Hand Delivered

The mailman brought the mail to the door today, so I was spared the dreaded trip to the mailbox.  Instead he hand delivered the dreaded letter.  Moody Publishers said, "Thank you, but....this material does not fit in with our current publishing plans."  I took it really well.  Glad to finally have an answer, any answer.

I know what several of you are thinking.   You would be right.   You'd  think that I'd have learned by now to listen when different people keep coming to me with the same "thought" or "vision", that God might be using them to try to get through to me.   But, no!  I'm as hard headed as ever.

Anyway, as of today I will begin researching the ins and outs of self-publishing the book.   Thank all of you who have been so faithful in your support, prayers and GUIDANCE.  Especially, those who have sent me links and suggestions.  I will pursue every one of them.   Don't give up on me just yet!  Old dogs are slow learners.

The Morning After

Ed and Thresa Hull are amazingly gifted artisans.  Both hold down full time jobs, but their hobbies are where their hearts are.  Ed spends most of his spare time in this woodworking shop patiently shaping exotic wood into incredible multi-hued, multi-textured bird "mansions" and other pieces of wood art.  Thresa and Ed work together painstakingly piecing together brilliantly colored shards of stained glass on phenomenal projects that take up another entire workshop.  It is hard to accept that their extraordinary talents are just a "hobby".  

A little over a year ago Thresa Hull attended a retreat here at Cross Roads.    At the end of the weekend, Thresa told me that the Holy Spirit had touched her deeply during her stay here and she wanted to give something back. I told her that wasn't necessary, but she asked if we had ever considered putting stained glass windows in the Chapel. "Of course!", I said, "It's on the list, but, not very high, 'cuz it's so expensive."    

Ed and Thresa went to work applying their incredible talent to designing, making and then donating exquisite stained glass windows for the Cross Roads Chapel. It took them an entire year.  Each window is half of a sunrise behind a cross.  When you look at the front of the Chapel you see three crosses - the two stained glass windows on either side with a sun rising behind them and the cross on top of the Chapel.   The windows are titled, "The Morning After".   This photo doesn't do them justice.  On your next visit to the Cross Roads you'll see what I mean!

"The Morning After"

Created and Donated by Ed and Thresa Hull 

Thank you, Ed and Thresa, your gift will bless everyone who comes to Cross Roads! 

The Dreaded Mailbox

On September 13th I mailed the book proposal for Stand at the Cross Roads to Moody Publishers.  The submission guidelines required a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope be included in the package.  The guidelines further informed me that if they were interested in the book they would contact me by phone, if declining, I would receive notification by mail.  Hence the requested SASE.

The last 29 days have been the longest days of my life! Every morning around 10AM I climb in our Kawasaki mule and slowly drive the 1/2 mile to the dreaded mailbox - praying, praying, praying along the way that the equally dreaded letter is not inside.

Everyday has been increasingly difficult.  I drive slower, open the box slower,  hold my breath a little longer as I sift through the contents, then WHOOSH! I exhale!  So far, so good, no SASE addressed to me in my own handwriting has been lurking inside!  

The instructions also stated that I should receive a response to the proposal within one month of their receiving it.  Well, friends, tomorrow is 30 calendars days and I am conflicted beyond belief.  Part of me just KNOWS that God is going to make this happen through Moody Publishers, because it would truly be the perfect ending to the story and I can't imagine them not recognizing this opportunity and being excited about the connection.  The other part of me tells me not to get my hopes up, that we can't know what God's will is and if this doesn't work out He has something even better in mind for getting His story out.   Then I feel guilty for doubting.   


Anyway, please continue to pray for His will - and my strength to keep opening that dreaded mailbox!

Good news/Bad News....

