Monday, November 30, 2009

Win Some; Lose Some

It's been pretty cool here at night and today, the cool lasted all day.  It rained a little here last night and again this morning early, so the air was clear and clean today, making the mountains clearly visible.beautiful day. we can even see the mountains. rained.

At 9:30 A.M., we were at the VA clinic for Don's appointment for his cholesterol check and blood pressure check.  At 10:00, they did his blood work and at 11:00, after I asked them if they had forgotten him, they took his blood pressure. (For goodness sake, he hadn't had any coffee all morning!) We are quite convinced that the tech didn't know what she was doing... she said his heart rate was 68!  Really?  He has a pacemaker and his heart rate is ALWAYS 61 beats a minute.  We can't wait until we hear from the doctor and we get to do today all over again, except for the blood work, which has left a sore bruise on his arm.

We saw four people from Sunscape at the VA clinic.  Also, we were privileged to chat with a 91 year old man who was on the USS Oklahoma when Pearl Harbor was bombed.  The youngest of the fifty (plus or minus) survivors turned 85 this year and they all still get together for a reunion every year.  Mr. Goodyear considers himself very blessed as he is still in fairly good health.  It was a treat to meet him.

Linda said Virgil is doing really good today after his two knee replacements Thanksgiving eve.  He was even walking today in rehab.  Madeline and Mike have been wonderful to take Linda to Tucson everyday to visit him, except for yesterday because there were so many wrecks on Interstate 10, they couldn't get there.

Mama Trudy is tired, but good.  She was so excited that Leslie got almost all of her dishes packed for her when she visited Mama Trudy last Friday.  Leslie also went grocery shopping for her on Saturday before they went back home.  Fortunately, mama's neighbor, Pat, works at a beauty supply store and is furnishing mama with all the boxes she needs for packing.

Our friends and fellow CRM chaplains, John and Judy Long, are headed for Houston to the Baylor Hospital to get a consultation with specialists for Judy.  Pray for their safe travels and positive results from the consultation.

I did it!!!

I got an invite to play Mexican Train with the Domino Divas at Quail Run!  Snookie, Peggy and Marlene.  Kathy showed up late, but didn't play with us as she just arrived from Las Vegas and was tired.  Refreshments were yumdillyishous, too.Snookie, Peggy, Marlene - Domino Divas

I had the audacity to win the game and I'm afraid I may never get invited back.  As I was leaving the park, Marlene was gathering a posse to run me out of town! Snookie took advantage of the scarf around my neck!I won!!!

Just as I arrived back at the Q, Rick and Wendy called and invited us to meet them at Pizza Hut for dinner.  Thanks, y'all!  After we finished eating, I said, "we should have brought cards and played Spades."  We somehow thought the manager at Pizza Hut wouldn't appreciate us taking up a table to play cards, so we headed to Rick and Wendy's for a game.  I guess I used up all my wins for one day with the Domino Divas, because the Gents beat the Ladies tonight in Spades.  We'll get'em next time.

No blue Monday for us.  We are so blessed.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Apple or Orange?

A random and innocent thread between friends on Facebook suddenly got my mind going, which happens on rare occasions.  It was merely a mention of oranges and apples and Adam and Eve.  That's all  it took for me:

Actually, it has been called "the forbidden fruit" or more concisely, the fruit that Adam and Eve ate was no other than the "fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."  As you can see, recognizing the name of the fruit makes all the difference in the world in how we view the outcome of consuming it.  The choice to disobey God by eating the~fruit~of~the~tree~of ~the~knowledge~of~good~and~evil, was a choice that opened a whole different life than the one God created for us in the beginning.  Our choices always have consequences, especially those in opposition to God.   (And no wonder we have shortened it to "an apple."  "The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is a mouthful.  No pun intended.

Let's read the account from Genesis out of the New Living Translation of the Bible.  It's an easy read and very interesting.  My thoughts will be in [brackets].

Genesis 2

8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. Tree of Life. Copyrighted.In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. [TWO trees are mentioned here, but God's warning only applies to the fruit of one.  We can choose one or the other, one representing life, the other representing sin and death.  Either choice will be the center (middle of the garden) of our life and our life will revolve around that choice.]

