God's at Work

God’s at work in French Camp, Mississippi, changing lives and hearts – particularly mine! We’ve been here for more than six weeks now (okay, when I started writing this blog for the third time, it was six weeks, now it’s almost eight) and we have been busy busy busy. Sound familiar? The really great thing about this is that it’s a really good busy-ness. Rarely have we felt stretched or overwhelmed and there have been plenty of relaxing evenings and even some full days of just hanging out.

So what exactly has God been up to? Well let me tell you. You can see by all the pictures that the men have been quite busy building a fellowship hall and classrooms for the church. They have made excellent progress and all without any serious injury. Bill does come home with a few scraps and bumps, but that’s to be expected. He’s a boy playing with big boy toys. Ya gotta know there’s going to be some blood shed. We thank the Lord every day for their safety. We are also very grateful to all the wonderful people here at French Camp that are praying for the safety of our men. We praise the Lord for these dear prayer warriors. Again, since starting this writing, the trusses have appeared and Bill has been lovin’ the “high” work. Me, I can’t watch him. I take a quick picture and walk away praying earnestly for his safety. Praise the Lord, God is taking good care of him and keeping me focused on His goodness.

The next set of pictures show a few of the things I’ve been up to. I was blessed to help out in the Pottery Studio to help prep an inventory of pottery for three upcoming events. The studio is one of many ministries here at French Camp that raises funds for the Academy and provides another avenue of learning and working for the students. I did the initial three coats of glaze on many pieces so the resident artist could paint the pretty stuff.

I also helped organize clothes and books at the Double Blessings Thrift Store (another ministry of the Academy). Most of you know how much I love organizing…so this was right up my alley. I did come home with seven books but I managed to only grab a pair of jeans for me and a couple of shirts for Bill.

God used one of the student girls that I’ve made friends with who works at the thrift store to teach me a much needed lesson.  Y’all know that I like to tease and oftentimes it comes off as sarcasm (which I thought I got delivered of years ago…not). Well, we were driving pass this dear girl as she was walking to work at Double Blessings. I yelled out the window…”hey there, ya better get to work.” She didn’t look too happy so I figured she had had a rough day at school. The next day at lunch, I put my arm around her and asked her if she had a rough day yesterday. Oh my, no..that wasn't it...it was my “yelling” at her that caused her unhappy look. She had taken me seriously. I was very apologetic and she was very gracious. I told her next time I’ll call out, “Looking good. Have fun at work.” She said, that would be much better. There were two other times that I teased a student only to get a serious or concerned reaction. Help me Jesus to always be kind especially in my teasing!!! I’m practicing how to tease in a positive way. It takes a lot more thought but is really fun to do!!! Thank you Jesus for this embarrassing lesson.

One of the major events that I was helping to prepare for at the Pottery Studio was the annual Harvest Festival. That took place the second Saturday of October and what a wonderful event it was. Besides helping with the pottery, I spent a bit of time in the evenings making cards that I donated to be sold at the festival. There was an all day auction going on as well, along with making sorghum syrup the old fashion way (a horse walking in circles at the grinding mill). Speaking of horses, I’m still trying to get over my fear of riding them. They were offering rides for $2.00 and I decided to ride with one of the younger girls here. Apparently, she was holding her legs too tight on the back of the horse that it started bucking. Really, is this really happening to me when I’m trying to be brave.  It happened a second time and both of us wanted off the horse. The girl did choose to slide off the back of the horse but the handler convinced me to stay on to keep me from being more afraid the next time (if there is a next time J). So I stayed on the horse and PTL there was no more bucking. Okay, so maybe I will try again another time.

Bill is grateful for his new bow. He was invited to do some bow hunting here at French Camp on this our return trip so he brought along his old bow which he hadn’t used in more than 15 years. He was hoping to find someone to give it a “tune up” or whatever it is you do with bows that are old and haven’t been used for a long time. Honestly, I was mentally prepared for Bill wanting to purchase a new one. He wasn’t so sure. So we took a little time to think about it by touring around the area we were in. We were near Grenada so we checked out the downtown square (I love old time downtown squares.) Glad we did. We stopped in a resale shop only to find the couple who owns it is from Appleton WI (for those of you who don’t know, that’s only 20 minutes from Oshkosh). Love these “chance” encounters. They suggested we check out Grenada Lake. Hopefully, the pictures give you an idea of how beautiful it is. Well, you already know the end of Bill’s bow story. He looks happy doesn’t he? 

The project took a week off, so Bill and I decided it was time to do some renovating ourselves. We’ve talked about it since we got our motor home. Another God story for sure. We were walking around a downtown square in another nearby city when Bill spotted a flooring store on a side street. "Let's check it out," he said. Found exactly what we were looking for from a business that was so very helpful.What we thought would take two days, actually took four; but so worth it. We love our new floor! Getting rid of that ugly carpet along the slides has really made the space look bigger and, if I say so myself, quite beautiful.

This week some of the ladies and I started priming and painting some rough looking spots in the old classrooms of the church due to the foundation shifting. Trying to keep things looking nice until the church renovations reach Phase 3 (a couple years down the road) which will include these classrooms.

