Fall Housekeeping

Since it is very hot outside this time of year in S Texas, we spend afternoons indoors, keeping cool. This week we decided to do some fall housekeeping. We started with the bedroom (and are not done yet!). After going through clothes and other items stored in the closet, I began to wonder where all this "stuff" came from. To quote our daughter, Christine, "Mom, get rid of all your stuff so we don't have to". Compassionate, isn't she? After working in the bedroom for two days, I think I can see her point of view. We still have one half of the closet to do, as well as under the bed. Thinking about all this stuff, I began to wonder  if we accumulate as much "clutter" in our spiritual life as we do in our earthly life.  We forgive, but do we hand it over to God and go on with our lives, or do we continue to hold on to it? We turn our troubles over to Him, but do we still worry and fret?? We pray and ask for answers, and when they don't come fast enough, do we give up praying or even begin to doubt God?  When things go terribly wrong do we ask "Why, Lord" instead of  accepting God's will and rely on the fact that He will never forsake us? I think I will spend time as I am  physically cleaning to do a lot of spiritual cleaning also - not just one week out of the year, but every day of the year. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding".
Proverbs 3:5  I have this verse written a small plaque, in Spanish, hanging over my computer to remind me every day of God's infinite grace.

donation to Great Oaks clothing ministry - this stuff came from our bedroom - where DID I have it stashed?

We had another beautiful moon this last week , but not nearly as beautiful as the Harvest Moons I experienced in Wisconsin in the fall - when the moon seemed to fill the evening sky with it's orange brilliance. Those were amazing Indian Summer days before the cold winter set in. Fall is, and always was, my very favorite time of year.

 

 the eerie light of the moon

 and then the clouds moved in

 

 

 

There is a gorgeous tree on the road to church that I always want to photograph, but seem to forget my camera. Today I did get a photo of it, but it is not as beautiful as it has been. Every Sunday morning I look forward to seeing it's blossoms - they always make me smile and stare in wonder at God's majestic creation.

 

 

look at the way someone has trained the tree to grow - usually it is exploding with purple flowers

  This morning, Pastor Israel honored teachers and students, as many are heading back to school, We held a "back to school drive" for school supplies and backpacks for those who needed them. His wife, Becky, emphasized the anticipation of a new school year and how sometimes that anticipation wears off somewhere along the way. Israel's sermon, "Teach Me your Way", based on Psalm 86:11-13 reminded us of David's devoted trust in the time of trouble. God wants to teach us His way, as we are all teachable. All we have to do is ask God to teach us so we can live life in the love of God. A truly inspirational sermon for teachers, students, and all of us in general.

 

We were able to pass out the school supplies as well as some produce to those who were in need. It warms our hearts to see the smiles of thanks from those who understand that it is through the love of Jesus Christ that we are able to provide for them.     

 

 volunteer teachers helping students with their school supply needs

 

free produce for those in need, limes, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, sweets, tortillas, broccoli, and peppers

Let us pray for all the students, teachers, and even parents as another school year begins, that students are eager to learn, that teachers are willing to help them learn, and for parents to work with teachers and students alike to make this a  amazing school year for all.  "Now all the glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish more than we might ask or think".

 Ephesians 3:20

 

                                   

Summer Musings

It has been fairly hot here in S Texas - but I woke up to thunder the other morning which produced a nice morning rain. The flowers and the earth just slurped it up and seemed to say "AHHHH".

We volunteered Thursday at the resale shop for CHI - things were very slow as it always seems to be this time of year. When the Winter Texans return and start cleaning house, we will be getting a lot more donations as well as shoppers. But it is nice to have the time to visit with the regulars who come in -  even they complain about the heat. I feel blessed that we can accomplish all our outside chores in the morning and then retire to the cool indoors for the afternoon. Hanging out clothes is a great pleasure of mine, even though it is hot. Amazingly God has provided a natural clothes dryer, as well as a way to bleach the whites!!! It gives me the opportunity to observe His creation - the birds, insects (even those pesky ants who really bite hard) the flowers, even noise of everyday living.

