I've had some interesting experiences (and blogs) about "picking up" the amphitheater the morning after a performance. Usually on Sunday morning, that task falls to Mike, who has other duties to perform and has the time to do the amphitheater while we are getting ready for church. Today was unusual, in that I had a call about 8:30 that a pair of diamond studs had been lost at the performance last night. As I was coming up the steps last night after the play, I did notice three people looking for something, but didn't stop to inquire or assist. Little did I know, until this morning that it was the diamond stud people. So out I went in search of the lost studs. Since I didn't know exactly where they had been seated, I guessed at the area and began picking up the usual trash but looked more closely for the studs. Two sweeps of the area yielded nothing more than candy wrappers, cups, napkins, a penny, tie wraps from popcorn bags, a plastic ring and assorted stuff, but no studs.
Suddenly, I heard some people at the top of the amphitheater heading down the stairs toward me. I figured it was the stud people, but it was not. They were there to look for a hearing aid they had lost last night. They knew exactly where they had been sitting and it turned out the "loser" was a Korean War veteran with a new hearing aid from the VA. When he was wrapping up in a blanket, the hearing aid had been pulled from his ear, and in the dark they were unable to find it. I had walked past that area in my search, but had not seen anything. The woman with the vet went right to the seat he had been sitting in and in a matter of seconds found the hearing aid. I had "missed it" in my search and felt bad that being so focused on every row and every object out of the ordinary, I had missed it. I had a brief discussion with the vet, telling him about our ministry to the Vietnam vets and thanked him for his service and his being at the Passion Play. I was thrilled they had found his hearing aid so easily, where I had failed. It was getting close to time to leave for church so I made one more quick search of the area, but didn't find the studs.
The message at church had nothing to do with diamond studs or hearing aids, but it did have a lot to say to me about needing a shepherd, being still in the busyness of life and being obedient to the calling of God on our life. I thought about the activities of the morning, about opening the chapel near the Christ of The Ozarks, visiting the Statue and taking a few pictures of Jesus in the early morning stillness. I thought about what had been lost yesterday, and what had been found today and what was more important. Without being judgmental about the loss of material things and their value, I was thrilled that I had witnessed ears which could hear again, and ear lobes that might not again be adorned with diamonds. I thought about the one of 100 sheep lost and then found and how that thrilled The Father. Maybe the diamonds were found last night, maybe Mike found them later this morning or I will find them Wednesday morning after the Tuesday play. Or maybe they are lost, never to be found. But for now, I am thrilled that one man again has ears to hear and was able to hear and appreciate (and enjoy) the message of the Passion Play. And let us all be thrilled that we have a Shepherd who leads us, a Holy Spirit who fills us, and a Father who loves us. How blessed we are. Thank You, Lord, for ears to hear even when we may have eyes that don't see everything we are looking for.
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Sunday, September 14, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
September 8, 2014. Eureka Springs, AR. Temperature
As the calendar turns to its final quarter, we start to think more of cooler days and colder nights. Our travels in 2014 have taken us to a wide range of weather conditions and while we have not experienced the extremes of over-100 temperature, floods, tornadoes or super-extreme cold while on the road, we have had a chance to use our space heater, propane-powered furnaces and our roof-mounted air conditioners and open windows to find comfort from the discomfort outside.
Last Friday we had 90 degrees with over 60% humidity and were sweltering with our outdoor activities and the next day we woke up to 59 degrees, rain and nearly 100% humidity. We went from shorts and t-shirts to long sleeves, rain gear, blankets and sweaters, and from air conditioning to almost needing to fire up the furnace. And yet I have difficulty understanding how a body with a core temperature of 98.6 can be comfortable in the summer at an indoor of 75, but in the winter can't tolerate an indoor temperature too much above 69. Warmer in the summer and colder in the winter. And our animals here at The Great Passion Play wear the same "clothes" regardless of the temperature, weather conditions or level of activity, day or night. Can someone explain?
Today was wonderful and we were able to go about our activities in comfort but did run our air conditioner at 78, when we came inside for lunch, while it was the same temperature outside. Don't ask, I can't explain it. We are looking forward to the fall colors here in northwest Arkansas. We're told they are beautiful. One of our cast members just returned from a trip to Ontario, Quebec and Vermont and they said the leaves are turning already. The seasons move ahead and God orchestrates it in such a way that we are able to move ahead with it. We pray for those who are going through the extremes, something we have experienced several times in years past, but we know that even in those tough times, God has a plan which will ultimately be for our good. He knows what's best for us. Thank You Lord for Your provision, protection and grace which sustains and comforts us in every situation and circumstance. Praise You, Lord.
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Last Friday we had 90 degrees with over 60% humidity and were sweltering with our outdoor activities and the next day we woke up to 59 degrees, rain and nearly 100% humidity. We went from shorts and t-shirts to long sleeves, rain gear, blankets and sweaters, and from air conditioning to almost needing to fire up the furnace. And yet I have difficulty understanding how a body with a core temperature of 98.6 can be comfortable in the summer at an indoor of 75, but in the winter can't tolerate an indoor temperature too much above 69. Warmer in the summer and colder in the winter. And our animals here at The Great Passion Play wear the same "clothes" regardless of the temperature, weather conditions or level of activity, day or night. Can someone explain?
