OFF TO THE BEACH

Not much between here and there except we are getting ready to go on vacation and I'm excited!!! Leaving tomorrow for Hilton Head for a whole week and also get to be with Bethany and Brian which is what I'm most excited about. Haven't seen her in a long time and we have lot's of things planned for the weekend. Hope and pray that the weather holds out. So far it looks like we're OK but you never know with these storms in the forecast. Even so, we will do lots of laughing eating,games,cards,movies and of course be watching the big ASU/LSU game on Sunday, God willing. Eli and Jill will be front and center so please God either still the waters or give all people involved in the path of fury time to make appropriate arrangements. I don't know if it's me in my constant concern for everyone or the world is spinning at a faster speed these days but it seems there is always something brewing that spells disaster. Our faith should be the anchor that keeps us steady even when the boat is rocking so I keep that in mind as we all move in different directions. Keep us all safe Lord under your wing of protection. Packing the car up and off we go!!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Three things there are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not comprehend,
The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid
.
proverbs 30:18-19


Today is our anniversary and so a good time to reflect on marriage and the tapestry that is being woven these past 38 yrs. It's a good thing every once in awhile to reflect. Maybe every year on the eve of 365 days of hanging on for dear life, I'll remember to take a moment and take stock of what's gone down. It can be my little ritual.

I think I just recently started to understand how complex and deep this marriage business is and what God had in mind when He said, "It's not good for man to be alone." I moved into that position at a very young age, so there has not been much time spent without my soul mate. I've always known marriage is not about the joining of two people so much as the two people becoming one but it sure has taken me a long time to totally comprehend that revelation. The past few months it started to sink in and latched on like never before. Maybe the reflection is coming on strong because we are approaching the wedding of Eli and Jill and as they begin this marriage journey, you so want to pass on any nuggets you have learned if only to warn of upcoming pitfalls; kind of like blinking your lights to oncoming cars to warn of a speed trap. I'm always very grateful of that but then I shouldn't be speeding in the first place. But we do speed and we do make mistakes and I know that that is a part of the process. While I groan, God builds. I’ve found that keeping the adventure and excitement is an important part of our relationship. Life can get a little boring at times. Same old same old so I think we are going to to something daring today and go canoe the New. We've had many wonderful memories boating and tubing down the New River, it's truly a beautiful and fun way to spend an afternoon. In the past we have always gone with friends and family but today we'll go alone...just the two of us. There are some things I want to discuss with Ira about marriage and I feel like I'll have a captive audience as it takes about 3 hrs. from start to finish. The main thing I want to share on this most hallowed day is that I see so clearly now that the relationship between what's going on with Ira and I is very similar to what's going on in my relationship with the Lord, almost like a temperature gauge. I've been feeling a little distant lately with Ira, seems like the surface stuff gets priority and our connection time always comes last. I've been feeling that with the Lord as well. I know it's not Him that moved but nevertheless I feel it. Could it be that easy when He says "draw close to me and I will draw close to you". A big part of my floundering these days is this mid-life transition. Don't like it at all!!! Thirty eight years of non-stop activity, five wild and crazy kids, four of them boys (mothers of boys will sympathize), the insane life of owning a restaurant for 21 yrs., the real estate profession, two dogs that walked the walk with us and then all of a sudden one day.......silence. Kids gone, business sold, even the dogs died and here we are two aging...which isn't fun...old farts starring at each other saying, "now what???"

I realize that this hump is a necessary part of the relationship between God and man and with each other so I'm trying patiently to stop asking the age old question of "are we there yet??" too much. I have to remind myself that this is a journey with a beginning,a middle and an end. Middle can be good. Middle can be adventurous, middle can be exciting but middle can also be scary. I found this poem written on an old piece of parchment paper, tucked in a book in an antique store years ago and bought it for 50 cents. I had it framed and gave it to Ira last year on this day. We had a beautiful anniversary dinner surrounded by all the children at Dominic's in a private little gazebo with the sun setting into the mountains. It was the first time one of the children picked up the whole tab, which is a milestone. A beautiful witness of love and relationships and the reward in my eyes of faith and perseverance . It sums up the long journey and says in short, the person we love is inevitably a cross, as well as being a helper in the carrying of the cross. We journey on together with no map and that can by frustrating at times. I want to know where I'm going, darn it!! God just whispers in my ear.....trust me, you're going to like it. I've given you on earth, a friend, a buddy,someone to make you laugh, someone to comfort you, someone to protect you, someone who will stick with you through thick and thin, someone to share the joy of the journey with, someone to love on this earth and then.....who knows when that time will come......I'll take over from that point on. Pretty good deal.