Tree. Copyrighted.

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

[Hmmm, Adam is alone when God warned about the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  God also told him about "the tree of life," but He did not forbid Adam to eat of the fruit of that tree.]

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed.

   “This one is bone from my bone,
      and flesh from my flesh!
   She will be called ‘woman,’
      because she was taken from ‘man.’”

24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

[Now, it's Adam's responsibility to tell Eve the instructions God has told him, because she is part of himself.]

25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

Genesis 3--

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."

[Notice that the serpent, who represents Satan, never once mentions the tree of life.  He wants to keep her attention on the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  He wants to keep her attention on disobeying God buy deceiving her into believing that God was lying.]

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

[Obviously, Adam had told Eve of the warning, because Eve knew about it and even told the serpent.  But there is no way to blame one over the other.  Eve and Adam both knew what God had told them, but they didn't trust Him and they listened to the serpent, to the point of disobedience.  Choices of disobedience always result in negative consequences.]

Disobedience. Copyrighted. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”

12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

[The first recorded case of "passing the buck."]

13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

   “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

[And the finger pointing continues.]

14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

   “Because you have done this, you are cursed
      more than all animals, domestic and wild.
   You will crawl on your belly,
      groveling in the dust as long as you live.
15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
      and between your offspring and her offspring.
   He will strike your head,
      and you will strike his heel.”

16 Then he said to the woman,

   “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,
      and in pain you will give birth.
   And you will desire to control your husband,
      but he will rule over you.

17 And to the man he said,

   “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree
      whose fruit I commanded you not to eat,
   the ground is cursed because of you.
      All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you,
      though you will eat of its grains.
19 By the sweat of your brow
      will you have food to eat
   until you return to the ground
      from which you were made.
   For you were made from dust,
      and to dust you will return.”

20 Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. 21 And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

[Verse 21 is the first picture we see of the requirement of the shedding of blood to cover the sin (nakedness) of humans... a picture of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for the payment of the sin of the world, all of which was the result of that first act of disobedience by Eve and Adam.  By man, sin and death entered the world and through sinless man (Jesus Christ), sin and death are defeated.]

22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

[After the human beings made their choice of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their opportunity to choose the fruit from the tree of life was gone.  By their choice, sin and death had entered their lives and the world.  It's the same with us.  If we choose to reject the gift of grace and mercy offered by Jesus Christ, we will not always have the opportunity to choose the eternal life He supplies.  There will come a day when the "gates" to Eden are closed, the "door" to eternity with Jesus Christ and life will shut, never to open again.

All that happened from the beginning of creation was God's plan.  Why, you may ask, did God allow the serpent, Adam, Eve, choices, sin and death?  As you learn more and more of God and His nature and character, you learn that He wants His creations to know ALL of Him.  We would never have know the part of Him that is Grace and Mercy unless sin was present.  Love would have no value if we did not have a choice.

Therefore, Forgiveness-Grace-Mercy-Love, arrived in Bethlehem and His name is Jesus Christ.]

Friday, November 27, 2009

It's Friday..

and we had choir practice as usual, while Don walked and visited with residents.

After practice, we drove into CG for lunch, following this RV.  Notice anything?  Leave me a comment if you do.notice anything here?

Don had a steering committee meeting this afternoon.  I stayed at the Q and finished cleaning and then read until he got home.

When we got home, our neighbors across the street had just arrived.  Roger and Leona's return was delayed due to her having a mastectomy.  She's doing great and doesn't need chemo or radiation!!  Praise the Lord.  It was wonderful to see them and it was also great to see neighbors working in their park model to get it ready for their arrival.  

Deciding we needed to move around, we took a walk.  I'm sure this bunny has been nibbling on the bougainvillea at our site.100_4051

Someone at sometime was very creative with a post.100_4053

It's been a quiet Friday for us.  Hope you've been able to relax.  If you participated in Black Friday, you will probably not need to be rocked to sleep tonight.

Thank you for dropping by Bakers' Blessingsville.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

"I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy" by Angie Smith

Just a quick note to let you know that Angie Smith's book, I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy (Paperback), is almost ready.  You can pre-order at Amazon.com.

