2018 October 27 Saturday

2018 October 27 Saturday I'm Liberty Hill, Cedar Park, and Round Rock, Texas

54° start under a cloudless sky that reached 85°

I couldn't wait for the sun to get above the trees to get a photo.

I purchased a long distance lens for my phone. I find that my hands are so shakey that it's hard to focus. Fortunately it came with a tripod.

Here is an example of the power of the lens. The first photo is without the lens and the second with. The address circled in the first photo is what it's in the second.

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In my walk this morning I saw this rather amazing anthill. I didn't disturb it. I haven't quite healed from the fireant bites I received during the first week of October.

Before going to Tate's games, we stopped at Walmart to pick up Ella's prescription.

Grandson, Tate had two football games today they won the first one T something like 30-6. The second game was a"make up" game. They had played ten minutes of a game when lightening moved into the area. The game was suspended with the other team having scored six points. So today's game started with the other team at six points and ten minutes off the clock. I wish I had recorded it because Tate made some amazing catches and scored most of the points. They won. I think of the final score was 16-12.

After the game a lot of the team and their families went to Hat Creek Burgers and so did we.
When we arrived home around five thirty it was 89° inside. I had left windows open and shades down in hopes that it wouldn't get so hot. Well that didn't work. I had to turn the air conditioner on.

I sat in recliner to watch TV and fell asleep halfway through a half hour show. I woke up just after sundown at six forty five

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

MI CASA ES TU CASA

MUSINGS - October 27, 2018.

MI CASA ES TU CASA

Mark 9:1-8
He said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the kingdom of God arrive with power." After six days Jesus took only Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. Jesus' appearance changed in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them and were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it's good that we're here. Let's put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Peter didn't know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.) Then a cloud overshadowed them. A voice came out of the cloud and said, "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, as they looked around, they saw no one with them but Jesus.

Peter//, James and John didn't know what to do. You really can't blame them, can you? They suddenly had the entirety of scriptures made real to them: Moses (the Law), Elijah (the Prophets), the voice of God revealed in a cloud (the Old Testament), and Jesus (the New Testament).

Their human minds were overwhelmed. "Let's put up three tents" was their response. Let us make a place to keep them. It will be a place where we can go and be with them. Too many Christians still do that. Our churches are buildings where we house God. We go there to be with him once a week, or once a year, it once in a while. It's almost like visiting a zoo. I enjoy looking at the exotic creatures. But I don't want them in my home.

God should be in our homes, our businesses, our schools, our vehicles, and our lives. Jesus said, "Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20)

Lord, my home is your home.

Dios, mi hogar es tu hogar".

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Andfz my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 26 Friday

2018 October 26 Friday in Liberty Hill and Leander, Texas

49° and mostly clear sky with a full moon at 5:30 this morning. It reached 75° for the day. We were gone all day and the trailer was shut tight with the window shades open. It was close to 90° inside. I ran the AC for a while to cool it down.

We had lunch and played Rummikub at the Leander center today. Our friend Larraine Miller was there today also.

The next stop was at the Leander United Methodist Church. Once a month the 50+ group gathered to play games. We took our Fast Track board and showed new friends Bill and Karen how to play. Each team won a game.

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The laundromat was the next stop. This is one of our chores where Ella takes the lead and does 99% of the work. I carry the bags in and out and see the soap to the machines. It goes in the top and is difficult for Ella to reach.

Supper was z at DQ. We shared a four piece chicken strip basket.

Then it was home to put the laundry away. There was nothing much on TV so we played games and/or watched shows on our phones.

My order of twenty super bright LED automotive-type bulbs arrived from Amazon today. I had previously changed the lights that were use most often to LEDs. Today I changed out the remaining twelve.

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

THE PRICE AND THE PRIZE

MUSINGS - October 26, 2018

THE PRICE AND THE PRIZE

Mark 8:34-38
Then Jesus called the crowd to himself along with his disciples. He said to them, "Those who want to follow me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me and for the Good News will save them. What good does it do for people to win the whole world yet lose their lives? Or what should a person give in exchange for life? If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

If you thought being a follower of Christ would be easy, you are delusional. It ain't easy, my friends, but it's doable. Even Jesus's twelve closest friends and first followers suffered greatly. Although the scriptures only tell if the deaths of two of them, early church reports and legends claim that all but one died horrible deaths by crucifixion, stoning, burning, decapitation, and stabbing by knives, swords and spears.

