Walking Humbly

 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~Micah 6:8

The Monday following our apple orchard adventure, we again meet up with Dominic for lunch, and then embark on a journey to Amish/Mennonite country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, about a 30-minute drive from Reading.  We encounter lots of twisty backroads and enjoy the views of sprawling farms and impressive homesteads.  I had somehow never envisioned Pennsylvania as a rural state, but it truly is once you leave the confines of the major cities.

I've always had a fascination for the Amish people, and their close cousins, the Mennonites; I couldn't let our visit to Pennsylvania go without entering into and observing their way of life up close.  Here are some absolutely amazing photos that Danny miraculously captured while sitting in the passenger seat of Dominic's car.  Enjoy!

We are blessed and privileged to enjoy this glimpse into times gone by, before the mechanization and modernization of society.  I read so many blogs/books today where people tout a return to simpler times, when uncluttered minds could more readily focus on God, trusting Him in every facet of our lives.  In both the Amish and Mennonite communities, that closeness is the most cherished and upheld gift that God could ever bestow.  It isn't just a way of thinking, it's a way of life.

In our brief visit to the Amish Village gift store, I spy a book that I know immediately I need to read.

You can order the book for yourself here, and I highly recommend it to all my fellow bloggers.  I learned so much I didn't know, including the fact that this community has three favorite Bible verses, the first one being Micah 6:8.  Coincidently, that is my own life verse!  How it resonates with me!

Understanding how and why the "simple" folk live and work the way they do just might inspire you to find ways to simplify your own walk with the Lord.

Amen!

Plentiful Harvest

 

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." ~Matthew 9:37

The next two days are relatively uneventful, although we make it to our hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania, on Friday afternoon.  We settle into our hotel room, planning to visit with Danny's brother, Dominic, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Saturday, we just hang out at Dominic's house, catch up on all the news, and have dinner together.  But the next day, Dominic picks us up at the hotel early, and drives us to a beautiful apple orchard/farm.  Once there, we meet up with his son, who is also named Dominic, his wife, Heather, and their five-year-old son, Vito.

Vito sitting in the pumpkin patch!

Heather is in the red sweatshirt.  Her cousin, Peter, is toting the pumpkin wagon behind his wife.  Vito and his cousin, Cat, are holding hands.  If you look to the left in the distance, that's me talking with Dominic, the younger.

The two Dominics!

Three generations

The race is on!

We're going to order a pizza.  It tasted great!

While Vito plays in the hay maze . . .

And here I am with my bag of apples.

Before we know it, it's time to pack up the cars and head over to Dominic's and Heather's home for an afternoon visit and a lovely supper of chicken pot pie in the evening.  Vito has to give his cousin a parting hug. :)

It has certainly been a tremendous day filled with fun, family and new friends.  It made both Danny and I wish, not for the last time, that our family members didn't live so far away . . .

Amen!

A Bridge NOT Too Far

 

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. ~Psalm 37:23-24

We don't travel very far the next morning before we find ourselves crossing a man-made wonder:  The New River Gorge Bridge!

I don't tolerate heights well, but I'm so glad the bridge is wide enough as to not permit a look at the rushing river below!  Before we know it, we're turning right into the New River Gorge National Park, where we are able to walk a short trail to capture the photos of the bridge with the brilliant fall colors.

The steel, high-arched bridge took three years to complete and is truly an architectural marvel!  It amazes me that God gave some people analytic minds to be able to design and execute such structures.  Once this bridge was completed, it shortened the travel time on this route from 40 minutes to one minute!

And, what's going on here?  West Virginia closes the bridge once a year on its "birthday" to allow for pedestrian activities; lots of vendors and events are featured, and as you can see from the above photo, thousands join in the festivities.  We note, too, that we will, fortunately, miss this holiday as it is two days from the day we are there.  That would have certainly put a chink in our travel time!

What a stunning and humbling place this is to visit; Danny and I are both glad we took the time to stop and drink in even more beauty as our journey to Dominic's continues.

Amen!

The Real Journey Begins!

 

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. ~Deuteronomy 31:8

After we depart Knoxville, we begin the first long leg of our trip to Pennsylvania where Danny's brother, Dominic, lives.  It's a route that Danny has meticulously planned, from the daily miles driven to the hotels where we will stay in the evenings.  His limit (he does all the driving) for one day's distance is around 200 miles.  For some of my pedal to the metal friends, this may seem way too conservative a goal.  But what's wrong with taking one's time if it means we'll be treated to some great autumn scenery?

So, what's our next destination?  Beckley, West Virginia!  I'm inordinately excited, because West Virginia is one state I've never traveled to or through.  I can't wait to discover different sites and vistas, but there is a part of me, too, that is a bit apprehensive about traversing unfamiliar territory.  Each day, I ask the Lord to go with us and give us safe travels, and I'm definitely grateful for Danny's detailed mapping of our journey.  But I do think God delights in the element of surprise, the unexpected that awakens us anew to His glory and presence.

