Monday, November 8, 2010

The Fall, and other thoughts.....

We had a wonderful vacation. I was gone three weeks, and loved every minute of it!! Even when our van wouldn't start and we had to get a new fuel pump. God is so good...the van broke down in front of Cracker Barrel!! We had a four hour delay during that part of our trip, but I figure it was so we could meet Chris, who was having chest pains. We prayed for him...he ended up going to the hospital. I believe in divine intervention, and Chris needed prayer.

I absolutely loved my week at Colonial Williamsburg. On the way we stopped in Holmes County Ohio...an Amish area....delicious food, lots of shopping available. Spent three hours there before heading on to Morgantown, WV...our stop for the first night. The next day we toured George Washington's Mount Vernon before arriving in Williamsburg. While in that area, we spent a day at Jamestown, three days at Colonial Williamsburg, one day at Virginia Beach, and lots of shopping in between. It was a unique area...very interesting. Now that I am back, I am reading a book about the historic area and it makes me want to go back. Thank you, Mr. John Rockefeller, Jr. for restoring Williamsburg to its glory days. I would like to take my granddaughters there some day, when they know their history a little better. Had a great time on this trip with my girlfriends though...first girlfriend getaway in a long time, and I'd do that again in a heartbeat.

We only had 2 1/2 days at Myrtle Beach...far too short to enjoy the relaxing setting of our resort on the Atlantic Ocean. I did walk the beach front one afternoon, between Gaither Fest concerts at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. We also spent time at Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing. We had to cut our time short there to head on to Nazarene Camping Assn. annual conference in Tishomingo, OK.

Camp Bond, Tishomingo, OK, was a great place to meet up with our Nazarene camp director friends. We go to a different camp each year. It would not be my choice to live in Oklahoma, but for a short visit, it was okay. That camp uses goats to "mow" their grass. We were right in the middle of red-neck country there...even went to an old make-believe wild west town. I was ready to ride out of town after a couple of days there...and that's when we headed to Albuquerque, NM.

That's also when we were delayed with our fuel pump problem. Once we were on the road again, we drove through the cotton fields of Texas...harvesting season. Got into Albuquerque late at night, and had been told driving into the city was like looking at twinkling Christmas lights. It was a pretty sight...seen even better from atop the Sandia Mountain range. We rode a cable car up to the top and had supper at sunset. It was a treat to us by our son and his wife, and it was a very special time. We had three days with them, and hit the road running...covering the University of New Mexico (where our son is a grad student); Old Town Albuquerque, drove the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe (stopping to visit Paul's sister on top of a mountain along the way), and shopped and had lunch in the Plaza area of Santa Fe. I walked one of the trails on Sandia Mountain that my son and his wife like to hike. Didn't go far...didn't have much time. Attended Hope Evangelical Free Church while there. What a setting...right at the bottom of Sandia Mountain. We packed a lot in during our three days there.

Left there and drove to St. Louis, MO, stopping in Tulsa, OK for one night. Got to have supper with our son and granddaughters as we passed through St. Louis. From there we drove back to Michigan. We put on 5,000 miles in that 2-3 week span, and didn't have air conditioning in the van. I had my hair cut before leaving so it wouldn't blow in my face. That was a good decision.

Back in Michigan at the end of October we came home to face all the fallen leaves. The peak of the season had come and gone while we were out of town, and now it's time to clean-up. I was thinking how the beauty of the Fall Season comes in the changing colors of the leaves and the mild climates, sunny days. The down side of the season is a result of The Fall. If Adam had never sinned, we wouldn't be raking leaves and mulching leaves and all that goes with trying to keep the camp cleaned up and looking good during this season of the year.

Winter is just ahead. Shoveling snow is a lot harder than raking leaves!! But each season has its beauty, and that is where I plan to focus my attention. God is a marvelous Creator...He thought of everything for our pleasure. Thank you, Father, for each and every season and all that goes with it. I am grateful to be part of your creation. May I do my part in living a Holy life, having an Obedient will, a Pure heart, and Eternal values....thank you, Father, for HOPE!

No comments: