RVing Fulltime with Tom and Ella

2018 March 28 Wednesday in Liberty Hill Texas

53° to start the day. It stormed overnight with, wind, lightening, thunder, close to three inches of rain locally.

It stayed grey and overcast so day with occasional rain showers. It reached a high of 69°.

No sunrise or sunset photos.

Nothing much happened today. Grandies in the morning and choir practice in the evening. I believe the choir is ready for Good Friday and Easter.

MUSING – March 28 2018

PREPARATION AND OPPORTUNITY

Nehemiah 2:1-5
In the month of Nisan, in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year as king, after some wine was brought for the king, I picked up the cup of wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence before. The king asked me, “Why do you look so sad? You aren’t sick, are you? You must be troubled about something.” (I was really afraid.) “May the king live forever!” I said to the king. “Why shouldn’t I look sad when the city, the place where my ancestors are buried, is in ruins and its gates are burned down?” “What do you want?” the king asked me. So I prayed to the God of heaven, and I asked the king, “If it pleases Your Majesty, and you are willing to grant my request, let me go to Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it.”

The thing that jumped out at me here is when Nehemiah said, “I prayed to the God.” think about that for a moment. He already admitted that he was really afraid. The king, to whom he was enslaved, ask him a question. And Nehemiah says he prayed to God. How long do you think the king waited for an answer? When the Master says, “Jump” the slave jumps and asks if it is high enough.

I don’t doubt that he prayed. But I bet it was a quick “Thank you.” Because he had already prayed about this for days. Nehemiah 1:4 reads,
“When I heard this,(destruction of Jerusalem) I sat down and cried. I mourned for days. I continued to fast and pray to the God of heaven”.

Are you ”prayed up” so that you’ll be ready for God’s opportunity?

2018 March 27 Tuesday in Liberty Hill Texas

68° and no sunshine today. My only photo of sunshine was at ten in the morning.

It reached a high of 76° before a rain storm came through at about four. This dropped the temperature to 58° rather quickly
We had sloppy joes at the Georgetown senior center. We played bingo before lunch.

After lunch we stopped at Office Depot to print out a form for Ella to sign and then fax it back. It became a lot more complicated than it needed to be.
They told Ella to log into her email account on their computer. When all she really had to do was open the email on her phone and forward it to the Office Depot email. Whereas the phone aromatically logs her into her account, by using their computer, she had to log on using her password … which she couldn’t remember.
Then she couldn’t find the original message on her phone. So she had to call the people who had emailed the form and asked them to email it again tho my email account.

Once I received the form I forwarded it … except I missed a digit in their email and it didn’t send. After correcting it, I recent it and it was printed.

At this point she had to fill out the form, sign it, and fax it back.

MUSING – March 27 2018

WHAT WILL YOU BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

1 John 3:1-2
“Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either. Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is.”

When we are children people would always ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I wanted to be a cowboy. Not the kind of cowboy who herded cattle. I wanted to be the one in the white hat and who rode the the snow white horse. I wanted to be the one who saved the stage coach, or the town. You no the one who could shoot the gun out of the bad guy’s hand, to be the one who could ride up beside the bad guy, jump from my horse, knocking the bad guy from his horse. We’d wrestle in the dirt without me losing my hat. I wanted to be the hero.

As an adult, I never did any of those things. But I still try and live by my imagined cowboy code, to do the right thing at the right time. I try to help the underdog. I try to live in such a way that “The Spirit of the Lord is with me. He has anointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sin and the restoring of sight to the blind, to forgive those who have been shattered by sin, to announce the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

2018 March 26 Monday in Liberty Hill Texas

66° and headed for a high of 89°. Winds were gusting to 23 mph most of the today. The sunrise was mostly hidden again but I managed to capture a little color.

The sunrise was mostly hidden again but I managed to capture a little color.

We had smothered chicken with rice and green beans at the Georgetown senior center today. We picked up some bread and a cake also. We played a couple games by ourselves. We invited others to join us but had no takers.

We then stopped at the church for the “Just a Little Walk with Me” group.

It meets on Mondays and Wednesdays for a time of devotion, fellowship, and to walk in the gym.

