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| millions of loose crackers in all of their glory |
We spent a really relaxing day yesterday as we traveled to S Padre Island with friends Dean and Karen. Dean drove, so for a change, Fred was co-pilot and got to relax and enjoy the scenery. We went to Brownsville and headed out on Boco Chico Blvd. to the area at the very end where a space station is being built. Lots of heavy duty equipment and construction going on there. We did see a stand where a shuttle should have been, but with the high winds the space ship was blown off it's stand. I do not believe that this was an actual space shuttle, but just a replica for our observation - it was smaller than I expected and way to close to the road. It was a very long trip out to the end of Boco Chico, a desolate drive but nice on a cool, slightly overcast day with a few showers. We then headed back to Port Isabelle to Pelican Station (one of Dirty Al's restaurants), for our yearly shrimp dinner. I did have shrimp and scallops, which were delicious as they are freshly caught and cooked. After enjoying a leisurely meal, we visited the turtle center where sea turtles are rescued and rehabilitated if necessary and returned to the wild. There were some there that will stay in captivity forever as their injuries were too great to allow them to try to return to the water on their own. It was a good exhibit with a lot of folks there.
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| a space capsule should be on top of this |
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| lots of equipment surrounding it |
Saturday a friend held a ladies Christian gathering for the ladies in her park. She had asked if I would be the speaker, and after a bit of thinking and lots of prayer I had agreed to do it. It was a simple morning of praise and worship with about 35 ladies present. I acted out a skit of the Syrophoenician woman - very briefly alluded to in both Matthew and Mark. Friend Yvonne helped me into my costume ( a turban, a long black dress from the thrift store, and a robe). It was interesting as most of the ladies had not really understood what those few verses were all about. Faith and Love - the faith of the Syrophoenician woman and love of Jesus Christ. She traveled to see Jesus to have Him heal her daughter from demon possession. She was not a Jew - she was Gentile, a Greek, who worshiped the many Gods of Baal. She was rejected by the Jews (just as Jesus was rejected by His own people) and considered lower than a dog. After traveling through the dangerous area (remember, her people were despised and rejected) she found the house where Jesus was staying. He had gone there to rest from the crowds that continually followed Him. After pushing her way into the house she asked Jesus 3 times to heal her daughter, but was pushed away by the disciples and ignored by Jesus. Finally she bowed before Him , and called upon Him as Lord, Son f David, as she had heard about Him and believed in Him She had faith that He would heal her daughter. Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel". Matthew 15:24. She persisted and He then answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw It to the dogs". Matthew 15:26. Here is where there is some confusion - was He talking literally about the dogs or the Gentiles, the lowest of society as not being worthy of the crumbs and referring to the Israelites as the children. She should have been angry and just stomped away, but she replied, " Yes, Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their Master's table".She humbled herself totally before the Lord which was what He wanted her to do. He answered, "you faith is great - your daughter is healed." To have such faith is overwhelming. I sometimes forget that God knows who we are and what we think. Even though He knows it, He wants to heat it from us. He will answer our prayers (sometimes with a No) but we can trust in Him knowing He loves us with the powerful love of the Father.
Trust and Obey.
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