A while back I blogged about our multiple homes, both our traveling home and our ministry homes in Georgia and Arkansas. This evening we went to Shiloh Christian Church, our home church, in Fort Collins, CO a few miles from our Colorado house which we slept in front of in our traveling home on Wednesday after completing the 900 mile trip from Arkansas. The rainbow picture we posted yesterday was taken facing east from our house the evening we arrived. What a welcome back God provided for us.
Karen's sister, Jinny has been living in our house since we left Colorado on our first missionary journey and now it appears that her daughter and granddaughter, our niece and great-niece will be joining her in the house. Jinny has made some changes in the house and the past few days we have all been working to get our stuff packed and stored so that Cherie and Courtney can move their stuff and themselves in. It's a good thing for everyone, since there isn't enough room for all of us to live there, and we have done very well on the road with less, and if we haven't needed any of the furniture, clothing and accumulated things from a 69 and 72 year lifetime, we can reasonably assume we won't need it up or down the road. So the closets are getting cleared out, the bookshelves are being emptied and the furniture we started accumulating 41 years ago is destined for family members, church family, or thrift store donations. In a few weeks the downsizing process will be complete and our house will have become someone else's home.
God has a plan for us, a place for us and a destiny for us, and we are content with what He has done with our lives and to our lives and we will continue to be guided and directed as He sees fit. It's good to be back in Fort Collins, and it's fine with us that He is telling us that our home is elsewhere and that what was our home for 17 years will be a home to others. Thank You, Lord as you set the course for our second missionary journey toward new homes and Home. We trust You.
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Saturday, May 16, 2015
Friday, May 15, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
May 12, 2015. Oakley, KS. Almost There
Are we there yet? As kids that was one of our frequent questions from the back seat of the family car as we went somewhere. As we get older and are able to sit in one place for shorter periods of time, that question pops up fairly often in our travels, as well. The good thing about our current travel habits is that we are usually not on a rigid schedule. And if we want to stop somewhere after driving 50 or 100 or not driving that day at all, well, we just shut it down and stop for the day.
Today we started out aiming to reach Garden City, KS, changed after an early start to get to Colby, KS and after battling the winds for most of the afternoon, we stopped in Oakley, KS; beyond our original goal, but short of our second goal. We are happy with the choice and will more than likely be at our house in Fort Collins, CO tomorrow afternoon, or not, depending on wind, weather and the condition of our sitting muscles.
Karen has been a real trooper in our journey, since she does all the driving, I do the navigating, itinerary planning, and arrangements for where we stop and making sure we have "room at the inn" or a convenient Walmart parking lot to call home for the night. We have managed to not travel at night, been housed at military bases, state parks, Corps of Engineer campgrounds, RV parks, parking lots, free stays at The Great Passion Play and Source of Light Ministries during our volunteer time there, and in all cases we have felt secure, protected and fortunate to have the resources to be on the road for as long as we have. Now we are almost back to our starting place of 17 months ago. The Colorado/Wyoming to-do list is pretty long and we will be busy with places to go, people to see and things to accomplish, but we are confident that God will orchestrate the plan, guide us through the details and tell us where we are to go from there, and in the end it will be as He wills and as He ordains. We are here now, almost there and if all else fails, we will see you and Him in the air. When all this happens............still to be determined. We just continue the journey.........
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Today we started out aiming to reach Garden City, KS, changed after an early start to get to Colby, KS and after battling the winds for most of the afternoon, we stopped in Oakley, KS; beyond our original goal, but short of our second goal. We are happy with the choice and will more than likely be at our house in Fort Collins, CO tomorrow afternoon, or not, depending on wind, weather and the condition of our sitting muscles.
Karen has been a real trooper in our journey, since she does all the driving, I do the navigating, itinerary planning, and arrangements for where we stop and making sure we have "room at the inn" or a convenient Walmart parking lot to call home for the night. We have managed to not travel at night, been housed at military bases, state parks, Corps of Engineer campgrounds, RV parks, parking lots, free stays at The Great Passion Play and Source of Light Ministries during our volunteer time there, and in all cases we have felt secure, protected and fortunate to have the resources to be on the road for as long as we have. Now we are almost back to our starting place of 17 months ago. The Colorado/Wyoming to-do list is pretty long and we will be busy with places to go, people to see and things to accomplish, but we are confident that God will orchestrate the plan, guide us through the details and tell us where we are to go from there, and in the end it will be as He wills and as He ordains. We are here now, almost there and if all else fails, we will see you and Him in the air. When all this happens............still to be determined. We just continue the journey.........