Well, I've got good news and not so good news.  Tate Publishers did not work out.  They offered me a contract, but, wanted $5,000...and when I had a question or two, they never called me back.  OH WELL!  The good news is that in the meantime, I discovered that Moody Bible Institute has a publishing division.   The story virtually began with God leading me to a piece of obscure rural property owned by the Moody Bible Institute!  Their website states that they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts from unpublished authors, but, after a few emails I received permission  to send them Stand at the Cross Roads. I think it's intriguing to think that the story could come full circle if Moody chooses to publish the story that God used them to kick-start!!!!!  SO KEEP PRAYING!  I mailed it Saturday.

Last Weekend

No one calls a year in advance to book a retreat, then follows through promptly with a meticulously completed contract and a check for the full amount of the estimated cost.  It was unheard of,  at least until I got a call from the American Taekwondo Association.  They were looking for a place for prospective instructors to  gather for certification training.  Men, women,  and youth were signed up from all over Texas, and even as far away as Arkansas.  Centrally located, Cross Roads was the perfect spot.  They quickly snapped up a  weekend and wasted no time in nailing down the details. 

I regretted it immediately. A Taekwondo retreat?   They weren't coming to Cross Roads for a spiritual experience.  They were coming to experience the rush of kung fu fighting and the thrill of combat.  What was I thinking?  This had nothing to do with our mission at Cross Roads and I'd given away a prime Spring weekend.  A weekend that several of our regulars might want. But, there was nothing to be done about it at that point.  The ATA would be coming to Cross Roads. 

 Fall began to fade into winter, and the inquires for spring dates started rolling in.  I held my breath every time Jenny called to update me on what dates were being considered and by whom.  Weekends were being picked like grapes off a vine, except for  the ATA weekend.  No one even asked about that particular weekend in May. Go figure!

 A field of black suited Ninja's with red bandanas greeted me as I drove down the road to the camp.  I nearly ran over a pod of them as they posed, stretched, lurched and chopped at imaginary adversaries. And this was before breakfast! I just shook my head again and smiled, wondering just what God was going to do with this "happening" at the Cross Roads. 

We watched as they quietly lined up for breakfast without a prayer. It was a disconcerting first for us.  It was also obvious that this was the first time these folks had ever met each other, but they were friendly and very appreciative of the good hot 'healthy' food we had prepared at their "masters" request.  The line of fifty-five black clad figures snaked all the way around the room.  As they passed the serving window we chatted amicably with them, asking them where they were from, what level they had achieved in Taekwondo and whatever else came to mind.  

By the time they arrived back at the dining hall for lunch a sense of comaraderie had begun to take shape. The youth, still full of energy after a morning of intense physical activity, jostled each other as they stood in line. The adults turned blind eyes to their shennanigans and continued to talk with their new friends and to us as we served their plates.  One woman asked what church or denomination the camp was affiliated with. She looked surprised when we said,  "None, we're just a bunch of volunteers who do this because we think it's a good thing."  About twenty more folks streamed by before someone else asked the same question and got the same reply. 

The dinner bell rang at 6 o'clock and I would have sworn that a different group of people came through those doors.  They were laughing and joking like they'd known each other forever and this time lots of them wanted to know who we were and what organization or church ran the camp.  Each received the same answer as before.  It's just us. We do it because we love it.  After dinner we received a standing ovation for the great food, to which we replied, "All glory to God!"

The next morning I could not be there to serve them breakfast.  It was Sunday, and one of my granddaughters was being baptized at her church in Austin.   I wasn't going to miss that for anything.  But, when I got home the phone rang almost immediately.  Jenny must have seen me drive up the road.  I could hear the emotion in her trembling voice.   She said that one of the group was a youth director and was inquiring about bringing his youth to the camp.  I said, "Well, great, now I know why they were supposed to come to the Cross Roads!"   She said, "No, that was really good, but that's not the best part.  When they came in for breakfast this morning  they joined hands and prayed."  

All glory to God!  

Okay, then...

