was born and raised in Colorado, with a detour to Utah, before we met in Colorado in 1972. Our life together in Colorado, with a detour to Oklahoma, has been a wonderful and varied adventure. So much happened to us and with us over our 45 years marriage and Colorado was the scene of a lot of it. We traveled, we made friends. In 1999, Jesus found us and we found Him in the house we just sold, and we have served Him wholeheartedly and serve Him wholeheartedly to this day and are grateful for the path He has led us on and the part Colorado played in the journey. It is with mixed emotions that we did what we did, but the relative ease of the whole "transaction" makes us believe we had God's hand holding ours during the whole process.
What lies ahead.......only God knows.....and He hasn't revealed the plan to us yet. And so, we thank Colorado for all it provided, and we thank God for all He provided and we will press on to whatever.......wherever.......whenever......trusting Who we do, for His Glory and His Eternal Kingdom. I think that's a tear I feel running down my cheek.
Sent from my iPad
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Thursday, August 29, 2019
Monday, August 26, 2019
August 26, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Losing The Light?
Summer is winding down. As we begin the Play each evening, we are noticing that the sun is setting earlier, the stage lights are having more effect on the set and it is obvious that we will soon have Fall in the air. After Labor Day, the Play will begin at 7:30 instead of 8:30 and that means getting to sleep an hour earlier, a quicker turn-around from the Holy Land Tour ending and the Play beginning.
That will mean less time to relax between the events of the day and events of the evening, but that earlier "to bed" time will make up for it. The seasons change, the schedule is altered, but the message to be delivered is the same. While we lose the physical hours of daylight we don't lose the spiritual light we are striving to convey. Scripture calls us to be "salt and light" to "walk in the light" that we may "become men of light", that others may "see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven". To be "light in a dark world" is what The Great Passion Play is all about. It is our mission, and it is a mission more necessary now than ever as we see the decline of our nation and our world into a darkness which only a return to God can reverse.
Pray for TGPP and all the other ministries working to keep the Light shining, for the efforts being made to give those without hope, the hope we have; to give to those in darkness the Light which will brighten their life now.........and their life forever. All Praise and Glory to THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
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That will mean less time to relax between the events of the day and events of the evening, but that earlier "to bed" time will make up for it. The seasons change, the schedule is altered, but the message to be delivered is the same. While we lose the physical hours of daylight we don't lose the spiritual light we are striving to convey. Scripture calls us to be "salt and light" to "walk in the light" that we may "become men of light", that others may "see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven". To be "light in a dark world" is what The Great Passion Play is all about. It is our mission, and it is a mission more necessary now than ever as we see the decline of our nation and our world into a darkness which only a return to God can reverse.
Pray for TGPP and all the other ministries working to keep the Light shining, for the efforts being made to give those without hope, the hope we have; to give to those in darkness the Light which will brighten their life now.........and their life forever. All Praise and Glory to THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, August 23, 2019
August 23, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Chigger Update
I've been pretty quiet about the chigger situation this year. It has been another banner year for the little buggers, but I have managed to prevail without investing vast sums of money in additional medical remedies. I have used some of the old standbys, and added a few new ones to the mix. I still am a mass of welts, but have been able to minimize the itch discomfort by using cheap 91% isopropyl alcohol, inexpensive Suave sweet pea and violet anti-perspirant directly on the bites, as well as spraying legs and feet with last year's Deep Woods Off a few times per day.
Before each Play performance there is a lot of spraying going on in our dressing room and there is no lack of "cures" which have limited to no success. The placebo effect is very evident as most people are pretty welted up, and that's just in the areas we can see. I think my greatest success has come from the "boxers instead of briefs" regimen and stretching my sleeveless A-shirts so they are not so form fitting. Loose clothing seems to work.
It looks like we are expecting cooler and wetter weather for the end of August. Whether that's good news or bad news on the chigger front, I don't know. But, we press on, resist the urge to scratch as best we can, and listen for some other cure-all which may or not be the "be-all-and-end-all" for the problem. Have you heard about............