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Saturday, May 9, 2015
May 9, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. God Had Another Plan
It rained heavily overnight, and it rained on and off most of today. The crowd which came to tour The Holy Land and watch The Passion Play was small, but enthusiastic and not deterred by the inclement weather. Yet, for the first time in our time at TGPP, the prospect of severe weather this evening caused the management to cancel this evening's performance. Right now it is beginning to rain and the decision may prove to be a wise one for audience and cast alike.
The pre-play presentations of David the Shepherd and The Parables of The Potter were held in non-rain, but within a few minutes of their completion, the rain began. God had a different plan for the evening, and while I am disappointed at the cancellation of our final performance before leaving for Colorado, and the customers will have to make other plans to see The Play at a future time, God is in control and while my last two blogs about the show going on, the show will not go on tonight, and whatever our thoughts, God's thoughts were beyond cliche. The Show is His, and He can do with it as He pleases and we must be the ones to go on with the consequences of His decision.
Jerry and Renee, our friends from the Passion Play last summer came back today to spend a few weeks volunteering here and as we spent a few days with them in Jacksonville earlier this year, we will have some time with them before we head out on Monday. But, then again, our plans may not be His plans and we will pray for His will being done with our travel back to snowy Colorado, through the unsettled weather predicted for Kansas. It's good to have built in some flexibility in our schedule and trust that what we need to accomplish in Colorado will be accomplished in a time frame He ultimately ordains.
The stage down the hill is dark; the Play would be beginning as I now write this blog entry, but the decision to cancel made hours ago appears to have been a wise one. The rain continues to fall and the radar picture looks ominous, at best. We rest for the moment from what was the original plan, accepting and believing.......God had a different (and better) plan.
Sent from my iPad
The pre-play presentations of David the Shepherd and The Parables of The Potter were held in non-rain, but within a few minutes of their completion, the rain began. God had a different plan for the evening, and while I am disappointed at the cancellation of our final performance before leaving for Colorado, and the customers will have to make other plans to see The Play at a future time, God is in control and while my last two blogs about the show going on, the show will not go on tonight, and whatever our thoughts, God's thoughts were beyond cliche. The Show is His, and He can do with it as He pleases and we must be the ones to go on with the consequences of His decision.
Jerry and Renee, our friends from the Passion Play last summer came back today to spend a few weeks volunteering here and as we spent a few days with them in Jacksonville earlier this year, we will have some time with them before we head out on Monday. But, then again, our plans may not be His plans and we will pray for His will being done with our travel back to snowy Colorado, through the unsettled weather predicted for Kansas. It's good to have built in some flexibility in our schedule and trust that what we need to accomplish in Colorado will be accomplished in a time frame He ultimately ordains.
The stage down the hill is dark; the Play would be beginning as I now write this blog entry, but the decision to cancel made hours ago appears to have been a wise one. The rain continues to fall and the radar picture looks ominous, at best. We rest for the moment from what was the original plan, accepting and believing.......God had a different (and better) plan.
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, May 7, 2015
May 7, 2105. Eureka Springs, AR. Weather Watch and Other Thoughts
Since we arrived in Arkansas it has been dry, with minimal rain and no violent weather, but this weekend it may change. A view of the weather radar and national news the past two days, showed hail in Colorado Springs, tornados in Oklahoma and Kansas and the prospect of both of those fronts making their way through our neck of the woods over the next four days. Yesterday and today were both beautiful with a slight shower this morning, but bright sunshine and warm temperatures all afternoon. Right now it is a calm and relaxing evening.
Tomorrow and Saturday are Play Days and the final performances before Karen and I make the trek back to Colorado for our medical appointments. It would be a shame to have rain for the performances, but as I wrote in the last blog, the show must go on, and it will.
It's hard to believe we have been back in Arkansas more than three weeks. The time goes by so quickly. The projects to prepare for the season are pretty well completed, flowers have been planted, the rose bushes planted last year are blooming nicely, weeds and leaves have been removed from areas they had overrun. Gift shops have been restocked and reorganized. Some roofs have been repaired, gutters cleaned and scenery has been washed and painted. The place looks good. It has been a lot of work, but we are hoping the work done is a good foundation on which to build our season.
Our trip back to Colorado will give us a break, but there are a ton of things waiting for us there. We will head out Monday, be watching the weather, trusting God and knowing that our plans are in His hands. We covet your prayers for the Passion Play, our travel and the plans He has for the days and weeks to come. Thank You, Lord, for the journey and the call.
Sent from my iPad
Tomorrow and Saturday are Play Days and the final performances before Karen and I make the trek back to Colorado for our medical appointments. It would be a shame to have rain for the performances, but as I wrote in the last blog, the show must go on, and it will.