Excerpt from Chapter 32- Stand At The Cross Roads:  Nine years earlier, when Buddy came out to doze our driveway, I'd asked him to also clear out a notch on the hilltop. That spot was designated as the site for the Cross Roads chapel, which at the time was to be the first building we constructed. As our plans continuously morphed, building the chapel became a dream for the future...

I knew that Pat had been thinking about building the chapel for quite a while. Every time we attended a worship service at a different church or chapel I could see him counting heads, measuring walls, and figuring costs in his mind. He is so quick with numbers that I frequently joke that he’s my personal calculator. But now he was treading on sacred ground, planning to design the chapel I had dreamed of for so many years. My defenses flew up.

            "I’m not sure the chapel will fit on that spot without more dozer work," he said. "Not if we plan to fill it with a couple hundred people."

            "Well, it should. We planned for it when we dozed the site."

            "It’s better to plan big, scale down later, if necessary. I’ll look at it."

            The size wasn’t our only point of contention. The beauty of cedar siding or the easy maintenance of HardyiPlank? A trendy tin roof or composition shingles that were guaranteed to keep the interior cooler and quieter? A tile floor, carpet, or stained concrete? Square windows? Rectangular? High or low? Agreement did not come easily between us, and after all, it was his money. But it was my vision. The ghost of that perverted adage about the Golden Rule kept poisoning my mind

The Labyrinth

Excerpt from Chapter 31 - Stand At The Cross Roads: As I approached the edge of the canvas mat, to step back into the real world, I was both excited and joyful. I knew now why God wanted us to build a Prayer Labyrinth at Cross Roads.

            At home, I went straight to the Internet and studied every entry I could find on the subject of labyrinths, amazed at the number of different styles and types. They could be constructed of canvas or garden hedges, or simply outlined in rope or rock. Some were permanent, while others were drawn in sand or dirt and erased when no longer needed.

            I ordered books on how to build one. Surely it couldn’t be that hard, and we could certainly afford rope, or maybe even rock. The day the books arrived, I opened the package and sat down to absorb whatever I needed to know.

            Unfortunately, the secret of the labyrinth was math - not my strong suit, by far. This particular math was called "sacred geometry." Although I studied the books and the equations for several days, I knew it was hopeless.

            The right space would have to be located, and an area large enough for a labyrinth would have to be hacked out of the heavy woods. Using rock would make it permanent, but a lot of man, or woman, power would be needed to haul the rocks and place them properly.

            I talked to God that day in earnest confusion. I knew He wanted a Prayer Labyrinth built at Cross Roads, but once again, He had given me a job to do that seemed impossible. Getting no immediate answer, I despondently shoved the books onto the bookshelf, where they remained untouched until after I married Pat.

            Pat's degree is in statistics and mathematics. Perfect. I gave him the books and asked him to help figure out the secret. He dutifully read the materials, but once again the books ended up back on the shelf.

             Now, after all this time, the idea of building God’s Prayer Labyrinth might be possible after all. Not only was Melissa familiar with the subject, because her church possessed one, but the previous summer her pastor, Jo Hudson, had traveled the entire southeastern United States learning to build labyrinths. This was the very same Jo Hudson whose grandfather’s house I had bought from the Methodist church in Somerville.

            A coincidence?

Reverend Jo Hudson  

Sally Miller, Dr. Suzanne Black & Melissa Dunn in background

Great news! Today I received a letter from The Writer's Edge, a manuscript submission/screening service that is recommended on many publishers websites for first time/non-published authors.  They have accepted the manuscript and it will be included in The Writer's Edge listing next month.  This listing will be sent to 75 publishers, including most of the leaders in Christian publishing.

The reviewer wrote, "Readers will be interested in the sometimes dramatic ways that God has worked in your life, and your honesty serves you well as you write about your journey of faith.  You have a compelling story to tell.  ...I want to encourage you to continue sharing your story..."

This last month was anything but down time.  Writing the daily excerpts has given me the opportunity to carefully re-read each chapter, expanding, revising, correcting or clarifying as I went. The result is an even better manuscript. The letter came the day before the last chapter posts.   A coincidence?

