Change

I do not like change. And I don't mean nickels and dimes, either. Which is really ironic because God has made changes in my life over the years that really turned my life upside down and sideways. But for some reason, I seem to adapt to the change, not that I always like it, but seem to find a peace in the result. Our Chaplain and wife ( and my bff!!!) are leaving our park at the end of this season, so that means finding a new chaplain and making changes in other ways as far as the our Church @ Alamo Rec Veh is concerned. God is already putting things in place to help this process along, which may result in possible changes in our lives. Just when we thought we had it all planned out - God showed us His plans are far better than ours. Just pray for our park, our church and all of us here at Alamo Rec Veh as well as for Dennis and Sally, that the change in plans are already set, and that we all listen to God as He speaks and leads us along the preussless pathway! Pray that we find the perfect chaplain (in God's plan) to be able to continue the work that Chaplain Dennis has started.

We have had a really busy week, planning (there is that human plan again) the marriage renewal vows here at our church. We already have 17 couples signed up for this special service (one couple has been married 62 years!). It will be an interdenominational service and promises to very memorable for all of those involved. Sally and I are diligently working on the 5th annual God's Worthy Women Conference coming up in February - with God's help we hope to reach 150 ladies with the Word of God and to instill in them the heart and passion for missions. It doesn't mean we want them to go forth as missionaries into other countries, but to be compassionate and caring  in whatever way they can for those less fortunate. We are all blessed with spiritual gifts that we can use for God's glory. We encourage all of you to use these gifts that God gave you.

We did take the opportunity to sneak away from duties, and along with Dennis and Sally as well as others in our park, leader by tour director, Brenda Brown, to visit three museums in San Benito, including the Freddy Fender museum. It is a standing joke at our park that whenever an entertainer sings a Freddy Fender song, we know that Dennis will holler out "yes". It really was very interesting, as the museums were all in the same building, small but extremely informative. San Benito is full of
rich history and amazing stories of those who lived during the settling of South Texas. Some of the tour group ate earlier at a bar-be-que restaurant, but the four of us decided to head on to Port Isabelle to the Pelican Station for our yearly Dirty Al's shrimp fix!!!! Not only is the shrimp absolutely heavenly,  but the cole slaw is indescribably delicious. On the way home we stopped at Sally's favorite shell store: a huge store dedicated to shells, t-shirts, and beach items. It was just fun to wander around and admire everything - the only thing we all bought was an ice cream cone to finish off our day. We are so thankful to God for allowing us to serve in this area where we can enjoy all of His creation at it's best.

his hometown of San Benito, Texas is proud of him

Freddy Fender - I am sure all of us know at least one of his songs

 

 his birth name - Baldemar Huerta - his headstone in San Benito

 this really is as beautiful as it looks

 

 Freddy Fender as a young man just starting his career

 

 Sally and Dennis Maloney

 

 Dennis and Sally - wishing maybe????

 

 just us

 

now this is really strange - just outside the museum is a  handicap ramp - going where???

 

Speaking of God's creations, this spider web was on the front of our house, strung down to our car, around our car, and into the antenna. It was beautiful in the early morning, full of dew, and sparkling like diamonds, I do not spiders and bugs, but this was amazing.

As we start another week here in South Texas, the weather is beautiful and the opportunities are endless. Let us take advantage of every opportunity to tell others of the glory of God and His wonderful pormises.

Brotherly Love

I am again amazed by God. But I really should not be! Chaplain Dennis' sermon this morning was based on giving, not giving of your money but giving of yourself. Using  God's spiritual gifts to tell others about Jesus, to bring others to understand and accept the gift of salvation , and to just love your brothers. After church, we went to Sunday School class on Revelation, taught by an excellant teacher, Dorothy Miller. The theme throughout her study was based on loving your brother, obeying God's commands, and doing everything possible to walk in Jesus' path. How ironic that both of these messages pointed us in the same direction. Ironic - no - God lead, yes. "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some poeple have entertained angels without knowing it"    Hebrews 13:1-2

 I mentioned earlier that we had a pelican visiting us on our lake. Earlier this week we discovered there were 12 of them, floating around, preening as we all admired their beauty. This morning there were 24!!!! The lake is being filled through a culvert from the Rio Grande and fish of all sizes get caught up in the flow and are dumped into our lake. How the word got out I have no idea, but we really do enjoy their beauty and grace.

just a couple looking for supper

a small family group searching the shoreline

for such big birds, they certainly are graceful

come here, Heathcliff, I see a fish



another family group

Today is Pray for Our Country Day. I  hope that all of you have prayed for our country, our leaders, all of our elected officals, those who protect us in law enforcement, and especially those who serve in the military. Pray that they all make decisions for the betterment of our country regardless of their specific parties, and not for their  own advancement. Our country is in dire need of a spiritual revival - pray the God rules and not man. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord". Psalms 33:12

