May 31, 2020. Fayetteville,AR. A New Location

This feels strange. I haven't been very far afield from Eureka Springs and the Passion Play since we arrived back from Deep East Texas in February, just over two years ago. Karen "escaped" for family and medical matters in 2018 and 2019 while I stayed behind in Arkansas. Tomorrow she has some medical procedures here in Fayetteville and needs to be at the hospital early, with a preparation regimen today and overnight which is not conducive to being on the road or very far from a potty.
So.......we are a few blocks from the hospital, and hunkered down for the rest of today and prepared to dash to the hospital bright and early in the morning. It feels strange to be in a hotel room, not blogging from my comfortable co-pilot seat in the RV and watching the parade of cars passing by on their way to the Christ of The Ozarks statue. But in a week or so, we will be spending a good part of our time at our "new" cabin in the woods and for that new location, we are excited. Wednesday we will do the walk through, spend time with the "sellers" and learn more about what we hope will be our "promised land" before we reach "The Promised Land". And sometime next weekend we will move in. It's going to be a major change of scenery and lifestyle, but we are definitely looking forward to it.
The picture above is the window shade of our hotel room here in Fayetteville. I can't wait to show you the "window shade" we will have all around us at the cabin.  To say we are excited is an understatement.  We are so blessed.

May. 28, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. Closed, But Not Yet Opened

When we trust God with our life, we talk about Him opening and closing doors as we find out where He wants us and what He wants us to do. We plan and He directs. We succeed when He opens doors and we fail when the door stays locked.
In our current "season" God brought us to commit to buy a cabin and acreage. Yesterday we went through the "closing" on the property, gave the money He provided for it from the sale of our Colorado home, and became homeowners again. Later in the day we were handed six keys for......we don't know what.....and next Thursday we will do the "walkthrough" with the sellers. And then, on June 5 we will take those keys and open what we closed on yesterday. We will be houseless no longer.
We are taking care of all the insurance, transfers of service, notifying people of our change of physical address and wondering how and when to retrieve our stored possessions in Colorado. We have been offered furniture to get us started and we are excited about all the "details" as we think of them and complete them. It's been quite a journey for us in so many ways and we look forward, expectantly, to what lies ahead.
Thank You, Lord for each of the openings, closings and keys needed to continue serving You. We are Blessed.




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May 25, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. It Has Begun

The 2020 Passion Play season has begun. With masks in place, limited audience seating, an abbreviated Holy Land Tour, no buffet, social distancing in gift shops and museums, cast laundry being done on all worn costumes after each performance, temperature checks, no bus or golf cart usage, attendance of about 800 total at three weekend performances, rain on and off for the entire weekend (including today).......it has begun.
There were blocking changes in the play, which the returning cast adapted well to, and the new cast just took as "normal", a few awkward moments and the usual "it's only a prop" moments; but all in all, it went well and we look forward to what is to come and, hopefully, lifting of restrictions and less fear of the virus itself. The story needs to be told, received and taken to heart by "believers" and everyone else.
Thank you to those who came, to the volunteers who are here to help us get done what needs to be done, and to those assuming the risk of what may result from people coming together in larger numbers than we have experienced the past three or four months. And most of all...............THANK YOU, LORD. Life is a challenge to be faced without fear and in the certainty expressed in Psalm 91. Read it........receive it...........believe it.
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May 22, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. If You Build It He Will Come

In the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner portrays an Iowa farmer who hears voices and is led to build a baseball field in his corn field. An impossible project which jeopardized his financial future. In 1964, Gerald and Elena Smith moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas (an off-the-beaten-track town of about 1500 people) and soon began envisioning a religious-themed project which grew into The Christ of The Ozarks statue, The Great Passion Play, three museums, a Holy Land Tour depicting various Biblical venues. They built it, passed the projects on, and in the years since nearly 8 million people have seen the Passion Play and many millions more the Christ statue.
Today we begin our new season under less than ideal circumstances. We will continue to tell the Gospel story, continue to build and build some more. If we keep the faith, listen to the call of God on our life, and build on the firm foundation we have been given, they will keep coming and the promise we have............. is...........HE WILL COME, as well.
AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS.

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May 19, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. First.......