I’ve made a new friend here at French Camp. I pretty much had no choice J . I can’t tell you the number of times people would ask if I was related to this delightful woman or someone would call out her name as I was passing by and wave to me. You can understand why I had to get to know her. And, what better way to get to know her than to invite myself over to watch Dancing with the Stars. It’s one of the few shows I really enjoy and one of the many channels our antennae does not pick up. You have no idea how excited I was to find out that she is a bigger DWTS fan than I am and was delighted to have someone to share it with. In fact, she was in the audience of DWTS a few years back.  Talk about being a fan!!!  We have had so much fun being “related.” In fact, now we’re starting to dress alike without consulting one another. 

Bill and I took a lovely trip down to Vicksburg. We took a 16 mile drive through the Military Veterans Park and were able to walk the grounds where many battles took place, view a house that survived, and saw many memorials (including several Wisconsin ones) and read detailed civil war history signs along the way. It was truly an amazing experience. We thank God for our time there.

Our trip included a two night stay at the Duff Green Mansion B&B. We got the small economy room, but it was still lovely and the home quite beautiful and rich in history. A tour of the home followed our delicious three course breakfast. Friday afternoon we had a late lunch at a Rooftop Restaurant (great view) and then walked along the river front which had more than 20 huge historical murals painted on the flood retaining wall. Great overview of the city. On Sunday we did our own walking tour around the Mansion as there were many other beautiful homes and history to look at. On our way home, we took our time along the Natchez Trace. What normally would take a little over two hours, took us five. The Natchez Trace is a 444 mile parkway from Natchez MS to Memphis TN. It is part of the National Forest Service and there are no commercial vehicles, businesses, or billboards the entire way. There are many many historical sites and trails to take advantage of and that is why it took us five hours. We made several stops and took a few hikes. We feel so blessed by God to be able to enjoy His creation and learn about the history of our great nation in this way. 

 

We had a lovely birthday here at French Camp. Didn’t do anything special (it was a “work” day) but felt very loved. Not sure how, but word got around to a lot of folks that it was our birthday, so we had lots of greetings throughout the day and during dinner in the dining hall, everyone (students and staff and anyone else who was there) sang happy birthday to us. It is something they do for anyone who’s having a birthday but it was nice to be included in the “family.”  Got some great hugs from the students, too.

Once again, I have waited too long to finish a blog. There is so much more to tell, but this is already getting too long. I know I need to write more often but oftentimes I just don’t feel like it. And, then I wait…and wait…and wait some more. I am sorry, I’ll try to do better.

Summers gone and so are we........................ from Oshkosh, that is

Where DID the summer go? Well, I’ll tell you. It went to spending time with good friends, children & grandchildren, worshipping with our beloved church family, Share volunteering in the EAA Print & Mail Room or the Wearhouse and then the Ultralight Fun Fly Zone barn during convention, Bill volunteering in the Fab Shop and then on the Flight Line doing departure briefings during convention, birthday and wedding celebrations, grandchildren sleepovers, taking our motorhome to the RV repair shop too many times (all is good now), and getting to know our Audrey Park (on the EAA grounds) friends better. Had a lot of special times, happy times, and a few sad times. All to say it was crazy busy! Not much different than most everyone’s life these days. I have to admit, as much as we love our Wisconsin family and friends and our time at Audrey’s Park, I was ready to hit the road again to a more quiet and simplified life.

Our next project takes us to French Camp Academy in French Camp, MS. We were there last November and January and were invited back to assist in the construction of a 15,000 s.f. addition on the local church. As the academy grew, they turned the old auditorium into more classrooms leaving a great need. The church addition will serve both the church and the academy. Bill has been very excited about this project from the beginning and had wanted to leave Oshkosh in late August to be there when the first nail was pounded (is that how it’s still done? Good thing, I’m not working on the building part of things).

However, our Oshkosh exit was delayed as we had to stay and participate in a very special, long-awaited final adoption hearing (held Sept 7^th) and then to witness his dedicated to the Lord on Saturday, the 9^th. We have journeyed with these dear friends through many many disappointments as they prayed, pleaded, and waited for the Lord to bless them with a child. We count it a huge blessing to be called Grandpa & Grandma by this special little boy. Needless to say, we had to stay and rejoice with them at these two major events. Thank you Praise you Bless you Father Son & Holy Spirit.

We headed out of Oshkosh around 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 9^th hoping to make it through most of Illinois. We made excellent time, had beautiful weather, and were able to pull into an almost filled up rest area just before 10 p.m. near Waggoner, IL, between Springfield & St. Louis. It was wonderfully simple…so very convenient and felt very safe.  Loved it.