I am very blessed


TOGETHER STILL

IT HASN'T BEEN EASY TO MAKE THE CLIMB,
BUT THE WAY WAS EASED BY YOUR HAND IN MINE.

LIKE THE MOUNTAINS, OUR LIFE HAS HAD RIPPLES TOO,
ILL-HEALTH,AND WORRIES, AND PAYMENTS DUE,
WITH HAPPY PAUSES ALONG THE WAY,
A GRADUATION, A RAISE IN PAY.

AT THE FOOT OF THE SLOPE, WE WILL STOP AND REST,
LOOK BACK, IF YOU WISH, WE'VE BEEN TRULY BLESSED,
WE'VE BEEN SPARED THE GRIEF OF BEING TORN APART
BY DEATH OR DIVORCE OR A BROKEN HEART.

THE VIEW AHEAD IS ONE OF THE BEST,
JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AND THEN WE CAN REST.

SUMMER DINNER ON THE FARM

Got together with some old friends last night. Beautiful evening spent laughing and eating way to much. We're always amazed to see all the progress that Steve and Lisa make on their property from month to month. We had a great time catching up. Tomorrow we're off to Atlanta for a few days for some car shopping. Hope we don't get caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Faye. We might be able to get in and out before the bad weather creeps north. You never know what to expect these days. The only thing I know for sure is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) My comfort is in knowing that I've surrendered to the fact that God has a plan for me and I only pray that He will keep our journey filled with adventure and a happy heart. Our friendships make the journey so much more fun. We really celebrated each other last night.

THE MATCHLESS DISCOVERY

Each individual will make a matchless discovery. He will be able to cease from constantly scrutinizing the other person, judging him, condemning him, putting him in his particular place where he can gain ascendancy over him and thus doing violence to him as a person. Now he can allow the brother to exist as a completely free person, as God made him to be. His view expands and, to his amazement, for the first time he sees, shining within his brethren, the richness of God's creative glory. God did not make this person as I would have made him. He did not give him to me as a brother for me to dominate and control, but in order that I might find within him the Creator. Now the other person, in the freedom with which he was created, becomes the occasion of joy, whereas before he was only a nuisance and an affliction.

God does not will that I should fashion the other person according to the image that seems good to me, that is, in my own image; rather in his very freedom from me God made this person in His image. I can never know beforehand how God's image should appear in others. That image always manifests a completely new and unique form that comes solely form God's free and sovereign creation. To me the sight may seem strange, even ungodly. But God creates every man in the likeness of His Son, the Crucified. After all, even that image certainly looked strange and ungodly to me before I grasped it.

Strong and weak, wise and foolish, gifted or ungifted, pious or impious, the diverse individuals in the community are no longer incentives for talking and judging and condemning, and thus excuses for self-justification. They are rather cause for rejoicing in one another and serving one another.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together

GO U.S.A.!!!!

Why is it so hard to find the time to be consistent with this blog. I have good intentions every day to write a little something and then it always gets pushed down to the bottom of the list. This fabulous weather isn't helping. Here in the N.C. mountains we have been getting a touch of fall which feels so great. It actually was in the high 40's last night. For some reason I couldn't sleep and was up at 3:30 watching the Olympics which have been so fun to watch. The opening ceremonies were like none I've ever seen and given me such awe and appreciation for the Chinese people. I mean the words talent and creativity don't come close to describing their gifts. Got this picture off the Internet at a site called Boston.com which have some fabulous photo's of the ceremony





I wish I had my camera handy last night to capture the expression on this big raccoon that decided to pay me a visit at 4am. He climbed way up to my porch and was looking for who knows what. Didn't find much except my pineapple plant that he was ready to pull off the table until I rapped on the window and he bolted. Before that he came right up to the glass door and just stared at me. Didn't seem a bit afraid though my hair was standing up on the back of my neck. It's funny how freaked out we get with wild animals from the smallest little bee to the larger variety.

Well I'm off to a picnic with my husband and three of the boys. Beautiful night so we're going to cook out at Price Lake which is so convieniently located around the corner. Hope to get some new pictures. Haven't taken any in so long. Josh and Gabe both just got new guitars and I'm anxious to hear some of their new music. I'm going to be better at this blog thing...promise.