March Heat

We are having very hot weather here already - in the 90's. Certainly not normal for this time of year. We are starting to plan and prepare for our annual trek North to Arkansas and Wisconsin - the weather should be more comfortable there. The Arkansas Crossroads quilt (a wedding present for oldest daughter Chandra) is almost done - just need to add a border of red. It came back from the quilter on Friday so I should have it done this week. I also have a set of place mats I made that are ready to quilt, which I will do myself as they are small. I am working on the baby quilt for our new great grandson due in June (if he cooperates, we will see him when we get to Wisconsin). God has been so good to allow me some periods of time so I can works on these projects. I did have another project which is completed thanks to Fred. Our daughters gave me a house plant two years ago which has grown wild. I decided that I needed to make a trellis for it to climb on. A friend gave me an old metal trellis which I used steel wool on to clean it up, then Fred spray painted it black and we figured out how to attach it to a TV tray so that it could get the exact sunlight and be able to climb wherever it wanted to. (Guess I have been watching too much Flea Market Flip!!). It does look great though.

now my plant can travel wherever it wants to

Arkansas Crossroads quilt - (looks like there was something on the camera lens)

place mats - love the colors

I can tell that it the end of season here in S Texas, as our Texas room is filling up with donations from those Winter Texans heading back home. Lots of non-perishables as they clean out their cupboards, some refrigerator and freezer food, some folks have sold  or bought trailers so are donating all the extras (clothes, linens, kitchenware, etc). There is going to be a big distribution in the colonias in April, so these items are so very much needed. We thank God for the generosity of these folks and for our ability to be able to house these items. Most of them are going out tomorrow to be readied for the distribution, the rice beans are going to be stored and saved for when we are gone for 2 months. Plans are in the process to build the storage building in the colonias so that all items can be stored there without handling them so many times. Please pray that all of this comes together before the end of April.

                           

bags of clothing and linens, boxes of non-perishable foods - someone even donated bottles of coke. The boxes on the right are full of bags of beans and rice.

                          

pails of beans and rice, waiting to be bagged and sent to the storage area.

We attended church services this 4th week of Lent with friend, Opal. Miss Opal is a full-time resident here in the park recently moved last August from South Carolina. She is an amazing lady who used to teach sewing/quilting for the Community College for over 20 years for mostly senior citizens. She had not quilted for years, as she spent 22 years caring for her husband. After he passed away, her sister, who lives here in the park, acquired a home for her here. After we met her, we became instant friends. She is so full of energy now, so glad to get back to her projects, and always gives thanks to God for everything He provides. She faithfully helps Fred bag beans and rice, and is going to start helping me volunteer on Mondays at Children's Haven Thrift Store. My goal is to find someone to be able to take Miss Opal to church on Sundays when we are gone, as her sister is now on vacation and Miss Opal does not drive. We need to find someone who would  make that commitment for 2 months until we return. Please keep this request in your prayers. This morning's sermon revolved around the "Costly Nails" - the real price of the nails in Jesus' hands. The nails were actually the tools of torture. Jesus had to stretch out His hands in order to have the nails driven into them, a horrible thought. Outstretched hands can mean a lot of things: more please, wanting a hug, even as lending a hand. Open hands often mean "I want". Most of the time when someone holds out their hands to us, we want to turn away, afraid to take the risk. When Christ opened His hands to receive the nails, He did so not for His benefit, but for ours. We need to understand what was offered to us: the offer of love, actual sacrificial love. Sacrificial love is dying for one another - would you lay down your life for your brother?? Jesus did so - over 2000 years ago for our redemption. Jesus was standing in for us as His pain was our redemption. In John 20:24-29, Thomas did not believe until he saw the holes in Jesus' hands. He then believed by faith. The source of our faith also come from Jesus. Everything we believe comes from the open hands of Jesus because He paid the cost of our belief.

As spring evolves into summer. remember to be thankful for the warm days, the days of more light and leisure, the opportunity to show love to our brothers through our actions, and to give God the glory for the seasons.

