Socks Anyone?

Last week I received 2 pair of new socks, red and white stripes and the other one blue with white stars) in my mailbox. Not wrapped or sent in the mail, but just socks in my mailbox. This week I received another two identical pair. Now this was getting really strange – my first thought was that they seemed patriotic to me, so I wracked my brain to try to figure out if someone was trying to rattle my brain or what! After asking around for a few days, I finally found out the culprit. Our mailboxes here at the park are taken care of by just one lady everyday – she puts up the mail and then a sign indicating that the mail is up. OK – she should know how they got there, as no one else in the office knew. Finally, the answer – it was the mail lady She received them from Wounded Warriors for a donation and thought perhaps they could go to the colonies!!! What a great surprise. Many thanks to Bea for the socks.

A very busy week -it seemed that every day we were picking up or delivering donations. As we have our Christmas distribution coming up soon, folks are helping to make this one a big success. We received many bags of canned goods, pasta, rice, beans etc. as well as boxes of wonderful clothing. A lady whose husband passed away donated some very wonderful shirts and slacks, as well as almost brand-new pairs of shoes. So wonderful of her to think of others in her time of sorrow.

The article on Caring Hearts Ministry appeared in last week’s Winter Texan, so we had enough copies for all of the ladies who hep in the colonias and whose picture was featured on page to each have a copy. Although I am sure some of them could not read it as it was in English, they found someone to translate it for them.  Thanks also to Eryn, the reporter who did an excellent job on the article – focusing on the ministry and not on us, as we are just the vessel. Also featured in that issue was my Prospective – an article published for winter Texans, featuring CRM Chaplains who want to write a devotion. Mine this week was “Forgive and Forget”. Since this is the season of love and happiness, I thought it was quite appropriate for it to be published now. Following is a copy:

Forgive and Forget?

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32.

To forgive is difficult enough, but to forget is almost humanly impossible. When someone has wronged you, that wrong stays in your mind somewhere forever, but when you forgive, the wrong takes on a different scope of feelings. The memory of the wrong is there, but the effects of the wrong can change depending on how you react to the wrong. If you let it burn in your heart and simmer for years, you yourself are caught in the web of restriction. Restriction because you cannot get over the hurt, deception, or betrayal. But if you let loose of that restriction through prayer and the act of forgiveness, you have reached a new freedom – a freedom from the weight of unforgiveness weighing you down.

The word forgiveness is actually mentioned 14 times in the NIV version of the Bible, but the concept of forgiveness is actually mentioned 166 times. Forgiveness is woven throughout the message of the whole Bible. Some verses are very familiar to everyone, and some are totally forgotten or obscure. Almost every Christian has recited the Lord’s prayer instructing us on how to forgive. “Forgive others as I have forgiven you”. That type of forgiveness is the unconditional agape type of forgiveness.

What does forgiveness actually mean? According to the dictionary it is “to stop feeling anger for or about someone or something, to stop blaming, or even to stop requiring a payment. To stop feeling anger takes time for the heart to heal, to stop blaming is to realize the fault does not always fall on that one person, but perhaps even yourself, to stop requiring payment in the truest sense the actual wiping away of a monetary debt. Have you looked at the emotional sense of stopping payment of a debt? The feeling that vengeance is not for you to decide – the feeling of satisfaction when something bad happens to the person who has wronged you. When you free yourself from that type of thinking, you truly have broken the bonds of imprisonment. You will live in the freedom you will have from revenge and the feeling of ‘getting back at someone”. When you truly forgive you will find that the forgetting becomes much easier to live with. The burden is then lifted from you and you are able again to enjoy the freedom of total forgiveness.

Our second chaplains meeting of the year was yesterday. It was really quite interesting to see the newbie chaplains and their wive’s reaction to their first few weeks as an RV Chaplain (and Chaplain’s wife of course). It was quite remarkable to see the different outlooks on their first weeks – some were so positive and still excited about serving, while some were discouraged because of being a new chaplain in a park where there was previously one who was truly loved. We encouraged all of them, prayed for them, and tried to offer suggestions and ideas. The first year in a park is always difficult as everyone is getting used to the change. It really was a great time of fellowship, singing Christmas Carols and favorite hymns, followed by a lunch and more fellowship

A really interesting sermon this morning as it answered a few questions I had had running around in my mind. Paradise is the heaven we will be living in for eternity IF (there’s that word again) we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. Many believe that if they do good deeds, they will get to heaven. The only way to get to heaven is by the grace of God. In heaven we will have a brand-new body. We will have a physical existence. We will enjoy a heavenly feast. The real fuel of meal is the fellowship of others. We will be friends with great people from the Bible. (We can ask Noah what it really smelled like in the ark after all that time!!). We will recognize our loved ones. We will be people not angels. Not everyone will be in heaven, only those whose who put their trust in Jesus. Ah – now to my question- If we know who is in heaven, are we sad about His salvation to ensure that all of those loved ones will be rejoicing with you in heaven. We will rejoice in the “No Mores” – things that are not there, such as tears, pain, death, and crying. There will be no night in heaven, only the brilliance shining from Jesus. Only those whose name is written n the Book of Life will be allowed to enter. We will see Jesus face to face. You can only imagine what life in heaven will be. Will I see you in heaven – yes – if you accept Jesus as your Savior. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. John 14:6.

“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever”. Revelation 22:3-5.