AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES ...

In my last post I shared how I arrived in NW Arkansas. Not long after getting there I got a phone call that I should get to my mothers bedside as it looked like she was failing fast. So God had a reason for my change of plans. Mother recovered so I spent a few extra days there visiting. She went home to be with her Lord Jesus on Dec 9. She is now "running and leaping and praise God". I'm sure she is singing, also.

I headed back to Denver and took two days to drive there. I arrived at my dotter's and spent the night there. On arising the next morning I found her driveway covered in auto coolant! Turns out to be a loose lower radiator hose. I tightened it and went on. I had spent 115 days traveling 8400 miles and covering 11 states. No mechanical problems of any kind. Praise God it waited till I got to Denver.

However, two weeks later a head/manifold gasket blew out. Will cost $3000 to repair. I don't  have anywhere close to that amount, in fact, that is about 3 times what I do have. Thank God that it happened after I got to Denver where I know some mechanics.

So what now? I don't know, but I'm trusting that God has His plan for me and I'm resting in that. Will my travels continue? Again, I don't know. Guess I'm entering into another season in my life.

Pray for me as I seek His face in all this. Pray for clear directions, money to repair or to buy another means of transportation.

May our Lord God give you blessings during the days ahead. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

More photos

 Hickory Creek Marina on Beaver Lake outside of Springdale, AR

 At the end of the point on the right is a bluff that is about 75ft deep. In July of 1963, I cleared brush out from under the bluff before the lake came in. I spent a week at the State Park there in Skypilot Base.

PTSD model at the VAMC in Denver

Me and Skypilot Base

CHANGE OF PLANS ... AGAIN.

Changes of my plans has become a constant for me.
I left my niece and nephew's on Monday the 23rd on my way to Arkansas. I spent the night in Sikeston, MO. The next morning while driving to West Palins, MO, to turn south, I noticed what I thot was a mosquito bite had turned red about the size of quarter and was hard in the middle with red streaks going out from it. I found that there was a VAMedical Center in West Plains, a small one but still well staffed. No determination as what bit me but gave me antibiotics. I was told that if I saw any change in the spot to get to an ER or urgent care.
Had been planning on heading south to Jonesborfo, AR, to meet, after 10plus gears, a former boss turned good friend. From there to Clarksville, AR, to my alma mater to visit with Coach Lonnie and Levada Qualls. From there to Ft Smith to meet a nierce, or is a second niece I'd never met.
But no, God changed my plans and I headed straight West to Fayetteville, AR., to the large VAMC.
More on my next post. Just know that God was in this change of plans.

PHOTOS OF COUNTRYSIDE OF INDIANA

Photos of country side in Indiana.
So many more I took but can't put them all in here.

 A strong heritage in this part of country

 Still in use

 When is last time you saw a round barn?

 Another covered bridge still in use

 I can see a GRAND RE-OPENING of this one room country church

 Family cemetery in use from 1850s to 1905. In disrepair from neglect or vandals.

 Someone's one time dream home

 Old but still standing

Part of 100's of thousands acres not planted due to rain in spring and summer

STARTING MY JOURNEY BACK TO DENVER

It is time to get on the road again. The scriptures caught my attention this morning as I was reading. He directs my direction and He is with me always.

Just about everywhere I stop for a few days I get comfortable and the Lord has to remind me that He has called me to the open road. And so once again He has reminded me that it is time for me to set out on this road. I'll be making my way back to Denver over the next couple of weeks.

I love the way the Lord is so gentle in reminding my of my calling. I read this statement recently … "When the Lord gives us a calling He has already taken in consideration our stupidity". If that crude word offends you you can replace it with lack of sensitivity, ignorance, pride. stubborness, whatever. I think of Jeremiah 1:5 in this case. Also, when I was in the process of starting Hope Chapel Foursquare Church in Albuquerque I was praying (whining) and telling the Lord how I didn't know how to operate, pastor a church, or how to prepare a message, etc. He gently spoke to me, "All I've asked you to do is show up." Also the verse in 1 Corithians 1:27, about God using the foolish.

So, with that in mind I will head south back into Arkansas to visit my alma mater, the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR.,  and then back up to NW AR for another high school reunion in Rogers.

I've seen hundreds of acres lying barren from the rains back in the spring. I was told that 200,000+ acres in 2 ounties in Ohio were barren. Pray for those farm families who have lost a year and a half of income.

I am having problems up loading photos, but I will keep working on the problem.

On the road to heaven with all y'all.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

I left Roan Mtn State Park and headed toward the ARK Encounter once again. I had to see that ship again. After that, I headed up to Indiana to see my nephew and niece, Ryan and Jeni Satchell.