Yesterday we held a Memorial service at our park for those who went on before us this past year. It was a very moving ceremony as we remembered the fun and laughter we shared with these friends, but the sad times also brought tears to our eyes. Their names are engraved on our hearts as we hope ours will also be in others. We are confident in the promise of our Lord that someday we will all be together again in eternal life.  Chaplain Maloney and Father Wijtman shared the interdenominational service with prayer, devotional readings, accompanied by our wonderful choir.

the choir @ Alamo Rec Veh Park accompanied by Betty Wilkens on our new piano

Chaplain Dennis Maloney reading the 23rd Psalm

Verla Johnson gracing us with her beautiful voice

our choir lead by Vera Welty

As Eunice Cox read each name, Priscilla Voss followed it by a chime form the piano

Father Wijtman offering prayer



We had another opportunity to take a group of people on a tour to RIN in Reynosa. Actually there were 33 people form Citrus Valley Park, so we loaded up 3 vans and traveled to the Haven. After a quick look at the kids in the elementary school, who proudly repeated"Good Afternoon" in English, we toured Casa #3, which was recently renovated and dedicated last year. We also were able to observe the progress on Casa #4 which should be completed in March. As part of the Makeover Mia Casita Project, this is the second of the homes to be remodeled since they were built 40 years ago. As usual, we were able to interact with the kids , especially our "girls" Paty and Lupe. Paty will be celebrating her Quinceanera (15th birthday celebration) this April which we certainly will not want to miss.


Luckily, most of us who have been recently sick are finally beginning to feel back to normal, although the fatigue is still there. Pray that we all are totally healthy soon.


If you get a chance to see the movie "The Grace Card" please do so. It is a great story of giving, friendship, and loving your brother as yourself.

We hope that you all have a very wonderful week, that all things go well for you. As Chaplain Dennis advised us this morning, take the time this week to tell one  person that God loves them.


 

Open Doors

How often have we heard or even said, "When God closes a door, He opens another one"?? But how many times have we heard the Lord knocking on a door and not listened? We are studying Revelation in Sunday School, and how strange (although not strange at all) that this verse popped out at me, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with Me". Revelation 3:20. We at CRM are in the process of ending our 5 year partnership with Children's Haven. This only means that we have almost accomplished our 5year plan to help raise the funds for the education wing at RIN in Reynosa. We will still be the chaplains for CHI, conducting Bible Study, volunteering, and doing whatever necessary in our position as chaplains there. We were beginning to wonder where God was leading us next - what door He would open and would we be able to see the open door? Just last week, our involvement with the Great Oaks Food and Clothing Ministry took another turn, as our Helping Hands group here at the park donated about 25 handmade quilts to the ministry - Becky Rodriguez was totally thrilled to receive them. We often thought that the food we collected was a supplement to their food distribution to the colonias and needy, but found out that we actually are helping to provide almost 50% of the needed food supplies. We are striving to involve more of the CRM parks to help in this collection effort - the need is so great at this time. We were able to deliver the quilts and some much needed canned goods and beans and rice this last week in time for the next distribution. I have included pictures, but will soon have pictures of the actual quilt distribution. While talking to Becky, we discovered that a Children's Mission in Diaz Ordaz, Mexico, was reopening. This was a children's home similar to CHI across the Rio Grande at Los Ebanos. It had previously closed due to the cartel involvement in the area and the danger to the children. The area has become safer and the home has been opened as a mission house for Mexican missionaries and ministers. The pastor who originally ran the children's home has also started a box food program, where a person can contribute $15 a month to feed a family. Can you imagine living on $15 worth of food a month?? We may be able to become involved by bringing food to the border on the Mexican side by way of a pull ferry - the only operating one across the Rio Grande. Hopefully we will be able to travel to the village about a mile or so away to interact with the village residents and find out what their additional needs are. Please pray for us as we enter this open door and see where it leads us.
NOTE:  (There is a change in the way to attach pictures to the blog - a lot of us using blogspot have yet to figure it out. I will keep trying, as I know the pictures are very important to all of you.)