And just the mountains of West Virginia themselves are enough to evoke awe and wonder.

And we are most definitely surprised by the tunnels that allow us to drive right through them.  Wow!

Once in Beckley, we stay the night at a Country Inns and Suites by Radisson.

After a good night's sleep and breakfast in the morning, we are off to our next stop:  Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.  The next segment of our journey will bring us that much closer to Dominic's home in Reading.

And we definitely come upon a most unexpected wonder . . .

Stay tuned!

Amen!

God is With Us

 

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence? ~Psalm 139:7

No matter where we go in our lives, God goes with us.  His desire is to keep us close to Him, known, treasured and loved at all times.  Nothing drives this fact home to me more than the events on the recent multi-state trip Danny and I take in October.  Everywhere we looked, every place we visited, presented gorgeous fall scenes like the photo above.  Wow!  God's artistry is breathtaking!

In my previous post, I couldn't be frank about our plans; it made Danny nervous to announce that we would be absent from our home for 16 long days.  I'm sure you all understand that if any news leaked about the trip, our home's safety could be in jeopardy, as there are, unfortunately, any number of miscreants out there, more than eager to prey upon law-abiding citizens.  Is there anyone else out there who is hoping for change in the political winds on November 8?

Danny and I depart Kennesaw on October 11 to embark on a multi-state tour to reconnect with family.  Never before have we attempted to travel so far in one vacation.  The round trip covered a whopping 1900 miles!  

Our first stop is Knoxville, Tennessee, where we spend the afternoon and evening with my son, Daniel, and his lovely fiance, Heather.  It is a real treat to reconnect with Daniel and to get better acquainted with our future daughter-in-law.  Heather is one gem of a young lady, and I let her know, on no uncertain terms, how pleased we are that she accepted Daniel's proposal.  What a delightful addition to our family she will be!

We've known from the beginning that neither Heather nor Daniel desires a large wedding; just a simple exchange of vows at the courthouse will do.  Yet, as of October 11, no date has been set.  So, imagine our complete surprise when Daniel calls the next week to announce they have registered for a marriage license, and will tie the knot on October 27th!  Are we overjoyed?  You better believe it! 

And we know that through all their days together, God will go with them, blessing and keeping them in His love and grace.

Amen!

Find Rest

 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. ~Psalm 62:5

I can hear some of you now: "Didn't she just take a blogging break?  Why is she choosing to take another one so soon?  Is everything alright?"

Rest assured, my friends, everything is absolutely fine.  But it's October.  The weather is blissfully cool, and the air is vibrant, fresh and crisp.  After an interminably long and hot summer, where there wasn't a day when I didn't feel drained and defeated by the heat, I want to fully embrace this fall season with all the attention and celebration it deserves.

So, my plans are to spend as much time as possible outdoors, reveling in the autumn sights and unique colors.  Who knows?  Danny and I may take some day trips here and there to fully savor the delights of this season.

The long and short of it is, though, I want to devote my attention fully to immersing myself in this season of the year.  I won't be blogging for the next several weeks.  I will try to visit all of your blogs as I can, but please don't think I'm ignoring you if I don't leave comments.  I value each and every one of you, and will keep you in my prayers while I'm "gone."

May you all embrace the wonders that autumn brings, and welcome the rest God provides when we take time to reflect and pray, and give thanks for His continued blessings.

Amen!

Give God the Glory

 

There are different gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ~1 Corinthians 12:4

When we take our summer journey with Virginia to the mountains, after she has spent a relaxing, rejuvenating week with us at home, we are not surprised that she knows how to use the camera on her phone to record her memories.  Rest assured, her mom, Sarah, and dad, John, strictly limit her internet access, and that's a relief for us.  But she is more than welcome to practice her photography skills whenever the urge hits.  Danny and I are glad she shows an interest in it.

In previous blogs, I've praised Virginia's precocious artistic abilities.  As Paul writes to the Corinthians, we all have gifts, but we are to recognize that they are distributed by the same Spirit.  Although my aunt was a gifted artist, I didn't inherit her talent.  Yes, I was passable at drawing, and enjoyed doing it in my youth, but it wasn't one of my gifts.

My daughter, Sarah, amazingly shows artistic talent early on as did her husband, John.  It's no wonder, then, that Virginia is their natural beneficiary.

Here is the photo Virginia takes while we are at Big Sky Lodge in the Nantahala Mountains.

This is her painting half-complete.

And here (ta-da!) is the final product!

At the risk of sounding like a doting grandmother, I don't know how many 12-year-olds out there could do any better.  Virginia's eye for perspective and colors is way beyond her years and experience.  I'm thrilled that she is developing this extra-special gift from God!

And as a cherry tops a sundae, here are two other paintings she does recently - one of cat, Henry, without a background and after the background is added.

Just wow and just wow again!

Thank you for indulging me is this post full of praise for Virginia, but I can't help but celebrate as I see her using her God-given talents to give Him the glory.

Amen!