Beans and Rice and More Beans and Rice

In case you don't know it, my very, very favorite Christmas decoration (other than the beautiful manger from my brother) is gingerbread! I like smiley snowmen, and reindeer  and bells and holly, but gingerbread puts me in the holiday mood. Not only the taste of gingerbread,  but everything gingerbread. Although this is not a gingerbread scene, it reminds me of one.

We are going to be pretty busy these next coupe of weeks, as this coming Saturday is the 1st Christmas distribution, there will be 2 in the colonias, so we are preparing to gather up everything that we need to make sure that those  folks have a few things to help them celebrate the season. Saturday will be a day when  all the people come together to celebrate, with skits,Christmas worship music, a Bible study, a wonderful hot meal and gifts and
provisions for the family, including small canned hams,canned goods, bean and rice nd other commodities including packaged meals, quilts, stockings for the kids and a day filled with love. We received 350# of beans and 350# of rice, which with the help of the wonderful folks at Big Valley Park, we managed to bag and pack in boxes in 50 minutes!!! When that group began to work, Fred and I had all we could do to keep up filling pails with beans or rice, and keeping them all supplied with bags and boxes. What a great bunch of willing servants of the Lord.

 getting ready - taped boxes which are ready to go

let the fun begin

 

 we need more boxes 

 busy at work

 Linda Smith, a reliable worker from Ranchero Village Park, packing boxes

all packed and ready to go

Lots of changes here in the Park, as well as other parks in the Valley. Rents going up, new regulations, restrictions, etc.Ten years ago it was quite different, but there is a new group of retirees coming on the scene now, and and their wants and needs are different. They are not content to play cards, shoot pool, shuffleboard, sew and quilt, or just gather together for a block party. And as the changes come, so shall we change. We will wait up on the Lord for direction.

This was the first Sunday of Advent, a time when we begin to focus on the story of Jesus Christ. In Bible study we are concentrating on the book of Matthew, reading only a chapter a week, and totally analyzing it as to what each verse says, and what it means to us. Many times we read the Bible and don't really realize what we are reading and what the Lord is trying to tell us. I know I have read some verses more than once, only to read it again and see somethnig I never saw before. I think

God does that on purpose, as we as humans can only retain so much in our little pea brains! So He urges us to read things over and over so that we discover something new every time. Doing this in Bible study releases a variety of thoughts and ideas, many of which we did not see before, as well as giving us a deeper understanding of the Word. The Book of Luke has 24 chapters - read one each day now before Christmas (you may need to catch up a couple of days) until Christmas Eve to hear of the true Christmas Story.