A Disturbing Week of Events

We returned to Lewisville on April 10^th so Ron could meet with the elders on the 11^th.   We had a few nice days in the Lake Park. 

The weather was perfect and our walks around the park were nice.  This facility has a coin laundry so I caught up on my washing.  I have a small washer/dryer unit in the RV but it does not hold much.  I washed our accumulated sheets, towels and heavy jeans.   Usually, I cannot wash more than two small loads each time we park because the water will fill up our tank and we prefer not to have to dump until we leave the park each time. 

On Sunday, April 14^th, Ron flew to Houston to speak to a group of Chinese doctors and nurses interested in going on a medical mission to our new hospital in Wadian, Henan, China.  Barbara Scoggins from the church came to give me rides on Sunday.  I went out to lunch with her and Mary Burton. 

On Monday, we moved the RV to Pilot Knoll at Highland Village, about 5 miles further northwest.  
Ron left for China early Tuesday morning.  This is the location where I will stay alone for the time he’s in China.   He’s been gone three days and I have stayed busy.  Enough work has come in from China to keep me working about 7 hours each day.

The man going with Ron to China woke me up at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.  I didn’t go back to sleep.  I saw there was work coming in from China so I began working.  I took a break for lunch and then worked until 5 p.m.    Tuesday I ate my lunch outside on the picnic table but a troublesome Grackle (a Texas blackbird) fussed at me the entire time.  I shooed him away so he’d shut up but he just flew into a nearby tree and continued his fussing.  Later that afternoon, I took a walk around the park.   I noticed that every empty spot has a ‘reserved’ sign so I guess the park will be full by the weekend. 

Wednesday was another full day of work.   I got ready for Wednesday night Bible study and walked to the park gate where Curtis Hays and his family picked me up for Bible class.  Afterwards, we went to a restaurant for his daughter’s birthday.  They tried to get me to spend the night with them because storms were moving in but I decided to stay in the RV.  It’s so much trouble to go somewhere else and I needed to be back early today for my computer work.  

Storms rolled in about 4 a.m.  I gave up going back to sleep so I got up and made a pot of coffee and listened to the weather news.   I fell asleep on the couch about 5:30 and slept until 7.   The rain had moved through and it was quiet.  I was dreaming that I was at a restaurant and reached for my purse to pay for my meal and my purse was completely empty.  Someone had emptied it underneath my chair.  I was actually happy to wake up from this dream.

The temperature was about 75 degrees at 7 a.m. but by 10 a.m. it had dropped to 45 degrees.  It was cool all day (high about 53).  It will be 39 in some areas around us tonight.  This has been a crazy spring with 80 degrees one day and then 53 the next.   It will be in the 60’s tomorrow and in the 70’s by the weekend.  

This week has been sad because of the bombings at the Boston Marathon and the Fertilizer Plant explosion in West, Texas.    They report that the blast in West leveled houses and businesses over a five-block area must like a tornado tore through.   The number of deaths is not certain at this time.  Almost 200 are being treated at hospitals.  With so many people losing arms and legs and injuries from these tragedies this week, I could not help but think of this poem that I received from Ming Paul’s blog (a Chinese brother that lives in Vancouver, B.C.))

 THE WORLD IS MINE ...

Today, upon a bus,

I saw a very Beautiful Woman -

and wished I were as Beautiful.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle,
She had one leg and used a crutch -
But as she passed, she passed a smile.

Oh, GOD, forgive me
when I whine.
I have two Legs;
The world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.

The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I lingered, it'd do no harm...

And as I left, he said to me,

"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God, forgive me
when I whine.
I have two Eyes;
the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,

I saw a child I thought I knew.
He stood and watched the others play,
but did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and I said,

"Why don't you join them dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
I forgot, he Could Not Hear.

Oh, GOD, forgive me
when I whine.
I have two Ears;
the world is mine.
With Feet to take me
where I go..
With Eyes to See
the sunset's glow..
With Ears to Hear
what I know.

Oh, GOD, forgive me - when I whine.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED INDEED,
THE WORLD IS MINE.

 The Assistant District Attorney in Kaufman, TX was gunned down in a parking lot in January.  The District Attorney (and his wife) were murdered in cold blood in their home over the Easter weekend.   There was no forced entry and nothing was stolen so they knew it was someone they opened the door for and let in. 

This week, they arrested a former Justice of the Peace for making terrorist comments.  While he was in jail, they searched a storage unit that someone had rented for him and found the car that was spotted in the vicinity of the house at the time of the recent murders.  They also found 20 guns.  The J of the P had stated that he did not own any guns when questioned earlier.   The car was purchased in another name other than his. 

Yesterday morning, about 3 a.m. they went to his house and arrested his wife.  She’s not been seen out much in a long time.  She suffers with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.  When arrested, she spilled the story about how they plotted to kill the Assistant District Attorney and the District Attorney and his wife.  She apparently was involved in the plan and may have driven the car.  She said her husband actually did the shootings. 

While he served as a Justice of the Peace, he stole some computer monitors and was charged and tried by these attorneys.  He lost his job over this so he was seeking revenge.   There’s been a TV series on recently called REVENGE.   It is a terrible thing to hold grudges toward someone and even worse to act it out in a fit of revenge.  They may seek the death penalty for both him and his wife.  I wonder as they sit in jail if they really think it was worth it.   Did they really think they were smart enough to get away with it?   This hatred goes all the way back to Cain and Abel.   I am still amazed that anyone could actually take the life of another person.