Busy Trips to San Antonio

It is hard to believe it has been an entire month since I last shared what is going on. It feels like it was just the other day. There is so much to do that every day I look around and decide what I am in the mood to do and get busy doing it. With so many things needing to be done I guess it is just easy to forget about this blog. For that I once again apologize.

Since last writing I have made two trips to San Antonio. The first trip was a spur of the moment decision. The first Thursday of May is the National Day of Prayer. For years now I and a hundred(s) other people have gathered at the steps of the San Antonio City Hall for a prayer service. Somehow it just doesn’t seem right to not gather with others in prayer for our country on the National Day of Prayer. Since I no longer live in San Antonio I went to the National Day of Prayer web site to see what prayer events were taking place near me. I was saddened to discover nothing was scheduled for Rocksprings. I did find an event in Kerrville, which is an hour away, but nothing closer. After thinking about it for a few hours I decided I would just head to San Antonio on Wednesday and return home Thursday afternoon, after the prayer event was over. Besides prayer, I also made this decision because I knew the Sam’s Club had filing cabinets for sale and I have needed to purchase several. So I called my friend Mary and told her I was coming. Thankfully she is always happy to have me stay with her.

My closest full time neighbor is Lionel. I don’t know him very well but he has made it clear anytime I need help I can call on him. I returned home late on Thursday, so Friday morning I drove over to his place and asked for help. With Lionel’s help the two of us were able to get the filing cabinet into the family room. Over the weekend I cut up the box and removed the filing cabinet.

Saturday I spent several hours loading my car with flat rocks perfect for stepping stones. My friend Mary has a bad mud problem. When it rains, the area right outside her kitchen door becomes a muddy lake. She is always helping others and I wanted to help her. So I loaded my car with the stepping stones and then right after church on Sunday I headed to San Antonio. Mary had no idea what I was planning.

Mary is a volunteer chaplain at the University Hospital. Every Monday she visits all the patients on one particular floor and I knew she would be gone for several hours. That morning while she was getting ready I went and purchased over 20 bags of pea gravel. Then as soon as she took off, I put my hiking/work boots on got to work. A mutual friend, Frances, came over to help. The biggest help was bringing her gardening wagon she had just gotten for Mothers’ day. I really didn’t expect to get everything done before Mary got back from the hospital, but with Frances’ cart and assistance, the two of us were able to unload my car and get everything in place long before Mary returned. I was even able to take a shower before she got home. Believe me; the look on Mary’s face when she saw what Frances and I had done was worth every penny spent and every drop of sweat I perspired. We even got to see our work in action as San Antonio got a 2.72 inch rain storm the morning before I left. No muddy lake.

Tuesday I spent running errands, including paying an arm and a leg to get my car washed. I hate spending the money because I know it will get dirty on the outside just driving home as I live one mile from a paved road. But after piling all those rocks and bags of gravel into my car, it was pretty dirty on the inside too.

Tuesday morning a prayer meeting met in Mary’s house. I joined them. Tuesday evening there is a prayer meeting at church. This is truly a prayer meeting, no talking about prayer needs in advance, we just pray. I attend it every time I am in town. Then Friday morning Mary had the Women’s Prayer International prayer meeting also meet in her home. I stayed for it once Mary told me about it and it is a good thing I did. If that prayer meeting had not been scheduled I would have left bright and early and been caught in a down pour. It rained so hard none of the members of the group were able to come. By the time it stopped raining in San Antonio there were tornado watch boxes on Hwy 41, which I have to travel most of to get home. So I stayed put in San Antonio until Saturday. Better to be safe.

Wednesday I had a luncheon engagement at the pastor’s home. They are inviting different Sunday School classes over. I had a wonderful time seeing many of my old friends and seeing their beautiful home. This pastor is fairly new to the church, less than two years. Saw more friends on Wednesday night when I went to the weekly dinner/Bible Study at church.

Originally I was going to leave on Thursday and by now I was anxious to come home, but Mary had a table to fill up at the annual Agape Pregnancy Help Center fundraiser. It was underwritten. I had a great meal and the key note speakers were fantastic. I really enjoyed myself. This ministry is saving lives, both women and babies. Keep them and/or your local crises pregnancy center in your prayers.

As stated earlier I had intended to come home on Friday but the weather kept me stranded in San Antonio tell Saturday. I had a very long fruitful week there but was very glad to come home and get back to work here. Before leaving San Antonio I again stopped at the Sam’s Club and purchased another filing cabinet. Thank you Lionel for helping me get it into the house. I also filled up my gas tank. I have discovered gas can be as much as 10 cents a gallon cheaper at the Sam’s Club gas stations. Since this discovery I make Sam’s Club my last stop before heading home.

There is a lot to do here and I really am in need of donations and volunteers. Since returning I have been back at work sawing Mountain Cedar branches, cleaning and organizing the house, moving rocks, cleaning out the storage cabin, and more. My workload is never ending. There have been volunteers out here but no one has come in the past month. Pray for volunteers. I have received some donations, but since moving I have had major problems getting mail forwarded and donations are way down. Pray donations pick up soon.