Feb. 9,2017
To celebrate my 60th blog, I
decided to try to send all of the blogs to date so if you needed to catch up,
you could. (109 pages)
Oct 26, 2016-Feb 9, 2017
Flourishing to the Finish
by Lonna Swann
Well, yesterday I left the RV
Park in Colonial
Beach, VA. and drove about 40 miles. Woopee! I am not towing my
car, left it with my adopted grandson, if I need one, I will rent one.
Just so you know, there is a lot to a Motor Home that I have to learn all
over again. Not only do you have a vehicle, but a house on the back, it moves
and much consideration must be given to all aspects. Experience helps but
it has been about 10 years since I've had RV experience and I am getting
re-acquainted with it all over again AND I am getting acquainted with a Coach I
have never had before. It is one thing to know how it works sitting in an
RV Park, hooked up to the sewer, electricity and water and I got comfortable
with that. It is quite another to be "unhooked" and
driving. I am experiencing what I need to, while I am close, so I will
know what to do when i get "out there", which should be today.
Let me be perfectly clear, I trust God, fully, I intend for Him to be able to
trust me, I love Him and He loves me (and you), He has my best interest at
heart,(you too), and He knows the future! What a great deal! For those
who are worried about me, God's got me. One way or another! Jesus is my
Savior, Comforter, Provider, Protector, my Peace and my Joy, the Holy
Spirit is my helper, guide, when I listen (which I intend to do). I am
excited but not stressed about anything. I am yeilding to the Lord on
this adventure and since He knows the plan, I am going with it!
Yesterday I had good intentions of getting about my journey but I needed
to experience some things like, stuff falling out of a cabinet on my head, (
happened when I was stopped and could handle it) lesson learned, secure all
cabinets! Generator wouldn't start, called my wonderful "go to"
RV guy and he talked me through it,(it was an operator problem). Wasn't able to
get propane and my very good friend and her family allowed me to stay in their
yard and hooked me up to electricity so I could run the refrigerator and heat
without running the generator all night. Had a wonderful dinner with my
daughter, LaVonne, so I got to see her before I left.
I intend to take care of some necessary business today and get on the road before
traffic. Who knows, well the Lord does. Life is an adventure, and mine is
not all about me. I know that God has a plan for me, and the people I
meet and the places I go are a part of that plan. You can read Isiah 54,
which will give you a clue. I just looked at my phone and the scripture
fo the day is: Psalm 1:6 "For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous
but the way of the ungodly shall parish."
Well, as I was writing this blog, the Suburban propane gas company just called
and told me where to get propane (about 3 miles away). Wow does the Lord
take care of me! Praise the Lord!
Friday, October 28, 2016
Finally I feel like I am on the journey, but I didn't get
far. All my business is taken care of, and I was cleared for take
off. I stopped at dark just across the bridge and am tucked in for the
night. I am still excited and will leave at first light tomorrow(I think).
I filled up with gas and tomorrow I will check to see what kind of mileage I am
getting on the road without the generator. Will let you know. You
missed a gorgeous sunset over the Potomac river, I was
driving the bridge so didn't take a picture for you. Some things just
aren't worth it. (Smile) Good night. May not blog tommorow
til I get somewhere. Love, Grandma Swann
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Great nights sleep in the
Walmart parking lot In Dalgren, VA. ( I thought I had sent this,
this AM). My batteries were running low, which was another lesson
learned, charge everything! Ok , I left Dalgren,
VA with a full tank of gas ( at $1.76 per
gal. and a sense of peace as I finally began my journey, starting out at 10 AM.. I had other RV's as company and
the parking lot was well lighted and Walmart was open all night and they had
security, but with all that I had Jesus, and He is all I need..
Today was wonderful, perfect weather, and driving conditions. I went by Frog
Level County,
which only has a Carry out, a Church and a Firehouse, ( I always liked the
name). Today they had a Harvest festival at the Church and lots of cars, lined
up on both sides of the Highway so I didn't stop. Looked like fun .
I stopped in South Hill, VA
at a "Loves" Service Station that caters to RV's. They had a
dump station, and I needed to dump my tanks (by myself for the first time, it
went smoothly), a Subway Sandwich shop (I like the sandwiches) and Gas which I
needed before it got down to half a tank($1.96 per gal. and the last
"Loves" station as North Carolina doesn't even have any and the
regular gas , lowest price I found out was $2.11 ) I need to figure out how
many miles per gallon I get without the generator running. Will let you
know.
What a blessing! I am staying with friends in Raleigh,
NC tonight, and will go with them to FTHCM
Church tomorrow. There was
plenty of space to park the RV at their house, and I could have stayed in the
RV but they insisted that I stay over night in their house. They have internet
and they also let me wash clothes and take a shower, which are the only two
things I didn't do before I left. (oops)
The Lord is with me all the way!
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Wow, woke up in Raleigh at my friends house and they drove me to the FTH CM Raleigh Church for Sunday School which he taught. It was a
wonderful review of the classes he had taught for the month on Witnessing in
the Church. I was surprised, just before the Service started, the
Pastor's wife from Pomona, Calif. came in. She had flown to Raleigh and .drove with the Raleigh Pastor's wife to the Woman's Retreat in Cambridge, MD. and they had just returned yesterday. My plan
is to go to the Pomona Church as a part of my journey, It was good to see her
early! The message was good and I saw many people I knew from either the Parent Church or from my former visits, lots of hugs. It is
such a loving Church!
The couple I stayed with, were in Shaklee years ago and they were kind
enough to have me, not only to park at their house, but they said it would make
sense to stay tonight too, since I was going to the Court house in Greensboro,
NC tomorrow and I could go after traffic. They also helped me fill up the water
tank from their house faucet. We went out to a great restaurant, ,and had
a wonderful meal. They are so special! I enjoyed the visit so much.
Now I am ready for the next part of my journey which is to research my
genealogy at the Courthouse. I am loving this!
Monday, October 31, 2016
Good Morning,
Up and ready to go to Atlanta (via Charlotte, NC). I had planned to go check out some of my
Ancestors but, the Lord has different plans. (Let the dead bury the dead), so
on to the living in Atlanta!
I have adopted two more into my adopted family, my Host and Hostess and they
prayed a beautiful prayer for me before they left this AM. I washed
another load of clothes and am ready to hit the road. It is another
beautiful day, a crispy cooler one that yesterday's 83 degrees.
I'm excited!
Arrived South of the Border, South Carolina, 3:30 PM,
taking a break. All is well. I am living off the top of the tank,
as Episcopal Pastor said to.(filling up when it gets to half a tank. So
far I am getting 7.95 mpg, (reasonable for a Motor Home, I think), last gas was
$2.19 per gal. I have been going 65 mph in a 70 mph zone.
Tuesday Nov.1, 2016
Had a wonderful 9 hour sleep at South of the
Border, South
Carolina.
It was quiet and since it was 80 degrees yesterday, it was perfect for sleeping
as it got cooler (down to 56 degrees) during the night. I didn't need to
turn on the generator, or even use the lights as the parking lot was well lit,
and my sky lights allow the light to come through. I had a nice salad and
rested a while from driving and then, it just seemed right to stay the night
here.
Yesterday I was expecting to see some
aftermath from the storm and flooding they had near Fayetteville, NC.. I saw why they had closed I-95. In one
stretch about a half mile long, every other tall pine tree was down. They
had cleared the road, but had not taken the downed trees out.
Today, I plan to go to the Atlanta (Georgia) FTHCM church for Bible study, yesterday Pastor
Stark's wife helped me find a place to park. So on to Atlanta!
For those of you that want to know about my
health, I had a check up before I left. I am on no medication,(that was a
goal) and I had a Mammogram and a bone density test, mammogram was OK and my
BONE DENSITY HAD INCREASED 5.9% from 3 years ago (when it was declining),
now it is at 100%! Praise the Lord! I had purposely increased my Shaklee
Calcium (Osteomatrix) and Vitamin D (Vita D), I am REVERSING the aging process!
(I got it in writing). Woopee! There are some things I need to do to be better
(exercise is one) but the Health Print (Assessment) helped me to know what to
do. If you would like to know yours, go to my Shaklee website and take
the (free) Health Print. It takes about 5 minutes to complete and you will get
immediate suggestions as to how to reach your health goals.
My website:
www.healthierlife-4U.myshaklee.com
The weather here today will be 73 degrees and
cloudy- PERFECT for driving!
I will do better today, how about you?
(a Grandma Swann moment)
Wednesday, Nov 2, 2016
Wow, another great day! It just keeps getting better. I wasn't able to blog last night because
there was an accident on the highway that stopped us for about an hour and so I
got to Pastor Starks house just in time to go to Bible Study which was exactly
what I needed to hear. I got to tour the
Church facility which is awesome and beautiful.
I will send some pictures (if I figure it out). They fixed dinner for me which was delicious
and we talked until late. Great fellowship, I stayed on the street, near their
house, had a quiet nights sleep. I got
two CD's of Pastor Starks messages on "Excellence of Ministry through
Love" for the trip, listened to one, it was life changing.
Then I got up and left to go
on to Scottsboro, Alabama to be there by 2:30 PM. The travel there was beautiful rolling hills
(mountains for Easterners), the leaves were on their way out but still
beautiful. Lakes, quaint little towns, good roads but not Interstate, which I
enjoyed.
Scottsboro, Alabama is a sleepy little town with an Unclaimed Baggage Center that I had heard about 5 years ago and put it on my
list of things to see. I don't know why
it fascinated me so, but it seemed like fun.
I found out that at 2:30 PM
every day the public might be able to open a suitcase and I wanted to do that,
so I had to be there. (weird? yes.) I
arrived here about and hour early which allowed me to see the place. It is like a huge two building "Thrift
store" of stuff found in baggage.
They have found some unusual things like a shrunken head, wedding
dresses, diamonds, Money, a suit of armor, etc..., you can go on their website
(Unclaimed Baggage) and check it out. I
found out that each person that wanted to open the suitcase put their name in
for a drawing. My name was pulled!
Yippee! They put an apron on me, gave me gloves and while I was opening the
suitcase, Pam, gave the History of the place and she said that the original
owner (who was in the coffee shop but left before I could get to meet him)
started by getting a pickup load of unclaimed suitcases and had a yard
sale. It caught on and grew.
The suitcase I opened had a
shirt, two pairs of jeans and some dirty socks, all of which went into the wash
bin. They had 4 bins, Wash, Sell, Give away and Trash. It was fun and they gave me a "Unclaimed
Baggage Tee shirt and a 10% off coupon for an item. I didn't need a lot of stuff but I did buy a
back apparatus that I can put on the drivers seat that will keep my back cool
and supported while driving ($4.00), a pair of turquoise sandals,($5.00), a notebook
($.29) and a ring ($3).
I told my flourish to the
finish RV story to two Sweet Christian ladies separately that worked there (and
gave them my blog info) and they talked about me to each other and decided to
give me a free lunch coupon with beverage for tomorrow. Wow!
God is soooooo good!
I am able to stay at the same
place in the secure parking lot (next to a grave yard, which should be quite.
My generator started but
didn't run anything, so I called my wonderful "go to" RV guy and he
talked me through it. Another operator problem.
Later while I was writing this the LP gas alarm went off and I had to
call him again. We worked that out
too.
I am well taken care of,
thank God!
Tomorrow is about a 3 hour
drive to do a Shaklee Training in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
**************************************************
Nov
2-7, 2016
John 8:36
Before I left on this journey, I ask
several of you to come along. I am beginning to know why it is just
Jesus and me on this (mission) journey. I have a question. What has
you bound? Who bound you? Didn't Jesus die to make us free?
Are we free to do God's will for our lives? Have we cluttered ourselves
with things, stresses, "have to's", "buts" our own understanding?
Maybe this journey of mine will help you think about...WHAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM
DOING GOD'S WILL IN YOUR LIFE??? Do you trust the One who made you
for His purpose, to know what is best for you? How is your peace level?
Joy level? Comfort level? Can you even have peace with all my
travels? (I'm just saying..) You may have to put up with the "Grammy
Whammy's"
OK, I had a peaceful nights sleep and the
neighbors did not bother me at all.( a Cemetery). I woke up with such Joy
in my heart today!
I will visit the people I met at the Unclaimed Baggage Center and get my lunch to take with me.
On to Murfreesboro, TN.
All tucked in at the Cracker Barrel
Restaurant in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. There is supposed to be a storm tonight and I
am OK here. We were going to do a Shaklee training tonight with my best
friends granddaughter who lives here, but because of the impending storm we
will do it probably tomorrow, it is going to be sunny and 75 degrees for the
next few days. I love storms and am looking forward to the pounding of
rain on the roof, which sounds so great!
Nov 3, 2016
There are so many wonderful people in this
world, love them, enjoy them, seek to bless them and....don't listen to the
news! God will give you the information you need when you need it and other
people can't wait to discuss it with you,(whether you want to or not). Today's
Grammy Whammy
This morning was lovely as I visited my
friends at the Unclaimed Baggage Center again. I also met Chris, a young man who knows the
Lord and he helped me find a super duper charger for all my gadgets, that
should help keep me charged.
I got the free lunch, and beverage,
compliments of my two new friends, Pam and Jasmine at the U.B .Center and it
was delicious! A salad sampler consisting of the County's best Chicken
salad (made with Chicken breast, grapes and green onions), a tossed salad made
with fresh wild greens, cranberries and pecans, and a unique strawberry pretzel
whipped cream salad that served as a light desert. The Chicken salad was
enough to make a sandwich for lunch and have the rest for dinner.
I am not hungry so won't go to Cracker Barrel
tonight, maybe eat tomorrow to pay for my stay.
The drive here was beautiful with the Cumberland Mountains and a gorgeous day. I took some more pictures
as I was driving but I need help to get them to you. Hear ye, hear ye all
you techies out there. HELP! You don't want me to figure it out myself!
It hasn't started to rain yet but I better stop now, while I still have a
connection. Love you all, having too much fun to miss you yet, maybe later.(smile)
Where are the smiley faces when you need them?
I plan to be here for a few days.
*****************************************
Nov 4, 2016
Well, I weathered the storm!
(It didn't. even rain). (Told you to not to listen to the news!) (smile)
Had a restful sleep here at Cracker Barrel in Mufreesboro,, TN. This seems like a day to catch up, Nothing planned.
but housework and organization, (much needed). Will let you know if that
changes. I am trying out my Tablet to blog this, seems to work but not as good
as the Lap Top. (onefinger). I was able to use my new superdooper Battery charger and it charger my tablet, Hot spot. Phone and Hands-free
device and was only down 50%, good stuff! It doesn't work for the Laptop, have
to start the generator and plug it in.
Talked to a friend this AM who is 85 yrs old. had been in pain with Arthritis,
using a stair lift to go up stairs, was short of breath,(using a nebulizer) had
fluid build up in her legs and feet( on diuretics), and was very underweight
with no appetite.
She has been eating Shaklee products for 2 weeks and told me she had no pain,
could walk up and down the steps(15) and was able to come off her pain meds.
She has not used the nebulizer for 3 days, has gained 10lbs ( said she would
kiss my feet if Shaklee helped her gain weight, I can't wait to get back for
that to happen!). Her legs and feet are no longer swollen and she is no longer
taking diuretics. Praise the Lord!
It makes me so happy to be able to help with building better health and
lifestyle in others.
*************************************************************
Nov 5,2016
Still in Murfreesboro, TN, going to do some Shaklee things today, one on ones
and video?
Last evening my best friend's daughter came
to pick me up and took me to "Sprouts" grocery store (organically
inclined) got some great food for the travels, salad makings etc... Then she
took me to her house and fed me a great "crock pot" meal, delicious,
then she gave me some to bring back. Woopee!
Congratulations to Gail & Harold Murray on
becoming Director in Shaklee, their leadership and business is growing!!! Way
to GO!!!
It is great to be able to work Shaklee on the
road or anywhere! What a blessing! I am NOT retired! Just so you know.(smile) I
am working to be a better steward over the great business I have and Maximize
what I have.
*********************
What fun to be doing Shaklee training again.
I was picked up and escorted to Ashley's house, by Grandma Gail (that is
so hard to believe). I was able to see Aidan, Ashley & Ashton's, 2
year old and the new baby, Cloie. Both are so sweet and definitely
Shaklee babies! So calm and peaceful but active as children should
be. Grandma Gail babysat Aidan while we talked.
Jay came over to discuss he and his wife,
Mary's Shaklee future and it's possibilities for this young family. He
was so ready to help lots of people to benefit from Shaklee. It was good
to be back in the Shaklee saddle again.
Ashley is such an incredible Mom and a great
Shaklee business Woman and can do amazing things in just an hour a day! I
got a lot of good tips from her.
Tomorrow is Church with Gail.
************************************************************
Sunday,
Nov 6, 2016
Wonderful Day! Started out with Gail picking me up at 8 AM from Cracker Barrel for Church where she
plays piano. It was wonderful, called "Church of the Way". Praise and
worship was awesome and the message was right in line with what God seems to be
doing in many Churches, getting us Christians ready for the next move of God
and He wants us to be debt free and free of the worlds system. I met and
hugged so many wonderful people and God's love was definitely there. I
plan to visit on my way back through????
After Church, Gail treated me to a great dinner from Cracker Barrel,
we did take out and we visited in the Motor Home after we kicked our shoes
off. What a life! I made reservations at a Thousand Trails in Hohelwald,
Tennessee, I just arrived and it was too
dark to hook up so will do it in the AM. The weather has been perfect and
seems like it will be for the next few days. My stay in Murfreesboro
was outstanding. All my needs were met. God is awesome!!!
I forgot to tell you that Ashley took a Video of me answering some question
she and others had about the Shaklee business and she will post them somewhere
for other Distributors to see. Hope it helps.
This place is HUGE! 843 acres of lakes, streams mountains etc..That is
just what I saw in the dark, will tell you more tomorrow when I get hooked
up. Love you all.
*************************************************************
Nov 7, 2016
I was called by my friend Sarah this AM and
she left me a message. "This is the day that the Lord has
made..." WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT? Wow, as she said, that
will preach!
Today I took a shower (big deal) and washed
my hair(bigger deal) and will wash clothes (much needed). I expect to catch up
on some maintenance items like dumping the tanks. They have a lot of
sites with just water and electric that is near where I am, but no sewage.
The benefit here, is the Laundry is close and the shower house and there is a
dump station so I could dump and stay in this spot or move to another area
where there are full hook ups. Oh well I will decide after I wash clothes.
There are still a few people here but the
temperature was 47 degrees this morning. It is supposed to be 75 today.
I also expect to figure out how to send
pictures so I can catch you up with that. I have internet here and that
is great.
*************************************************************
Nov 8-10,2016
I think this is election day,
anyway I voted early so I don't have to think about it, but please vote.
The reason why I don't know
for sure is because I don't choose to watch TV news. I have two TV's in my RV but only have digital
TV that only picks up whatever channel is within 20 miles. The last time I put up my antenna (don't
laugh) which was in Colonial Beach, VA and I got 4 channels (2 were Spanish)
and one of the other two was black & white Westerns which suited me just
fine, whenever I got around to watching it.(which wasn't often).
I am enjoying the RV Park,
watching children on bicycles, people walking their dogs etc.. It is supposed
to be 70 degrees and cloudy today, Sunny for the next two days.
Let's talk about change. How do we deal with it? Plans change when things change and things
change all of the time. Someone said the
only constant in this world in change. God is the only constant and He changes
not.(Malachi 3:6) So why is it so hard to deal with sometimes? Maybe because we want things to go our
way? Maybe because it is out of our
control and we want to control? Maybe we
are resisting growth? Growth is constant
change and we don't like it sometimes.
O.K. lets look at why things
change, I don't know. (There you have
it!) and it's OK!
All I know is I am His child
that when I am in the will of God, , He has plans for me that I know not of,
and I better be WILLING to adjust or I will miss out on the wonders of His love
for me,(and the fun and fulfillment) !
I said all that to let you
know that things have changed. I planned to visit the Cannons in Alabama from here, and they are away for two weeks sooo Maybe
on the way back? Well we will wait to
see what He has planned.
Meanwhile, I found a spot
near the lake and as I was fixin' to back into the RV site, this angel ( that
looked like Santa Claus) appeared and helped me back into the site (which is
hard to do by yourself without taking out the water & electric posts!). Then he hooked up my water, and dumped my sewage tanks for me, which is not a
pretty picture. God supplies all my needs!
This site is great except I
get very little, if any internet signal so it is hard to even get phone service
here. I plan to leave tomorrow, don't
know where yet.
My life does not depend on
the elections, although I voted as my duty and privilege as a US citizen,(with good conscious). It depends wholly on my trust in the one who
made me, loves me, saved me and has my best interest at heart, my Lord
Jesus! This world is not my home, I only
live here, I need to be a good steward over the things I have been entrusted
with while here. I intend to Flourish to the Finish!
Flourish: To grow
luxuriantly; Thrive; Succeed; To reach a height of development or influence
(for the next generations).
******************************************
Nov. 9, 2016
Ps 86:12 "I will
praise thee, Oh Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify thy name for
evermore."
After reading II Cor:11, this
morning, (having not seen the election results, still haven't) seeing what Paul
went through, am I willing to go through periless times for my Lord's sake? The world is waxing worse and worse (Bible
said it would), what shall we do?
II Cor: 9-10
This is a voice crying from
the Wilderness (Preserve in Tennessee). No matter what the outcome of the elections, I need
to prepare me, for what is to come. My
check list:
1. Am I saved? That
is, have I accepted Jesus as God's only begotten Son
to be my Savior and Lord? ____________.
2. Do I trust God in
everything?________ Or am I looking to
the world for
solutions?
3. Have I been
baptized in the Holy Spirit (with evidence of speaking in other tongues)?_______________. (Not necessary for Salvation but He
is the helper for getting through this life on earth)
4. Do I honor God
with all my substance? (ie. tithe, offerings)._____
5. Am I a faithful
citizen of the Kingdom of God,
first? __________
6. Am I doing His
will? (or my own or someone elses)___________
7. Can God trust
me?_________ with everything?___________
8. Am I willing to
suffer persecutions for His sake, as Jesus did for mine?____________.
9. Am I working
the work that He wants me to do, while it is still available to do?____________
10.
Do I love my neighbor as myself ?_________ Truly ?______
11.
Have I cleaned up my life, to be an example to draw others to Christ? ____________
12.
Is my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God?_____
My Pastor has been
encouraging us to Maximize what we have, and know that what we have is enough
to do His will. Don't go into debt for
this Holiday Season (or any) and just because you have it to spend, doesn't
mean you have to spend it. (speaking from experience, I am finally debt free.)
I encourage you to look around you, what do you have?
what can be re-purposed,
created, thoughtful, etc... Think, really think about the other person you
would like to give to, (or feel obligated to).
Wouldn't they really rather have your time, thoughtfulness, energy,
love. or just YOU? It is amazing what you can come up with when you set the
rules for yourself, "before I spend money, what do I have to
give?" Those who accept the
challenge, I would like to hear how it worked for you.
Have a great Thanksgiving and
Christmas season, I pray it works well. Oh, and if you put the money you would
usually spent in savings? I'm just saying....
Today, I don't know what I
will do accept yesterday I spent 4 precious hours on the phone (hanging out the
window to get better reception) with my internet carrier to get my internet
functioning properly and now they said I had to drive 30 miles to a store to
get a sim card, to see if that works.
But I am grateful to be able to communicate with you like this.
Nov 10, 2016
Columbia TN.
Good 9 hrs of sleep and I decided to catch
up on my financial records. So far (13 days into travel). I am getting 6.20
miles per gal of gas(8 hours of generator use, which draws from the gas tank).
The generator is used for heat ,(when not using the Propane), battery charging,
smoothy making, microwave and lights, water heater, water pump to save the
house batteries. Anyway I have spent $294.08 in travel costs (gas and lodging)
that works out to $22.62 per day so far. I filled up the gas tank 6 times, I
have traveled in 7 States and have spent nothing for overnight stays so far and
I am HOME! God is good! I have made 8 new lasting friendships, and visited 3
Churches. Had 4 Shaklee meetings and 6 individual encounters, broke a Director
and did 7,000 PV(purchase volume) so far. So much for my first 13 days on this
Journey. I have a magnetic Shaklee sign on the RV for advertising
purposes, making the name visible and a conversation starter(and tax
deduction).
Still don't know where I am going next.
Will let you know when I know.
*************************************************************
Nov, 11-13
What a great drive and amazing day. I didn't
know where I was going this AM, and I started out South and stayed at a Cracker
Barrel last night. I went to bed early and woke up at 3;30 with 8 hours of
sleep. so I meditated until 5:30
and got up and got ready to go South again. I wasn't sure whether to go
further South to Montgomery to do a Shaklee meeting or West to the Grants in Lena,
Mississippi. Just after I had turned West and stopped for gas, I
got a text asking if I could do a 3 Way leadership Shaklee call with Tara
in Montgomery, AL.. I stopped and had a very successful call and then
drove on to Lena, MS to the Grants, a friend from FTHCM that have been living
here about 12 years. They have a complete Motor Home hook up but they
insisted that I stay in their HUGE BEAUTIFUL home. We had a wonderful visit and
will do some exploring tomorrow. will stay a few days here. Good night,
long day.