Angie is the proud wife of Todd Smith of Selah, and the blessed mommy to Abby and Ellie (6), Kate (3), and Audrey Caroline, who passed away the day she was born, April 7th, 2008. Angie was inspired to write Audrey's story, and began the blog www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com in honor of her.

Since then, she has rediscovered her passion for writing and is working on a book which will be published in May of 2009 with B&H Publishing. Her greatest desire is to share her heart and love for the Lord. Angie holds a Master's Degree in Developmental Psychology, and loves to write about topics related to parenting and child development.

Angie also shares her heart on (in)courage.

Our Thanksgiving Day

It's about 11:30 AM and we are heading west on E. Sunscape Way.100_4011

Now we are on Sunshine Lane.100_4013

Out my window to the south, a view of the mountains past the fields.100_4014

Past cotton still in the fields.100_4015

And more cotton.100_4016

Even though this picture is blurred, you can still tell how much cotton has been produced.  "They" say this is one of the best years for cotton in a long time.100_4017

We have arrived at the Pruit's for Thanksgiving dinner.  Of course, I had to take a picture of two of their horses.  Daughter, Heidi Pruit, teaches riding lessons.100_4018

Lori Pruit, stirring gravy and Carol Pruit visiting with her.100_4019

Lori has the table ready and it is beautiful.100_4020

Lori is so funny.  There's nothing in this bowl, but she sat it out anyway because she loves it.  It's part of her Johnson Brothers China that she is collecting.100_4022

Lori's mother found eight bread/dessert plates for her.100_4023

Such a pretty Thanksgiving table.100_4024

I took the liberty of roaming around taking pictures of Tim and Lori's beautiful home.  They already have their Christmas trees up.100_4025100_4026

Tim, Don and Tim's dad, Morris, relax in the living room before the meal is served.100_4027100_4028

Heidi's boyfriend creates things as a welder.  Here's a Christmas tree he made out of horseshoes and gave to Lori.a tree made by Heidi's boyfriend

Lori joined me and show me the master bedroom.  Love this suite, handmade in Mexico and purchased in Ruidoso, NM.the Pruit master bedroom

It's time to gather for the Pruit family tradition before the meal.  Tim passed around a small glass dish full of dry corn kernels.  Each person was instructed to take three kernels.  The corn is our connection to the first Thanksgiving.  In turn, each person then tells of three things they thankful for.  However, since there were eight of us and Tim was hungry, we each shared one thing we are thankful for.  It was really nice and then Tim said the blessing and I don't think there was a dry eye after he prayed for our troops who are away from their families and for their families who have an empty chair at their tables.  We have so much to be thankful for.Tim explaining the

During the meal, I put my camera away.  I can multi-task but I preferred to devote my full attention to the wonderful meal... out of respect for the cooks, you understand.

Heidi makes whipped cream for the pies, pumpkin and pecan.Heidi making whipped cream for the pumpkin pie

The lovely Lori preparing plates for us to take home with us.  Don was feeling sorry for himself because he wouldn't have any left-overs and Lori must have read his mind.the very lovely Lori Pruit, our hostess for Thanksgiving dinner

In the kitchen, Tim whispered to me, "Get your camera ready."  And then he gave Don this "1/4 cup" of coffee to go with his pie.  Tim just brought Don a

Morris and Carol Pruit.  Yes, Morris talks with his hands.  He's a preacher, too.Morris and Carol Pruit

In the front yard, there were about a dozen quail at one time.100_4038

Another creation by Heidi's boyfriend.  This chair was really comfortable and it rocked.100_4041

After a great time of food and fellowship, Don decided it was time to go so Tim could take his afternoon nap. (wink, wink).

There home is almost completely surrounded by cotton fields.Arizona desert valley cotton

Back home, watched a little football.  Well, Don did.  I took a nap in my chair with the laptop in my lap.  This was taken right after I woke up.  sun has set

Poor Don.  This is what he looks like when I have slammed the screen door in his face.  Well, of course, I didn't know he was behind me, I was still half asleep.  I really didn't get the cutest face he made.  So sorry, hon.this is the way Don looks when I have slammed the screen door in his face.