It's hard to believe we have been back in Arkansas more than three weeks. The time goes by so quickly. The projects to prepare for the season are pretty well completed, flowers have been planted, the rose bushes planted last year are blooming nicely, weeds and leaves have been removed from areas they had overrun. Gift shops have been restocked and reorganized. Some roofs have been repaired, gutters cleaned and scenery has been washed and painted. The place looks good. It has been a lot of work, but we are hoping the work done is a good foundation on which to build our season.
Our trip back to Colorado will give us a break, but there are a ton of things waiting for us there. We will head out Monday, be watching the weather, trusting God and knowing that our plans are in His hands. We covet your prayers for the Passion Play, our travel and the plans He has for the days and weeks to come. Thank You, Lord, for the journey and the call.
Sent from my iPad
Monday, May 4, 2015
May 4, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. The Show Must Go On
We have made it through two dress rehearsals and two performances of the 2015 Great Passion Play. Even with a recorded script and no live dialogue, there are plenty of opportunities for things to happen which end up on the "blooper" reel. Last year we had many fun situations and already this year we have had some lighter moments which ease the tension of a serious story and yet don't detract from what the audience sees.
Once the words "welcome to The Great Passion Play" are said in the pre-show, the next hour-and-forty-five-minutes are on the air and the show must go on, regardless of actors in the wrong place or not in anyplace, balky animals, missing props or a host of other possible goofs. Sometimes the lighting goes haywire or the voice track stops, or Jesus gets thrown off a rookie donkey during the triumphal entry, or Judas is hung on the wrong side of the tree, but on we go telling a glorious story with a glorious final scene with Jesus ascending to be with His Father.
The show must go on and so must our lives as witnesses to the Good News and the hope with which we live every moment . Karen and I say often how blessed we are to be serving The Lord here and in the other ministries He has called us to over the past sixteen years. Sometimes it's not easy, but it is always exciting and the rewards are amazing. And no matter the detours or the unexpected, God asks us to just hang in there and keep going in faith and trust. The show must go on, and it's great to be part of it. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Once the words "welcome to The Great Passion Play" are said in the pre-show, the next hour-and-forty-five-minutes are on the air and the show must go on, regardless of actors in the wrong place or not in anyplace, balky animals, missing props or a host of other possible goofs. Sometimes the lighting goes haywire or the voice track stops, or Jesus gets thrown off a rookie donkey during the triumphal entry, or Judas is hung on the wrong side of the tree, but on we go telling a glorious story with a glorious final scene with Jesus ascending to be with His Father.
The show must go on and so must our lives as witnesses to the Good News and the hope with which we live every moment . Karen and I say often how blessed we are to be serving The Lord here and in the other ministries He has called us to over the past sixteen years. Sometimes it's not easy, but it is always exciting and the rewards are amazing. And no matter the detours or the unexpected, God asks us to just hang in there and keep going in faith and trust. The show must go on, and it's great to be part of it. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, May 1, 2015
May 1, 2015. Eureka Springs, AR. Opening Day
The Great Passion Play begins its 48th season today. Over 7.7 million people have seen this portrayal of the final week of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. For many this is a life-changing experience, and when Karen and I saw TGPP here in 1975 it planted a seed in me which finally sprouted 24 years later when I committed my life to Jesus Christ. We never imagined when we started our Ministry of Miles to reach out to Vietnam Veterans, that we would not only spend a full six months volunteering here last summer, but would return again for the 2015 season.
There's a different dynamic here this year, with most of our volunteer buddies not returning, but we feel this is where we are supposed to be for now. We will leave for Colorado in about 10 days for a month of medical appointments, family gatherings and household chores and then, God willing, we will be back in Arkansas for the balance of TGPP season. God is our guide and where He calls, we go and serve Him. This journey has stretched us in a number of ways, but it has been a good stretch and we rest in the reality that this is not something we could have undertaken without God's strength and love.
We pray for everyone touched by this ministry, that lives will be impacted and changed and that the Good News of Jesus Christ will reach this community, this region, this country and the world. All praise, honor and glory to The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Sent from my iPad
There's a different dynamic here this year, with most of our volunteer buddies not returning, but we feel this is where we are supposed to be for now. We will leave for Colorado in about 10 days for a month of medical appointments, family gatherings and household chores and then, God willing, we will be back in Arkansas for the balance of TGPP season. God is our guide and where He calls, we go and serve Him. This journey has stretched us in a number of ways, but it has been a good stretch and we rest in the reality that this is not something we could have undertaken without God's strength and love.
We pray for everyone touched by this ministry, that lives will be impacted and changed and that the Good News of Jesus Christ will reach this community, this region, this country and the world. All praise, honor and glory to The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Sent from my iPad
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