You can't say that they weren't warned of the cost of following him. He told them, "Go! I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:3) You must be willing to abandon everything and everyone that is important too you for his sake. It is not always required to give up everything but it's always required that you be willing to do so. Read Luke 9:57-62 for more on the cost of discipleship.

No we are not promised that life will be easy but it will be easier because he will share our burdens and comfort us. There are rewards in this life and the next. Matthew 25:34 "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world."

Keep you eyes on the prize.

Visit my daily blog. https://RVingFulltimeWithTomAndElla.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 25 Thursday

2018 October 25 Thursday in Liberty Hill and Lampasas, Texas

53° and 95% cloudy reached a high of 65° and 50% cloudy. NO RAIN!

I grabbed a shot of the sun coming through the trees and I'm glad I did because that's the last I saw of the sun until about 10:30.

When we arrived at our church at 8:30 this morning, there were two squad cars with their lights flashing. No worry, it was just to draw attention to Donuts With the Chief.* Do you see the skeleton in a police uniform?

Today's topic was Domestic Abuse. The guest speaker from a local shelter agency didn't make it. However, various people shared their experiences, questions and answers. It was valuable.

We left the meeting a little early so that we could begin our trip to Lampasas. We were going to pick up some aluminum cans that my ex wife had saved for us. (Our Grandies group collects cans and takes them to a recycling plant.) As a thank you, Ella and I took Becky and Dave to a local BBQ place for lunch. We arrived at their home strong 11 and visited until 1:30. We went to the restaurant and visited until sometime after 4 before returning home.

The sunset was mesmerizing. I sat and just watched the slowly changing shapes and colors until it was nearly dark.

*Liberty Hill Police Department continues its community engagement initiatives "Donuts With The Chief," a monthly information meeting between law enforcement officers and the general public.

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

UNDERSTANDING THE MESSIAH

MUSINGS - October 25, 2018

UNDERSTANDING THE MESSIAH

Mark 8:27-33
Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They answered him, "Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah!" He ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life. He told them very clearly what he meant. Peter took him aside and objected to this. Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Jesus said, "Get out of my way, Satan! You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think."

Messiah literally means the anointed one.

According to Wikipedia, In Jewish eschatology, the Messiah is a future Jewish king from the Davidic line, who is expected to be anointed with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age and World to come. The Messiah is often referred to as "King Messiah". This is the Messiah the Peter was talking about when he called Jesus Messiah.

Jewish history was full of messiahs. All of their kings had been anointed with oil, much like our presidents take an oath of office. But this future messiah was to be THE MESSIAH. He was expected to usher in a new age where Israel would be the center of power for the entire world.

However, as Jesus explained, that was humanity's expectation and not God's plan.

We have a record of very few of Jesus teachings. Only around 2,000 words. To get that in perspective, a typical article in Wall Street Journal had around 1,000 words. Over the approximately three years of his public ministry he didn't keep a journal and neither did his disciples. The earliest gosples were written around A. D. 70. The earliest followers were expecting an immediate return of the Messiah do they saw no need of a written record. It wasn't until the original witnesses began dieing that things started to be documented from memory, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I bring that up because I wonder how much our human expectations over the last two thousand years have varied from God's plan?

Let those with ears, hear. It is necessary to pray for understanding and guidence before, during, and after reading those precious few words. And I believe they need to be read over and over. They needed to be read like your life depends on understanding them. Because it does.

Visit my daily blog. https://RVingFulltimeWithTomAndElla.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 24 Wednesday

2018 October 24 Wednesday in Liberty Hill, Texas

53° that reached 57° and light rain that lasted all day.

We attended Grandies* this morning.

Lunch was at Jardin Coronas with some fellow Grandies.

The picture below that looks like a hill rising from a field of wheat,

It's really a close-up of the bump on my arm. About a week ago I stumbled and feel against the sharp corner of the wall. It must be healing because it itches. But it hurts to scratch it.