The food and clothing ministry for Great Oaks Community Church has been slowly growing to the extent that we share the bounty with another church. Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida (New Life Baptist Church) receives a portion of the donations from our efforts - spreading out again the love of the Savior through provision to others.

Glena and Juanita from Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida received lots of tomatoes, bananas, peppers, and limes for distribution.

We traveled to Progreso Mexico on Saturday to pick up some medication for ourselves as well as some for other friends and noticed that the Border Patrol was out in full force, assisted by the Texas State Patrol. We often see them on the way to the border,  but it seems as if there were service vehicles as well as vans every mile or less along the way. We believed that the crossings from South American countries had slowed down - perhaps there was a large group coming across. We did not see anyone, but these men were on the alert. We pray for these people who are trying to flee an unsafe environment, but also praying for our government to find a solution to the problem.

 

Plans for our God's Worthy Retreat in February are really coming together. Those of us on the leadership team can breathe a sigh of relief as we have confirmed a speaker whose theme is forgiveness, something that each and every one of us can relate to. Where I first contacted her earlier I wondered if this was the person God intended to speak to our ladies. As we all prayed about decisions that same week, there were three instances when forgiveness was presented to me through daily meditations, readings, and even a Sunday sermon. I feel that God was giving me a message. Again, after talking to her last week to confirm with her, I know that God intends for her to bless us with her presence, as she had just received reports that she is cancer free after 7 years!!! Praise the Lord! What a wonderful testimony for her to relate to others.

 

Please pray for the Church @ Alamo Rec Veh for the coming year, as we begin to prepare to bring the Word of the Lord to others. We ask for order, discernment, and the ability to reach others - believers and unbelievers both. We ask that everything we do  we do for the Glory of God - all for Him and nothing for ourselves.  

 

Praying that all of you are enjoying a wonderful summer, and that teachers,  parents and children alike are preparing with anticipation the coming school year (yes, school starts here in S Texas for some this coming week).

 

 

Refugees or Immigrants

There has been so much information and misinformation regarding those coming across the Southern border at the Rio Grande River. Many of them are from South American countries where violence is a daily occurrence, where children's lives are truly in danger. I cannot imagine being a parent and sending my young child to a foreign country (traveling through another very dangerous country to get there) in the care of the unscrupulous coyotes whose only goal is collect the money (sometimes up to $25,000 per person), assaulting the children, sometimes killing them, and otherwise make everything very unpleasant for them. After arriving at the US border, these refugees are told to surrender to the authorities, where they are housed for a short time in area safe houses. Many refugees are clinging  to scraps of paper with names, phone numbers, and addresses of relatives here in the US who will provide funds for them to travel to these relatives. The refugees are told to report for a future hearing to see if indeed they are afraid for their lives.  These refugees go to their relatives, meld into society, never to be heard from again. Either they did not understand or choose to ignore the need for a hearing. The greatest danger are the Mexican  gang members on the American side who coheres the young refugees to become gang members, promising them large amounts of money and continuing the violence on the American side. This is very evident in this area. Another situation that has evolved is many of these refugees are from other countries - including China and Shi Lanka. Just last week a group of  young Asians were picked up by border agents on the US side - they could not speak English and had no idea they were in the US. It was very hot and you could see that they were in need of water and some shade. There is even the possibility of death  as there were a few bodies found close to homes and the help they needed. The situation is a pressing concern. We drove around yesterday near an area where they cross - it was swarming with border agents, on land and in the river in boats but did not see any one trying to cross. As we drove along the river, I wondered how it would feel to be so determined to get to a free country that I would risk my life and the lives of my family to get there.  How blessed we are to live where we do.  Please pray for the entire situation, that our officials come to a resolution to the problem. It is in God's hands, according to His plan.

This week has been very warm (some people would say hot) with promises of rain, but none in sight. I think it rained last night, as the roads had a few small puddles on them. So we water often, taking care to water some of the neighbor's lawns and flowers also. The cacti seem to love it, as many are blooming all over the park, including mine.