A Glorious Week

It has been a glorious, week, with so  many unexpected pleasures. It started out on Tuesday as I went to the local Post Office to do some mailing. As I walked into the post office, a rooster crowed. Yep - loud and clear. At first I thought it was some sort of  sound activated device - then it crowed a few more times. Guess someone was sending a rooster - only in South Texas. As Fred and I left the following day to pick up a complete bed and bedding for a family in the colonias Fred told me to get my camera ready. Right next to our driveway was a turtle laying eggs. We sure hope they hatch before we leave on our trek North - we may put a sort of a fence around them while we are here, so we can corral them and take them down to the lake before some critter swallows them up.

 mama laying her eggs

I tried hard not to disturb her

I did finish the Arkansas Crossroads quilt and sent it off to the quilter to be quilted. I then cut out and started the quilt for our new great-grandson due in June - hopefully we will be in Wisconsin when he arrives. I am beginning to feel more confident in working on a quilt project -the girls in Busy Bees on Fridays are so very helpful - always suggesting ideas or techniques and not making me feel stupid or inapt. Thanks to all the experienced quilters for their understanding. Perhaps next week I will have some pictures of my projects.

As Friday was St. Patrick's Day, the park held a parade - sort of a short one, but pretty nice. I settled myself outside with a cup of coffee and camera, as the participants  passed by. An added plus - they threw treats to me!!!!  I chose a roll of Smarties and gave the rest to Fred.

 happy St. Patrick's Day as she threw some treats

  a bicycle built for two

 waves and smiles are great treats, too

 hello everyone

 friends and neighbors, Don and Jo

even the dogs joined in the fun

Saturday brought the Jan-March birthday celebrations at RIN in Reynosa. As we traveled to Mexico with 3 vans, including our good friends Doug and Yvonne, we noticed the line heading out of Mexico to the US - a really LONG line. As this was the first time for a few of the passengers, we hoped that they,too, would be blessed. After a short tour of the compound including 2 Casa's and the school, we met in the Quonset hut for the program - honoring all those with Jan, Feb, and March birthdays. After presenting them with ribbons, they posed before opening their presents. Usually, a lunch is served, but Mexican director, Malena, announced she had forgotten to order the food so we all loaded up and went to the Sirloin buffet in Reynosa. (this was all planned ahead of time, as we Americans moaned and groaned because no meal was planned, but it was a surprise for the kids). What a great time we had - some of the kids enjoyed their meals and headed for the desserts afterwards, some just ate the desserts, the older boys filled their plates more than once, some just sat and ate, while others flitted all over the place. After visiting we loaded up and headed back across the border, this time taking a different brudge with a supposedly shorter wait time (the bridge we came over on was about a 2 hour wait). We did have to wait about an hour but arrived safely home tired but blessed as always by the love and affection from the kids

presents, ready and waiting

 the intermediate room - for the kids who come to the home and have had no education at all - kids of all ages are in this room

friend Doug hiding behind the door - does he belong in the intermediate room?

 newly painted bathrooms between the two school buildings

 bright colors that the kids love

tiles in a newly renovated Casa bathroom - the tile is beautiful - actually a raised design

Paty, Fred, and me - we never did a picture of Belinda as she was one of the flitters!

director, Betsy Chicon on the left, celebrating her 49th birthday

he was so proud of his ribbon

 this was one of the 4 brothers who came a few years ago - not able to use utensils while eating and still in diapers

all the birthday "kids"

they had to wait until Mexican director, Malena, gave the signal to open presents: uno duo, tres" 

 and the race is on

some of these kids never received a wrapped present before

beautiful new shoes

his very first pair of shoes all for himself

beautiful Paty

two waiters at the restaurant goofing off

 the salmon and fish were delicious

 the dessert bar

and more dessert

a shy little girl and her Mom at the chocolate fountain

salads and more salads

my plate - it looks full, but it is all salad on the left - and mostly Chinese on the right

