Wherever We Go

 

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:9

It's been a long time coming, but my husband, Danny, and I are about to embark on our longest road trip ever in all the years we've been married.  The purpose?  To spend Thanksgiving with daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and the three grand grands!

Ever since Danny's last heart procedure, we have disavowed expressways altogether.  We'd rather ride the calmer roads less taken, discovering new sights and adventures along the way.  That's why we are leaving so early, this Monday to be exact, and will make the most of our leisurely journey to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Our first stop?  The Ridges Resort in Young Harris, Georgia.

Isn't it a lovely place?  We will arrive there by mid-afternoon on Monday, so should be able to roam the extensive grounds and enjoy our one night stay.

On Tuesday, we'll head up to a cozy cabin in NC called End of the Road.

We will spend several days there before resuming our trip northward.  We plan to visit a local waterfall and, perhaps, a winery in the immediate area.

Friday, it's on to Raleigh!  Look at this amazing Air BnB Danny's booked.

This space will allow us to entertain the family there, if we choose, and Virginia, our oldest granddaughter, will be able to spend all the nights she wants with us as the house has a second bedroom.

All that being said, this blog will be my last until the first week in December, as we plan to once more take our time going home when Thanksgiving is over.  I hope you all will forgive me in advance if I don't indulge in reading/commenting on your blogs while I am out of town.  I promise, I'll take plenty of photos, and will have lots of stories to share with you upon my return.

We are praying for safe travels, knowing our God is with us wherever we go.  I humbly as for your prayers, too.

Wishing you and yours a most Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

Amen!

Coloring Life With Joy

 

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them.  When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." ~Luke 18:15-17

My daughter, Sarah, sends me this photo of our youngest granddaughter, Alexandra, with the explanation:  "Alexandra is lining up the leaves she collected on her way back from the bus stop."

I love this colorful arrangement she has made, seemingly on the spur of the moment, and then I stop and think.  When Alexandra is only four, the family moves to Conway, South Carolina.  There aren't many deciduous trees in that locale, so she would not have seen the brilliant colors that autumn has to offer in so many places in our country.  And she is too young to have vivid memories of living in North Georgia.

Now, in Raleigh, North Carolina, this is a brand-new encounter and delight to Alexandra's palate of life's experiences.  She is seeing the splendor of these leaves rich colors for the first time.  Her reaction?  She needs to pay homage.

Such beauty and elegance can't casually be passed by, but must be cherished and honored in a formal recognition deserving of every fallen leaf.  And I'm reminded of how we, as adults, place flowers, or other meaningful memorials, on the graves of our loved ones.

Alexandra, whether she is aware of it or not, is honoring God and His creation.  She has taken note of the loveliness all around her, and has tried her best to imitate that in order to align with her six-year-old perceptions.  Innocent and free, she has no notions of grandeur, only pleasure in the act itself.

May we all come to the Father as little children, expectant, loving and giving, secure in the knowledge that He will color our lives with joy.

Amen!

Blessed Beyond Measure

 

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~James 5:16

I have my long-planned gum surgery this past Monday.  It is not the procedure that concerns me, but the fear that I will be plagued by pain for days after.  That's precisely why I ask you at the time, my friends, for prayers and for understanding why I opt to take a brief blogging break.

Before the appointment, I follow the dental surgeon's instructions:  Start your antibiotics the day before; eat a hearty meal as close to the time of surgery as possible, and take the prescribed pain reliever.  Check, check, check!  My husband, Danny, drives me to the office and drops me off as the surgery is estimated to last about two hours.  I'm a bit nervous, but once the nitrous oxide does its thing, I can begin to relax.

Believe it or not, the time flies by as the periodontist and her assistant get right to work.  Of course, I feel nothing because of the Novocain, but I still can't stop thinking about how my jaw will feel once that dosage wears off.

I'm anticipating the worst . . . 

But the worst never materializes.

Instead of searing pain, there is only a residual soreness, not enough to warrant any further medication to alleviate it.  I'm over-the-moon ecstatic!

And I can't stop thanking and praising God.  He has answered my prayers and the prayers of so many of you out there in Blogland.  After all the dire warnings regarding this surgery's aftermath, this is, indeed, a miracle.

Are there any other issues that could bug me for the 10 days until my routine follow-up?  Sure!  No hot beverages (thank you, Lord, for iced coffee!), only soft foods (think cottage cheese and smoothies), and no chewing or brushing on the stitched side of my mouth.  But these are minor inconveniences that pale in light of the fear of pain I dread for so many weeks.

That is one thorn God has most graciously removed.

And I am blessed beyond measure.

Amen!