Call to keep writing....

I just love how creation speaks to us if we only take a moment to stop and notice!  Just this week I noticed this stray flower that somehow managed to plant itself in the crack of the step up to our front door.  The silly thing is that we had these flowers in hanging baskets several feet away from this spot.  Somehow, in spite of the distance and the the unlikely self seeding of this plant, it has managed to find some "good soil" and sprout, grow and even flower!  The extra interesting thing about this is the fact that Ken treated all of these areas with grass/weed killer that should have made this impossible.  There is clearly no good explanation for this beauty. 

Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

Last weekend I was at a wonderful conference that filled up my spirit.  The worship was amazing, the speakers were intense, the fellowship was great.  There was one thing..... I totally lost my voice.  I had laryngitis - like totally no voice.  So I was not able to SING during that amazing worship.  And I chewed lots of cough drops during those intense sessions with those top speakers, and most of my fellowship with others was LISTENING to them!  But in the midst of those seemingly bad things, I heard a very clear word from the Lord to keep on writing.  As a matter of fact, one of the key speakers, Patricia King, actually spent two sessions talking about writing.  She called for all those who had felt called to write to stand and receive prayer.  It was just a further confirmation of something that I have been feeling for years.  

During the second session, Patricia talked about the use of the Internet to reach the nations.  Here you are, reading my blog.  I have spent the last five years writing this blog, and wondering why I have been doing so!  There have been 739 blogs written that have reached 176 countries (the last "new" country is simply called "unknown regions").  I have never understood exactly why people read my blog and more, why they come back over and over.  The only conclusion is that God has made this impossible thing, possible.  

And so I must believe that another "impossible" thing might actually be possible.  There is so much more to write and I have always felt that it was impossible.  You know the excuses.  There is not enough time.  I really don't know where to begin. I'm too old to begin something like this. Nothing will ever come of it.  Who would even care to read what I write?  Somehow, now, it feels possible.  

I came home and then saw this flower.  I studied my notes from the conference.  And I considered those impossible ideas that I have. It is time to put aside the excuses and begin.  I don't believe it is the end of this blog.  So I guess my new charge is to accomplish TWO seemingly impossible tasks!  

Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible"  Matthew 19:26

If there is anything that seems impossible in your life, know that Jesus is the God of the impossible.  Whatever it is, something you need, something that has to be accomplished,  if it feels like a task that you can not do, then it just might be God.  I encourage you to stop, pray and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit.  You might just join me in beginning that impossible task!  

Jesus, thank you for showing us who you are through creation.  Holy Spirit, keep us mindful of your presence with us and your power to accomplish your plans.  Give us all grace to see and know that even though our plans might not seem doable in our own strength, you are able.  

Home school reality.... the Truth

 Last week I snapped these three quick photos of Lia, Zeke and Ellie doing their home school work while Gwen and Anna were off at preschool.  There is so much reality in these photos!  First Lia...

Yes, this is pretty much how most 7th graders feel about school work.  Actually, she was not happy that I was taking her picture.  Most of her work is done independently with only a few subjects with mom.  I watched her go through her check list and complete each assignment.  

Ellie also does her work by herself.  She does have some of her work on the computer and while listening to her lessons, she usually does jigsaw puzzles.  I am amazed at how much she retains being able to listen while also keeping her hands busy.  On this day, I actually helped her find her new book to read (listen to) from the on line library and managed to get it set up for her.  I have to tell you this was a real accomplishment for me! 

Because Zeke is only in second grade, he needs a bit more help to complete his work.  So there were directions to explain and some sorting out of exactly which pages needed completion.  

Here is the "reality" of home school!  Zeke is doing his work on the floor.  Ellie is laying on the couch covered with a quilt.  Lia is sitting at the counter.  And this is just one day's reality..  The point is, they can be totally comfortable working at their own pace.  Lia pushes through her work and is often waiting for Ellie to finish her work, so that she can use the computer to do math.  Zeke has less work than his sisters and is glad for more play time.  I was thinking about all that happened during the four hours that Gwen and Anna were out of the house.  And I call this a win for home school. 

