A Plethora of Peeps

Since last week I have been undulated with Peeps!! My fun loving, amazing brother sent me 4 different parcels containing different flavors of Peeps. I even ventured to Wal-Met and found blue raspberry ones. So I will be in a sugar coma for the next few days. I love it!!! Oh, by the way, I went to the web-site of  the Peep manufacturer and discovered there are no pickle flavored Peeps. They never have nor is it in the process of making them. Someone evidently photo shopped the green colored Peeps and made us Peep lovers search for pickle flavor. Seriously though, putting all of this foolishness aside, we need to focus on the true meaning of Easter - especially with Ash Wednesday approaching. A lot of religions still keep to the tradition  of giving up something for Lent. I try to focus on giving, not giving up. And yet, it probably amounts to the same thing. I give up unforgiveness and pray for those who I think have wronged me. I give up the "Me" attitude and try to think of others. I try to give up speaking before I think ( which tends to be a bad habit of mine). Think about what you can give (or give up) this season.

Unbelievable flavors

I found this one at Wal-Mart

the newest flavor

Our Busy Bees Quilting group all made individual blocks of a Friendship Star which then were all incorporated into a quilt. One of our quilting ladies, who has been such an inspiration to me, just got here to the Valley after a round of cancer treatemment, so we all had voted prior to this to present her with the quilt which had a label attached which read "Busy Bees make good friends". 

Sue on the right who received this qujilt 

A truly busy week as usual, thus the reason for the late blog. We had a lot of donations - yesterday we went to a RV Park and came home with a Texas room full of clothing and other items for Caring Hearts Ministry as well as Children's Haven. A family recently bought a home nearby, went someplace for a few weeks,and came back to find their home here in the Valley totalty gutted. Someone had stolen everything - I mean totally gutted their entire home, appliances and everything.  Thanks to the donation we received, we are able to provide dishes, cooking  dishes,.linens, ect. How many times have I said that God knows before we do exactly what we need.

We went to a casual luncheon with the Chaplains form the West side of the Valley on Thursday. It was a great chance to get together, to see how their year at being a RV Chaplain  had gone(some were seasoned chaps and some were newbes). We were sad to learn that one coulpe was not asked to return to the park as chaplains - we never know why unless it is spelled out for them. We are praying for their future in CRM and hope to find a new park for them.

Saturday our park had it first Fur to Feather expo - an expo for all pet lovers. I did go to see all of the vendors even though we do not have a pet at this time.  We have had vasriuos dogs and cats throughout years and feel that the present time our lifestyle would not be fair to a pet. I would love a big dog - perhaps a husky of some sort, where Fred prefers a smaller inside dog.  A friend has a sweet Yorkie that could be fun to have that Fred loves. We shall see. I myself am more of a cat lover though - perhaps because of their attitude?

Sunday night there was a memorial service for those who had passed away in our park (either a recent or former resident). It was a very nice service honoring the loved ones who had gone on ahead to Lord. Their names were read while friends could honor them by coming forward and lighting  candle in their memory. I was surprised that I did light quite a few few candle for those who had touched my life on some way or another. A beautiful cross was handmade by a resident from cedar with shelves incorporated on it where we put the tea light candles. Many were just left at the base as the shelves were all full of glowing candles. The lights were dimmed as we sang the final hymn. It was indeed very moving.

Sunday we went to Church at Mission Bell and then to the church picnic - sort of a off-site picnic at a local park.It was really very enjoyable - lots of great food and company, gospel music in praise of our Lord, and a few testimonies. The weather was good, excep tfor the ever present S Texas wind and the fire ants who chewed up my toes!!

a large crowd

 

singing long to gospel music

Pastor Jim's message was based on Romans 8:28-30, entitled "All Good"?  All things are not good, But God works to make them good. Death, cancer, addictions, war, blasphemy are not good. God will take thing that are bad and make them good. Sodium and chloride are not good - they are poisons- but together they make salt, which in small amounts is god for our bodies. All things work together for God's purpise. There is a certainty in the cross which was  certainly not a good thing. We know Jesus die for us and our sins. In time God's pln came together. If we live by His promise, good things will happen for us. There is a completeness  in His promise. God gives us the test first, then the lesson, just the opposite of our school days. There is the cause of the promise that all things work out for the good. Pray for God's will, not our own selfish will. The promise is not automatic, it has a condition, "to them that trust in God". We must love God and cannot claim the promise ( all things work together for the good of those who love God). We need to  love God above all things, just please God above everything else. Consequences of the promise is that we have to recognize God's hand in everything that comes our way. What is the good that we in all things are working for? It is to becomel ike Jesus, to live in His image. the good does not necesseraly make us healthy or happy but will make us conformed in the image of God's Son. Something good always comes out of the bad when you love God.