Sent from my iPad
Before each Play performance there is a lot of spraying going on in our dressing room and there is no lack of "cures" which have limited to no success. The placebo effect is very evident as most people are pretty welted up, and that's just in the areas we can see. I think my greatest success has come from the "boxers instead of briefs" regimen and stretching my sleeveless A-shirts so they are not so form fitting. Loose clothing seems to work.
It looks like we are expecting cooler and wetter weather for the end of August. Whether that's good news or bad news on the chigger front, I don't know. But, we press on, resist the urge to scratch as best we can, and listen for some other cure-all which may or not be the "be-all-and-end-all" for the problem. Have you heard about............
Sent from my iPad
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
August 20, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. The Cattle on A Thousand Hills
God does not need our money. He does not need anything from us. He has everything. And He provides everything we need when we ask Him for it. And yet, everywhere we experience people who are in "ministry" on behalf of God, we are constantly made aware of their need for financial resources to do what they do. On Christian radio, televangelists, Christian concerts, churches of every denomination, people on deputation from their missionary work, Christian relief organizations; all of them seek out financial support for their activities.
When coupled with all the secular organizations which solicit funds to operate: veteran organizations, hospitals like St. Jude or Shriners, animal organizations like the ASPCA, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, Police Benevolence organizations and so, so many more we are constantly forced to decide who and how much we can reasonably be expected to give our money to. It's obvious that there are many needs out there, many hurting people and many organizations who are vying for our support.
How we decide who gets how much is something each of us faces every day. We can't be expected to help them all, or we might find ourselves on the asking side instead of the giving side. And what about those who are on the asking side? Ultimately we need to have the decision made by The One Who does own the cattle on a thousand hills: The One Who has it all, gives all He has to those who need it and is The One we should thank for all He has done for us and offers the promise to do even more.
To me, it seems to say that whether we are "believers" or "non-believers" we need to seek Him for any and every need we may have. JUST ASK HIM. He has it all and He gives it all to those who ask Him for it. To Him be all the honor and glory and praise .......... and to Him every knee should bow and every tongue confess. JUST ASK HIM. Thank You, Lord.
> Sent from my iPad
When coupled with all the secular organizations which solicit funds to operate: veteran organizations, hospitals like St. Jude or Shriners, animal organizations like the ASPCA, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, Police Benevolence organizations and so, so many more we are constantly forced to decide who and how much we can reasonably be expected to give our money to. It's obvious that there are many needs out there, many hurting people and many organizations who are vying for our support.
How we decide who gets how much is something each of us faces every day. We can't be expected to help them all, or we might find ourselves on the asking side instead of the giving side. And what about those who are on the asking side? Ultimately we need to have the decision made by The One Who does own the cattle on a thousand hills: The One Who has it all, gives all He has to those who need it and is The One we should thank for all He has done for us and offers the promise to do even more.
To me, it seems to say that whether we are "believers" or "non-believers" we need to seek Him for any and every need we may have. JUST ASK HIM. He has it all and He gives it all to those who ask Him for it. To Him be all the honor and glory and praise .......... and to Him every knee should bow and every tongue confess. JUST ASK HIM. Thank You, Lord.
> Sent from my iPad
Saturday, August 17, 2019
August 17, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Flexibility
Pre-sales for today's Holy Land were a group of 200 with an indication there would be quite a few more anticipated because of the favorable weather forecast. Coordination of the bus drivers, golf cart drivers, ticketing people and other "up top" staff would determine whether our efforts would be graded "well done, good and faithful servant" or "I knew you not" or somewhere in between.
When only 73 of the group of 200 showed up, it simplified the situation; when the 73 decided they would do the HL tour together, at the same time, instead of being split up, it appeared we had weathered the storm; and as of this time, we have earned a "well done" with the final vote still to be determined as we approach buffet time, pre-show presentations and the Play itself. I think we exhibited the pre-planning, patience and flexibility to pull off what needed to be done and give our guests an experience they will look back at fondly.