First of all, the kids were all up and dressed and had breakfast before Gwen left.  They all started their school work immediately (since nothing else happens until their school is done).  Zeke finished his work and then completed his chore for the day.  His job was to clean the loft and put away all the toys.  He then played for a good hour in his room.  Lia finished her school work and then cleaned the bathroom.  Ellie had to finish a book she was reading before the start of co-op the next day,  practiced piano and put away all of her "stuff" from downstairs. Lia helped me put away some of the folded laundry and we started new loads in the washer/dryer.  We all had lunch and cleaned up before Gwen and Anna got home.  During that time, I also got to have some eye-opening conversations with the kids.  

This week included one of those dates that will always cause you to stop and think.  It was September 11th.   The seventeenth anniversary of the destruction of the twin towers in New York, the plane crash in Pennsylvania, and the damage to the Pentagon.....the terrorist attacks on United States soil.  Given that Lia is 12, Ellie is 9 and Zeke is 7, I knew that they might not really have much information about the significance of the date.  Lia remembered hearing about the event during the past years.  Ellie and Zeke didn't know anything about it.  I gave some very general information about the attacks.  My thoughts were on all of the families who had been so effected by this tragedy.  Thankfully, we had no one close to us that was lost on that day.   I was thankful that our conversation about  9/11 took place at home.  

There are so many thoughts about home school versus public school.  This week brought me to yet another positive about home school for my family.  I am so thankful when hard topics come up, they can hear the truth from their family. 

I love that Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me".  Our culture can be very confusing.  There seems to be a lot of "facts" that just are NOT the truth.   I am so thankful that my children and grandchildren know WHO is the truth.  And that Jesus is the only truth you can always believe and trust.  There is so much in that one little Bible verse.  You could spend hours just meditating on that verse (which is John 14:16 by the way).  And this is just another reminder to me how blessed we are to have easy access to the TRUTH - to the Bible and to Jesus. This is a great place to be when you are remembering just how shaken we were, seventeen years ago, when we faced terrorism in our own land. 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me that you ARE the truth and you have left us with the Bible to lead and guide us.  Thank you for the freedom that we have here in the United States to educate our children freely and to have the Bible in our hands.  Holy Spirit, touch those that are still suffering from the effects of that attack seventeen years ago.  Give us all compassion for those that grieve.  Amen

All the stages of being a grandma....

There is just something so special and so amazing about being a grandma.  I never thought much about what an important stage of my life "grandma-ing" would be.  I loved that my mom was such an amazing grandma (and great grandma).  She just excelled at making each one of her grandchildren feel special and loved.  I do remember thinking that it would be difficult to fill her shoes as a grandma.  This sweet picture has me thinking about just how blessed I was when Lia made me a grandma twelve years ago!  Okay, Gwen and Tim did have something to do with it.  I will never forget the first time I held this precious child in my arms.  It was like holding a (very) tiny piece of heaven! Lately, this growing so quickly young lady, has taken her place in the "photography" line of the family. 

Ken recently set her up with a camera, an instruction book and a bit of hands on learning.  And she was off to the races.  She seems to always have that camera in her hands now!  Here is one of her first (and can I proudly say) very impressive shots of a sunset. and "her" dog (that she shares with the rest of us).....

The time watching her grow and change has just seemed to fly by.  Suddenly she is taking wonderful pictures, being a mother's helper and earning her own money and (gasp) talking about driving and going to college!  At least she will still consent to hugs from Grandma Lyn!

While Lia was off taking pictures, I had the pleasure of watching Ellie, Zeke and Anna playing at a splash pad. Seeing them run through the water, chasing bursts of cascading streams from pop up fountains had me wishing I was more than a few years younger!   

And watching Grace, growing from baby into a toddler, has seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly she is not only walking but running and climbing and even walking in these play "high heels"! 

This week, I was reading a new bunch of books to Grace that Susie had brought out from the book shelf in Grace's room.  Grace went back, over and over to this book.....

As a matter of fact, as she was turning the pages, I heard her say "Baby" and "Moon"!  So I took Grace on my lap and we read this book together.  It is a touching story that you have to read to appreciate.  By the time I got to the last page, I was in tears.  

