Greetings from near Memphis.

Happy Tuesday! Today was spent visiting and watching some television. We were going to try and do some sight seeing, but found out the attractions we wanted to visit do not open up until April when it is warmer!

Psalm 119: 151 “You are near, O Lord; and all Your commandments are truth. “

Have you begun to pack away your Christmas decorations? The radio stations are no longer playing holiday songs. The company has gone home (except for us) and life is returning to normal. Is your house is quiet once again? The house is quiet, but Christmas is still present. The time between Christmas and Epiphany is a quiet time. It is a time to recoup from the holiday with some cinnamon tea and to ponder the new year.

Does ever seem that God is silent? Do you ever have times when you don’t feel God’s presence? I think we all have those times. What we need to remember is that God promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us. God always keeps His promises. God is always with us even if we don’t feel His presence or He is silent.

Jonah was in the whale for three days and during that time God was silent, but God was very present and at work. Jesus was in the tomb for three days and God was silent. God may have been silent, but He was still very present and still at work. It does not matter if you feel God’s presence. What does matter is that God is! God was, is and ever shall be - A Risen Savior.

When the silences seems overwhelming, claim the presence of God and remember how much He loves you and is looking out for you. Remember God is always at work even if we cannot feel His presence. If you can’t see His hands and heart His voice then trust His heart.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes and extra socks because it is cold outside. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift one another up in prayer each day. 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.

Greetings from near Memphis, Tennessee

Happy Monday! Our day began early with a 4:00 am wake-up call and a 5:30 am departure. After a brief trip to Starbucks we were on our way to visit Bruce’s brother and his family. We arrived around 4:00 safe and sound. We have celebrated Gayle’s birthday with a delicious trip to the Texas Roadhouse. After the staff caught her off guard and announced her birthday to the restaurant, the recognition ended with a rousing Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e- Haw-w-w-w-w-w, Gayle declared that we gave her the best ye-haw she heard in the restaurant that night! I told her of course it was because she had the only table with authentic Texans!

Proverbs11:4 “Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivers one from death.”

The old saying goes “You can’t take it with you.” (Even though I have a uncle who thinks he can.)

This Christmas my prayer has been for “enough.” God has blessed us with “enough” during this season. He has blessed us with enough money for food, gas, a gift or two, and some left over to share. But more than that God has blessed us with wonderful family and wonderful friends with which to share this season. As I have gotten older I have discovered that material things are not near as important as the gift of time spent with family and friends. We do not live a life of opulence or affluence. We live a life of well-being. We live a life blessed with gifts of love and faith that have been laid like stones. The rock of our faith is our Master and Savior Jesus Christ.

When we rely on the plan Jesus has for us and we try our best to walk the path of obedience then God grants us fulfillment or well-being. We are all called to a glorious work by God. We may not have all been called to preach, but we have all been called to serve.

As I begin my last semester as a public school teacher there are things I must put aside, but I must never put aside the calling to serve. The path of transition is not easy but through the gifts of love, laughter and trust I know victory in Jesus name will become a reality. Through trust and prayer riches are not given in physical appearances of money or things, but in the smiles and laughter of friends, the love of family and the assurance of the presence of God through Jesus Christ.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say our prayers. Love you all and pray for our niece and nephew as they travel to visit friends for the remainder of the week. 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.

Merry Christmas!

At this writing I am sipping some hot cinnamon tea and snuggled under my TCU Horned Frog blanket. The children are nestled all snug in their beds while visions of Starbucks dance in their heads. (Geni and Travis both work tomorrow and will travel to Howe between shifts to share Christmas with Mom, Dad and other family members.) I am a bit weary, but very happy.

We had the most wonderful day today with Carme and Dave. We all began our day with Christmas Day worship at Advent. Bruce and I provided special music. We moved the party to the house where we all ate too much, laughed and talked constantly and had a splendid day. It occurred to me that at the age of 55 and nearly 30 years of marriage, this is my first time to prepare a dinner on Christmas Day as always before, my mom has always prepared dinner and I have brought something to add to the table.

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

Isn’t it amazing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came for the lowly, the outcast, the marginalized and the poor. Jesus born of a woman and the power of the Holy Spirit was born in a stable to an unmarried woman and lived a life of poverty. And yet this baby was heralded into the earth by angel’s song and sought by kings. These kings brought costly gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts seem odd to bring to a child and his family. But these gifts had a far reaching meaning for their future and ours. Tonight my meditation offers these words: The Gold, money, Frankincense, the adoration of a consecrated life and Myrrh, your sharing in His sorrows and those of the world. Myrrh was a burial spice with a peculiarly pungent odor used in the linen wrappings of those who died.

We may not have these three same gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to offer to the Christ child, but we can offer our lives over to the One who came to save us. We can offer our money for the furthering of the ministries or to help others. We can offer our lives consecrated and set apart for His purpose. We can be a balm of comfort to those who mourn and share God’s love with those who are in need of a Savior.

Share the gifts God has given to you with someone who is in need. These gifts do not come wrapped in paper, bows and tags. These gifts come from your heart; a heart that has been gifted by the Savior.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. 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.

Happy Christmas Eve!

