Spring is Coming??

March 5, 2009

How many times have we thought that only to have the temperatures drop into the low 30's again? This has been a rather strange winter here in Foley, AL as it has been in many areas. Today is gorgeous and the lows are supposed to be in the upper 40's or higher for the next several days. Daytime temps in the high 60's to mid 70's and this is more like what we have been expecting. So many of the people here at Anchors Aweigh are from northern states and of course we all know the weather there has been harsh most of the winter. Still we have had colder weather than normal and that cuts back on some of the outdoor activities which most have come to enjoy during their winters along the Gulf Coast.

We have been here at Anchors Aweigh RV park in Foley since October 2008. This has been an opportunity to serve God in a smaller park and to be able to minister to the needs we often are not aware of in the larger parks. We still help out at the State Park in Gulf Shores but here we get to know the people better and they try to let us know if anyone needs our help. February has been an especially tough month as one of our park members has spent most of it in the hospital in Fairhope and undergone several surgeries. The last was heart bypass and she did not recover from that and also went into kidney failure. The Lord called her home March 3rd just after 9:00 p.m. Hwe family from IL are here now and Butch will conduct a memorial service tomorrow morning. This situation is made more difficult since she was actually the one who had to do everything regarding their RV as her husband is on oxygen and appears not to be able to really take care of himself. This has put a lot of strain on the park owners and also on friends and there is a decision to be made which involves his care. Butch is speaking with the family now and trying to help them understand that he is not capable of living in an RV because he can't do the necessary things to take care of it and that they must make the decision best for him. Please pray for this family and for Butch as he ministers to them.

We spent yesterday visiting our son and his family. This was the first time in over a month that we have been able to see them. They have had sickness or we have and the month just seemed like forever. The night before we went over there our son was watching the weather and commented that it was to be colder in Foley than at their house. Our little Lily Grace said "oh no, Nanny and Papa might get cold" and none of us even knew she realized we were in Foley. She will be three in June but amazes us every time we see her.

We look forward to getting back to Alabaster the end of March. I am scheduled for some surgery to repair the muscles that allow you to open your eyes wide. Mine are now causing me some vision problems so this is to be corrected on April 3rd in B'ham.. After spending some time with family and friends we will go to Hunting Island, SC in May for the summer ministry there.Hope to see many of you before then.

Sunshine After the Rain Feb 15, 2009

After 4 1/2 inches of rain since Friday this is a beautiful Sunday with lots of sunshine. I am enjoying the birds at our feeders and seeing all the people out walking their dogs. I really enjoy it when the dogs stop to play with each other. I really miss our Sandy, hard to believe it has been almost 2 years since she died.

Feb. 15, 2009

On Sunday after our worship service we took some friends to O'Charley's and had a wonderful time talking, laughing, and eating. It's so interesting that when Christian friends get together some of the experiences of the past will come up and we all get to share in the joy of missions and witnessing about our Jesus that have taken place in different places. Our friend Joe always has stories of church building in different areas and the great opportunities the team shares together. It seems there is never a trip in which someone has not accepted Christ as a result of their faithfulness to "go and tell". We talked about the different ways that Christians greet each other: handshakes, hugs, kisses on the cheeks, smiles, and sometimes just a nod of acknowledgement. One of the funniest stories was of a church his group was building in Virginia, up in the Appalachians. The minister there explained that it was important to follow the womens lead in greeting each other. They were told not to be the first one to greet people but that it was okay to accept and return the women's greeting. All questions were answered when they realized many of the men were packing guns!!! We were all amused that the men came to church with guns and that it was totally accepted.

The other couple, Alan and Rusty Kalem are always fun to be around and he was gracious enough to come an sing three of the songs he had written. Since it was Valentine's weekend Butch asked if he ever sang any love songs, and he agreed to sing one he had written for Rusty. It was fun to see that after many years together she could still blush as he sang. Alan writes his songs and there is always so much humility and love for the Lord in each song. God has blessed him with a wonderful voice and he continues to bless others with each son

We are currently at Anchors Aweigh in Foley, Al. Most people familiar with the area alway say "Oh, you're down close to the factory outlet stores' which is true but we aren't big on shopping. We have been her since October but have not visited even one store. As we continue to grow in God's service those things mean less and less to us. Of course living in a motorhome makes it easier since storage is limited!! Butch continues to tell me that if I buy anything I have to give something up and that definitely cramps the shopping idea!!

As many of you know our son and his family live in Mobile. We do get to see them a little more often but like the rest of the world they are always busy. Carly, our teenage granddaughter is responsible for a lot of that and I am sure most can relate to that. In addition our son is the youth minister at their church and heads up Upward Basketball this time of the year. He is also attending seminary which means a trip to New Orleans each Monday and then he is a substitute teacher several days a week. Juli, our daughter-in-love has her hands full with some of the women's ministry and even more with our youngest grandchild who will be 3 in June. She could entertain anyone who has time to listen to her. She has a very advanced vocabulary and understands what she is saying. She really catches us by surprise a lot of times and we find ourselves answering "well, yes Lily Grace I do think that is a good idea". At Christmas time she really had a ball with Cassie's 15 yr old son. She thinks our grandson is there for her entertainment whenever he is around and can literally lead him around on a string!

I've been yakking long enough so let me just share a few pictures!We saw this one on a trip to FL to visit Ed and Brenda Geiger. He was not alone!!