Now, the book itself is enough to get you chocked up.  But it was the fact that this particular book has a handwritten note dated 2014 in the front cover.  This book was gifted to Doug and Susie at her baby shower before Lucas was born.  The note reads... "This is the start of your sweet little story.  No matter where your tale takes you, we hope it is filled with lots of  love!"    I can tell you that this grandma knows Lucas was celebrated in heaven the day he was born and his short life was filled with an amazing amount of love.  

And just as with Lia and Ellie and Zeke and Anna and Grace, I will never forgot the moment I held this sweet little one in my arms.  Lucas' story was very short.  Just ten days.  But those ten days were filled with so much love. Now Lucas is bathed in the amazing love of Jesus in heaven.  

 Each stage of "Grandma-ing" is just as precious as the next.  So much joy, so much laughter, so much fun and also, so many tears.  Every moment is meaningful and every hug is a gift.  Whether a newborn baby or a teenager or an adult- each grandchild is special and loved.  I truly believe that Jesus created a special connection between grandparents and grandchildren.  It is a spiritual tie and is theirs and theirs alone, that somehow passes by the parents.  I can't explain it, but I can assure you it is a real thing.  It is an access point to these little ones that allows extra prayers and extra love to just flow unhindered and God is in it.  I don't want to waste a moment of the time I have with my grandchildren!  It is a time to sow blessings and destiny and purpose into their lives.  Along with lots of hugs.  

Jesus, thank you for your great love for us.  Thank you for all of the stages of grand parenting.  Holy Spirit, remind us to look for those special connections between the generations.  Help us to celebrate each other no matter what stage of life we are in.  Give us courage and boldness to share our love with each other.  Thank you Jesus for your grace when grief and loss are a part of our family.  Amen

A family is many things.... beautiful together

Last weekend, Ken and I went with all of the kids and grand kids to a nearby water park.  We have made this a yearly event and it is always eagerly anticipated.  We took a bit of a risk this year because we planned the event for the last day this park was open for the season.  So we were ready to go - no matter what the weather forecast was!  It was a happy day with bright sun and warm temperatures.  All of us had a great time, in the pool, in the lazy river, under the sprinklers and/or on the tube slides.  We ended the day having dinner at one our all time favorite pizza places.  There is nothing better than making reservations for 11 people!  Other than some really tired kids and a bit of sunburn, we were a happy bunch. 

I was reflecting on the previous day together during my time with Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna on Monday.  While Gwen was tutoring (no rest for her over the summer. She takes on extra teaching!)
the kids and I walked to the nearby park.  It was actually so hot that all of the playground equipment was burning their hands, so we set about having a little scavenger hunt. 

This mash up of stuff was the result of their hunt for treasures around the park.  We have pine cones, bark from the trees, rocks, sticks, leaves, flowers, berries from a tree, and even clover.   Anna made a little bouquet with the flowers and berries and leaves wrapped in some of the bark.  It was not how we intended to spend the hour, but it was very enjoyable. 

As I was thinking about this picture of the collage of our park finds, the thought of the 11 of us around the table the day before came to my mind.  I know that this might seem like a real stretch, but let me explain.  All of these items were actually at home in the small park.  They were, indeed a type of family!  They had all been living together.  Each item, so different, yet connected to the others. 
Isn't that exactly what a family is?  Some of us share similar interests, others are very different.  Each person in our family is amazing and beautiful, some look similar to each other, but each is unique.  I love that I can see that unique characteristic in each of the kids.  Lia is a friend to all and a careful rule follower who is interested in photography.  Ellie is a powerhouse of creative energy who is always coloring or drawing.  Zeke is a dare devil who looks for a mountain (or a tree or something) to climb.  Anna is a confident and independent girl who can play by herself for hours.  Grace is happiest outside, loves all animals and has smiles for everyone.  Gwen is a passionate follower of Jesus, a leader who loves to teach, mentor and sing.  Tim is happiest with a project to complete and would help everyone if he could.  Susie has a passion for the environment and loves hiking and camping, Doug loves to fish and camp but also loves making music.  Ken has a passion for and a desire to share photography.  And my passion is sharing about my family and my faith through this blog and through scrapbooking.   This is just a small snapshot of the uniqueness of each person in my family.  And we do have so many overlapping interests and passions.  Both Susie and Gwen love photography (shared with Ken) and both of the girls also scrapbook with me.  All of the kids and grand kids love camping and often go camping together. Ken and I much prefer the "hotel" camping.  I am sure that each one of you could make this kind of a list for your family.  I just love how the plans of God are revealed all around us in nature.  Each of those items in our nature collage are interesting, but together they paint a beautiful picture.  That is the way families are.  Each member different and unique, yet together they paint a beautiful picture. 