After a quick breakfast of muffins with peanut butter & jelly, we headed back out by 7:45 a.m. Before we left, Bill was checking the map as he remembered someone telling him about a better route that was more direct and kept us away from St. Louis. Well that didn’t work, so the plan was to just take the 255 By-pass around St. Louis. Well, as some of you already know from an earlier Facebook post, we made a few wrong turns and ended up going through downtown St. Louis. God has such a good sense of humor. And, I was happy to get some good shots of the Arch. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it. The other really great thing about this situation, is being a Sunday morning, the traffic was really light. Bill was more concerned about driving the rig through the city, than I was. Wow…that was a huge switch. Thank you, Jesus! 

We stopped for lunch in Steele, MO to rest a bit and to catch some news on Hurricane Irma. Our son and granddaughter, plus several friends live in Florida and we were trying to keep up with the location and impact of the storm. Grateful, that everyone is doing well and the impact was much less than anticipated.

We entered Mississippi before 3 p.m. and Bill was tempted to keep going even though he was pretty weary. We were only 180 miles from our destination which initially didn’t sound like much. But, thinking about another three hours on the road and then having to set up, we both agreed that stopping for the night was the better option. Plus, we were really hoping to find a Walmart that had nearby businesses, preferably a sports bar, where we could catch the Packer game. HalleluJAH!!! I found a Walmart with overnight parking (Bill does an amazing job maneuvering the rig around parked cars, semis, and cement curbs and I’m keeping my mouth shut as he does it…another giant Praise the Lord!) just off the highway in Hernando, MS. Lots of shops and restaurants nearby, but couldn’t see a single sports bar. Oh, what to do?!?! We walked to a sports retail shop and asked them as my googling “sports bars near me” didn’t give us much hope. We weren’t even sure if the Packer game would be on a MS station but we started walking the mile and a half to the location told to us. However, we passed by a Sushi restaurant just across from the Walmart parking lot, and decided to see if they had a television. Well, whadaya know, they not only had a television, but it was already tuned in to the Packer game. Yippee!

I'm really bad at selfies; note Packer game is on.

We were the only ones at the bar and that was fine by us. Apparently, they had lost their liquor license (it seemed like a nice place) and hadn’t gotten it back yet so they didn’t even have a bartender on duty. No pressure, just relax and enjoy the game. As the third quarter was beginning to start, Bill suggested we go back to the rig, fire up the generator, and relax a bit more comfortably to finish watching the game. He laid on the couch and I laid on the floor (which was perfect for me as my sciatic nerve was giving me some serious trouble with all the sitting we were doing). I’m not saying anymore about that. J Only, we were very happy to watch them win in the comfort of our own home!

Bill had trouble sleeping that night which is quite unusual. He wasn’t sure if he was concerned about his son and granddaughter’s safety or anxious to reach our destination; probably a little of both. Anyway, we didn’t get on the road until after 8:30 a.m. But, who cares, we only had three hours to go. Another beautiful uneventful day of driving. 

We pulled in to French Camp at 11:30 a.m. HalleluJAH! Praise the Lord, we love this place! I have to admit, it already feels like a second home. We made some good friends in our last two visits and were greeted very warmly by some and quite enthusiastically by others. Feels real good! 

Bill got to work right away and loves it. He does come home pretty tired every night but that is to be expected…he is such a hard worker and it’s been rather hot. Thus, a few of the guys decided to cool off in the pool after working all day. (If you look in the background of the picture, you can see our motorhome parked just across the road—second from end).  It’s a small crew at the moment (four guys, plus the pastor sometimes) with others expected to arrive later in the month. Walls are going up and will continue for the next two weeks or so. It’s a big building!  Everywhere we turn people thank him for being part of the crew. And, we are so grateful to be here and able to do the work. 

Something I have greatly missed as we travel from place to place is being part of a Bible study. I was thrilled to be invited to join one within hours of arriving. It is a wonderful study, with wonderful women, and I was only one week behind. I’m so excited to get caught up on the homework. Yes, I am VERY excited about doing my Bible homework. I love my daily devotions and private time with my Lord, but digging deeper with challenging questions, and then being able to discuss them with other ladies, is such a blessing beyond belief. Thank you Jesus!!!

With that said, I best be getting’ to that homework, so I’ll close for now. Be blessed & be a blessing!

We’re baaaaaaaack!

We’re baaaaaaaack! Back in Oshkosh, that is, on the grounds of EAA (Audry’s Park), and we’ve been here for about a month now. I had really good intentions of writing sooner (and I did, as the first five words of this blog were written in early June), but the days have a way of getting away from a person who wants to see so many friends and family members plus working and volunteering. 

Another important item we needed to take care of now that we were back in Oshkosh was getting our rig in for some much needed repair and annual maintenance. I don’t think I talked about it much before this but we had a serious leak in our windshield that we noticed sometime in April and knew we had to get that taken care of sooner rather than later. (Good thing as the rains have seemed to follow us wherever we go.) I must interject here how VERY grateful we are for God’s protection and safety as we now realize that we were driving all over the country with a bad windshield. Apparently, it wasn’t fitted properly in an earlier repair prior to our buying it. And it’s ONLY by the grace of God that we didn’t lose our windshield and, God only knows, what else. Thank you, Lord!

