There are certain things in God's creation which can be called miracles, because there is no other way to classify them. Perennial plants which survive severe winter temperatures and come back in the spring as beautiful as they were the previous year - miraculous. The gold fish in our koi pond receive no fish food for more than four months and live through frigid temperatures and an almost totally frozen brook and pond, yet revive in the spring and even increase in numbers - impossibly miraculous.
Our cat, Miss Hissy, who has not been inside our cabin, but remains outside through the hottest of hot weather and the coldest of cold weather and shows no sign of wanting any physical contact ( other than eating the food we leave in her bowls twice a day). She is a stubborn, small, strong, survivalist, miracle animal.
We are hearing almost daily of friends and family who are facing Covid, injuries, strokes, illnesses and other conditions which need more than medical attention. They need God's healing touch, prayers offered and answered and they are coming through them to new health and vitality, while others are being taken by God to the miraculous healing of eternal life with Him. There's no way to explain all these situations, other than to believe that God is in control, He has a plan beyond anything we could imagine and that our faith is all that is needed to see His grand plan come to fruition as He wills and ordains it. For ALL these miracles, and those still to come…..…..Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
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Saturday, January 22, 2022
Saturday, January 15, 2022
January 15, 2022. Holiday Island, AR. Winter Wonderland
Our first snowfall of the season. Not enough to deter travel, but enough for a beautiful picture. We don't miss the Colorado shoveling, and as of now, don't even have a snow shovel. Stay warm and stay safe.
Sunday, January 9, 2022
January 9, 2022. Holiday Island, AR. Winter Schedule
When we left Colorado in December, 2013 in our motor home, we really didn't have a definite plan for our "on the road" ministry to Vietnam Veterans and their receiving all the VA benefits they were entitled to. We hopped from Walmart to Walmart, Home Depot to Home Depot, military base to military base looking for Veterans we could talk with. We planned to visit friends and family along the way and when we heard about the need for volunteers at The Great Passion Play, we jumped at the opportunity and by May, 2014 we were in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
After the season ended in a October, 2014 we followed our friends, the Jarrell's, to Madison, Georgia and Source of Light Ministries International to volunteer there for the winter. Then it was back to TGPP for the 2015 season, back to SLMI, back to TGPP for the 2016 season, back to SLMI, back to TGPP for the 2017, off to Deep East Texas and time with the Edwards, and back to TGPP for the 2018 season. If you're not confused, all I'm trying to say is we spent 3 winters in Georgia, one winter in Texas and then it was summer and winter full time at TGPP.
There was a definite schedule for each year which kept us busy for The Lord and intentional in our desire to be where He called us to be. Covid was not in the picture, I was able to blog every third day, and health issues seemed to be minimal and manageable. But Covid put a crimp in everyone's plans the past 2-plus years, surgery last winter on my shoulder limited my tasks at the Play and at the cabin and this winter has done nothing to make our plans anything but unpredictable. But………..
I will be committed to Wednesday Holy Land tours for the winter, planning on three days a week at he health club to maintain shoulder recovery, and getting in shape by Easter for the 2022 Passion Play season, doing chores and tasks at the cabin, including getting our lower level cleared of boxes, bins and other storage items into our newly constructed storage shed, painting downstairs, making some home improvements and getting our medical issue under control. Being in our late 70's means taking more time to complete projects, making more time to rest and relax and being dependent on God for instilling patience, wisdom and thankfulness into every aspect of our life. We are blessed. We are grateful. We are prayerful. We are forgiven.
God is Good and we are so thankful.
Sent from my iPad
After the season ended in a October, 2014 we followed our friends, the Jarrell's, to Madison, Georgia and Source of Light Ministries International to volunteer there for the winter. Then it was back to TGPP for the 2015 season, back to SLMI, back to TGPP for the 2016 season, back to SLMI, back to TGPP for the 2017, off to Deep East Texas and time with the Edwards, and back to TGPP for the 2018 season. If you're not confused, all I'm trying to say is we spent 3 winters in Georgia, one winter in Texas and then it was summer and winter full time at TGPP.
There was a definite schedule for each year which kept us busy for The Lord and intentional in our desire to be where He called us to be. Covid was not in the picture, I was able to blog every third day, and health issues seemed to be minimal and manageable. But Covid put a crimp in everyone's plans the past 2-plus years, surgery last winter on my shoulder limited my tasks at the Play and at the cabin and this winter has done nothing to make our plans anything but unpredictable. But………..
I will be committed to Wednesday Holy Land tours for the winter, planning on three days a week at he health club to maintain shoulder recovery, and getting in shape by Easter for the 2022 Passion Play season, doing chores and tasks at the cabin, including getting our lower level cleared of boxes, bins and other storage items into our newly constructed storage shed, painting downstairs, making some home improvements and getting our medical issue under control. Being in our late 70's means taking more time to complete projects, making more time to rest and relax and being dependent on God for instilling patience, wisdom and thankfulness into every aspect of our life. We are blessed. We are grateful. We are prayerful. We are forgiven.
God is Good and we are so thankful.
Sent from my iPad
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
January 4, 2022. Holiday Island, AR. They’re Back
December 7 was the deadline for the Medicare Enrollment period, but for some reason George, JJ and most likely Joe are back with the same ads and hopefully a new deadline. I guess there are still funds available to have some money added back to our Social Secuity check each month and all the "free" additional benefits we can take advantage of. The mute button will be back on the menu for me. Between these annoying commercials and the worsening Covid numbers, tv is becoming something to watch less of.
What's also back, is my return to the Passion Play, leading Holy Land tours every Wednesday. Last winter I did tours on Mondays and filled in other days occasionally when needed. Our golf carts have been put indoors for the winter, so our only transportation for the tour will be our 20 seat mini-bus or the larger 40 plus seat school busses. I can drive the smaller bus, but the larger busses require a CDL which I don't have so our regular Holy Land drivers during the season will be on-call. Spontaneity required, as always.
We'll see how the Medicare, Covid and Holy Land situations proceed over the next few months, and do our best to stay healthy, safe, financially provided for and obedient to God's plan for us and His Passion Play ministry. God doesn't have to come back, He's never left us and that is something we all can rest in and depend on. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
What's also back, is my return to the Passion Play, leading Holy Land tours every Wednesday. Last winter I did tours on Mondays and filled in other days occasionally when needed. Our golf carts have been put indoors for the winter, so our only transportation for the tour will be our 20 seat mini-bus or the larger 40 plus seat school busses. I can drive the smaller bus, but the larger busses require a CDL which I don't have so our regular Holy Land drivers during the season will be on-call. Spontaneity required, as always.
We'll see how the Medicare, Covid and Holy Land situations proceed over the next few months, and do our best to stay healthy, safe, financially provided for and obedient to God's plan for us and His Passion Play ministry. God doesn't have to come back, He's never left us and that is something we all can rest in and depend on. Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, December 31, 2021
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.
Sent from my iPad
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.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, December 24, 2021
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..
Sent from my iPad
"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..
Sent from my iPad
Saturday, December 18, 2021
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.
Sent from my iPad
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.
Sent from my iPad
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