With the pain in my knees, I don’t walk much, and my legs are getting weaker. I’ve just started doing knee bends ( not DEEP knee bends) while hanging on to a chair it a table. I’m hoping to gain some strength because, as it now is, I have trouble getting out of a chair.

However, after sitting there for about a half an hour, since no one else arrived and the door was locked, we left. We must have missed a message somewhere along the line.

Around five we left home for a drive on two of my favorite driver’s in the Texas hill country. 1174 and 1431 between Liberty Hill and Marble Falls are full of hills and curves that would make a roller coaster jealous. The scenery is gorgeous with a rugged beauty. I love to drive it … IN THE DAYLIGHT. In the dark or rain I avoid it like the plague.

The reason for the trip was to attend an Emmaus gathering at First United Methodist Church in Marble Falls.

First we ate. Then we worshipped.

MUSING– March 26 2018

DARK BLESSINGS

1 Thessalonians 5:16-20
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire. Don’t despise what God has revealed.

My favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God–those whom he has called according to his plan.” Once you understand the depth of that verse, you can face each obstacle, each challenge, each setback, and each hurt, if given to God in prayerful thanksgiving, can become a blessing. It is more than a positive attitude. It is a promise from God that He can use your pain as well as your joy for His holy purpose.

Try it the next time you are tempted to cry out, “Why me?” Instead honestly tell God about your troubles, then claim this promise that He can turn it into something good.”

In my own life, I can look backward on those dark times (my valleys of death and despair) and see the way God used those. Now, if I can l look forward with that same assurance, I can praise Him in and for those trouble filled times.

Can you look backward and see the hands of God at work? Can you trust that He is still at work yesterday, today, and tomorrow?

2018 March 25 Sunday in Liberty Hill Texas

68° at 7 a.m.

After worship today, we went to Adam and Leigh’s for lunch. The kids colored eggs with a little help from the adults. We had brought out games from home and played Fast Track and Rummikub.

MUSING – March 25 2018

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Philippians 3:1
Now then, brothers and sisters, be joyful in the Lord. It’s no trouble for me to write the same things to you, and it’s for your safety.

Paul writes, “It’s no trouble for me to write the same things to you,” or as a different translation reads, “To write the same things to you truly is not tiresome to me.”

As I’m writing these little devotions and/or my sermons, I wonder how many times I’ve said the same thing over and over? There are only so many ways to say, Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.Psalm 34:14 or Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away. Acts 3:19.

God’s message hasn’t changed in thousands of years. But, have you heard it?

2018 March 24 Saturday in Liberty Hill Texas

65°. No sunrise again today. This is not a black and white photograph. There just isn’t any color today.

I thought that we had nothing to do today and all day to get it done. However, when I checked the calendar, I realized that Beket had a baseball game at one thirty.
He got a walk to first, them stole second and third. Unfortunately the batter struck out before Beket could make it home. His team (Red Socks) won 7-5.

While at the game, we got a text from Adam and Leigha inviting us to lunch after church tomorrow.

Jenny also sent out a group text (we were sitting next to her) inviting the family to their house for Easter supper.

MUSING – March 24 2018

CAT WRANGLER

Numbers 11:10-12
Moses heard people from every family crying at the entrance to their tents. The LORD became very angry, and Moses didn’t like it either. So he asked, “LORD, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms–as a nurse carries a baby–all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath?

I remember a sign that was posted in the bathroom of a small Ma & Pa restaurant. The sign read, “I’m not your mother, clean up your own mess.”

I’m sure that everyone who has been in charge of other people has had similar feelings.

In a private conversation with a pastor, they said that trying to lead Christians is like herding kittens. They are warm and fuzzy but it’s nearly impossible to keep them moving in the same direction.

I know that at times, both as supervisor and as a preacher, I’ve felt like a cat wrangler. It is frustrating at times. You feel that the you are all alone with an impossible task. Why won’t they listen?

Moses felt so burdened that he cried out to the LORD. “I can’t take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me! If this is how you’re going to treat me, why don’t you just kill me? I can’t face this trouble anymore.”

The LORD heard and answered Moses by providing helpers to share the burden.

Here is the question of the day: Am I a burden or am I a helper to those tasked with leading me?

,

2018 March 23 Friday in Liberty Hill Texas

Sleeping wearing Cpap machine hose, earbuds and glasses. Actually, I’m not asleep yet. I’m watching TV shows on my “communicator”. Notice that I did not call that thing a phone. For clarification, read my blog from 2018 March 20.

