I'm not sure about your Christmas , but ours was fantastic. Just as our time spent during Thanksgiving with our youngest son and his family. The weather was cold: in the upper twenties. I know for you northern thick-bloods, the upper twenties is a heat wave, but for the lifelong Floridians, it was COLD!
We were able to spend a lot of time with our Florida grand-children going out to eat, visiting Celebration Disney for snow and hot chocolate, Christmas Eve at church followed by the traditional Subway sandwich. I might add it doesn't compare to Jersey Mike's. Then Christmas breakfast and afternoon meals. Polar Express and The Greatest Showman were the movies of choice this year. These two weeks went by incredibly fast. I was able to have dinner with a couple of my friends from the OFD (Orlando Fire Dept) and Mally was able to spend a couple days with her best friend in Lakeland. It was a good time had by all.
The end of 2022 hasn't been without challenges. One of our family members has been battling a significant health issue. This is the same one we have been praying for these past couple of weeks. Thank you so much for your continued prayers. God is good and He answers our prayers in different, yet always timely and perfect ways. The challenge is to embrace His answers while praying for wisdom and clarity. The battle continues, but it is showered with blessings as well.
Mally and I left Mt. Dora yesterday after having the heater in our RV repaired. We landed in Crawfordville, Florida and set up the RV. The temperature dropped to twenty-nine degrees and you guessed it, the heater didn't work. It was a brisk 49 inside the camper this morning. I didn't mind it, but Mally, not so much. Good times!
I have to put things into perspective. Mally and I went out to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner and upon pulling out of the parking lot we came across a double-wide home fully engulfed in flames. It took the volunteer fire department a few minutes to get on the scene, but the fire had already done its damage.
So, we have a family member being stretched in ways I can only imagine and a family in Crawfordville who has possibly lost all they own. With this in mind, how can I complain about a broken heater when the people in the Northeast are jailed by the horrendous cold. It's all about perspective.
Having a pretty full schedule ahead of us, we are heading out for our second year of full-time RV'ing. As Mally has already let the cat out of the bag (lol), we are currently planning to work at a lodge near the north rim of the Grand Canyon from May to November 2023. We are excited about this opportunity. I am also planning to write some sort of short blogg'ish style postings dealing with whatever comes our way coupled with some biblical applications. I am excited and a little apprehensive about this, so your prayers are welcomed. Most likely, I will use a website. If I do, I will include the link in my next post. We'll see.
Until then, from our hearts, Mally and I wish you a belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. With the culture, the political and religious arenas of America, and the world, isn't is obvious how desperately we need to draw near to the Lord? For the remainder of 2022 and then 2023, I encourage each of you to consider your priorities. Alistair Begg, from Parkside Church in Cleveland, spoke a message out of Luke16:14 which addresses the love of money. Jesus accused the Pharisees of being lovers of money. Money wasn't the issue. It is the "love of" money Jesus was talking about. Alistair told the story of a counselor speaking to his clients. He told them to show him their checkbooks and he would show them their hearts. I believe this applies to more than just our checkbooks. Let's each show/examine our calendars and possessions, and I promise you, we will be able to determine the priorities of our hearts. Just a thought.
Wear Jesus Well Blessings, Steve
"Lord, You have searched me and known me..." Psalm 139
The entire Psalm is enlightening and challenging.
Spoiler alert: Be thinking about integrity. What does it mean and what does it or what does it look like in a your life?
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