Sunset from the cactus garden.sunset

The moon at sunset.  The sun has set on Thanksgiving Day 2009.Thanksgiving moon at sunset

We were apart from family today, but we sure enjoyed the day with friends.  Thanks, Pruit Family, for including us.  To all our family and friends, we pray you had a wonderful and grateful day.

Thank You, God, for the freedoms we still have.  We are so blessed.

Today in history

DAILY VERSE
Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name.      2 Chronicles 29:13


DAILY QUOTE
It is therefore recommended to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor. -- Samuel Adams


DAILY THOUGHT

The Founding Fathers of the United States of America saw the need for the nation to celebrate the new beginnings of the country, and they instituted the first national day of thanksgiving. Although the Thanksgiving we know—the fourth Thursday of November—wasn’t made official by Congress until 1941, many presidents between Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the value of a national day of gratitude. Canada set its Thanksgiving on the second Monday of every October. Other countries celebrate similarly.
This Thanksgiving, as you gather with family and friends, why not adopt that age-old tradition of asking each guest at your table to name something he or she is thankful for? No matter what country you call home, as you ponder your own list of things to be grateful for individually, don’t forget about the blessings your nation has received collectively. All of us have much for which to give thanks.
God, thank You for Your provision for me, my family, and my country. Amen.

(continue reading the next post)

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for.  Ministry, salvation, family, friends, health, provision, travel safety for family and friends, and the list goes on and on.  And yes, for trials and tests that draw us closer to our Heavenly Father.

We can't be with family today, (but we are there in spirit) so we will be with friends, for which we are very thankful. (pictures later)  God is so good and faithful to His promises we read in His Word.  He has given us what we haven't earned or deserve and has stayed from us what we do deserve.  His grace and mercy we will sing about forever.

We are thankful that Leslie and LaNae's families are together today with Mama Trudy.  We are thankful that Stephanie has opened her home today to family and extended family and friends.

We pray for a glorious and reflective day of gratefulness, love, unity and joy for all.

Tuesday, the 24th, Leslie called to announce the loss of Pook's first top tooth.  Pook's words: "I think I'm kind of cute snaggled toothed."  Mom words: "That's my little red neck daughter."  The other front tooth will probably be missing by Christmas, so she can sing that song we all know.... "all I want for Christmas is my two.front.teeth."  However, if she's cute with one missing tooth, she will be twice as cute with two and she may not be in a rush to have them replaced.  Nonna and Poppa Dop-py love and miss you, Emma, and we think you are very, very cute snaggled toothed!Emma snaggle tooth 11242009

Don and I have made several visits this week.  Monday, we went over to Linda and Virgil's to pray with them.  Virgil had both knees replaced at the VA hospital in Tucson on Tuesday afternoon.  He will remain there in rehab for about two weeks.

If you want a really nice used outdoor fireplace, Virgil has this one for sale.

Virg's outdoor fireplace for sale

The sign says $50 firm!  It's well worth it.a really good buy for $50

This is one of Linda and Virgil's doggies, Sasha.  Sasha is eating her food off the carpet....Sasha eating her dog food off the floor

This is how her food got on the carpet.  Sasha will not eat out of the bowl.  Thankfully, she will drink her water out of the bowl.This is how Sasha's dog food gets on the floor    Please remember Jo Becker in your prayers, as well as Virgil AND Linda.  Jo had hernia surgery on Monday.  They were able to do it with lasers and she may get to go home today.  Jo and George Becker are friends we met our first winter in Arizona at Quail Run.

It's a beautiful day in the desert valley today.  Temperature probably hit the high 30's this morning early, and it's predicted to be in the 70's today.  Sunshine and blue skies and hopefully, very little wind.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone and God bless you all.

We are soooooo blessed.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Email from Bob Ruesch

coffey rv

If you are wondering about GoodSearch (link in the sidebar menu), a YAHOO search engine.  Here is a video about the product.  CRM International receives donations from this Christian company when you use GoodSearch over Google or other search engines. 

