Wow ... what a month this has been!!!

Where does the time go? I write here one day ... and then, the next day - it has been a MONTH!!! 

We went out to Joshua and Dessie's -- spent a couple of weeks out there ... laughed ... hugs ... Grannee kisses ... played games - LOVE playing games with them :-) ... ate some good food ... 
And i rested from having to bring wood in and build and keep the fires going -- that was Nice!!! After 4 months of almost non-stop wood handling, it was Nice to just sit down and rest. And then on those mornings that it was cold, stand by a propane heater and just get Warm!!! NICE!!! 

---

A couple of days after Valentine's Day, Rick called the Social Security Board, asked them if they would be able to tell him the status of his application for disability. 
He was approved!!! No denial ... no appeals ... just APPROVED!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!
He will get his first check towards the end of March. Praise the Lord!!! 
Also - they back-payed him. For ALL of 2013!!! Hallelujah!!! Praise the Lord!!! 
When he got off the phone and told me the news -- I crumpled. This has been such a hard 2 years. Just the juggling and struggling of trying to make it from one insurance check to the next. Yes, God has been good and faithful to us - but it still has been so hard. And then to hear how God has opened the windows of heaven and poured us out a blessing! Wow!!! It was more than I could take at that moment!!! We wept, we cried, we danced, we rejoiced. And we prayed for wisdom to be the best stewards of the money that we could be. We asked for God to guide us in every penny that we spent. 

---

We have been so behind on bills ... but God allowed us to get everything caught up. Well, everything except the medical stuff - and that is all in negotiation because of the injury. 

Rick was able to pay his motorcycle out of the shop. Not sure he will be able to ride it again, because of the shoulder injury. But at least we don't owe anything to Pat now! The bike sits at Pat's shop - for sale. Rick said that if God will allow it sell, then he will let it go. We talked about a Trike - Rick and Pat discussed it and they seem to think that it would be easier for Rick to control than a traditional motorcycle. Come spring-time, Rick will test drive one. Pat has offered to finance one for him ... 

Rick was also able to pay the Suburban out of the shop as well. If you are in the Graham, TX area and you need auto work done - we highly recommend the Affordable Auto Shop!!! Those guys are not only good at what they do, but they are very affordable in prices. They have had our Suburban in the shop there for several months. We have been paying on the work as we could afford it. And not once have they called and demanded payment. --They also didn't have it impounded and crushed!!! Which is more than i can say for Sprouse Automotive in McKinney, TX!!! 

---

All thru these long months of winter (and this winter of our life has lasted for the last 2 years) - we have prayed and repeatedly asked the Lord what He would have us do for the rest of our time upon this earth. 
Over and over we have heard the words "Service Ministry" ... but we had no idea how or where or when. 
The Lord gave Rick the Scripture of Matthew 25:34-40 as the foundation of what we are supposed to do with the rest of our lives. 

We were still praying "how" - but knowing that once God puts a vision and a passion in the heart and soul, He has a Way and a How. 

Once we got the back-pay from disability, we prayed over it. And prayed over it. Knowing the peace that passes all understanding, we began to look for a 5th wheel RV. We have lived many years in an RV so we understand the lifestyle (and we LOVE it). 

There was an ad ... a 1993 Avion 5th wheel for sale, in West, TX. Not so far from Joshua and Dessie's - so Rick called. Talked to them. Made a time for us to go down there and look at the RV. 
Before we left the house, we sat down and discussed the "perfect" RV ... made a list of everything that we either needed or wanted ... prayed over it. And took to the road. 

We found the couple who had the RV. They graciously opened the barn so that we could see the RV. Wow!!! Just Wow!!! 
We have had a couple of nice RV's ... but NOTHING like this one!!! 

Didn't take much conversation to realize that this was the ONE. So, we took the step of faith towards the ministry and we wrote them a check :-)!!! 

---

Another blessing -- we have been looking for a better vehicle. 
Not that Rick's truck is not good -- but let's face it, it is hard to get into and out of when you are hurting and injured. I have a hard time driving it - so that just leaves Rick to be the primary driver, and there are times that he just doesn't feel like driving ... so we don't go. 
And now that we have a 5th wheel - we need the truck to pull the RV. 
So, we talked and we looked and we prayed (not necessarily in that order) -- and we decided to look for a Honda Element. Honda quit making them in 2010 - so we knew it would be a used vehicle, and one with miles on it. But they are quality vehicles with excellent ratings. Search on Craig's List ... search the other classifieds ... talk with a couple of car dealers. And we pray ... we wait. Not in a hurry - cause we don't HAVE to have one at this point. 
We stopped in at Orr Honda in Paris, TX in January when we were over there for Rick's dialysis appointment. They told us that we were approved for a car loan - but not to get excited unless we were willing to take something other than an Element. Because used Elements are virtually non-existent. They are few and far between. Rick told them that if and when God wanted us to have one, then He would make one be available. 

2 weeks ago, Rick called the Honda shop in Paris. "Amazingly" there was a Honda Element that they could get, it was at another one of their dealerships. :-) ... after much talk and the typical haggling ... we are now driving a 2008 Honda Element with only 23,200 actual miles on it. :-) ... Rick has spoken with the original owner. The original owner loved this vehicle, but he needed a pickup - told Rick how much he wished he had not traded it in. It is loaded from the factory - it is an EX edition - but it is also loaded with things that the owner had done to it while he had it. :-) ... He traded it in on Christmas Eve 2013 -- and it has not sold until now. Unheard of - especially considering that there were 3 more customers in line waiting for a Honda Element at the Paris Honda shop!!! Yes, God had this one for us - and had it hid until just the right time!!! 

---

Praising the Lord also because we are leaving tomorrow morning - making a Road Trip!!! We left Idaho 7 years ago, leaving a 10x20 storage building full of our stuff. Every intention of returning before winter that year of 2007. But 7 years later, still struggling and managing to make that storage payment every month. 
It is Enough! Time to get "me things about me" once again :-). 
Course it has been so long that we don't remember all "me things"! LOL ... i told the kids that it will be like Christmas when we get it all back here and start to go thru it! 

Looking forward to seeing friends in Oregon and Idaho. Planning to meet up with a nephew in Utah. Hoping to meet a favorite author while we are in Washington. 

ROAD TRIP here we come!!! :-) 

---