We have been substitute volunteering at CHI resale store, taking over when someone is sick or gone for some other reason. Sales are slow, as again, no one wants to be out in the heat. We enjoy it, as we get to visit with those who come in, especially those whom we have not seen in awhile. The food and clothing ministries are continuing as usual, with more and more people seeming to be in need.

There are so many people from our park who have had surgeries, knee and hip replacements, broken bones, and other physical aliments. Please pray that they will have timely healing in order to return to return to the park this fall. Pray for Chaplain Bill and Ali and us also as we begin to prepare for the coming season here at Alamo Rec Veh Park. Pray that everything we do is for the glory of God, and nothing for ourselves, that everyone's heart would be touched.   

Age is just a number

Today is Fred's 73rd birthday - but what does that really mean??? Yes, 73 years ago today he was born at home to Fred and Elizabeth Preuss, the oldest child of eventually 3. He lived a fairly normal life as the son of a daily farmer in Central Wisconsin, grew up in the area.  married me, raised 4 daughters, built 2 homes, partially built another one, was an over the road truck driver for many years, retired in Arkansas, then worked for another 7 years before finally retiring and then traveled for a few years in an RV. OK, sorry if this sounds like an obituary, but in a way it is. It was the end of a former life and the beginning of a new one. Fred, as well as all of us, only has one life, so far for him 73 years of that life, 876 months of those years, 319740 days of those months  (not counting leap years),7,673,760 hours of those days, and 46,042,560 seconds of those minutes. Wow -  a person cannot even fathom counting that high. So does age really matter? What matters is what we do with all those seconds. Somewhere along the line, Fred and I changed direction, answering God's calling to use all of the remaining time we have to serve the Lord - in whatever capacity He leads us. So if you are only 20 or even 65, listen to the voice of the Master. You don't have to give up your job, or home or even your family. Just follow His commands, be kind and generous to everyone, don't judge lest you be judged, don't harbor bitterness, anger, or jealousy. In other words, live the best life God has blessed you with - who knows where you will be when you are 73!!!! Whenever someone asks our age, I have to stop and figure it out - I never really dwell on numbers. So for a birthday present, we went to Baskin Robbins - the best ice cream ever.

This week we are dog sitting again during the day - our neighbor had back surgery, so we watch Missy and Sissy while her husband is at the hospital with her. The surgery was more extensive than the doctors thought and Bessie is in a lot of severe pain. Please pray for the pain to subside, and that she is able to come home from the hospital soon. The dogs are really very good - very well behaved, and mild mannered. The worst thing they do  is rat up my rugs in the bathroom for some odd reason. It is cooler in there, so they go in, scratch around, rat up the rugs, and then come prancing out. Right now they napping on the couch - their favorite pastime.



Sissy and Missy - they love to pose for pictures - as you can see, they leave their toys all over the place.

This has been a week of experimenting with new recipes. When everyone returns from their Northern homes, everything becomes extremely busy, especially with the food/clothing ministries, soup kitchen, CHI Bible studies, and the church work here at the park. We still do hospital and home visits to those in need during the summer, but it is a time to relax a bit and try new recipes, work on details for the ladies retreat so everything is in place long before the big day, research the Internet for church ideas and music,  and catch up on housekeeping duties. Tomorrow night I am going to tackle making chili rellenos using big, beautiful poblano peppers. Have lots of dehydrated peppers and cherry tomatoes, and will try mangoes next. Probably in January, I will begin to wonder why there is only 24 hours in a day, but I do love the busyiness of it all.