Bill wanted to wait until we were in Oshkosh, so a week after we arrived we took our rig in for repair. Long story short we had to wait another week for the windshield repair (as it was much more serious than we thought) and then ended up spending the night in Quent’s (RV repair place) parking lot because of some additional problems. It’s a most interesting life when you have to take your entire home in for repair. Just glad we are able to still sleep in it no matter where it is parked.  We aren’t done with the repairs yet. They still have to finish up one more thing; so we have to pack it up our home for the third time this month (ain’t we got fun) and drive it back (grateful the repair place isn’t even a mile away) for, hopefully, the last time this summer.

The other “fun” thing we got to do when we arrived was attempt to level out our parking spot. We were both extremely happy to have the same spot as last year. But I forgot about Bill having to make “riser ramps” out of scrap wood because the leveling jacks didn’t have enough extension and our back tires were six inches off the ground. Well, this year they would have been more like twelve inches off the ground. We were very grateful and blessed with a fairly simple and quick solution. There was both “fill” and gravel available to us to raise the back end of our lot so that no risers were needed. Bill got to play with big boy toys (front end loader), so he was happy. The shoveling all the dirt and gravel in place wasn’t quite as much fun, but we got the job done and it worked great. Okay, I admit I was a bit nervous about it not all washing away with the first rain…but after the deluge of rains we’ve had, I’ve been proven, once again, to not fret about stuff like that. I just can’t seem to help myself. Lord, help me!

Bill has been volunteering in the fab shop again at EAA as well as helping out a day or so a week for a former employer who just can’t seem to let him go. I’ve actually been going in to the physical His House Christian Fellowship admin office (boy that feels good) two mornings a week and then volunteering, at least, two afternoons a week in the EAA Print & Mail Room and/or Warehouse. We love it here on the EAA grounds, catching up with friends we made last year, meeting new ones, and having the flexibility to volunteer in a way that works for us and our crazy schedule.

Before the RVs & Campers arrive

Before the all the set up takes place.

Before the Fly Market vendors arrive

One more thing I really love about being in Audrey’s Park on the EAA grounds (1400 acres) during June, July, and August is watching the transformation from open fields and empty buildings to the thousands of campers, vendors of all kinds, airplanes galore, and people, people, and more people for the annual AirVenture Fly-In. However, I do love the peace, quiet, and beauty of this place for the better part of eleven weeks and am more than happy for the week and a few days of great excitement and aviation activity that I often watch from the comfort of my home. It’s a good life!!! Praise the Lord!

Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing!

A day in the life

Our time at Little Galilee Christian Camp in Clinton IL has proved to be a good example of what project life is like. This is our sixth project and if I’ve learned anything, each project has similarities and differences. I guess that makes sense. Our organization (Volunteer Mobile Missionaries) has a definite mission with policies and procedures to assist in carrying out that mission. Overall the projects are run the same, however, the project leader and those that volunteer change each month. The camps we go to can also be very different. With so many personalities, skills, and locations, you can probably imagine how unique each project can be. I said all that to say that after six projects, this particular one feels the most like what I thought a project would be like.

Against my better judgment, I have my alarm set for 6:15 a.m. I promised myself that when I retired, I’d smash my alarm clock. Well, I’m only semi-retired and as a volunteer who volunteers scheduled hours, I have to set the alarm so I can get to the group devotion by 7:30. There is usually one place or building designated for our devotion and break times which is true on this project.  I try to walk or ride my bike as much as possible. So, I leave the rig by 7:20 to walk to devotions (Bill sometimes takes the car or his bike depending on what job he’s doing that day.). On this particular day, I and the other ladies walk back to our rig after devotions to change into appropriate work clothes. Our assignment for the day got changed from painting to cleaning showers and you surely can’t wear your paint clothes to clean showers, right? In addition to that I forgot to pack Bill’s snack for our morning break. So, clothes are changed, I walk to one of the cabins where we get to wash down the showers. I’m working with two other ladies, so we have some good conversation to keep us distracted from the shower cleaning chore. It goes much faster that way. Fortunately, this is a very well run camp and the showers aren’t too dirty. We take our 10:00 break with our husbands and then return to a second cabin to do more showers. The fumes are bit overwhelming at times, so these breaks are very helpful. We finish up on the second cabin a little before lunch time so I have time to walk back to the rig, grab my laundry, hop in the car, drive to an onsite washer and dryer, throw in a load of wash, and walk back to the rig before Bill gets home for lunch.  Notice, I left the car where the washer/dryer was so I could get my exercise walking back and forth between loads. I’ll bring the car back when all the loads are done.