Fifty years ago I was in Vietnam. Within a month I would be returning home to face an uncertain future. The one thing I knew for sure was that I would have a brand new British Racing Green, 1970 Triumph Spitfire convertible beiing delivered to me FOB at The Port of New York and I would be the owner of my first car. It would be a few months after my return that the car would actually arrive, but I was excited.
Since that first car, Karen and I have owned quite a few vehicles, but until yesterday we had never owned a pickup truck. With the pending closing of our cabin/acreage in a few weeks, we thought it would be a good idea to have a second vehicle and the pickup seemed the most sensible choice for the rough roads to our home, its ability to haul stuff, and fit into a country lifestyle, a first for our married life.
Tonight is our Passion Play dress rehearsal and the first chance to see how we can present the play practicing social distancing, limiting the number of cast in each dressing room and wearing face masks. This weekend will be a first for many elements we have taken for granted: we will not have busses or golf carts to transport our guests, limiting the attendance and seating pattern for the amphitheater, no self-serve buffet, limiting people in our three museums and two gift shops, wearing face masks, observing social distancing and having hand sanitizing stations throughout the property. We also don't really know how many guests to expect, whether our cast and staff will be adequate to handle them and whether we will be able to present Jesus in a manner which honors Him and blesses our visitors. Many firsts on this first "open" for the 2020 season.
In all of this, there is one thing which is not a first. God had seen it all before, is not surprised by it and has a plan for us and will guide us through, for our good and His glory.........Thank You, Lord.


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May 16, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. United(?) States of America

Throughout the history of our country, there have been differences of opinion on just about everything. There were those who didn't want to "separate" from England and remain a colony rather than seek independence. Pick any era of our 244 year journey and there is always disunity in our unity. We even have a period when we went to war with ourselves. The current situation is not really very different.
Our Congress has one house with a Republican majority, the other a Democratic majority, 26 States have Republican Governors while 24 have a Democratic leader. Our news comes from either a liberal slant or a conservative spin and our stands on issues like abortion, immigration policy, gender issues, religious preferences, race relations, health care and virtually everything else are widely dissimilar. The opinions on the current pandemic, open or stay at home, essential businesses, government stimulus and "free" business loans and press conferences where the "team" message is more like a free-for-all than a united front. We like our independence and love to flaunt it.
One of my devotionals this morning said: "Father, open my heart and close my lips and let me exalt You in silent reverence this day. Amen". I was doing fairly well with that advice while I was working by myself, but once I got around others, and then started this post, I haven't done so good. I think I'll go back in my "cave". See you next time.

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May 13, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. In This World You Will Have Trouble.

Jesus is nearing the end of his earthly ministry. He has related a lot to His Disciples and they are about to face a major test of their loyalty to Him. They understand some things, but others are still unclear. Jesus will soon be betrayed, His Disciples scattered, He will be tried, convicted, and put to death, rise after three days and confront His Disciples with a call to "go and make disciples" of all nations.
His warning that they will have troubles is as much a warning to us now as it was to them. The past few months have been full of troubles, radical health issues, economic collapse not seen in nearly a century, and a need for us to heed the words of Jesus in the sentence preceding and the sentence following the title of this post: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" and "But take heart. I have overcome the world". As Jesus then proceeds to pray for Himself, His Disciples and for all Believers, we can know that through the difficulties to come, the answer to everyone and everything is.......JESUS.
I know this is not a universally held opinion.......but it is what I believe.......and what I rely on for the path through the troubles of this world. I pray we will all see the tenuousness of the material world, the danger of straying from moral absolutes, the lessons of history and the truth of Scripture.......and turn to or return to God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. In Them rests the path to peace, the strength and courage to face the challenges of life and the hope and promise of eternal security beyond this life. For all this........Thank You, Lord.

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May 10, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. When Money Isn’t Really Money

When the government announced the CARES Act and the stimulus money which would be sent to most Americans, there were a lot of questions about who would received the money, how it would be delivered and when we could expect to get it if we were to get it. The money started arriving by wire transfer direct deposits, some by paper check and some people are still waiting to be shown the money.
Some people, and I'm amazed at how many, really needed the money to meet immediate needs, while for others it was an unexpected gift and not all that essential financially. Karen and I knew we were going to received $1200 each, but it was nothing we needed immediately, so when we received the check in the mail yesterday, we were happy because we know there are needs we can help meet with the $2400. But, when I looked at our bank account today to "balance it", I noticed that only $200 was spendable, while the balance was "pending". How long before the $2200 can be spent and what about those who have to wait for the funds to "unpend" before spending it on a crucial bill or obligation? And.......how come money from our own Department of the Treasury has a a hold on it. Can't be that we have a national debt of nearly $25,000,000,000,000 (that's trillion) and maybe someone else has to be paid before us?
I am being facetious. We are grateful for the stimulus money, pray it does help those who are truly impacted by the current virus/economic situation, can be put to good use for necessities, helping others or encourage those in need that they can expect assistance from any number of benevolent, care, non-profit, neighborhood, church and government entities. Hang in there everyone.......it may truly be that "the check is in the mail".

