11/23 Update - Now in TX

We finished our commitment to Habitat last Saturday, Nov. 19th. It was an amazing project to see a house come together in about 3 weeks. We met such great people, many of whom live a life of giving to Habitat, even some 10-14 years. Some have travelled internationally to help build a house. Others have done 20+ homes a year. Such giving folks! Each one was so very nice to all of us!

However, for me, it had been several years since I'd done that much carpentering work and had a few evenings when getting down was easier than getting up. My Habitat friend, Kathy, has loaded Habitat's pictures week by week. To see the progress click here. The home owner should be in the house by early December. Click in about a week and you'll see the finished house. For a more historical perspective, click here and see week by week progress from Artesia's Habitat's leadership point of view.

We left Artesia, NM, Wednesday morning, Nov. 23rd, and arrived at Baird, TX, in the evening, just in time for Thanksgiving. Moving a 5th wheel is a slower process than jumping in a car. Kevin, our kind and generous son-in-law, drives the 5th wheel with at least one of his children with him. Ern drives the car. I simply keep the conversation going. 

We decided to stay here in Baird, TX, for a week (or two) before moving on to Tyler. Really, it's just too difficult to get two trailers moved a long distance in such a short time. Once you park, it is easy to decide to take a couple of days to readjust.

One lesson learned for me during these past two weeks is just to be reminded of how much my sweet husband tries to protect me. I can't imagine anyone trying any harder to make the days sweeter. He's not quite perfect .... but, he sure comes close. It's really hard to believe that Ern is 65. It seems like just a few years ago when we were in Iowa pioneering churches. But, really that is some 30 years ago. It's difficult to realize how the aging process just creeps up on us and suddenly things change. This is an area of contant prayer for me as I'm not yet ready to "retire". Thanks for your prayers.

After arriving in Baird, I cleaned for a day trying to get the dust of NM out of the seams and crevices of this little home. It has been a nice, casual Thanksgiving. The grandkids are always our delight. Tonight Dawn and I are going to see if we can find a couple of Black Friday specials at Wal-Mart.

Blessings!

11/5 Saturday Afternoon Update

It's Saturday afternoon (11/5) and we just finished Week 1 of 3 for Habitat. There's a wind advisory out today; so, we ended early. It's pretty difficult to do accurate work with 45 mph winds blowing dirt & sand in your face. But, these folks are excellent at building the Habitat homes. The folks we work with are called Habitat RV Care-a-Vanners and a few of the couples are old-timers, successful, retired business folks in very nice Motorhomes cruising around the country and then regularly incorporating Habitat into their road trips. Some are so kind and generous that they have been building homes for 10-12 years. My new friend, Kathy, has loaded Habitat's Week 1 Pictures to Picasa for viewing. [Click here.]

Every day I feel so privileged to be a part of this experience, walking beside my husband through these new opportunities. I still do daily phone devos every weekday morning at 7 AM with Katharine, a special COS friend. Then, I have another group of dear friends from OH, NM & TX, who are joining me in a phone Bible Study on Tuesday evenings. We are studying James. (You can see more about the Bible Studies info at the end of this blog.) I'm also doing a little bit of part-time work with a small mission group called Food for Orphans and helping a dear friend with her business (With Time to Spare). Everything is online and quite mobile.

The RVing community is a wonderful group of people. They are kind, generous and very social. Then I have the added joy of hearing the grandkids in the RV next to us. What could be sweeter? This week they made their own teeter-totter and the littlest ones laughed for hours. It's an amazing experience.

Well, I'm going to take a nap (maybe) and then see what Ern wants to do. (He's already sleeping.)

P.S. This Sunday is Orphan Sunday, a nation-wide promotion for the poorest of orphans. So, let me know if you want to help them out. There are lots of needs and we all have so very much. ($15/a month keeps a child from starvation by providing one balanced meal a day.) I'll to happy to help you get any gifts directed to this needy cause.

P.P.S. Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight. It's time for the daylight savings time change.

Bible Study Info:
Join us as we read through the Bible using MyBible365, which is a devotional 10-minute discussion Mon-Fri at 7 AM MST. 
  Or, call (712) 432-1085, 933627# to hear today's recorded devotion.
The Online Chosen Bible Study: James is each Tuesday eve, at 6:30 PM MST (5:30 PM CST). All you need is a phone, email, and your Bible. Email me with questions about either study.
  Both free studies use conference calling at (712) 432-0075, 933627#.
  For more info on the other Chosen studies [click here].