Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!!

I have missed writing to you over the last few days. We went to San Antonio to spend New Year’s with Carme and Dave. We had a wonderful time. Our New Year’s Eve was spent playing games, eating our favorite snacks and toasting in the New Year with sparkling red grape juice cocktail from Welch’s. (Don’t we lead exciting lives?!) Carme and Dave are both doing well and we are so grateful. They both look amazing and are looking forward to good health and great success in their new jobs in the coming year.

Bruce and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary on the road today. We stopped at the outlet mall in San Marcus and had lunch at the Outback Steakhouse. We are glad to be home with Geni and Travis. We are looking forward to 30 years together (and beyond!).

John 8:12 “I Am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

A new decade in the 21st century is before us. It seems such a short time ago that we were all a bit anxious about Y2K, remember? And here it is now ten years into the new century. WOW! Were you fearful at Y2K? I hope not.

So much has happened in the last ten years. The most traumatic event for this family as you all know was the loss of our beloved Casey. God remained so close to each of us during this time. That time is past and the time to move on is now. The God in which we placed our trust is the same God of the past, our present and the future. This same God who has seen us through the last ten years will light our way through the next ten seconds, the next ten minutes and the next forever, however long that is. God does not want us to live in fear of anything. Fear is darkness. We do not need to fear poverty, suffering or loss. God wants us to bury unkindness, bitterness, resentment, a feeling of failure, disappointments in ourselves or others and leave them buried never to be resurrected and for each of us to go forward into new life in freedom and peace with God and others.

God holds this year in His hands and will supply all of the wisdom and strength we need to be victorious in the days to come. God holds this year in His hands in trust for us. We are the focus of His love and we must believe and give thanks.

God bless and love all of you dear friends and mighty prayer warriors. We love you and look forward to spending another year online with each of you.

Take joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Greetings from Austin St.

Happy Tuesday! Another snow! WOW! God really does good work!

Today’s event was that our fridge went out. Geni discovered it late last night. It is a new fridge (purchased less than a year ago) and Lowes, true to their service agreement is bringing a new fridge tomorrow. Praise God!

Psalm 62: 10 “Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”

This passage causes me to kneel before the throne of grace and ask forgiveness. I must admit that there are times I pray for more money. But the wealth God provides is wealth that never runs out. God never hoards His gifts and does not squander His treasure as I often do.

God provides the wealth sufficient for my needs and for the work He needs me to do. God’s wealth doesn’t always come in dollars. His wealth comes in faith, grace sufficient for every need (such an emergency fridge and one that is an upgrade from the one we currently have…God met the need with more than we asked) and lots of forgiveness.

God’s greatest gift is His constant presence in our lives. He gave us Jesus for our salvation and then sent the Holy Spirit so that His spirit, His essence is with us constantly. What an amazing treasure God has provided and what love He has shown to us by wanting to be with us all the time.

Let us give thanks for God’s loving presence in our lives and always keep our hearts open to Him.

Take comfort and joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Tomorrow we are leaving for San Antonio to spend the New Year with Carme and Dave. Please pray travel mercy for us and the safety of Geni and Travis as they remain here.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Happy Monday!

Psalm 138: 6 “Though the Lord be high, yet has He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knows far off.”

One of the pieces Bruce sang on Sunday morning was titled A Strange Way to Save the World. These are Joseph’s questions to God about his role in all of this mysterious story. Joseph asks, “Why me? I’m just a simple man of trade.” “Why her? She’s just an ordinary girl. “Why here? Beside this manger filled with hay with all of the rulers in the world.”

We are all God’s children; the rich and the poor, the mighty and the lowly and the righteous as well as the outcast. God came to the earth in the form of a baby into a family. Jesus was not born into a rich family. No, He was born into a poor family. Jesus never lived a life of wealth. He lived a life of poverty. God came to earth in this way so that those who were outcast might know love without conditions and acceptance. Jesus showed the poor that the path of salvation was not paved with money, but faith. And isn’t it interesting that God chose to announce His revealed presence to a bunch of shepherds and have His son to be born in the lowliest of places, a stable, and place His child into the loving care of a young couple with no status in the community and no wealth? Here is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace being brought into the world not within the palace walls, but in a stable with only the animals and stars for witnesses. Jesus came to us by a lowly birth. Jesus modeled that godly life from His very first breath in the lowliness of a manger.

As we journey out of the barn and out into the world I ask you to remember how the Savior came to you. I don’t know about you, but when I asked Jesus into my heart as a teenager I was on my knees. The journey I have made with Jesus did not begin in a barn, but it did begin when I surrendered my heart over to Him. How about you?

Take comfort and joy in the journey my friends and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

Prayer Requests:
Please continue to keep Mom in your prayers. She sounds great and she is doing better, but is still in the hospital.

Please keep Shaleena Russell in your prayers. She is the daughter of our best friends David and Carmella Russell. She is having an eye surgery this week. Thank you all mighty and wonderful prayer warriors. gc
Blessed Sunday to you all!

Bruce and I led worship in the Christian churches in Rocket and Palmer Texas today. These are two lovely small congregations made up of primarily elderly people. These are lovely people who are greatly loyal to their congregations and were very kind to us. It has been a while since Bruce and I sang duets together and it was a great joy for both of us.

Isaiah 44:2 “I Am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born,” says the Lord.

Travel back in time with me 2000 years. Put yourself in Mary’s sandles from the first meeting with the angel to the birth of our Savior. Can you imagine the how Mary must have felt? How frightened she must have been. How unworthy she must have felt? How she questioned the decision God made to have her carry His Son? Do you suppose God whispered this scripture to Mary while she carried Jesus?

This passage of scripture would have been a comfort to Mary. Even though Mary was called to such a high purpose, God knew she was up to the task because it was all in His plan. God says in this passage that you are in my care and were in my care even before you were born. God has had each of us in mind before we were born. We are the focus of His love and the most valuable of all His creations. None of us are accidents. Out of His love for us God created each of us because it was His desire, He wanted to. When God created each of us He created us for a purpose. He gave each of us talents. Our gift back to God is that we return our talent to Him in service and to glorify His name. But I believe His purpose for each of us is to act as Jesus on the earth. God has called each of us to act with love and compassion to those we meet. God has called each of us to forgive because we have been forgiven and to obediently serve in His name with gladness.

The next time a task comes before you that seems more than you can handle, remember that God created you. God gave you talents to use in his service. Take a deep breath, say a prayer and give thanks to God for where He will lead you in this journey.

Take comfort and joy in the journey and wear comfortable shoes. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.

PS Mom is doing well and still in the hospital. Keep her and Daddy in your prayers. Thanks mighty prayer warriors!