Texas Time

The farmer and I attended a powerful, dynamic Cowboy Church, Sunday morning and Wednesday night. The pastor gave a powerful message at both services. That was what the farmer and I have been looking for. He didn’t mince words, but spoke powerful truths that are relevant to our situation in today’s world. The congregation was so friendly and welcoming. We could all learn much from them. The cowboy hats were prevalent and so were the cowboys and cowgirls. You could tell it is an active church with all of the children that were in attendance. We could sure attend here every Sunday.

That was a great way to start the week for sure. On Monday we were back to work at the camp. This camp was started in 1946. I love to think of the faith of the people back then who had insight and vision to donate land, provide funds and labor to provide a camp for their children and grandchildren to hear of Jesus. Since 1960, 452,904 have attended Heart of Texas camp and there have been 15,953 salvations since that time. That’s a lot of lives changed for the Kingdom of Jesus.

Remodel. Farmer is flat on the ground in the background.

The men are still remodeling the staff cabin for the male staff. The farmer is installing plumbing and doing some electrical work. This cabin has been empty for awhile so it is taking some time to make it usable. It is basically gutted and redoing all of the interior. I have helped the women some with cleaning air conditioner units in all of the cabins and motel rooms. Policy and Procedure manuals and other filing and organizing documents for storage from past years, have kept me busy in the front office. This work has been enjoyable to me as it reminds me of the days in the clinic office where I worked before retirement. I enjoy organizing things.

Tuesday night was game night. We played several hands of Sweep. This is a popular game among SOWERS. The rules seem to change with each SOWER. However, the official Sweep rules were recently posted online so all SOWERS can get on the same page before our 40th anniversary of SOWER’s ministry reunion in Big Sandy, TX at the end of March. Thursday night we taught a new couple how to play Marble Pursuit. I think they enjoyed the game. The farmer makes the boards for this game in his wood shop at home.

The director, Rhonda of the camp and all of the staff are the best. Rhonda has been here 23 or more years. The input she’s had in all of the camp staff and camper’s lives through the years is amazing. The Lord has used her mightily. She is so creative and has done chainsaw carving on the tree stumps around the camp with some unique works and also some precious scriptures. God said He made us in His image. He’s so creative and I know He put creativity in all of us. I just have trouble finding my creative talents. She also made this beautiful hymn and bird picture.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Week two has been busy and full. The farmer and I are going this weekend to see our son and family in Flower Mound, TX. See you next week.

Found the Pot of Gold

There are over 1000 promises in the Bible that God has made to those that believe in Him. Many of these promises are a two-way contract that we call a Covenant Promise. Some examples of this are found in the following verses.

Jer. 7:23 Obey my voice and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.

Matt. 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

His believers have a part to play in all of these covenant promises.

God keeps His promises and He always does His part. He never, ever fails us. We can take His word to the bank.

Is 54:10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you.

There is one thing God cannot do…He cannot, will not stop loving you!!

The rainbow of seven (perfection) colors is a sign of His promise.

Genesis 9:12-16 And God said:”This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between you and Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.

The rainbow is a beautiful symbol and reminder of all of God’s promises. The number of the colors and stripes in the rainbow are seven. That is the number of perfection in the Bible. Only God could put such a beautiful promise right up in the sky for us all to see.

Some people say there is a pot of gold at the bottom of the rainbow. If there is I think I found it here at Rainbow Acres. The beautiful people “ranchers” here, absolutely are pure gold. God made them so beautiful. I spent the lunch time visiting with a rancher very knowlegeable about trains and steam engines. He asked me a lot of questions that I had no answer. Study on trains is a must if I sit by John again.

At Bible study on Monday night there was some lively discussion among the ranchers on the book of Ecclesiastes. One young lady there was very knowledgeable about the Word of God and had some great answers. The joy of the Lord is so apparent on many of their faces. Some have been here since the facility opened in 1974. Jeff came at that time and his parents died shortly after he came here. This is definitely his home. He collects lanyards and had a birthday on Saturday. Since the grandkids and I love to sew lanyards, I made one for him. The smile on his face was the ultimate pot of gold.

I think the pot of gold is doing something for others and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that God keeps His promises. In the times we are living in, it is priceless to know that we have no reason to fear or even to worry. We know God is faithful, as we’ve seen it many times in our past.

These ranchers know the faithfulness of God. The covid lockdowns were very hard on them and being away from all of the other ranchers was such a strain. They have such joy in being together again. Their prayer circle in the morning is a delight, as their prayer requests are so rich. They pray for their families and their families here. They try so very hard to be kind to one another. I think they know more than the rest of us what it feels like to be treated harshly by others.

We are working on sanding cupboards in one of the group homes that is being remodeled. I think there are eight rooms in each house with a kitchen and big gathering room. A caregiver is in the home at all times. They don’t spend a lot of time there as they are busy with classes and working. One of the ranchers was so excited about her history class. The grounds are busy with bicycles and hikes and enjoying this spring time weather. Everyone greets you here. Everyone smiles and makes you feel special. Yes, I’m feeling pretty special in this place. They all are. I wish our world could be so in love with being together. Maybe, just maybe we could lay down our differences and cherish them instead.

Yes, the pot of gold is very close to Rainbow Acres. The pot of gold is seeing the love of Jesus in others. His rainbow is His creation and so are we and so are these precious ranchers. God is good all the time.

Nineteen Feet?!?

First day of travel was perfect! We left the snow behind and headed south. The highway was good and the traffic was light.

The first night finds us at Panfork Camp in Wellington, TX. We will overnight here and will try to make the last leg tomorrow and arrive in Spicewood, TX. It did get to 40 degrees today but not all that warm with the Northerly breeze.

We just set up camp for overnight and prepared our evening meal inside the camper as it was too cold outside.

Nineteen feet long and seven feet wide with no slideouts is tight. Everything must be done in an orderly manner and everything must be in its place, including the farmer. He keeps winding up in the places that I need to be! If only he would stay put. We will surely find a way to do this as we’ve been at life together for 47 years now.

We are so thankful too that we found the propane hose that we needed to repair the propane situation.

We are excited to meet the couples that we wil be working with this month.

1 Corinthians 15:58 TPT

So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.

Leaving the Little House on the Prairie

Whew this Kansas weather is something! Yesterday it was 45 degrees and today we have a blizzard. Snowing again! Today was the day to put the final touches on the camper loading and prepare for our departure tomorrow morning. So thankful for a big shed to work in to get out of the driving snow.

A couple of complications entered the picture today. One was a propane hose leak on the camper. We are at least 90 miles from the nearest camper dealer and no one else seemed to have what we needed. With the blizzard underway we didn’t want to make a long journey today. Good thing my farmer husband is resourceful. A little western Kansas farmer ingenuity and the leak is fixed and we can continue with our departure in the morning. We are thankful to our gracious Lord for helping us again today.

The second was having to drive his freshly waxed pickup on our muddy country roads. He sure did mess up that wax job. Wax on, wax off at least it was good exercise. Farmers almost never complain about rain in our area though. Moisture is a much needed blessing here.

Tomorrow we will be

“On the road again, like a band of gypsies we go down the highway,

We’re making new friends, goin’ places that we’ve never been.

The life we love is working for Jesus with our new SOWER friends.

We just can’t wait to get on the road again.” Thank you Willie Nelson.

South bound!