Make this a day for your own family collage.  Think about each member and the things that make them unique.  Celebrate those things,  And then find the ways you all overlap and share interests.  Rejoice in the connections that are special in your family.  Take a few minutes and look around your neighborhood.  Find items to make your own collection of beauty.   Be thankful! 

I love to see the relationship between the members of my family as they grow and change over the years. I especially love those times when we are all together.  The smiles, the laughing, the joy and the celebration of just being a family are food for the soul.  So much to be thankful for in this blog.  For those smiling faces, for the beauty of nature. For all that makes us a family.

Jesus, thank you for revealing who you are through your creation.  Holy Spirit, give us eyes to see the unique beauty around us - in nature and in people.  Keep us open to those shared connections that help bind us together in your love.  Give us all space to create collages when we feel so far apart from those we should be closest to.  Thank you for loving each of us - just how you made us.  Amen

Even AFTER a vacation, a get-away is nice!

Last weekend, Ken and I spent a short get-away at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  Doug and Susie gifted us this time away in thanks for watching Grace while they took time away.  While totally unnecessary, it was so much appreciated.  Here we are, just a couple of weeks home from a big vacation.  Yet, this time away, close to home was really nice.  We had such a relaxing enjoyable time!

We spent the first day on the beach.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love the water!  And this beach was wonderful.  The water temperature was just perfect.  The weather was warm and not too hot.  While there were lots of people, it was not over crowded.  We even found a parking place somewhat close to the beach entrance! (No small thing if you knew just how popular this place is.)  After our long beach time, we found a small local diner for a late lunch.  We always try to find local places to eat and this one did not disappoint!  We actually liked it so much that we had breakfast the next day at the same diner.  Ken really wanted to get some sunset pictures, so we checked in to our hotel, rested for bit and then took a driving tour around the lake.  We had to drive by the hotel where we honeymooned.  It was a long, long time ago (44 years!)  

This picture was taken as we were leaving our wedding, headed to our honeymoon!  Things have really changed around that resort and it was fun thinking back and remembering.   We had scoped out a couple of potential spots to get some sunset pictures, so we headed to those spots.  Thankfully, there was a restaurant, across from the lake with outside seating.  So we opted to have dinner there with the plan to walk across the street to take sunset pictures.  We were surprised to actually get seated outside with a marvelous view of the lake.  That picture of Ken above was taken there.  If you look carefully at the picture, you can see the reflection of the sun in the window as it was dropping to the horizon.  We had perfect timing, finished our meal and then strolled across the street to get some amazing pictures.  

After spending about an hour at the sunset, we started back to the hotel.  But not before we stopped for some delicious Wisconsin Ice Cream.  I don't eat a lot of ice cream, but I had a strawberry milk shake that contained more fresh berries than you can imagine.  Ken said he was watching it being made and about half the cup was berries.  It was amazing.  

After breakfast at the diner, we headed to  Yerkes Observatory   Yerkes Observatory says they are the birthplace of "Astro Physics".  If you take a moment to look at the web page, you will be amazed.  I certainly was.  Ken has been there a number of times and we have driven by, but I never realized the significant discoveries made at this place. 

The tour was amazing.  This is the largest telescope of its type IN THE WORLD!!  And the building has the largest elevator in the world (the elevator actually lifts the entire floor around the telescope from the basement to the height needed to view from the telescope.  Sadly, the University of Chicago, who owns and runs this facility has decided to close it in September, due to funding issues.   Right now there is a move to privately fund and keep it open.  Given the long history (it was built in 1893) and the telescope and other items in the museum, I am praying that they find a way to keep it open.  