After lunch, which most likely was grilled ham & cheese sandwiches or maybe it was the day we had homemade chicken soup (which I haven’t done in years) Bill lays down to catch a quick nap (he

worked really hard tearing siding off one of the cabins) and I clean up the kitchen and possibly sit down for a few minutes to read. Actually, I think on this particular day, I packed up my laptop and keyboard (I’m so much more efficient and accurate on a standard keyboard) and my His House (Christian Fellowship ministry) files as I needed to go to the main camp office so that I could use their internet and get some of my financial administrating done. After Bill heads back to his job site around one o’clock, I strapped my computer stuff onto my back, hopped on my back and (first) rode over to the laundry area to switch out my loads. From there I rode to the camp office and got to work on bookkeeping for the ministry. (I had lots of work to do over the internet and there isn’t a Guest WiFi at this camp. Our JetPak has limited data and works pretty slow here, so going to the office was a great option.) Around 2:30, I left my computer stuff at the office, hopped on my bike, and met Bill and the other volunteers for the afternoon break. Stopped and switched out my laundry again on my way back to the office to finish things up there before biking back to the rig with my computer, once again, strapped to my back.

I stopped in to return something to one of my fellow volunteers and, of course, she invited me to stay and chat awhile which I just couldn’t turn down (dah, why would I want to do that). Totally forgot about the laundry by now. By the time I got back to the rig, Bill was home, cleaned up, and relaxing in front of the television watching Ellen. (Stumbled upon her show flipping channels and found her to be quite funny and fun to watch especially as a wind down from a hard working day). It was then I remembered the laundry. This time I walked to the laundry, loaded up the car with my clean and wrinkled clothes, and drove back to the rig.

Bill and I were both pretty tired and neither of us felt like doing much of anything so we continued to sit in front of the television watching the news and then an hour and a half of the Big Bang Theory (two old episodes, one new) while we had cheese, sausage, and crackers for dinner. One of our favorite “cheater” dinners. We were suppose to go to “game night” with our group but had scheduled (yes, scheduled) a telephone call with our daughter. Sometimes schedules just don’t match at all and we had to do something so we could catch up with her and the grandkids. We got to “game night” about the time one couple was ready to call it quits, so we watched them finish the card game they were playing and all headed back home.

I had another telephone appointment (this one with a friend) to happen before 10 p.m. Bill was fast asleep before that call finished up, so I read for awhile in bed to get sleepy. As is often the case, I was very tired earlier in the evening but after some relaxation and then stimulation, I’m wide awake for awhile. Before I shut off the light around 11 p.m. I got up, shut down, and unplugged all the computers as another thunderstorm was getting closer. There continues to be lots of rain wherever we go but I’m getting used to it PTL!

So, there you have it. A day in the life. We really have had a great time here at Little Galilee. Lots and lots of hard work, lots of good exercise, lots of good food (several potlucks), and lots of great fellowship (lots of card playing) .

Here’s always a fun time -- Ladies Day Out. We lunched at LaTeaDa Tea Room where I also purchased some funky leggings. Speaking of funky…have you ever heard of the Funk family? Well, we sure did. We visited the Funk Prairie Home. A tour guide spent an hour and a half giving us a history of the Funk family (actually VERY interesting) throughout the 13 room home. He did an excellent and enthusiastic job; it was clear that he has great respect for this family and the generations that have kept the legacy going. Next we went next door to the largest one-man gem and mineral collection in the world. Fascinating. By this time, I would have preferred to just look around but he talked another hour about various pieces in the collection.  One theme throughout the mineral tour that I found very refreshing was his openness and passion for creation philosophy. (I wish I would have taken some notes; he had some great insights on why things aren’t millions of years old…but don’t ask me what they were as my mind was on information overload and a lot of the information leaked out.)

Outside of project activities, Bill and I (and sometimes one other couple) had some other great site-seeing trips. Went to the Scovill Zoo in Decatur IL. (Oh, how I love zoos. Here’s a pic of my favorite new lion.) Friday night all you can eat Shrimp & Walleye for $10.95 at Ted’s Garage. C.H. Moore Homestead, a beautifully restored Victorian Mansion, Clinton IL. One of the best and most beautiful I’ve seen. Drove and hiked all around Weldon Springs State Park (fairly large) including Veterans Point. In addition to zoos, we always try to see any and all veteran memorials. Didn’t get enough Funk on Ladies Day (and Bill missed it entirely) so we went to Funks Grove/Pure Maple Sirup (yum, bought some); Funks Grove Cemetery (found several familiar Funk names); and Sugar Grove Nature Center in Funks Grove, IL. Loved it!!! As if we hadn’t seen enough historic homes, because of a rainy day, we went to Bloomington and visited another amazing house. David Davis, a Supreme Court Justice who was a friend of Abe Lincoln and Isaac Funk. (Yes, the patriarch of the aforementioned Funks.) I’m guessing I don’t have to tell you I love historic homes and these were some of the best I’ve ever seen (and these last two were free).  

Speaking of homes…we’ll be “home” very soon! Our project winds up tomorrow and we’ll be heading back to Oshkosh on Friday. So very excited!!! Love this life but can’t wait to see our Wisconsin family and friends!

