I just had a rendezvous moment here... it is almost exactly 6 years ago, that we traveled to Kiln, MS and Picayune to hold a soul winning rally. It was a great day. The next day, Larry climbed a ladder up to the top of our 12 foot motor coach to fix a leaky vent. As I watched in dismay, Larry lost his balance, slipped off the top of the motor coach and hit the ladder. Oh yes, I guess I should tell you that, I was standing on the bottom step of that steel step-ladder in order to assist him. BOOM! The steel ladder collapsed under his 240 pounds. His impact acted like an ax, amputating my right foot at the ankle as the ladder snapped together.
Larry and I have now been married for 45 ½ years, and we have found that there are rules for marriage that help keep the garbage at bay if we diligently abide by them. Years ago, someone handed me a piece of paper with some "Rules for a Happy Married Life," that I have kept, utilized, and expanded.
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.