Still raining at sundown? But look what is in our ten day forecast

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

HALF A MIRACLE

MUSINGS - October 24, 2018

HALF A MIRACLE

Mark 8:22-26
As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. He spit into the man's eyes and placed his hands on him. Jesus asked him, "Can you see anything?" The man looked up and said, "I see people. They look like trees walking around." Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes a second time, and the man saw clearly. His sight was normal again. He could see everything clearly even at a distance. Jesus told him when he sent him home, "Don't go into the village."

"Some people brought a blind man to Jesus." And then some people begged Jesus to heal him. The blind man had no voice in nor took any action in his healing. Jesus often said, "Your faith has made you well."* However, to this man he said nothing like that. His friends had faith in Jesus. Perhaps the blind man only had faith in his friends not in Jesus. Maybe that is why Jesus seperated him from the others, so that he would begin to trust Jesus. His faith developed in stages. To begin with, he had no faith. Then he had a little. Finally, he believed.

I was like that blind man. I went to church only because a friend invited me. I wasn't looking for Jesus. I was spiritually blind. Little by little my eyes were opened until at last I could say with the author of Amazing Grace, "I was blind but now I see!"

The blind man in this scripture had to receive half of a miracle before he could be made whole.

How about you? Have you received a partial miracle and are satisfied with that? Or can you agree with the hymn It is Well With My Soul and say, "My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more"?

*Mark 5:34, Luke 17:19, Luke 7:50, Luke 8:48, Luke 18:42, Matthew 9:22, Mark 19:52

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And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 23 Tuesday

2018 October 23 Tuesday in Liberty Hill and Georgetown, Texas

52° and completely overcast again.

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Ella is taking online training to work with Cherry Hill on the Santa set with me this year. We will be working the same hours which will make it nice.

With Ella taking her online training, we didn't play games at the Georgetown center today. While she was busy, I watched Daniel Boone and Gunsmoke.

There was a good size crowld for lunch but none stayed to play bingo. I'm not a big fan of bingo but, now that they're not playing it, I miss it.

Tuesday evening means Prayer meeting in the Cross Tracks Chapel.

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

ARE YOU BLIND AND DEAF?

MUSINGS - October 23 2018

ARE YOU BLIND AND DEAF?

Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus warned them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!" They had been discussing with one another that they didn't have any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand yet? Don't you catch on? Are your minds closed? Are you blind and deaf? Don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They told him, "Twelve." "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They answered him, "Seven." He asked them, "Don't you catch on yet?"

There it's something surreal about this story. There is a lot of talk about bread that isn't really about bread at all. Unfortunately the disciples take it took literally.

Yeast or leaven throughout the old and new testaments is a symbol of sin. Modern bakers use yeast to make the bread rise. In ancient times most bread was what we would call sour dough.

My mother would make sour dough bread. Before you could make the bread, you first had to make the starter. Mom called the starter Herman I don't know why, but it was Herman. This was done by mixing flour and water (no yeast) and letting it sit at room temperature for a day or so. It would start to ferment as yeast and bacteria in the air began to digest the dough and produce carbon dioxide bubbles within it. Herman would need to be fed with new flour for several days until the entire dough was full of the bubbles and spongy. Finally a small portion of the fermented dough could be added to fresh flour and water. Then the dough could be seasoned, shaped, and baked. The remainder of Herman would continue to be fed until she was ready to bake more bread.
The key is that you only need to add a very small amount of fermented dough to make new dough rise. (Leaven/yeast is basically old, fermented dough that is placed in new dough to make it rise. The key is that you only need to add a very small amount of fermented dough to make new dough rise. (Gal 5:9) describes this saying, "a little leaven leavens the whole lump."

So Jesus was warning his disciples to avoid the sin of the religious and political leaders, as in Luke 20:45-47 "Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces, to have the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at dinners. They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The scribes will receive the most severe punishment." However, the disciples completely missed the point and think that Jesus is actually upset because they set out on this trip with only a single loaf of bread.

He asks then to recall the two times he has fed thousands with just a few loaves. He asks then to think of the excessive abunance leftover. And even then they still miss the point.

