December 31, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Out With The Old And The New…….

….In with The Old and The New. Confused? For the past 24, or so, years, I have read the Bible from start to finish each year. That means, on December 31, I read the entire Book of Malachi and Chapter 22 of Revelation, thus completing both the Old and New Testaments. Tomorrow I will start over again with Genesis and Matthew and make another journey through the Old and New Testaments.
No matter how many times I read Scriptures, the passages sometimes reveal something new to me. If my mind wanders, I may see the words but not really read them or absorb them, and sometimes a list of names may be scanned rather than read or "injested" making the passage new when I read it with my mind fully committed to it.
Even when doing the Passion Play for about 600 times, there are nights when I "see or hear" something I haven't "seen or heard before". His mercies are new every day.
The passage from December to January Is not really an occasion I celebrate as many people do. Tomorrow is just another day and 2022 is just another year. Every day has its high and low moments as does each year have its ups and downs. It's all in God's hands, and the number of days and years we are given are under His control. I pray God's love for us continues as it always has, and that our days, weeks, months and years will be spent in serving Him, advancing His Kingdom, and being faithful servants and good stewards of all He has provided us with.
As for the present……….have a joyous and happy day.

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December 24, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Borrowing From SITD

 This morning's devotional from Streams in the Desert said it far better than I:

"He went out to the field one evening to meditate (Genesis 24:63)
We would be better Christians if we spent more time alone, and we would actually accomplish more if we attempted less and spent more time in isolation and quiet waiting upon God. The world has become too much a part of us, and we are afflicted with the idea that we are not accomplishing anything unless we are always busily running back and forth. We no longer believe in the importance of a calm retreat where we sit silently in the shade. As the people of God, we have become entirely too practical. We believe in having 'all our irons in the fire' and all the time we spend away from the anvil or fire is wasted time. Yet our time is never more profitably spent than when we set aside time for quiet meditation, talking with God, and looking up to heaven. We can never have too many of these open spaces in life — hours set aside when our soul is completely open and accessible to any heavenly thought or influence that God may be pleased to send our way…….."

If this excerpt from the December 24th Streams in the Desert spoke to you as it spoke to me, take some time to read the whole devotional. It will prepare you for the day we celebrate tomorrow; the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ……Immanuel..


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December 18, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. On The Mend

Covid hit me pretty hard. I've had some recoveries from medical conditions, down-time from accidents and injuries which have involved rehab and time off from work or volunteer activities. But none have been like coming back from Covid. When I came home after two stints in the VA hospital, I was faced with a situation I have never experienced before.
I have some medications prescribed to help me get to sleep and stay asleep. While they have listed side effects, the only one which has affected me is changes in eating habits. I had lost nearly 25 pounds during my time at the VA and found that I was regaining that weight pretty rapidly. The doctor told me yesterday that I had to be careful not to let the carbohydrates become too dominant. Because one of the other doctors said I showed signs of atrial fibrillation during my VA stay,I have been given a Holter Monitor to wear for two weeks. With the sleep meds, diet changes, and potential heart issues beyond what I already have been diagnosed with, the recovery from Covid had been complicated, to say the least.
My weight is back to pre-Covid level, and I am determined to keep it there, so even with the Monitor, I am determined to return to my pre-Covid exercise regimen. My state of mind is good, my desire to get back to winter Passion Play activities is strong, and I want to "be more than a conqueror" as a witness for Christ. God has brought me through all the rehabs, recoveries and valley experiences, and I want to climb the mountain another time to fulfill the mission God has for me, no matter what it may be. In all situations, I praise God and seek His will, His Way, and await His Kingdom coming now and forever.
On the mend for the Glory of God.

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December 14, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Changes

Life has its ups and downs, routines which were once routine, but are now out of the ordinary. Habits once unchanging, now have made way for different habits which don't feel as comfortable. Life goes on with different priorities and what was once a strict pattern, now out of the picture.
My blog schedule of every third day, now finds me with no words to write and words which don't flow as they always did, but now take greater effort to put "on paper". My cross sewing which was such a big part of my free time for so many years, now causes pain in my repaired right shoulder and therefore not going to be an accompaniment to my television watching regimen. The crosses, which still number in the hundreds will not be replenished as they are sold in the Passion Play gift shops. The proceeds to the Passion Play will eventually dwindle to what remains in stock.
I think I will commit to one Holy Land tour per week during the winter, and use the rest of that day to work on projects at the Play. Anyway, that's the plan and we'll see how that works out after the first of the year. We still feel that we are to be volunteering at TGPP and we are finding more people we talk with expressing an interest in doing the same. Seed-planting takes many forms, and willing hearts coupled with able bodies and tangible skills will keep the Play operating and moving forward.
Change is part of life and life is changing in so many ways so as to inspire us to seek new "fields to plow"and see what will grow with new hoers, waterers and reapers being added to the mix. God has it all figured out We just need to step out in faith, obedience and optimism, leave the results to God and give Him all the praise and glory for the results. Thank You, Lord for change and Your unchanging faithfulness, grace, and love.

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Fwd: December 8, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. The Day After

I wanted to say more, but I hit the wrong button and ended up with no logical conclusion.  Give with one hand, take it back with the other.  Sign of the times, I guess.  My conclusion may precede my premise, but hopefully you get my point.  The Covid fog is for real.  I'll be back soon with another blog.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Hal Schatz <ministryofmiles@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Dec 8, 2021, 6:55 PM
Subject: December 8, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. The Day After
To:

          Eighty years ago today the United States, declared war on Japan after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor the day before.  Soon we were at war with Germany and Italy, as well.  Today is the day after the Medicare enrollment deadline and just as America was united in supporting our 1941 war effort, I believe we are divided on most every major issue, but the end of endless appearances of George Forman, Jimmie Walker, Joe Namath and William Shatner I believe we are in agreement…….enough is enough.
           What those ads failed to mention is that the monthly cost of Part B Medicare is going up by 14.5% while the cost of living increase is going up by 5.9% meaning a net loss for most of us older Americans on Social Security. 

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December 4, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. 76 And Beyond

Yesterday I turned 76 years old. There were moments this past year when I didn't think I would see another birthday. The Covid experience in October was a bummer and beyond belief. But, God guided us through it and yesterday Karen and I went to see Jesus, the play, at Sight and Sound Theater in Branson. We had a wonderful day, met a nice couple from Indiana and enjoyed the presentation and the message it conveyed. We have always found the S&S plays to be first-rate.
Karen and I will start to work our way back into the off-season routine of the Passion Play, but want to take advantage of some of the "attractions" in the area. For years, eight to be exact, we have devoted almost all our time to the PP and haven't done much else. I'm not too eager to travel like we used to do, but it's time to enjoy the "creation" around us. Life is a precious commodity which God blesses us with and as we serve Him, I believe He wants us to renew our commitment to Him, but also become more involved in community, deepen relationships with friends and family, enjoy rest and take time away from the busyness of life to explore and enjoy our surroundings.
We'll see what happens.
Thank You, Lord for life today and hope for what is yet to come.

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November 29, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. He Said….She Said…..They Said

Karen was on Google today, searching for foods that are good for us and foods that are not good for us and, needless to say, some of the same foods were on both lists. There are so many opinions that it's hard to know who to trust and what will be the ultimate impact on our health and well-being when we choose one side or the other.
It's not just food where there are differences of opinion. Almost everything has experts on both sides of the issue, but also the phrase which pops up all too frequently………."they said" we are to do do so and so about such and such. Who are "they" and how did "they" get so all-fired smart all of a sudden?
The current situation with our health amid the viruses, variants, vaccines, boosters, mandates, masks, infusions, injections and treatments is rife with strong opinions that leave us confused and conflicted. Because of my having been treated with steroids for my Covid, it elevated my A1C into the "diabetic" realm and undid the efforts I was making pre-Covid to stay below the VA threshold of 6.5 to avoid being labeled as diabetic. Thus, the interest in what foods to avoid over the next three months to get me back in the pre-diabetic range, and below, where I was pre-sreroids.
The good news is that I feel good, have been feeling better every day, am sleeping well and active around the house. What will be in three months, I have no idea. For now I want to learn from what I went through, thank God for answering all the prayers and putting me back on the path to serving Him and advancing His Kingdom. They say that's what we are called to do…….and to that direction……….I say…….Amen.

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November 25, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. THANK YOU

Every morning my journal begins with the words, "thank you" or "thank you, Lord", so, for me every day is thanksgiving. Today, in the United States, Thanksgiving, is no different, other than the way we celebrate it. We are besieged with all the sales, family get-togethers, travel, materialism run amuck, and, of course, for many a paid day off from work.
This year, Thanksgiving is almost back to what it was before Covid, but there are many restrictions and requirements imposed by each and every business, government entity and our own "rules" for staying safe and healthy. Life has become more complicated and we wonder what is still to come. Yet we have the answer and it was written long ago in a Book called the Bible.
As Americans and Christians it is our calling to tell the world how thankful we are for the blessings God has lavished on us. I'm not saying we have a perfect country or a corner on the spiritual "market". Far from it. But, on this day, and every day , be thankful for what God created, why Jesus went to The cross for, and what is promised in The Book. Thank You, Lord………for this day……..and every day…….




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November 20, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. On The Blog Again

It's been a while since I last blogged, and in that period of "silence" a lot of things happened. Suffice to say, Covid is a real bugger. Karen and I both tested positive on October 1 and without going into any of the details, we had some scary moments. But, with the help of friends and family, coworkers and people we don't even know, our awesome God heard their prayers and has brought us through to a future we trust Him for, and look to with optimism and hope.
Every day is a gift and we plan to live each one He gives us with His will being our focus, and serving Him and His Kingdom our primary objective. We have no indication that we are to go somewhere other than where we are now. He led us to TGPP and we plan to continue to minister as we have, plant seeds and encourage others in their giftings: and if and when the " cloud moves" we will go where it leads us and continue to serve Him……wherever that may be.
Thank you all for your prayers and concern for us. We hope you know how much you mean to us, and we thank God every day for you. Be well, be safe and be……..HIS.
Thank you and………..THANK YOU, LORD.

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October 11, 2021. Fayetteville, AR VA Hospital, TMI

This has been a real roller coaster. My schedule, once pretty routine, has become anything but. I have been bombarded with so much information, numbers, opinions and yet encouraged with prayers, calls from long-lost friends and acquaintances that I feel God's hand of healing and protection all around us. I know He has us right where He wants us and will be glorified by it. Everyone here at the VA has been wonderful and whatever the outcome, we are blessed to be so well cared for.
I don't know when I'll be able to blog again, but when I can, I will. Stay faithful, keep up the fight and finish strong. God is in control. Thank you, Lord.

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October 5, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Covid-Coaster

The pandemic continues. We have felt like a target for nearly two years. There have been all kinds of rules, mandates, people coming from all over the country, mask and vaccine mandates, PP rules, local and state rules, federal proclamations and all of a sudden we have been feeling poorly. Karen tested positive Friday, I tested, but no result, yet. Insurance, which is supposed to help, is not really helping, but is actually quite confusing. Calls don't result in consistent or speedy answers and it is frustrating to wait, patiently wait…….land wait some more. I guess this is "just a test" of our covid-response system, but for now the test isn't working well for us.
Not much to do, but wait, trust God and know He will figured it all out, for each and every one of us. In His timing it will resolve and we will be blessed and He will be glorified. In His hands and out of ours. Thank You, Lord

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October 2, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Covid Test

Last Tuesday I didn't feel very good. Very dragged out, slight cough, no temperature, chills and cold sweats. No real close contact with anyone on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Karen and I both had Covid tests on Friday and Karen got the word just a while ago that she tested positive. My test results are due Tuesday, but her doctor said I will probably be positive also, so "two weeks on the bench" for both of us. If we have any major issues go to the Emergency Room.
We've spread the word to a lot of our Passion Play co-workers, hopefully not spreading the virus in the process. We've had a number of cast and staff people test positive or be quarantined for close contact, and to this point it has worked out okay. With only 14 performance days left in the season, we may have "played" our last for 2021. Hate to put extra burden on our co-workers, but not much choice. We trust God for His protection and His plan, so no fear, no anxiety and all praise to Him. We will overcome.

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September 29, 2021. Holiday Island,,AR. Stay The Course

The past few weeks have been "early to rise and late to lie down" with long hours of activity in between. The evenings have been a little cooler and the night time cooler still and my joints seem to ache more than usual. The combination is reminding me that something needs to change or I will run out of steam before the end of the 2021 season. I'm not the only one being affected by it.
Covid is still a present threat, and as the attendance increases for these next few weeks, we are more susceptible to exposure from guests and our own people who are out in the public at school, work and in their normal activities. With so many news reports, so much conflicting information, it's hard to separate fact from fiction and make informed decisions. But we need to stay strong, be alert and trust God for his continued protection and provision. "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, My Savior and my God." Thank You, Lord.


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September 25, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Habby

Our newest Petting Zoo donkey.  A future Christ donkey for TGPP?

September 22, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Fall 2021

Time marches on. Like clockwork we move from summer to fall, shorts to long pants, 90 to 50 and from air conditioning to letting the outside air come in through open doors and windows. But like everything that changes, it may not change for long. Be ready for a return to the 90's in a few days.
Monday we were anticipating rain through the night, and it came, but only about half an inch, our only moisture for the month and according to the forecast, the last rain until at least the second week of October and temperature back in the 80's. It looks like Fall will have to wait for a while. Put away the long pants and keep the shorts front and center.
Our Passion Play crowds look like they will be bigger as we head toward the end of the season, and we are grateful for that. We're here to tell His story, plant seeds, and encourage believers in their faith. Rain or shine, hot or cold, no matter the season…….that is what we will do, and let God determine the results……..To Him be the Glory.


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September 18, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. the promised land

When we bought our cabin last June, I thought it needed a "name"; it seemed like God had given us all we had ever wanted in a home, even beyond our house in Lakewood, our two houses in Fort Collins and our motor home. From 1977 to 2020 we had a place to live, were comfortable and satisfied, but we never felt like we had a home until we found our promised land. No, it's not The Promised Land, but it is as heavenly an earthly home as we could ever want.
We have made some changes, and more are being planned, but to me this is as close to heaven on earth as we could want. It has its quirks and little foibles, but it is such a blessing and such a joy, that coming back to it from work at the Passion Play or just doing chores on the property is priceless to me. We feel this is where He wants us to be as we serve Him.
There's no way to look beyond the moment where God is concerned. What lies ahead…….only He knows. But whatever it may be, we trust Him, praise Him for what has been, what is and what is yet to come. And for all this we say………Thank You……Thank You, Lord.

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September 15, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Rain, Rain Gone Away

It seems like we are in a feast or famine situation. The Gulf Coast and much of the Northeast are getting more rain than they need, while most of the Southwest and West Coast are dry as a bone. We have been without rain for most of July, August and half of September. The prospects for "Fall Colors" look pretty bleak and the rain we were supposed to have overnight failed to materialize. We did have some rain during one of our Labor Day performance days, but the Play went on as usual to a sea of blue ponchos in the audience and the cast enduring about 15 minutes of showers.
We are continuing to have high 80's and low 90's with humidity for the past two weeks, but the forecast is for another hard winter in the Ozarks. Not much we can do but stay the course finish our final 20 performance days and hunker down for what is ahead. It has been a different year, with more Covid in our area, more visitors than last year and more confusion and information to digest on how best to "weather the storm". For now, we hope for more rain to keep the leaves on the trees a little longer, nurture the grass, plants and trees, and trust God for His plan for the Passion Play, the country and His Creation. It's all in His hands. Thank You, Lord.


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September 12, 2021. Holiday Island,AR. It Just Isn’t The Same

These are unusual times. We are back in the throes of a pandemic, our nation seems to be at war with itself over almost everything and there is a general feeling that we need honest and believable leadership in every aspect of our political, business, religious, cultural and media spheres. People are confused, conflicted and distrustful of what we are being told.
Our flag seems to fly at half staff more often to mourn, rather than at full staff to elicit pride and respect. Our mood is more of doubt and discouragement than one of hope and optimism for the future. It just isn't the same when we wake up to face the new day before us. And sometimes when we go to sleep at night we think it might be better to "wake up dead" and be in the presence of the One who holds the key to an eternal future promised in His Inspired Word; His Holy Scripture.
I'm not wishing my time away, or giving up on our country or our ability to make a positive difference in our world, but I pray to God for His direction, His Will to be done and His plan and purpose for each of us to be revealed, realized and lived out for our good and His Glory. In Him we have our being, our redemption, our inheritance, our life, our hope...............in Him we have everything we need. THANK YOU, LORD.

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September 9, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Playing Hurt

I've managed to watch or fast-forward through all the Olympic coverage I recorded from the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. There were some outstanding performances and many of the athletes had recovered from serious injuries or were competing at less than full ability.
What is even more amazing is watching the Paralympics which I also recorded for play-back later. While many of us go on "the disabled list" with a sprained ankle or a hang nail, the Paralympics compete at unheard of physical levels while missing arms or legs, being visually impaired, having cerebral palsy, wheelchair-bound, or suffering from intellectual disability or spinal injuries. What's even more amazing is the joy they exude whether they win a gold medal or finish at the back of the pack.
We can learn a lot from them and the "never say never" attitude they exhibit in their training regimen, competitive spirit and love of life even when they have been dealt a less than ideal physical make-up. To do the best we can with what we have been given is a noble goal and we should all aspire to that end, with a minimum of complaints and a maximum of thankfulness to God.

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September 6, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. It’s Not Easy Being........

End the sentence with any word you choose: green......me......rich.....poor......famous.....alone.......number one........unknown........
Life is not always what we want it to be or what how we planned it to be. Life can be monotonous or ever-changing. There are a lot of unknowns which we have to negotiate and often we "wear many hats" all at the same time and like the apostle Paul try to " become all things to all people". And then there are times we just want to be let alone, left alone or .......alone.
We live in trying times. There are challenges and obstacles around every corner, or right there ahead of us in the road. Many things and many people are clamoring for our time, our talent, our resources; and there are so many decisions we have to make to stay on the right course.
But in all the turmoil, there is one constant, and that constant is GOD. It's a simple statement to make, not an easy one to accept, profess and live out. It's not easy being abandoned, surrendered, obedient.......to HIM. If you don't have IT........try IT.......you'll like IT. THANK YOU, LORD.


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September 2, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Doing Life

Labor Day weekend is our second opportunity of this Passion Play season to have three consecutive performance days in a row. When we first came to the Passion Play in 2014 the schedule called for four performance days per week for most of the season with Thursday, Friday and Saturday each week except in August. It was a grueling schedule and took early season "training" to hold up for the full season.
But, age has a way of making even a three performance week a challenge and three days in a row is hard on my aging body. The past three weeks I have been back in the fitness center where I did my shoulder therapy earlier in the year, to be better prepared for this three in a row, and then the Tuesday, Friday, Saturday schedule for the rest of September and October. I hope it will pay dividends.
The Olympics and Paralympics have inspired me to do my best to try to stay fit, not to get back into any type of competitive arena, but just to be better able to do the usual activities of daily life, chores around the cabin, helping others with their chores, and stay healthy in an "out of shape" culture. I'm grateful for being able to do what I do, thankful to have been able to persevere through accidents, illnesses, weather challenges and any number of other obstacles. I read Psalm 139 this morning as part of my morning devotional time. Thank You, Lord, for Your inspired Word and Your guiding hand.

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August 31, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Hang In There

With all that's going on in the world, hurricanes, fires, Afghanistan, inflation, political unrest, Covid, mask mandates, vaccine conflicts, immigration policy, employment issues, violence, defunding of police, assaults on character of our public figures, social media, Olympics, Paralympics and just our day to day activities, it's becoming harder and harder to find a place where we can "get away from the noise" around us and find a safe, quiet place.
Our Passion Play schedule has given me Performance Days at the Play, while Karen is working on non-Performance Days. Sunday is for church and then both of us at the cabin. It's worked out okay, but it's hard to avoid the outside influences and the things which pop up and alter the schedule. Life has been different of late, more challenging as we try to keep up with all the changes and how rapidly they occur. All we can do is live each day as it comes, trust that God is still on His Throne and in full control of what is ahead for each of us..........and.........hang in there.

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August 29, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. We Don’t Know..........

In September, 2008, a Monday, I had a heart attack. I was testifying at a court proceeding for someone who had been helpful to me in our ministry efforts. Later that week, a church friend of mine had a heart attack after his morning run. He died on the floor of his house, never making it to the hospital.
This past week while I was mowing our lawn, and a church friend of mine was mowing his. He died of a massive heart attack never making it to the hospital.
Three men, similar age, doing life as they felt called by God. The result..........
We don't know.......but God does. We don't understand now , but one day we will.
God Knows.........
Thank You, Lord.

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August 24, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Confused?

There was a time in my life when I thought I was fairly intelligent. I was able to read, comprehend, remember, learn new skills, memorize, debate, speak logically, communicate with people more educated than me and think about the future and be optimistic about it and feel I was going to be actively involved in it.
But, at some point along the "journey" (1958 or '59 rings a bell), I began to struggle with change, find that things were not as easy to understand as they had once been, wonder whether I was really as smart as people thought I was, and became concerned about my place in the world and what the future held for me.
Today, I listened to Fox News for about 10 minutes, CNN News for about 10 minutes and then turned on the TV and heard the President speak for about 10 minutes and to say I was confused by the things I heard...............well.............that would be an understatement. I think my ability to comprehend what is happening in our country and the world has flown the coop. I am more than confused by the state of current events, the people we have put in positions of leadership and what lies ahead for us. I have to admit, I'm trusting God, AND HIM ALONE, for everything that is further ahead than the present second in time. Help us all, Lord, every one of us. I don't think I'm the "Lone Ranger" in my current attitudes. Am I?

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August 21, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Anorher Beautful Morning At The Great Passion Play

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August 18, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Over The Hump

With 32 performance days behind us and 30 still ahead, we are on the downhill slope of our eighth season at The Great Passion Play. When we came here in May, 2014 we had no idea our volunteer duty would last this long; and certainly no indication of the many experiences we were in for and the variety of people we would interact with.
We did spend three winters in Madison, Georgia at Source of Light Ministries International, but always felt our "calling" was here and thus we have been here on a year-round basis since February, 2018. When we sold our Colorado house in 2019, bought the cabin here in Arkansas in 2020 and sold the motor home earlier this year, it seemed that we were "settling down" and TGPP was the one constant which still remained. Now with the year winding down, it looks like we are slowing down in some areas, but not yet ready to "retire". Serving The Lord is still on the top of the list and with so much to be concerned about in " the world", we believe that we may be "in the world", but not "of the world" and will be guided by His plan and purpose for us and not what the world may try to lure us into.
We trusted God, and He led us here. We will stay here as long as God tells us to stay, and if and when the "cloud moves", we will follow it where God takes it and wherever that may be, we will continue to serve, praise and glorify Him. For now we seek to finish the 30 performance days of the 2021 season, and finish strong. Thank You, Lord.


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August 15, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. It’s Not MY Fault

It started in the Garden of Eden with the eating of a "forbidden" fruit. God had one rule for Adam and Eve. "She made me do it", Adam said. "The snake made me do it", Eve said. The snake just crawled away......gotcha.
It hasn't changed much in the thousands of years since then. God puts forth a plan for us to follow, we think we have a better plan, and when our plan falls apart, we find someone else to blame......"it's not my fault". Just in our own lifetime we've seen this scenario countless times (political finger-pointing, Vietnam, Afghanistan, immigration policy, Covid policy, global warming, Nixon, Clinton, Cuomo, Cosby..... Itseems that the history of the world is nothing more than the same comments made by different people, in different factual settings, with the same result......."It's not MY fault"; "I inherited a mess"; "Poor George", "the devil made me do it".
For once I wish someone would own up to their own mistake, to their own wrong decision, lack of ability, or just plain stupidity. Well.........don't hold your breath. Whoever actually said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it was right, but so many people have misquoted the original phrase, we don't actually know who originally said it, or what they said. Got me. I do know for sure........it wasn't me and it ISN't MY FAULT that someone else did. Enough, already.

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August 12, 2021 Holiday Island, AR. Prayer

Many of our friends and family are facing difficult issues. They may be facing operations or other medical procedures, going through treatment for a recent accident or illness, tested positive for Covid, or been exposed to someone with the virus. Some have elderly parents they are caring for, or children who are facing difficulties. Our prayer list at church is quite long and we add to the list prayer for neighboring churches, people in the military or working as first responders. Prayer is a major part of our Christian walk.
Today at our local Pastors' Association meeting the devotional spoke to prayer and the feeling that we may not be praying fervently enough because we are not seeing our prayers answered now as they seemed to be in Biblical times. Jesus withdrew from the crowds to pray and now we tend to hear about people wanting prayer and say "I'll pray for you" and we withdraw from the request and often don't present the need to God.
I plead guilty. I do pray, but not as much as I could or should, and yet I know that God hears our prayers, blesses us when we put Him first, has been faithful to Karen and me beyond our wildest dreams, and wants to be actively involved in our lives. Our country is floundering in so many ways and I do feel that God will intervene when we who call ourselves Christians heed the words of 2Chronicles7:14..............It's starting to get serious and we of His Church need to get serious about His Promise and how we see it fulfilled. PRAY.......PRAY.......PRAY.



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August 9, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Keeping Up With Creation

What God created in six days, created a lot of work for us. I never really thought about it, but when we put out bird feeders, plant flowers and fruit trees, have a pet or two, buy a house with acreage, or have children we set ourself up for a lot of work in making sure all these things are taken care of and maintained.
While animals can find food in nature, many of them rely on their human "parents" to feed them, bathe them and get them treated when they are sick or injured. Right now it seems that we may be the hummingbird feeders for Northwest Arkansas. When God doesn't provide sufficient moisture for our plants, trees and lawns, we have to drag hoses, set sprinkler systems or do whatever is necessary to keep them alive. Karen and I see many of our friends with children they have "created" who have needed a great deal of attention not only in their young years, but after they have left the "nest" and later find their way back to it. Grandchildren, too are a joy for many, but sometimes an added responsibility for grandma and grandpa.
God's "weather" requires a lot of our time to shovel, divert excessive water or make repairs when the conditions get into the severe category or fire gets out of control. Sometimes we move into an area which was first home for bears, deer, raccoons, armadillos, moles, hogs and other critters which come to visit and make it clear that we have intruded on what God originally deeded to them. Loving your neighbor takes on a different meaning.
I'm really not complaining, just realizing that in many ways my time is not my own and I have to spend a considerable amount of it to be a good steward of what God has so abundantly blessed us with. With it all, I still thank God for it all and want to do my best to eventually receive a "well done" when I graduate to the final Home He is preparing for us. Still in His Service.



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August 7, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. August

> The Passion Play schedule for August is only 10 performance days. Because August is traditionally the hottest and most humid month of the year, the thought is people don't want to spend too much time outdoors. I don't remember the August weather for our first four years at the Play, but the past three Augusts have been very mild, with July being the real bugger.
This year July was a mixed month with some tough days, and some not so tough. And so far the August weather has been been mild with today looking like the start of a rugged stretch. We can't do much to change what is to come, just do our best to adapt to it. It could be a lot worse, as many of our visitors tell us, so take it as it comes, stay hydrated and thank God for seeing us through it. One day at a time sweet Jesus.

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August 4, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. AdLibbing Through Life

Scripts are very much necessary in some jobs we undertake in our life. Rules, procedures, time limits, standardization, quality control, staying within the lines, speed limits, safety protocols. Without these elements in our life, there would be chaos and danger, injury and death. When we "go too far afield" we risk dire consequences.
But, ad libbing , marching to the beat of a different drummer, being spontaneous, being creative, pushing the limits, being the Lone Ranger or a free spirit or a loose cannon sets us apart from the humdrum or mundane and may be fun and exciting, but it may upset the apple cart and alienate us from the scripted folk. I tend to fit in this second group but have a lot of experience in the first.
With the current climate in our country and our world and the uncertainties we face, different "world views", political extremes and so many "agendas" it is hard to determine where we fit, who we rally behind and how many battles we dare to get into and how loud our voice should be. How many petitions do we sign, who do we support with our vote, our money or our time? Who can we trust? What are the facts? Life is more challenging; there are more invasions into our privacy, personal information is so available to hackers and undesirables and the internet is a minefield of way more advice, "how to" and do-it-yourself guidance than we could ever absorb or evaluate.
What are we to do? Will we ever be able to get the "right" answer, find contentment or be at peace with ourself and others? Personally, I have found that limiting my intake of national news, putting in ear plugs from time to time, picking weeds and doing chores at our cabin, avoiding added sugar, drinking lots of water, serving God at The Great Passion Play and praying God's will be done and accepting whatever comes my way as a gift from God and reason to trust Him, follow Him and ad lib my way toward His Kingdom on earth and His Kingdom hereafter. And for all of it, past, present and future.............Thank You, Lord.

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August 1, 2021. Holiday Island,AR. Time Marches On

With exact precision, we move from one second to the next. We can't speed it up. We can't slow it down. No matter whether time "stands still" or "flies by", a second is still a second and there is no difference. How many seconds, minutes, hours, days, months or years we are "given" is out of our control but what we do with them is really under our control. Time marches on.
We do give our time to others, sometimes being paid for it, sometimes not and our impact on others may be positive, negative or somewhere in between, but our time can be valuable or wasted. When we wait to see the doctor we often think of paying a high price for his time while they don't seem to have much concern for our time and how much it may be worth. But, time marches on, regardless.
In the final analysis, time can be on our side or against us, be the difference between winning and losing, or maybe even living and dying. One thing is certain.......every second we are one second closer to...............



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July 29, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Crank Calls

When we were kids, the telephone was a "toy" we used to harass people by making crank calls. We'd ask a question like "Is your refrigerator running? " and if the person said yes, we'd say "then you better catch it" and hang up. Or, we'd say we had a prize for them if they could answer "who is buried in Grant's Tomb" and hang up. With no Caller-ID we were pretty safe, and rarely, if ever, got into trouble. We thought it was harmless fun.
These days, the cell phone is a constant vehicle for robo calls, spam, people telling you they are the IRS or that your Social Security Number has been compromised; car warranty scams, requests for charitable and disaster donations, people wanting us to take a survey or get a debit card if we will just answer a question; you are being sued, or your Apple account has just been charged for a $1299 purchase, and on and on. And then there is the guy who is constantly wanting to speak to Eugenia.
It's tiring to receive such calls, and unfortunately some people fall prey to the "hook" and have their identity compromised or get taken for a bunch of money. It's scary to think how easily we can be duped and potentially be wiped out financially. Too much of our personal information is "out there" for someone to get hold of and with more and more people doing their shopping, banking, bill paying and communicating on the phone we are targets of those who are far more tech savvy then we are.
Strange how same of our pranks from long ago, are becoming so much more sophisticated and serious as we navigate through a life more complicated and dangerous than it ever has been. It used to be "buyer beware", but it has become so much more than that now. The world has changed................

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July 26, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Olympics

I have always had the dream to be an Olympic athlete. I have participated in a wide variety of sports; some with moderate success, others with no success and still others where the sport I was most competitive was not an Olympic event. I have known, or met a few Olympic athletes and many of my "heroes" have been Olympians.
The 2020 Tokyo games, being held in 2021, is a magnet, which, with the help of the Hopper (DVR) , will probably continue into 2022 since I am recording many of the lesser known events for viewing at a later time. I don't follow sports as much as I once did, and rarely watch hockey, basketball, football or baseball, but I do watch track and field, cycling, gymnastics, and many of the "lesser known" sports which take a great deal of discipline and dedication in order to be proficient and competitive. The list is pretty long and I have tried many of them myself and admire those who can do them, and do them well. Needless to say, with 33 sports and 46 disciplines the.DVR will be getting a workout and I will have a lot of commercial-free viewing in my future. It will probably be until Beijing 2022 when I catch up........or possibly even Paris 2024.......... Happy viewing.

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July 23, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Psalm 91

Every day since April 20, 2021, I have made Psalm 91 part of my morning reading and quiet time regimen. Covid was in its early stages and I felt that Psalm 91 would be an appropriate weapon to "arm" myself with in addressing the corona virus. One of our friends from the Passion Play said they were praying Psalm 91, and since we had National Day of Prayer Task Force literature for Veterans and Military Personnel about Psalm 91's impact, I felt it would be wise to read the book again and start praying Psalm 91 every day.
As the virus started to wind down, I thought of not praying the Psalm, but have continued with it as the surge has intensified and particularly in Arkansas and neighboring Missouri. We need more than vaccinations, masks and social distancing to fight this plague. We need a strong faith in an all-powerful God, a return to Biblical principles and moral integrity and humble hearts surrendered to HIM and HIS plan and purpose for each of us. Then, He may heal us and our land. Thank You, Lord.

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July 20, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Flexibility

We are sometimes a creature of habit, doing things in the same way, at the same time and any deviation is going to create havoc. Other times we are "on call" with no guarantee that we will ever be called, or we may be called continually so that we run around in a state of confusion and panic. And then, there are the times when there is nothing pending, no schedule, no idea of what is coming, if it is coming or if it does, when that might be. Time can either drag, stand still or go by in a flash.
What it means in real life is that we have to be flexible. We have to be able to adapt and adjust depending on what we have signed up to do, how many other people are involved and innumerable other factors, conditions and possibilities. Life is not always predictable, programmed or"chiseled in stone". Decisions have to be made, sometimes quickly and with limited information and sometimes it means we step on toes, react without thinking and cause hurt feelings, or we get it right and there are good feelings and happy endings.
Hang in there everyone. Take a deep breath, do the best you can and know there is a bigger plan for us and one day it will be made known to us. And above all.......Thank You, Lord for everything.


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July 17, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Rollercoasters

Growing up, I was never a fan of rollercoaster rides. After Vietnam and many hours flying in helicopters, I became even less of a fan of rollercoasters. When our great nieces and nephews wanted someone to accompany them on the amusement park rides in Denver, I "pleaded the fifth". No way was I going to do it.
Life is sometimes a rollercoaster ride, and this week has been a doozy. Tuesday and Wednesday we were at the VA in Fayetteville for my colonoscopy. The prep of 192 ounces of liquid was nasty, the Covid test was a pain in the nose and then all went well, with a good outcome and nothing further needed for 8-10 years. Praise God.
Yesterday and today had rollercoaster weather; the teaching at the Tabernacle and Holy Land was emotionally draining, but very enjoyable with nice people and "deep" questions requiring a lot of thought and listening more than my talking and "opining". Right now, I am sitting under a tree, by myself and just putting my words on paper, so to speak, and getting in the mood for tonight's Play performance.
Thank You, Lord for guiding us through the events of the past week, for giving me perspective on what we do, why we do it and what You have for our future. I needed this "break", this time away from "the crowd", knowing that my words are a comfort to me, but may also speak to someone reading them, and be a comfort to them as well. Thank You, Lord.

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July 14, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Thank You For Your Service

When Karen and I see a person wearing a military cap, we make a point of thanking them for their service to our country. Many people extend their appreciation to me when I wear my Vietnam Veteran cap. For a long time, that was not always the case, since our involvement in Southeast Asia polarized our country and made us "enemies", "baby killers" or other derogatory characters when we came back from serving.
The VA Medical System has been a blessing to me as my main source of medical care. Because of Agent Orange exposure, I have been in the VA system since 2009 after my heart attack the previous year. While some people have had problems with the VA, we have been treated like Medal of Honor recipients and always tell people about the wonderful way we were treated in Colorado, Wyoming and for the past eight years in Arkansas. Because of my disability rating, we have been well provided for and are financially able to volunteer our time for the past 12 years to serve Christian ministries and other charities we have a heart for. For all this, we say Thank You, Department of Veterans Affairs for your service, and Thank You, Lord.

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July 11, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Conflict of Information

In legal parlance, it's called hearsay. It can also be called second-hand knowledge, "they" said, gossip, rumor, "I heard it by the grapevine", half-truth, spin, opinion, idle chatter, scuttlebutt.......you get the point. What it usually means is.......don't believe everything you hear.
More and more, it is hard to really get to The Truth of anything. Everyone has an opinion, an axe to grind or a pet peeve. There are no absolutes anymore, it seems, and people speak their mind under the protection of "freedom of speech" and they show little concern for who they hurt, slander, libel or defame. The Courts are all over the
place on what's "legal", "constitutional" or "protected" and between right and wrong there is sometimes no distinction.
If it feels good, do it. Live for the moment. My way or the highway. Like it or lump it. Do you know who you're talking to? Whatever! If you don't like it, you know what you can do with it. You get the point.
The times they are a changin' and not for the better. It's getting harder every day to say or do anything without offending someone and what was part of our history is being erased so as not to condone what someone once held as sacred.
I don't know how we will ever get back on the same page, come to agreement on important issues or just plain.....get along. Before we implode as a nation, we need to do SOMETHING. Too many of our leaders are being manipulated or are not leadership quality. I wish I knew the answer, but even if I did........would it be thought of as just hearsay by the "powers that be" ? GOD..........You know the answer. HELP US.


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July 8, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Abraham, Sarah and Isaac

       Abraham and Sarah had a child.  His name is Isaac.  No, I'm not relating the Biblical events of Genesis 21, but the recent events of Passion Play:2021.  The attached pictures tells the story.  Sarah facing us, Isaac backside forward.  Abraham in the pasture.  Quite a family.

July 5, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Fireworks and Fireflies

Yesterday, we spent the morning at church, the afternoon with our friend Joan and after Karen spent the early evening with her sister, Jinny, she came home in time to see the light show for the Fourth of July.
Off in the distance, about 10 miles as the crow flies, we were able to see the Berryville fireworks from our back deck, but not hear them. We could hear the Eureka Springs fireworks, about 6 miles away, but not see them. What we had all around us were the fireflies, and of course, they don't make any sound, but give a beautiful light show. We have always enjoyed them and marvel at every "performance" we witness.
It was a pleasant Fourth and we are so grateful for all we have been given and the freedom we have to serve God, live in a comfortable home in a beautiful part of the country, in the country. Thank You, Lord for allowing us to be part of Your family, to tell Your story and give us this season of our life and prepare us for what is yet to come. We are abundantly blessed and thankful for it.

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July 2, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Home Is Where The Hissy Is

Miss Hissy didn't spend a long time at the veterinary clinic. She was not a happy camper or a very cooperative patient. They sedated her for the surgery, gave her some pills, shots and that was about the extent of it. She resisted every attempt at human contact and when we received the call to come and get her, we knew she was ready to be anywhere but there and they were anxious to have her leave.
She is a healthy cat, was in the early stages of being a mother AGAIN, but our purpose was to keep her, and us, from the emotions of possibly losing more kittens. She wasn't their worst patient, but I think she was probably near the top of the list. She wanted nothing to do with them, and while she rode home in the front seat of the pick-up in a carrier, she wanted out as soon as I opened the carrier door and headed over the wall and into the woods. No dinner last evening, and a no-show for breakfast this morning. She was more than a Hissy, she was one p...o'ed cat.
We will consider a companion for her on the advice of the Green Forest cat shelter, so she is not outside by herself. We will decide and continue the saga. Hopefully she will not stay angry for long and let us be her "parents" again. The story continues.......


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June 29, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. Just a Few Worfd

       If we are able to lure her into the trap, we will be taking Miss Hissy to Dr. Blaine for *repairs" tomorrow morning.  Details to follow.

June 26, 2021. Eureka Springs, AR. One of Those Days

I don't want to be specific, other than to say that today was a rough one. In fact, this past week has been a rough one, with a number of instances where things didn't come out the way we had planned, some of our friends and family had challenges and difficulties and life seemed to have more choppy water than smooth sailing.
From time to time we all face such situations, but God is still on The Throne, is in control; and we need to step back, take a deep breath and thank Him for His faithfulness and love.
THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS AND LOVE. Thank You, Lord.

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June 23, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Eye Gnats

I have written often about the multitude of critters in Arkansas and how I seem to be a magnet for most of them. My body is a bullseye for chiggers, and this year has been no exception, but the latest member of the attackers list is the eye gnat, also know as the eye fly, grass fly, face fly or fruit fly. They like the fluids in eyes and the nose, so it is easy to get one up your nose or in your eye. The result is either a blast of sneezes or what feels like a boulder in your eye.
It takes a while to stop sneezing, or get the little bugger out of your eye. There is the possibility of an eye infection like pinkeye, but the biggest annoyance is the critter feels like a sharp hot poker has been implanted in your eyeball. With so many fruit trees, flowers, and trees at the cabin, there is no shortage of these pests when I am outside, so wearing close-fitting clear glasses is a necessity.
On the other hand, one of the real enjoyable critters, if there is such a thing, is the lightening bug, or fire fly, or glowworms which have just started to appear at twilight both at the Play and the cabin. As a kid, we used to catch them in a bottle and punch holes in the lid to give them enough air to survive, but now we just enjoy the flashing of their bodies as they show off for us and their prospective mate. The vastness and variety of God's creation is something else.


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June 20, 2021. Holiday Island,AR. How Hot Is It?

I'm not a fan of all the global warming hype, or doomsday predictions which we hear about on the news. We have created weather "personalities" who thrive on scaring us about how "at risk" we are from hurricanes, tornadoes, storm surges, blizzards, avalanches, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and a host of other natural "named" disasters and are willing to risk their lives to withstand them all on camera to impress us with their bravery, or is it their stupidity?
All I know for sure is that for the past week, or so, it has been HOT and we have seen many people at the Passion Play who have been fanning, hydrating, sweating and just plain uncomfortable because of "feels like" 100, un-air conditioned busses and buildings and being less than "social-distanced". We've removed the bus windows to create air flow, made ice and water available at multiple locations and tried to avoid extra walking and events in the sun. It does look like we will get some relief this week, but all we can really do is employ our favorite "remedies", like bananas, magnesium, ginger, pickle juice, apple cider vinegar, proper fluids, light colored clothing, sun-screen, head coverings and................grin and bear it. Happy summer solstice.

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June 16, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Arkansas Weather

We have run the gamut of weather conditions already this season. Winter 2020-2021 was unusually severe here with two snow storms, a three-week sub-freezing stretch and then a wet April and May. The past two weeks have been hot and humid, the usual fare for July. Who knows what will be our situation when July actually arrives.
August is supposed to be the most uncomfortable month, but the past three years we have had mild temperatures and little discomfort. There is no certainty with moisture either since there is always the possibility of pot-up showers when the conditions" are right. At the moment, rain has been a scarce commodity.
We were always comfortable with the motor home and being able to have sufficient warmth in the winter and cool in the summer indoors, and our cabin is very comfortable with the system we installed and the dehumidifier which we can adjust as needed. We are very fortunate and thankful for all we have.
At the Play it has been challenging for the staff and our visitors, but with the Covid restrictions loosened, most people are just happy to be able to travel, able to be in closer proximity to others and the weather has been an afterthought rather than a hindrance. We've had the usual air conditioning problems, warmth in our busses, cool evenings at the Play and occasional rain, but with it all we are managing to keep people focused on the " message" and soft-pedal most of the difficulties. With everything, God is still in control and we feel His hand on us and the efforts we are making on His behalf. All praise and honor to HIM.

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June 13, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Off The Road

One week ago today, we sold our RV. We had made the decision to sell the motor home soon after we moved into our cabin last year at this time. I stayed in the motor home part time until the Passion Play season ended last October, but felt that the cabin was more comfortable, my desire to travel had waned, and that with surgery in my future, it might be wise to get rid of the RV.
The winter was tough on the motor home and after we made the repairs needed, we got more serious about selling it. With a posting on Facebook, we had some interest, but few lookers, until two weeks ago. A couple from Lavaca, Arkansas came last Sunday, liked what they saw and made an offer, which we accepted. Their check cleared the bank quickly, the title was delivered and the deal was done. We hope they enjoy the motor home as much as we did for the 7 years we lived full-time in it.
It was sure easy to roll out of bed and be at "work" and be "home" just as easily after our work day at the play, but we are pleased with our "decisions" and wish the new owners happiness, safety and as many, or more, fond experiences and memories as we had. Thank You, Lord for bringing them to us and for guiding us as You do.

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June 10, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. R.I.P.

Our three-legged kitty, Peggy, came home from the veterinarian, but not as we had hoped. After having her for a week, Dr. B wasn't able to determine what was causing the paralysis of her good rear leg and and was planning to call us this past Tuesday to discuss putting her down, but she died overnight before his call. Karen picked her up that day and Wednesday morning I buried Peggy next to Mo and Miss Hissy's #2 kitten from her first litter.
Miss Hissy initially was leaving some of the wet food we put out in the morning and evening for the cats, so her little ones could eat the more nutritious food, but now she is eating it all. It's obvious she misses her babies, but also obvious she feels at home here because of her coming closer to us and watching us through the upper level windows. She has been with us for almost a year and for a small cat she has held her own in the tough life of an outdoor cat.
We like her and want her to stay, but we feel we have to do something to make the loss of her kittens less emotional for us and for her. We are planning to get her to the vet later this month to have her spayed, vaccinated and examined, so she may be more apt to become an indoor-outdoor cat and less likely to be attractive to the guys that come-a-catting. For now we have some pictures, memories and plans for Miss Hissy's future with us.
Rest In Peace.........Peggy Schatz.


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June 7, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Songs In The night

I had trouble staying asleep, or was it trouble getting to sleep? Whatever it was, I was out of bed at 2:30 and sat down to do my daily journal, read The Word and be alone with God. We had a most eventful day (details to follow), and I guess I was wound too tightly to sleep.
For most of the winter and the period between Our Easter "opening" and the reopening Memorial Day weekend, I was in bed at 10 most nights and then up around 6 to begin the day. But with the Play not getting over until 10:30, the drive home and unwinding, it's midnight to bed and then up at different times depending on a performance day, or not, the next day with extra time to drive from the cabin, and not just roll out of the motor home on the PP grounds. Confused? Maybe that's why I couldn't sleep.
In any event, the change in routine takes time to adapt to. What I think I will do, now that my normal 6 to 8am routine is completed, and a I have written what was supposed to be written yesterday, is lay down, clear my mind and hopefully get a few more hours of sleep. Thank You, Lord for getting up early to be with me, and being my Song in the night.

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June 3, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Peggy

Our three-legged kitten, Peggy, had to be taken to the Vet on Memorial Day. At dinner time I noticed her watching her mother, Miss Hissy, eating and I thought she was just waiting her turn at the bowl, but when Hissy moved aside, Peggy dragged herself to the bowl. Dragged her good rear leg. I had no idea what had happened, but we were able to find a doctor who would look at her right away. Joan has used Dr. Blaine for years and we were able to corner Peggy, get her into Joan's cat carrier and off we went.
Not sure yet what the problem is, but we hope for the best and were impressed how the doctor was able to sooth Peggy who has never been held or petted,. Miss Hissy and all her five babies have been outside, never come very close to us other than when we talk with them at the door when they eat. It's been quite a year with our "children" and the emotions of losing four already and now possibly a fifth. With all the turmoil of the past year........cats' lives matter, too.

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May 31, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Up And Running

The 2021 Passion Play season is now back in session. After our Easter weekend start we went "black" for April and most of May, and began again this past weekend for three performances. It was good to back in the saddle, so to speak, but it was not an easy weekend. We think our electrical system may have been struck by lightening Thursday night causing our light and sound system to not work as it should have on Friday night. The show went on, but with less than ideal results.
On Saturday and Sunday we had better success and anticipate improvements as we become more familiar with our improved system. It always seems strange to me that the Play has become so familiar to me that it's almost a conditioned response to remember the lines, know when to be where on the set and not have to reread the script, practice walking through the scenes, but rather just going out there and doing it. I'm not saying that we are doing the play in a robotic fashion, I'm saying that for me it is done naturally and with full awareness of where I am, where I need to be and acting as if I'm doing the play for the very first time. After seven full seasons and more than 500 performances, I still feel the joy of being part of the telling of the story, living it as if I were with Him in His earthly ministry and waiting for the moment when I will meet Him face to face and having a role in His Eternal Passion Play. Not just up and running.......but running upward..........and so gratefully for having been "called" to do it. Thank You, Lord.


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May 28, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. GO

It is 5:30am. It won't be long now, and the 2021 Great Passion Play season will resume with three performance days per week until the last weekend of October. Right now, I reflect on today's quiet time with The Lord.....the scriptures......and devotionals....and sit in the stillness of pre-dawn, comforted by the thought that every day is an opportunity to reflect the grace, mercy and love of God through my words and deeds.
I have spent countless hours trying to read more, learn more, know more about God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit and it seems that the more I wrestle with this effort, the less I really "get it". But, if I stop wrestling and just accept Him and His will by faith, the simpler it becomes. All Jacob did in his wrestling match with God in Genesis 26 was injure himself, but when he just clung to God and ceased trying to "win", he realized that God's will is all he, and we, need to seek. And when we cling to that, HIS WILL, we have all we need and are blessed. As my little daily calendar verse for today says; "God will supply, but we must apply". Get it.......got it........GO.
It's 6:00am and even with a grey, cloudy, hazy sky out the window, there is a bright sun shining somewhere. Your will be done, Lord. YOUR will be done. Thank You.

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May 25, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Back To “Normal”?

Just as mysteriously as the COVID-19 mess began, it now appears to have just as mysteriously come to an end. Beats me, but in the course of events we have endured, there seems to be no real answers, no uniformity of opinion about masks, the vaccine being developed by multiple companies in record time, the lack of opinion on their safety, side effects and how long they will be effective. The "herd" is not close to being immune and yet we are appearing to be fearless in our desire to have major events return, stadiums full, restaurants open and schools not only opening, but preparing for summer sessions.
Closer to home, here at The Passion Play we will open for the second time this season this Friday, Saturday and Sunday with large crowds expected. When we opened on Easter weekend, nearly two months ago, we had two large crowds and it appears we will have crowds this weekend possible as large, or larger. It's encouraging, but at the same time, a little unnerving with so many people coming from so many areas that still have COVID concerns. My attitude: we need to tell "the story", expose out guests to God's message for this generation, and be respectful of the many opinions people hold on the pandemic and how to keep us all safe and healthy.
In the short term, and the long term.........trust God, His plan for this ministry, His love and faithfulness and His promise of eternal life for those who have put their faith in Him. For all things, normal or abnormal.........Thank You, Lord.

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May 22, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Sorry Bambi

No. I didn't shoot a deer or hit one on the road. All I did was beat them to the strawberry patch left for us by the previous owner of the cabin. Last year we "inherited" a very productive peach tree and were within a few days of harvesting it, when we were aced out by deer with assistance from squirrels. All they left for us was a pile of peach pits.
As the strawberries started to come in, I kept close watch and yesterday picked three ripe ones and added one more this morning. They were pretty tasty and the prospect is for more to ripen if I can get there before "they" do. For now it's four for us and none for them, but, it's early in the game, and they may decide that less-than-red berries taste better to them than they do to us.
Meanwhile, I'll keep close watch on the figs, plums, peaches as well as the non-fruit growth so we can enjoy it before they eliminate it. Sure is fun being in the country and have so much of God's creation to enjoy and appreciate. We are blessed.

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May 19, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Fix It......or.......Forget It?

