Advent Season

This has been a very busy Advent Season. Besides all the normal extra activities, Ginger is having to play the organ (It's been over 42 years since she's done that) as both the organist and the pianist are out of town.

Richard had a new experience playing Santa at the local elementary school. He got some hugs and some colored pictures of Rudolf accompained by the question, "Where is Rudolf?"

We pray everyone has a blessed Christmas rejoicing in the coming down of God's Son, Jesus, to bring us into His Family.

Isaiah 17:40 (SV)
And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd`s bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Stone and Slingshot

He was just a small young boy sent on a simple errand. When David arrived to bring supplies and check on his older brothers he could not understand why no one would answer Goliath’s challenge. What was different about the boy, David? None of the men trained in warfare would face Goliath. David had a gift of faith. He knew he was of God’s chosen. David knew if he walked according to the will of God, God would protect him. He stepped out in faith and trust. David did not wear man’s armor. He knew that armor was not made for him. He chose to wear God’s armor of faith. He walked with calmness to face the giant. He calmly picked out a few small stones. Then David declared God’s power. I too, can be like David. Wherever, when ever and however God would use me, I can walk in faith. He will equip me for the task at hand. My job is to be willing to obey. When I walk in obedience and faith I can leave the results to God. The question is not the size of the task at hand. God equips for every task regardless of size or difficulty. The question is, am I willing to go, do and speak what He bids? It only took a small stone and a slingshot in the hand of a boy to save a nation.

Prayer

Father, help me stayed tuned to your voice and walk in immediate obedience to any task you have for me. The size of the task is not the issue. The act of obedience brings you glory.

Copyright: Ginger Chapman

Nature Center Photos from Palacios, TX

Photo 1 - World's Largest Catapillar (don't recall the name)

Photo 2 - Nature Center Water Cascade

Photo 3 - Butterfly on flower - Nature Center

October News

We spent five days in Palacios, Texas at an Escapee Chapter RV Rally. Our rig was surrounded on 3 sides by docked shrimp boats. Sunrises were beautiful as well as the sunsets. Some of the highlights included a tour of a shrimp processing plant. The end of their conveyer that sorts sizes had a bucket of the biggest shrimp we've ever seen. We also toured a Nature Center and enjoyed the flora and the birds. Eating at restraunts was really nice. We feasted on fish and seafood. Of course, we purchased a bag of processed (cleaned, pealed, devained and butterflied) shrimp from the plant we visited.

Just before we left for that trip we had Octoberfest here in the park. We enjoyed seeing old friends and won a very nice door prize - an awning carpet. We've looked at it and wanted it for many years but considered it too pricey. We look forward to using it.

Ginger's first devotional book is selling well. All proceeds go to the church organ fund. She is working on her second book now.

If you haven't gotten e-mail from us it is because Ginger's computer went terminally down. Please e-mail me so I can rebuild my contact list. I've not had time to download my pictures from the rally but will post them as soon as I can.

Richard preached in church on Laymen's Sunday. He did an excellent job. We have no travels planned until January. We will try to post samples from Ginger's devotional books from time to time.

As Christmas preparations get on the way, we are once more in charge of decorating the outside of the church. Along with our little house we will be pretty busy. Our cards are designed, printed and in addressed envelopes to be stamped and mailed right after Thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving we will probably serve dinner to the less fortunate through a ministry called Manifest.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

End of Summer

We have been at our home base for the past month. We are looking forward to the end of a hot and humid summer and traveling this fall. We've been taking care of the home fron doing some cosmetic changes to our home and to our rig. Check back in the end of October and there should be some interesting pictures and travel tidbits.

Devotional Book

Ginger has published a devotional book to make mone for a new church organ in our church. All profits go to the organ fund. Here is a sample of one of the devotions.

The Onion

All these years of earthly life
have made me just the same
as the layers of the skins
of the onions God made.
Layers upon layers more
have hidden me so deep
until not even I could see
what lay within the core.

Then, my Lord, You took Your knife
and pierced the outer skin.
One by one the layers left
to only show more skin.
Somewhere down below the deep
I know there is a core,
for I am in Your Image made
through Jesus Christ my Lord.

As each layer peels away
I think I’ve found the core.
Then I find that there’s much more
Before I see the core.
I think, my Lord, it will take
all of my earthly life
to peel all layers off of me
and show Your glorious Light.

Even in this process, Lord,
as years and layers fade,
each one allows Your light to shine
more glorious every day.
Keep peeling off the layers, Lord,
until all men can see
Jesus Christ shine out through me
bright and pure and free.


Prayer: Father I release You to peal the layers off of me. I want to become translucent that Your Love and glory will shine forth through me and light the path for others. Give me patience as you peal away the layers my old nature and this sinful world have surrounded me. Help me learn to trust as You peal away.
The Onion

Scripture reading: Romans 8:17-27

Do you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever learn? Does it seem as if God is always having you walk out the same things over and over? When I complained of this to a friend he said that we are just like onions. To someone who is going through the process of finding out who they are, this was not a comforting thought. There was also the fear that when all the layers were finally gone, there would be absolutely nothing left.
To have Jesus within us is an instantaneous event. He comes within us to reside through His Holy Spirit the moment we invite Him by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. He will not leave unless we push Him out. To become translucent enough for others to see Jesus in us is a long, painful process. We must shed the artificial layers we have built around us until we finally see our inner core. If this were accomplished instantaneously we would be in mental and emotional shock. God works slowly and steadily within us giving our minds time to comprehend and our emotions time to adjust.
Even in this process our loving Father already sees us as perfect and loves us with His perfect love. Allow Him to love you as He clears away the layers that cover His Image in you.

Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, FL

We've just returned to Texas after taking 2 of our grandsons to our daughter's horse camp in Melbourne, FL. After the week-long camp we went to Jetty Park. This is a beutiful destination. You can watch the cruse ships go in and out. Ginger particularly enjoyed the sunrises. Kennedy Space Center is just 15 minutes away but quite expensive ($38 ages 11 and up).

The camp sites all have concrete pads for level rig placement. If you're in the area, we recommend a couple nights so you can enjoy the morning sunrises.