Arriving Little Galilee

Oh my yes, the rains did stop as we had hoped (for one day, anyway) and we were able to pull out of Camp David on Tuesday (5/2) as planned. But (a big but), it took us four hours to go what should have taken us two (and then we were still less than half way to our destination). Our first route on I44 to St Louis was closed due to flooding for a 23 mile stretch; our second choice, going north on Hwy 63 out of Rolla was flooded and closed. So we took, what turned out to be a lovely scenic, yet curvy and hilly, Hwy 8 eventually getting to I55. We did see a lot of water standing in fields; and water levels were higher than normal as we crossed over rivers and creeks, but we were good, and for that we are very grateful. I am also very grateful as you all must have been praying for me…no sweaty palms on this trip and my nervous stomach wasn’t so nervous. HalleluJAH!!! Praise the Lord!

I truly love this life. I find it comical and comforting as we move from place to place. On one hand, I so love the beauty of the Ozark foothills but, on the other hand, I was so happy to see the straight and flat roadways as we travelled north. No matter where God takes us, I’m happy to be there. That is so very coooooool! And that is just one example of finding joy in the present. It is such a great place to be!!! Thank you, Lord!

So, we arrived at Little Galilee Christian Camp safely, however, we initially parked in a temporary spot. New RV spots were being installed with more AMPs and sewer hookups. However, the new area wasn’t quite ready when we arrived so we parked alongside the pool area where we were able to hookup to electric and water. I meant to take a picture of our poolside view, but forgot; oh well. We were hoping to move from our temporary location on (Fri. 5/5) but heavy no-let-up rains continued Wed and Thurs. with more flash flood warnings in our area. We, however, continue to be in a safe spot. Once again, HalleluJAH & PTL! So we stayed put. Two other couples have arrived and are on the new sites but they have 5^th-wheels and are much lighter. Besides, after looking at how they tore up and sunk in the grassy area after they maneuvered their rigs in place, we definitely want to let the area settle and dry up a bit. No worries. We’re good where we are, for now. 

After double checking for safe driving conditions, and what appeared to be a break in the pouring rain, we had to get out of our rig, so we took the car to The Bullet Trap (an indoor gun range with gun rental) about 40 miles away. So excited, as I actually got to shoot a Ruger SR22PB; that’s the gun we found in Missouri that fit my hand so well. It was meant to be. Great place! We had to watch a seven minute safety video before going onto the range which was really good for me. I’m still learning and need to hear this stuff over and over again. I’m grateful to say that I am getting more comfortable holding and shooting a gun, but that’s not to say, I’m looking forward to using it.  Bill said I did real well once I relaxed a bit and adjusted to the Ruger. It was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Good idea Bill! Thanks for calling around and actually finding an indoor place that had the very gun I wanted to try. PTL again. (Seems there’s a theme going on here.) God is faithful, even in the little things. J

So the rains have stopped, but the wind has picked up quite a bit. Bill even chose to pull in the bedroom slide so we wouldn’t be kept awake by the flapping awning. When the wind hits it just right it’s pretty noisy. For those of you who read my first blogs, you’ll remember that the winds and the noise really freaked me out, at first; kept me awake at night and nervous during the day. But not anymore; Hallelujah & PTL, He is delivering me from these fears.

Friday morning the sun was shining brightly and the roads completely dry. We haven’t seen that for quite awhile.  It was a perfect day for checking out the local area which we did in spite of the fact that Bill felt miserable. He had such a bad cold with horrible pressure behind the eyes. He’s a trouper though and we still managed to enjoy the day. Saturday we travelled to Springfield IL (about an hour’s drive) to meet some of Bill’s cousins that he hadn’t seen in twenty years. Had a great reunion in a private room at Pizza Ranch for about three and half hours. Thanks Wayne & Donna for getting everyone together! We took a little side trip home; past Bill’s grandfather’s old house. He says it looks pretty much the same.

So Sunday dawned with me feeling miserable. Thanks for sharing your cold, honey! Now it was my turn to want to lay low. We attended services with our fellow project volunteers at First Christian Church in Clinton IL. Very welcoming and great worship in singing and teaching. Thank you Lord! We’ll be back.  As is generally the case, following church the whole group went out to lunch together. This time we went to Ted’s Garage. Good food, great theme. Love themed restaurants that hold true in the menu as well.  I had a Classic Thunderbird for lunch. Very tasty (chicken with sautéed onions, peppers & mushrooms). Prior to eating lunch (and I’m hoping that was the contributing factor), I had a strange experience. Sitting at the table listening to the various conversations, I felt the entire room start to tip over; I grabbed the table as I thought I was going to fall off my chair. Of course, the room wasn’t tipping over and I didn’t fall off my chair, but it sure scared me and my new friends. My hands weren’t clamming, my pulse was normal (we had a nurse at the table), and I eventually felt normal again. (Normal, for me that is; cut the wisecracksJ.) As I said, I hope it was a hunger thing although it may have had something to do with the horrible cold that was overtaking me. Anyway, the day continued without further incident of this  kind.