************************************************************
Saturday,
November 12, 2016
I moved from my RV home for a
few days to stay in my friends WONDERFUL HOME. What a great sleep! (on a Select
Comfort bed) This place is awesome! The Lady of the house was born and
raised here and I now understand why they moved back to Mississippi. The original house she was raised in is still
here but they designed and built a perfect house on the same piece of
property. I met some of the neighbors (black and white) who were over
(every Friday night) for a game of "Hand and Foot". I had never
heard of it. It is a card game and after they explained it, it sounded
like fun. They were a great group.
I got a tour of the house last night and there is nothing left out. Lot's
of nooks and crannies for storage (they used to have an RV so they knew how to
utilize space) and efficiency in everything!
Beautiful 22 acres of fruit trees (all planted by them) and open lawn (cleared
by them), a large work shop (Built by them) with full RV hook-ups.
I would like to share with you, my perceptions on the South. It is quite
different than the first time I drove through it in 1965, during the Civil
Rights movement. At that time I was a Civil Rights sympathizer, driving a
red VW bug, with California tags, with a (17 yr. old Jewish Hippy) Hitch-
hicker. That is another story. I remember crying through Mississippi and Alabama and didn't stop driving (except for gas) or crying
until I reached Georgia. It was very oppressive and it could be felt in
the atmosphere. Then I was afraid.
Now, I feel differently and am enjoying my time here. I will let you know
more as I go along. People are friendly and I am enjoying myself so much.
What a journey!
**************************************
Saturday, I got a tour of the land where they live, 2
ponds, and the house where she lived as a child. Each of the ponds have different kinds of
fish (not stocked by them, just naturally arrived by birds or whatever) They have had 2 alligators to show up at the
pond on two different occasions, and It is a beautiful gated, well cared for
(by them) place. They are both older
than I am and truly flourishing to the finish!
We went on a car tour of the area including to the
State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi which is the largest State Capitol in the US (looks like the US Capitol) . We came back to have crab cakes for dinner
(She makes the BEST). Great fellowship!
Sunday, 7 AM we went to their Church for 8 AM Service (there are 3
services) at Pine Lake Church ( www.PineLake.org ). Check is out. The message was
perfect for me and you can listen to it on line (Jonah). For a church in Mississippi, in the deep South, the website tells it all. I was amazed at the love of God that was very
apparent! The Pine Lake Church has a focus on (legal) adoption and foster care of
Children.
I am seeing the
plan of God working in each Church, each one has a special work to do and
(prayerfully) they are obedient to it.
It is sooo important to be connected and a working part of a Bible
believing, Bible teaching Church, so you can be fulfilled in the plan of God
(It is much, much bigger than we are but each of us is IMPORTANT to the plan.)
The Body of Christ, although sick in some areas, is coming to realize that WE
ARE ONE, when we believe, and are on one accord.
We came back home and had more fellowship and crab
cakes. The weather is beautiful, a bit
chilly in the evenings and gorgeous during the day. They have been having a drought so rain would
be a blessing.
We had more fellowship over popcorn around the gas
fireplace in the living room. We have decided that we are family, Sister &
Brother so my "adopted" family is still growing! Yeaaaaa!
*************************************************************
Flourishing to the Finish Blog #5
Monday Nov 14, 2016
Today we talked for hours
about Shaklee and my friends were able to become Distributors free because he
was a Veteran, so they ordered products and the Lady of the house and I agreed
to go on the "Shaklee Natural Cleanse" together and we will start as soon as her products come
in. We both have weight to lose and it
is nice to have a buddy.
We took the golf cart out to
the pond to feed the fish. Their cat
rode along part of the way. The fish in
the pond that I saw were about 12-14 inches long. I got to drive the golf cart by myself and it
was fun.
Did you see the moon? It was so bright, I took a picture. Isn't it amazing that we can all see the same
moon at the same time and it has light for everybody all over the world, unless
it is obstructed by something coming between us and the Moon. It's just like God, He has enough light and
love for all of us, all over the world, we can all access Him at the same
time...unless we allow something or someone to
come between our relationship with Him.
Then we are in the dark and have no access to the light and love of God,
but He is always there, shining and loving us, no matter what. Are we allowing the light and love of God to
shine in our heart today? He is always
there.
**********************************************
Tuesday Nov 15
Wow, every day gets better
and better! Today we started with no
plan but as the day went on we decided to go out and eventually go to the Whole
Foods store to get organic, fresh fruits and vegetables for out Natural Cleanse
in order to be ready when we started.
We started driving around the
reservoir which looked like a beautiful lake.
We stopped to take some pictures. (Yes, I have pictures and have not
forgotten, just have been having too mush fun to take the time to attach them
to the blog yet, OK?) Anyway we saw a
sign for an Art Center so we stopped and went through it. It was wonderful. Lots of local artist items for sale and they
were beautiful. Such a variety of word,
metal and glass sculptures, fabric art, pottery, baskets, Christmas ornaments,
etc... One Gourd art stood out because I
had never seen it before. They were
called Thunder Gourds. If you held the
top of the gourd (about 10 inches in diameter)
and shook is slightly, it sounded like loud thunder. There was a tight membrane across the bottom
and in the middle a beaded chain hung down, and as the chain hit the membrane,
it vibrated and caused the sound. Cool!
we left there and went to
lunch at "Cock of the Walk" restaurant. What a unique experience. When we first walked in, the place was nice
and was fairly empty and we got a table over looking the lake, beautiful! On the table was a tin bucket with napkins
and silverware in it. Then they brought
the menus, one page with two choices, chicken tenders or cat fish (voted best
cat fish in Mississippi). You had a choice of
broiled or fried. The sides were
no choice, it came with fried pickles, (which were delicious, dill pickles,
sliced like cucumbers and fried), French fries, turnip greens,(served in a
small cooking pot, delicious), corn bread (came in a small cast iron skillet
that the waiter flipped high in the air like a flap jack, then when it landed
back in the pan, he cut it up with a flourish), coleslaw, (Delicious), Hush
puppies and wonderful dipping sauces and , of course several kinds of hot sauce
on the table including, Tabasco sauce and Tabasco peppers in a jar with
vinegar. I didn't do the fish or the hot sauce but my friend (Sister)
did.. The plates were tin pie pans, the
water was served in tin cups and everything was wonderfully Mississippi! Two waiters
said a Birthday jingle to "Miss Lady". Since they didn't have desert, the waiter,
Jerami, fixed a Birthday cake with a poppy seed muffin with cherry topping and
whipped cream on top It was great and so
much fun.
"Cock of the
walk" was the actually name given
to the man who was the strongest, best oarsman (one long oar about 10 ft. long)
on a wooden boat (about 20 ft long) used to transport goods on the Mississippi
River. He had a red Turkey feather in his hat as his signature. (We took most of the food back home to Bro.
Grant.)
We then finished the day by
going to Whole Foods to get the fruits and vegetables and then home in time to
watch FTHCM Bible Study, taught by Minister Monmouth, it was great!
Wonderful day, wonderful
fellowship, wonderful Mississippi! (Never thought I would ever say that!).
***********************************************************
Wednesday Nov. 16
My (adopted) Brother and Sister Grant that I am
staying with, are the most remarkable
couple I have ever met! They are
humble, loving, giving, nurturing, hospitable, innovative, stable, thoughtful,
tolerant, steadfast in the Lord, sweet spirited, good stewards, hard working,
and loving, always willing to learn and grow.
They have such a remarkable story!
Sister
Grant was born in Mississippi, the deep South, where, as an African American
child, she was brought up in a culture of such deeply ingrained prejudice
that both Whites and Blacks learned to
adopt hatred and deep seated fears and disdain for each other. The things that happened against the
"Colored" were quickly passed through the neighborhoods, in hushed
tones, far and wide within the Black community, without the Newspaper or TV. Young African American children soon learned,
"Their place", and did not dare cross the "line" of that
place. Early instructions were
understood, although never questioned, except in the minds of the individuals.
Growing
up in such a place could (and did) harden the hearts of many and create
ingrained thought patterns, that when placed against the Word of God, and God's
plan for our lives, one could come up short.
But Sister Grant, even as a little girl, was bright and confident in her
relationship with the Lord. Her Mother instilled in her a knowledge that, if
somebody else could do it, it could be
done, and if she wanted to do it, God had given her the ability to study or
practice long and hard enough to do it.
She has
had her own Assisted Living Facility, worked two jobs to put her child in
Private school, and through College.
Invested at an early age, had her CDL license and drove bus for the Full Gospel (FTHCM) Church. Taught Ceramic classes, was the General
Contractor and Designer of this Beautiful, energy efficient house, in a
Beautiful setting, which was her childhood home. What am example for all of us. (That is just
the little that I know and I am INSPIRED!)
Bro. Grant was born and raised around the
Hilton Head area of South
Carolina. I haven't spent as much time with him as I
have with his wife (out and about with her) to get his story. What I know of him is that he has such a
willing heart to serve the Lord. Soon
after they joined their (predominantly white Church in Mississippi) he was asked to usher, they saw his character, and
at the proper time, he was ordained as a Deacon. He believes in doing what he does well, with
excellence. I can attest to the fact
that their place (22 acres and a huge house) is kept immaculate all of the
time. What they have done is so
remarkable, but I know God is not finished with them yet. Both of them are 78 years old and act like
Energizing Bunnies, and DEBT FREE! I am
energized just being around them, they have so much to teach me.
I heard from my
Nephew who lives in Louisiana. He is usually
out to sea on a barge (Deep sea diving) for months at a time and we weren't
sure if he would be home when I came by.
Praise the Lord, I plan to see him tomorrow and meet his wife for the
first time. I am sooo looking forward to
seeing him and his wife. God is so
good! It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive and
I will leave after the Senior Thanksgiving Luncheon at Bro & Sis Grant's
Church tomorrow.
**********************************************************
Nov 17-19
Friday, Nov 17-18,2016
Yesterday I left Bro. &
Sis. Grant's and drove to their Pine Lake Church for a Senior Pre-Thanksgiving luncheon. (maybe the
only one I get as I won't get to my Sister's in Oregon by then, the Lord has slowed me down a lot, which is
good.
Bro. Grant rode with me, we
got to church early and transferred my stuff from their trunk to the RV. The luncheon was wonderful, everybody brought
so much food, there was plenty to take home.
They are all good cooks and everything was homemade. I saw some of the
people I met on Sunday and it was as if we were old friends. I left there at 1 PM to head South again towards Louisiana. The drive was
nice and I got to Lafayette at sunset. It
was unusual as the only clouds in the sky was a long perfectly straight line of
clouds above the horizon, then a long space below, that looked like the ocean
and it looked like I was driving towards the water. It was the sky, but you can't always trust
what you see or perceive to be real.
My daughter LaVonne talked to me until I got
into Lafayette, LA., she is doing great.
She has a business called "Concrete Inspired", she does
polished concrete floors, and her business is truly being blessed by God. Her son Dion works with her and they are
doing great together.
I parked at the Lowes and
waited for my Nephew to pick me up. It
was great to see him! He took me to dinner at the restaurant where his wife
works. She is from Mexico and it was the first time I had met her. She is awesome! Very loving and personable. We had a wonderful meal. Guacamole, made at the table, real authentic,
I videoed her making it, what fun! We
had something like a chicken Enchilada with chocolate sauce ( surprisingly
good) and a chicken frijoles with roasted vegetables,(real good) and fried ice
cream (real good). It was way too much,
so took some home. Wonderful visit!
Stayed a Lowes, very quiet
and good sleep.
Today we are going to lunch
at a real authentic Cajun Restaurant.
******************************************************************
Saturday, Nov 19,
2016
Yesterday my Nephew picked me
up (his wife was not able to come) to go to an
Pre Jeans (pronounced French) Restaurant. I ATE
ALLIGATOR! It was good and tasted like Chicken . It was a nice place and we also shared a shrimp, crab, crawfish
fondue and a Shrimp Caesar Salad. There
was enough to take home for his wife. Wonderful food and fellowship!
I left Lafayette
and drove about 37 miles to Jennings, LA. where my Great Great Grandfather migrated to, from
the Midwest, on the first North/South railroad. I passed a lot of rice fields on the way and
this area has the largest rice growers in the US. It is a small town and the Parish (County)
seat. It was 3:30 PM when I arrived and everything closed at 4:30 and it was Friday, so didn't really find anything
relating to my G.G.Grandfather. He had
property that he willed to my Great Grandmother and he died here so I will keep
checking online. I met some really nice
people and they told me where the Wal-Mart was and that is where I stayed the
night. After I parked, I saw a place I
could get a manicure and pedicure which was badly needed.
That was a fun experience, and Michael and Lu adopted me
and called me,"Grandma". I got
to here their stories of how they escaped the Communist in Vietnam and went by boat to China and then on to the USA. The massage
chair for the pedicure was great too!
Then I also went to the Dollar Store next door, came out
and it was storming, raining and
windy. The day had been a beautiful 82
degrees.
Had a wonderful night's sleep, with the rain on the
roof and the wind rocking me to sleep. Woke up this AM, cold, 43 degrees, it is
still windy, had to turn on the generator to get warm and also charge my
stuff. This is supposed to be the South! I am still seeing signs that say
"bridges freeze before roadways." I need to keep going!
Today I think I will be in Texas. I have done
half of the US map in 22 days.
I won't be in Oregon for Thanksgiving but I do hope to be there for my
Brother-in-Law's 80th Birthday. I talked
to them a couple of days ago and they are doing great!
I am enjoying the sights on this trip, but the most
enjoyable are the people, most of my life was focused on stuff and things, now
I am discovering how important people are in my life. I am so happy that I "woke up" to
be able to see just a glimpse of what God sees in each of us, that would cause
His love to send His Son Jesus to save us, if only we receive the gift! It is a wonderful gift and I am so blessed to
have Jesus with me on this trip! What would I do without Him? I wouldn't have considered this Journey
without Him and God's Holy Spirit in me, helping! I have so much Peace, Comfort and Joy! He
knows me, loves me, has my best interest at heart, provides for me, is my
protector and He knows the future! WHAT
A DEAL! Let's go to the next adventure!
************************************************************
Nov 19-21
Chillin' in Texas! (literally)
It is cold, 43, 33, 38 degrees for the last three
mornings. I need to go South-er and
instead I am going North, Oh, well. I'm
not going anywhere for a couple of days.
I left Jennings, Louisiana and drove to Vinton, Louisiana near the Texas border at a Love's Truck stop. It was around 2:30 PM and by the time I called Thousand trails at Lake Conroe to make my reservations, they were full for Saturday
but I was able to book Sunday until Wednesday.
The Ranger at the RV park said I could "Boon dock" there for
Saturday and then move to an RV site around noon after others left.
I finished my break, it was too late to start out because it would be
dark soon. I had a nice place to
park. So I called her back and said I
would stay the night at Love's, she jokingly advised me to watch out for the
"Lot Lizards".
I ask her what they were. She
said "Ladies of the Night" that hang around Truck Stops! I didn't
think I had to worry, didn't see any either.
I was a little concerned because I was out of fresh
water in the tanks, needed to dump the other two tanks, and low on propane. But
knowing that God has supplied all my needs, I stayed the night "Boon
docking", (It's what it is called when you are not in an RV park hooked up
to electric, water and sewage).
I could
have dumped the tanks ($5) at Love's but decided wait to go to a Thousand
Trails RV park for Sunday night(free). I had a case of bottled water and 5
gallons for other uses. (I have learned
to brush my teeth with 1/4 cup of water and bathe in a cup of cold water). I was able to heat it on the gas stove. Love's was there, if I needed their bathroom
and I had plenty of food in the refrigerator.
I could have used the generator but it is loud and the exhaust disturbs
the neighbors parking near me. It got
cold (I was warm in bed, getting out was different) during the night and at
about 3:30 AM I did turn on the generator for my electric heater, then my gas
detector went off, after about an hour, from the exhaust fumes ( a window was
cracked open) . I had to turn off the
generator and open the vents till it went off.
I turned the gas heat on and was fine.
I had more propane than I thought. I was comfortable the rest of the night and in
the AM, I opened the shades and the sun did a good job of keeping it warm.
I had
planned to go to the Houston FTHCM church on Sunday last week but I was slowed down. I had talked to Pastor White earlier and knew
that he would be teaching at the Parent Church in Maryland in the absence of Bishop this Sunday, so thought I
would live stream it. (Couldn't get
reception).
I had a
beautiful dive up to Willis, TX (halfway to Dallas) to the TT RV park.
It warmed up to 65 degrees. Got a drive thru site (didn't have to back
in) and hooked up, dumped the tanks and am good here till Wednesday then they
are kicking me out because they are fully booked for the Thanksgiving Weekend.
I
started a new adventure, much needed.
Before I left, I got a call from Sister Grant. She was excited because she had received her
"Nutrition Cleanse" Shaklee products and started immediately on the
Cleanse. (We used to call it
Detox). It is a program of cleansing
your body in preparation for the 180 Weight Loss Program, so you aren't
hindered by the residues of junk ,
medication build up, etc in the body.
Sis.
Grant and I had decided to be "buddy's" on it, but she got a day
ahead (first day she lost 2 lbs of junk).
It was perfect timing for me (right after eating Alligator).
Basically
it is eating the Shaklee Herb Lax, Alfalfa, Liver DTX, and Optiflora
(Probiotic) and only raw fruits and vegetables with 10-12 glasses of water a
day for 7-14 days. Then beginning the
180 Program.
Weight
loss is one of my greatest strongholds and this is great. God set me up, I already had Thanksgiving dinner and so this
is a perfect week to go for it. I have
done two days and I don't have a scale, (pants are getting loose). but I did
measure when I started and I will be reporting my results. What a great accountability! I shed 4 3/4 inches in the first 2 days!
Woopee! On my way.
Nov 22-23
I settled in for three
days at the RV park but I need to be ready at all times because "my
plans" change. I felt an urgency to
get ready and leave the park on Tuesday.
I had already made reservations for the Escapees RV park in Livingston, TX
to wait until Saturday to travel to Dallas for the FTHCM Church.
I needed to go to the
Escapees park to get my mail they were holding for me. They closed at 4 PM and I was pushing it to get there and I did at 3:45. I found out,
it was not about the mail, it was about a couple I met while getting the
mail. I don't have time to tell you now,
I feel another urgency, so will tell you later.
I stayed at a Walmart in Huntington, TX.
and am on my way to the Dalles FTHCM Church for Bible Study tonight and Thanksgiving Service
tomorrow! Wow is God good! I am sticking tight with Him, He knows best.
*****************************
Wed Nov 23, 2016
Arrived in Dallas at the FTHCM Church and it is Huge and wonderful. I
am parked in the Church parking lot with survailance cameras on me that are
hooked up to Pastor's phone so he can see my RV from his house! Wow technology!
Pastor Hymes took me on a tour, before Bible
Study, it is much like Atlanta Church in size and shape and both are definitely FTH! (Burgundy & Gold and Excellence of
Ministry! Pastor Hymes taught Bible
Study on "Where is my Witness, Is my life witnessing Jesus Christ?" What I received from it was, if I am not functioning in my functional gift
and not where God is, I am not in Right Standing with God and cannot be an
effective Witness for Him. It is His
plan for me, He made me to function in it. I am the only one that can stop His Grace
operating, by rebelling, fighting God and not being obedient to Him. It is A WASTE OF TIME AND LIFE TO FIGHT
AGAINST THE PLAN HE HAS FOR US. IT IS
HIS SHOW AND HE WINS, I WANT TO STICK WITH THE WINNER!
I met some wonderful people
and am looking forward to the Thanksgiving service taught by Rev. Sis. Hymes.
Thurs. Nov. 24, 2016
HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I PRAY EVERYONE READING THIS IS WELL AND WITH
LOVED ONES. ENJOY THE FELLOWSHIP, THAT
IS WHAT IT IS ABOUT! I AM THANKFUL FOR
EACH OF YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE AN IMPACT IN MY LIFE. GOD PLANNED YOU IN IT, AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT
TO ME. THANK YOU!!!
LOVE YOU!
Thurs, Nov 24, 2016, Thanksgiving
continued:
My Thanksgiving dinner was the Word of God, wonderful
fellowship with my extended Church family, a perfect salad and no regrets! Woopee!
Rev. Sis. Hymes taught on "Thank you Jesus, for
making me Right"
Col. 1:9-14,21-22
She asked, do we, who have accepted Jesus as our
personal Savior, see ourselves as made right or Holy? We need to clean up our actions, our mouths,
our attitudes and our "stinking thinking" to match our "made
Right" status.
She wanted us to make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt
that we had accepted Jesus and that we knew absolutely we would for certain go
to heaven when we die, (even today).
I wanted to catch you up on the couple I met at the
Escapees Club. First let me explain that
the Escapees club is a Nation wide group of "full-timers" RVing. There is a newsletter, mail forwarding
services, special information and connections with "full-timers".
When I went to Livingston, TX
on Tuesday, (where the mail forwarding service is) to pick up a Shaklee
package, I met a great couple, who were there to pick up their mail too.
They were Afro American and had been
"full-time" RVers for 4 years.
Their name was Conner, he was a Preacher, retired from the Military.
They were running with Jesus, going only where He led them, had listened to FTHCM broadcast when we were
on TV and Full Gospel AME Church and now were live streaming the services when they
could. They were leaving this week for Nigeria to Minister there.
They had never been to the West Coast and may hook up with me in California when they return from Nigeria. We exchanged
information and will keep in touch.
Isn't God amazing?
Some of you may not get that, it is OK.
Back to Thanksgiving. After service, a lot
of the young people came out to see the RV. We took pictures and I may
have adopted one or two. I left the FTHCM Church in Dallas to go South (the
weather is beautiful warm days, 72 degrees and cool nights, but not cold) and I
stopped in Whitney, TX at a huge (750 acre) Thousand Trails RV Park. (You could
bring your horse to ride the trails...I left all my horses in the car back in Maryland, smile.).
Since my stay is free, I needed to wash clothes, fill
my propane tank and charge my computer so I could blog you.
I got to the Laundromat with my clothes in a rolling
grocery cart, it was a little walk, good exercise. They had brand new wash
machines and dryers and FREE because they hadn't hooked up the credit card
system to run them. God keeps blessing
and blessing! I Watched the last quarter
of the Redskin/Cowboy game in the lounge with a few other RVers, I was the only
Redskin fan, in Cowboy country. They were kind, maybe because the Redskins
lost. I got a ride home with a neighbor
RVer. it was good because it was dark. I
had a head light (a battery operated light that you wear on your head that
shines where you turn your head), but it was better getting a ride. I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful too.
My plan is to get propane gas tomorrow and go on to San Antonio, TX and visit my 1st cousin (twice removed) and his
family. They just got back yesterday
from Hong Kong. God's timing
is amazing! I didn't even know they were
gone and hadn't even planned to go that way.
It is great to have someone who knows the future with me!
Nov. 25,2016
Well, my plans changed
again, I should stop telling you what I plan to do and just tell you what I
did. I woke up this morning with rain on
my roof and I decided to stay another day here because I didn't feel like
unhooking in the rain, getting propane in the rain or driving in the rain. Sooo I didn't. I spent the day talking to some wonderful
people and I was sooo blessed to get a call from an adopted Grandson who I
thought I had lost track of, and he had only good news and a way to reach
him. Hurray!
I measured myself today (7
days into the Cleanse) and I had shed 7 3/4 inches. I don't have a scale but my Blood Pressure is
running in the 130's over the 80's, woopee and that is with NO
MEDICATION!!! I walked for about 30
minutes today. Woopee!
Nov 26, 2016
Woke up this morning
motivated to move on. Plan to dump the
tanks, get propane and leave the park, on my way to San Antonio.
I will tell you of an experience I had
yesterday. It was in the 50's and I was
running the electric small heater I have, and it suddenly shut off. I turned every knob, plugged and unplugged
etc... did everything I could to get it to go again. I unplugged it and set it aside and started
to layer-up with warmer clothes.. My
propane was low so I couldn't run the heater and I was faced with a cold night
ahead. Well, "my God will supply
all my needs". I picked up the
heater that had stopped and laid hands on it and said, "In the name of
Jesus, be healed!" I plugged it in
and it worked! Praise the Lord! I was toasty warm all night. God is an awesome God!
On to San Antonio, Texas.
Nov 26-28
Well, you know you are in Texas when you see "Armadillo Crossing"
signs! I left Lake Whitney and instead of taking me on the freeway , GPS decided
I needed to see the Texas Hill Country! Who knew they had hills in Texas?!, It was beautiful and different. Little
towns, lots of ranches like you see in the old Western movies with the entrance
gate with the cross bar on the top that says the name, lots of Mesquite (I think) short trees, cattle, goats and sheep, but
very few horses. The roads were great and 70 mph most of the way (except
for the traffic lights in the towns) and very little traffic.
I arrived at 6:30 PM at my Cousin's who live in a gated community so
couldn't stay at their house. We had a wonderful visit and saw their
pictures of their Hong Kong trip and their Paris and Italy trip (Last Spring), that they both took with their
three children. I drove less than a mile to a Sam's Club and stayed the night
(great view of San
Antonio).
Nov
27, 2016
My Cousins picked me up to go to their Church
(Summit Christian Center), which was just down the street, HUGE! With a
Carousel inside!
Beautiful and lots of people fairly equally
mixed, Hispanic, Afro American and Caucasian. Good message, one I needed
to hear. He talked about the Dreams that God has placed within us, as the
purpose He has for our lives. We often hinder God's actions in our life,
because we think the dreams are too big, we think they are impossible, someone
discouraged us , we saw the obstacles and quit or, we think we are inadequate
to carry them out. Well, we are inadequate! BUT God placed it in us, HE IS A
BIG GOD, He can perform it, in and through us, if we give it to Him!
