Tuesday: meetings and a picnic

Don's first meeting was at 8:00 this morning and his second meeting was at noon. Of course, the 8:00 meeting ran into the noon meeting. But it was a praise the Lord day for CRM and the Branson free clinic, food and clothes closet. There was a Branson businessman there who committed to paying the first years rent and giving $10,000 start-up to get this ministry going here in Branson in the building I talked about the other day. Not only that, but this generous gentleman has had 30 years experience in hospital administration and has volunteered to be available in the admin of the free clinic. That was a position that needed to be filled. Another praise is the Hollister Salvage Grocery that is eager to be a part of the food end of the ministry. We are so rejoicing that this is a ministry that God is doing and we are privileged to be a part of and watch Him bring everything into reality in perfect timing.

Please pray for every individual involved because Satan does not want this ministry to happen and he is fighting. God will be victorious! Praise the Lord with us.

About 4:00 this afternoon, we walked over to Jimmy and Lucy's. We all decided that it was a great afternoon for a fried chicken picnic out to Table Rock Lake. We almost decided not to go, but Lucy insisted and we all agreed. We started out to go to the other side of town to get fried chicken, but then Don remembered that, Jubilee, the local grocery story had a deli with fried chicken, so that's were we went. Lucy and I sat in the truck while the guys went in to get food. As they were walking in the store, Don was singing (you know how you get a song stuck in your head) the new song by Neil Diamond, "Pretty Amazing Grace" and this young lady, on vacation, heard him singing. She turned around and said, "Amazing grace. I need some amazing." Don, in his friendly way said, "Amen. We all do." And she asked, "Will ya'll pray for me right now?" Jimmy and Don said, "Sure, what are we praying for?" Her grandmother is in a hospital back home, dying. The young lady's mother is there with grandmother, but she's not dealing with it very well. From all reports, the young lady will not be able to get back home before her grandmother passes away and she was very upset... so Jimmy prayed for her right there in the grocery store. What a blessing that was to Don and Jimmy and Jimmy pointed out that we almost didn't go on the picnic and we almost didn't go to Jubilee and they would have missed the blessing of being a blessing to that young lady. Wow. God is awesome! We know He will answer our prayers and take care of this family during this time.

We get to the lake and oh my! the picnic tables are underwater! (Remember to click on pics for larger view.) Not to be outdone, we just spread the table cloth on the ground and commence to picnicking. We were prepared for seating as we carried our chairs with us. The Branson Belle Steamboat drifted by while we were eating. A goose family visited with us.I decided this bench in the water would be a nice place to sit and dangle my feet in the water. Felt so good. A young couple was enjoying a swim in the lake.A view of the Chateau Hotel through the tree. (it's half dead... the tree, that is)Since we were sitting by the lake facing the sun, Lucy let me borrow her sun glasses. Guess she needs them worse than I do. Flower beds up by the building where we parked were full of pretty flowers and plants. Lucy and I decided we would take a hike down the walking trail.Around the curve and a few feet down the trail and ooops, it's under water, too.Of course, I went wading in it. The water was clean.I convinced Lucy to get her feet wet.After I retrieved my flip-flop that was floating away, we went back to were the guys were. These pretty blue flowers were in the flower beds in the parking lot.

Tonight, a life-long friend of Don's came to visit since he and wife are vacationing in Branson for a few days. We were delighted to see them and hear about his trip to Utah with his grandson's boy scout adventure tour. Wayne had pictures of their 84 mile, five day white water excursion. We will join them in the morning for breakfast.

OK, got to close this and go check out Snookie's blog.... oh yes, that reminds me. That little stinker calls me tonight just as we were getting home from the lake. She normally only calls on Sunday night, so I immediately was a little concerned when I saw her name on my cell phone. I answered, "Hi Snookie, it's not Sunday, what's wrong?" Snookie with a wavering voice: "LaVon, I've got a real problem and I just have to talk to someone." Me, revved up to the panic mode: "Hon, what's the matter? What's happened?" ... imagining everything from a wreck to a death in the family. Snookie: "My right arm is getting so much more tan than my left arm from riding in the truck so much and I just don't know what to do about it!" She's very happy I couldn't get my hands on her right then.... I would have wrung her funny little neck! You can just hear her laughing, can't you Dave? If she ever calls me with a real emergency, like "LaVon! I'm stuck in the truck, it's dark and there's a big black bear looking at me through the window!"... I'll just say, "yeah, sure, whatever." I had to laugh though... in true Snookie fashion, it was funny. And she's so proud of herself when she pulls off her pranks. Anyway, they're at a FamCamp in Colo. Springs, CO and they have wifi. I'll go read HER version of her practical (umph) joke.

Bye for now and blessings to all.... even you Snookie.