A beautiful Sunday after a rather busy week. We needed to replace the floor in our bedroom as we were walking around soft spots and holes, so that was done earlier in the week. We had planned to have the room repainted, so wound up sleeping on the mattresses on the floor until the painting was done - quite a feat for those of our mature state! We made a last minute decision to replace the carpet, so off we went to a carpet dealer who was going out of business and came home with a nice carpet at a great price. Now we need to get an installer - therefore still sleeping on mattresses on the floor and the house is in total disarray. But the painting is done!!!!


Don't you just love this sign at the enterance of our park??

you really don't need reservations for Bible study.

We had a Bible study this morning, as our church services here at the park will not begin until the end of the month, after which we then attended communion services at Pastor Israel's church. What a gift that Jesus gave to us - a time to share His body and blood in rememberence of Him. A time to share this with other believers as we took communion together.

We were the receipients of many, many towels and sheets (all very good to new condition) but in need of washing as some of them had not been used in a long time. On Wednesday, we washed and dried 16 loads of them - yes - 16 loads, and donated them to the Great Oaks Outreach Program. I now know that I would not have been happy working in a laundry.

I have been reading about what the Bible says about women in ministry. I won't debate that issue here as it certainly is a very debatable issue. In my reading, I came upon this very important paragraph. "The other unchallengeable ministry for women is the role God gives all of His children, men and women alike. No one can keep us from the specific contribution that God has called us to make. If God opens a door, no one can close it. If God closes a door, no one can open it. No government, institution, tradition, or person can keep us from doing what God has called us to do. For that reason, we need to relax in the confidence that our responsibility is not to force our services on our world but to let God do His work through us. Our responsibility is not to build a ministry, but to faithfully, honestly, and lovingly do what is a hand". Sometimes, I know that I want to get ahead of God, becoming impatient if what I think should be moving along more quickly seems to be bogged down. I forget that everything works according to God's plan, not man's. Building a ministry allows for God's leadership.

As we studied Psalm 56 this morning, we all discussed what we were most afraid of as a child. David lived in fear for many years as he was constantly being pursued by Saul. There were many answers from the group -  the authority of their earthly father, funeral homes, appearing "poor" to their schoolmates,  and snakes. Then it came to me - and again referring back to my early Catholic upbringing, my answer were the nuns. They just seemed to float around, making no noise regardless of their long habits and hanging beads, constantly reminding us to "confess and be assured of a place
in heaven". I remember one Saturday morning Mother made me a huge cup of hot cocoa with a big white marshmallow in it. How wonderful it smelled and felt - so warm and comforting on a cold Chicago winter day. Now not to make my mother seem like an un-Italian Catholic mother, I must confess that she could curse better than any man I ever heard. As I took the chocolate in my hand and prepared to sip it's chocolate flavor, I realized that the cup was incredibly hot - so I merely repeated some of the words I heard her say - not understanding that no child was supposed to use those words. What happened next made all thoughts of drinking that fabulous drink vanish. I received a smack across the cheek that almost made me fall from the chair. Another lesson learned - do not curse out loud in front of adults. I suppose I somehow knew those words were taboo. I then was lectured on
how not to confess to the priest, as he would immediately want to know where I heard the language.
Another lesson in the code of silence that prevailed in our family. I don't want to blacken my mother's character, but it seemed that most of the mothers in the neighborhood spoke the same way. One girl friend of mine called my mother a bad name, at which time I was instructed not to play with her anymore. Somehow, we instintively knew which words to use when. Dysfunctional was not a word used in the 40's to describe families (although I honestly believe that a form of dysfunction exists in every family). You just took what you were dealt and functioned within those perimeters. Actually, my childhood was not unhappy, I just approached each day with a feeling of expectation of something new and exciting. I hope that I continue that in my late adult life - expecting new doors to be opened as others close - anticipating God's leadership in the path He has laid out for us to follow.