After Church, I went to Sam's Club and got
water and some produce and left for Ft. Stockton.
Didn't make it, stopped in Sonora,
TX. at a very nice stop-over Park where I could hook
up. Only cost $22, and I met Mike, the owner, who was sooo nice, he
helped me hook up and put me in a covered site because he thought it might hail
with the storm that was supposed to come (so sweet), but didn't. We had a nice
talk.
Nov 28, 20016
Beautiful sunshine today but windy 56
degrees, and I'm off to El Paso, Texas (hopefully).
EXCITING NEWS! I just got a ticket to
Eric Worre's Go Pro Conference, 20,000 Network Marketers in Las Vegas. I planned to be in LasVegas anyway and I will be in
the same section as the other Shaklee friends, Woopee!!!
Nov.
28-29
Well, I am still in Texas and still not in El Paso. I saw lots of
interesting "road kill",
Seemed like 25-30 deer, a coyote, Eagles, ground hogs, other birds, a fox, and a lot I couldn't
identify. Very windy and cool. I pulled into a "Picnic Area"(Rest
stop with no restroom) to take a break and the Lord said, "stay the
night". It was about 4 PM and still
a lot of daylight left and I was the only one in the Picnic Area, I wasn't sure
it was legal to stay overnight, it was desert and nothing around. Sometimes I object to the guidance of the
Lord, forgetting that He has my(and yours) best interest at heart, ALWAYS. But,
I was obedient and stayed.
This is just one of the good
things about having Jesus on board, He knows the future! I looked at the weather report on my phone,
and their was a wind warning for my area, 35 mile an hour winds with gusts up
to 60 mph on the road ahead, warning for Campers, RVs, and high profile
vehicles until 6 PM. I had been dealing
with the wind all day and kept seeing permanent signs saying watch for high
cross winds. But on top of that, their
was a wind storm!
I found myself in an anxious
state several times, white knuckling the steering wheel and had to calm myself
down with the knowledge that Jesus would never leave me or forsake me and I
would be OK as soon as the storm was over.
I was glad to take a break from the wind. I closed myself up in the RV and went to bed
early so I could get an early start.
Nov. 29, 2016
I woke up to a crowd of
trucks, some even parked on the grass, who had also spent the night, so Jesus
knew.
It is cold, 45 degrees,
where is the South? The way to El Paso is beautiful, I am beginning to see Joshua trees and
the Guadalupe Mountains. Yes, real
mountains in Texas! Wow, this
journey really has opened my eyes to a lot of things about me. I am such a "Know-it-All"! I thought I remembered Texas and Mississippi, Alabama
and Louisiana a certain way and I expected a negative experience,
based on "what I thought". It
has been so opposite of what "I thought" that I am considering the possibility that, I may
not know what I think I know. (Smiley face) Those of you who know me will be
smiling.
I only saw 3 oil wells in
all of my travel in Texas! WHAT? When I was here in 1965, I remember miles and
miles and miles of oil wells and far as you could see. Now they are beginning to put up wind mills
for energy, THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE, with the wind and all. Things change.
Only God doesn't change.
I thought about the wind
mills, The wind is invisible but has so
much power, (like God), we just need to be in place, and be willing to receive
Gods power, for it to work in our lives. (That will preach!)
On my way to somewhere
closer to Las Vegas, no wind issues, overcast, perfect for driving and I
got an early start. AFTER EVERY WINTER
COMES A SPRING!...... EVERY TIME!
I am in the Mountain time
zone now, so am 2 hours earlier than Eastern time.
Nov 29, 2016
Finally made it to El Paso and beyond.
There was still some wind, but not like the day before. Knowing I had to be in Las Vegas for the conference, I decided to go until I got
tired, stopping only for bathroom breaks and gas.
I had been having trouble with my left mirror, it
would not stay positioned so I could see.
It would get out of position when I would shut the driver door or with
the wind. I looked and saw where it
looked like it could be tightened by an Allen wrench. I looked for one I thought I had but didn't
find it. Then I thought, "maybe a
truck driver would have one".
I stopped for a
break and parked next to a nice red truck with the hood up and took my break
and got ready to leave. As I started to
leave the driver came out. I had seen him
asking a homeless man, who was cleaning "house"(his car), if he
needed help, so I thought he might be a Christian. He was looking under the hood of his truck
where a hose to the radiator was leaking, we talked and I ask him if he knew
Jesus. He said , "Yes, saved,
sanctified and delivered." His name
was Michael and lived between the Dallas FTHCM Church and the Oklahoma City FTHCM Church. He was kind
to loan me his allen wrenches and I tightened my mirror and IT WORKED!
I passed El Paso and turned off the highway in Anthony, TX, to take a
break, and there, right before my eyes was a Camping World, (a place where they
have camping supplies and a repair shop, and sell RV's while you wait for
repairs). I needed to get the water
situation checked on and get a strap to hold my awning from being caught in the
wind. I went to the service desk and the
man told me they wouldn't even be able to look at it that day and maybe
couldn't get to it for two days. Well,
that wouldn't work, BUT, he told me how to handle it so it wouldn't be a
problem until I have time to get it fixed. (probably needs a new water pump
because the valve is bad.) Two
independent RV repair guys told me that ( In the mouth of two or three
witnesses....). Praise the Lord!
I drove on
through New
Mexico to Tucson,
AZ , went through the city to avoid the traffic in the
morning and stopped at a Cracker Barrel for the night. I was surprised, I had driven 501 miles in 14
hours, at 6.9 miles per gallon (with wind).
I was not really tired but I was noticing that I was not as alert, and I
didn't waste any time getting to bed.
Nov 30, 2016
I woke up early and left at 6:45 AM , it was 20 degrees! WHAT!
Tucson,
Arizona? I am going North, this "warmer in the
South" thing is not what it is cracked up to be!
What an interesting, beautiful and amazing drive to Las Vegas, Nevada! After going
through Phoenix, AZ., I left
the freeway and started North on Hwy 93, great roads, no traffic, and every few
miles was a beautiful view, all different, I took pictures out of the window,
just holding the phone up and clicking, not even looking, but I got some good
pictures. Mountains, Joshua Tree Forrest,
vistas, cactus, canyons, dry rivers (washes), quaint towns(one
established in 1883).
I got 7.5 miles per gallon, the RV likes the Mountains
better. I also lowered my speed to 65
miles per hour. The lower miles per
gallon before was driving 70-75 ( in an 80 mph zone) with the wind.
I arrived in Las Vegas at 3:30 PM. After I hooked up in a great site, across
from the laundry room, and near the pool (forget about it, too cold, 55 in the
day). The RV park is in the City and
only 12 minutes from the Convention Center and Free for me. Woopee!
I then was picked up by my friend, Rosemary's (lives
in Oregon) Daughter-in-Law, who drives for Uber around 5 PM. She brought
my Shaklee order and dropped me off at the Airport Car Rental place. Wonderful people (I adopted 5 of them), they
did the impossible and rented me a car without a Credit Card! (Car Rental
places don't take Debit Cards). Who
knew? They were awesome, so kind and
helpful. Rental car for $4.41 per day, including taxes & fees only came to
$18.13 per day. (There is a story, but I
won't share it now). God is real, and
works through people. You can't leave
Him out of any picture! The God of the
Universe (40,000,000,000,000 billion stars...who counted them?) loves us and
cares about our "little things", that are important in His plan for
our lives!
I got a cute little Nissan car, matches the RV, and
easy to drive. I went to the Convention
Center to register, at first they couldn't find my registration, then after
going to different tables, meeting a lot of different people, they worked it
out. What was my attitude with all of
the "hold ups" ( 4 1/2 hours, I didn't get back until 9:30 PM). I believe that "...all things work
together for good to them that Love God, to them who are the called according
to His purpose".Rom.8:28 We don't always know the outcome, and may
not know until we get to Heaven, it's OK, the stress attached to fretting,
fussing, worry, getting angry etc... is too COSTLY! AND ALL THAT DOES IS
KEEP UP THE NOISE SO WE CANNOT HEAR GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS! He has a still
small voice.
These peaceful times with Jesus are so amazing, no TV,
no radio (21 stations in Spanish, no English ones), only an occasional teaching
CD, gives us a time to Fellowship together and enjoy the diverse and
amazing wonders of His Universe that He made just for us! Woopee!
Dec. 1, 2016
Woke up early again, good habit for the Convention to
come, got some things organized, wrote this because I probably won't have time
to write again until after the Convention. It starts tonight,5PM-9PM, Fri goes 10AM-4 and 6PM-10Pm, Sat 10-4, &6-9PM
and Sunday 10:30AM.
Dec 6, 2016
I'm
back! How did you do without me for 5
days? Well, I had to debrief from the
high intensity of the Conference. I
ended up with Bronchitis, which I believe is the devils plan to distract and
discourage me from the life-changing plan for my business. We learned that obstacles are gifts that we
use for personal development.
I
became very aware that I need to be a good steward over what God has given
me. I will be sharing more from the
Conference as I go along.
I went to Church Sunday at FTHCM of Las Vegas,
what a blessing! I got to fellowship
with the Pastor and his wife, they are super and so loving! I thought I would be leaving on Thursday but
one of the young men I met when I picked up the rental car, is going to Church
with me next Sunday. I will probably leave to go to Reno, NV on Monday.
I
talked to my Sister and it doesn't look like I will get to Oregon, until just before
Christmas.
Wow
13 hours of sleep will do wonders! I feel good, just an occasional cough (wet
one) which is so much better than the dry one.
I am taking lots of Vitalized Immunity, Alfalfa, Vita C's and all the
rest, I don't know how I don't have Nutriferon, and Defend and Resist, but it is definitely on order!
I
believe that God gave us a body with trillions of Cells that only eat food,
(Vitamins, Minerals, Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats). Our job is to feed them what they eat. They know what to do with food, (reproduce
after their kind, either healthy or unhealthy), they are equipped to fight off
invaders and everything else to keep us well. We need to give them an
environment of rest, good air, good water, no stress, no toxins
What are we feeding our cells? Artificial additives, Synthetic food,
Medicines, depleted foods brought on be generations of artificial fertilizer,
GMO's, herbicides, and pesticides. Every
thing we feed out cells, that is not a food, causes a reaction, to fight it off
(that is why medicines work sometimes, because of the reaction, but there is
always a side effect).
That
is why I have taken Shaklee products (which is food, that is as close to nature
as possible) for over 40 years and am now on no medication! The quick fix to just get rid of the symptoms
is not the answer. Giving our cells
every chance to do their thing, is the answer!
My
parents, (who introduced us to Shaklee in 1974) were in their 60's, in poor
health. My Dad had heart trouble, Arthritis, and was blind in one eye, my Mom
had Allergies so bad, she had to take shots twice a week, and she was 144 lbs
overweight. They had been using Shaklee
products for 6 months when then came to visit us (which we thought would be
their last trip). They had sold
everything in Oregon and gone to California to find a Rest Home. When they came to Maryland, they looked great! Daddy had an EKG before he came and their was
no trace of a Heart problem, he didn't have any trouble with Arthritis and he
discovered he could see out of the eye he had been blind in for six years,
(read a whole paragraph of the Newspaper, covering his good eye). Mom left her shots at home when we went on a
trip to New England, and she realized she didn't need them any
more. Over the next year, she lost 144
lbs. and kept it off for the rest of her life.
They never did find the Rest Home, they went back to Oregon, started their Shaklee
business and neither one of them took any medication for the next 25
years. They had a wonderful life,
earning 11 free Bonus cars, (they were the only one in town with a Cadillac) and free trips to Hawaii, London, England,
Vienna, Austria, The Bahamas, Cruises to Bermuda and Montreal, Canada (All with
us, which was wonderful!).
Floyd
(my husband) and I started our Shaklee business by sharing the results my
parents had received and our results (Floyd got results the first day and did
more work in 15 minutes, after lunch, than he usually did in 3 days.) I thought I was in good health, what I was,
was "normal". I had the
"normal" amount of headaches (3 times a week, took aspirin) I had PMS
issues that pretty much lasted for 3 weeks out of the month, irritability,
depression (thought it was my husband's fault, it was amazing how
"he" improved when I took the Supplements!), cramps. Headaches,
bloating etc...
As
we shared, People would get results and
share with others and so on. After two years, we had both quit our "good
Government" jobs ( we found 3 paychecks each, that we got every two weeks
from the Gov., that we had forgotten to take to the bank) to go Full time in
Shaklee. Pretty good after living from
payday to payday! What a LIFE! Helping to make a difference in other
people's lives1 Woopee!
I
am still in Las Vegas, haven't been out of my rig
in two days, probably will not go out today.
Have to turn in my car tomorrow and
get another one until Monday.
Thought
for the day:
What
can you do TODAY to make a difference in someone's life?
.....and
the answer is...FULFILL GOD''S PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE!
For those who are still
wondering how I can do this thing, please read:
Psalms 33: 18-22, Psalms 34
Message for us "Old
Folks" who wish to Flourish to the Finish:
Break the bonds of limited
thinking (God is a BIG God!)
Break the bonds of the
past.(God has no limits, he already prepared you to move forward!)
Think Correctly (Godly)
Fulfill your purpose (we are
sill here for a reason)
We have gifts, talents,
abilities, ideas, strengths and experiences. When shared, we are stronger, and we can do more.
We can have a mind to work
(retirement is not in the Bible, He used Moses when he was 80!)
We can be an inspiration!
We can make a positive
difference! for this generation and beyond.
Don't cheat God out of what
he has placed in us.
Do now, what you know now to
do!
Even if it doesn't
seem like it, we have everything we need!
Really? Yes right now! If you need it, God will provide it, as you
go, when you need it. I am a witness!
Make the first move, start
your engines, put yourself in gear, and go.
It is hard for God to steer an unwilling , untrusting, ungrateful,
stubborn, prideful, "pigheaded" (that was my Daddy's word) selfish, parked,
life (yes I said it). I believe that we
know what God has placed in us and if we don't exercise it, it gets buried in
the Challenges, the Illnesses, the "Stuff and Things", the day to day
"negative junk", cluttering our minds. The mind is the battle ground, and if God
isn't winning in your life, then the devil is.
The devil wants to keep us so distracted that he can point to us and
say, "See God, I got this one".
2 Corinthians 10:5
What would you do if
you knew you couldn't fail?
Rom 8:28
Unless we are ready to go
see Jesus right now, we have work to do.
He has the purpose for our lives, HE KNOWS BEST AND WE DON'T!
Ok, I started my
engine and went outside for the first time in three days, It was great! I had to get a new contract on
the car until Monday. While I was out, I
went to the Dollar store, met a beautiful Lady who was into health and I was
able to share the Shaklee Health assessment with her and gave my card to the
Lady she was talking to. I went to
Walgreen's to buy a scale and noticed two ladies (Mother & Daughter)
talking about weight loss. They knew
Jesus and I asked them if they had a Church home. They said they had been attending one, but
had not joined.
When I went to the FTHCM Church of Las Vegas, on Sunday, I asked for some
their cards, and I was able to give them one each and invited them on
Sunday. Also shared my Shaklee card and
was able to share my results THANK YOU JESUS!
He always prepares us for what's ahead.
LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT! He is
always right!
I will weigh tomorrow and
let you know.
Dec. 9,2016
As you know I started the
Nutritional cleanse on Nov. 19th (before Thanksgiving) after that on Dec 2, I
began the Shaklee 180 Weight loss plan. It is going great, one of my
concerns was a fast weight loss at my age of flab, but it is going slow but
steadily. I am pleased to know that since the average weight gain for
most people, over the Holidays is 15 lbs., I feel that I am already way ahead
of the game.
As promised, my
report on my weight and health:
I weighed myself on my new
scales, I like them, they did good!
I lost 8 1/2 lbs.
My temperature was 98.5 F
I have shed a total of 15.5
inches
My blood pressure is 117/77
I have what appears to be a
Cold with an occasional cough but I feel good and will stay in today.
My next stop is Reno, NV. I was planning to leave Monday, Dec 12 but I
looked at the weather and it will be SNOWING on Tuesday in Reno. WOW
The couple I am visiting
said they would check the route and the weather for me as Mike is a long
distant truck driver and keeps up with the weather. Is God good or what! Looks like I will be here for a while. I can stay free for 21 days...free is good!
Well, I had an interesting
experience last night. I have been
keeping warm using a small space heater (the one that was healed) and if in the
morning, I needed more, I would turn on the furnace (run by propane) for about
5 min. to take the chill off. I spilled
some water on my nightgown and didn't want to sleep with a wet one, so I used
the hair dryer, to dry it (while the space heater was on) get it? Dah!
Of course, everything that was on electric cut off. This was about 8 PM and getting colder. I turned on the furnace....nothing. OK, now what?
I started calculating a night without heat and my options. (Slim and
none). It was too late to call my
go-to-RV-guy (Eastern time was 11PM) I knew that this RV doesn't have
fuses because I had seen a video of how Minnie Winnie's were made. I didn't feel like trying to figure it out in
the dark & cold. So I had begun to
prepare for a cold night and (since I have everything I need) figuring out what
I had.
I needed to charge my cell phone and I had an
electric charger, so was thinking I needed to plug it into my battery
charger. Walla! The electric charger was on. What? That was when I realized, their were only a
few outlets that were out. OK I plugged
the heater into another outlet, WALLAA! It worked and i was toasty all night. God is soooooo AWESOME!!! He takes care of me even when I do stupid
things.
GO ROSE! I received this email and thought I would
pass it on because it says what I would say if
I could.
Subject: "Hi handsome, my
name is Rose."
It’s GrOw Time
Greetings,
This will take you about 2
to 3 minutes to read this wonderful message. I think you'll enjoy it.
Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to
get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a
gentle hand touched my shoulder.
I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a
smile that lit up her entire being..
She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give
you a hug?'
I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me
a giant squeeze..
'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.
She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a
couple of kids...'
'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking
on this challenge at her age.
'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she
told me.
After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate
milkshake.
We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave
class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this
'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me..
Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made
friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she revelled in the
attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet
I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the
podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by
five cards on the floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply
said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is
killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what
I know.'
As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing
because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.
There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving
success. You have to laugh and find humour every day. You've got to have a
dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.
We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.
If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one
productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years
old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.
Anybody! Can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is
to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.
The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things
we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets..'
She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'
She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily
lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all
those months ago.
One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.
Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the
wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you
can possibly be.
When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your
friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!
These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living
by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He
will bring you through it.
Wow! What a blessed day! Today began early, 6:30 AM, by watching a Live Stream
of WWW.FTHCM.ORG, our Parent Church in Maryland. The Men just got back from the Men's Retreat
on the Mountain, which is always a powerful time. Something about the unity of 300+ Brothers
praying and singing and Praising God as they return with changed and changing
lives that is always sooooo impactful.
Bishop was tired but gave a powerful message.
I need " A more
Excellent spirit", (attitude, mind set):
When I don't have peace,
When I am filled with anxiety,
When I have strife with my Brother, or Sister,
When I am in my own strength,
How to change our Attitude:
1. I must accept correction!
Correction is an attribute of Love.
AS LONG AS I LIVE, I WILL NEED
CORRECTION!
2. I must allow correction to change me, not just correct.
(like going to Jail for correction but
not be changed.)
3. Correction is an opportunity to change my attitude
before it causes terrible
consequences.
Peace and Righteousness don't
come without Humility.
I get corrected because:
1. God knows me and (still)loves me.
2. I am His Child
CORRECTION IS SUSPOSED TO BE
PAINFUL!
I need to receive and
respect God and His correction and those He sends to correct me. So I will have
Peace.
I got all of that
while I was getting dressed to go to FTHCM of Las Vegas. I had heard from my Newly "adopted"
Grandson, that was supposed to go with me, that he had to work until 2
AM,(double
shift) and would probably not wake up in time, but definitely next Sunday.
I had just pulled up in the Church parking lot at 9:30
AM
and I got a text from Stanley that he would go to Church
with me but he didn't want to "disrespect" my husband by making
"us" late. Since my husband is
Jesus now, He told me to go get Stanley (10 minutes away). Due to Cell phone unreliability and
miscommunication, it took about an hour to get back but right on time for the
message!
Stanley had been looking for a good
Church and he definitely received from the message, and he went by himself to
introduce himself to Pastor McDuel.
After Service I received a
beautiful card from Pastor and Sis. Mc Duel.
When I opened the card, blessings fell out! God is so amazing! You can't beat God giving!
Stanley and I spent the rest
of the day, going to lunch and hanging out.
He cuts hair and we did some business cards for him to launch his
"in-home" Kutz for a King business.
He has an entrepreneurial attitude.
It was so much fun getting better acquainted with him. Then I took him to work (Security at the
Airport). I stopped to get gas to fill
up before turning in the rental car for tomorrow, he insisted on paying for and
pumping the gas. What a Grandson!
Oh, I forgot to tell
you about the Art Prints. I am parked
near the dumpster and I saw 2 impressionistic pictures (24x34") in nice
frames propped against the wall near the dumpster. They were obviously too valuable for throwing
away so they were there for someone who wanted them. I waited to see if someone else wanted them
and since no one came, I got them. They
were both signed prints, one quite old and I looked up the other one, and it
was costing $195 on line. I haven't been
able to decipher the signature yet on the older one. It had paper backing on it and is a numbered
print. I like them, and someone will get
them for Christmas.
I am still in Las Vegas, I can stay free until the
21st. It is going to get up to 63 degrees here today which should be
nice. I will turn in my rental car today and will be car-less, which is
OK. I went to the grocery store and got all my supplies on
Saturday. I met my next door neighbor who is a Widow also and she is here
all year and she has a pick-up truck. There are a lot of stores close
also that I could walk to.
PS. I called my
"Go-to-RV" guy Saturday and getting my heat back was a simple
fix. A circuit-breaker flipped and all I had to do was turn it all the
way off and back on again. WALLA! IT WORKS!
Dec. 13, 2016
Well, things are still changing! I will be leaving Las Vegas for Southern
California ( to a pool!) on
Friday and plan to be in Palm Desert, CA until Dec. 22nd, then to Palmdale, Ca from Dec
22-Jan3, then Menifee, Ca from Jan 3-24.
I talked to my Sister and the weather is not good there either so we
will try for Christmas in late Jan or Feb. in Oregon. I will meet
my friends in Reno, hopefully during that same period.
I
turned the Rental car in yesterday and my friend's daughter-in-law picked me up
and brought me back to the RV. I am
getting picked up for FTHCM Bible Study by one of the Trustees tonight
I washed clothes today and I
will get the RV washed tomorrow.
What a blessing, Bible Study
was awesome and it is so much like being at the FTHCM Parent Church. So much love
and wonderful fellowship. Unity in the
Body of Christ.
Wed. Dec. 14,
2016
Ok, another change.
It looks like I will leave tomorrow.
I just had the RV washed and it is supposed to rain on Friday, I don't
like to drive with road spray on a just-washed vehicle, soooo, I will probably
leave tomorrow, which is going to be cloudy and a perfect day for driving. I will get there a day early, which should
not be a problem.
I started to do some cleaning up and vacuuming and
what! No electricity! Again? I calmed down, checked the circuit breaker
box, it was OK. I went outside to check
on the box where I plugged in the Electric cord and I switched the switches off
and back on and WALLAH! Back in
business! I don't understand enough
about electricity. But Jesus does, and
He doesn't mind telling me what to do...works for me!
The guy who washed the RV here in the RV Park, did a
pretty good job, not as good as Gary Dowd, he does it for me in Maryland and Colonial Beach. This guy was
referred by a full-timer here in the RV park, I met in the laundry mat. It cost $80, which wasn't bad.
I am waiting for my friend's daughter-in-law and we
are going to get our nails done. Girly
stuff.
The ride down to Palm Desert should be scenic, I am looking forward to it.
Dec. 15, 2016
I received my Shaklee package yesterday and ate some Nutriferon,
Defend and Resist and Alfalfa (I had just run out of Alfalfa) I got a good
night's sleep, The Cold is finally on it's way out and I feel a lot
better.
PAYDAY, today, is Shaklee payday and what a
blessing! I got a $1,020 raise this month! Woopee! I think back to the days when we were living
pay day to pay day and had no idea, there was a better way! I also think about how we wasted so much of
God's resources by making bad choices, like going into debt to keep up with
illusive "Jones's", and buying a 42 ft Yacht that held 300 gals of
gas. It was a hole in the water that we
poured money into! I guess we got the
bragging rights to say we owned a yacht!
I remember throwing and giving away lot's of stuff that cost's lots of
money that could have been used in better ways.
Our flesh is never satisfied, if we give it a little, it wants more and
we already have enough! We already have
everything we need to accomplish God's purpose in our lives! The world wants us to spend more and more
money on the latest and greatest, that will be out of date next year...that is
the way the World's system works. Let's
choose to get off...just step away from that system and do it God's way!
About giving.
This is the Christmas season and if we do it right, we will give
properly, not go into debt, give from what we have, not what we don't have,
think about the needs (not desires) of the other person, not give stuff that
will be thrown away or given away, just to say I gave them something. I have learned that gift's from the heart are
the best received. Those that only you
could give. Think about the gifts and
talents God has placed in you, and give from that. It takes thought, effort, time, in other
words, giving yourself, not necessarily a lot of money and you will have no
regrets! Just a Grandma Swann thought
for the Christmas season. (PS. Think about the best gift you have
received.....it is about love and sharing Jesus this Season.)
On the road again.
