December Snow

It seems strange to connect December and snow in regards to S Texas. It very seldom snows here, twice in the 14 years we have been coming here. Some of the residents here in the park decided to do something about it. During the summer a ditch was dug down a road here in the park to put in a drainage pipe. For some odd reason the leftover huge pile of dirt was just left in one of the RV spots. As I look out of a window in my Texas room, I can see just the top of the mound of dirt and, yep, sure enough, on top of the mound is what looks like snow. A sign on top reads “Mount Alamo”, and lists the elevation.  Actually it is just batting but loos oh so real. In a few days, if the dirt is not removed, a Christmas tree will appear. It really is funny to everyone, except the manager of course. Perhaps the dirt will be removed soon – if not we can enjoy our own little piece of the North Pole.

look over the hood of the vehicle and a bit to the left

I recently had a birthday and marvel at the years gone by and how my life has had so many turns and twists. I think of the many places I have visited and the sights that I have seen, sometimes way beyond my imagination. From a city brat born in Chicago, to an 11 year old transport to a small Wisconsin town, to the wife of a farm boy, and now to a chaplain serving in the Lord’s service, I can look back and see how the Lord had my path laid out from the beginning, each step a well-planned road. Many times I could not see the signs along the way as I was busy being a wife and raising 4 daughters the best I knew how, then returning to the works force and retiring way too early. Was it just a coincidence that we landed on a mountain in Arkansas with neighbors who managed an RV Park here in S Texas??Of course not, but at the time I wondered where that road might lead. All of the plans I made had nothing to do with the plans He made for me. I am thankful for every minute of my life, wondering now what He has in store as He is leading us back to Arkansas to serve Him there. I get impatient at times – I mean if this is where you want us to be, get us there NOW! Ha – I have tried to learn to be patient and not get ahead of God.

We certainly have been blessed again this week with an abundance of clothing for the colonias. The produce for distribution has been overwhelming also. This last week there were cases and cases of  beautiful big ripe blackberries!! What a treat for the families, as I am sure that many of them cannot afford fruit of any kind.  I still remember a few years ago when Fred offered a little girl a big, red, juicy apple. She chose instead a carrot to chew on. Perhaps she did not even know what an apple was or how it tasted. Many of us do not even realize the impact these God given gifts have on so many of the underprivileged. What we take for granted, and even sometimes expect, are only dream for some. We love the folks in the colonias who are so thankful for just some fresh vegetables, beans and rice, and maybe a few fruits now and then. This year Ida, along with us, are giving our faithful workers a coffee pot for Christmas, along with a few smaller items for who help out occasionally. It is only a small token of our thanks for their constant help and encouragement, as we should encouraging them!

This morning we travelled a short distance to Donna to hear Chaplain Tom Borrow preach. He is new to our organization and new to Big Valley Park. A very quiet, humble man who absolutely blew me away with his preaching. He is a no nonsense preacher, with a powerful message, one that a lot of folks don’t like to hear - the fear of the Lord.  This morning he preached from Proverbs – a book full of wisdom and advice. The fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge. Not many people today have the fear of the Lord. It’s so very important that it is mentioned 18 times in the book of Proverbs alone. If God says something, He means what He says and He says what He means. When you think of fear, you think of terror, and anxiety. This feeling of fear can be replaced by reverence, awe, and respect.  God is not respected any more in our society as He has been banned from schools, government offices, and some public places. God is the Master and we are the servants. We recognize and respect Him as Master, Creator, and Father. If we recognize this, it will manifest itself in obedience, a desire to do what pleases the Lord. Genuine fear of the Lord produces obedience. If you fear the Lord and have holiness with Him it will project on the outside as well as on the inside. The outside projection is from your holiness on the inside. We need the fear of the Lord in our lives. The fear of the Lord reproduces itself in your mind as well as in your life. Did you realize that God’s promises are conditional? He will keep His promises to you, with no strings attached, if you reach out to Him. That is the condition. We want God to be faithful – are we faithful to Him? Resentment and guilt are produced from fear and that fear robs us of the joy in today. The fear of the Lord produces confidence and gives you a refuge in God. We are assured that He is on our side. The fear of the Lord will bring spiritual blessings into our lives. A decision has to be made to walk in that fear (think are, reverence, and respect). If you fear Him, He will honor you.

There is an unspoken prayer request for medical tests tomorrow – let those tests bear favorable results.