The sunny skies also continued and for this we were very thankful as both the winds and the sun had dried the ground enough that Bill felt comfortable moving our rig to the new RV parking area. He does such a wonderful job. We still had to pack, probably 75% of our stuff for the short trip through the camp, but I don’t mind it at all as it keeps things neat and tidy. As I said, Bill is pretty amazing when it comes to driving our home. There were two ways to get to the new RV park and both had very tight turns, neither one Bill felt he could make without incident. So we pulled out the camp at the far (RV) entrance, pulled back into camp at the main entrance, did a 360 in the main parking lot, and went in the far (RV) entrance at a much better angle. Whew…that wasn’t so bad, was it? Didn’t take long to get re-setup and with that…I’m down for a much needed nap. I have found that the more you rest at the onset of a head cold, the quicker it leaves you. (I’m writing this on Wednesday afternoon and I’m almost 100% better. I took more naps and went to bed earlier than I normally do these past four days and I’m so glad I had that option as I’m feeling almost like new again.) One other thing that helped was satisfying a craving I’d been having for the past week. Obviously, I didn’t feel much like cooking and we had no leftovers in the house; so what to do? Grateful we’re not out in the boonies for once and could make a quick ten minute drive to MacDonald’s. I got my annual Big Mac and it was gooooood! Thanks, honey for suggesting it!!!

Monday morning our work project officially got underway. The women have some very timely work that needs to be done. Two of our guys (one being, Bill), are tearing off rotting cedar siding on one of the cabins in preparation for the new siding that the women were asked to stain (two coats). [two pictures] We’re actually making really good time and having a blast doing it. Staining and talking are two things that can easily be done simultaneously. We’ve got a real good group here, the camp is beautiful, we’re thoroughly enjoying the work, I’m getting to ride my bike, and life is so very good.

Hope this finds you well! Be blessed & be a blessing!

Rain, Rain, & More Rain

Seriously, I mean REaaally? I can’t imagine how Mrs. Noah must have felt. It is definitely the rainy season in Missouri (and apparently throughout the Midwest). We had a bit of a break on Thursday (4/26) after very heavy rains last Wednesday when flash flood warnings begin to appear throughout the state. After all we’re in the foothills of the Ozarks with lots of hills and valleys. Praise the Lord, we’re on a hill and up until yesterday (Sat 4/29) the rain didn’t stop us from our comings and goings.

I have to admit my sleeping hasn’t been good. Heavy rains, and I’m talking heavy rains, and loud, sometimes constant claps of thunder, just put me on edge. Not sure when I became so leery of storms; but I’m sure it has to do with our first days and months of motor homing when we had lots of storms and tornado warnings, and for the first time, I had no basement to hide in. To be honest, I felt guilty about that…trusting my basement more than my Savior. Anyway, as a good friend of mine once told me that she loves thunderstorms because it shows God’s amazing power. I wish I could say the same. I’m sad to say, that doesn’t help me. (You can pray for me, please and thank you.)

Yesterday morning, we actually watched a movie (on DVD, the TV reception is terrible here, even in good weather). Can’t remember the last time I watched a movie during the day and I wasn’t even sick. Later in the day, I needed to do something productive so I made some cards (got four done…the most I’ve done in one day since we started this new season of life) and Bill & I played some gin rummy. I don’t think Bill ever left the rig. I did for maybe 15 minutes. It was still heavy misty raining but I just had to get some fresh air. It was more heavy than fresh, but I still embraced it. I took a short walk out the drive of the camp just to see if any water was coming over the drive at the bottom of a slight hill. There was, but just a little bit coming over the road…I wonder what it looks like now? (I’ll be checking it out as soon as we get a break in the rain; that is, if we get a break in the rain.)

Speaking of bad television reception, that doesn’t help my weak knees during these storms. I like watching the weather reports that refer to the particular counties. Yes, I can check on my phone but it’s not as helpful or specific. I feel a bit isolated as both our neighbors (co-workers) pulled out early Friday morning and we haven’t seen much of the camp staff. Everyone is staying indoors.

Until NOW! (Mid-Sunday afternoon.) HalleluJAH! The rain has finally stopped and the sky is starting to brighten, so Bill and I took a walk down the drive which wasn’t as flooded as I anticipated. More water is covering the road than yesterday but nothing like other places we have heard about. Note, at the end of the video, what you see is not a river but a horse pasture. Hopefully, you can hear the movement of the water as it is a bit hard to see in the video. After our walk, and a bit of lunch, we finally had the opportunity to hang outside for a bit of talking to the camp staff that lives on the property. So fun watching a half dozen little kids playing in the huge puddles (large enough for a plethora of frog eggs) and mud. I can’t say I remember those days, as most of you know, I don’t like to get dirty. Still don’t! But it was fun watching them and finally spending some time outside and talking to someone other than each other. And so the adventure continues. Hopefully, the waters will recede and the rains will cease for a while so that we can pull out of here (Camp David) on Tuesday as planned. We will keep you posted.

Until next time...be blessed & be a blessing!

Camp David of the Ozarks

Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, you can see God’s handiwork all around you. It is absolutely beautiful here. Good thing it is so beautiful, it helps me keep my focus and mind off the steep and narrow roads. Most of you know how much I dislike roller coasters and heights. Well, we’re in the midst of what feels like both of those and we’ve taken several road trips to explore some well known and not so well known caves.