Finally I woke up to 59
degrees, in Palm
Desert, Calif. I plan to go
to the pool today! I left Las Vegas yesterday about 11:30 AM and look the scenic route, good roads 70 mph and beautiful desert with
a beautiful border of purple, blue, grey, mountains all around. Joshua trees and lots of sand and not a lot
else. One stop I made for a break (thank
God I didn't need gas), it was the only station around and regular gas was
$3.19) it was called Terrible, and it was!
I was finally able to get gas at $2.55, which was still high but
better.
There was a Ghost Town I
could have gone to but I had seen one before and didn't feel like going up a
lonely road to get there to see a lot of empty buildings. It was a beautiful, interesting drive and I
arrived after dark and a day early at the RV park. They had spaces and I could pull through to
park. (For those of you, new to the RV thing, that is a big deal, as backing
into a space at night (or in the day) could get very interesting without
help. As it was I pulled into someone
else's spot (they were gone for the day).
My first clue was the water hose was there, I just hooked up my electric and thought I
would do the rest in the morning in daylight.
Then I walked around the RV and saw a mat on the ground with 2 lawn
chairs, indicating that the spot was taken.
There was a lady next door, doing something on her phone, watching me
pull in, hook up and I spoke to her but she was either deaf or very
unfriendly. Anyway, I quickly unhooked
the electric, backed out and found another unoccupied spot that was nicer
anyway. I am surrounded by palm
trees. Not far from the pool which is
open from 8 AM to 10 PM. Woopee!
The literature said we could
pick the fruit? Don't know what that is about. The Dates grow in the top of the Palm trees,
I'm not going there. I guess I will find
out. It is like manna from heaven, you
can only pick what you can eat in a day.
OK, my health report:
Cold is better,
I have lost a total of 8 1/2
lbs.
19 1/2 inches
Blood pressure 134/91
No medication
No exercise (going to fix
that today at the pool)
I am still on the Shaklee 180
plan and am so glad I did this before the Holidays and I will be so far ahead
in January when I usually set my "New" goals for the year. I will be "running" with the new me
by then!
Dec. 16, 2016
Wow! I picked and ate a pink grapefruit OFF A
TREE! Now I know what they were talking
about when they said picking fruit was OK.
There are fruit trees here. I will
let you know what else. I WENT TO THE
POOL!!!!! It was great, very pleasant,
not hot but very comfortable. I finally
got some exercise, it felt good. It is
supposed to be colder today, we will see.
It was beautiful and sunny at the pool and I looked over to the sky
towards the north, it was very dark and it was pouring rain sideways, windy and
it seemed very close but not where we were. Interesting. I met a family at the pool, from Hagerstown, Maryland that were home schooling their children in the
morning and pool in the afternoon, Wow!
They had a 3, 6, 8 and 18 year old.
They had driven here in 3 days, stopping in Tennessee and Texas, Wow. They call me Grandma. They were on their way to that place I left
Las
Vegas. Then they were going to spend Christmas with
the Grandparents in Arizona.
I had a dream that a good
friend who tells it like it is, said I would never succeed in my Shaklee business. It made me mad! I asked her why she said it and she was
trying to kindly tell me and I woke up, MAD.
Not at her because she said it, but because it was true, if I continued
to do what I am doing now, I will not achieve my desired goals. Did you ever get to the place where you asked
yourself, "If I continue to do what I am doing now, will I get what I
desire?" Sometimes we just have to
look at ourselves, really look. It's
sometimes ugly.
We fool ourselves into
thinking that we can put it off until tomorrow, but then that is one whole day
gone, never to be repeated or retrieved.
Time is a gift, we all get the same number of hours and minutes in a day until the finish,
which could be any moment of that day. We don't have that plan, then what? We need to know for sure...then what? Do we have a relationship with Jesus, will
we, for sure, go to heaven when we die?
Do we know? If we are not sure,
we need to be sure. Their could be
someone reading this blog right now who is not sure. You can be sure! God sent His Son Jesus to
die for you so you don't have to die and go to hell. It is as simple as believing that Jesus is
God's Son and He died for you and me, taking on our sins, so they would be paid
for, and we can be free to have eternal life.
Don't try to figure it out, we don't have the mind of God, we don't know
all His rules, but we do know this one.
If you accept Jesus as your Lord
and Savior, and believe in your heart, you will be saved from this World and be
a Citizen of the Kingdom of God. If you need help, repeat these words, and
believe them in your heart, and you will be saved.
"Jesus I ask you to come
and live in my heart today, be my Lord and Savior. I am sorry for my sins, I
ask you to forgive me. I believe that
you came to earth and died for me so I will be saved. Lord save me."
If you sincerely prayed that
prayer and believed in your heart, YOU ARE SAVED! Now, find a Bible believing, Bible teaching
Church where you can learn and grow in the things of God. You are a NEW CREATURE , everything has been
made new, fresh. Praise the Lord! If you need a good Church, let me know.
WOW, what fun yesterday! I was picked up by a Sister in Christ who
took me to the local Flea Market where there were all kinds of Vendors. Arts, Crafts, Clothes, Shoes, socks, gadgets,
produce, and lot's more. I tasted a
local date, which was real moist and good.
I got some fruits and
vegetables. Then we went to a 99 cent
store. I thought it would be like a Dollar
store but it was some different. For one
thing, they had fresh produce! And the
small seedless watermelon TWO FOR 99 CENTS!
I only got one. They also had
Jicama for 99 cents a lb. I was able to
get all the groceries I needed. Praise the Lord! When I got to the check out, my Sister
insisted on paying for all my stuff.
WOW. God takes care of me even when I don't think I need it. I will definitely watch for God's opportunity
to bless someone else.
Before she came I decided to
hook up to the sewer and water. I had a
little challenge as the RV was parked too far away from the sewage hole for my
hose to reach. I have a longer hose but
it won't go through the hole to attach to the outlet elbow. So I solved the problem by maneuvering the RV
closer and WALAH! The shorter hose
worked. Now I am fully hooked up to
electric, water and sewer.
When I came back I picked
some more grapefruit.
Sunday, Dec 18, 2016
I woke up early to get the
streaming live of my Church at 6:30 AM
and then went to Church here at the RV park.
Rev. Sis. Wright preached today on live stream, as Bishop is on Holiday. She was really good and spoke
about, "How to Maintain A more Excellent Spirit (Attitude)". She said to maintain an Excellent Spirit, we
need to:
Be like Christ Jesus, Be the brightness of the Glory of
God.
Set righteousness as a compass for our life so we don't
defile ourselves.
We must have Jesus's mental disposition:
An attitude of submission.
Humility, total dependence on God the Father
Attitude of Obedience to the will of God
Allow the power of the Holy Spirit to lead me.
We can control our flesh.
We can contain our mind.
We can confront and confuse the devil
Then I went to Service in the
recreation hall where Pastor Jack was the preacher. He and his wife have been doing this for 14
years. There was a nice group attending
and I met some wonderful people. We sang
Christmas Carols and the message was in line with the first one and he talked
about being more Christ like. The Holy Spirit is real! One lady played guitar, I
bought her CD of Christmas
Music. Some of the same people I met,
will be at the next RV park with me, that should be fun. I will be able to go to Bible Study on
Wednesday night here, before I leave on Thursday.
Dec,19,2016
Oh, what a beautiful morning! I woke up with JOY in my heart. I have learned that their is a difference
between happiness and joy. We in America have been trained to believe that the "pursuit
of happiness" is a "right " of freedom that we have. So we go after "happiness" in
things, people, houses, places, occupations, locations, etc... We say to ourselves, " I would be really
happy if I had...." , "When I get____________I will be set.", We see someone else with something that we
want, and we say, Ooowee!, they look so happy, I need one of those. We see a new "toy" and they come in
all prices...their is always a price.
(Look what happened to the "toy's" you got or gave last
year...where are they?) They may have
made you "happy" for a minute...but then we want more, thinking that
will bring us happiness.
OK, so happiness only brings a temporary
"fix", a lifting of our spirits for a brief moment, then on to the
next thing, because that is over. How
much debt has our "pursuit of happiness" gotten us into? The whole world's system is built on our
"pursuit of happiness". Let's
break the "world's system", let's get out of debt, (re-gift, be
creative, give love, spend time with your children and loved ones, (What
SACRIFICE?), pay cash for everything we buy, if we can't afford it, wait (WHAT!
WAIT?) until we can pay cash for it.
Make this Christmas what it is really about...giving of love in your
hearts.
Let's talk about JOY!
JOY
is a knowing, that all of your cares are already in the hands of Jesus, and He can take care of
them just fine, thank you, all by Himself,
He needs no help, only your permission.
JOY
is a knowing that you are protected from the wiles of the devil, he has no power unless you give it to
him.(permission).
JOY is
peace, peace with God and everybody else.
If there is a lack of peace
in area of your life, you have the power to fix it. It is not about
what others are doing, it is how you are reacting, so you have the power to change it. It can be done NOW, in a moment, a decision, change your thinking.
Did you do it? It is only holding you back, it has nothing to do with the other
person. They choose their own suffering.
JOY
is loving, unconditionally, like God did for us in sending His Son as a payment for our sins,
while we were still in the middle of it.
Can we do that with
others? Love them in the state they are
in? Unconditionally? WHAT? PUT
UP WITH THEIR STUFF?, God does it
every minute with us, we can do it too.
JOY
is playing by God's rules and loving it.
Everything we are searching for,
unsettled about, need answers for, anxious about, worried about, fretting over, etc... the ANSWERS ARE IN THE RULE BOOK! (Bible) We are playing by somebody's rules, who's rules are we playing by? Our own? (Check again) somebody is ruling our life, there are only two powers in the earth, if you are not playing the "game of life" by God's
rules,(the one who created you, for His
purpose), then you are playing by the devils counterfeit rules (his rules, are to steal, kill and
destroy). Everybody is living by one ruler's
rules. In our "pursuit of happiness" and freedom, we think by rejecting or rebelling against God's rules
we are doing our" "own thing". We have been given the choice, but with every
choice, there is a consequence built
into it. We make the choice, but we
can't choose the consequences. (DEEP STUFF). THE WAGES (payment, consequences) OF SIN IS DEATH! Death
of something, when we sin, something
dies (the rules). Could be a relationship, anything, we don't get to choose that.
Ok, I had a wonderful breakfast, my Shaklee Life
shake, and supplements and a cup of
hot,Vitalized Immunity, Defend and Resist, Pomegranate Energizing Tea
and a grapefruit right off the tree!
WOW!
My blood pressure reading was 129/88 this AM. I remember being told that once you are
on blood pressure medicine, you will
never get off. Well, I have been off of
all medication since September 2016 and I have monitored my blood pressure
daily and it has never been as high as it was when I was on the blood pressure
medication. I read a study that was done
that showed that sometimes the blood pressure medicine keeps your blood
pressure high. I believe it, and I am doing what is necessary to be in good
health. Praise God, I no longer have
symptoms from:
Herniated
disk in 2004
Stroke
in 2014
sciatica
& back pain issues
Arthritis
Now
going through Bronchitis (let you know when my cells finish repairing, they are on their way!)
I never took medication to correct those issues, I
just played by God's rules. He gave us a
Body with trillions of cells that are equipped to fight disease, reproduce
after their kind (good or bad) and they know what to do with the only thing
they eat: Vitamins, protein, minerals,
carbohydrates and fats (Food). (They
only react to everything else we try to feed them, like medicines, additives,
preservatives, over processed foods etc...). The quality of the food will
determine the quality of your body.
I intend to be an example of good health and live life
to the fullest, in God's plan, so you will be encouraged to join this journey
of Joy, Love, Life and Fulfillment wherever you are. Come FLOURISH TO THE FINISH WITH ME!
Remember Flourish:
To grow
luxuriantly,
To
thrive,
To
succeed
To be
an example and an influence for the next generation!
My wish for you this Christmas is PEACE, JOY,
HEALTH, LOVE, FULFILLMENT and FLOURISHMENT! WOOPEE! LET'S GO!
It is raining, really
showers, they said it would rain
tomorrow, shows what "they" know.
I had decided to leave today (a day early to avoid the rain) oh well,
maybe later.
I got to go to the pool
yesterday, it was wonderful! Met some
nice full time people from Reston, VA, (they will be at my next RV park too) and Idaho, everybody is trying to avoid the weather. My next
door neighbors are from Pennsylvania, here in California, for the winter, they will be at the second RV park I
will be.
I just booked another week
here in Palm Desert, Jan 27-Feb 3.
Reservations are getting tight here for the winter months. I will go up
to Pasadena area today and find a place to park for the
night. Then I will visit the Shaklee
people who sponsored the Wolff's who sponsored my parents in Shaklee. He was
the one who flew from California to DC, our 3rd day in Shaklee and got us
started. I will always be grateful for
that good start and all the support throughout the years. They are both in their 80's and still active
in Shaklee and doing a thriving business. I am looking forward to having lunch
with them at their house in Arcadia, CA.
Afterwards, I will pick up a
friend from College at the school she is still teaching at (same age as me) and
I will take her home and visit a little and then Saturday, she is taking off to
Costa Rico for Christmas holiday. She
always does something exotic, to keep herself young. What a Flourish to the Finish! I was glad we
will get to see each other before she goes.
It is still raining, so much
for showers, it is really coming down steadily. It is 60 degrees, so it is not
bad, just rain.
Dec 22, 2016
Rain in the desert should be interesting. What will wake up? Seeds lying dormant? What happens in our life
when we add the life giving rain of the Holy Spirit? Try it, you'll like it!
Rain on the roof, no better sound to sleep with! It rained all night and was supposed to stop
this morning, maybe so. I am so glad the
I unhooked yesterday while it was dry. I
went to Bible study in my poncho in the rain, didn't get wet and it was a
wonderful time in the Lord. The devil
will always try to give you excuses to not do what you know to do. John 1 was the scripture we studied. It is great to be able to fellowship with the
Body of Christ anywhere. I met some more
wonderful people.
Things change, I
thought I would leave this RV park yesterday but I got ready so all I have to
do is pull out today and drive today.
It is so exciting to know that no matter what, we are cared
for by an All Powerful, All knowing, The best provider. The best protector, the
most loving awesome GOD. WOW, what a life! And what a privilege to live it!
Dec 23, 2016
WOW WOW WOW! Yesterday I left the Palm Desert RV park and
it was still showers on and off but not a hard rain, which made it easier to
drive. It cleared up when I needed to
get gas and as I got closer to Arcadia and Pasadena, where I had to go.
I arrived at our Shaklee
up-line a little after noon
and they were each on separate phones, doing Shaklee business. I am so impressed , they don't look much
older than they did in 1974 and they are both in good health. The wife is 89 years young and on no
medication. She prepared and served a
wonderful lunch, homemade chicken and cabbage soup, homemade chicken salad with
homemade toasted almonds, desert was delicious pineapple and homemade oatmeal
raisin cookies.(I only ate one) Everything was delicious and healthy! We had a wonderful visit and they are both in
their right minds, getting around well, living independently in a beautiful
home with a pool and guest house, and thriving in their Shaklee business! They are planning to have the whole family
including 6 Great Grand's for Christmas at their house. WHAT AN INSPIRATION!
We called my good friend
Ronnie, so she could talk to our up-lines.
She was at her first Shaklee meeting when he flew out to Maryland from California our 3rd day to get us started. She thanked them again.
After a wonderful lunch and
visit, I went about 20 minutes away and picked up my College friend, who is
still teaching Chemistry in High School (Same age as me). It was her last day for the Christmas
break. What a blessing that we got to
see each other before she leaves for Costa Rico on Saturday. She insisted on taking me to dinner. We went to a really nice place with free
range beef and Chicken and really good
food. I brought most of it home to eat
over the next week. We had a lovely
visit and will probably see each other again when she gets back and before I
leave California.
I dropped her off at her
house at about 8 PM and planned to
go to Chino, to a Walmart to stay the night then travel to
Palmdale the next day. Well, I stopped
for gas and things changed. I looked and
saw it was only about 2 hours to Palmdale and I still felt pretty good, I
thought about the traffic the next day getting out of the City for Christmas,
they were calling for rain and I felt at peace to travel.. So I did.
It was a great trip up the
freeway with no traffic, when I got close (10 miles), I had to go on a canyon
road, which was probably beautiful during the day, at night it was a little different. A tunnel, bridge, where I side swiped a guard
rail. (upon inspection this morning, it
put a long even scratch down the full length of the RV). GPS was good until it told me to turn onto a
dirt road that said "no outlet", I turned on the road and saw
nothing, (dark) that would indicate the RV park. I stopped to go to the bathroom (thank God I
have one on board!) . When I came out, a
Lady (who lived in the area) pulled up beside me and told me that it happened
all the time GSP gave the wrong turn, that is was just up the road. She helped me to find a place to turn around
(which was no easy task) and she went on.
Angels in the night, God's way to take care of me. Thank you Jesus!
After that little adventure, I found the RV
park, the next turn and was able to stay in the parking lot over night as it
was 10 PM when I arrived, and they were closed. I was parked within 20 feet of the railroad
tracks. During the night several trains
went by and because there is no guard rail at the crossing, they have to
whistle or blow their horn,(whatever trains do) and that helped me during the
night to get up to go to the bathroom. A
train just went by as I was writing this, and I took a video of the train and
the whistle (I got proof!).
I will check in shortly and
will let you know the next adventure.
Isn't life great! Lovin' it!
Checked in, met and was adopted by, one of the
Rangers. He will be here Christmas and
we have a "date" to watch FTHCM streaming live since he will be the
only one here on duty. I drove to town,
which was a lot shorter than the way I came last night. I went to the 99 cent store in Palmdale, and
got everything I needed for two weeks, groceries and other stuff, and it only
came to $45.60.
After I hooked up, I met some neighbors from State College, Pennsylvania, they are on their maiden voyage of any kind. They sold their house and went full time
RVing in October and are loving it too.
It is supposed to be cold this weekend but the pool is open and heated,
so maybe.....
Somebody told me that I could rent a car from Enterprise with a debit card.
Well, I checked and I could, with a California drivers license, and registration and insurance, proof of Employment, and something else, by
that time I wasn't listening, yadayadayada....
You know, the Lord will provide!
He provides everything else for me.
I have everything I need!
Have a blessed, peaceful NO STRESS Christmas! If you are feeling stressed, STOP, TAKE TEN
DEEP BREATHS, TRUST GOD, ALL THOSE THINGS YOU TOOK ON, YOU PLANNED, YOU
"HAVE TO DO" OR NOBODY ELSE WILL, CAN BE CHANGED! IT IS OK.
YOU ARE PRODUCING THE STRESS!
STEP AWAY FROM THE STRESS AND CHOOSE PEACE, EVEN IF IT MEANS IT DOESN'T
GET DONE. PEOPLE AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD
RATHER HAVE YOU AND HAVE YOU CALM AND AT PEACE, THAN THE TENSION
AND STRIFE, AND ANXIETY CREATED BY YOUR STRESS, NOT TO MENTION THE DAMAGE IT
DOES TO YOUR BODY AND THE STRESS IT CAUSES THOSE AROUND YOU! SIT DOWN AND
BREATH!
Ok, that was a Grammy Whammy moment! Love you all, wish I could be with all of you
but evidently, I have other assignments.
I will create a great Christmas, if you are alone, find someone else who
is alone and enjoy their fellowship. LOVE, LOVE LOVE YOU!!! May the love of Jesus be the brightest
Christmas light, shining through you this season!
Dec 24, 2016
Merry Christmas Eve.! What a blessed day! I woke up at 1:30 AM with an idea to have a Christmas Eve
Fellowship. I made up the following flyer: Then went back to sleep.
T T MEMBER GENERATED
YOU ARE INVITED
CHRISTMAS
EVE
SURPRISE!
(Never
been done before, come and join the family friendly, festivities and the
giving, it will be a surprise to all of us)
Adult
Lounge
Saturday December 24, 2016
6 PM
WHAT
TO BRING:
· A DISH, POT LUCK, SOMETHING TO EAT AND SHARE (bring
your own picnic ware, plates, napkins, tableware, cups)
· A WRAPPED GIFT (Something you already have, White Elephant, Gag or nice, look around,
be creative)
· A TALENT YOU HAVE TO SHARE (Song, skit, Musical instrument, Poem, etc...)
If you don't think you have anything, just
bring you and yours, you are the fun!
ANY
QUESTIONS CALL:
GRANDMA
SWANN 301-580-2824
It rained all night long and this morning it
was sunny but COLD and SNOW on the Mountains all around us, beautiful!
I called the ranger station and got "David".
He said, "You called the right person." I asked him about the
possibility of a fellowship and he said it would work and, he was just getting
off work and he would come and meet me and get the flyer and make some copies
and then about noon he would come back and he would drive me around the park to
hand out the flyers and put them up in strategic spots. He came by,
and "David" was immediately adopted! He knew Jesus, and
we hugged and that settled it. Turned out, I had adopted his Dad the day
before and so it was a double adoption!
I wrapped gifts, (stuff I had around that I
didn't need) and David and his girlfriend came by with the flyers and we
started around the park, watching for people outside, giving them the flyer and
inviting them for tonight. We had so much fun! We really got into
the Christmas spirit. Lot's of different responses. Some fell on stony
ground, some fell among thorns and some fell on good soil. After we
finished, they brought me back and I cooked Taco soup, cheese biscuits and made
a big salad.
They came back too get me and my stuff and we
had a wonderful time. About 20 people turned out, we blessed the food and
ate, other people brought, guacamole & chips, potato salad, cupcakes, apple
pie and ice cream, and doughnuts. We introduced ourselves and then asked
for talents. Two little children sang a Christmas song, An Actress sang
Oh, Holy Night. One gentleman got up and asked us all to clap, then stand
up, when all of us were standing and clapping, he thanked us for the standing
ovation! Funny! Then we opened gifts. Remember the two Prints
that I rescued from the dumpster? Well they were gifts and well
received. "David's" girl friend got one and she loved it.
Each person opened a gift and there was enough to give the children two
each. The rule was that if you didn't want your gift then you could trade
it for someone else's, It worked out well and everybody was
happy. We all hugged and it was a great night! Lesson learned, go
the direction you are led, you never know who you will bless. They were
all invited to the Welcome center tomorrow to watch the Streaming Live
broadcast of FTHCM. We will see who shows up. What a blessed day!
Dec. 27, 2016
I took a Christmas break
from blogging just so you know you didn't miss anything. The last blog was
Christmas Eve and the fellowship.
YIKES!!!! I woke up this
morning (still freezing outside) and weighed and measured. Oh Oh, I GAINED A POUND! I had sill lost 1 inch but this is a wake up
call! I had gotten cockey and
complacent, it is so easy for me to be a "know it all" and think I
can do this without paying attention. Oh
well, not true, little things can get you off course so easily,
"legal" snacks, bigger portions, not being mindful...etc. OK I am back on track today, it is the first
day of the rest of my life.
Christmas in the California Mountains is amazing. I
woke up at 6 Am to be
able to get the live stream at 6:30 California time. I cooked
some teriyaki Chicken, mixed vegetables, made a big salad and had a pound cake
in the freezer, that I thawed out. I
tried to get a ride to the Welcome center (about 1/2 mile away) but that didn't
work. So I packed everything in my
rolling cart and walked (which was good exercise). David's Dad ( found out that is not his name,
I misunderstood, Oh well that is how you know him) had to work by himself on
Christmas so I told him I would come and we would have church (Streaming live,
the rebroadcast was at 9:30 our time) and I would bring dinner.
By now you know that
"My" plans don't always (hardly ever) work out. OK, we couldn't get the internet at the
Welcome center and he was very busy. We
talked in between guests and greeted everybody.
One lady was from Long Beach and I was able to share the Las Angeles FTHCM Church (which is in Long Beach) with her.
After awhile, I left a plate for "David's" Dad and walked on
back with too much dinner for me. On the
way back I met a single Dad who had no children for the weekend so I invited
him and "David" and his girlfriend to dinner. At about 5 PM they all showed up and "David" didn't stay
because he was tired so it was just the three of us for dinner, which was wonderful. The single Dad was a sound technician and was
able to fix my TV. I had not been able
to get TV since I left. I have about 20 channel choices not. I still don't watch it much.
My adopted family from Maryland is out here (about 15 minutes away) for Christmas
break visiting her brother. They called
on "face time?" (very interesting) and we connected just before my
guests arrived and I couldn't talk long.
We will get together today, they are coming over to the TT RV park for a
visit.
IT WAS A GREAT CHRISTMAS!
Yesterday was freezing
again and windy which made it very cold.
"David's" girlfriend came over and spent the day with me while
he was working, she is delightful and of course, adopted too. She went to the welcome center and brought my
Shaklee package which I had sent here.
Just in time!
I am cooking spaghetti and
making another salad for "my family", I am so excited to be able to
see them this Christmas too. We were all
in Duck, North
Carolina
last Christmas when is was 72 degrees!
Oh, well. It was 29 degrees last
night and at 10:30 AM it is 34 degrees and windy.
Hope all of you had a
wonderful Christmas too. Life is good
with Jesus, the reason for the Season.
Dec. 28/2016
Hebrews 2:1 "Therefore we ought to
give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time
we should let them slip."
Wow, that was the scripture (and the next two
chapters that I read for devotions this morning.) I started to think
about, "what am I letting slip?"
It is so easy to do, and it is our job to
keep them from slipping. Am I walking in the path that Jesus walked, the
path that He has given me to walk?
Am I slipping into the old patterns, that are
comfortable, easy, familiar, things I don't have to think about. It is
easy to slip.