The group of 200 was from a pastor's retreat in Branson and gave us the opportunity to potentially see many of those pastors return later in the year or in the coming years with their individual church members if we gave them a good "show". While those who did come was less than expected it still gave us a chance to make a good first impression, and whether we will see these people, or the other 127 again......or not........time will tell.
Go with the flow.........plan ahead,..........prepare for the worst, but always give your best. Have a plan A, but also a plan B, C or............just be flexible..........and give it to God..........He will water and grow the seeds we planted. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
When only 73 of the group of 200 showed up, it simplified the situation; when the 73 decided they would do the HL tour together, at the same time, instead of being split up, it appeared we had weathered the storm; and as of this time, we have earned a "well done" with the final vote still to be determined as we approach buffet time, pre-show presentations and the Play itself. I think we exhibited the pre-planning, patience and flexibility to pull off what needed to be done and give our guests an experience they will look back at fondly.
The group of 200 was from a pastor's retreat in Branson and gave us the opportunity to potentially see many of those pastors return later in the year or in the coming years with their individual church members if we gave them a good "show". While those who did come was less than expected it still gave us a chance to make a good first impression, and whether we will see these people, or the other 127 again......or not........time will tell.
Go with the flow.........plan ahead,..........prepare for the worst, but always give your best. Have a plan A, but also a plan B, C or............just be flexible..........and give it to God..........He will water and grow the seeds we planted. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
August 14, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. School Is In
Our Passion Play season takes on a new look as many of our cast and staff enter the post-summer-back to school mode. Our college kids are heading back to class, our high schoolers are back to their classes and after-school activities and others who are employed by the various area school districts are about to balance their regular jobs with the performance schedule of the PP. Parents with students will need to coordinate a host of duties at home with their PP participation. It is that time of year when the next two-and-a-half months present daily challenges and a need to be flexible, teachable and willing to step into new roles, new duties and maybe a new attitude.
Last night we had a taste of what might happen from here on out, as we had new people playing the Centurion, Claudia, Judas, Disciple James the Lesser, Disciple Andrew, the good thief, the lame girl, and probably a few others I was not aware of. There were also some minor roles which didn't have anyone to perform, and went unfilled. And those were just the "play" happenings and not the Holy Land, buffet, gift shops, ticket office, maintenance, grounds, museums and animals areas. The next 31 performance days are going to be exciting and that's not considering what twists the weather will have in store for us, whether we will have a return of the dreaded ladybug/asian beetle infestation or a continuation of the chigger/mosquito pestilence.
Face it all, endure it all and trust God for His patience to overshadow our impatience and His strength to carry us forward........and in everything give Him the praise and glory He is due....Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Last night we had a taste of what might happen from here on out, as we had new people playing the Centurion, Claudia, Judas, Disciple James the Lesser, Disciple Andrew, the good thief, the lame girl, and probably a few others I was not aware of. There were also some minor roles which didn't have anyone to perform, and went unfilled. And those were just the "play" happenings and not the Holy Land, buffet, gift shops, ticket office, maintenance, grounds, museums and animals areas. The next 31 performance days are going to be exciting and that's not considering what twists the weather will have in store for us, whether we will have a return of the dreaded ladybug/asian beetle infestation or a continuation of the chigger/mosquito pestilence.
Face it all, endure it all and trust God for His patience to overshadow our impatience and His strength to carry us forward........and in everything give Him the praise and glory He is due....Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Sunday, August 11, 2019
August 11, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Remember When?
Yesterday I had a few hours away from my Holy Land duties at The Great Passion Play, and decided to do some "web surfing", as we used to call it. I also needed to take care of some business with my cell phone internet connection. As I began to settle in to the tasks at hand, I realized that something was not working quite right with my cell phone, and that what I needed to do, could not be done. After a few failed attempts with the cell phone and my Mini-IPad, it was obvious the problem was beyond my ability to fix. You can't call the carrier if your phone won't work.