 

Today we welcomed back Pastor Israel and family from their much needed vacation. They seemed relaxed, but yet tired from all the traveling. He delivered a great message by  using Luke13:10-17 as a guide. Jesus healed a woman whose back was bent over for 18 years. He was preaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath - when one of the rulers chastised Him , saying that it was against the law to do so. But the interesting part of the story is that the woman was in "church" on the Sabbath day. She didn't stay home, feeling sorry for herself. Imagine the miracle she would have missed if she stayed home!!!! I am not trying to say that going to church on Sunday makes a person a Christian. But the perseverance of worshipping every week seems to get our priorities in order. Sometimes by Saturday, we begin to lag a bit in our faith, we begin to lose sight of the end reward, we begin to doubt His everyday presence. When we attend church we are encouraged by other Christians,  rejuvenated in the Holy Spirit, renewed in the Lord, and ready to do battle with the world. God does want to have a relationship with us, and by worshipping through song and study, we rebuild that relationship that the world wants to tear apart. We are so blessed that we can worship however, when, and wherever we please. "I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord". Psalm 122:1

 

Everyone have a wonderful week, enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day!!! God is good!

Angels

Today, Pastor Israel, Becky, and daughter Rachael are on a much needed vacation.  Vacation Bible School just finished, so it was time for them to relax before the fall season starts - Rachael will soon be back to teaching school, so the time was perfect for them to schedule time off. Brother E. Rios presented a message that took quite a turn for me. Acts 8:26 and following tells the story of Phillip and the Egyptian eunuch
which points to the idea of listening to God's direction and following it. Obedience, patience, and sensitivity to God's leadership is of the utmost importance. As Brother Rios began to tell the story, something seemed to jump out at me. An angel spoke to Phillip - it doesn't say if the angel appeared to Philip or just spoke to him. Would you or I know when an angel spoke to us or even appeared to us??? Most angels today look like just you and I - how do we recognize them??? Do we know that if when we are assisted in time of danger or distress that the person who assisted us was an angel??? When we help out someone in need - is that person an angel or only someone whom we choose to aid. Follow your instincts - be loving and kind always - you never know when you are in the company of angels.

Did anyone else notice the beautiful moon this past week? God created night and day for so that we would have  manageable portions of time, much easier for humans to handle. Darkness enables our body to produce melatonin  which is a signal to go to sleep. Amazing how God covered all the bases with His creation!!!



the top bright light is the moon

an amazing close up

I have started walking again in the early evening when it cools off a bit - wow - do I need to do this every day!!! I cannot get too far before I have to turn around and head for home - but each day I will walk a bit farther - hopefully I will soon be back to 3 miles again. Often I take my camera and am rewarded with great pictures, other times it is just an albatross around my neck. But walking gives me time to reflect on the day's events - wondering if I missed an opportunity to connect with someone on a spiritual level. A funny note - this morning I called in a RX at a local Walgreen's - the clerk told me they would be ready in about an hour. I related to him that we were on our way to church so there was no hurry - we would pick them up on the way back. His reply was. "Oh well, have fun at church"???? What was that supposed to mean?  I enjoy going to church - the peacefulness in the thought that I cannot do anything else at the time but praise God - the fellowship with other church members  and learning something new as in the case this morning, learning a new twist to an old story. Fun? Maybe he was right - church IS fun.

 

if you look close, you will see a duck family on the bank

can't wait until these green oranges are ripe

such a beautiful orange color

 

I dragged out my dehydrator this week as we received some ultra sweet red and yellow peppers and a huge supply of cherry tomatoes. The dried peppers will be wonderful in soups and stews this winter, or re hydrated and used in omelets. I will add oil, garlic, and a bit of salt to some of the tomatoes for salad garnishes, in pasta dishes, or to just eat (mucho gracias to my brother, Bob, for the idea).

 

Please pray for the families of those killed in the Malaysian airplane this past week. Pray for our world, and especially our nation in this time of unrest -  it is difficult to keep in mind that God is in control, even though Satan seems to be loose on earth.  

 

 



 

 

  

Cooling Rain

Normally, this time of year in South Texas is hot, hot, hot and dry. So far this summer we have not yet reached 100 degrees and we are almost halfway through July. This past week we have had at least 3 cooling, soft rains. Our cacti are again blooming, something the doesn't usually seem to happen. We are very blessed so far with a warm and relaxing summer.