the inside of one section of the restaurant

This was the last Sunday in many parks for church services. We went to Mission Bell to hear Jim Maxson's last sermon for the year - so appropriate for the end of season here in S Texas as many folks are hitting the road for home.  Where you wind up depends on which road you take- such a simple  idea but often overlooked by so many of us.This is also so true in the spiritual world. Whatever road you take forever will determine where you spend eternity forever. We all are born and will die - we will eventually get to our final destination. "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes". James 4:14. Similar verses are Job 9;25 and Psalm 90:10. There are only two roads to eternity - heaven or hell. There is the broad way - where everything is based on yourself and your personal pleasures. "everything is OK", it is my life, I'll do it my way". Guess what -- you are not really in control. God is. You are just sometimes a pawn of the devil. The narrow road is God's plan - the road we must follow. That does not mean you cannot enjoy  life, have projects, friends, goals, leisure time. It just means that you follow God's road to assure your place in eternity. It is not easy, but the rewards are heavenly - everlasting life with Him - the blessed assurance He promises all of us.

Enjoy the summer - the endless roads you can travel - but make sure you follow the right road to reach your final destination.

The Last Hoorah

No, this is not the last blog for me, but the last of many activities in the Valley for Winter Texans. Some of our chaplains are leaving soon, some have had their last service, some will be next week, and perhaps a few will still be here. We had our last chaplain meeting yesterday at Golden Corral in Harlingen - a time to say good-bye to our chaplains as they finsh their duties here in the Valley and head on out to their summer duties - some to serve in other areas, some to just vacation and visit family and friends, others to travel. We now look forward to next fall when they all retuen for training in October, along with all of our new chaplains. We have acquired two new parks in the Valley, so are looking for chaplains. If you know someone dedicated to the Lord, wanting to serve in an RV chaplain capacity, go to crmintl.org, and fill out the interest form. We would be so happy to have you join our organization.

Vicki Troutman - Board Secretary reminding  us to "turn in your end of the month reports, please".

final instructions to chaplains

more of our chaplains

listening intently

my favorite thing at Golden Corral - jalapeno cornbread

Texas regional manager Lee Tracy and wife Grace wishing all safe travels as he ends the meeting

Still raining off and on - lots of flooding in other nearby areas, but none here right now. We definetley need the rain, but the flooding is not really necessary.

Park activities are winding down - seems as if 6 or 8 folks leave every day, but that is to be expected this time of year. We will be really interested in next season, as many new things are promised as far as activities and park functions are concerned. We do not attend very many of them, as we are quite busy with Caring Hearts Ministry.  As I previously stated, we are going to miss all of our winter friends, but it does come a time for them to all head back home so we can relax for the summer.  As many leave, they clean out their closets and cupboards and Caring Hearts Ministry receives clothing and food donations - which are all greatly appreciated

We attended church with Jim Maxson preaching this morning (next week is their last service) as he impressed upon us the us importance of communion. We received communion together reminding us of the blood and body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jim's sermon title "The Table"

stresses the fact the Son of God prepared the table for us today, just as we need to prepare ourselves to receive it. I Corinthians 10:16 is the only place in the Bible where the table is referred to as communion which is from the Greek word Kononia which means fellowship or brotherhood - the reason we take communion together. When coming to the table we are joining ourselves in it - becoming on with the Lord. God created man for fellowship with Him, He deserves fellowship with us through communion. We become one with God - the sin debt is paid. God's goal is to bring fellowship with Him, All who are members in Jesus Christ are invited to the fellowship or communion. Therefore, our motives need to be right to receive communion - we need to examine ourselves to be sure we are ready to receive communion. Do not take it lightly.

Ugh - daylight savings time. As an old Indian once said "cutting one foot off a blanket and sewing it to the other end does not make it longer". (I think I  mentioned this last year). As we go on into summer, hopefully I will get accustomed to the time change and learn to enjoy the extra sunlight - hope you too, take time to enjoy the sun and all of the wonders God has created for us.