It has been wet and cold here in S Texas, which does not add to the illnesses that we have all had. I am up and about, but the fatigue and tiredness still avails -  as it seems to with all of those who have been ill. Luckily, it is earlier this year, so that as Sally Maloney and I plan our 5th annual God's Worthy Women retreat next month we can do so in good spirits - it seems the last few years one or the other of us has been under the weather. We are really excited about this year's retreat as we have so much to offer the ladies - worship thru music, a style show, a wonderful buffet lunch, "The Woman at the Well" drama and song, "Living Waters" Bible study, free give aways, door prizes and great Christian fellowship. Where else could you go and receive all of this for only $30.00???  Sally dreamed this retreat 5 years ago, I encouraged her, promised to assist in any way and a dream came to pass.  We never could have believed that we could touch so many women in so many different ways - proving to them that they indeed are worthy and could tune their hearts into mission work, no  matter how simple it may seem to them. Just having a loving heart for others, doing whatever necessary to make someones life a little bit easier, and having compassion truly makes us worthy in God's eyes. His grace we receive even though we often do not deserve it, His love is always there, His forgiveness is constant.

Volunteering at Children's Haven resale store after being off or two weeks due to the holidays was almost like starting over again. All of the Christmas things have been packed up and put away, Valentine's stuff is on the shelves, and the donations keep pouring in. Fred and his helper Jerry made three large pick ups on Tuesday which resulted in many, many items to be sorted through and put on on the shelves to be sold. A very steady customer, one whom we have grown to look forward to seeing, brought us 2 dozen homemade tamales, still warm from the oven. Oh, they tasted so delicious. We ate a few and froze the rest, as tamales seem to gather around the waist line and not go away!!!

As we begin another week, let us be available to open doors, to be always aware of opportunities to serve, and have the willingness to do so.

Also please keep our park in prayer, as Chaplain Dennis and Sally will be leaving this spring. We are searching for a new chaplain - pray that God brings us the proper one to continue what Chaplain Dennis has started - to bring the understanding of the Word of God to all of us here at Alamo Rec Veh Park.

a New Year, a New Life

People often ask us why we do what we do.They wonder why, in the golden years of our lives, when we should be sitting back playing golf and drinking coffee,we choose to spend our time working with missions. Why did we choose to become chaplains, spending our time and funds helping others instead of "enjoying" the worldly things? We did not choose; God chose us. Just as He called and chose Saul.

 

What is important is recognizing that we are following the great commission by committing our golden years to spreading the Word of the Lord and by helping others. The work of God fulfills our every need.God has never led a person without leadership (read Hebrews 5). Part of mission work is to notice the hurt and pain and responding to it, according to Matthew 9:36-37. "When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few".

When we were reborn in Christ we became a new creation in Christ. Old things are passed away; behold, all things become new.That change did not mean faith alone but a new identity. That second birth became more powerful than our first birth.We are building on our second birth. Hopefully people see the activity of God thru and by our faith.We didn't determine God's Word, we surrendered to it. It is not the change in us but the impact on others that makes the difference. All we know is that God will multiply what we do, influencing others to do the same, creating a rippleeffect throughout the area, and perhaps the entire world. A small stone can create a huge ripple effect.We just hope

that others see God's work through the things we do, and not just by us alone.

Our first birth is an earthly one, one which identifies us as to who we are. Our second birth, birth in Jesus Christ, identifies us as to what we are to become.Who we were and what we did has no effect on what we are now. Our past lives are the past - we live in the present, anticipating the future.

The New Year brought on time spent with friends, a few days of reprise from the daily activity, and with that the Texas crud!! Yep, it caught up with me again this year. Even with the flu shot, I got the chills, aches, and cough. Luckily, no fever, sore throat, or stomach disorders. After three days in bed, I decided I did not want to do this anymore, and roused myself outside today. I feel like a new person, with fresh air in my lungs and ready to pick up on three lost days. So back to meetings, reports, volunteer work tomorrow, and cooking.

I was really sick - can you believe that I was so sick I did not get to see pictures of our new, great grandson (the first great grand) until last night, when I could no longer hold out and dragged the computer onto my lap to see him. Oh my goodness, what a precious child he is. And I am sure the Lord said the same thing - "And He took the children in His arms, put his hands on them and blessed them". Mark 10-16.  His parents have become born again into the Lord, and this child will be doubly blessed to have both parents who are children of God. And as a proud great grandma, I would be remiss without a picture - so introducing Avery Schyler White:





Not to be outdone by his girl cousin, our grandson announced that he will be the father of twins in August!! I could not have foreseen what God had in store when He joined two people. Our family keeps growing and will continue to grow long after we are gone to join Him in eternal life. I don't know what our legacy will be, but I hope that it will be lasting one.

So as we go into a New Year, we do so with great anticipation knowing the challenges that are ahead of us, meeting those head on, and for those challenges we have not anticipated, that we meet them with the same vigor. And for the new life ahead - a new life in Christ, a new life in great grandchildren, we meet with open arms.

May your year be doubly blessed also!!