Yes, But...

Excerpt from Chapter 30 – Stand At The Cross Roads: For the first time in my life I had close friendships with women I loved and depended upon, women who magically appeared at my side during any important occasion. They worked beside me at the camp. They sat by my bed at the hospital. They brought meals to my home when I was recovering from a broken back. They counseled me, cried with me, celebrated with me. I didn’t want that part of my life to change.

            And this mission I’d undertaken, it was God’s work, yes, but it was also mine. I was the one He had called to steer this ship, and during these years of good times and bad, I was hardheaded enough to keep my hand always at the wheel. I couldn’t let that change.

            Previously, in my childhood as well as my marriages, men took control of my life. That never worked for me. So being in control was a type of self-preservation.

            Pat was stronger by far than any man I’d ever known. By marrying him, I would be agreeing to share my world, to share the camp and the vision God had given me for it. Could I do that?

Carol Moreland, Sally Miller, Mary Stevens 

                                          

                                                                          Jean Bailey, Jane Pulley, Ellen Knight

                                                                            Me & Cindy VanDeventer (standing)

                                                                              Restoration Accountability Group

                                                                                                                                                                                Melissa Dunn                                  




       GOOD NEWS!


     CHRIST OUR LORD IS RISEN TODAY! 

                                                                                        

                                                                                                                 

            

No Expectations

Excerpt from Chapter 29- Stand At The Cross Roads: A moment later, Mary introduced us, and I learned that Pat was her boss. She was his assistant. His office was the first one on the right, which I passed every time I visited her after that.

            He had an impressive roll-top desk, his walls were covered with geological and seismic data charts, and he was always wheeling and dealing on the phone. And when he was on the phone, he was usually pacing. He’d look up, say "Hi," and go back to work. The energy generating from that office was palpable.

            Pat was married back then, so to me he was just Mary’s boss, but he seemed to be an interesting person, a smart businessman, and above all, highly competent. Friendly, easy going, he never minded that I’d come by to visit. And he occasionally popped over to Mary’s office to say hello.

            That was in the early days of Cross Roads, late 1996. By the time Pat asked me out to lunch in September of 2001, he was in the process of divorce and I was recovering from a broken back. After the charity dance I invited him to in February, we started dating again and continued throughout that spring. One day, out of the blue, he said, "When are you going to ask me to go to church with you?"

            Panicked by the thought of what people would think if I showed up in church with a man and remembering our former conversation on this subject, when he’d asked me about the importance of faith in my life - I froze.  Once again, I had been challenged to put my money where my mouth was.

Change Is In the Wind

Excerpt from Chapter 28 - Stand At The Cross Roads: "The camp is bringing in enough revenue now to pay me a modest salary," I explained. "A far cry from the multiple salaries we envisioned four years ago, but enough for food and essentials. With that support, I can spend time marketing Cross Roads and still have time to take care of the day-to-day chores."

            "If that’s what you think you need to do, go ahead," Scott said.

            "We haven’t put out newsletters consistently in a while," I added. "We haven’t nearly explored all the churches within driving distance. With this extra time, I can do both."

            "If it’s what you want to do," Jennifer said ambiguously, "then you’ll make it work. If anybody can do it, Mom, you can."

            They didn’t actually encourage me, but they didn’t try to talk me out of it. I knew they felt as strongly as I did that we were spinning in circles going the way were now.

            Before May was over, I had turned in my resignation at Insite Printing. I was ready and eager to devote the summer promoting Cross Roads.

            Shortly thereafter, Jennifer and Scott came to me with the saddest faces I’d ever seen. Scott nervously hung back while Jennifer stepped forward.