Isa 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Just an editor’s note: Gaylene is preparing to receive our friends, Carme and Dave, who are coming to our home tomorrow. She is a wonderful cook and is preparing a multitude of sumptuous treats for lunch and so turned the blog over to me for the evening.

Just drive south on Cooper Street toward I-20, or near Lincoln Square in Arlington and it is easy to see how we lose the meaning of Christmas. The malls are full to overflowing. We compete for space on the highways, in the stores, in the parking lots and, sometimes, in our homes.

It seems that there is no time left to contemplate the miracle that happened over 2,000 years ago when a young woman gave birth to a baby who was God incarnate!

This was the same God who had led his people to Egypt to save them from famine, the same God who, some 400 years later led them out of Egypt to the Promised Land, the same God who told Noah to build an ark, the same God who spoke with Moses on the mountain. This was the same God who created the world and all on it, not in fire and smoke, as he appeared to the tribes of Israel, but in the form of a little human child, come down to show us how much he loves us.

In your hustle and bustle, greeting your guests and family members, opening presents, eating - take some time to thank God for His gift to us.

Merry Christmas!

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. 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.

Happy Thursday! And happy Christmas Eve, Eve.

1 Chronicles 16:31 “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let them say among the nations, the Lord reigns.”

This morning before Bruce left for work he called me over and asked me to listen to a flash mob sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. The piece was sung from inside the food court at some mall somewhere. Within moments patrons of the food court were on their feet and lifting their hands in praise at this most inspiring happening. It wasn’t long before Bruce and I were in tears and thinking of Casey. We asked ourselves if this was the song played 24/7 in heaven? Do you think they made Casey part of the choir? (If they were smart they did!) And then we just remembered how much we missed him and the tears flowed for a bit more time.

Handel’s father tried to discourage him from pursuing music and instead wanted him to be a lawyer. As many careers go they have their ups and downs and some finally fade away. It was during one of these down times that Handel received in the mail a manuscript from a gentleman and it contained verbatim scripture texts about Christ. The first scripture was “Comfort ye, my people…) Mr. Handel went to his apartment and 23 days later The Messiah was completed. The first performance was in the presence of the king who thought the Hallelujah Chorus was the national anthem and stood up during the singing of this piece. The words “Hallelujah! For He shall reign forever and ever” have been inspiring audiences ever since - even audiences in food courts at the mall!

Journeys are rarely smooth and straight. The journey to Bethlehem 2000 years ago could not have been very smooth for those two travelers. One pregnant and riding a donkey and the other walking. But they made it and even though they delivered their baby in less that pristine conditions, the baby came just as God said it would and they named him Jesus. The audience that night, the barnyard animals, were on their feet as they witnessed this amazing birth and then those who came later led by a star and commanded by angels fell to their knees and worshiped. This was a command performance like no other.

As we prepare our hearts for the night of the birth of our Savior, let us, too, be led by a star and listen for the angel chorus and receive this child into our hearts and lives. Let us bear witness to this miracle and lift our hands in worship as our hearts are stirred and inspired by the child King.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. 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.

Happy Wednesday!

Guess who I had dinner with tonight? My best friend - Carme Russell. She and Dave were coming in to have Christmas dinner with us and she came a day or two early to attend the funeral of a former teaching colleague. It was a wonderful surprise to share this time together. Dave will arrive on Friday.

Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.”

The power of the cross conquered evil. Evil has the power to conquer only those who have not placed themselves into the protection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must remember to claim this promise with assurance.

I think the greatest evil most of us experience is fear. I think we fear the unknown most of all. We fear that which we cannot control. But if we remember that we surrendered our lives over to the One who conquered evil then fear does not need to be a part of our lives. Fear is not of God.

Tonight we took dinner to Carme’s hotel and had dinner with her. It was late and already dark when we left our house. I had never driven to this hotel before. It was located almost in Las Colinas. Now if any of you know me I am pretty directionally challenged and so driving in the dark to an unfamiliar area was a bit scary. I was blessed with Geni and Travis tonight going with me and Travis with GPS on his phone. Usually I am pretty nervous about this kind of adventure because I am really afraid of getting lost. So tonight I surrendered myself over to the oral directions of the GPS and the gentle encouragement of my children and just drove the car.

I think that is how God wants us to handle experiences great and small. God wants us to realize that He is with us in all things. He wants us to trust and surrender ourselves over to His protection and direction. God’s GPS is never wrong!

So tonight, I took joy in my journey. I encourage each of you to continue to take joy in your journey. Wear comfortable shoes and count your blessings. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day. 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.

Happy Tuesday!

Exhaustion set in at full force last evening and I kept falling asleep with laptop in lap. I gave up trying to write last night and am a bit more awake tonight.

Luke 19:17 “And He said unto him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, you will have authority over ten cities.”

I received an email from a good friend today and for the journal entry tonight I am going to share it with you. As I reached the end of this wonderful Christmas Story I cried in my soup that I was eating for lunch. It touched my heart and brought back wonderful memories of my daddy during the time I was growing up. He was a service station owner and helped lots of people. This reading is a bit long, but totally worthy!

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. 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.


This is better than a Christmas Card.

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."

"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.

"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to
himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.

"None for me," said the officer.

"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.

"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ...... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card.




MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!