SALVATION ARMY

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.  Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'   The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'           Matthew 25:35-40

This past Saturday we have the privilege of ringing bells for the Salvation Army at the Walmart store here in Adrian.  Each year our church takes one day to ring bells for them, which is coordinated by Michael Graham our youth pastor.  Many people from our church rang bells for an hour or two that entire day.  We are very thankful that this year was much warmer than last year when it was absolutely frigid.  It is very interesting to watch the people as they go in and out of the store.  Some are very friendly and happy as we greet them while others appear to be on a mission and with a furrow in their brow remain focused.  However. the real treat comes when parents with children come by and the children put money in the kettle with the assistance of mom or dad.  It is obvious they are training their children to be givers. 

                     Steve Depew ringing the bell for the Salvation Army

                       Paul and Gail greeting the people at Walmart

                     Krystal and Jacob Schamberger gladly ringing the bell

The Salvation Army has many facets to its ministry.  They minister to the homeless. have a prison  ministry, work with veterans, hunger relief, adult rehabilitation, and a ministry to the elderly, to name a few.  The red kettle campaign is the major fundraising activity of the Salvation Army which helps to underwrite many if not all of these ministries.  Paul is particularly partial to the Salvation Army since his Uncle Charles served in the Salvation Army in France his entire adult life. He was even assigned to Devil's Island off the coast of South America for a period of time.  A French prison was located there. and Paul's uncle ministered to these prisoners who were not exactly the cream of the crop. 

If you happen to walk by a red kettle this Christmas season, the Salvation Army can use all of our help.  Our giving can encourage someone who desperately needs encouragement.     

                          Blogging was too much for Patsy and Penny

Blessings and encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy and Penny

REFRESHED

For they have refreshed my spirit.  I Corinthians 16:18a

Last Wednesday was Gail's birthday.  It proved to be a great day of refreshing as she received many cards, phone calls from her three children, several opportunities for lunch with friends, and Facebook responses to her birthday from an untold number of people.  It couldn't have been a better birthday celebration because Paul even did the cooking from morning to night.

One of the special events was lunch with Gail's sister, Jill, and Audrey Clay at the Governor's Tea Room next to the Croswell. We celebrated both Gail's and Audrey's birthday at the same time.  There everything is served so exquisitely and the conversation was energizing and encouraging. It was such a treat to be able to sit and relax and reflect on past endeavors as well as share their current experiences. Of course, the Lord is always in the center of their conversations when they get together, which makes their times together so inspiring and refreshing.

                    Gail, Audrey, and Jill at the Governor's Tea Room
                         
Gail says she has been strengthened enough to last her until her next birthday and sends her thanks to everyone who recognized her birthday.

Blessings and Encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny

A TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Jerusalem is builded on a city that is compact together.  Psalm 122:3 KJV

Within the past two weeks our pastor, David Fulks, has had the opportunity to travel to Israel and Jordan.  His days were filled with tours of various sights that are in the Holy Land such as the Sea of Galilee, Petra, Nazareth, Masada and Jerusalem.  It was an amazing trip for him as it made the Bible come alive as he rode in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, saw the village where Jesus worked with his father in the carpenter shop, and walked the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.  This was certainly a trip of a lifetime for him.  He feels every seminary student should spend one semester of their studies in the Holy Land. 

                                                  Jerusalem

                                                   Petra

                                               Capernaum

                        Believed to the the remians of Peter's house

This past Sunday evening he shared about his trip accompanied by a number of slides.  He took over 600 pictures, but only got through half of them that evening.  Everyone was captivated by  his insight into his time in the Israel as well as the excellent pictures he captured with his camera.  He found a very interesting fact while touring Israel.  In the Bible Jesus cursed three towns, Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida.  During his tour he realized that not one of these three town exist today except their ruins.  Needless to say, we can't wait to hear about the rest of his trip and see the slide that accompany it. 

This past Saturday we got together with some long time friends for breakfast.  Tim and Judy Guest arrived around 9:00 a.m. and stayed well past 12:30 p.m.  We enjoyed being together and the conversation never lacked.  We attended church together for many years at Open Door Bible Church in Hudson.  Our children were close in age to their youngest daughter, Ann, so we shared many activities together.  It was so good to be together for that short time since we don't often see them as they still live in the Hudson area and winter in Arizona so they are gone several months out of the year.  Friends like Tim and Judy are such a special blessing

Blessings and Encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy and Penny
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CHAINSAWS DON'T GIVE A GOOD MANICURE

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
                                                                                                                           Colossians 3:23-24

This past winter we had seven walnut tress removed from the little woods located between our home and Hunt Road.  The lumbermen took the trunks of the trees but left lots of brush and larger branches for us to take care of.  Last spring we burned all the brush which was several days labor of tugging and pulling branches to the one burn pile we established in an open area in the woods.  But all of the larger branches were cut into four foot sections and piled up for us to cut into smaller pieces and stack into neater piles.  This past Friday and Saturday we began the process.  

The weather was not very pleasant on Friday with wind and a slight drizzle, but after Paul had been subbing at LCS that morning, we endeavored to undertake the massive job of cutting up the many logs that were salvaged from the trees.  Paul started in with the chainsaw, but Gail soon came out to assist.  Things were going along very smoothly as we were working our way through the first pile.  However, Gail was holding a small piece that needed one final cut when the chainsaw kicked and nicked Gail's right index finger.  She was wearing a double pair of gloves, but the saw cut through them and into her knuckle.  Paul immediately stopped the saw, pulled off her gloves and discovered a gash in her knuckle.  To make a long story short, within 10 minutes we were at Bixby Medical Center's emergency room.  After about three hours, Gail ended up with five stitches and a large bandage on her finger.  They also took x-rays and found that the bone of her knuckle had been chipped by the saw.  They then wrote a prescription for an antibiotic so that Gail would not get infection.  We are very thankful that everything is going to be OK and that she still has her finger.    The Lord was certainly looking out for her as it could have been so much worse.

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful fall day.  Paul spent much of the morning cutting up more of the logs before a friend. Marshal Mattson, came with his log splitter.  Marshal came around 2:30 with his son-in-law Jerry and three of his grandsons.  Marshal and Paul split the wood while Jerry and the boys loaded some of the older ash that had been split and stacked for a couple of seasons.  Jerry and Marshal can be very proud of those boys as they worked so hard the entire time.  Someone else who worked was Gail with bandaged finger and all.  She didn't let that injury slow her down at all.  However,  the doctor at the hospital did say that she isn't to do dishes for at least two weeks. Guess who has to do dishes?

       Isaac, Jerry Marshal, Zach, Josh and Paul splitting and stacking wood

                              Splitting larger logs

What a delight to be able to work in the woods splitting logs on a beautiful fall day.  We thank the Lord for giving us the strength to be able to do this kind of physical work. Even though you end the day tired and sore, it is a great feeling to see the results of your labor stacked in neat piles in the woods.  Sunday afternoon there wasn't much movement in the Palpant home as we both took a long nap joined by Patsy and Penny.  Not sure what they did Saturday to be so tired on Sunday, but they felt they needed a nap as well.

Blessings and Encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy and Penny