I got my TV fixed, which seemed like a
good thing. I had not watched TV since I left on my journey. All of
a sudden, I have all of these choices, news, movies, shows, old
"familiar" programs, seemingly harmless, BUT they all came with mind
manipulating commercials, ungodly previews, ungodly sexual content, violence,
language. (even when bleeped out but you know what they said) even when I was
careful, I noticed innuendoes, references, influences that was causing me
to say, "I can handle this", "oh, they probably won't do that
again," and the story line was so compelling that I started compromising,
(slipping away from what I knew to be right). After awhile of selecting
"old" black and white movies that I knew would not have the language
issues or the sexual content, I began to see the "programming" that
was being done even back then, that slowly led to the blatant ungodliness that
we take for granted today. This is one of the World's ways to suck us
into the World's ways of thinking. and the devil's plan to get us off of God's
plan for our lives.
When I had spare time before, I would look
around me and see who I could fellowship, with and who I could bless. I
would have creative thoughts,(I knew they were Godly because they were blessing
others), I would read the Word, to find out how I was really supposed to think
as a Child of God.
After I watched TV for just a small amount of
time, I noticed how much of my thoughts were "controlled" by what I
had seen and heard on TV. Especially the news, (How can we live without
knowing what is going on?) it is almost always bad, twisted to make a good
story, depressing, and conditions us to think ungodly thoughts, about others,
and have ungodly fears causing us to worry about stuff we can't control.
The Bible says, in Phil 4:6-7 "Be careful (anxious) for nothing, but in
every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus."
Check our heart. Are we at peace?
Does TV give us peace? Are we being "entertained" into fears,
worry, ungodly thoughts, sights, sounds, are we "slipping"? Are
we addicted to TV? Can we do without it? I discovered that I could
do quite well without it, and If I needed to know something, the Lord had
a way of letting me know. It boils down to who do we trust? The world's
system (which is failing fast, and kills, steals and destroys) or the system of
the Kingdom of God
(which brings peace, Joy, and comfort). Very soon, we will be required to
get off the fence and decide who we will serve. The World is getting worse, we
need to get better, we are called to be in the World but not of it. Who
do we trust?
Last night was wonderful, I got to see and
fellowship with my first "adopted family", from Maryland that I stayed with for 8 months while my house was
being prepared for sale. They are the greatest Christian family I have
ever met. Again all of the Teenagers (18 yr old in first year of College,
16 year old in last year of High School and a 14 year old in first year of High
School) all are on the honor roll. They are proof that a family with
teenagers can live Godly, and love each other, be kind and honoring, and
respectful to each other, take correction gracefully and change. I
learned a lot, by living in their home. THEY ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE
LOVE OF GOD IN A HOME!
We had a great fellowship and they prayed for
me before they left. It was great to be with family for the Christmas
Season.
It is still cold but going up to 58 degrees
today. At 10:45 AM it is 42
degrees.
December 29, 2016
Little things are BIG things. That is
the lesson I learned yesterday. As you know, my desire is to be an
example of Health and Energy so others will have the hope that "Old
age" doesn't have to be decrepit, medicated, useless and set
aside. That we can be Healthy and Flourish; grow luxuriantly,
thrive, succeed, and have an influence and be an example for the next generation!
Well, yesterday I did some domestic stuff,
cleaned up and washed clothes. I went to the Laundry mat at the Adult
Lounge and saw some people that were at the Christmas Eve fellowship and that
was fun. Met some new people. The pool is still open ( No one is
braving the cold). Then after I finished the washing, I came back home to
get ready for Bible study in Acton, Calif. at the River of Life Church about 3
miles away.
The Actress, (she loves the Lord, and came to
the Christmas Eve fellowship) picked me up and took me to Bible study. I
learned that she has been eating organic since she was a teenager (she just
turned 60, that's 45 years). She is on no medication and her Doctor tried to
find something wrong with her and couldn't.
After leaving school, she hitchhiked around
the USA for 6 years, finally visiting her brother (who had
just been saved 2 weeks before). She told him,"There is nothing to
live for, I have done so many things, that I am ashamed of, and I don't even
know who God is." Her brother told her "I know who God is, it
is Jesus!" She said, " Come off it!, it can't be that
easy." He said, "If Jesus doesn't prove who He is to you, then
you can go ahead and kill yourself". She said "OK, Jesus prove
to me me that you are the Son of God and I will serve you forever."
Then Jesus showed her, He was the Son of God, she was overwhelmed by His love,
better than anything she had ever experienced in her whole life. She gave
Jesus her life and has been serving him for 37 years.
Then her Brother said,"There is
more." Then she said "What can be more than this?"
Her brother said, "You need the Holy Spirit to give you power to live for
God."
She said that the same day, her brother took
her across the street to a Pentecostal Church where she received the Baptism with the Holy
Spirit. She was delivered from her past, received her prayer language,
and realized there was nothing in this world that would satisfy like Jesus.
The next day, she was walking by a
Hippie. He looked at her and said, "Man, whatever you are high on, I
want it." She told him it was Jesus, and he said, "Whatever it
is , I want it." He accepted the Lord.
Bible study was good. People who loved
the Lord, and I got to meet some more wonderful people. The Pastor spoke
on Testimonies, ( What you have seen and heard that bares witness to Jesus'
power and miracles) that plant seeds so people know that God is no respecter of
persons and that He can do the same for you and others. He gave some
examples of miracles which were confidence building, in what prayer and trust
in the Lord, can do.
Now, getting to the little things. In
the Bible study, I ate a Sugar-free mint and offered one to my friend.
She took the package and turned it over to read the ingredients and gave it
back without taking one. Later, she told me she couldn't eat artificial
sugar substitutes. I SHOULDN'T EITHER! What a poor example, not
only was I eating them, I offered "toxins" to my Sister in
Christ! What's more, I had done it before with others, and if I had not
become aware, I would do it again! WOW. What a poor example, little
things like that can destroy credibility, and my witness. I REPENT!
It won't happen again!
My actress friend from Bible study and I, are
going to town have a "girly" day today.
*************************
Flourish2finish blog #32-35
December 30, 2016
What a fun day with my Sister the Actress! Yesterday we went to lunch at
an Organic store and it was great. Then we took a minute to find a nail
salon, finally found one that she knew about and we both got manicures and
pedicures with massage chairs. She took me
to Staples and I got ink and paper for my printer. We had great
fellowship and decided we are Sisters. we really got acquainted and she is
coming over today too. She is auditioning for a Commercial on Monday so
she is bringing her script. Should be fun. My Grand Daughter
("David's" girl friend) is coming also.
It rained most of the night and cleared up about Noon, still cold, colder than yesterday. They need
the rain here. It is not so windy now but these are Santa Anna winds that
keep showing up.
I found out that my Actress Sister, when she went to the Doctor and he couldn't
find anything wrong with her, he also said that she had a body and mind of a 25
year old! Wow! What an example to follow! She was telling me that
she had to run up a hill for a commercial she was doing, and no one expected
her to be able to do it. To their surprise, she did it several times and
outdid the younger people on the set and kept asking if they wanted her to do
it again. She said she does 20 minutes of exercise a day (walking,
lifting gallon bottles of water, etc... She is definitely in shape!
She and her husband came by before they went out to dinner for their Anniversary.
It was the first time I met her husband. He told stories about how they
learned to trust God in amazing situations. They both Minister wherever
they go and are here in this RV park because the Lord told them to come and
live. It is amazing to find RV Missionaries. Everybody needs the
Lord, especially now. They also share the Holy Spirit. It is great
to see others that are willing to give it all up and follow Jesus, and actually
do what He says.
Dec 31, 2016
I woke up this morning with a desire to go to the pool (outdoor heated).
It will be about 53 degrees about 11 AM
and it is expected to SNOW later (10-12 inches in the Mountains). So it
may be my last chance for awhile.
HAVE
AN AWESOME NEW YEAR!
MY PRAYER FOR YOU IS: a great Blessed,
prosperous, productive, Joyous, unimaginable, beyond expectations, 2017, used
by God in Remarkable ways. This will be a great time to see God at work in us.
He is bigger than we think! And wants more from us than we can think or
imagine!
LET'S
FULFILL HIS DREAM, IN 2017!
I will be live streaming the New Year's
Service (WWW.FTHCM.org), it will be 6:30 PM
our time. Pray that we can have a space to show it.
***********************************************
Flourish2finish blog #33
Jan 2, 2017
I took a New Years break from
blogging, but here I am again. Catching
you up is harder than if I am consistent and do this daily. I left you praying for a place to live
stream, thank you for your prayers, we got a place. I needed to request more specifically that
the broadcast would be seen.
I enjoyed the pool, and the
hot tub afterwards, it was very refreshing and I was the only one in the pool
but I met a gentleman who was in the hot tub from New Jersey. He has been
full time for years and his job is once a month driving Winnebago Motor homes
from the factory in Iowa to dealerships.
I invited him to the live stream and he did not know Jesus. All in all I invited 14 people for that
evening, for bring a dish and watch. I
also met and invited a lady who had her Bible in her pool bag, (she came later
to the pool).
So, after the swim, I went
back home and prepared the food for the fellowship and got over to the Adult
lounge about an hour early. The RV Park
was having a movie, band and dance for New Years so their was some
competition. I tried for over an hour
and a half to get the live stream to work.
I could get the internet but not the live stream. I was by myself for awhile, my Actress Sister
had to go home to take care of her husband who had worked out in the cold rain
all day. She brought some food and then
went back home.
Finally a couple came who had
just gone full time from Paradise, California. They had been
in Shaklee in the 1970's, before I got into Shaklee. We had a nice fellowship and exchanged
information. A friend of my Actress
Sister came to take me home in his car.
As soon as I got back into
the RV, I tried the live stream and WAL-LA , it worked! I got on just in time to hear EP's
announcement of Bishop being in training for the EP's position in 2018. I enjoyed Communion with a rice cake and
water and heard the rest of the service.
It was great to see my adopted Grandson sing in the Men's choir for the
first time!
The next morning,(New Years
Day) I was up at 6:30 AM to hear the
live stream Church service. I took 4
pages of notes, then my newly adopted Grand Daughter came over and we had a
Shaklee shake I and watched the live stream rebroadcast with her and I was able
to add to my notes, WOW! What a message. It was actually the outline for the whole
year of messages to come.
The Title was; "Complete
in Jesus" Col. 1-2
What does being
"Complete in Jesus" mean?
!. Be fulfilled in
Jesus. (Satisfied, No longer searching for more)
2. Have all I need
in Jesus.
a. A relationship with God through JesusJ
b. A correct relationship with my Brothers and
Sisters
c. Have the
truth of His Word.
d. Be in a
Church (Body of Christ), can't sit at home and be "In the Body"(Even
Jesus had the 12 Disciples)
e. Be active in a Ministry in the Church. (Be a
part)
3. To not want for
anything.
a. Don't be
anxious for anything,
b. Be
content in the state you are in. (Full or empty)
c. Live
according to our Faith (Jesus).
4. Be mature in the
things of God. (Reach a level of maturity where we are not emotionally swayed, knowing
that,"all things work together
for good..."
5. To experience all
that is Promised in Jesus.(Nothing promised that I don't have.)
a. The love
of Jesus that passes all knowledge.
b. Life and
it more abundantly.
c. Peace
that passes all understanding.
d. Joy,
unspeakable Joy.
e. Hope.
(Confidence in the outcome)
f. Victory
over every evil circumstances.
DO YOU HAVE:
NO CONCERNS?
NO ANXIETY?
NO FEAR?
NO CARES? (YOU CAST THEM ALL ON JESUS)
NO WORRIES?
6. Do all that is
required of me?
a. Receive
the fullness of the relationship.
1).
The Love of God.
2).
His Holy Spirit.
` b. Keep his
commandments.
c. Enjoy
the beauty of Holiness,
7. Finish your
course (So Jesus can say,"Well done, my good and faithful Servant, in whom I am well
pleased...")
IT GETS BETTER WHEN YOU OBEY!
After the LIVE stream,
"David" came over and the three of us went out to Wal-Mart and hung
out shopping and then went to dinner at a Hawaiian BBQ place. We had so much fun.
Jan 2, 2017
This morning I got a call
from a friend in Maryland at 4 AM,
she didn't realize the three hour time difference. Later my Grand Daughter came over for me to
do her nails. After I finished, she
washed some dishes and ruined what had been done. It was too late to do it again so maybe
tomorrow. We had a good time. After she left, my Actress Sister came by,
she is so
organic, she couldn't handle
the smell of nail polish in the air, got dizzy and left. I aired the place out and later she came back
and we had a cup of tea (organic) together.
I decided to not leave here
until Thursday. I will go from here to Costa Mesa to the Orange County Fair grounds, where they have RV
hook-ups. I will be close to the Wedding happenings and then after the wedding
I will go to the other RV park I had planned to go to.
************************************
Jan 3-5, 2017
All my needs are met. Wow, it is so amazing how God always supplies
my needs, even in the little things, maybe not how and when we think they
should be supplied but always on time, God's time. Hey, it is His show anyway so best thing is
to adjust and it always works out perfectly, in our best interest! (I really don't ever know what that is
anyway, unless I'm listening to the Holy Spirit.)
Did I tell you I would not
tell you what I was going to do, because things change? Well, things changed. I spent all day cleaning and preparing for
the travel. There was urgency, and I
looked at the weather and realized that they said it would rain on
Thursday. OK, I decided to leave on
Wednesday instead. I was able to get the
Live Stream of the Bible study Tuesday at 4:30
California time, it was great.
I was able to say all my good-byes to my adopted Grandchildren and my
Actress Sister, I will miss them, but may be back.
As I was unhooking, a couple
came by and we started a conversation.
GUESS WHAT? They own a bicycle
shop in Illinois! In March,
they are getting in ELECTRIC THREE WHEELED BICYCLES!!!! I never knew how to ride a regular bike, so I
had a 3 wheel bike at one time that was
OK but I couldn't go far and not on the hiway.
I was contemplating what to get, that I could ride to the store,
laundry, just riding around the RV park and still get exercise when I didn't
have a car. WAL-LAH!, here it is, I can
peddle when I want the exercise, and motor up hills, drive on the roads like a
bike, it will fit on a rack on the back of the RV, with a ramp, and when I do
tow the car, it fits on the back of the car.
It will go 10-12 miles on the battery. It looks like a regular bike with
2 wheels in the back and a "trumk" in between that I can carry
groceries in. WOOPEE!
While I was preparing to
leave, I remembered to put the TV Antennae down, then the handle broke off
while it was still up. OK Lord, what do
I do? The sound technetium who came over
for Christmas dinner and fixed the TV, had just come back to the park and I
tried to see if he could help. He didn't
answer his door, so I went back to see what I could do. I was able to use a socket wrench screwdriver
and it came down so I could drive without hooking the Antennae on a tree or
something. Praise the Lord! Trust God and all your needs will be
supplied!
I needed some more Shaklee
products and I found out that there is a Distribution Center in Cerritos, California, which is near the Fair grounds where I am now. It is a Center where you can call in an order
before 11
AM and pick it up the same
day. I placed the order and they didn't
have two of the products I ordered that I thought I was running out of. WAL-LAH, I found both of them, that I didn't
know I had. I picked up the products and
found out that a friend of mine runs the center (he was out) and that they are
having the January Shaklee Kick Off Meeting on Saturday. I will be able to see him then.
I followed my GPS to a Bank
of America (that was still open at 5:30 PM?)
so I could get cash to pay for the camping at the Fairgrounds. I checked into the Fair Grounds after
dark. It is $40 per night with full
hook-ups but I couldn't get the electric cord to work. The temperature was only 59 degrees so I wan
comfortable all night without heat. It
is raining and muddy now, thank God I was able to hook up last night (with the
help of two Angels). All my needs are
supplied.
I did have an interesting
happening. I had a utensil caddy sitting
on the counter behind the kitchen faucet.
It was on a rubber pad to keep it from sliding and tied down, to keep it
from falling while driving. Well I got
cut off and had to slam on the brakes and I heard this crash. Oh well, nothing I can do while driving on
the Freeway. When I stopped I saw what
happened. The caddy and its contents
fell on the floor in front of the side door.
The tie down came loose (still haven't found it) and it slid off the
counter. I had to wash everything and
set it back up for riding (hopefully more secure this time).
I talked to my Sister, who
had just gotten in on the plane from Eugene with a funny story. (Funny to me, she was laughing
after the fact). They drove 2 1/2 hours
to Eugene the night before so they could stay overnight in a
Hotel and be ready next morning for the flight, great weather, good drive,
OK. Next morning, they awoke to two
inches of snow in Eugene and it was Blizzard like conditions, still
snowing. All the way to the Airport, my
Sister was "backseat driving" (I can picture this), while her husband
is doing a great job of navigating the weather conditions.(Eugene is not used to
snow and are not equipped to remove it from the roads etc...) They were nearly the only ones in the airport
and her husband let her off at the door and went to park. She waited and waited, what seemed to her a
long time and finally sent one of the men at the Airport after him. He was just getting a cart in the parking lot
to walk back with, he was fine. They
de-iced the plane and took off. When
they landed, they could only find one wheelchair, eventually found another one
and the attendant was pushing both of them (They are in their 80's) up a
ramp. Her husband got his foot caught on
the carpet and fell out of the chair. Several people were hovering around to
help and picked him up and got him in the chair again. He was OK and my Sister was a nervous wreck,
shaking and not sure what to do, to get out of her chair to help or what? I was cracking up while she was telling me,
but all was well and they were at their "house" (a house across the
street from the Bride's family, at their neighbors that rent out their
bedrooms, like a Bed & Breakfast) getting ready to go to dinner with the
Bride's parents. All is well.
**********************************
Jan 5-6, 2017
Finally here in Costa Mesa, Calif.
for my Nephew's wedding. This is the
only schedule that has not changed and the only timeline I had for the
journey.
I started yesterday by
calling to get my electric hooked up.
Remember I couldn't get my plug to work so I left it outside under the
box. It rained all night, was still
raining and very muddy. I opened the
window when Jack came (The electrician for the Fair Grounds) and showed him
where I left the plug, he simply took it to another box and WAL-LAH,
electricity! (I was still in my robe hanging out the window and didn't have to
get out in the rain, woopee!)
Then he saw the Shaklee
magnetic sign on the cab of my RV and asked about it. It turned out that his parents had been in
Shaklee years ago, and he thought Shaklee was out of business. He had fond memories and I gave him some
samples and the product guide so he could get caught up.
I watched as he got stuck
with his golf cart in the mud. I gave
him my rubber "welcome mat" to put under the tire and it worked to
get him out of that hole but it was too muddy to get him out of the next, so he
had to call someone with a pick up truck to tow him out of the mud. It was my morning entertainment. Better than TV and I don't believe in
accidents.
Because of the amount of time
he spent by my window, I had time to gather information for him and I got his,
so I could send him a Health Assessment.
He knew Jesus, so the most important thing was taken care of.
OK, I prepared the gift I had
for my Nephew. I have a 126 year old
(Buckskin bottom) Nursing Rocker chair that my Great Grandfather made for my
Grandmother for her Wedding day, Jan 6, 1891 (the same day as my Nephew's wedding today). I will share the story:
NURSING ROCKER
STORY
By Lonna Swann
Jan 6, 2017
I used to be a tree and a Buck deer. I was born when Monroe
Larkins, (son of William A and Rachael Larkins, both pioneers to Oregon
in 1845) shot the deer, found the tree, cut it down, fashioned the wood, put me
together and called me a "Nursing Rocker". My purpose was to be the place where my new
owner, Olena May (Orem)
Larkins would sit, rock and nurse her 6 children that she eventually had. I was
born for the occasion of my new owner's marriage to Abraham Lincoln Larkins on Jan. 6, 1891 in Mollala,
Oregon.
I have traveled quite a bit since I retired. My first trip was further South in Oregon
in 1955, after my first owner died. I
was given to the youngest child of Olena,
Alma Mary (Larkins) Lett. She
was the last child I rocked, I miss her, she was such a happy baby. She lived with her husband, Orlin Carl Lett
in Broadbent, Oregon
which was further south in Oregon,
(about 220 miles).
I stayed with them and their two daughters until they
sold the farm in Broadbent, around 1965.
I then traveled to Southern California
to live with the youngest child, Lonna Kay Lett until she decided to drive
around the world on some crazy trip and left me in a friend's storage for over
a year. I didn't like that, it was hot
and stuffy most of the time and dark.
One day the Lady who had the storage came and got me and wrapped me up
and sent me on a long trip across the USA
to Washington DC
on a Greyhound Bus. It was bumpy and
dark again, once in a while, I could see daylight as my neighbors were taken
away and new ones came. When I arrived,
they took me out of the Bus and put me in a holding area. What next?
The next day, I was surprised and happy to see my newest owner, Lonna,
again. She seemed to be glad to see me
too, and treated me well most of the time.
There was a day when she soaked me in paint remover
because she said I was an ugly yellowish-green color. I had gotten used to the color which I had
since I was born, but when I saw the natural color back, I think I like it
better. Somewhere in the years, I lost
one of the slats in my back but she didn't seem to mind.
I was always given a place of honor, displaying me
like she was proud of me. I moved with
her 3 times and then one day, she put me back into storage. I was upset because I had awful memories of
the first time.
After 5 months of that place Lonna came back and got
me. I was so happy! I found out that she had sold her house and
bought a RV Motor Home to go full time, and she was taking me with her! I was so happy because a lot of my friends
and furniture had been given away and I never saw them again. She had a special place for me, (although the
RV seemed very small compared to the house), it was on her bed! Wow!, that was an honor, although I had to
travel upside down, it was better that being left in storage!
She just kept driving and stopping then driving and
stopping, on and on. Then, one day, I
overheard her say that she was going to her Sister's Son, Christoph's's wedding
and she was going to give me to Christoph and Lynn for a Wedding present. Wow, another wedding! I remember the first one, and I was the guest
of honor, I was so excited. "What
would this one be like?" I had been
in retirement for many years, "would I be able to function in my purpose
again as a "Nursing Rocker", like the first time?" The rest of the travel was caught up in
anticipation of the Wedding , so time flew by.
I am too big to be
wrapped! WHAT! I found out that I won't be at the
Wedding! I was so disappointed. Lonna took pictures of me and gave the
pictures to them, but I did find out that she is taking me to Oregon with her
in the RV, to their house in Bend and I will get to meet Christoph and Lynn
then. I will miss being
at the wedding but I am
looking forward to meeting them. I
understand that they are old and already have grown children. I was disappointed that I couldn't be a
"Nursing Rocker" again. Maybe
when they are through with me, they will give me to one of their Children. I just keep getting passed around, but it is
all in the family and they seem to love me, so I guess that is OK.
********************************
Well, last night I got to
meet the McLaughlin family, and Lynn (The Bride). My family is expanding once again. I am once more convinced that if we get out
of ourselves, and enjoy one another, we have enough love, time, and energy,
whatever we need for the people God places in our life.
My Sister and her husband
were there looking great, and their neighbors from Oregon, that I had met before, were there, and I sat with
them. My other Nephew and his wife, from
Lousiana (that I ate Alligator with) came and it was good to see the whole
family together.
I am now "Aunt
Lonna" to everyone instead of "Grandma Swann". We had a great "Rehearsal dinner"
at Mimi's Cafe. (I ate soup and salad.) They had other choices, like Turkey dinner, salmon, Steak and fries etc.... About 50 people, some I hadn't seen for 35-40
years. Most I hadn't met but we were
soon family. I took "Uber"
over to the restaurant (about 15 min away) but "Uber" wouldn't take
my payment coming back (No reason, tried three different ones). Remember when I said I didn't believe in
accidents? Well, the young nephews, and
son of the bride, (teenagers and college age) took me back and we connected and
had a great time. I'm Looking forward to
seeing them tonight at the wedding.
My Sister's friend from Newport Beach, (I knew her too) was there last night and she will
come and pick me up for the wedding.
Some of you will smile at
this; the wedding party (girls) had a nail and "tanning" party at the
tanning salon yesterday so they wouldn't look too "white" in the
wedding.
WHAT!
of the travel was caught up in anticipation of the Wedding , so time
flew by.
id
find out that she is taking me to Or
Jan 7, 2017
I caught a ride to the
Wedding with Uber (it works now) and met the driver, a great "Sister in
Christ", she invited my to her Church on Sunday, I plan to go.
The Wedding was
wonderful! With all of the possible
Family dynamics and possible drama, everything was loving and Family
friendly. My Nephew married a grade
school friend; he met in the fifth grade, his brother's best friends
Sister. This was 30 years later, their
were 3 Children from previous relationships, 2 his, one hers, grown but not
married yet. His parents were divorced
and remarried, their was another half Sister and Brother and their
spouses. Bride and family were Catholic,
Groom wasn't. Bride had a large family,
groom didn't, etc...
It was beautiful! Very different, held outside in the dark (6 PM)with a beautiful moon and white lights in the trees,
a little cool, but tolerable. (It had rained and the grass was a little
squishy) The ceremony was officiated by an Evangelical Catholic Priest ( They
flew him in from Bend, Oregon) and assisted by a Roman Catholic Priest (I think it
was her Priest from Huntington
Beach where the
Bride's Family lives). Her Father read
some of the scripture with the help of the light of someone's cell phone.
Instead of the Mothers
lighting the unity candle, they each had bottles of different colored sand,
that they each poured into a pretty see-through container.