Yes, Ken and I love to find these museums and unusual places to visit.  But I am just so thankful that we do.  It is really sad to think about the many people who live in the Chicago area, who do not visit the many important sites that are close by.  

We managed to pack quite a bit into a short time away.  I had so much time away from the usual distractions.  I spent a lot of the beach time just people watching.  I had several good conversations with kids who were swimming near me.  Somehow, I am always identified as a safe "grandma" and the kids always talk to me.  We had peaceful car rides, mostly free of traffic and noise.  Our hotel was quiet and calm.  The time we spent watching the sunset was just what I needed.  Watching the boats skim across the water and seeing the small waves tickle the beach.  The time with this telescope, trained at the heavens was just the perfect ending to our trip.  This whole "retirement" season is new to us.  We are making adjustments in so many ways.  Sometimes it seems like we are entering into that "awaiting the sunset" period of our life.  But as I was sitting on the beach, soaking up that view of the sparkling colors on the water, I was reminded that the sunset is actually the BEGINNING of the new day!  There is a new day for Ken and I now.  Free of the responsibilities of 40 hour a week work.  And now there is time to train our eyes on the heavenlies.  Looking up and seeing the plans, and designs that Jesus has for us in the years ahead.  While the purpose of that telescope is to view the stars, all I could think about was He who created the stars!  

Psalm 147:4-5 -  He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.  Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Sometimes, all it takes is a few hours on a beach, a couple hours waiting for the sun to set and a couple hours touring a really old building, to hear the Lord's gentle reminder that there is more ahead and it is a new day dawning!

Jesus, thank you so much for these wonderful opportunities that you provide.  Thank you for Ken and his willingness to explore new places.  Holy Spirit, help us all to remember that the sunset is the beginning of a new day.  Keep our eyes trained on you Lord and keep our thoughts on your greatness and power.  Amen

 

Sharing from one generation to the next and to the next....

Beginning again.  I started a blog post on Sunday but never finished it.  So yesterday I purposed to finish it and get it published.  After working on it for two hours, I tried to publish and it would not work.  I tried to save the post and exit to try again.  When I exited, the post was totally gone.  Sigh.  About four hours of work, just gone. This is very frustrating since the program generally saves your work every few minutes.  For some reason, the save was not working either (which I clearly didn't know).  But, I have learned my lesson and I will SAVE manually many times while typing each post.
So, to begin again.  

It's hard to get back into the swing of things when you return from vacation.  And the last couple of weeks have seemed very busy.  On Monday, Gwen and I took the kids to a new Jump place that was closer to my house than theirs.  The kids love these places and get tired of the same old thing, so a new place is always fun.  We watched the kids climb, jump and slide for a couple hours and then took them to lunch.  We went to one of Gwen's favorite places from her childhood - Colonial Ice Cream. Unfortunately the building is new, but the business is the same.  Gwen and I were reminiscing about the many, many times we went to Colonial after youth group and/or church activities.  There is something special about seeing the grandchildren enjoying the same things that your kids did.  It was just a little bit of sharing one generation to the next and then to the next! 

Over the last several years, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about and documenting (scrapbooking) my ancestors.  Having grandchildren really changes how you think about your place on the family tree.  In so many different ways, there have been lessons learned and new insights as I have discovered the deep spiritual heritage sown by long ago relatives.  On arriving home from our recent vacation, I was surprised by this package in the mail....

These two books were sent to me by a distant cousin of my mother.  Both books are written in German and were published in the 1850's.  One contains an inscription by my grandfather, Arnold Toensing and the other by his sister, Lydia Toensing.  The cousin, Delwin Mahn, who sent me these books, has no children or grandchildren.  So I am sure that he is trying to keep these very precious items in the family.  I am delighted to have the book belonging to my grandfather, and will be sure that it is passed along to the next generation.   Holding the book in my hand that belonged to my mother's aunt Lydia, caused me to really stop and think.  

Aunt Lyd was particularly important to my mom.  Next to her Aunt Anna (who helped raise her after her mom died) she was closer to Aunt Lyd than any of her other aunts.   Aunt Lyd's daughter Jeanette (my mom's cousin) was the same age as mom and they would spend many summers and vacations together.  