Today was wonderful and we were able to go about our activities in comfort but did run our air conditioner at 78, when we came inside for lunch, while it was the same temperature outside. Don't ask, I can't explain it. We are looking forward to the fall colors here in northwest Arkansas. We're told they are beautiful. One of our cast members just returned from a trip to Ontario, Quebec and Vermont and they said the leaves are turning already. The seasons move ahead and God orchestrates it in such a way that we are able to move ahead with it. We pray for those who are going through the extremes, something we have experienced several times in years past, but we know that even in those tough times, God has a plan which will ultimately be for our good. He knows what's best for us. Thank You Lord for Your provision, protection and grace which sustains and comforts us in every situation and circumstance. Praise You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, September 5, 2014
September 5, 2014. Eureka Springs, AR. Welcome Home
After spending three nights and a lot of money in Rogers, AR at the RV repair place, we made the return trip to ES with our car in tow and actually were able to see something in our rear-view camera for one of the few times since we started on this road adventure. Scotty and his crew fixed most of our issues and we will probably be back there after we wrap up the PP season to have some other work done. Here in ES, we set up in our "regular" spot and today we were back into the normal performance day routine. After Labor Day, we start the play an hour earlier than we have until now, so it will be earlier to sleep and that sounds good. It's good to be "home" and also good to have our momma sheep and her children back on the payroll again. They seemed to be healthy and eager to face the customers for the petting and attention. We, too, felt the warm welcome from our Passion Play friends and family. We like it here, enjoy the work we are doing and the call The Lord has given us.
I was able to speak with a few Vietnam Vets as well as Korea and WWII Vets today while transporting people around the PP grounds. I hear a lot of different stories about their military experience and whether they were career military, enlisted for a short service period or were drafted and did their stint and got out, like me, it makes me proud to know that there were many who did what they were called to do, felt an obligation to their country and did the right thing. I pray often for our current military personnel and pray for the day there will be no need for such a profession. I look forward to the day we will be welcomed to our eternal Home and live there face to face with The Lord and the others who believe as we do and hear for the last time, Welcome Home, ya done good. Thank You Lord.
Sent from my iPad
I was able to speak with a few Vietnam Vets as well as Korea and WWII Vets today while transporting people around the PP grounds. I hear a lot of different stories about their military experience and whether they were career military, enlisted for a short service period or were drafted and did their stint and got out, like me, it makes me proud to know that there were many who did what they were called to do, felt an obligation to their country and did the right thing. I pray often for our current military personnel and pray for the day there will be no need for such a profession. I look forward to the day we will be welcomed to our eternal Home and live there face to face with The Lord and the others who believe as we do and hear for the last time, Welcome Home, ya done good. Thank You Lord.
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Tuesday, September 2, 2014
September 2, 2014. Rogers, AR. Reposted post
Today's blog was written at 8:30am, and sent, but not able to be posted until 8:30pm. The storm passed, the weather turned sunny and warm and the repairs are on their way to completion. Tomorrow the repairs should be done and we hope to be able to tow our car back on the scenic 37 mile route to Eureka Springs and our Passion Play home. We are blessed.
Sent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
September 2, 2014. Rogers, AR. When it rains.........
Arkansas has strange rain patterns. It comes in waves, comes down in buckets-full, thunders and lightenings, clears up for a while, even with bright sunshine, and then does the same things again and again, and sometimes again. Right now we are in the second again.
You'll notice that we are in Rogers, AR which is a pleasant 37 mile ride from Eureka Springs. Once again we are behind a repair shop with a list of needs for the motor home and our tow vehicle. Karen came back from Colorado with a new 2008 Saturn Vue which is being outfitted for towing when we set out from Eureka Springs to our next "wherever". We also have a list of repairs to the motor home including a leak (here we go again) in our ice-maker line which cropped up last night at about 11:30pm and caused our refrigerator to stop working. Wrong time, but right place for the needed fix. God has a way of putting us where we need to be when "things" happen. This morning I wrote in my journal, " the leaks and other issues are for our good and in the end are the weakness of man's things made into strength for Your things which will last." It made sense to me when I wrote it three hours ago and I hope it make sense to you as you read it and apply it to the "leaks and other issues" you face in life.
The rain keeps coming down, the thunder rolls and the weather radar shows us right in the middle of a yellow, green and blue blob with a few smatterings of red north and south of us. Looks like a Picasso painting but outside our windows it just looks gray. We'll be in Rogers a few days, but today we will not be getting out very much as they work on the car, and we will make periodic checks of the Searcy leak repair which seems to be bearing up well in this storm. God is Good and while He doesn't always tell us the reason, He does have a plan and purpose when it rains........Thank You Lord. We press on In Your Grace.
Sent from my iPad
You'll notice that we are in Rogers, AR which is a pleasant 37 mile ride from Eureka Springs. Once again we are behind a repair shop with a list of needs for the motor home and our tow vehicle. Karen came back from Colorado with a new 2008 Saturn Vue which is being outfitted for towing when we set out from Eureka Springs to our next "wherever". We also have a list of repairs to the motor home including a leak (here we go again) in our ice-maker line which cropped up last night at about 11:30pm and caused our refrigerator to stop working. Wrong time, but right place for the needed fix. God has a way of putting us where we need to be when "things" happen. This morning I wrote in my journal, " the leaks and other issues are for our good and in the end are the weakness of man's things made into strength for Your things which will last." It made sense to me when I wrote it three hours ago and I hope it make sense to you as you read it and apply it to the "leaks and other issues" you face in life.
The rain keeps coming down, the thunder rolls and the weather radar shows us right in the middle of a yellow, green and blue blob with a few smatterings of red north and south of us. Looks like a Picasso painting but outside our windows it just looks gray. We'll be in Rogers a few days, but today we will not be getting out very much as they work on the car, and we will make periodic checks of the Searcy leak repair which seems to be bearing up well in this storm. God is Good and while He doesn't always tell us the reason, He does have a plan and purpose when it rains........Thank You Lord. We press on In Your Grace.
Sent from my iPad
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