61° and windy this morning. Ain’t no sunshine nohow today.

There weren’t too many folks at the Leander Senior center today.

Around 12:45 we went to Leander UMC for a 50+ game day. We took several games with us and ended up playing Fast Track with Rob and Sheri until around three o’clock.

Goodnight all.

MUSING – March 23, 2018
I HAVE THE CURE
Imagine for a moment that you have been suffering under an incurable disease. This illness has ruined you physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
Now imagine that you find a cure. In a single dose you are instantly completely healed. Not only are you free of this illness, but you are now immune to every disease.
What would you do?
Would you hide yourself away and hope that no one notices your changes? Or would you call your family and friends and share the cure with them? Wouldn’t you want to go to the hospitals and doctor’s offices and song the praises of the cure?
I have the cure. The LORD God Almighty has given me the cure through the person if His Son Jesus the Christ. I share him with you now.
Psalms 40:1-5
“I waited patiently for the LORD. He turned to me and heard my cry for help. He pulled me out of a horrible pit, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock and made my steps secure. He placed a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see this and worship. They will trust the LORD. Blessed is the person who places his confidence in the LORD and does not rely on arrogant people or those who follow lies. You have done many miraculous things, O LORD my God. You have made many wonderful plans for us. No one compares to you! I will tell others about your miracles, which are more than I can count.”

2018 March 22 Thursday in Liberty Hill Texas

49° at 3:45 this morning. Don’t ask me why I was awake ‘cause I dunno. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit telling me to get on with my morning musing, because that’s what I did. ‘Round ‘bout six I went back to sleep. Thank God I reawakened in time to capture the sunrise.

As I was writing this, the garbage men came to empty the campground’s trash container. I’ve never heard bounce it up and down that much before. I’m not sure whether something was stuck in the bottom or they just wanted to make sure that everyone was awake at 9 a.m.

Nobody in this campground is what could really be called a “camper” we are all full-timers and most stay here year around. We only spend seven months here and then five in Iowa

Speaking of Iowa, we have only slightly over a month before we head back there. We stay and workcamp at Cutty’s Des Moines Camping Club in Grimes Iowa. It is a member owned private camping resort. Other than Coast to Coast, only our members and our guests may use the resort. Here is a 2012 video of me work camping. Some things have changed since then. However the basics are still true.

Ella’s bread pudding was such a hit at the Over the Hill Gang last week, she made more this week. She mixed it all together last night and put it into the oven this morning. It sure and good in our home today.

This was a different lunch than we’re used to at OTHG.

After lunch Charlotte, Lu, Ella and I played a couple games of canasta. We played partners Ella and Lunch against Charlotte and I. Each team won one game.

Stepping outside afterward I was surprised at how windy it was. There were gusts upto 30 mph. How they hit the trailer determine how much rock and roll we do. If the wind comes at us to the front or back, it’s no big deal. However, if it hits us broadside, we can get whitecaps on our bottled water. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it is a lot more noticeable.

This evening we watched grandson Beket play baseball.

Saw a beautiful sunset while at the park.

Finally we stopped at

H.E.B. For some items to get us through the weekend.

MUSING – March 22 2018

HORROR AND HOPE

I just re-read the book of Lamentations, which means the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping.

It is a truly horrific book full of examples of the depths of human despair and depravity. The writer documents the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of it’s enemies. The city was blockaded and people were starving to the point that mothers were eating their babies.

This is the calamity that the prophets had warned them about. But the people refused to believe, refused to accept that God would remove his protection from them. They proudly proclaimed themselves to be God’s people, all the while breaking his laws and ignoring his warnings.

A few days ago I posted,”I reject the idea of a hateful, vengeful God. God doesn’t so much bring about calamity, as step back and allow the consequences of OUR actions.” read now the words written during all the death and destruction in Jerusalem:

“Even if he makes us suffer, he will have compassion in keeping with the richness of his mercy. He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone, crush any prisoner on earth underfoot, deny people their rights in the presence of the Most High God, or deprive people of justice in court. The Lord isn’t happy to see these things.”