Friend Judi invited us to go to a gospel jam this afternoon so we decided to change from our quiet Sunday afternoon routine and accompany her. It was fun - listening to older hymns, Southern gospel,  and even some original songs performed by those who seem to love to sing to the Lord. The last portion of the program included requested songs from the audience. There are many music jams throughout the Valley in the winter months, but once a month in the summer at a near by park Gospel Music is featured. It was a nice break for a change, and the music was truly inspiring.

Thursday evening we drove across the border with a few others to Reynosa for RIN graduation. There were 17 children graduating, from kindergarten (just called kinder at RIN) through college. This year we had two college graduates - Julio and Uriel.  Julio lived off campus in Reynosa with his grandmother as he finished his education as an engineer. Much to everyone's surprise, it was announced that he recently married!!!! He has a job and is ready to become a productive Mexican citizen. We are hoping that his achievements will be a model for all of the RIN kids. Uriel also graduated from college with a degree in architecture and has a position waiting for him. Uriel will continue to live at the Haven until at  least December, hopefully absorbing the lessons in budgeting, housekeeping, etc. He, too, will be able to become a representation of what hard work and diligence will lead to. Uriel gave a short speech, reflecting on his former life before coming to the Haven years ago - that living in that particular environment would never have allowed him to made his dreams come true. Our Paty, who is attending junior high in Reynosa,  has great dreams of continuing her education and becoming a lawyer.  We were so blessed when a friend and fellow volunteer at CHI made the trip across with us and became the unofficial translator. We were able to communicate with Paty and Belinda as never before - the ability to do so made the evening so much fun, with lots of questions, answers, and laughs!!! The goals that all of the graduates have already reached are amazing - instilling in them the knowledge that through God, all things are possible. These children were the lucky ones, they were saved from the streets, taught about the love of Jesus, and given the opportunity to excel. One of our young men left the Haven 3 years ago. After much counseling and pleading to stay and continue his education,  the pull of the streets was too strong to keep him at the Haven. Sadly to say, we found out that he met a very violent death in the streets, most likely at the hands of the drug cartel. We mourn the loss of him, knowing that we cannot save them all, but we will do so one at a time. Not only do we lose some children, some of the house parents hear the call of Our Lord to serve in other areas and make the decision to follow His command. Arturo and his family felt the Lord calling them to another refuge in a neighboring state in Mexico and felt that God was asking them to change direction. We are sad to see them go, but are glad in the knowledge that others will benefit from their loving leadership.

presents for the graduates

let the party begin

Belinda looks a bit grumpy - but later on, through translation, she laughed and giggled with us

the Senoritas were late to the party - guess Paty's hairdo was one of the reasons!

Uriel (with the help of Betsy's translation) told his story

the proud graduates -

 

all ages, moving on to the next step in their lives

imagine our surprise to see Paty in glasses - always with her beautiful smile

Arturo and his family asking for everyone's blessing and prayers, while the tears flowed

It was really ironic (or was it) that Pastor Israel's sermon this morning revolved around the fact that children are a gift from God, that they are to be dedicated to God, and instructed in the ways of the Lord, and not of the world. Many parents leave that instruction to the teachers,  not really knowing what is being taught, especially at those early learning stages of their little lives. It is our responsibility as parents, grand parents, great grand parents, friends, and neighbors, to instill in children God's place in their lives, to teach them what the Bible says, and to show them through our actions and words what it means to be a true child of God. Read  I Samuel,  chapters 1 through 3 to see how Hannah dedicated her son to the Lord.