The term "planned obsolescence" came into vogue sometime in the 1950's, although the principal behind it was around early in the 20th century. The idea was that products only have a certain life-span and when a product "dies" the question becomes, do I get it fixed or do I replace it with a newer version? The real question is do manufacturers build their products to only last for a specific amount of time and thereby force people to repair or replace when the limit has been reached.
I'm not pointing fingers, but I seem to be experiencing a rash of products which suddenly have stopped working or have deteriorated to the point that there is no choice but to "get a new one". Over the past months we have encountered the following:
a fish pond pump which stopped working, awnings for our motor home which became threadbare, RV chassis batteries which wouldn't start the coach, a burned up motherboard in our RV refrigerator, a tablet which stopped working, a cellphone needing to be replaced, a pickup with a bent frame, automobile tires which wore out on multiple vehicles, house plumbing needing to be brought "up to code", a shoulder which needed surgery, and that's not taking into the equation all our friends and family with their list of "issues" over which we commiserate with them.
The only remedy is to take each situation as it arises, weigh the possible options and expenses, pray, trust God for a solution and the right decision, check the bank account...........and press on. Life happens, but there is also a better reward to come in our future, Praise God.,,



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May 16, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. No More ‘Mo’

When Joan brought us Miss Hissy and her three kittens from Eureka Springs, we thought we would have a feral family which would become pets. But it didn't turn out that way. Two of the kittens disappeared and one died in our back yard. Miss Hissy has survived a severe winter outside, come to eat twice a day, but has resisted our attempts to domesticate her. She's come closer to us, but not to the point of becoming a pettable pet.
When two kittens showed up earlier this month it appeared that we might have a second chance to be a 'family'. But when Mo, the solid white kitten with the Mohawk-style black marking between its ears didn't show up for meals, we feared the worst. While doing some leaf relocating on the north side of the cabin, I found Mo dead under the propane tank. No sign of having been attacked, just lifeless.
There is now a second grave and both Karen and I are sad about another cute, bubbly kitten who lived with us only a short time. Peggy, our three-legged kitty is still coming to eat and Miss Hissy seems to be mothering her well, making sure she gets both the wet and dry food we leave for them. Mo and Peggy's 'father' came by earlier this week and we're not sure if Miss Hissy will be a mom again. It's been hard on us to lose the kittens, and I'm sure it's tough on Miss Hissy to not have all her little ones to raise and nurture.
Tomorrow our fish will have their pond cleaned, maintained, and put in order for the season. We are so grateful for what the previous cabin owners did to make this property so pleasant and livable for them and us, and we are thankful God made it possible for us enjoy it as we have. Even in the sad moments, we thank God for everything He has done for us and what is still to come. We serve an awesome God.
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May 13, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. A New Approach........Kind Of

I've been writing this blog for over seven years, and it has been a fun experience every three days, give or take, to sit down and put "on paper" what has been on my mind at that moment. What has happened recently in our "world" has made it harder to put into words what I feel about the political mayhem, racial discord, police serving the people and the people dis-serving the police, the escalating tension in the Middle East, the rising price of everything, and the CNN, Fox, NBC "spinning" the news to the point where we don't have any real idea of what is happening or who is in control.
To mask or not to mask, vaccine or no.......the list goes on and on..........and I am finding that as I go through the healing process from my shoulder surgery, the peace and quiet of our cabin is making me content to work on small projects at home, read my Bible and devotionals, enjoy the fish, feed the cats, watch the birds at the feeders and look forward to the Passion Play resuming Memorial Day weekend and preparing to teach The Tabernacle, present the Upper Room in the Holy Land, sound the shofar, and be Nicodemus in the Play. We will be "open" for three days a week, thereafter, until the end of October.
And as for the blog, I will try to stay with every third day, give or take, but I may just post a picture when the words don't flow as they have in the past. I hope those of you who have been "loyal" will keep checking in, pray for The Play, for Karen and me, and for the calming down of the tensions in our world and in so many of us who long for The peace of God, the guiding of the Holy Spirit and the return of our Lord and Savior and The New Jerusalem and all it portends.

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May 10, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Gone

About 1pm, I started a post entitled "Off The Grid", had come within a few minutes of completing it, when I had a call from Karen about an issue at the motor home and a person who wanted to talk with me at the Passion Play grounds. I decided it was more important to get to The Play rather than finish the blog, so I entered "save as a draft" and headed for Eureka.
It's now 9pm. I was preparing to finish the blog, but the blog is "off the grid" somewhere and there is nothing whatsoever in my draft file. I guess it wasn't meant to be published; and I have things to do, stretching exercises to be done for my shoulder and no real desire to try to recreate what probably wasn't that good anyway. We'll see what topic comes to mind in the next few days, and hope it finds its way onto the website. See y'all later.

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May 7, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Happy Mother’s Day

When Miss Hissy and her three kittens came to live with us last year we were happy to welcome them to our home. The kittens wandered on our decks, but never wanted to be inside cats. But the joy was short-lived as two of the kittens disappeared and one died in our back yard. Miss Hissy has never allowed us to get very close to her, but does eat the food we leave for her twice a day and did manage to survive as an outside cat through an unusually severe Arkansas winter. For a little cat she's obviously pretty savvy.
Five days ago a white cat with a black patch between its ears showed up and resembled a large white cat we had seen a few times on our property. Obviously, Miss Hissy had found a "friend" and the result is Mohawk, who we call Mo. A few days later a grey kitten with white on its chest and white on its paws (like Miss Hissy), appeared at the "dinner table" and we became grandcatparents again. This one appears to be missing a right rear leg but is able to walk and run, and has been welcomed into their family and ours. Without being mean, we named it Peggy. We have no idea if we have he's or she's, but hopefully they will be able to be approached and we can get them to a vet and make sure they are medically looked after.
Between the cats, our fish in the koi pond, the hummingbird and bird feeders, and the squirrels, we have quite a menagerie. There are deer on the property and we plan to put up a deer feeder at the tree-line in the back so we can see them from our bedroom deck. With all the Passion Play animals to visit, and Joan's Susie and Tom and James and Isy's two dogs we have quite a collection of animal friends. As the sign in our entryway says, "Life is Good at the Cabin" and for that, and so much more, we say.......Thank You, Lord.

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May 7, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Our Growing Family

May 4, 2021. Holiday Island, AR Say What?

I used to be pretty intelligent, or so I thought, but I am definitely falling further and further behind. I hear things on the news or read stuff on the internet and I just scratch my head. I just read this: "with talk of the flippening - ether supplanting Bitcoin as the leading cryptocurrency....". Huh? What does that mean? And, what is an Ethereum blockchain, crypto valuation, a digital wallet, Coinbase or Kraken, or crypto winter?
We have been bombarded with talk of herd immunity, social distancing, mask mandates, endemic, epidemic, pandemic, cluster, droplet transmission, asymptomatic, super-spreader, hand hygiene, shelter-in-place, quarantine and umpteen local, state, CDC, federal and WHO directives. Too much!!!! And then, all the political "spins" on all of it and why it's not "my fault, but something we inherited from the prior administration but this executive order will change all of that". Say what? We are bombarded by Joe Namath and his Medicare ad, but is it a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement Plan, Medigap Plan, and what ever happened to the enrollment period which ended in December, 2020? Who gets that "give back benefit" anyway? How can businesses open when unemployment insurance pays more than what people made when they had a job, so why go back to work? Doesn't make sense.
Enough..............see you next time.

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May 1, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. On The Road Again

No, we are not back in the RV and taking off for places unknown as we did in December, 2013. I am about to have a "new" older pickup just like the one I wrecked, and that means sometime next week I will be a little less dependent on Karen for getting where I need to be. When my pickup had a face to face with a tree last December, I found myself with a badly bruised leg, a vehicle which was not drivable and a delayed shoulder surgery. After the surgery in March, the therapy began and I am very close to being released to follow their recovery plan and able to drive places on my own. It feels like beginning a new chapter in our walk (and ride) with The Lord.
The 2004 Tacoma is being replaced with a 2002, same mileage, same color, better tires, automatic instead of manual, same bed cover, back-up camera, nicer sound system, driver-seat heater still a 4x4, new windshield, V6. God has once again provided us with a blessing just when we needed it to continue serving Him at the Passion Play.
This Thursday is The National Day of Prayer. I pray that we all take some extra time to pray for our nation, our ministries efforts, our leaders and their decisions, our schools, military, health care workers and first responders and for God's protection and provision for us as we serve Him and those we encounter every day. We need to look to Him for wisdom, discernment and guidance in the time He has allotted for us here and for the hope we rest in for His Eternal Kingdom. In the world, but not of it. Thank You, Lord.........for everything.

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April 28, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Speak English

This is NOT a blog about people who come to this country to live, have lived here for a long time, and still speak the language of the country they came from. Even though that annoys me, I really want to talk about what those of us who have lived in the United States all our life and speak only English are doing to the English language.
I admit that I do not speak perfect English, and I often misuse words. I have "pet" words I use too often and often talk too much. But I don't start every sentence with the word "so". I don't say "like" or "you know" in every sentence. I have never eaten a food I was willing "to die for" and I "wasn't born yesterday" or "a spring chicken". I don't buy products which promise to give me my "life back", my "lips back", my "hands back", or any other part of my body "back". And why do weather people say "overnight hours", "morning hours", when there is no reason to add "hours" to a period of time which is already specific? Why does the President have to say "for God's sake" and then use the word "hell" so often? A lot of how we respond to people is tempered by the words they use and the manner in which it is conveyed?
I have probably insulted some of my readers with my "peeves" about how we use words improperly, but our words do matter, and how we speak is a reflection on us, how we want people to treat us, respect our opinions and our concern for others. It's not easy to break a "habit", but if we realize that when we speak to others, we should also be a "listener" to the words which come out of OUR mouth. Let those who have ears to hear.............that means ME too.