Oh, Yeah, on the way to Tennessee I passed this one-room school in Michigan that was still operating into the '60s.

Forgot to mention that while at Roan Mtn, I met Keith and Jean Smith, who told me about a ministry that involves people who are on the road, traveling the country like what I am doing. It's called Campers On Mission. They travel around to places that need help with projects, churches with building projects, fairs, evangelism, etc, etc. It's all voluntary but parking places are provided with electrical hookups and water and a meal a day. I submitted my application and it has been accepted and  passed along to two state leadership. I'll soon be writing about projects I'm on. Maybe this is why God sent me on the road.

Along the way, I've been helped along with gifts of cabinets, carpeting, and now my nephew put an RV refrigerator that works on propane and/or electrical in my bus with gas lines, etc, now working on some electrical. Ryan is so talented and so ready to give me his knowledge and time. I have been blessed beyond measure. God is good and He is good all the time!!

Dad showing the kids how it is done.

Sunrise on the farm.

Until next time may God shower you with His blessings and love and grace.

STILL ON THE MOVE ...

I stopped in Kentucky to see the ARK. It's called The Ark Encounter or Experience. I'm here to tell you that it is an experience. Words kind of escape me to describe what I experienced there. I've been aboard some large Navy ships but I wanted to go on board the first large ship.I have never doubted the biblical account of Noah, the ark or the worldwide flood. This experience showed me proof geologically, practically, and other ways of the Flood. I'm considering going back up to it when I leave Tennessee next Sunday. I'll post some photos. At least I hope I uploaded them. I was sure I had taken a lot more than are showing up.

I left the Ark and proceeded south to Tennessee. I survived Jellico Pass! I'd been warned about pressing my bus to hard up thru there but it did not overheat. I made it to Roan Mountain State Park and was amazed at the beauty and peacefulness of this park. So much so that I  kept extending my stay thru this coming Sunday. At $21 a  night I save money by not being on the road. I estimate that I save at least $60+ a day by not driving. So, with no schedule why not stay and enjoy what God has created?

I met some really nice people at Roan Mtn, some even fed me. ;~)

I forgot to mention somethings

 Somethings I forgot to mention.

I attended my 56th class reunion while in Springdale. Had a good time reconnecting.

Also, Eureka Springs was once called the Little Switzerland of the Ozarks. I couldn't drive thru the original downtown area as my bus was too wide. Homes from the 1800 to early 1900's are still in use and many have been turned in to B/B's. Well worth going on your Bucket List. I know because I traveled that area a building material salesman so I saw the back streets and have always been fascinated by the town, just like I traveled to the small town of Branson, MO, before it became the town it is today.

Just a few miles east of Eureka Springs, AR, is a small town, Berryville, AR. there is a museum there called Saunders Museum. It is mainly a collection of firearms from the 17 to 18  hundreds. Also, period furniture and clothing. There are 893 pistols in the collection. Also some rifles. I saw two that I once had, a 1873 octagon barrel Winchester and a 1892 carbine. The smallest pistol will fit in my palm and the cartridge is 1/3 the size of a .22. Not allowed to take photos inside, but you might check out their website.

The drive across northern Arkansas to Mountain  Home and beyond is one of the most beautiful drives you can take.

I'll post more later on from my waning memory

Photos

 Original First Assembly of God, Springdale Ar. I saw the slab being poured 1957, was saved here in Aug 1964, married here in Jan 1966, buried wife here in July 1967.

 Attended 6th grade in upper left 1956, Springdale, AR  

 I rode in this major rodeo Springdale, AR

 Old Mom and Pop grocery store, Mayfield, Ar

 Mark Twain home Hannibal, MO

 Crop duster in Indiana

 Same

 Kit Carson Restaurant in Kit Carson, CO

 Interior of bus before buildout started

 Same

 Who wouldn't like to be one this porch with your Bible, coffee, and Jesus?

 Backyard quiet place

 Sign for church entry

 Two classmates. One was on the Homecoming Queens Court with her escort. Yep, me.

 Classmate George Thompson

 Family saying for our shindig

 Back of t-shirt

 Christ of the Ozarks, Eureka Springs, AR

 Model of gate to Jerusalem

 Chapel on the Prairie, Prairie Graove, AR

 Church on the Prairie, Prairie Grove, AR, used as hospital during Civil War Battle at Prairie Grove, AR

 ??? An enterprising dumpster diver

 An old neighborhood filling station, Fayetteville, AR

 Latest interior of bus - about 85% completeSame

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