            "This isn’t easy for us to tell you," she said. "We believe in what we ’ve tried to accomplish here, and we want Cross Roads to succeed, but…”

Diehards

Excerpt from Chapter 27- Stand At The Cross Roads: As the weekend approached, we kept a wary eye on the weather. It occurred to me at one point that the success of this event would guarantee we'd never suffer the whim of Texas weather in the future. Thus far, we seemed fated to have every big event rained out. Unfortunately, the forecast for the weekend was grim. Heavy weather off to the west was moving in our direction.

            Saturday dawned bright and sunny, so our spirits were high that morning. Melissa came to help Scott, Jennifer, and me mow, clean, and set up the tables and chairs.

            Dan Dickson and his fellow band members from “Godsong” arrived, pulling a trailer full of musical instruments and equipment. When I showed them where they’d be playing their eyebrows shot up. Exchanging furtive looks, the band set up at the edge of the open-air pavilion, while Dan pulled me quietly aside.

            "You think the weather will hold?" he asked apprehensively, as flurries of white Dogwood petals skittered across the grounds. 

Dan Dickson and wife Sara (my sister)

Let Me Do It Myself

Excerpt from Chapter 26 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Intense pain prevented me from rolling over to get up, so I tried to just sit up, but froze in agony, with my head and legs off the ground and my knees flexed. I could neither sit up, nor lie back down.

            Scott ran over to me, and upon realizing how bad it was, held my head on his knees. Yessica supported my legs while someone called Jennifer at the house.

            She sped down the drive, threw on the brakes, and jumped out.

            "Are you okay?"

             "No. Call an ambulance."

            The color drained from her face. She knew that if I said I needed help, it must be bad. She ran to the phone in the shed knowing full well that it rarely worked. The line was dead.

            Later, she told me, "I slammed that phone down and prayed, ‘God, I need this phone to work and I know you can do it.’" Absolutely confident it would work now… she picked it up and without listening for a dial tone, dialed 911...


My father-in-law is settling in and the beginning of a routine is developing. There are still quite a few bugs to work out, but things are looking up!  Thank you all for your continuing prayers.  

One Foot in Front of the Other

I HOPE you noticed that there was no post yesterday. LOL!  Last Wednesday morning my 91 year old father-in-law was transported from Missouri to our house via Medical RV. For the last few days Pat, his son Kevin and I have been consumed with obtaining all of the medical equipment, health care, etc... necessary to get him settled. Pat and I are blessed to be able to share our home with him.  My postings may be a bit shorter than usual for a few days and I would greatly appreciate your prayers for an easy transition for all of us.  Blessings and THANK YOU! 

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Excerpt from Chapter 25 - Stand At The Cross Roads: In the movie What About Bob? Bill Murray as Bob Wiley has been told by his therapist that he can do anything he wants if he takes it in baby steps. That is absolutely my favorite movie.

       Throughout the film, Bob is murmuring, "…baby steps… baby steps… baby step to the elevator... baby step into the elevator..."

       At Cross Roads, we found ourselves so many days just putting one foot in front of the other, moving resolutely toward whichever current goal we’d set for ourselves. Occasionally, I found myself muttering, just like Bob. "Baby steps, baby steps. Baby-steps to improve our houses… baby-step to enclose the pavilion…."

       As I looked back at the previous year, I couldn’t help wondering if God was using the perpetual setbacks that kept shutting me down to teach me not to move so fast. Maybe He was saying to me, "Slow down, pay attention, what about Me?"

The Millenium Year

Excerpt from Chapter 24 - Stand At The Cross Roads: Scott, with the help of Jim Smith, one of our biggest champions, organized a work detail to take apart the nursing home. For three weekends in a row during that hot summer, we salvaged lighting fixtures, wall switches, towel dispensers, tables, chairs, a stove and stainless steel table from the kitchen, wall hangings, and shelves. Nailed down or not, if it was salvageable, we grabbed it.

        If I learned anything that summer, it was that Melissa Dunn is a bull dog. When she gets hold of something, she won’t let it go.  God knew that Melissa was exactly the person we needed to kick us back into action and make us change gears. 