Peeps

Yes, it has started! The first of the season Peeps are here, especially for those of us who are addicted to them. I stopped at Dollar Tree to pick up a couple of $ items and spotted them immediately. Now I will go on a peep hunt - trying to find all of the different flavors of peeps available in this area. I as pickle flavored ones on Facebook last year, but have been unable to find them in the store. My favorite way to eat them is to open the package and let them set for a day or two until they get a little bit crunchy on the outside. Now don’t say I didn’t warn you peep fans – they are out there now!

                                                      they are here💛💛💛

                                                    

We saw the strangest thing at Wal-Mart the other day – although there always seems to be strange things in the Wal-Mart parking lot. There was a pickup truck, with side racks built up in the bed and all painted a military sort of green. All over this truck were metal objects – small cars, bits of rusty somethings, jewelry, etc. all painted the same green color. I mean the truck was full of stuff. There were a lot of folks looking at it so decided to wait until we came out to take a pic up close. When we came out I headed over to the trick when I saw someone on the driver’s seat and was going to ask if I could take a photo when I noticed a sign which read “You are welcome to look at my truck but please do not touch it. For a donation, you can take a picture of it”. Needless to say, I did not take a picture, although this may have been his only means of income. Guess I was shocked after reading the note.

A rather quiet week for the ministry for a change. We did our normal routine of delivering to the colonias on Friday, collecting items donated to the ministry and sorting them, and of course, hauling bulk pinto beans for packaging. Our dear friend, Linda Smith, will come over on Thursday to help. She loves doing this – even when I suggest I could do it and she would not have to drive 10 mile or so to help, she replied that “Fred and I have a routine and can get it done quickly”. Guess I cannot take her blessing away.

Our Miss Opal, who is always willing to sew for the ministry, took a face first fall the other day. We stopped yesterday to chat with her and was shocked to see her whole face was black and blue, as well as a scrape on her forehead. Luckily, there were a few people around her when it happened so help was right there. She was taken to an emergency center, and proclaimed perfectly ok, except for all the bruising. She is a bit unsteady on her feet after her stoke a few years ago and really didn’t seem to know what happened. But she is feisty for sure and laughing at the whole situation, while she put a scare into all of us.

We will be attending a chaplain luncheon later this week for all of the chaplains and their wives on the eastern section of the Valley. Just an informal get together and chance to unwind for the day. It is also the day for the all day sewing of our Busy Bees quilting group, so I will attend part of that. I do like the sewing group as we all can see what the others are doing get greet ideas and helpful hints, and again, just enjoy each other’s company.

Church this morning with Pastor Jim Maxson was as uplifting as usual. We love Jim’s sermons as they come from his heart after listening to what God wants him to speak to us about. He told us an interesting side note – Wal-Mart music is in tune with the season or time of year. This last week was all about love because of Valentine’s Day. I do notice that Christmas music is played at Christmastime to keep you in the buying spirit, but did not realize it went on all year long. Will have to pay closer attention. His sermon, “Love Letters” was quite appropriate. He saw a tee shirt there at Wal-Mart which read “I Love Me” which is a picture of the problem between God and Men. Men have turned their love inward and have caused Satan to rule and nations to war. In the recent celebration of Valentine’s Dy, women wait for the resurgence of romance, while men fear the day because they don’t know what expectations are demanded from them. Relationships and love go together – you need to have a relationship with one another so you can understand each Other’s needs and wants, as well as to have love for the other person and not yourself. They are the fundamental elements of life. God created us for relationships, with each other as well as with Him. We, as Christians, are in a fight with Satan. Good’s word assures us that we may be knocked down, but never knocked out because we have the ultimate power in the word. We are never knocked out because we have an endless supply of Gods love. We have unending forgiveness. Guilt convinces us that we are losers before the battle starts. Christ justified us – “just as if we had never sinned”. If a jury pronounces us not guilty, we can never be tried for that crime or sin again. The same as with the Lord, when we are forgiven it is forever. Anything that has be given into God’s hands can never be snatched away. True love comes with a personal relationship with God. Have you come to a relationship with Him? Of not, do so today, right now.

Nuts

Yep, that is what I thought when Fred brought home several boxes - full of 1# bags of shelled walnuts. I never know what God has in store for us! When Freed told our colonia contact, Ida, about the newest contribution, she got very quiet for a minute or so. She then told Fred that she was doing a fund raiser by making cookies to sell and wanted to put nuts in some of them. She prayed and asked the Lord for the funds to purchase them. He answered her prayer - not the way she thought but the way He planned had planned! Isn't God amazing??? That has happened so many times that I should not be surprised, but am always amazed that He knows before we do what we need.

