Its so close now

Born Unto You
 Luke 2:8-14

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Guess where we are?

TEXAS

TEXAS

TEXAS

TEXAS

If anyone is reading this who doesn't know us well or hasn't been following this blog long you may not understand.

For those of you who know us you'll understand my excitement.

We've felt drawn to Texas for at least a year now and we're finally here.

We're staying at the 5 Star RV Park between Tyler and I-20. We plan to stay here for at least a week. We need repair to our bedroom closet slide and will be making arrangements for that with whichever Titanium dealer can get us in soonest after Christmas. We're going to call locations near Ft.Worth and near San Antonio.

We've only been here for a few hours but I feel confident in recommending this park to anyone who is traveling through this area. Its not a big park and they don't offer laundry or propane but the manager is an extraordinary woman and the Christian love is overwhelming. Mijo pulled me down a nice hiking path, around a pond and made me run till I was out of breath. Funny how much excercise he needs after being cooped up in the truck all day. ha ha

We've been rolling for a week so its time to sit still for at least a week. I need to do laundry, send a package to Iowa, balance accounts, celebrate Jesus' birthday and go to the zoo!  ;-)

More later .......

PRAY OFTEN

LIVE WELL

LAUGH OFTEN

LOVE MUCH

For Sheila; to satisfy your sqeak ;-)

Each and every day we are reminded just how BLESSED we are in this life. I thank the Lord for everything and today was no different. 

While we were in North Carolina we experienced an Angel Food Host Site that accepted orders on line. We decided we should share Angel Food with others for Christmas and ordered 2 basics and 6 specialty boxes as gifts. We are blessed to be able to share with others and it feels so good. This morning, while going through a pile of mail, I opened a check from one of Bubba's previous employers which covered all the Angel Food gifts and most of our order. This was one of those "out of the blue" kind of windfalls that is completely unexpected and always at the perfect time.

My Dad has always told me that if you give you will receive and it has been proven to me over and over.  I thank you for teaching me that, Dad, and I thank you for being a living example of your word. 

On to other topics for the day. Tonight we sit in Vicksburg, Mississippi. We're right along the river and the Mississippi and Louisiana state line. Its not a picturesque park this time or somewhere we would like to spend a couple days; just a convenient place to spend the night with a free shuttle to the buffet. ha ha ha  Tomorrow morning we head West and will set down in Tyler, Texas. Monday we need to contact a Titanium RV dealer for service as we have a cable fraying and about to snap on our bedroom closet slide out. Its not easy to work around the closet being in, but it beats being stuck in the woods near Birmingham and not being able to bring it in. I had promised to tell you about the Cherokee Campground in Helena, Alabama ........ but ......... if I can't find anything nice to say I choose to say nothing at all.

Its likely the RV dealer, who is NW of Ft.Worth, may not be able to get to us until after Christmas so we are prepared to spend the week and the holiday in Tyler. I'm sure we can find a church who will welcome us and let us celebrate Jesus' birthday with them. 

I better go. Bubba and Mijo are snoring away in the chair next to me. Its cool enough here to get a good night's sleep. The last couple nights in Alabama was so humid that we had to turn the air on to be able to breathe. I don't think we'll have the problem from here out. Looks like the weather will be nice with a little rain in our near future. 

More later ......

PRAY OFTEN

LIVE WELL

LAUGH OFTEN

LOVE MUCH

We learn something new every day

We learn as we go. The photo below was taken out our back window at the Ivy Acres Lodge and RV Park between Greenville & Piedmont South Carolina. You can imagine just how much Mijo is appreciating this park! 

What we've decided is to plan only one stop at a time, while traveling, and stay for at least two nights. I look ahead but don't make reservations or print out a route. 

When you stop for only one night, as we did between Arkansas and North Carolina, you don't get to see or utilize anything these wonderful RV Parks and communities have to offer. It takes the fun out of travel. When you stop for two or three nights you get a chance to visit with park owners, walk hiking trails, cook a meal in the crock pot, bake some bread and appreciate life between rain showers.

This is a beautiful park on 75 acres just West of Greenville, South Carolina. They have better than 30 full hook up sites with great views and lots of leg room.

They offer a gorgeous lodge to be rented for a weekend, week or month that sleeps up to 10 people. The park is set on a river and also has a little fishing pond. Due to the draught the pond is 1/4 it's typical size, but is still fun to walk around.

If you or anyone you know are ever in the area, please send them to Ivy Acres where Chuck & Debbie Hill and their daughtor Ivy will take very good care of you.

http://ivyacresrvpark.com/

Tomorrow we are heading West once again. Our destination park is in Helena, Alabama, on the West side of Birmingham. Will let you know what we find.  ;-)

More later ......

PRAY OFTEN

LIVE WELL

LAUGH OFTEN

LOVE MUCH

What a beautiful place and time

I can't even begin to tell you how our time at Hope Farms changed us forever. We experienced so many fun an interesting things, met so many loving and special people and grew in our faith in each wonderful day. We played, we baked, we shopped, we prayed, we worked, we learned and we ministered to one another.

Eddie and I got close enough to share a head cold! HA HA HA

The rowdy roosters escaped the boiling pot for another month, but possibly not past Christmas. 

CJ showed us how well he can care for "his little boy"

Our Lord has blessed us in so many ways. This experience is another we will remember forever and wish to re-live some time soon.

More later .......

PRAY OFTEN

LIVE WELL

LAUGH OFTEN

LOVE MUCH

The reason for the season

Christmas is nearing. In less than three weeks now we will celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

As I sit at my picture window I ponder; how I will explain to my family my anxiety driven hesitence to return to Iowa for Christmas? I think about what Christmas is and where my mind should be focused. 

One topic that comes to mind, the least important on the issue, is how people picture the physical form of Jesus. It seems to be an instinctive action to picture the Holy Family in a physical form similar to our own, similar to the norm for our nationality. Its likely not intentional, likely not predjudice, simply another way to feel close to them. 

For some reason this tendency has become a bit of a pet peave for me. It shouldn't bother me and I pray that I will lose my sensitivity on the issue, but I brissel when I see portraits of Jesus with sandy colored hair and blue eyes. Because of this, when searching for a nativity scene to wallpaper my computer, I chose the one you see. When I, in my mind's eye, imagine Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, this is what I see.

No matter what you imagine when you think about Jesus and his birth, THINK ABOUT JESUS AND HIS BIRTH! That is the reason for the season and why we celebrate CHRISTMAS, not "the holidays". 

More later ......

 

Me and my Bud

Finding Nemo is my favorite movie; how bout' you?

;-)