I was soon to find out that something was amiss with the Verizon network and there was no estimate of when it might be remedied. It got me to thinking of how far we have come in our dependence on cell phones, computers, electricity, and the other technical advances during our lifetime. I grew up with no internet, no cell phones, manual typewriters, pay phones, party lines and "number please". Our automobiles had windows which had to be cranked up and down, there were no scanners at the supermarket check-out, televisions were black-and-white and had no remote. Gasoline was $.37 a gallon and there were gas wars, with the price dropping to $.17 a gallon. There really was penny candy and it cost $1.00 to go to the Saturday movie double feature with cartoons and the News of the Week in Review.
Things have changed, and we are at the mercy of a technology which has no real back-up should there be a major glitch in the system. The transportation system, banking system, communication system and so much more are within a hair's breadth of collapse and a paralysis of life as we now know it. By the way, when was the last time you used the term hair's breadth?
Remember When?
Sent from my iPad
I was soon to find out that something was amiss with the Verizon network and there was no estimate of when it might be remedied. It got me to thinking of how far we have come in our dependence on cell phones, computers, electricity, and the other technical advances during our lifetime. I grew up with no internet, no cell phones, manual typewriters, pay phones, party lines and "number please". Our automobiles had windows which had to be cranked up and down, there were no scanners at the supermarket check-out, televisions were black-and-white and had no remote. Gasoline was $.37 a gallon and there were gas wars, with the price dropping to $.17 a gallon. There really was penny candy and it cost $1.00 to go to the Saturday movie double feature with cartoons and the News of the Week in Review.
Things have changed, and we are at the mercy of a technology which has no real back-up should there be a major glitch in the system. The transportation system, banking system, communication system and so much more are within a hair's breadth of collapse and a paralysis of life as we now know it. By the way, when was the last time you used the term hair's breadth?
Remember When?
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, August 8, 2019
August 8, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Be a Role Model
Our world is in turmoil. We watch the news on television and are bombarded by stories of violence, people speaking critically of those with whom they disagree, our businesses charging outrageous prices for substandard products, advertisers trying to lure us into buying products "pitched" by cartoon characters, talking animals or a cardboard box sitting on a toilet.
Our schools have kicked God out of the classroom, our courts are overloaded with frivolous legal claims and our professional athletes and Hollywood stars have become role models for kids who should have their own parents as role models but aren't even trained to be parents. Our priorities are all mixed up and we are unable to stop the slide into chaos and ruin. We each need to look in the mirror and assess what we see. Are we doing what we can to be a good example for those who need help, or do we need to get help for ourselves before we try to solve someone else's "problem"?
Here at The Great Passion Play, we tell a story which over the years has impacted a lot of people. The story is more than a retelling of Jesus' last week of ministry on earth; it is the story of thousands of years of trying to get to the heart of why we are alive in the first place. Why were we born and what are we alive to accomplish? Are we having a positive impact on those around us, or are we just occupying space and using up limited resources? Are we making a difference?
Pretty heavy stuff for a rainy Thursday evening.
I think we need to return to the basics. God had a plan for us, and we haven't done a very good job of following the plan. It's time to get back to "The Garden". It's time to listen to God, humble ourselves, turn from our petty and selfish ways, seek His forgiveness and be the role models He wants us to be to all those we encounter each day; to praise and glorify Him for every good thing He has blessed us with and the promises yet to be fulfilled. We have a lot of work to do, but I have faith that it will be done. In advance I say............THANK YOU, LORD.
Sent from my iPad
Our schools have kicked God out of the classroom, our courts are overloaded with frivolous legal claims and our professional athletes and Hollywood stars have become role models for kids who should have their own parents as role models but aren't even trained to be parents. Our priorities are all mixed up and we are unable to stop the slide into chaos and ruin. We each need to look in the mirror and assess what we see. Are we doing what we can to be a good example for those who need help, or do we need to get help for ourselves before we try to solve someone else's "problem"?
Here at The Great Passion Play, we tell a story which over the years has impacted a lot of people. The story is more than a retelling of Jesus' last week of ministry on earth; it is the story of thousands of years of trying to get to the heart of why we are alive in the first place. Why were we born and what are we alive to accomplish? Are we having a positive impact on those around us, or are we just occupying space and using up limited resources? Are we making a difference?
Pretty heavy stuff for a rainy Thursday evening.
