Saturday, September 17, 2016

The chapel in its morning beauty when we arrived about 9:30 am.

We are at the same motel (LaQuinta) as Doug and Ellen Kraus, so they are driving us to and from our activities. That way we can let the truck at the truck stop. They drove here from Florida.

We are also enjoying spending time with Brenda and Dwayne Johnson from Michigan.

Cerwin, Dennis, and David preparing for the open house/dedication.

Todd, Cynthia, Dennis, Paul, and David making sure there will be cold water.

Chaplain Don telling one of his stories as we wait for the open house to begin.

Don’s wife Barbara showing a picture to Dwayne, Brenda, and Cerwin. It may have been the cute picture their daughter sent from Israel. She has an outside dish for the neighborhood cats. The other morning there was a hedgehog at the dish with the cats. 🙂

David Parish putting up some attention-getting decorations.

Dennis Parish’s mother-in-law and Dwayne.

Todd Jordan, from a local cowboy church, sang a few gospel songs.

Many people enjoyed the comfort of the chapel as it was incredibly hot and humid outside.

A trucker stopped in to talk to Chaplain Don. They went to the living quarters where it was quiet.

This oversized load at the fuel island got our attention.

His load was one, very long windmill propeller.

As we watched him turn around in the truck stop, I though of the song, “Give Me Forty Acres So I Can Turn This Rig Around.”

I expect his pilot car had to ask a few drivers to move their trucks.

We gave him a thumbs up as he passed us.

The official dedication service began at 12:45 with the presentation of a plaque to Paul and Cynthia Klein for their part in making this chapel happen. Pastor Dennis Parrish reading the plaque.

The dedication was held inside the chapel due to the heat and humidity outside.

There were 31 people inside the chapel. David Parrish through there were about 53 people who came to the open house and dedication. Some came early and did not stay for the service.

There was another plaque for the chapel.

Doug Kraus, TFC Director of Location Development, led the dedication of the chapel by reading about the dedication of the temple in the Old Testament.

Laying hands on the chapel during the prayer of dedication.

Then we enjoyed an afternoon of fellowship – Don, Dwayne, and Doug.

The musician, Todd, saw a trucker friend in the lot and brought him inside, and a woman hitchhiker came looking for help. It was obvious that she has many “demons” and needs to surrender her life to Christ.

Ellen Kraus and Brenda Johnson

Paul Klein and Dennis Parrish

I feel like I gained several new friends this weekend and these are two of them – Barbara DeSimone and Cynthia Klein.

The front counter added to the open house atmosphere.

Many of the visitors received coffee cups.

By the middle of the afternoon some of us were hungry and went to Culver’s for a late lunch/early supper.

This cute critter scampered up the wall as we approached our motel this evening.

As I post this, the sun has sent outside our motel room and the New Caney chapel is ready for service to the Lord.

It has been a blessed few days in New Caney, and we look forward to worshiping with many of our friends tomorrow.