I couldn't help but think of this picture.  This is the only picture my mom ever had of her with her mother.  Pictured are Aunt Lyd and Jeanette on the far left, then my mom with her Dad and Mom, and the four kids are Delwin (Jeanette's brother) and my mom's sisters Beatrice, Phyllis and Eunice.  The owners of those two books - in one picture!  My grandfather and his sister.  Sadly, my grandmother Nora died around a year after this picture was taken.  My grandfather's family stepped in to help a young widower with 4 little girls (ages 8, 6, 5 and 2).  Considering this was 1917, not an easy thing.  

The most interesting thing about this story to me, is that I actually have memories of Aunt Lydia!

For my mom, one of the best parts of moving to St. Paul was that we would be close to Jeanette.  And we certainly did get to spend lots of time at her house. It was such fun to meet and get to know Jeanette (who was so much like my mom).   My grandfather and Aunt Anna had both died before I was 3 years old.  So I only have a few memories of them.  Every little grade schooler wants grandparents and I was always sad that I didn't even really have stories of my grandparents, let alone memories.  So being with Aunt Lyd was really special for me.  I even remember visiting her at her "apartment" in a senior living facility.  It was very sad when she died when I was around 8 years old.  

But here I am, holding a book that actually belonged to a very young Lydia.  And while the book is special for me, I would love to find one of Jeanette's children to pass this book along.  Sadly, our family has lost touch with all of them, so I am hoping that internet connections will be made to get this book to those that might treasure it the most. 

I am sure that in the early 1900's no one was thinking about saving things for future generations.  Times were so different and life was so much harder.  Even photographs were few and far between.  Only done for very special occasions.  I am so thankful for the pictures that we do have.  It makes sharing these stories with my grandchildren, so much easier.  Every time I think about ending this blog, I am reminded that WORDS are important.  Pictures are great, but if you don't know anything about the scene, it is pretty meaningless.  That is why it is so important to journal along with scrapbooking.   I am in possession of a very old scrapbook of un-labled pictures from Ken's side of the family.  No one knows who these people are.  Clearly they are relatives, but exactly who, is a mystery.  By the time Ken's dad gave me the album, he had no idea who the pictures were of.  And in the age of Instagram and digital pictures it is my fear that so many of these pictures will remain with no identification and no story.  So I will continue to blog and tell stories about pictures, to preserve in some small way, a bit of our family heritage.  

So after amazing views off of mountain summits, I have come back down to earth.  Down where blogs sometimes don't save and vanish at a push of a button.  Back to normal life.  But that panoramic view of the clouds and sky and valleys left an impression on me.  No matter what small thing goes wrong, there is always a blessing around the corner.  I love spending time with my grandchildren.  I love finding connections to my ancestors.  And I love that I can share stories and memories with all of you and with my family to make sure that at least some pictures have words with them..  

Storytelling is an important art and it has been lost for the most part.  The entire Bible is stories that share the great spiritual heritage we have been given.  Each one of us has stories to tell and we need to discover ways to share with those around us.  I am sure that there are many reading this who just might be bloggers or writers but you have never started out!  Make today a day so sharing.  There is so much love and so many powerful lessons when we start telling our stories.  

Jesus, thank you for the plan you have had for families since Adam and Eve.  Thank you for photos and computers and all the amazing developments that we take for granted.  Holy Spirit, nudge us all to share stories of your presence in our life and give us courage and boldness to speak!  Keep us all aware of the importance of being connected - to each other and to our ancestors.  Thank you for surprise packages that come with memories.  Amen

Off the beaten path with the "mountain man"!

We have had a wonderful vacation.  It has been so unlike our "normal" vacations (which tend to be beach and/or museums/attractions).  Neither Ken or I tend to be "outdoor" people.  Yes, we do like to visit botanic gardens/arboretums and parks.  This vacation spent mostly in wooded mountains was something new and amazing for us.  A number of people asked me why we would ever consider a vacation to North Carolina. It has been a wonderful, peaceful time spent in nature. And the best part of the trip is that nothing was more than a two hour drive!  You really can't beat that!