I think we need to return to the basics. God had a plan for us, and we haven't done a very good job of following the plan. It's time to get back to "The Garden". It's time to listen to God, humble ourselves, turn from our petty and selfish ways, seek His forgiveness and be the role models He wants us to be to all those we encounter each day; to praise and glorify Him for every good thing He has blessed us with and the promises yet to be fulfilled. We have a lot of work to do, but I have faith that it will be done. In advance I say............THANK YOU, LORD.
Sent from my iPad
Monday, August 5, 2019
August 5, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. ?
Our Colorado Pastor, in his weekly email to the church, wrote about Moses and the day before his Burning Bush encounter with God. It underscored the point that for forty years Moses went to "work" every day, faced the same things, with no expectation that the next day he would stand face to face with The God of the Universe and be given a new "job". When he awoke that next day he still had no idea what was about to happen.
And then, in an instant his life was radically changed, as was the whole course of history for two to three million people, and billions of people, thereafter. In a flash of fire, on a mountain in the desert, with only sheep as witnesses, Moses encountered something never seen before, wrote about it, and continued to relate a story which we now know as Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; and beyond that expanded into The Old Testament, The New Testament and so much more commentary, opinion, books, movies, music........more than we could ever hope to absorb or understand
And what will our tomorrow hold in store........?
What will the next hour hold in store......???
What will the next second have for us......?????
Thankfully, God knows.........All we need to do is trust and believe in Him..........And when He speaks......we need to listen.....we need to be obedient....and TRUST AND BELIEVE in Him.
Sent from my iPad
And then, in an instant his life was radically changed, as was the whole course of history for two to three million people, and billions of people, thereafter. In a flash of fire, on a mountain in the desert, with only sheep as witnesses, Moses encountered something never seen before, wrote about it, and continued to relate a story which we now know as Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; and beyond that expanded into The Old Testament, The New Testament and so much more commentary, opinion, books, movies, music........more than we could ever hope to absorb or understand
And what will our tomorrow hold in store........?
What will the next hour hold in store......???
What will the next second have for us......?????
Thankfully, God knows.........All we need to do is trust and believe in Him..........And when He speaks......we need to listen.....we need to be obedient....and TRUST AND BELIEVE in Him.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, August 2, 2019
August 2, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. August
August marks the beginning of the slide down the hill, passing the midpoint of the season and the need to summon up the physical and emotional strength to finish strong. We will still have summer vacationers visiting us, young people about to return to school and many of our cast members leaving to return to college or their high school schedules and extra-curricular activities. There will be only 12 performance days in August, so a less intense schedule, but a time when anticipated hot and humid weather makes each day a challenge.
We watch the weather closely, consult the radar often and are prepared for just about anything in respect to attendance or staffing issues. Flexibility is the key and patience needed more than usual. Finish strong and give everyone something they will remember in a positive way. "Kind words and a smile cover a multitude of tiredness." I just made that line up.....never said it before.....but a phrase well worth putting into practice, and one well worth ME practicing.
At last count, a week or so ago, I had over 770 posts to our Ministry of Miles website and have enjoyed sitting down, writing my thoughts on topics serious and stupid, incisive and insipid, earth-shattering and moan-producing. It's always interesting to me what tickles my fancy or gets under my skin and comes out in words. I hope it has been fun for you......it has been a joy for me..........I have NO plans for a book.
Sent from my iPad
We watch the weather closely, consult the radar often and are prepared for just about anything in respect to attendance or staffing issues. Flexibility is the key and patience needed more than usual. Finish strong and give everyone something they will remember in a positive way. "Kind words and a smile cover a multitude of tiredness." I just made that line up.....never said it before.....but a phrase well worth putting into practice, and one well worth ME practicing.
At last count, a week or so ago, I had over 770 posts to our Ministry of Miles website and have enjoyed sitting down, writing my thoughts on topics serious and stupid, incisive and insipid, earth-shattering and moan-producing. It's always interesting to me what tickles my fancy or gets under my skin and comes out in words. I hope it has been fun for you......it has been a joy for me..........I have NO plans for a book.
Sent from my iPad
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