This has been an unusual month also, but for different reasons. For us it's been with cancellations of services...not due to bad weather...but bad economy. It is really putting a financial drain and strain on the churches and many of them are struggling financially as the old saying goes, "Just to keep the lights on and the doors open." Many churches have had to cut staff, special guests (which is us) and special outreach events. It truly is sad for the churches and...unfortunate for us too, as we were in the canceled category.
Greetings from Florida! It's a beautiful sunshine day...now reaching 77 degrees...needless to say, a welcome change from the blizzards, blowing snow and negative 20 degree temperatures we've encountered in South Dakota for the past 6 weeks. Larry used the snow blower to get the driveway cleaned out so we could get out of town. We drove into Minneapolis last Thursday night just ahead of another impending blizzard.
The New Year...we've just been thrust into 2011...ready or not! I was still pushing and shoving, trying to finish and accomplish my resolutions and goals of last year - then the ball dropped at Times Square -and poof here we are! I must admit I'm a bit relieved to be released of my last year's musts, but also a bit anxious thinking of starting over with all the must be done this year.
Amidst the busyness of Christmas, I'm reminded of the following story:
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys along with everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both of her children asking for everything they spied on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with the kids in tow and her arms loaded with her purchases. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the Christmas season.
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys along with everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both of her children asking for everything they spied on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with the kids in tow and her arms loaded with her purchases. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the Christmas season.
It's kind of funny...we left Orlando, Florida two weeks ago and it was 86 degrees. For over a year we had planned our tour and rallies to go all the way out to Florida with the intent of leaving our motor home where it is warm and toasty. We wanted to leave it somewhere that we didn't have to worry about it until we get back to it in mid-January. So far, this all makes sense, right?
It has been another action packed two weeks. Larry and I flew into Minneapolis from Orlando, Florida the day after Thanksgiving. The temperature was climbing up to 86 degrees in Orlando that day (wow do I miss that right now!).
You know you're in the deep South when you see the signs, "Alligator River", "Boiled Peanuts", "Land of Cotton", and "Fresh Seafood". Yes, that definitely gets my attention! The last week I feel like Larry and I have been privileged to journey through history and adventure books as we passed through Maryland, Virginia (noteably Richmond, Virginia), mesmerized by the Shenandoah Valley.
We spent the last week traveling through Southern Pennsylvania. During our travels, we passed by Somerset, PA, which caused a solemness as we remembered September 11th and the bravery and sacrifice of the passengers of Flight 93. As I refIected on the events of that day, I couldn't help but wonder what the passengers on Flight 93 were thinking the last few seconds on that fatal flight.
Greetings from the beautiful state of Pennsylvania! It is truly breathtaking with its rolling hills peppered with corn fields, pastures of cattle and sheep, lazy rivers and creeks and billions of leaves that proudly display their fall colors. As I write...huge reddish gold maple leaves are falling like snowflakes...ugh, let's not mention that word! The Weather Channel says here in Clarion, PA, which is just a skip and hop from Pittsburgh, may get its first flurries tomorrow. With that in mind, Larry is urgently working along with a couple of partner friends getting some maintenance done on the motor home. We need that done before we head out tomorrow to Salisbury, PA, which is not far from Cumberland, Maryland.
It's a beautiful fall day...there's a nip in the air which has spurred on the trees to turn the leaves bright and burning colors. As I write this in our motor home in Indiana, I can see a little black squirrel hustling back and forth carrying what appears to be a walnut in its mouth. The way it's racing around there's no doubt it has a mission in mind...it knows another season is coming quickly, and it's preparing for it. Larry and I feel the same way when it comes to our ministry. The "signs" of Christ's coming are all around us and we are doing all that we can do to reach as many as we can with a simple salvation message. The bible says in John 9:4, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work."