            Work detail at the nursing home

The Company of Others

Excerpt from Chapter 23 - Stand At The Cross Roads: ...when the leader arrived, who had not been among the scouts, she was appalled.

            "Where are the Masters going to sleep? Where will they eat?"

             Apparently, it wouldn’t do to have these holy men mixing so intimately with their local Buddhist community. In the end, they were given a separate cabin for sleeping, and small tables were placed out in the woods so they could eat privately. Women wearing white pajama-like tops and pants bowed and scraped as they carried food to them.

            Anyone who knows me knows that I found these practices difficult to watch. Concealing my discomfort and showering them with Christ’s love was a challenge. I failed.  It was the only time Carol suggested that I just go home and let her handle things. I think perhaps God was opening my eyes once more to the fact that Cross Roads was His camp, not mine and He’d bring whoever He wanted out here. Our job was simply to love them on His behalf. Yes, He dropped lots of surprises on us.

Nope, no photo for this one... Unfortunately, I wasn't there long enough!   LOL ;)

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I'm living proof that you can - if the tricks aren't to hard!  However, this BLOG "thing" IS hard. Fans on the Fan Page dropped back to 199 this morning. Any thoughts on why?  I'd appreciate any input you might have to help me improve this site.

If you are enjoying these excerpts from Stand At The Cross Roads, maybe some of your friends would, too.  If so, go to the Fan Page and under the photo is a link titled - Suggest To Friends - click on it - Your friends will pop up - you can invite them by clicking on their photos. It is my prayer that Christ will work through this book to touch and change many lives. Thank you for your continued prayers. 

The Perfect Porch

 Excerpt from Chapter 22 - Stand At The Cross Road: While all of us were dancing and celebrating the bride and groom, my brother, John, a structural engineer, took me aside and mentioned that he’d noticed my house still needed finishing.

            "You need a porch," he said, as we attacked the dessert tray together.

            Concern shown in his eyes, as he reflected on the state of my house. No landing, no railing, just a shaky three-step ladder up to the front door.

            "I have a brand new chimney," I pointed out. After barely scraping together the resources for the fireplace, buying the materials to replace the porch was not in the budget.

            "We need to build you a porch," John said.

            Was he serious about taking on such a huge project? God had shown me, time and time again, that His way of taking care of me was through the people He sent my way.  Was He sending my brother, now?

My house didn't look quite this bad when John saw it.  The movers had put the two halves back together,  the roof had been patched with left over shingles, non of which were the same color,  and the fireplace had been rebuilt. 

We reached the goal of 200 FANS today,

Praise God!

Thank each of you for your help. I hope you are enjoying the excerpts and will continue to follow the the story and recommend it to friends. 

Soaring On Eagle's Wings

Excerpt from Chapter 21 – Stand At The Cross Road: Another high point of that year came by way of my best friend, Mary. I was in the habit of dropping by the office where she worked and having lunch with her in their coffee bar several times a week. Those were bright spots in my day and special, I think, for both of us. We solved all the problems of the world over countless burgers, or salads, depending on whether one of us was dieting. One April morning Mary called me.

            "Hey girl, you coming by for lunch today?"

            "Maybe. I have an appointment that could take a while."

            "Take your time, I’ll wait. I have an idea I want to discuss with you."

            No sooner had I sat down than Mary said, "You all need more help with Cross Roads."

            "No, you really think so?" My sarcasm only made her smile.

Her blue eyes glowed with excitement...

 Mary Stevens (singing)

ONE Fan Short of 200!   HELP!!!!

Pat clued me in last night that some of you may not know HOW to ask your friends to become Fans.  Just go to the Stand At The Cross Roads Fan Page.  Under the photo is a link titled - Suggest To Friends - click on it - Your friends will pop up - you invite them by clicking on their photos. If all 199 of you will just do that IT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL! Thank each of you for your tremendous support. Please don't stop now! It is my prayer that Christ will work through this book to touch and change many lives. Please continue praying as this book blossoms into the full potential that God has in store for it! 