Check out the video and then, if you feel comfortable, you can download a GoodSearch tool bar for your internet browser.  List CRM (under Christian Resort Ministries International) and start searching away.  We receive donations because of the searches.

http://www.youtube.com/goodsearch#p/a/u/0/DvArUu7zFH8

Any questions, call me, I have answers…. (Interested in being an RV resort chaplain? Call Bob!!!)

Blessings!

Chaplain Bob Ruesch

Christian Resort Ministries

918-285-0223 (AT&T) or

970-420-9525 (Verizon)

303-670-8870 (home)

1-606-729-1943 FAX

www.CRMintl.org

want to hear CRM chaplain sermons? www.sermon.net/crmintl

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Gratitude

DAILY VERSE
Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:26


DAILY QUOTE
Blessings hemmed with praise will not unravel.

Anonymous


DAILY THOUGHT

Mother Teresa told the story of finding four starving people on a Calcutta street. She told the other nuns with her to take care of three of them while she attended to the one who looked to be in the worst condition. They got them back to their clinic and Mother Teresa put her in bed and attended to her needs. The woman took hold of Mother Teresa’s hand, smiled, and said only two words, “Thank you,” before passing into eternity. Mother Teresa was deeply moved and blessed.
In the most tender and delicate moments of our lives, gratitude is often the most precious gift we can give. It affirms; it heals; it forgives. It’s important to remember, though, that we can give that gift anytime. There might be some people in our lives who desperately need it sooner rather than later.
Lord, I pray that You would help me show kindness and thankfulness to someone close to me today. Amen.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Please Pray for Abby

That's all.  Just please pray for Abby.

http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/2009/11/pushing-cyanide.html

Saturday stroll

Don, waiting for me to join him for a walk this morning.  He's very patient with me, while I put on my shoes, grab my camera and my cell phone.Don, waiting on me to go for a walk

It was a beautiful morning and there were many folks out enjoying the day.100_3973

When we walked through the Club House, Millie Boone and helper were getting The Sunscaper ready for delivery.  Millie has been the editor of the newsletter for at least ten years and does a great job.Millie Boone (right) getting The Sunscaper ready for delivery

There's a tree up for the kids at Home of Hope in Casa Grande.gift tree for Home of Hope children

Naomi and Bob have a trichocereus that has been blooming for three days.  That is very unusual as they normally bloom for one day and then the bloom closes and falls off.  We enjoyed visiting this couple who have been married for sixty years.  Bob has a collection of model cars and Naomi has a collection of angels.Naomi's trichocerus is blooming in in Nov. for the THIRD day!

Naomi also has a collection of odd cactus plants:

Gummy Bears.Gummy Bear cactus

Christmas Tree?looks like a Christmas tree to me

I don't know what these are?more of Naomi's patio garden100_3984

The Old Man.  I call it Grandpa's Beard.the Old Man

This bloom opens in the afternoon.  I must go back in the afternoon to get a picture.100_3988

I call this a Lighted Flag Pole.  a lighted flag pole!

We never know what we will find while walking around.  I found gifts for our girls at Nancy's, down the street, who had a table set up at their site with these cute "popcorn" tops for sell.  She had spaghetti strap ones and...

missed this one for Leslie, got the black, blue and silver

tank tops and...100_3992

short sleeve ones.100_3993

Today has not be a good day for the University of Oklahoma sports teams.  Both football and men's basketball teams lost on the road.  At least the women's basketball team won today, but we didn't get to watch that game.

In between games, Dale and Carol, the new CRM chaplain, who arrived Thursday at Quail Run, dropped by for a visit.  What a lovely couple from Washington.  We look forward to spending more time with them.

We've had another run of folks in and out of the hospital around here this week.  Thankfully, most are back home.  However, our good friend, Jo Becker, is scheduled for hernia surgery on Monday.  Prayers for Jo will be very much appreciated.

Notice there is now a link in the sidebar menu for Don's Audio Sermons, for your convenience. 

Besides the delicious vegetable soup that Don made for dinner tonight, that's about all for this Saturday.  We are looking forward to another wonderful morning of worship in the morning.  Please join us!

~~Isaiah 43:2 says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you."  The Lord watches over us, even when we don't fully understand the perilous nature of our condition.  Thank goodness for His daily protection!

Though come what may from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over me.  Clyde Heathcock~~