Another gorgeous day here in S Texas. Cool this morning but in the 70's this afternoon. I was outside for a bit and wondered what all the racket was. Birds hollering and squalking all over. It was very windy, so thought they were perhaps complaining that they were grounded and could not fly. I looked at the neighbors trees and saw the blackbirds all sitting there, perhaps patiently waiting for the winds to die down.

a few gathering make a big racket

a bigger congregation in this tree

Yesterday was our second to last Chaplains meeting. It seems impossible that the time has flown by so quickly. The chaplains all asked their parks for donation to Caring Hearts Ministry and came to the meeting bearing their donations. We were astounded how the people responded with all types of canned goods, clothing, blankets, pillows, etc. We unloaded everything when we got home and could not find room in the Texas room to even get around. What a blessing - both to the ministry and those who contributed. We then had to collect some food from another park today - after packing and sorting everything and loading it for delivery tomorrow Fred said that our Texas room went from total insanity to normal again - for a few days anyway.

This morning we went to Ranchero Village Park to make a presentation of Caring Hearts Ministry. This park gone above and beyond to support the ministry - they alone provided all of the canned hams we needed for the Christmas distribution. It was mentioned that the small ham was not enough for a whole family, but the ladies chopped up the ham,  add vegetables and other ingredients, and make a meal for the family for 2 or 4 days. As I gave the presentation and showed some pictures, Pastor Bob Ostermaier's sermon was cut down a bit. He did give a a short message where he impounded on verses from Matthew 25:35-40, "the King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brother of mine, you did for me'". We are called to  life of service. We are not called to live for ourselves, but to reach out to others and lead them to a life in Christ. When you leave your church on Sunday you are really entering the mission field, where you can minister to others just through your actions and words. You are given an opportunity to serve every day, don't miss it.

Cowboy Church

Saturday night friends invited us to attend Cowboy Church at another park. Years ago we attended one but for the life of me I cannot remember where! A family group played instruments - bass, violin, guitar, and mandolin and sang Christian music - some older hymns and some new contemporary music. It was very moving and powerful.The son, 24 years old, gave the message on faith - a truly inspiring sermon presented so very well. Usually the father gives the message, but Saturday was the son's turn.It was very satisfying to see a family singing and praising the Lord together. I cannot imagine 5 people (the son is married and his wife did sing one song) living in a bus. The son told the story of their wedding, as the new bride was from Canada. They filed out all the paperwork and planned their wedding according to the timeline, given a few weeks for mishaps. As it turned out, the government demanded more paperwork, and the wedding was postponed a month before it was die to take place. Now that is a true test of faith!!! The wedding did take place but at a later date.

I did get time on Friday to join the Busy Bees quilting group - I try to go on Fridays, but that is not always possible. Our park is going to have our annual quit and hobby show this week and I am going to enter one of my UFOs (unfinished object) as I have the top of the quilt done, but it is not quilted yet. The Busy Bee ladies are so helpful- giving advice and suggesting ideas to newbie quilters without seeming to be critical.Thanks ladies for making Fridays a fun day.

the finished quilt top - a bit out of my cautious nature, but I love the way it turned out

There is an outdoor stand that serves large fruit drinks at only $2 each. We went for the first time this season and I ordered my very favorite - lemonade cucumber. Maybe I can learn to make this myself - with sugar free lemonade mix and cucumbers. Fred is more adventurous than I am - he had a strawberry one with real strawberries!! I have tried the mango and the cantaloupe one also - good but a bit much.

my cucumber drink - sweetened with agave - Fred's strawberry drink in the left

We attended church services this morning at Big Valley Church where we gave presentation of Caring Hearts Ministry. This park has supported us in the past and we wanted to thank them and give an update on the ministry. Pastor Tom Borro is doing a series on spiritual warfare. We are in a warfare as Christians - but but there are weapons against the devil.God wants us to have an open clear mind in our struggles and guard against struggles and arrows in the spiritual realm The evil spirit world is real - strong and always there. In this war, there are weapons that we need to know and use, The Devil works with doubt and fear - doubt is the present and fear is the future. The Devil is the father of lies and accuser of us,We will win over him because of our faith. Feelings are very important - do you feel you have faith but sometimes can't really FEEL it?? The Lord says that if you believe in your heart you will be. God loves you regardless of how you feel. We need to have a weapon against disappointment (remember the Young main I mentioned earlier and his delayed wedding plans?). We are weak, but God makes us strong When we are disappointed, Satan will bring up discouragement. Another weapon we must use is against persecution. It will grow more as the second coming draws near. The trouble that we face in this world today is not politics,but a war against good and evil. We must learn how to deal with the devil - through God all things are possible