Weather Wednesday

Hello Wingers,

The older I get, the faster the week days seem to go by. It seemed like I just put together a Weather Wednesday report and it is time to do another. The weather here in Texas this week has been crazier than ever. 

Oh before I forget it, I saw my first Cardinal recently, but still looking for my first Robin. Maybe the Robins just up and left town and didn't say good bye. We have a couple of Wrens building a nest out on the patio, in a hanging lighthouse birdhouse. Waiting on the 50-75 ducks and geese to return. They stay here at the lake, and then "poop" everywhere!!! You can walk up to them and hand feed them, if you want to - I'll just throw the bread to them!!!

I just talked to a friend of mine who lives in Altoona, Iowa. Mary and I are going to visit him and his wife the first part of May. I asked him about the weather and he told me that he has two sets of clothes out right now winter/summer, and he told me just bring a few of each and we won't be wrong.

I expect you fishermen are getting your rods and reels out and getting them oiled and cleaned up. I never graduated from a cane pole and bobber, so I get my fish at the grocery store, that way I always catch what I want to eat. I'll be glad when the farmer's markets open up, so I can get some fresh vegetable - no I don't do or ever did a garden.

I hope you have a great week.

Paul

The Chaplain's Corner

Friends, I would like to  take this opportunity to convey a few

words of thought to you, and become reaquainted  with the group

that God led me to organize over three years  ago.

     Although I made the choice  to withdraw a few years ago due

to personal reasons God has brought me back to  it.  Chappy asked

me several times in the past to return, and do my  part.  Upon careful

consideration and prayer the decision for me to  return as your

temporary Chaplain came about.

     Many of you remember back  in the days at CSAFB, Oklahoma I

was not a model christian.  I knew God and had  accepted HIM back

in my younger years, but as time went on I drifted  away.  It was not

until after the birth of my oldest son that I made  the choice to start

attending base chapel on Sunday.  In that  capacity I was not all that

active, but as the years went quickly by, I would  attend church on

occasions, but I knew something was definitely  missing in my

spiritual life.

     This went of for years, I  tried different donominations but kept

leaning toward the pentecostal faith I knew as a  small boy.  All those

years I kept relying on my earlier teachings and  what I learned in a

little old country church near Snook,Texas.  I  accepted Jesus Christ

before I was a teenager, and at about the age of  thirteen I was called

to minister the gospel.

     As we know....Satan can  plague us with doubt and fear "if "  we

let him.  He worked on me ...whispering to me  that I didn't know

enough, that at the time I had a speech problem and  would not make

a successful minister.  Instead of standing on  the word of God I

drifted away and chose not to preach.  After a  failed marriage, I

stopped attending church, and blamed God for all  the misfortune in

my life.  All the while I still knew what was  missing.  As we grow older

we become wiser, and at the same time God never  gave up on me.

     There were many nights I  would wake up in the middle of the night

from a deep sleep, with my heart pounding and in a  cold sweat.  I

begin to have dreams of death and the one thing  that really stood out...

I knew I was not prepared for eternity.  To  make a long story short one

night I cried out to God in my lonely bedroom and I  told him that I was

sorry for running away and for all the things I  have done over the years,

and I asked HIM to take me back into HIS fold if HE  would still have me.

For the first time in many years a "calmness and  serenity" enveloped me.

He gave me peace, and I knew I was a child of God  again.

     I started searching for a  good Bible based church, and I found it once

I retired from law enforcement and returned home to  the area I grew up.

Yes, you probably guessed it....one Sunday morning  I attended services

at the little old Assembly of God Church at  Snook,Texas and they haven't

managed to get rid of me since.

     I became active in many  faucets of this church to include leading the

boys Royal Rangers which is a lot like the Boy  Scouts, except its geared

toward worshipping God.

     Once again God got hold of  me in my bedroom one night....during my

devotional time, and HE reminded me of a few  things.   First, that I had

left HIM, that HE never left me.  Also, that  HE protected me all those years

as a law enforcement officer, but now....I have  returned home where it all

started.  Now HE wanted me to finish the job,  to work for HIM and bring

other souls to Christ.  I have accepted the  challenge this time and told

Satan I belong to God, and would work the remainder  of my life to win

other souls.  I am a layman minister, and  someday even at this old age,

hope to enter the fulltime realm ministering the  gospel to those in need.

     This late in life God has  made me realize that HE has brought me

through many things.  He also, has brought to  my attention that I still

have a job to do that was left unfinished.   That job is to serve HIM and

minister HIS word.  Our time is short, and  Jesus Christ is coming soon.

I welcome this challenge of being your chaplain for  as long as God

allows it.  I have a wonderful wife who  supports my ministry and we plan

on living the rest of our lives doing God's  will.  I hope that we will get

around to meeting all of you soon, and I have  agreed to start writing a

devotional column for the newsletter from time to  time.  There is so much

more to tell you, but due to limited space we may  have to continue in

segments.  I hope you will enjoy the articles  prepared for your reading

pleasure.  If Doris and I can be of assistance  to you in any way please

do not hesitate to contact us.   May God  bless each and everyone of you.

                                                Tom Lewis

Prayer Request

Please remember Larrie Caldwell in your thoughts and prayers.

**Reunion Update**

We have a great rate at The Days Inn Motel in Dumas, Arkansas of $82.00 per night, plus tax.

Make your reservations directly with the hotel by calling 870-382-4449.

When making your reservation, please mention Clinton-Sherman Reunion.

We will meet on Friday night at the American Legion Building for our meet and greet.

Tasty Tuesday

Potato Salad - Homemade

4 large baking potatoes

1/4 of a small onion, chopped

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Hellmann’s Brand mayonnaise

4 oz. Vlasic Brand sweet relish

Paprika

Boil the potatoes until they are tender.

Boil the eggs over medium heat until hard boiled.

Allow potatoes and eggs to cool. Then peel. Chop potatoes into 1-inch cubes and eggs into ½’ pieces

Chop the onion into very fine pieces

Stir all the ingredients together, except the paprika.

After all ingredients are well mixed, pour into a bowl. Add the paprika across the top. Store in the refrigerator over night and until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6.

Submitted by Paul Hickenbottom

Weather Wednesday

Click on the link below for an interesting twist on our usual Weather Wednesday.

Rain Made By People

Submitted by Paul Hickenbottom