The Bride and Groom did their own beautiful,
touching, honest vows to each other. (Lot's of tissue was
passed around). The ring bearer dropped both of the rings while it was quiet,
and you could hear the clinks. The
Priest said, "that is not a good sound", and immediately people in
the Bridal party, front row, Photographer, all scrambled to find them (in the
dark). Finally, they were recovered and
the Ceremony continued. Everybody was
laughing, the Ring Bearer was cool.
My Brother-in-Law was having
some pain from his tumble out of the wheelchair in the Airport and so he
couldn't walk my Sister down the isle, so I did. I got a corsage like I was a part of the
Wedding party.
The Wedding reception was off
the charts! (Remember that the Bride had
experience with event planning and the Groom is an event planner). We had to drive a ways to get to the Venue.
I caught a ride to the Reception with the
Father of the Groom (My Sister's first husband) and his Son. I got a chance to reconnect with him, I
hadn't seen him for about 30 years. The
colors were black and white, their was a pre-dinner reception with coffee, tea
and other drinks and delicious hors d'oeuvres, then we went into the room with
the tables. I sat at the
"Oregon" table with my Sister & her husband, the former
caretakers of Camp Myrtlewood, Oregon, English friends of my Sister's that live
in their same town, the Priest from Bend, Oregon, and my Sister's friend and
her Husband from Huntington Beach. The
food was awesome. They started with a
beautiful wild greens salad and garlic cheese bread, then the main course was Chicken Croquettes,
Mahi Mahi, (fish, which I exchanged for another Chicken because I am allergic)
steamed vegetables, and a potato patty. Delicious, I couldn't eat it all.
I left early with the same
ride and they took me home.
I thought I would go to the
Shaklee kick-off but it started at 9 AM,
it is about 45 minutes away and it would cost about $60 round trip with Uber. I
was invited to the Family brunch by the Brides Mother (It is at her house) at 11 AM. I will
probably go there.
Jan 8, 2017
Yesterday, I took "Uber". Uber is a substitute for a taxi. Independent drivers can use their own car and
on their own schedule, choose to sign up with the Uber system, many work part
time to earn extra income. You can
down-load an App on your phone put in your payment information (they accept
debit cards, Pay Pal etc..) and when you
are ready, call for an Uber driver.
There were usually several in the area within 4 minutes away, a driver
responds, they give you the name and license and type of car, and picture of
the driver, you choose to accept or not.
They arrive, you don't have to exchange money unless you want to tip. Worked great! ( I am going to church with my
Uber driver from Friday).
I didn't have the address of the Bride's parents house
but I knew it was in the same neighborhood as the house where my Sister was
staying. So I went there, and since I
knew they had lived in the same neighborhood for years, I asked a neighbor and
they directed me to the house, two doors away, perfect!
They had a beautiful home, and a catered brunch which
was delicious. They had a large
landscaped patio with a large round table with a gas fire pit in the
middle. looked like beautiful clear and
gold rocks, (glass rocks) when the gas was turned on, it provided heat and a
nice cozy place to fellowship around the "fire table". I got to fellowship and get to know the
family and those at the wedding. It was
great!
The Bride and Groom were even there for a while. I stayed until about 3:30 and connected with several of my new
"Family", this time some were "blood" relatives. The Brides
family is very close and they like each other.
I got a chance to spend some time with the Father and he is remarkable,
an inventor and engineer. He developed a
"mini bar code scanner."
The Groom's son, lives in Idaho, one of the Grooms Woman (worked with the Groom in Idaho and still lives there), I found out that one of my
friends that I planned to visit in Flagstaff, AZ. moved to Spokane, WA. (near Idaho) and yesterday I got an email from a Grade School
friend I was trying to locate near Phoenix, AZ. She had moved
to Idaho, lives on five
acres and has RV hookups at their house. Wow, that is a lot of Idaho to ignore, that sounds like it will be a part of my
travel plans when the weather gets better there.
I don't think I told you about the Wedding party. It was interesting because I had never heard
of "Grooms Woman", "Best Woman" and "Man of
Honor", "Brides Man" before but it makes so much sense. The Wedding party was made up of; boy, girl, boy, girl, boy girl, (6 on each
side of the Bride & Groom at the Wedding).
The Brides Son was her Man of Honor, then she had Bridesmaid, Bridesman, (her brother) etc.. The Groom had a Best Woman (real good friend
and Co-worker from Idaho) Groomsman and Grooms woman (his Sister), etc... Very
interesting and nice!
I got a ride back with the Groom's Step Sister and her
husband, and my great Nephew (Groom's Son) on the way to take him back to the
Airport. They came in and looked at the
RV before they left.
Jan 9-10
Jan 10, 2017 Thousand
Trails, Wilderness Lakes, Menifee, California
I said I was going to try to blog each day, but that
isn't happening. Too much life going
on! I have to make and outline to
remember everything to tell you. To some
of you it is probably too much information, just skip to the part that
interests you. I am glad that I am
blogging because I would not be able to remember all the happenings, this may
be a family book one day and you are getting it first hand. (where are the
smiley faces when you need them?)
I am parked and hooked up in Menifee, CA. (a day later
than I planned) where, I "plan" be until the 24th of Jan. I got in at about 3:30 PM yesterday and found
a spot on a canal ( it is the only "lake" I have seen) and as I was
attempting to back into a very tight spot, a nice lady named Carol motioned
asking me if I needed help. I did and
she called Sammy and they both came over and helped me back into the site and
hooked me up in record time. They were
very sweet and helpful. We hugged and
they said if I needed anything to let them know. They are parked 2 spot's over and will be
here until the 15th. My Hispanic Angels,
God always sends those I need. Praise God!
Sunday, Jan 8, I watched the Streaming live of my
Church in MD at 6:30 AM. and I was
expecting to go to Church at 10:30 AM with my friend, and Sister Karie, (the "Uber" driver that
took me to the Wedding). She is
recuperating and is Cancer free but her body was telling her to rest. She was up late "Ubering" the night
before and she was very tired and very sorry she couldn't take me to
Church. (She is so sweet, the next day,
she invited me to go for a walk on her favorite ocean beach, I was gone by that
time, so missed it. The Lord is not
finished with us, so maybe next time).
OK, so now what?
I looked up the FTHCM in Long Beach to see what time Church started, great, I had enough
time to get there! I contacted Uber
again, this time I got a driver from Ethiopia, he has been here 20 years and goes to an Ethiopian
Orthodox Christian Church, they celebrate Christmas, Jan 6.
I had never been to the FTHCM Church in Long Beach and had never really met Pastor LaRose and his wife and never heard
him preach. The message was great.
Subject was "Finding Comfort in my Faith
(Jesus)". Comfort no matter what is
going on.
· Be strengthened with might by the Spirit of God in the
inner man.
· Have patience in the place of difficulty.
· Have confidence, trust God, that what He has started
in me, will be finished.
· Be encouraged; there is Peace in Jesus, that has
overcome the world. (When we are at peace we can think and see clearly)
· Be honest with myself and truthful to Jesus. (He knows
anyway)
· Remove all doubt, then, remove all the stuff creating
it.
Mark 5:21-43
· Draw near to Jesus, stop being a distant relative.
· My faith (Jesus) can make me whole.
· Invite Jesus in.
(He is a Gentleman, he waits
until He is invited)
· Get the noise out.
(The Holy Spirit has a still small voice).
· Once Jesus restores, take care of what has been
revived.
· My faith (Jesus) will:
Give me instructions.
Keep me:
Focused
On track
Perfected
Safe.
Jesus knows what will happen
and gives us instructions ahead of time:
Be not afraid, only believe.
Don't pick the issue up again
after you have been made whole.
Great message!
After Church I received a CD of the message for being
a first time visitor. I asked if anyone was going to Costa Mesa and Donna said she was going to Huntington Beach (which is where I wanted to go to see my
Sister). She took me there and I
contacted my Brother-in-Law who was in a shopping center and we picked him up
so he wouldn't have to walk (about a mile) back. Donna was so sweet and excited about coming
to the General Church meeting at the Parent Church in MD July of 2018.
After visiting with my Brother-in-Law, Johnnie,( the
20 yrs old son of my youngest Nephew's best friend) who lived across the
street, took me back to the Fair grounds, and had to rush back to go to Church
for 4 PM Mass. He is an artist and really great guy.
I unhooked from the site and drove back to Huntington Beach. My Sister
& Brother-in-Law and I went to dinner (Good fellowship) and I stayed
overnight on the street a half block from where my Sister was staying.
After a wonderful Breakfast and fellowship with Bob
and Diane (the Hosts at the bed and Breakfast where my Sister stayed), I dropped them off at the Airport and they
were in time enough to catch their plane, even though we were later getting
there, because of traffic. It was supposed to rain all night and day but it was
dry (even the highway) after raining all night.
Rain in Southern
California is like snow in
DC. They don't know how to drive or what
to do with it.
I left and got gas (my Brother-in-Law blessed me with
gas money). Gas in California is high, average $3.00+. I was able to use my Google maps and found
gas for $2.75. I only got enough to take
me out of the below-half-a-tank zone, and then found a Sams's Club with gas at
$2.49 and filled it up.
I also was able to get groceries I would need for the
next two weeks. I stopped at Aldi's and
got the rest.
After settling in, I was to be on an important Shaklee
coaching session at 5:30 PM
(that I earned by sharing 50 Health Prints back in October).
The Presidential Master Charlene Fike, (who was doing
the Coaching, and is a Missionary) knew my parents as their family comes to Camp Myrtlewood in Oregon for their reunions.
We met them later on one of the Shaklee Cruises and have been friends
ever since.
I could not get to the session because I was over my
limit on DATA and couldn't get the Internet.
I had to increase my Data, to 50 gigs (because I had 12 more days before
my month ended) which cost me $115 more.
My adopted Grand daughter had unknowingly used half of the DATA I had
(on the Tablet I had given her) in less than one week. I couldn't reach her so I had to suspend her
internet on the Tablet. This was a test
for me in trusting God. I will see what
He does with this, should be interesting.
Well, it is a beautiful sunny day and 60 degrees,
looks like pool weather after I wash clothes.
It is supposed to rain tonight and for the next 3 days.
Jan 11, 2017
This is where the geese, ducks, (and the Swann's) go
for the winter! Well, I don't know about the Swann's for all winter but there
are sure a lot of geese and ducks here.
Some people feed them and they stay around and will knock on their door
early in the morning to get food. Smart
birds, I won't be feeding any.
I went to wash clothes yesterday and visited the Lodge
recreation room. Where you can check out
(or exchange) books, DVD's, sports equipment, games, etc.... They had a display of the indigenous wild
life, rattle snakes, king snakes, tortoises (turtles with long necks), horney
toads, tarantulas, huge dragon fly's, and sign's up to tell the difference
between dog tracks and mountain lion tracks.
Question... with all of that information, would you be (or are you)
focused on trusting God? There is a
difference between being aware of your surroundings and fear.
While at the Lodge, I was talking to folks there and I
ask them about the bicycle I was considering.
The recreation lady took me to a back room and showed me her three
wheeled, double seated electric chair that would go 30-40 miles on a
charge. She had a special paint job and
configuration that made it look like a motor cycle (nice). It is an option, and the cost was only a
little more than the electric bike, hum.... I couldn't peddle it but you could
ride further on roads, also without tags.
I met 6 people while washing clothes. One wonderful lady, works here on weekends,
loved the Lord, baptized in the Holy Spirit and has been laying hands on people
for healing, another RV Missionary, wow!
I saw in the literature that there is a Sunday worship service and
Wednesday night Bible study. I will
check it out tonight.
I talked to my
Actress-Missionary-Organic-Hippy-Sister, she is still in the last RV park and
she said they were starting Sunday worship and Wednesday Bible Study there.
Woopee!
We, as Christians, need to be bold, and be willing to
face persecution for our faith (Jesus).
Hey, He loved us so mush, He was willing to leave "cushy"
heaven to come down to earth, with us wayward, rebellious, acting-ugly sinners,
(His creation) to show us the way to live, then died a painful, humbling death
on a cross (paying for our sins so we could be free and go to heaven, not fry
in hell for eternity). We can at least
put up with whatever we have to, and stand up and be HIS CHILD! Whatever is done to us while we are "in
the name of Jesus" will only get us goodies in heaven and peace and Joy in
our hearts while we are being persecuted here in this place (that is not even
our home). Keep in mind, why we are here
,(in the world, (not of it) we are Ambassadors for Christ. WE OWE HIM!!
I just thought about the fact that in my former
wayward, searching, days, I didn't believe that there could be a hell that was
worse than things I had seen on earth.
Well, what I know now, we will see much worse in the days to come,
because the ruler of hell has been given more and more permission by people in
the world to work his work.
God gave (and still gives) us a choice, Jesus, or the
devil (if you are not serving Jesus, you are serving the devil and his ways.)
Who will you follow? Who gives you joy
instead of temporary pleasures, that always cause something to die
(relationships, family, shorter life, etc...).
You can tell by your fruit.
Give it all up for Jesus and watch Him prove himself to you, personally
when He comes in your heart. I DARE
YOU!! Don't die without Jesus, you don't
know when that will happen, but JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE. Don't try and intellectualize it (I tried
that), this is SPIRITUAL. He is giving
you the chance right now. Repeat these
words and believe them in your heart and you will be saved and go
to heaven when you die, guaranteed! (it worked for me and everybody I know,
that did it).
JESUS, I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS, SAVE ME, AND
COME INTO MY HEART.
If you did that, YOU ARE SAVED and have ETERNAL
LIFE, not eternal death! It is that
simple, but profoundly life changing.
Now, pray for, and ask Jesus to find you a Bible believing, Bible
teaching Church so you can learn how to walk in it(trust Him, he will). I, and others who are saved, and reading
this, are praying for you. Meanwhile if you need a Church, my Church is Live
Streamed on Sunday's at 9:30AM and 12:30AM (rebroadcast) and Tuesday at
7:30 PM EASTERN TIME.
At:
www.fthcm.org
I woke up to drizzling rain this morning (not heavy
enough to hear on the roof). It stopped
and has gotten brighter now, the temperature is 54 degrees going up to 59.
Jan 12, 2017
It is raining, really, again. I am so glad that I was able to go to the
pool yesterday. It was a little cool
until I got in, and because it was heated, it was nice. I took my towel out of my beach bag, where I
had my clothes, and put it by the hot tub so it would be handy when I came out,
then I could go straight to the shower and change clothes. Well, I went to the shower after the hot tub
and was merrily washing my hair. Right
in the middle, I realized, "I don't have my towel!" It was still by
the hot tub (with a man in it). OK what
to do?
Use paper towels? Then I remembered that I had a
Kaftan cover-up that I wore over my swimsuit, so I threw it on with my hair
still soapy and ran out and got my towel.
Can you picture it? Thank God, it was almost dark, so I don't know the
man's perspective but I didn't stay long enough to find out. I find that at age 74, I don't get as
embarrassed, as I used, to over stuff, it is just funny.
I met some more wonderful people at the pool. One man was with his 15 year old son and 4
year old Grand Daughter. He and his wife
had been full time RVing for 10 years and home schooling their children. They were Christians and his wife had
MS.
After my swim I went to Bible Study. I am glad I took my Bible because I was the
only one there, and I got a chance to do some reading on my own.
After Bible Study, I listened to the Shaklee call I
missed on Monday (because I couldn't get the internet). God takes care of me!
Charlene was very good and practical.
Some of the things she said:
· Commit to personal development, a lifetime of
learning.
· No one thinks about you, as much as you do. (others
aren't paying that much attention to you, they are on themselves)
· Her job is to "craft lives that matter to
others".
· How can I step out of my box and AMAZE myself?
She is a Lifetime Master Coordinator in Shaklee and
the money she earns is well over six figures.
She is a Missionary (paying her own way) to help restore Women in third
world Countries to a better life from slavery and trafficking.
This morning I heard from two of my newly adopted
Grandchildren. What a blessing! The first one was sick and I got to pray for
her (food poisoning I think). The other
was my Grandson in Las
Vegas (the one
that went to church with me). He has
been working double shifts and overtime for two weeks straight and was
exhausted. He was able to get a better
apartment and paid cash for a car. He
figured out his finances and had been saving up for some time. He paid to have a mechanic check out the car
and will pick it up tomorrow. Pretty good for a 20 something, year old!
He also said he was real hungry one day, he got 3
burritos from Taco Bell, after he got them, he saw a homeless couple asleep at
a table in the back. He gently tried to
wake them up, but they were knocked out.
He left two of the burritos on their table for them. Way to go Grandson!
His first trip with his car is to Long Beach to surprise his Mother and family, since he wasn't
able to go for Christmas. He already has
their gifts and he also said he may stop and see me. Me?, Wow, it is about an
hour drive from Long
Beach. He wants to take me out to a nice place to
eat.
He asked me if I had met any nice guys. Were you wondering that too? Well, if so, this is what I texted him. "Ha,Ha, Jesus will do just fine, for
now. I am not looking, they will have to
find me, and then go through a lot. I am
very picky, after Jesus. They would have to measure up!". He texted me back and said, "Yes Ma'am,
ha ha, that's what your Grandson wants to hear." Sweet guy!
It is still raining and I can hear it on the roof!
Yeaaa! (5 hours so far).. Everything here is gravel or pavement, so no
mud. just some puddles, the ducks are happy.
Jan 13, 2017
Good morning, the sun peeked
through a little and the temperature is 46 degrees...but the "real
feel" is 52. Of course I saw all
that on my phone and I don't intend to "real feel it" until later
when it goes up to 56...maybe.
What a life! I hope you don't feel sorry that I am out
here all alone, in the wilderness "camping" in a small RV with none
of the comforts of home.
Let me explain my choice to
go RVing full time.
I woke up this morning at 7:30 AM with a full 9 hours of rain-on-the-roof sleep and joy in my heart. I made half of my queen sized bed (with a
tempurpedic mattress top, very comfortable).
Let me explain: I only sleep on
half the bed, so it didn't make sense to me to have to go around the whole big
bed to make it up, change the sheets, etc...
Sooo I devised a plan. I use 1
queen sheet, fold it in half long way, and put it on my side of the bed (only)
with the fold toward the middle of the bed and sleep between the folds after
flipping back the comforter & decorative pillows. Walah! I only have to make the one side I
sleep on, and BONUS, only have to wash one sheet! This will only work for those who sleep
alone. Not for married folks, sorry.
When I am hooked up in a Camp
ground, I have water, electric and sewage that functions just like a home. I have lights, heat, air conditioning, a
microwave, gas stove, oven, double sink, large enough refrigerator and large
enough freezer. I have 2 TV's, 2 DVD's
(one for the bedroom and one for the living room), VCR, lap top Computer,
Printer, phone, wifi hotspot. fully functioning bathroom, and shower. My home sleeps 6, seats 10+(20+ with extra
chairs) has plenty of storage space and that is just the inside. Outside I have a stove (runs on propane)
table, chairs, all the equipment for cooking and enjoying the outside (if it is
not raining) even have an awning and ground cover.
When not hooked
up to a Site in a campground, I have all of those functions available, just on
different systems ie. generator, batteries, water tank, disposal tanks
etc... I can stay unhooked comfortably
for about 4 days before I have to dump the disposal tanks. If I park near a bathroom, it could be
longer.
Just thought I should explain
in case you were feeling sorry for me. I
love this life! Oh, did I say that I can
stay for 21 days in any (gated) Thousand Trails RV park (with pool, exercise
rooms, laundry, activities like volley ball, water volley ball, all of the ball
sports, and more, like a resort) go from one park to another park and stay 21
days or stay out for 7 days and come back to the same park for another 21 days
for the rest of my life and now it only costs me $500 a year? When we bought it, it was not a good deal
because we hardly ever used it, BUT NOW!!!!
There are over 80 parks all over the USA to choose from.
Whoopee!
The wonderful friendly
environment creates an atmosphere to meet interesting people from all over and
they all have stories. And if I don't
like the neighborhood...I can move in an hour). What a life! Do I miss having a house?? You tell me.
I do miss your fellowship,
but I am so glad I can do this blog, so those of you that are interested can
follow my journey. Now, when I do talk with you, I can hear what is going on
with you, and if you are following me, you
already know my story so we don't have to do that again. If I had to share with each of you
individually and a different times, I would be crazy trying to remember and you
would be crazy trying to listen to my long stories. At least now you can stop reading, and I will
never know (except when we talk and you are so far behind, I will know
then)(smiley face).
(I am writing this on
"Word" on my lap top, does anybody know where the smiley faces
are?) Please text me on: 301-580-2824
or email: lonnaswann2gmail.com
I pray for you daily, and my
prayers are getting longer,(I am adding people I meet). My prayer for you is that you be saved,
filled with the Holy Spirit, walking in the fullness of Christ Jesus, walking
according to the fullness of His will and according to the purpose in which He
made you, that you are guided by Him, protected by His Angels, keeping you from
hurt, harm or danger. Amen.
He loves you, wants you to
have His joy and fulfillment, and He will do it, if you are willing to
receive. He can't go against your will,
once He gave it to us, we have to choose Him.
He's the best and only!!!! I just
love Jesus, he's so "cool"!
Get to know Him, He is everything you are searching for, let Him prove
it to you. (He did it for me!).
Jan 16, 2017
I did it again, skipped two
days! I guess this is a pattern, to take the weekend off from blogging. So much happens on the weekend, I spend all
day Monday catching you up.
I went to the pool again on
Saturday and it was a beautiful sunny day.
I have learned to appreciate the 55-60 degrees and the heated pool ,
especially when I hear talk at the pool, about the weather in other parts of
the USA. I don't
listen to the news and so I didn't know. (So sorry, if I was ungrateful and it won't happen again!) Smiley Face. Even
though it is not what I expected, I am grateful and happy that I am in Southern California!
Sunday, after watching the
www.FTHCM.org live stream at 6:30AM,
I was picked up at 8:45AM
by a friend and Sister in Christ, who used to go to my Church in Maryland. I hadn't seen
her for about 20 years and I had not met her wonderful husband. They live about 20 minutes away and they took
me to their Church. It was a blessing,
and I continue to see that God has a plan to bring unity into the Body of
Christ. We better pay attention to what
God is calling us to do in preparation for what is to come. He will always inform His people of what is
needed to be done, for what is to come, we need to heed! For those of us who are saturated with the
Word, and are satisfied with our relationship with God through Jesus, WAKE
UP! He is stirring us up to stop sitting
on our contentment, and to seek and save those that are lost no matter the
cost! They are valuable, just because
they have missed their behavior, doesn't discount them from their value to us
and to God. God used some
"scruffy" people in the Bible to accomplish His plans, and we are ALL
valuable in His sight and for His plan.
Some nuggets I received from
the 6:30 broadcast:
·
No
matter how old we are, if we are breathing, we are not finished!
·
The
love of God, is not really complete until you give it, just receiving and not
giving God's love is like gluttony.
·
I
can't allow my heart to be beguiled, (fooled, misled, deceived, misguided,
enticed) by the world.
Is. 26:3
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee."
What I received from the
Church service at: "Life International Ministries of the Temecula Valley".
·
God
gives us family in the Body of Christ, they are worth the challenges and the
time you go through to get along and love them.
·
The
single most valuable investment is your TIME. (Who or what are you investing your time in? That was me.) Give your time to others who
need the Jesus in you, they are worth it, you are worth it and it is worth
doing for Jesus.
·
When
you gave Jesus your life, you gave Him your time.
·
You
discover your purpose...not determine it!
·
It
is His grace, not your patience, that
causes us to stay together and shows the world that Jesus is Lord.
·
Love
God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and He gives us the power to
love others.
·
He
will make us a family in the Body of Christ-and HEALTHY THINGS REPRODUCE
HEALTHY THINGS.
·
Ask
yourself, "Am I serving Jesus RIGHT NOW?"
The Church was Spirit filled
and very loving. I met some more wonderful people. After Church, they took me to lunch at a
place that had a brunch buffet, and a menu.
I started to go to the buffet but Brother M said he was going to order
from the menu and that was a good idea.
I didn't have to tempt myself with all the choices, get just a
"little" of everything that looked good, end up going back for
seconds, and making some more bad choices, then eating too much and feeling
miserable for two days. So, while I was
in my right mind, I ordered from the menu, an Oriental salad, (Chinese cabbage
salad mix with a few pieces of grilled chicken on top, lightly
"dressed"). It was great,
perfectly satisfying although I did eat bread that was sitting there on the
table, temping me.
I enjoyed the fellowship, then they took me to
their house. WOW, beautiful. Six bedroom and tastefully decorated and
furnished with a "beach" feel, white, with cobalt blue accents, beach
pictures, very peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful. They do a lot of Ministry by their hospitality,
housing guests as they are led. We had
more good fellowship, between watching the Dallas/Green Bay Packards playoff
game. Green Bay won by a field goal in the last few seconds. It was a good game.
They brought me back and we
fellowshipped some more. They are
interested in Shaklee, so I gave them some samples to try. She is planning to pick me up and take me to
FTHCM of Pomona for Bible study on Tuesday.
It is a beautiful day, sun is
shining and looks like another pool day. Woopee!
Flourish2finish.blog#43
Jan17, 2017
I took the Martin Luther King
Holiday yesterday and just chilled, didn't even go outside, a true day of rest. I did a lot of thinking.
What causes us to rebel
against God and His plans for our life?
Circumstances? Do we
expect something to go a certain way and it doesn't? "How can God allow this to happen to
me?"