Lamentations 3:32-36

2018 March 21 Wednesday in Liberty Hill Texas

Another cool start to the day at 37° overnight it had warmed slightly by the time we rolled out of bed. I had been up a little earlier and started the heater. We didn’t take long getting dressed.

Look what a difference a few minutes make in the morning sky.

Because we hesitated getting out of bed, we didn’t have time to cook breakfast. We had cold cereal before leaving for Grandies.

 

At Grandies we filled a lot of plastic eggs with candy for the egg hunt on Easter Sunday. I don’t think that it was near as many as we filled last year. See photo below of eggs for Easter 2017.
Then we had an enchilada lunch.

Choir members met at Dahlia’s for supper before going to Cross Tracks Church to practice for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

MUSINGS – March 21 2018

DO YOU HAVE BONE DISEASE?

Psalms 32:3-5
“When I kept silent about my sins, my bones began to weaken because of my groaning all day long. Day and night your hand lay heavily on me. My strength shriveled in the summer heat.

I made my sins known to you, and I did not cover up my guilt. I decided to confess them to you, O LORD. Then you forgave all my sins.“

Let me say this first: the psalmist was not being literal here. This is a poem and poetic license is used to describe how the burden of his unconfessed sins made him feel.

I have felt that way and so have countless others. Listen,”Once my heart was heavy with a load of sin. Jesus took the load and gave me peace within.” or “‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved” These hymn writers had to have felt the weight of their sins to have written these heartfelt words. They and I have also been set free by confessing those sins to the LORD.

Is your heart heavy? Are your bones weak? Confess to the LORD your sins. Admit to them. Honestly promise to not do them again. Then go and sin no more.

2018 March 20 Tuesday in Liberty Hill Texas

I’m gonna warn you up front … this a long post. I followed a couple bunny trails.

45° at 5:45 so I closed the bedroom window. Yeah I like it cool to sleep – but, let’s be real, there’s a limit, okay? Burrowed back under the covers and threw my cold arm across my sleeping wife. Yeah I’m that kinda guy.

Checking my news feeds this morning, I found this, “Package bound for Austin blows up at FedEx building near San Antonio.” My family and friends live and work in this city, so I “Thank the LORD! He has shown me the miracle of his mercy in a city under attack.”*

Sunday we got the new book that our class is going to be studying. “Unafraid” by Adam Hamilton.

Considering the fear in our Texas community over these bombs, it seems like an appropriate and timely study

I was ready for some good news so then I read that our church’s Lenten Clothing Drive had concluded with so much clothing donated that we had to rent a truck to haul it.

Speaking of clothing, this was once again laundry day at the Williams household (RVhold?).

Now there’s another rabbit hole to go down. When talking to people I often use words such as household and housekeeping. Those words convey the proper message but not the proper image. We have no house. We have a home but it is on wheels. We need to add some new terminology to the language. Otherwise we will continue to use outdated words for a new situation. Take the word threshold. It means a strip of wood, metal, or stone forming the bottom of a doorway. However it originally meant to hold the thresh (straw) that was scattered on the dirt floors of homes. Nowadays most of us have a phone in our pocket. But calling it a phone is to limit it to only one of the myriad of uses to which we put these devices. I like the term from Star Trek, “communicator” or com for short. Yeah I can get behind that. “Com me.”

 

The groundskeeper was mowing this morning. I hoped that he would get to our site while we we’re doing laundry. But he didn’t.

 

I remember helping my mother do laundry. Back then laundry day started with me bringing the big galvanized washtub in from where it hung on the back porch. The tub would go on the stove to heat water for the wringer washing machine. The first load of water went into the washing machine. 

Then a second tub was moved to a stand next to the machine under the wringer. Bluing went into the second tub which was for rinsing the laundry. While the machine ran Mom would stand there with her “laundry stick” and keep pushing the clothes further down into the washer.

Eventually the washed clothes were run through the wringer into the rinse water. The laundry stick was them deployed to agitate the clothes in the rinse water.

When she was satisfied, the clothes were run through the ringer once or twice and into the laundry basket (which originally held a bushel of peaches).

Being young and strong I carried the basket out to the clothesline. I couldn’t reach the lines so I would hand Mom a piece of clothing while she grabbed clothes pins from the bag hanging on the line.

Once everything was on the line, she would go in and fix it lunch.

After a day in the sunshine and wind the clothes were taken down, brought inside and folded.

By contrast, today Ella put clothes into the front loading machines while I added soap. We then dropped $3 in quarters in each. We then sat and played games. Less than thirty minutes later the clothes were moved to the dryers. More quarters were added and the drying began. More games were played. A short time later, clothes were out of the dryer, were folded, and in the laundry bag, ready for the trip home

But first a stop for lunch

*Psalms 31:21

MUSINGS – March 20 2018 GO OR STAY

Genesis 26:1-3
There was a famine in the land in addition to the earlier one during Abraham’s time. So Isaac went to King Abimelech of the Philistines in Gerar.  The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Don’t go to Egypt. Stay where I tell you. Live here in this land for a while, and I will be with you and bless you. I will give all these lands to you and your descendants. I will keep the oath that I swore to your father Abraham.

 

Many times in my life I’ve ask God where he wants me. I actually pray,”Lord, push me, pull me, place me where you want me. I give you my permission to override my self will not my will but yours.”

Sometimes I’m expecting a “Go to Nineveh!*” But more often than not I’ve gotten, “Stay where I tell you.”

*Genesis 10:10

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2018 March 19 Monday in Liberty Hill Texas

Fourth bomb exploded in Austin Sunday night. The first three were packages that were left on people’s properties. Which lead police to believe that they may have been “targeted” bombs. However, the latest appears to have been along the side of the road and activated by a tripwire, which suggest that the victims may be totally random. The local TV channel had been doing Breaking News updates every half hour this afternoon. Please pray for the victims and their families, pray for the investigators that they are safe and successful, and yes pray for the person or persons, who has deployed these devices, that they turn from their evil ways.

57° started the day and climbed to a sunny 80° by mid afternoon. My apologies to folks where another blizzards has you in its sites.

I had an appointment with my cardiologist for my annual checkup. Everything was good except my BMI. Even for Santa I’m too fat. I need to get that under control before I can have knee surgery next year.

I was that skinny kid who could not gain weight no matter how much I ate. Somewhere in my forties that all changed. My activity level slowed way down but I continued to eat as I always had. Those bad eating habits are hard to change because I REALLY like food. I crave the taste more than the food. So those diet aids, that make you feel full, are of no help to me.

Lunch was a baked fish patty, spinach, carrots, and hush puppies at the Leander Senior center. Once again Ella and I played a game by ourselves. I’m feeling more and more shut out by this group. I’ve called these folks friends for years so it’s hurtful to be treated as outsiders.

After lunch we went to Walmart to pick up some of Ella’s prescriptions.

Next we stopped at Winkle’s for a tube of Goop™.

I love this stuff. As well as a great waterproof adhesive, it can be spread thin as a sealant. I’ve used it to repair small holes in my RV awning, added stripes of it to the back of a throw rug to stop it from sliding on the floor, and made a waterproof patch for the inside of a tent. By the way I receive no compansation for this indorsment.

MUSINGS

LOVE SONGS

Isaiah 12:2-6

Look! God is my Savior. I am confident and unafraid, because the LORD is my strength and my song. He is my Savior.” With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation. At that time you will say, “Praise the LORD. Call on his name. Make his deeds known among the nations. Make them remember that his name is highly honored. Make music to praise the LORD. He has done wonderful things. Let this be known throughout the earth. Shout loudly, and sing with joy, people of Zion! The Holy One of Israel is great. He is among you.”

Sing to the Lord a new song. I remember years ago hearing the song “I Will Follow Him”* by Peggy March and thinking that it could very well be a song of praise to God. Over the years I’ve heard a lot of love songs that work as well. So if you hear me singing or whistling a love tune, quite possibly I’m praising His name.

*Love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep me away
I must follow him (follow him), ever since he touched my hand I knew
That near him I always must be
And nothing can keep him from me
He is my destiny (destiny)
I love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever
I will follow him (follow him), follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away
Away from my love (I love him, I love him, I love him)
I love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever
I will follow him (follow him), follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away
Away from my love
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
I know I’ll always love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
I know I’ll always love him, I love him, I love him
Songwriters: Norman Gimbel / Arthur Altman / Jacques Plante / Del Roma / J. W. Stole
I Will Follow Him lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group