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April 25, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. God’s Handiwork

Our life has changed in the past eleven months since we moved from full time in the motor home to our cabin in the woods. It's hard to imagine how much our routine has changed and how our attitude about "everything" has been altered by the change of scenery, the way we see God's handiwork in our surroundings and the way He brings it all into harmony and builds blessing upon blessing in the details which are beyond our imagination and our ability to conceive of ever have been able to accomplish on our own.
Of course, there have been problems and unforeseen events, but each one has been an opportunity to either let the situation knock us down or an opportunity to let Him temper us to the reality of Who is orchestrating the matter and Who will see it to the needed resolution. You, God, have been our strength and we have trusted You completely for the answer needed and the time for it to be fulfilled.
When I look at what You have provided for us, for the protection You have provided and for the comfort we feel in Your presence, I marvel at the handiwork of Your creation around us, and I feel so blessed and even more eager to continue to serve You as we have for the past 22 years. For everything.......... and all You have for us up the road................Thank You, Lord.

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April 22, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Spring Storm Out The Back Window(Gone in 2 days)

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April 19, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Career Choices

There have been a number of times in my 75 years that I have had to make decisions on what I "wanted to do when I grew up". In fact, there have been MANY such times, the most important one being after I graduated Law School, passed the Virginia State Bar Exam, and made the decision NOT to practice Law in Virginia or anywhere else.
After spending a considerable amount of time watching the trial of Derek Chauvin on television and listening to opening statements, testimony of multiple witnesses, some of the closing arguments, judges instructions and the comments of the HLN panel of "experts", I am SO glad I made that decision forty-nine years ago to not pursue a legal career.
I definitely enjoy talking. Most people who know me would agree with that, but I really don't enjoy the legalities of being a lawyer. I don't do well in confrontational situations and I would not do well in an environment like we witnessed in the ChaIvin trial. There are too many "truths", there are too many variations in what people "witness" and the realization that one wrong word or statement could have a profound impact on someone's life, death or financial situation and the resulting public reaction. My stomach would not do well in such a circumstance and I might get even less sleep than I get now without such a stressful career. I may not have chosen wisely some of the career moves I made, but NOT becoming Dr. Harold Schatz Esq., B.A, J.D. was, by far, the best career choice I made. I rest my case.


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April 16, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Wait A Second

Have you ever considered how brief a second is in the grand scheme of "time"?
In my lifetime I have lived more than 2.38 billion seconds and I have wasted a good portion of them with things that haven't been productive or worthy of note. If we believe that Adam and Eve were "born" about 9,700 years ago that would mean that there has been life on earth for more than 306 billion seconds. For those who believe the earth has been in existence for 4.54 billion years that means it's age is 174709440000000000 (174.7 quadrillion) seconds.
I really don't know what this has to do with anything, but it was worth a few seconds to just see how big the number could get. I guess this was a further evidence that a lot of my efforts are not very productive of worthy of note. Getting back to full capacity after my surgery and the ongoing therapy is "down time" but also crucial for a time in the next 30 million seconds when I will back to "normal", if there is ever going to be such a thing again. Still thankful for my current status, and still in service to The Lord as He has called me. Rest, and keeping His "temple" in working order, IS part of God's plan and I am thankful for all who are helping me on that journey.

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April 13, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. How Does HE Do It?

As we look into our "backyard" and beyond we are blessed with a panoramic view of tens of thousands of trees of various sizes, shapes and colors. In a few months we will have lived in our cabin for a full year, and have been witness to the changing beauty of full summer shades of green, autumn colors, winter's starkness and now the springtime revival and new growth.
When we lived in Colorado we visited the Colorado State University Trials Garden often to see the wide variety of annual and perennial flowers and shrubs, and also saw the beautiful Rocky Mountain foliage, quaking Aspen and the flaming fall forests, and the evergreen varieties below timberline. In our travels we have always been aware of the beauty of each locality and marvel at the handiwork of God's creation.
How and why the trees can come back to "life" after winter is a miracle. How the plants can return year after year with little or no effort on our part, the grass dormant from late fall comes back green and full, and even with little moisture, the trees "pop" out with leaves and new growth. It is nothing less than God creating beauty, giving us a sense of new life, animals bringing forth their young, bees doing what they do, hummingbirds returning from their winter homes and us getting rejuvenated and uplifted by the reality that God has it all figured out, is continually caring for His creation and fulfilling His promise of never leaving us or forsaking us. I don't know how He does it, but I am certainly glad, grateful, and thankful that HE DOES. Lord, Your awesome wonders never cease

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April 10, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Let’s Try Again

When a I sat down to write my blog three days ago, my mind went blank. The more you I sat, the less came to mind and the more I realized, "It was not my day". it was frustrating, but, then again, the last year has been frustrating in many areas. The virus while affecting everyone in one way or another has taken a toll on our national psyche. Masks have become the norm and I believe have made us more "invisible", cut off the amount of air which gets into our body, and generally given us a false sense of security.
The vaccine is not a cure-all but is being touted as one by some. Who knows how long it will be effective and what the long term ramifications will be. Half the country is still seeing increases in cases and hospitalizations and yet some states are "reopening" as if there is no danger of another surge. It's a confusing mess.
I'm still at less-than-full-strength from my surgery, but doing well in my therapy and eager to get back to a more active routine. The added pounds are crying for release from my waist. I need to proceed cautiously to avoid re-injury. The surgeon did too good a job for me to undo it by going too fast, too soon.
There is a lot of concern for the direction our country is heading after the last election. It concerns me that we were promised a President who would be a President of ALL the people, and yet seems to ignore the 74 million who didn't vote for him and feels the need to "executive order" his agenda without listening to the people he promised to listen to. It worries me that he is trying to do too much too soon and possibly cause injury which may be hard to repair. We live in perilous times and need leaders at all levels who will make wise decisions, and weigh impact they will have on us and those who come after us.
Let's try again to get along, be considerate of others and realize that life is more than us getting our way, all the time, every time. I'm trusting God for direction and provision more than any earthly leader, political agenda, or multiple multi-trillion dollar cure-alls.

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April 7, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Out Of Words

As I sit down to write, I realize after about five minutes of sitting and doing nothing, that I don't have anything very worthwhile to say. I've written the second sentence of this blog several times, and each time It has been erased. I usually sit down to write and the words just come out, there is a theme, a final thought a review of my spelling and grammar, and a push of the "up" arrow...... but my mind is pretty much devoid of anything substantial.
Maybe in a day or two, I'll be prompted to write about "something". For now.......have a good evening, get some rest overnight and thank God for all He has blessed you, and me, with. See you later.........

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April 4, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. It Has Begun

The 2021 Passion Play season has begun........to be resumed on Memorial Day Weekend. Because of an early Easter, the ongoing COVID restrictions and the need to plan well in advance, we are now in a seven week hiatus, with a lot of work still to do before we "open" again at the end of May.
The opening weekend was our best in a long time, with good attendance, good weather and a return to "normal", somewhat. It was a fun weekend even with some glitches, delays, plans made but needing to be altered, animals which didn't behave as they had been trained, and people in roles they had never done before. There were a number of potentially serious situations, some frayed nerves and a few people who were inconvenienced, but it is now behind us and we will press on to what lies ahead.
Our only guarantee is that God is still on His Throne, knows what His plan for us is, and wants us to get on board and ask, seek and knock..........and rest in the assurance that everything, everything...........everything is working for our good and His Glory. HE IS RISEN........HE IS RISEN INDEED. Thank You, Lord.


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April 1, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. The Trial

Coverage began this week of the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin charged in the death of George Floyd almost a year ago in Minneapolis. There has been extensive live coverage of the actual trial, which is expected to last for about two weeks. It puts before the public the workings of our legal system and is bound to elicit strong emotions as we have already witnessed over the past year with peaceful protest, violent protests, harsh words, calls for defunding of the police, greater support for the police and more awareness of ethnic and social issues.
The trial is far different than watching Perry Mason, Matlock, Law and Order, Judge Judy, LA Law, Night Court or the long list of other tv lawyer shows, and is going to bring out strong reactions when the decision is rendered at the end of the court proceedings. There will be a "winner" or possibly a hung jury or even a mistrial or other legal outcome, but there will really be no winner. The losses already sustained may be hard to undo. The $27 Million civil settlement with the Floyd family, and it's timing before the trial began, has further clouded an already cloudy situation. Who knows what will happen as this trial stirs up emotions once again as it has over the past eleven months.
I hope there will be something positive which comes out of this whole situation and that we can see better, more peaceful, kinder days ahead. In reality we are all on trial in our society and I hope we can all aspire to be winners in the " game of life" and eventually face Our Maker and Judge and hear a "well done" and not an "I knew you not". There is a choice to be made.............and I pray we make the right one. Thank You, Lord.


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