How frustrated Jesus was when he said to his disciples, "Are you blind and deaf?" How frustrated he must still be when, those who called themselves by his name, begin to act smug in their supposed righteousness while behaving like the Pharisees if old.

"Are you blind and deaf?

Visit my daily blog. https://RVingFulltimeWithTomAndElla.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 22 Monday

2018 October 22 Monday in Liberty Hill and Georgetown, Texas

Yesterday's sunshine had gone away. It was completely overcast in the morning and 49°. If you look closely, you can see the faintest tint of pink on the horizon. That's as close to a sunrise as I saw today.

We had lunch at the Georgetown senior center today. We also played several games if Fast Track and one of Rummikub. We keep hoping that someone will join us in a game.

It started sprinkling on us as we approached home. Rain showers continued to passes through the rest of the day. This is not good news for those who are trying to do cleanup from the recent flooding in nearby locations.

In addition to the flooding there is so much sediment in the water that Austin, the Texas capital city, has issued a "boil water" order. The local stores quickly realized out of bottled water. It doesn't affect us at our RV Park because its water comes from an on-site well.

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

SHOW US A SIGN

MUSINGS - October 22, 2018

SHOW US A SIGN

Mark 8:10-13
After that, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and went into the region of Dalmanutha . The Pharisees went to Jesus and began to argue with him. They tested him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven. With a deep sigh he asked, "Why do these people demand a sign? I can guarantee this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different than what they want!" Then he left them there. He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

Do you see the influence Jesus is having as he travels around Israel? He is such a threat to the religious-political hierarchy that they come seeking him. But they come not seeking his wisdom and truth. They don't come questioning. Not do they come to debate with him. They come to argue. They hope to destroy his credibility, to prove him a false prophet and a fake messiah. "Show us a sign of heaven," they demanded.

These teachers of tradition and misinterpretation of the law have had plenty of opportunities to see the miraculous signs he'd performed on Earth. Now they demand a big flashy sign of heaven. Jesus sighed in exasperation knowing that whatever sign here gives them will still be dismissed as trickery.

Due to their closed minds and hardened hearts he returns to his boat and leaves, unable to do the good he came to do.

Lord, open our minds and hearts that we might clearly hear and understand your message for us. Make us aware of all the small miracles around us every day.

Visit my daily blog. https://RVingFulltimeWithTomAndElla.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1

All content (except quotations) © 2018 Thomas E. Williams

2018 October 21 Sunday

2018 October 21 Sunday in Liberty Hill, Texas

48° for the overnight low.

I saw something that I haven't seen for a while, the sun!

Before leaving for church I started a large crockpot full of beef stew.

We arrived at church shortly after eight even though the first service doesn't begin until nine. It's my fault. I went outside to take a picture of the sunrise. While I was out I took some things to the truck. I noticed that the windshield was all fogged over. So I started the truck to let it warm and let the defroster clear the glass. Ella heard the truck start and hurriedly finished getting ready and came out to the truck.

After church and Sunday school we came home and got ready for Adam and family to visit. Ella did some cleaning and straightening inside while I sat up a table and chairs out side. The stew in the Crock-Pot was,. . nice and hot. I preheated the oven and put twelve frozen biscuits in to bake. The kids arrived before the biscuits were done.

Once the did was ready, we sat outside and ate. We visited for a while after lunch. Then with their help, the slide out went out. Yes, we've been living with the slide-out-room in for the last 17 days. It's nice to have living space again.

Back outside we went and played Fast Track. The team of Leigha and Ella won. Adam and Emery took second place. The best looking and smartest team of Tate and Tom took third in a field of three.

I wish I had taken photos while everyone was here, but I didn't think of it.

After the kids left, I got the side grinder out and cut about an inch from the edge of a pizza stone. I'd purchased it a few days ago but found that it was slightly to large for our RV oven. Now it fits.

My reason for using this stone isn't really to bake on. (Though I make some bread on it one of these winter days) It is to even out the heat in the oven. Your typical LP RV oven heats unevenly. That makes baking an iffy proposition with burned spots and unbaked areas.

Almost forgot to look for a sunset today.

G'nite y’all!

Visit my daily devotions blog https://musingsdevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://thomasewilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l