The Year of Grace

Excerpt Chapter 19 – Stand At The Cross Road: March, April, and May are crucial months for a retreat camp. They promise the best weather for outdoor activities, and the natural surroundings abound with the wonderment of new life.

            Our spring at Cross Roads was packed with so much commotion that it passed in a hectic blur. No kitchen at the camp, meant that every weekend both our homes were invaded by three or four people busily cooking three meals a day plus snacks, which we would then load into my suburban and haul down to hungry campers.

            And it was fun. When I was younger, I didn’t want people dropping in on me because my house might not be perfect. I was too insecure to be a particularly social person, so I didn’t have much company. Cross Roads changed all that. Cooking meals together was a joyfully communal endeavor, with Carol in charge bossing us around. I loved it.

                                          Carol Moreland    Melissa Dunn     Debbie Batts

ALL GLORY TO GOD! This is His story, please help me get it published  We are SO close just 3 Fans away...Re-posting this on your Facebook page AND asking your friends to become fans will help reach the goal of 200 Fans.  Remember, publishers look for a minimum of 200 fans to indicate a potential market for a book.  ... This is a story of how He still works today in and through individual lives. It is ultimately a story of the healing, hope and purpose available to everyone.

The Cross Walk

Excerpt from Chapter 18 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Unknown to the campers, people had been gathering at my house all morning, getting into costume and practicing their lines. Scott was nervous and uncomfortable about the enormous responsibility of portraying Jesus. He was determined not to put any words in Jesus’ mouth, to stick strictly with scripture whenever he spoke.

            Appearing at the top of the hill in costume, Scott started the Living History "Walk with Jesus" by beckoning to the campers.

            "Come, follow me," he called, and they ran to join him.

197 Fans  

Three more to go for the minimum needed to show publishers the book has a following!  

I KNOW you've got three more friends that would LOVE to become FANS!!!! 

Winter Rains

Happy St. Patick's Day!  

We're up to 191 Fans!!! 

THANK YOU!

Excerpt from Chapter 17 – Stand At The Cross Roads: Meanwhile, our little family continued suffering from too much togetherness. Four people in a space the size of a small apartment were often three too many. When we moved there from the rental house in Chriesman, I'd put all my furniture in storage, except for my bed. Scott and Jennifer’s furniture was wall-to-wall in our tiny living area. Even our clothes were crowded, because houses built back then had no closets.

            So we were popping out at the seams. As we continued with the mountainous repair work our pet goats, Dave and Judy, poked their heads up through the floorboards to watch. The tensions grew as the house seemed to get smaller by the day. 

Busy Hands, Busy Minds

Excerpt from Chapter 16 – Stand At The Cross Roads: For two months I was a basket case, anxiously waiting for the church to notify the winning bidder. Fortunately, with our frenetic schedule, I actually had little time to fret. We were determined to finish the cabins for overnight campers by spring.

            My friend, Mary, hosted a jumbo garage sale in the Baker Exploration parking lot in College Station, where she worked. She collected items from all over the Brazos Valley. Her garage sale raised $1,200, and after other folks chipped in with monetary donations, we finally had enough money to finish out the cabins and ready the camp for overnight retreats.

             Over the next two months we scheduled several volunteer workdays. Scott’s grand father, Jerell Fromme, helped with wiring. Vickie Novosad, her daughter Jennifer, and Brady Rockett from my church, Carol and her boys, friends Mike and Debbie Batts, my cousin, Mark Hellums, drove out from Austin to help, Jim and Kay Smith from Bryan and many others came to pitch in. Together, we stapled rolls of insulation between the two-by-fours in the walls and ceiling, cut and nailed sheet rock over it, then taped, floated, textured and painted. 

At long last the cabins were done!

          Brady Rockett                                                                                             Jennifer Novosad  

14 more FANS and we reach 200!