Busy week

What a busy week for us. It started out with our Sunday church service, then our Sunday School class.  We are JOY (Just Over Youth) so we share knowledge with many Senior Saints. Studying God's word together
brings many surprises as we share thoughts, ideas and questions as we study the book of Esphesians. Later that day we attended our small group Bible study. This study also includes fellowship time with a family providing the feast for the the day. We were blessed with smoked brisket, smoked salmon, (absolutely wonderful) a huge mixed veggie salad,and a fruit compote dessert. We finished our study of the  Jewish Torah in relation to our beliefs of today.  I work at a local resale shop, and found wonderful prizes - a book about the Manners and Customs of Bible Lands as well as a Jewish Study Bible!!! Was God there with me at that time??? It certainly seems so, as these two books fit right into our study. Reading about the customs and manners of Bible lands sheds light on so much of the Bible - why certain phrases are used in relation to the cultural habits  during that period. The study Bible I hope to read this year, comparing it to our Bible, and trying to figure out basic difference.

Tuesday, I had two yearly medical tests (which has finally ended my yearly physical exams) and all are pronounced "Normal". Praise the Lord and thanks to Him for good health.

On Wednesday, I attend a class that a nutritionist friend is giving for ladies with limited income, and asked me to attend for additional moral support.  It is based on food in it's relation with the Bible and is a 5 week program. This was our fourth session, with emphasis on Biblical rules for eating, as well as many hints on how to eat healthfully and well as economically.  I really love this class, and the fact that a friend teaches it, encourages me to attend to as I receive many blessings from all the ladies present, remembering that there are so many cultural differences that we should be concerned with.  It is sometimes difficult for me to relate to a Katrina refugee, or a grandmother who has to raise her grandchildren , thus still having to work, or a single mother trying to support her family alone. Yet all of these ladies still praise God for all they have, willing to share with us.

Friday I attended a Ms. *Senior* ( I deleted the name of the Rehab/nursing home for sense of privacy) pageant where our daughter is personnel director. It was amazing beautiful, as eight ladies were presented to us, all dressed in their elegant clothes and perfectly arranged hair style and make-up. These ladies were accompanied by two male CNA employees, who gave up their Friday time off to escort these ladies in all their finery.  After answering questions about themselves, what their greatest accomplishment was, and their families, the three judges began to judge them, while the granddaughter of an employee sang the theme song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". A question to one of the ladies was "did your children misbehave or fight when they were younger?", was answered by "no". Asked why, she replied "I had the flyswatter" How I wish we could return to the time when children honored their father and mother, just knowing that misbehavior was to be immediately reprimanded. The ladies age were from 52-100- what a wide range. I wanted pictures of the participants and new reigning queen, but my camera decided to run out of battery power  - I put in what I thought was new batteries only to discover that that too were dead! I did get a few pictures, but due to privacy issues, cannot post them.

The two young gentlemen who gave up their morning off to escort the contestants - aren't they wonderful?  (I must add that the one on the left is my oldest grandson, Seth, the other is his long time friend and roommate, Jonathon). Boys to be proud of.

Early this morning I attended an orientation for a prison ministry that I am going to be involved in here in Washington County. I probably will not start this ministry this year, as we soon will be leaving here for South Texas. After attending the retreat last Saturday, I feel that this is where God is leading me while we are here in Arkansas. After being treated to a breakfast at the Correctional facility, we were given information on volunteer does and don'ts - so many that it is difficult to try to think like a person who is incarcerated with no outside freedoms. I must remember that their rules are there for a reason, and not for me to ask why????  The end result is the optimum. Is that not how our life here on earth is??? God is in control of our lives and is the final reward if we follow rules.

As I was busy with all these things this week, Fred was busy with the food ministry he is involved in, feeding about 12000+ people a month. He also started preparing the car for our trip to South Texas at the end of this month for the winter, where we are chaplains for Children's Haven International. We look forward to renewing friendships and ministering to those in Texas and Mexico.