Release

We have been partially released from shelter at home lock up as of last Monday. I was really surprised when some of the restaurants were opened that there were not lines of people trying to get in. Things are pretty quiet in that area, but there were long lines people standing 6 feet apart, waiting to get into malls! How crazy is that? I cannot relate to being able to shop more freely and then standing in line to get into a  mall. Guess I never was a big mall shopper. I just feel blessed that I can go grocery shopping and not have to stand in line or find the shelves empty. I am sure soon we will be able to return to normal living - although I do believe we will have a new normal.

As we were doing some food pickup the other day, I noticed a huge billow of black smoke coming over the border from Mexico. It seemed to have been carried for miles in the sky - black and ugly looking. Found out later that it was a junk yard just over the border on fire. It really made me think that that smoke was just like rumors and gossip. It started out small, then carried in the wind for many miles, ugly and dark. Once it had been released, it was impossible to call it back, nor change it's path. Just stop and think of the effect it has on everyone and everything - be careful of what you say and do not get involved in idle gossip. Even if you are with a group who is gossiping and say nothing, just being there creates suspicion.

junk yard burning in Mexico

We are still doing 2 distributions a week as long as there is enough produce for everyone. Luckily, we are still getting an abundant supply to help fill everyone's need. This last Friday, the girls who help us decided to make us all a cool drink. We had received pineapples, oranges, and limes. Sometimes some of the produce is not good enough to hand out, so it goes in a box to be feed to the animals that the people have. So the girls took a bad pineapple, cut out the good parts, squeezed some oranges and limes, added a bit of brown sugar that was donated, added ice, and Wow what a wonderful, refreshing drink. It was a warm sunny day so it really hit the spot. Earlier that day, one of the girls brought us fresh coffee, and some sort of baked item. It looked like a pancake, but was the consistency of an Italian pizelle. It was very good - tasted almost like a pizelle without the anise flavor. The ladies spoil us a lot!

The weather has been unseasonable hot , especially for this time of year. We definitely need rain,and a bit of cooler weather. Most of the folks who leave early but were still here left on Thursday and Friday, so the park is very quiet and settling  in for the summer season. As things slowly open up, we anticipate that we will be getting busy with more donations, but until then we continue find time for some down time for us..

I have been keeping busy reading (thank goodness we have a library here in the park with a lot of reading material!), and sewing. So far have finished 3 queen size quilt tops and a wall hanging, as well as made two covers for Bibles which were in great need. Also have made a few masks for ourselves - everywhere you go people are wearing masks - a  lot of business require that a person wear a mask to enter. Fred has been doing a bit of honey-do work, and getting caught up on old westerns! 

Church online this morning with Prairie Grove Christian Church and Pastor Vance Eubanks. Vance has been preaching on the "The Story" - the Bible in the form of a novel. Today's sermon  was the last chapter in Acts - Paul's final book in Acts. Today, as well as in Paul's time, we are looking for hope and security in troubling times.Paul is in prison finally in Rome after 3 journeys of  spreading the word. He is not in a prison as such, but sort of under house arrest (shelter at home?). He spent the time writing letters to the churches which became many books of the Bible. He was finally released and traveled a few more years, continuing his work. Then began troubling times. Nero became ruler (a bad one at that) and burned Rome, blaming it in the Christians. Paul was again arrested in Rome where he wrote his last letter - this one to Timothy. He encouraged him and all of the followers to continue to race to spread the word of God, just as God is encouraging us to do today. How do we carry this to our generation? We need to guard our confidence - God's got this. It is always in the middle of a struggle that you need to place your trust in God the most. The enemy will attack your circumstances to undermine your confidence in God. Your circumstances do not need to determine your level of confidence. Guard the gospel. Keep it unharmed and unchanged. The methods of spreading the gospel has changed but not to message itself - the way to God is through Jesus Christ. Because the gospel is valuable, it is vulnerable. God won't give you a job without giving you the power to get it done. Nothing can keep us from sharing our hope in Christ. The church of God will not be stopped.