May 9, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. A Tough Week.....But A Good Week

This was one of those weeks which had a lot of ups and downs. The weather was up and down with so much uncertainty it was hard to stay on projects for more than a few hours before the weather changed. The ground was, and is, saturated and it was, and is, hard to mow, weed whack, blow off surfaces, trim or plant. Today it turned cold and then rainy so outdoor work was uncomfortable for those doing it.
I was the only one available for most of the Holy Land Tours, so I had to wait before starting any other work lest someone come to tour at 10am or 2 pm, and most of those who came, came at the last minute. Fortunately, most of the "tourists" were interested and attentive, making the tours enjoyable.
The "Reading Thru The Bible" started on May 2 and was supposed to be completed by 5pm today, but only made it into Isaiah and will either stop there or continue on if there are people available to come read. Not sure what will happen and whether I get to sound the shofar after Revelation 22:21, or not. Right now it is pouring down rain.
Tomorrow we return to our Friday/Saturday performance days, but with uncertain weather and it being graduation weekend and Mothers' Day, the crowds may not be very large. Our friends Jerry and Renee returned yesterday, Loren and Diane are here for another week and it's nice to have them to visit and work with. I met some interesting people including a young Hollywood actress with 40 films to her credit, received a copy of a short film shot here a few years ago by an aspiring film maker about the back stage aspects of the Passion Play, had some financial issues to resolve.....and it is still pouring outside.
Yes, it's been quite a week, but a good one; a lot of study/reading time and a lot of time to evaluate and adjust some of my attitudes about life and how we are living it. Two of our favorite TV channels disappeared from our list of available stations, I wasn't able to see even one episode of Blue Bloods, but had some decent rest overnight even with the heavy rain and thunderstorms which passed thru the area. The radar shows one narrow string of storms........and it is coming directly over us........and looks like it may do so for quite a while. Oh well...............God Is Good.

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May 6, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Is It Time?

Karen and I met in Lakewood, Colorado nearly 47 years ago. We dated for a while and were married in Loveland, CO on February 28,1974. Since then we have lived in Lakewood, Tulsa, Lakewood again, in two houses in Fort Collins, Colorado for a total of 29 years with the past five plus years being in our motor home on the road in various locations. It has worked well that we could be free to minister where we felt God wanted us to be and still have our house in FC available for family to live in.
But, it seems like the right time to look at selling our house, helping those who have watched over our house in our absence new places to live, and setting up residence in Arkansas. We're not feeling the call to leave The Great Passion Play or to go somewhere else, but we do feel it is time to "cloud-out" of Colorado. In a few weeks we will begin the process of selling, maybe buying, moving or storing our stuff, and becoming established in a new place. We don't feel the pressure to rush into a buying decision, but do feel the time is right to no longer call Colorado "home" and have the opportunity to be rid of the two mortgages we currently carry.
We have given the matter to God, the proper timing of it and the work He determines we are to do for Him and His Kingdom. Some of you may be surprised at what we are embarking on, but then again, when we went on the road in late 2013, we shocked a number of you, as well. Pray for God's will to be done, the doors opened and closed as He ordains, and our decisions left in His hands and in His control. As always.........Thank You, Lord.

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May 3, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Noah

For the past two hours we have been besieged by a constant downpour. While our Holy Land Tour continues, I have taken refuge in our "ark", awaiting word on the status of our Passion Play performance for this evening. We had a good crowd for our Tabernacle Teaching and Tours this afternoon, but the radar shows a steady rain for the next few hours and we may have to abandon the presentation tonight. That will be sad for those who came for the Play.
It was a nice day, for our "normal" first weekend of the season, and our Easter weekend attendance was the best play opening since 2003: a major encouragement for us. The picture of the spillway at the Sea of Galilee shows the effect of our rain this past week and our Dead Sea, normally dry or with a trickle of water flowing thru it, was filled with almost 8 feet of water, the highest I have seen it in all our years here. Everything is so green and lush, it's gorgeous and I do believe the pollen is no more.
And so we wait on a decision for the rest of our day: ...... And just as I write it, comes the text message that we are a no go. Hopefully those still here will enjoy the buffet, visit the three museums and gift shops and stick around for tomorrow night, and dryer weather. Definitely one of the hazards of live, outdoor drama. Stay dry, everyone.