We spent one afternoon on a tour of Meramec Caverns which was pretty incredible but not too frightening (for me). After all, there was a guide leading the way down a well maintained walkway. Then there was the opposite experience but, honestly, just as incredible (even more so), only different (and frightening).  Miller Cave is located on the base at Fort Leonard Wood and is open to the public as long as you have your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of vehicle insurance so you can obtain a pass to go on base. Oh, and leave your weapons at home

Here’s a condensed description from the website about the cave. The cave can be accessed by way of a narrow, but well maintained (that’s very debatable) trail that winds down the steep slope and into the cave. It has a total of four entrances. The primary entrance is located in a bluff approximately 150 feet above the Big Piney River. Two more openings face the river and provide a spectacular view of the Big Piney River Valley. The bluff below these openings is nearly vertical, making it a deadly drop-off.   (Oh yeah!).

Getting to and from the different cave openings was waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of my comfort zone but Bill was right there with me to give a hand and an encouraging word. Going inside the cave was incredible. So very beautiful. The pictures don’t give the depth and detail we saw, but I’ve included them anyway for you to imagine what it was like. If I hadn’t been there with Bill, I know he would have crawled through many of the smaller openings further into the cave. I begged him not to; and, thankfully, he obliged.

We continued our explorations in the foothills of the Ozarks each weekend where we also found a few good wineries, a brew house, and a place called “Just a Taste.” First time I’ve been to a place where you could taste just about everything on the shelf (for a fee, of course) and there was plenty to choose from. So much so, I didn’t choose anything.  Bill tried a few of the spirits. We enjoyed lunch at one of the wineries where I experienced the best quiche ever. (Meremac Winery - Bistro d’Vine in St. James along I44.) So good, I can’t begin to describe it.  We’ve also discovered a new favorite restaurant…we love the Colton’s House & Grill (Southwest Chipotle Tips & Chipotle Chicken Nachos). We checked it out, honestly, just because of its name (in honor of our dear friends, Jason & Jessica Colton). We’ve been back there three times.

Another one of our explorations was in search of a handgun for me. (Obviously, we did this before we went to any wineries.) Now that I have my conceal carry, Bill thought it would be a good idea for me to actually have and practice shooting a weapon. Initially, I was not at all comfortable with the idea, but we found an excellent gun shop and range in a nearby town where you can rent a gun and use their range. I was doubly blessed with a few lessons from a very knowledgeable and understanding female. (No offense to the men who have tried to teach me about gun handling, but working with this woman helped me tremendously not only get over some of my nervousness but better equipped me to handle one.)

The project is going very well. I’m loving the ladies’ first work assignment. Organizing the Princess Room. Let me tell you a little bit about the mission of Camp David, so you understand the purpose of the Princess Room. The
camp is specially designed to bring hope and healing to children and youth who have a parent that is incarcerated as well as equipping them to succeed. Week long summer camps are offered to these children and one of the activities is a Princess Party for the girls. The room is filled with gently used formals, shoes, jewelry, make up, and tiaras for the girl’s to dress and primp for the Princess Party. It’s quite a formal affair! We’re having lots of fun going through all the dresses (yes, I admit, I tried one of them on; would have tried more but there were just too many to choose from), seeing if they need to be mended or cleaned, putting them in size order, and; well, you get the picture.

Our next ladies assignment was preparing (making beds and cleaning) some of the cabins for a special weekend retreat. The camp is branching out and doing retreats for the women of those in prison. The kids bring sleeping bags but the women get nicely made beds and, as an extra treat, breakfast in bed. We were praying for a mighty move of God for these ladies and after talking to the camp directors we can Praise the Lord for answering our prayers.

Really, Bill? sitting down on the job!

Our men have been working diligently on a new shower house. The walls and roof were done before we arrived but the men have been working hard on the interior. They built some false front walls, did a ton of staining and sealing tongue and groove boards for the ceiling and walls. And, Bill gets his kicks being the guy on the scaffolding installing the ceiling boards. There has also been a few odds and ends, like laying an electric line from the emergency generator to the water pump.

We had a wonderful Easter celebration. First we watched the sun rise as we drove through the foothills to attend a service at a local church and then shared in the yummy breakfast that followed. Our group was invited to Easter dinner at the camp directors’ home where we enjoyed pork, turkey, and ham plus lots and lots of trimmings. We were all asked to share our favorite part of the Easter story. Mine was “He is not here.” After cleaning up the dishes (and there were plenty of helpers), in the tradition of our host’s growing up years, we sang Easter hymns. Ya gotta know, I loved that!!! What a blessing to spend Easter in a family setting. 

Although the project officially ends on Friday of this week, we'll be staying through until Tuesday. Our next project is only about four hours away at Little Galilee Christian Camp in Clinton IL. So, we're staying here a few extra days (maybe we'll get to go to Colton's again) and arriving at our new project a few days early. What a blessing that everyone is so accommodating. 

So grateful for this journey. Glad you're along for the "ride." Be blessed & be a blessing!