Yesterday we decided to drive across the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to visit Gatlinburg TN and see the top half of the National Park. To start the day, we stopped at a very hidden waterfall that is actually on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.  By the way, that reservation is worth a visit!  We were surprised to find all of the signs written in Cherokee!  The Soco Waterfall is not shown on most maps and we just happened to see it on Google Maps (when we happened to have phone service - which was spotty at best).  There was only one small sign for the waterfall from one direction.  There was a small pull off and then a trail between the guard rails.  It was a short walk - straight down - and Ken was thankful for that walking stick we purchased a few days ago.  ***Side note - we both totally forgot that we are FLYING on this trip and really didn't consider how we are going to get that very big stick home!  

The Soco waterfall was so worth the walk.  Ken and I were totally alone on the viewing platform - just the sound of that water.  It was awesome!   So secluded and unspoiled.  By the time we left the viewing area to walk back up that treacherous path, a stream of people were on the way down to see the falls.  It felt like such a gift for us to be there, alone and have time to soak it all in.  

We proceeded into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  We had visited a few days before and were planning on just driving through (as I mentioned before).  We didn't get very far into the park when we found out that the only road through the park was closed!  Apparently there had been a serious accident and there was an ongoing investigation.  The only way to get to Gatlinburg was a LONG way around the outside of the park.  So, the best laid plans of man sometimes don't work out. 

We decided to drive another stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway instead.  We had already driven several different sections.  But this stretch has the highest point of the Parkway. 

When we got to this viewing site, there was a path leading up to a viewing platform.  It was almost straight up!  We never made it to the top.  We stopped at this point and took a few pictures.  The actual high point of the parkway is 6,200 feet.  So much beauty and so many breath-taking views.  The clouds are so close you can almost touch them.  The mountains go on and on.  Around every turn is another picture perfect view.  I can't wait to actually see the photos that Ken took.  My Iphone pictures will be nothing compared to his, I am sure. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway was a surprising, wonderful part of this trip.  This two lane road zigzags up and down through the mountains in North Carolina and Virginia.  The average speed limit is about 35 miles per hour, so this is not a "quick trip" route.  We drove from mile 460 to 390 and that 70 miles took us about 3 hours including many, many stops for photos.  But there is literally NOTHING along the road - very few spots to get on or off of the parkway - no gas, no food and also only a couple of "comfort stations" (think restrooms).  What there is - TREES AND MOUNTAINS.  Also lots of wild flowers, butterflies, bees and even an occasional bird.  Also very frequent overlooks. 

All in all, this was a really wonderful trip.  We managed to snag a great deal on a really nice hotel in Asheville, that provided a "base camp" for some of our adventures.  As I mentioned, we never had to spend more than a couple hours in the car (with the exception of the Blue Ridge Parkway - which was worth it).  Today we began our trip back to reality with a drive mostly on the interstate.  It was also raining.  What a contrast to the wonderful days of sunshine and quiet roads. 

I am very glad that we have a couple of "buffer" days between those mountain days and our arrival home.  Tomorrow Ken will be visiting with a friend and former co-worker.  And then we will be driving (two hours) back to our airport location for our trip home.  It has been a long time since I visited mountains.  As a matter of fact, other than a few short trips through smaller mountains, driving on interstates, the last time I actually saw mountains was when I was 9 years old.  I needed this trip to remind me just how majestic mountains are.  And also just how deep the valleys are.  One morning Ken and I had breakfast at a really fancy McDonalds (that may seem like a contradiction of terms -but it was the Biltmore McDonalds) there was a grand (player) piano filling the room with music.  Suddenly "How Great Thou Art" began playing.   Yes, a perfect song.  Listen to How Great Thou Art performed by Home Free to catch a bit of what I was feeling.

I have done so much praising, just thanking God for the beauty of His marvelous creation. Everything seems so green and so fresh and the air is so clean and crisp.  We had some twists and turns and some of our plans didn't work out.  But it was a wonderful time of rest and relaxation and lots of photo taking.  All in all, just a wonderful vacation.

Jesus, I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend time in your creation.  Holy Spirit, remind us all to step outside, to look up and down and to see and celebrate the world around us.  When things are moving so fast around us, give us places and spaces for rest.  Thank you for waterfalls that remind us of your living water.  Thank you Jesus.  Amen