Can we trust Him? Can we trust the only one who knows all
about us and everything else? Who knows
the future and our future, who created us, who set our plan, who loves us
beyond measure, way beyond what we deserve? Who has rescued us many times
before, who has our best interest at heart, who provides for us, who protects
us, who heals us, who helps us go through so we can learn from Him? Who sent
His Holy Spirit to live in us, to help us, who has given us everything we hold
dear? Who has already given us
everything we need? I could go on...
Sometimes, (a lot of times)
we just need to suck it up, grow up, trust the One who knows and find out:
How can I glorify God as I go through this?
How can I silence the devil in my life?
What fruit can be produced out of this situation?
Those were the three points
in my husbands last message here on earth.
A simple way to Comfort
and Joy in the midst of trials and circumstances.
My advice: DON'T WATCH THE
NEWS!
It creates fear
that causes worldly decisions,
It gives too much
information and creates ungodly thoughts.
You can't put your trust in it.
It is usually bad news and we spread it, when we should be
spreading The Good
News!
It is a waste of time.
Phil4:6-7
Rom 12:2
I have found after not
listening to News for years, that I can trust God, and I will always get the
information I need at the time I need it.
I don't need the world's system, God's system will work just fine, thank
you.
Ps 101:3
I hope you received something
from the "Grammy Whammy" of the day.(smiley face) The great thing about the blog is that you
can stop reading it if it doesn't apply.
But, it may be a way to deal with the future issues that may come into
your life.
THE GOOD NEWS IS:
AFTER EVERY WINTER,
THERE IS A SPRING!
Prov 3:5-6
Jan 18, 2017
I'm still in Menifee, CA. I went to the
pool yesterday, delightful! From the
pool, I could see snow on the Mountains and people sunbathing for tans on the
deck of the pool. I haven't found the
desire to try to get a tan, I value my skin and it's usefulness to me in living
my life in it. (smiley face).
At 3:30 Sis C came to pick me
up, we went to an organic eatery and I had an organic turkey sandwich on
multigrain bread, two slices of fresh orange and two carrot sticks and a half
of a (delicious) sugar free brownie made with maple syrup and honey. I was satisfied and it was good.
We went to her business
office and Bro M picked us up for Bible Study at FTHCM in Pomona, CA. (Sis. C has her own business as a Family
Therapist).
Bible Study was awesome and
it was great to see Pastor and Sis. Owes.
They had not seen Bro M and Sis C since 2003, so they were happy to see
them to along with most of the others there that knew them, and hadn't seen
them either. The church is beautiful and
a lot of upgrades have been done since I saw it last and most all, of it was
done by the congregation (including upholstering the pews!). The infrastructure at work!
The Message was right on:
Subject: Laying aside every weight.
·
We
need to be aware and recognize the things that hinder us from being Complete in
Jesus.
It
could be a "minor" adjustment that, like in a building project, it
can affect the outcome, if it is not corrected early.
·
We
need to be grounded in the Word of God (fixed).
Things around us (houses, cars,
Church buildings are naturally grounded (or the electricity would zap us), we
should be grounded in the Word of God because it is a safe place, (keeps us from
being zapped by the world).
·
Whatever
we believe in, we will support, stand for and sacrifice for. (God did all three
when He chose to send Jesus to live and die for us). Do we do that as
Christians? Are we really believers?
·
II
Corinthians 10:3-6 Identify the weights:
1. Things that are contrary to the will of
God.
2. Things that are "higher" with
us, than God.
3. Imaginations, that are ungodly, they
come to us continuously, we need to cast them down, continuously.
4. Disobedient thoughts (bring them into
captivity).
Thoughts produce actions
Actions produce results
Results produce consequences.
Consequences,
(the way we handle them) determines our conduct.
Conduct puts our Character
on display.
WATCH OUR
THOUGHTS!
5.
Things that effect us emotionslly and spiritually.
·
What
do we do with the weights?
1.
Lay them down (we can't carry them).
2.
Cast them down. (Cast all your cares on Jesus)
3.
Put them off (Put off the old man)
4.
Bring them down. (Bring the flesh under subjection to the Word of God)
WE
WERE MADE RIGHT (By Jesus) so... WE ARE ABLE TO DO RIGHT!
After
Bible study they stopped me by the 99cent store and I got groceries.
Today is beautiful, bright and sunny, and I will try
the pool again, it is supposed to rain for the next two days.
Jan 19, 2017
Yesterday I met two of my neighbors, both Christians,
one is from here in California and she had just skyped a German exchange student she
had in her home, who received the Lord while she was here in America at their home.
She was so excited because the German student was enrolled in a Bible College in South Africa.
I went to the pool and met some more people. One man
was 83, a Christian, and full time. He
got out of the pool just as I got in and I joked with him about that, he came
over later and said, when he sees a beautiful lady, that they usually fall in
love with him so he had to get out.
Cute, and hasn't lost it! He said
he would be at Bible study, if he didn't forget. (He forgot)
I also met a
couple at the pool who identified where they were from in Oregon, by the Winery's and the breweries in the area. This is such fertile, diversified, friendly,
interesting place to meet people!
I went to Bible Study here at the park (the first time
I went I was the only one). It was
supposed to start at 7 PM. There were 2 older couples there and they
were waiting for the "Leader" who, they said was not scheduled last
week but they thought he would be there this week. They chit-chatted a while and no one else
came. After a while, they were talking
about leaving so I ask if I could share something the Lord had given me that
morning. They seemed eager to hear. I shared John 17:1-5 Jesus talking about finishing
His work. Then I shared Psalms 92:14
about my Flourish to the finish, then one of the Ladies stood up ready to go,
agreeing that we all are here because God is not finished with us. I started to continue with what God had given
me that morning, in the process I said: "Sometimes we don't trust
God..." Before I could finish, she interrupted and said "Speak for
yourself, I trust God"! I said I
was not trying to accuse only to be inclusive.
She was obviously offended and left.
I was happy that she trusted God. So much for Bible Study! That broke it up and we all left. I just have to love everybody!
So I will share with you, what God gave me yesterday.
Do I (we) really love God?
Really, or do I (we) use Him to get what I (we) want? Do I (we) have Him in my (our) box? Is He just the size, has just the capability,
the power that we decide, or believe He has? Do we limit God to our "God box"?
(Watch out, He may jump out and do some amazing things, or even ask me (us) to
do some amazing things.) WAIT, ME? But,
but, but:
"I'm
too busy doing stuff, accomplishing goals, working my job, working my Ministry,
enjoying life, doing me, doing my have
to's, to do God's amazing things."
Are we afraid of God's power (Holy Spirit) working in and through
us? What if He has us do stuff outside
of our comfort zone? Embarrassing stuff,
like laying hands on folks for deliverance, healing, casting out demons, (you
know, all the stuff Jesus did)? He did
say we would do "greater works than these", didn't He? John 14:12
Ok, this is good stuff, but I have more, that He gave
me, but too much at a time can overwhelm. More later.
Someone told me that the Inauguration is tomorrow,
see, I hear about the news! Only what I
need to know, don't plan to watch.
"They' said it was going to rain all day today and tomorrow
here. Well the sun is shining
beautifully and the sky is a blueCloud.
I'm going to the pool!
Jan, 20, 2017
It is raining and blustery
today and the streets have water standing in them so it is hard to navigate
them walking without boots. I don't
think I have them on board, maybe under the bed. I have a storage area under the queen sized
bed that holds a lot of stuff. I haven't
looked in it for awhile, probably won't today, it's complicated with the chair on
the bed etc...
Where do the ducks, geese,
etc.. go in the rain? It is very quiet
here now, I kind of miss their honking (or whatever geese do) and quacking..
I have a tree beside me that the leaves have been falling off of (I
guess this is fall here) and the rain and the wind will probably finish it off
today. I spoke with my "Sis"
in Mississippi and she said it was 75 degrees and beautiful
there. WOW!
Even without a car, the Lord
provides for all of my needs. So far, it
has not been necessary and it has saved me lots of money. Not just for the rental car but the money I
spend when I go out. Interesting, if we
stayed "put" sometimes we could probably save a lot of money. Hey, I think I will estimate what I would
have spent going out, and put that amount in savings, just to see.....
I said I would share some
more of what God gave me on the 18th:
Question? Is what I am doing with my life, truly
important to God?
Have I slipped off course (even just a little bit)? God understands, yes, but is it His best? He
loves us, yes, in our mess, but isn't it His plan (as with any parent) to love us out of our mess? But, our will reign's, God gave us our will, so we could
choose, but, He can't go against it.
Who schedules and arranges and plans of our day(even the
little stuff)? Do we acknowledge Him in all our ways? Do we include His input, and obey it, and yield to His plan. As Christians, we are to be Christ- like, can he trust us to represent Him in
such a way that they see Christ in us
("THE HOPE OF GLORY") and want to be saved and like
Him too?
We can run, but we can't hide from God. He
loves us from a place of
righteousness. He can't look at, be a
part of, or participate in, sin. Sin is anything that misses the
mark. He is waiting for our
return. We
will be held accountable for what we do.
Only Jesus can make it right
between us and God. He is our mediator,
go-between, our example and our
Savior because He paid the price for us.
This got to me! I had allowed a little drifting in the area
of the struggle I have had for years, with food. I let a little "sin" (missing the
mark) get into the plan I had with the Shaklee 180 weight loss plan. I had gotten off course just a little and I
know that it can lead to the old patterns which lead to the "old"
body. I was able to recognize it and
(with Jesus and the Holy Spirit's help), arrest it early. Now I am back on
track and even though I was only off a little, (a "good excuse"
smile). Galatians 5:9"A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump" (a
little yeast, makes the whole lump of dough rise).
Our Episcopal Pastor said.
"Choices are long lasting and life changing",
Based on that, I said:
Our WILL, rules,
We get to choose.
Of choices, there's only two,
Right, or not right, it's true.
THOUGHTS cause our choice!
Think right, and we'll rejoice.
Our choices always last long,
Especially when we're wrong!
Let's watch our thinking,
monitoring our thoughts, and what we hear and see that cause our thinking, it
will determine our life. Grammy thought for the day.(smiley face)
I said I would let you hold
me accountable for my weight loss plan. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU? I know! YOU WERE PRAYING FOR ME! Thank you for your prayers, I feel them. It is like a big protective bubble around
me. OK the results are in:
I have been on the plan since
before Thanksgiving. My goal is to be on
this plan of eating right, for life.
Slow but steady is my weight loss goal, with the emphasis on
steady! Sometimes I start THINKING that
I should be loosing faster, start comparing to others who are loosing faster,
etc.. and I could get discouraged and quit.
I WILL not let my thoughts
discourage me, I WILL control them, and think correctly! OK, I'm done.
Total weigh loss 8 1/2 lbs
Total inch loss (measuring in
9 places) 24 1/4 inches
Blood Pressure this AM 139/97
(No meds)
Exercise: Aerobics in the pool, 3 X weekly
I FEEL GOOD! JOYFUL,
PEACFUL, SETTLED AND FULFILLED!
Tip: Sometimes if I feel hungry, I am actually thirsty
and a glass or two of water will satisfy.
Try it, it could work for you.
Jan 23, 2017 Menifee, CA
Hopefully you were busy over
the weekend too. I went to the pool on
Saturday and met some more people, it was a beautiful cold day but it stopped
raining for afternoon so it was nice, the pool was a little cooler, I guess
because of the rain. This is so much fun
and everybody has a story.
Sunday,
Jan. 22,2017
Bro.M and Sis.C came to get
me for their Church again. It poured
down rain all day. It is about the same
weather they are having in Maryland
and DC....so why did I go South? (Smile). They had a meeting after church and I was able
to fellowship with some nice ladies from the Church. After the meeting we went out to lunch at a
place where you could watch the football game and we saw Atlanta beat Green Bay, I try to root for the underdog. We went back to their house and watched the
other game so I know that Atlanta
and New England will be in the Super Bowl, should be an interesting
game. They graciously took me by a
grocery store and I got my groceries for the week.
I also had listened to a
training video that helped me to re-write my Shaklee story. I realized that I had a new one to add to the
original one and I needed to get it together.
I will let you see it, if you have comments or corrections, please let
me know. I would like it to be
compelling and effectively communicate my heart.
My Shaklee Story
My
husband and I were introduced to Shaklee by my parents in 1974. They were in
poor health, (Dad had heart trouble, arthritis, blind in one eye, and Mom had
allergies and had to take shots 2X weekly and was 144 lbs over weight). After 6 months of Shaklee product usage, Dad
had an EKG done and no heart problems, no problems with his arthritis, and read
a paragraph out of a newspaper with his "blind" eye. Mom didn't need her shots anymore and over
the next year she lost 144 lbs, on the Shaklee weight loss plan, and kept them
off for the rest of her life. From the
time they shared Shaklee with us, for the next 25 years, they took no
medication, traveling the world on Shaklee and with us, having a great time
changing peoples health and lives (earning 11 Bonus cars, along with us) and
building a Shaklee business. Mom passed
at age 89 and Dad at age 96 both in their right minds, they finished and went
home to Jesus.
We were very excited about
the results we saw in them and us, Floyd with more energy, arthritis gone, and
me with increased energy, PMS issues diminished greatly and allergies relief
with the use of the Shaklee products. We started sharing and others received
results, they started sharing and they got results, etc....
That was when we decided
to build a Shaklee business. After 2 years working our Shaklee business part
time, we noticed three pay periods (every two weeks) of checks, from our jobs,
lying around that we had forgotten to take to the bank (pretty good from
living payday to payday before Shaklee!).
So we quit our "good Government" jobs, in Social Work, to work
our Shaklee business full-time. We worked together for 38 years building and
mentoring over 100 other leaders to success in our organization, to the point
that we, and our first Business leader in our group, were recognized as Shaklee
Millionaires.
In 2006, my husband became
ill, and I was his caregiver for 6 years. We could not work our business;
however, the Shaklee business wouldn't die. The residual income from the
Shaklee business we had built, sustained us and the comfortable lifestyle we
were accustomed to (which included payments of $1,100 per month for a 40 foot
diesel motor home, and a house payment).
After fighting a good
fight, my husband, finished his course, and went home to be with the Lord in
2012. When he passed away, my income
decreased, and over time, I experienced serious financial set-backs trying to keep
things going, including returning the Motor Home back to the bank in a
"voluntary repossession." The bank sold it at auction and came back
on me for the difference of $74,000.
Through it all, I learned
to trust God! I had no stress, anxiety or worry, knowing that the Lord would
provide for me (even when I got down to my last 8 cents to my name!) AND HE
DID! Jesus is my peace, comfort and
joy! He loves me, has my best interest
at heart, protects me, provides for me and HE KNOWS THE FUTURE! What a deal!
In 2016, I decided to
start over! I sold my house and bought
another Motor Home, just my size (31 ft)!
Now I am debt free, house free, and (40 years of) stuff free! I am a full-time RV-er, traveling, at age
74, and loving it, just Jesus and me, and He is enough!
I am so blessed to have
the Shaklee products in my life, I breezed through menopause with about 3 hot
flashes and very few other symptoms, I am medication free, have reversed my
bone density loss back (from 3 yrs ago)to 100%, and I feel great! I see so many
people in my travels that are hurting financially and hurting in their health,
minds and their bodies. I have an
answer, so I have renewed my activity and energy in sharing Shaklee again, as a
means to help others to be healthy, and help them increase their income to be a
blessing to others!
I am excited about my
future! My vision is to reach 100
million people in my lifetime, with a way of independence from this
"world's system". I am
thrilled with the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing for me, and to
work and share my Shaklee business from "the road", is such a
Blessing!
The life-long connections
with people, over the years, have been amazing! I would encourage you to join
me in making a difference in others lives.
I would love for you to join me and enjoy some of the benefits (health,
car payments, free trips and income) that Shaklee has to offer! (The free trip
is to China next year, whoopee!) In the 42 years I have been
enjoying the Shaklee products, and sharing the products and the opportunity
with others, I feel like I have just begun!
My desire is to Flourish
to the Finish: To grow luxuriantly,
to thrive, to succeed, and be
a remarkably significant example and inspiration for others to be healthy,
(where no prescription medication is necessary) and help them see their
God-given potential, and build a lifestyle of amazing possibilities, drawing
others to greater heights, leaving a legacy for future generations to
follow. You too can Flourish to the
Finish with me!
It is a mindset!
Monday
It was raining today also so
I stayed in and worked on Shaklee.
Jan 25, 2017
WHAT? THE SUN!!!? It is
beautiful and 43 degrees but feels like 51 at 10 AM, and sunny all day! That's what I'm talk' in
about! Praise the Lord, back to the pool
today! (I just talked to a friend is DC and she said it was 57 degrees there,
what's that about???)
I was able to extend my stay
here in Menifee, CA until Jan. 27th so I can go directly to Palm Desert until Feb 10th then I will be back here to Menifee, Calif. for a week until the Feb. 17th. (which will allow me
to attend the Anniversary of the Pomona FTHCM Church, whoopee!).
That is as far as I know now, and that could change.
I went to town (Menifee)
yesterday with Sue, a new friend here in the RV park. I went to the Dollar Store and the grocery
store and we had lunch. Enjoyed the day,
then came back home to hear the live stream of the FTHCM Church Bible Study
from Maryland. Awesome!
I received that, we as
Christians, need to live in a judgment free zone. (we aren't to judge others,
we don't have all of the facts or the truth).
God is the judge, the
righteous judge-He's right! He has all the facts and the truth and His sentence
is righteous.
I received some sad news
yesterday, one of our long time (40 year) Shaklee friends in our organization,
went home to be with the Lord.
I will share his remarkable
Shaklee story.
Charles Briscoe age 97
Arrangements by:
Thornton Funeral Home
3439
Livingston Rd,
Indian Head,
MD 20640 (Bryans Road, MD)
Funeral services: Friday Morning, Feb 3, 2017
Sacred Heart Catholic
Church
St
Mary's Ave. LaPlata, MD
Viewing: 7:30-8:30 AM,
Tributes: 8:30-8:50 AM
Service 9 AM
11 AM burial,- Cheltenham, MD
Repast (To be announced)
We, his Shaklee family are so
blessed to have known and loved Charles Briscoe and we will miss him greatly,
he was an icon in our Shaklee organization and most of us considered him a
friend. At age 97 he went home to be
with the Lord, living a rich full life of family, neighbors and lots of Shaklee
family and friends. He was active and
healthy, well into his 90's and only recently had some falls that slowed him
down. Below is the Shaklee story of her
parents, as told by their daughter, Jane, seven years ago when Charles was
90. Jane Short is a successful leader in
our Shaklee organization.
In 1974, my parents
received immediate improvements in their health. My mother, Dorothy Briscoe, had been ill
throughout my entire childhood and adult life. Thanks to our wonderful
Shaklee Products, I had the pleasure of seeing her enjoy good health for
twenty-six years. What a change! It was as if I met my mother for the first
time. She was happy, energetic, and loved
her Shaklee Products.
Due to the death of her father at an early age and a
long-term illness of her mother, she grew up living with whoever would take her
in earning her room and board by working in their homes. She was not permitted to attend school, no
matter how much she begged. When she was
an adult she attended first grade through high school. At the age of 72 she earned her High School
diploma and was valedictorian of her class!
That same year she also got her drivers license for the first time so
she could drive her Shaklee Bonus Car.
My father, Charles Briscoe, suffered from ulcers,
hypertension, and a heart attack which required a triple by-pass surgery. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, for
which he refused treatment. His
physician strongly suggested that if he was not going to have any of the
traditional treatments, he would need to become a vegetarian, which he did for
2 years. He began using massive amounts of Shaklee Products twice daily.
He also eats a healthy diet daily. He is in great health today, only on one
medication (and is taking the lowest dosage and takes only one half of that pill). At the young age of ninety he still mows his
lawn, drives his car every day, does volunteer work with several organizations,
travels, and talks Shaklee every day!
Jan 27, 20017
Today, I am leaving the
ducks, and the geese, going back to Palm Desert. Expect it to
be warmer there, however my expectations aren't worth much. Many of you were asking if I was close to the
mud slides in California. Since I don't
watch the news, I don't know where they were, but where I am, there is nothing
to slide off of, pretty flat. I am
actually in the middle of what used to be dairy farms (some still here), but it
is slowly being taken over by housing.
People come here to get away from the city and it is becoming one.
My new friend dropped be
off yesterday to get my nails and a pedicure done (much needed) while she went
to the Doctor. She came back to my house
and I shared Shaklee with her. She has
been using some of the products that I shared with her and seems to be getting
results already. We took some before
pictures and will share them at the appropriate time.
We saw the Southern California Mountains, high ones near San Diego, who knew?
With snow! Beautiful! The older I get and the more I learn, I am
beginning to realize, the less I know.
I need to get out of the
box and "Enlarge the place of my tent", Isaiah 54: 2-3
Ok, off to Palm Desert. Jan 28, 2017
It's sunny here in California and this is my 50th blog, in 3 months of journey, we
should celebrate!
Wow, 61 degrees today. Definitely a "pool
day" today. Yesterday, I drove back
here to Palm Desert, and it was beautiful! I was thinking, all the way, "I haven't
seen these mountains before." Then
I remembered, it was raining, foggy and the visibility was "none" for
mountains before. BUT NOW! It was only a
little over an hour drive but was it spectacular!
Because of the rain, the hills and fields are a
beautiful spring green, I saw some
flooding of the valley fields, (which looked like blue lakes) with a flock of
white cranes at the edge. In contrast were the high mountains dark blue, in the background, with
snow on the top! While I was watching,
a tumble weed tumbled through the crowd of cranes! Awesome!
As I entered Palm Springs, I was amazed to see what seemed like thousands of
tall Wind Turbines (windmills). (In Palm Springs? Who knew?) I looked it up, and discovered this from
Google: It is called a wind farm, and the hot air from the desert mixed with
the cold air from the tall mountains creates wind. They are tall because there is more wind as
you get higher.
OK, here is how it works, First, a wind turbine blade
works sort of like an airplane wing, blowing air passes around both sides of
the blade. The shape of the blade causes
the air pressure to be uneven (higher on one side, lower on the other) and
that's what makes it spin. On the top
there's a weather vane that's connected to computers that keeps the Turbine
turned toward the wind. The blades are
attached to a shaft, attached to gears that increase the rotation up to about
1,800 rpm. At that speed, a generator
can produce a lot of electricity.
OK, end of lesson on alternative power sources. They were interesting. Somebody needs to discover how to convert the
wind generated by trucks, cars, motor homes etc. into more efficient use of
gas, batteries, and electric cars. (I'm just say'n).
I had a visitation by the geese before I left. Two geese landed on my roof and two were on
the shed next door. I got a picture of
the two on the shed with a shadow of the two on the roof. They made a lot of noise, pecking, stomping,
and flapping for about an hour. They
didn't pay any attention to me banging on the ceiling to scare them away. I
gave up and prayed that they would not do any damage, about five minutes later,
they flew away. The geese had always
been around, but never intrusive before, I guess that was their way of saying
good bye, they didn't know I would be back.
I was able to
go outside without a jacket for the first time since I have been in California (I think). It
took quite a while to find a site. After
driving around and everything was full, I was praising the Lord that He would
find me the perfect spot, is it ever!
Right at the entrance where everybody comes in and goes out, near the
pool, near the laundry, near where the church services are. near all the
activities and the dumpsters. Wow, you
can't beat God! The bonus is that I have
the Shaklee magnetic sign on the front side door and everybody coming in or
going out of the park, walking, walking their dog(s), biking, going to the many
activities, ALL SEE THE SIGN. I can sit
here typing and see them go by looking at it.
Great exposure! This is a very busy
spot, seeing all the comings and goings is better than TV. There are 445 sites here and it is a very
popular site in the winter, lots of palm trees, but the fruit is gone from the
citrus trees. (sad face). I already have
a "go to" helper right next door that was assigned to me by the park
ranger. He said, "If you need any
help, Andy will help you," and he pointed him out in his hearing, and we
introduced ourselves. He apologized for
having to leave to go somewhere, but said he would be back. It looks like he might be a full-timer here with
his Father and "Dangerous dog" sign.
He explained that the sign was for the people in his coach, not his dog.
OK?!
Jesus is my
best defense. He never needed a dog or a
gun for defense, His defense is mightier than a two-edged sword. Hebrews
4:12... even "able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the
heart." So, I am thoroughly
protected and I don't have to walk Jesus, (He walks and drives with me) or feed
Him, He feeds me and He doesn't have fleas! Wooopee! What a deal!
Summer is here! 72 degrees going up to 78 today, beautiful sunshine, clear skies and snow on
the mountains through the palm trees, just like I pictured it, finally. Woopee!
It was beautiful yesterday
too. I went to the pool and played
volley ball in the pool, I hadn't been in the sun for so long, that I forgot to
put sun screen on and I couldn't stay the whole time but I was able to get
three games in.
I got a liuttle tan but not a
burn. Thank God! Now can do it right
next time.
After volley ball, I washed
clothes and later I met a little girl (about 10 years old) who asked me if I
was going to the entertainment after the movie here at the park. I ask her if she was going to be in it and
she said yes, so I decided to go. I
arrived, and the Entertainment was a family group from Canada, a husband and wife, a son (teenager) and the little
girl. They were good musicians and
vocalists. The first song was about
Jesus so I thought I was in the right place.
The next song was a worldly song that began to grieve the Spirit of God
in me. I had this debate going on
between the loyalties to the little girl and guarding my heart from the worldly
songs they sang, The Spirit of God won and I left. Sometimes we have to make hard choices. It was especially hard when I saw them in RV
park church this morning. They had a
crowd around them, so I couldn't talk to them.