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May 7, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. If And When........

We are on the fence, in no-mans land, between a rock and a hard place, neither here nor there, in limbo, up in the air, betwixt and between.........we just don't know.
Arkansas is still under 100 Covid-19 deaths and our county (Carroll) is near the bottom of positive cases and has had no reported deaths.
Some businesses have been allowed to open, others are going to open in stages over the next few weeks, but we are in a unique situation. We have some indoor venues, outdoor venues, use busses and golf carts for transporting visitors, serve food in a walk-up setting as well as a serve-yourself buffet, have cast dressing rooms with more than 40 people per room, share clothing, and would look very non-biblical wearing masks when we perform the Passion Play or make presentations in our Holy Land Biblical-venue-environment. Our gift shops and museums are not conducive to limiting the number of visitors, and our multiple restrooms would be hard to keep "sanitized" with the limited staff we currently have.
To open....or not. To open a gift shop.....or not. Four performance days have gone by already, unopened, and our schedule calls for Memorial Day weekend as the next dates on our schedule. We will be ready.......if........and we will be ready......when. We just have to hear from the powers that be.......and, then, decide, individually........if I/ WE are willing.......and when we are willing to "perform" in the capacity we are being called to perform. And,..........will the visitors come........or not.........lots of unknowns..........stay tuned........

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May 4, 2020. Eureka Springs,AR. Open For Business

The country is chomping at the bit. The Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave wants to be free again, and in order to be free (like we have always been) we are going to not only be brave, but braver than we have ever been before.
This is a case of cabin fever run amok. Coop a person up, take away his job, take away his sports, limit his socializing and add all kinds of rumors, conspiracy theories, political bickering and fear and we have a bad situation with an uncertain outcome. But, while there is still sickness, deaths and frayed tempers galore, we are beginning to see businesses reopen, plans for further openings over the next days, weeks and months, and every community and/or state doing so with different restrictions, limitations and impingement on our "normal" as we have come to expect it. Will it work? Will the virus abate, or will it come back with a vengeance? Are we out of the woods or are we about to enter a new mine field? I don't know, and a I'm not sure anyone knows the answer. We will find out...........stay safe.........stay sensible........pray and be assured.......God knows........and He will guide us through.......2 Chronicles 7:14. Read it and LIVE IT.

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May 1, 2020. Eureka Springs, AR. It’s Out Of My Control

Just like no two sets of fingers prints are the same, so every person is different in the life they lead, the skills they possess, the way food becomes either energy to keep them slender or fat to make them gain weight. No two people are the same, and how they "are" is totally out of their control. We can do all the planning we want, get a good education, or no education at all and when we are honest with ourself, we can't control how we turn out.
I would have loved to be taller, but I couldn't do anything to grow taller than 5'7", and as I age I am getting even shorter. Professional athletes have little to say about their "genes" but they act like they are in total control of their height, weight, strength, musculature and stamina when in reality God gave them the body they were blessed with and they needed only to be good stewards of what He gave them. In reality, we have no control of much of anything in life, except to take good care of what we have been given.
Everything we have is from God. It's ridiculous to think WE could have made ourselves any better than He did, and whether we are hale and hearty or beset with health issues, limitations, or have parts of our body that don't work well or may be missing, we are what God created us as, and we need to realize, if we haven't already, that God made us as He did for a reason, and it's His purpose, and not our own, we are called to accomplish. When we accept this Truth, our life will become less complicated and we will find the peace He promises us when we seek to live as He desires and submit to His control and give up our goal of " doing my own thing".
Pretty heady stuff for a Friday afternoon, but so be it. God is Good and I am grateful that He Is Who He Is and HE IS STILL IN CONTROL..........and we are not.
Thank You, Lord.

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