 

Yesterday we went to the pulga (Mexican flea market) next door to our park for the first time this year. It is huge, with many long aisles of merchandise for sale. If you cannot find what you are looking for at the pulga, you probably won't find it anywhere. The prices are very reasonable, but the ambiance is the main attraction. Stands and stalls of everything imaginable, families shopping together, music, smells of food cooking, fresh fruits, and leather boots! A fun shopping experience, even if it is just "window shopping". A great time to exercise, too, as a person walks the long rows of stands.

 tools of all kinds

 candy anyone?

 the sign says it all

 fun stuff

 one of the many long aisles

 t-shirts of all colors

 generators - where does all this stuff come from?

 clothes - some new and some used

 fishing poles for the sportsman

 also all sorts of camo

 larger items

 for your decorating needs

yes - you are seeing correctly - tombstones - there are also stands where funeral directors assist you with your funeral plans

 

 

Keep all Vacation Bible School classes in your prayers this month, as we instruct the little ones in the way of the Lord.

 

Malanga and Other Interesting Things

Luckily, Fred and I both are eager to step out and try new foods. In Wisconsin, we had our first taste of fried alligator, which was delicious and in  Arkansas, we have sampled and loved Paw Paw. Here in South Texas there are many food items that we have never seen or heard of before, but this week was one which even  the Mexican people were a bit leery of. It is a vegetable called malanga coco. or just malanga. It originates in Cuba and Costa Rica and is very similar in taste to a potato, a bit sweeter maybe with a nutty taste. It looks like a log - yep, just like a log you would put in the fire place. After asking around a bit, and some Internet searching, we decided to cut the bark like skin off, slice it, and then cube it, saute it in a bit of olive oil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It was very good - better than American fried  potatoes!!! We also made some mango salsa from the smaller sweeter mangoes - which was also good. How many times do we not step out in faith and give something new a try?? Be it for our physical needs or better yet, our spiritual needs. God is always testing us, pushing us onward, giving us a chance to push forward as He continues to lead us. He would not ever expect us to do anything that He has not already done. Who knows - maybe you will discover your malanga - your wonderful surprise for just making that first step.

malanga coco

this is a small one - there are some much, much larger

strange looking veggie

after a difficult time getting the skin off, it is cubed and ready for the pan - notice the strange pink coloring

It seems that this week was all about food - we took our coupons and went with neighbors Ron and Carole to the Kolache factory on Saturday morning (buy3, get 3 free!) and as we were coming home, a family was along  side of the road, selling cantaloupes. I love the pick up trucks along the road way, selling all sorts of wonderful produce as well as homemade items, and especially the baskets for holidays. We also saw some resourceful young men selling 800 count sheet sets for $20.00. What a deal. We did each buy a cantaloupe - it was also fresh and delicious.

perfectly ripe and sweet

 

 

On Monday CHI Director, Betsy Chicon, hosted a luncheon for the resale store summer workers. We often do not get to see each other, as there are few activities at CHI or even at the Haven in Reynosa. The church teams are usually here in the summer, so that keeps Betsy and her husband, Randall, fairly busy in Reynosa. This was a typical themed luncheon - the theme being the pink flamingo. a peculiar bird. In 1 Peter 2:9 the phrase "peculiar people" appears - meaning special and set apart. Betsy emphasized that we as volunteers at CHI are set apart by God to be used to make the kids at RIN a peculiar generation. We were treated to  Church's chicken, cole slaw and beans made by Betsy's Mother-in-law from Costa Rica, and special ice cream sundaes. Oh no, food again.

 

 summer CHI volunteers

 Director Betsy, explaining about peculiar people

 chicken dinner

this was not mine, but one lady made this sundae look inviting!

 

Pastor Israel's sermon this morning warned us to avoid the Big Blunder - the gross error or miscalculation we make in our lives without thought or consideration. David made many blunders, all leading to the death of his own son. God said David was a man after His own heart - how can that be after the many sins David committed. What David did after his sin made all the difference in the world. He turned back to God and recognized God's greatness  and  love and he was forgiven. Just as we are forgiven if we repent and ask for forgiveness. Read  2 Samuel 11:1-17, 26 and 27 for the whole story. God sent Nathan to confront David, making David realize what he had done. See 2 Samuel 12:1-15.   Before you make that big blunder, think ahead to the consequences, recognizing the fact that as humans we do make big blunders. What we need to do is avoid the blunders - don't take that first step.  And remember, what we do after we sin makes all the difference.