Sun, Jan 29, 2017
I got a disturbing call from
a friend in another RV park that had their first Bible Study. She shared with me that the whole discussion
was "in search of the truth" of who Jesus was. The leader said He didn't believe in the
Trinity, that Jesus was not God (3 in one).
She shared that she knew the truth and gave the scriptures that proved
it, and they did not receive it, so she left. (Good for her!)
I woke up this morning in
time enough to hear streaming live from the Parent church in Maryland. Rev.
McLaughlin give a great message: The
title was, "I must be Comforted by the Knowledge of Truth".
It was right on time for
me.
What I received was as
follows:
Knowledge: to understand clearly, not a stranger to it, no
doubt, be clear and certain (of the Truth), no uncertainty.
To be comforted through
knowledge, I must be filled with:
·
The
knowledge of His Word. (have reverence and respect for God)
·
The
knowledge of His Son and His Holy Spirit.
A.
We keep His commandments (They are not optional)
B. Follow His statutes (how to do it)
We do what we are
supposed to do because we want to manifest God's love.
C.
Accept His judgments (Correction is a manifestation of God's love and
judgment is a built-it consequence,
even before we commit the sin.
To be comforted through knowledge, I must be filled
with God's Wisdom.
Wisdom: The ability to apply that knowledge in a Biblical way that gets beneficial results.
(effect)
Wisdom is when you connect what you
know of God's of the Will of Godord to what you are doing,
then you are living like a Child of
God and we are:
A. We are effective Witnesses ( A person with first hand knowledge)
B. We are a consistent Witness.(not up and down,
like a rock,
steadfast, can be counted on, a person God
can use.)
C. We are a credible Witness.(Apply God's Word so our lifestyle
shows it).
When
I am filled with the understanding of the Will of God:
·
I
will understand how I operate.
·
I
will know the will of God for my life.
·
I
can overcome the world ( because Jesus did)
·
I
will conform to the likeness of Jesus.
A. We will comprehend what was. (What was in our lives).
B. We will comprehend what is> (I am saved, delivered and set
free).
C. We will comprehend what is to come.(Heaven, a crown of righteousness)
ALL
OF IT WORKS BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
I then went to the RV Park
Church and received another awesome message.
Pastor Jack was fired up because the Lord had healed him of chest pains
yesterday.
He shared:
That we as Christians, should
progress everyday, stand tall and be the light that others can see. We have a
fountain of life in us, We are he light of the world. There is always time to share the power of
God that radiates in our lives. LIFT UP
JESUS AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE WORDS.
Psalms37
If you live the radiant life,
(purity) people will come to you, you won't have to go to them.
It was good to see some of
the people I had seem before Christmas.
OK,
off to the pool with my (Shaklee) sun screen.
Jan 30, 2017
It's still summer, 75 degrees today, sunny and warm.
WOW! (I told you, after every winter,
comes a spring!) Some of us "choose" to be in winter, way past
the season. "Winter" comes in
our life, no matter how we try to avoid it, but we don't have to
"live" in the "Winters" of our life, we can choose Spring
or Summer and appreciate the winter time to reflect and acknowledge God's grace
and goodness, especially in the "Winters", of our lives. It is not what happens, it is what we do with
it. We can choose to better ourselves in
the "Winter" to prepare for the "Spring" when things are
growing and springing up to distract and "take over" our attention
and our lives.
Eric Worre said,"There is a difference between
pain (winter) and suffering. We can't
always choose the pain, but we can choose not to suffer." Are we suffering because of our choice
to do so? WHAT? Why would we choose to
suffer? I don't know. That's it, I
don't. Well, maybe we didn't know we had
a choice. Well, now you know the truth
about pain and suffering, what will you choose?
You control the suffering part.
When my son got killed on the street (shot 7 times in
the back, at age 33), we had a choice, to live in the "who did it",
"why did it happen?, " "why did God allow it?" instead of
"why did Satan do it?", "Why was his life cut short?" the
grief, letting the Winter "freeze us" so that the devil killed more
than our son or to realize that we may never know the answers until we get to
heaven and then, who cares? We will all
be together again, and no one will care then.
He had accepted Jesus as his Savior, he went home to
heaven, it is done, we miss him but if we look at that carefully, that is even
selfish. (I'm just saying). So what do we do with the emotions? We took action. We prayed for a harvest at the home-going
.(23 people got saved). We forgave
whoever shot him, and prayed for their salvation. (We never found out who did
it, it is OK, God knows, we don't have to).
So even though it seemed like a terrible thing, and it was an; "all
things work together for good." thing and we won't even know all of good
things until we get to heaven, then we probably won't care then either. Romans
8:28 So bottom line, there is a season for "Winter", we go through
it, glorify God in the going through, silence the devil and bear fruit in it.
(My husbands last message).
When my husband passed over 4 years ago, I decided not
to grieve because I didn't have time. I
was left here on earth to finish my work, Floyd finished his. We had a wonderful 43 years of marriage, the
last 6 years were the best, when we were going through the
"winter". God showed us so
much of what was important and what wasn't.
When my husband went home to Jesus, I
missed him, but then I realized that was a waste of time and very
selfish. So I received the comfort and
the joy that Jesus gave me and I chose to "finish" my work.
I don't know all of what He has for me but I am
getting that information on a "need to know" basis. It is OK, I am loving my life, Jesus and me
and all of my "Grandchildren" and God's children.
The word for the day in Our Daily Bread was:
"We cannot change the past, but God is changing
us for the future."
Yesterday after church, I rested and later heard a
knock on my door. It was a man staying
here in the park, he and his wife were from Canada. He came
because he was referred by my "go to for help" guy next door. He had
neck pain and Andy and his friend had gotten a sample from me of Shaklee's
"Joint and Muscle Pain Cream" and he told him to come and
ask me about it. We talked for awhile
and he left with samples, a product guide and information. He was already taking Cosco supplements, all
the right things but probably synthetics (they are cheap for a reason). That was fun.
I love sharing Jesus and Shaklee.
Later, I walked around the Park (in the dark) but it
was a nice night and I ended up at the pool where a couple I had met before
were swimming. It seemed like a good
idea to swim at night when it is not so crowded, I may try it, the pool is open
until 10
PM.
Jan 31, 2017 Palm Desert, 80 degrees yesterday!
Wow what a day yesterday! I played volley ball at the pool but before
they got set up, I met Missionaries from British Columbia. They had been
called out of Chicago to full time ministry to the Natives of Copper
Island, BC Canada. They were on vacation
with their family of 4 children (two African American, adopted). They said they were a part of African
American churches before going to Canada. I shared the
live stream of out church, www.FTHCM.org.
I invited them to Bible Study and dinner but they had already left the
park. They have a Christian fishing camp
and camps for Children. They catch big
fish, check out their website: www.adventurelearningministries.com.
In the afternoon I was invited to go to a buffet
dinner at, what I later found out was a Casino, (YIKES!) I was invited by my
next door neighbor and two of his buddy's and 4 women.
I remember EP sharing a message way back called
"Are the plants laughing at us?"
His message was that in Genesis 1:28-29 God instructed us to subdue the
earth (take authority over) which included the plants. He further showed that most of the things
that we struggle with, (addictions, greed, etc... are PLANT BASED) money,
drugs, food, cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol, etc... We have allowed them to take dominion over
us, instead of taking dominion over them.
So...the plants are laughing at us!
We had to walk through the Casino to stand in line for
about an hour in a smoke filled environment for a "two for one"
buffet. It was good food and the line
was just as long after we finished. I
was respected as a Grandma Swann should be.
After we finally sat down, it was a pleasant meal, until I let the ice
cream plant (via the cow), take dominion and appear over my fruit. So, I couldn't judge the others who were
missing their behavior.
Tonight is live stream Bible study at 4:30 our time, so I will turn down "Taco
Tuesday"(3 Tacos for $1.50) that I was invited to, by the same crew.
My Bishop. of my base Church in Maryland, will be in Las Vegas this Sunday and my Grandson I adopted in Las Vegas said he would be there. Great news!
Feb 1, 2017
Already it is February! Time flies when you are having fun! Let's have fun all of the time and not worry
about time flying, just stay in God's will for our lives and let time be time.
Yesterday, I met a wonderful
Spirit-Filled Christian couple at the pool from British Columbia. This is the fourth family I have met from there,
wonder what that is about? The Lord
knows. I also met a CPA from Washington State who was here visiting her Dad.
I watched the streaming live
of our Church Bible Study last night, hooked my computer to my TV and it worked
real well with plenty of volume and good clear picture. I invited some people over but it was last
minute and no one came. I can seat about
10-15 people for watching.
BEWARE of the Creeps
and the Drifters! Creep: (1) move slowly and carefully, especially to
avoid being noticed, (2) occur or develop gradually and almost imperceptibly.
Drift: (1) To be
carried along by force of circumstance; (2) to wander aimlessly.
I don't mean people, although
that could apply. Watch out for subtle
things that can creep up on us and cause us to drift off
course. Case in point: My food issues. Subtle things like added sugar, tasty things,
salt, eating out, eating off schedule, etc... slowly almost imperceptibly got
me off course! Sugar is addictive and
creates the desire for more, it is in a lot of foods (they are designed that
way by the food designers that govern our food supply). I must be constantly diligent to prevent
drifting off my food plan. I am still on
it but have gained 3 lbs but I am still loosing inches but slowly, (so far, I
shed 25 inches.) I am not beating myself
up, just becoming aware of the drifting before it gets worse.
Feb 2, 2017
This journey is sooooo much about people and
how we impact each others lives! I am still meeting people from Canada??? Lots of them here, I guess this is where to come
in the winter, with the weather so nice now, I am not surprised
I went to the pool and it seems to be the
meeting place. When I came back I watched a Shaklee live stream that was
very exciting. They announced a new PLAIN Life Plan Shake (same price)
with all of the good stuff in the other one, without flavors or sweetners (the
stevia) and probiotic (we can order that separately). We can bake
with it, (pancakes muffins, etc...) add it to soups, etc... we can order it starting
today. Woopee!
Roger Barnett, the owner and CEO of Shaklee
talked about being at the World Economic Summit (only 2,200 people invited,
heads of State, Heads of Companies, and Religious leaders etc...). He has
been there for the last several years. He said their concern was the
redistribution of wealth to affect the world economy. (Shaklee has the answer).
He also met with the Head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the
focus now is on prevention. NIH is planning to do the largest clinical
study with a million people to study prevention. Roger volunteered
500,000 Shaklee distributors to be a part of the study. Dr. Elizabeth
Blackburn was in attendance and she said it would skew the results because the
Shaklee population was so healthy, so he is trying for 50,000 of us.
He also mentioned that Shaklee is the only one that has done the
clinical studies to prove, that people who use the Shaklee products are
healthier(The Landmark study comparing to other product users and non users,
and the Telomere study , comparing 40 year old, healthy non smokers).
Shaklee won! You can see the study results in the product guide.
They announced:
· The extension until 2/28/17 of free Membership with the purchase of the 180
Turnaround Kit (Weight Loss) and $50 off the retail cost at Member cost.
· Until 2/28/17,
any new(first time) person completing the Health Print ( (go to my website: www.healthierlife-4U.myshaklee.com) and purchasing the:
1. Advanced Plan, will receive a free product relating to their
goal and free Membership ( worth$19.95)
2. Comprehensive Plan, will receive, a free product, free
shipping, and free Membership (if not already).
Shaklee
also announced:
The Power Bonus to all Distributors and above until 3/31/17.
Earn 15 Sponsoring points and receive $150,( no limit).
How you earn:
15 Points
|
Sponsor someone with a 750 PV Super GOLD PAK
|
10 Points
|
Sponsor someone with a 500 PV GOLD Plus PAK
|
5 Points
|
Sponsor someone with a 250 PV GOLD PAK
|
3 Points
|
Sponsor someone with a Life Plan or Turnaround Kit
|
2 Points
|
Sponsor a Member or Distributor w/100PV product purchase or more
|
1 Point
|
Sponsor a Member or Distributor w/50-99PV product purchase
|
(Points above are for new Members or Distributors sponsored in the
U.S./Canada)
I also attended
Bible Study here at the Park with Pastor Jack. About 20 people attended
and it was a wonderful up-lifting exchange. I connected with Judy, my
guitarist, singer friend that I purchased the CD, from back in December when I
was here before, of Christmas Classical guitar music. She came over after
to my house and we talked and she sang, had a good time. She has a van
and she will take me out if I need to go. We are going to the pool today.
Feb 4, 2017
What a good time
yesterday! First, I need to tell you
that my printer died, (sort of), at least it wouldn't print more than one page
at a time from the computer. It was an
older one that fit in a cabinet in the RV.
Ok, now Judy came and got me
in her van and we went shopping. First
we went to Aldi's and got groceries.
Avacdo's were 25 cents ea. and celery was 39 cents ea.Wow! Then we went to Soul of China to have lunch.
(No msg and it was prepared from scratch, very light and good, nice atmosphere
in a small place in a strip mall). I
enjoyed the food and fellowship. Judy is
a singer, painter, crafter, guitarist, and very creative, she has made and sold
many crafts. She is spirit filled and
loves the Lord. She is knowledgeable
about, and love horses and geology and a bunch of other stuff we haven't gotten
to yet.. And she is from Oregon! Wow, did we
connect!
We went to Sprouts (Whole foods
grocery store) and then to the 99 cents store, then to the thrift store. I was looking for a crock pot but instead
found an HP printer that fits perfectly in my cabinet for $5! I don't know whether it works yet but I can
take it back in a week to exchange it, if it doesn't. i also got a bathing suit cover-up and a
beautiful new top. Wonderful day. Judy came back and we talked some more. We decided we would get up early and go
towards Joshua Tree National Forest and watch the sun rise and take pictures so
she could paint them.
That didn't happen this
morning because of the clouds, but we have a rain check (or cloud check). She has to leave the RV park tomorrow but we
will both be back at Wilderness Lakes in Menifee on Friday.
I listened to Eric Worre's
message this morning. It was about how
we say, "I'll do it tomorrow, maybe next week, after the holidays, when
the children get out of school, when they get back in school, etc..." Meanwhile our life goes by hourly, daily
without accomplishing what we are to do.
His suggestion was to move from tomorrow to right now! We can understand what we need to do, know
how to do it, know that we are capable of doing it, know it is God's will for
our lives, but don't move on it.
Action is better than
understanding. Real understanding is in the doing. So, do it right now, not just today (because
that can be over before you know it) DO IT RIGHT NOW. Drop everything and DO IT NOW. A friend of mine, Cecil was a Successful High
School Principle and his motto was "IT IS EASIER TO DO IT NOW!' And it really is. LET'S DO IT NOW, IT IS EASIER!
Monday, Feb. 6, 2017
Saturday, Feb 4th, Judy was
packing up to leave the park on Sunday and she popped over on her breaks. We were talking and she was telling me how
this lady she went to church with in Oregon, had encouraged her to sing in front of people at
church because she was very shy. She
mentioned her name, Myrna, and it turned out to be one of my friends and
Shaklee Distributors in my group! She
was sponsored by, and also a good friend of, Rosemary (who's daughter-in-law
drove me with Uber in Las
Vegas). She lives in Portland near where Judy is from. Wow!
I went to the pool after
dark, and met a lady that desired to go full time RVing. She had a bunch of questions and she is
coming over Monday before she leaves to check out my RV.
I had a conversation at the
hot tub with a couple from Canada on Wednesday who encouraged me to check how many days
I could go without dumping my tanks.
They suggested that I test it, while I had it connected to the sewer, so
when I was "boon docking" ( parking without being hooked up to
sewage, water and electricity) I could determine how long I could go without
dumping the tanks. Also I needed to know
what happened when the black water (Tank from the toilet) got full. Well I did it and I found out! At 10 PM,
I noticed that the black water tank was full.
I was ready for bed, of course, it was dark and I wasn't
"feeling" going out to dump the tanks. So I calculated that if I didn't drink any
water and I was frugal with the flushing, I could manage until morning.
Sunday, Feb. 5
Well, I did, but 5 AM in the morning I had to go outside, walk a block to
the bathroom and come back and dump the tanks in the dark anyway! It did let me know I could go "boon
docking" 4 days. Sometimes We just
need to resign ourselves to do unpleasant things. Then I also found out that the rug in the
bathroom was wet. OH! NO! Well I ended up having to wash 2 rugs and
clean the whole bathroom with Shaklee Basic G (Germicide). All is well now and
back to normal. The rugs didn't smell,
and I think the wet was caused by my water pump issue (it got turned on by
mistake). Oh, well, such is the life of
an RVer. You take the unpleasant (for a
little bit) with the wonderful most of the time.
I watched FTHCM streaming live and heard a
great message from Rev. Sis. Wright. The subject was "Comfort through
power."
Her point was that to be Complete in Jesus, we need to
be comforted by the power we have in us.
·
When
we are filled by His Holy Spirit,(surrendered):
1.
We can see who God is and who we are in relationship to Him.
2.
We have no fear, God's got it.
·
When
we are led by His Holy Spirit:
1.
We can hear from God with a mind to obey.
2.
We are always led away from sin and towards righteousness and out of bondage
·
When we walk in the Spirit:
1.
We can stay the course under the power of the Holy Spirit.
2.
We become credible and fruitful
3.
I will not fail!
4.
We have everything we need to have Comfort in Jesus.
Then Judy came over about 9 AM to borrow my ladder because she wanted to pick
Grapefruit before she left. We also used
a fruit picker that they had at the ranger station. Only the ones at the top of the tree were
still there. She got a bucket full to take with her and I will see her in
Menifee next week.
All this happened before 10 AM Church in the RV park. It was good, the Family that had the Concert
led the praise songs, Pastor Jack was still fired up: He said that "we could just wallow in
God's love" (like pigs wallow in mud) .
"When we abide in Jesus, people will be drawn to us and we need to
die to the flesh daily."
This is Superbowl Sunday, a
great day to go to the pool and wash clothes without any crowds. I put my clothes in the wash and went to the
pool while they were washing. I met a
Lady in the hot tub, we had good fellowship and I was able to Minister to her. When I went back to the Laundry, I met Joey,
a former heroin addict that has been clean since June. He was just discovering all the things in
nature he missed while he was "shooting up" for 13 years. He is into Eastern religions, and a lot of
others and he thought they were all the same, in other words, he didn't know
Jesus. I ended up adopting him, he is
from Chicago and real sweet.
He is coming over on Monday before he leaves. We hugged.
Manday, Feb 6, 2017
Brian from Canada,( the one
referred by Andy, the one I shared Shaklee with, that had the neck issue),
knocked on my door and said that the pain relief cream did nothing to help, but
I gave him a few Alfalfa and he said it was like a miracle. So we set up an appointment to go through the
catalogue and answer some questions he has.
PS. I lost 3 top's (t shirts) in the laundry mat. They were still damp and I rolled them up
together and I thought I had put them in my laundry basket??? When I returned
to my house, they weren't there. I
retraced my steps and didn't find them.
It will be interesting how this turns out.
Tuesday, Feb 7,
2017
Wow, what a day yesterday! I went to the pool and got a good work out
in my version of water aerobics.
I saw Doug, the one I met in Menifee, that had a shoulder pain issue
caused by the medication he was on. He
stopped the medication and the pain went away. Go figure. With every medication, there is a side
effect.
After the pool I looked for the missing tops, (didn't
find them) but ran into my new Grandson,
he was making chili and ask me if I wanted some. I suggested he bring it to my house when he
came and he did, he is a good cook, all good stuff, vegetables, no meat and it
wasn't spicy. I found out that he is
very knowledgeable about nutrition and is eating very healthily. He is very interested in Shaklee and when he
came over, he looked at all my supplements and knew a lot about them. He needs an income and Shaklee seemed to be
the perfect fit for him. I did a Shaklee
presentation and he decided he wants to become a Distributor. He is leaving the park today and I will see
him before he leaves. He asked me if he
had to be baptized again to receive Jesus.
I shared with him how to be saved, he still had some doubts so I told
him to ask Jesus to prove Himself to him, that seemed to resonate with
him. He was raised Catholic and was
baptized as a baby but he said he didn't believe when he went through
Catechism. We hugged and prayed together
before he left. Pray for Joseph, it is up to him and Jesus now.
Joseph just knocked on my door and asked me if I
wanted some fresh juice he had just made, I did and he went back to his rig to
get it. He came back with it, it was delicious.
He told me which RV park,he was
going to next, (Pio Pico, in Jumal,
Calif. near San Diego) and invited me to come after I go back to Menifee
for a week.
After he left yesterday, Brian, from Canada came over and I answered his questions, he had read
the whole catalogue and was eager to hear about the Shaklee business. He decided to become a Distributor too and he
is going to the same Pio Pico park. He had
received relief from neck pain with the Calcium (Osteometrics)and had already
shared his results with someone else who wanted some.
Wow, two Shaklee presentations back to back, it has
been a long time since I did that, good to be back in the saddle again. Two reasons to go to Pio Pico.
"In the mouth of two or three
witnesses..." I just made
reservations for Pio Pico. I will go there after Menifee on Feb 17- March 10
unless things change.
Feb 8, 2017
What a blessed day!
After all of the happenings that I told you about yesterday, I went to
the pool and met a couple from Mid California and Washington State (both
places) they have a Winnebago RV and he
had fixed his back-up camera (Mine wasn't working and I didn't know how to work
the levelers). Marc came over this
morning and "fixed" my back-up camera by adjusting the lightness and
showed me how to work it. H also showed
me that I had a microphone on it so you could hear the person talking that might
be helping you back up. Wow! Then he showed me how to work the
levelers. Isn't GOD GOOD? I was about to pay someone to do that. We found out that we might be cousins as both
our Grandmothers maiden name was Reed and they came to the USA from England. We haven't
made the connection yet. His wife wanted
to try the Shaklee B Complex (to calm down her back seat driving) and he has
Diabetes with neuropathy so I gave him a sample of that and Alfalfa to try for
his arthritis too.
Andy came over saying he wanted to order the Shaklee
Pain and Joint cream, but I gave him more of the samples and a catalogue. He said it did help his, shoulder.
I watched the streaming live of our Bible study last
night and then I took another video course of Eric Worre's training. Both were great! The weather has warmed up, I am hot with the
door open and fan on, new snow on the mountains. I'm going to the pool!
Oh, I almost forgot, my original printer
works just fine! Praise the Lord! The one I got at the thrift store didn't work
so I will return it and maybe get a top!
Feb. 9,2017
I went to the pool and saw
the couple that helped fix the RV, I found out that Kathy plays the flute (So
did I) and she paints and is crafty too. I also saw Helen and she stopped by my
house after swimming and got some Alfalfa and Joint and Muscle Pain Cream
samples to try for her Arthritis. I also
saw Lynn and Reggie, Lynn is crafty and invited me to a craft get together at 10 AM every morning here,
they will be going to Menifee too.
I watched Eric Worre's
Women's conference on Video and got a lot of good information.
One session was on finances by Kathileen Deggelman, she is
a financial expert and a multimillion dollar earner in Network Marketing. She had 10 tips for finances.
The goal is to make enough
money to put to work so you can live off the interest. $2 million at 5% will get you $100,000 per
year. Even if you have a limited income,
there is a way you can manage ti be well off if you know what to do with your
money.
1. Know how your background affects your money
attitudes and your spending.
(What were your parent's attitude about money?)
2. Make a decision to change your money habits.
(I want different1)
3. Change your intentions for your business, be
willing to work hard for finiancial
freedom.
4. Expand your knowledge about finances, money
is a tool, not a solution unless you
use it wisely.
5. Review your cash in and cash out every
month. Be efficient with bills (ie. get the best prices on insurance,
phone bills, medical Ins. etc...)
6. Create a debt snowball. If you have $500, $1000, $10,000 &
Mortgage, get debt free by using the
savings from the bills (in $5 above) to pay off
the $500 debt first, then celebrate for a minute, then use the money you saved from that bill plus the others
and pay off the next one and so
on until you are debt free. Whoopee! Try
it, you will like it. She said it is like getting a really
angry monkey off your back.
I AGREE!!!!
7. Hire an accountant or CPA. (Saves money on
taxes if you are in business.)
8. Create a Net Worth statement. List all your
assets and then list your liabilities.
(if you own house, it's value vs what you owe on it. Value of bank accounts, stuff & things
you own, ie. car, furniture, clothes, jewelery, etc..., then all Credit card
debt, and what you owe.) You mrae
probablym better off than you think.ey
9. Play the prosperity game: Pretend you have $10,000 to direct, guide and
spend in a month. Write down how you
would deal with it, Then the next month
do $20,000 and so on.
10. Teach your children how to play the
prosperity game. The way you handle your
money can affect even your great grandchildren.
PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK FOR
YOU!
Don't be enslaved by it, or a lover of Money, it is just a tool, not the
answer.
People pay good money to get
this kind of advice, don't just read it and forget it.
Mark, the guy that called
while I was writing this and asked if he could come over and look at my water
pump (It had been giving me trouble since Texas). He came and fixed the leak issue, advised me
to put a water regulator (which I had) on the intake hose to regulate the water
pressure coming into the RV. God is so
good! He wouldn't take any money for it.
I gave him a Shaklee B Complex for he and Kathy, (I just got my Shaklee order
yesterday.)
Another gorgeous day 81
degrees now, going up to 86.
Woopee! I am off to the pool!
Tomorrow I join the geese and
the ducks in Menifee, CA. again.