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May 3, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. May Showers

April 30, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Bye, Bye, Pollen, Bye, Bye

Every Spring, along with the critters, there is another tormenter which descends on the areas we have been in Georgia, Arkansas and Texas the past five years. It looks like a fine yellow or greenish powder and it is called pollen. I have never had problems with allergies or hay fever, but the pollen from a wide variety of trees seem to now cause me problems. Virtually every tree, plant, shrub, flower and crop produces pollen. Wikipedia lists 65 sources of pollen in the Spring, 61 sources in the Summer and an additional 9 sources in the Fall.
Everything is coated with the powder and it is almost impossible to keep anything clean. Rain is the best antidote to the multi-colored residue and we just had two downpours which lasted only a matter of minutes, but may have knocked the pollen out. The birds, not chirping before the rain, are chirping now, so maybe they have stopped sneezing, rubbing watery eyes and being beset by runny beaks and cold-like symptoms.
Whether it's the effects of antihistamines, extra Vitamin C (Amalaki) , or the cleansing rain and return of sunshine, I feel better, too. Back to work.

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April 27, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. You Can't Tell the Players Without a Program

Over the past few months there has been a steady parade of volunteers coming to and going from the Passion Play. The Campers on Mission from Illinois and Missouri have come for a week or two, others have drifted in and now they are all gone on to other projects. A group from Oklahoma came and did some welding projects and a few volunteer couples from our early years here have returned with the intent to stay the whole season. There are a few groups expected over the next month and then in June the Youth Mission Groups start arriving for week-long stays.
For those of us who come and stay, it's nice to have the additional help, but it's hard to keep names and faces connected and also keep track of who is working on what. There are so many projects in varied states of completion, and often the project which was at the lowest priority becomes the one most needing to be completed. The grass we planted has filled in the Garden of Gethsemane, the area in front of the Tomb has been freshly sodded and the rains due this week will bring most of our trees, plants and flowers into full bloom. Hopefully the pollen will be washed away, as well. And the staff for the buffet, snack shops, gift shops, museums, Holy Land, Play cast and crew, ticketing, facilities, maintenance and animals will settle in as we get into our regular schedule this coming Friday and Saturday. New and old faces, names to learn and remember and the volunteers in and out of the RV spaces and dormitory facilities.
Our sixth season here. God has it all figured out and we just need to be ready, willing and able to do whatever it takes to implement His vision and plan for TGPP, now in its 51st season. Pray for us. Come and see us. Add your name to the long list of those who have worked here, been ministered to here and want to see it continue impacting people for many, many more years. Thank You, Lord for being our EVERYTHING. Yes............. Thank You, Lord.

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April 24, 2019. Eureka Springs, AR. Loving People We Don't Like

Jesus asks us to love one another, to love people we don't like, people we don't care to have anything to do with. While it is relatively simple to become a Christian, this love thing makes it anything but easy to become a "good" Christian. Monday, after a full weekend of Passion Play, sunrise service, church and a fellowship meal thereafter, it felt pretty easy to love those I was with. Peace and joy and love were in abundant evidence.
And then came Monday and my contact with someone who I would not have willingly chosen to be with for more than a cursory interval, but was compelled to spend a minimum of two hours with. I have no idea who this person was, where she came from, what her life was like, or why she was so reluctant to accept the things I was saying to her, but it was a difficult two hours. I'm sure I said something, or did something, or was someone she disliked, and as much as I tried to convey Christian love to her, she was just as determined to not show Christian love to me. It was an uncomfortable situation for me and I'm sure it was the same for her.
I don't know if I will ever encounter her again, and I don't feel that I have been "damaged" by the experience, but it gave me pause to think about how we interact with others, how we get along with some and have difficulty with others, but must, somehow, "be Jesus" and see each of them "as Jesus" and find a way to love them, when we don't like them. Jesus never promised us an easy path through life, but rather a path with twists and turns, obstacles, trials and sorrows. One day it will not be so. Peace and joy and love will be in abundant evidence..........Come, Lord Jesus, Come.............Come Soon.
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