Summertime Clothes for Baby Neil

I think the grandmother part of my heart has totally taken over:) I was out today and passed the Osh Kosh Outlet. These were the result. I just fell in love with the little sandals. And of course Neil needs summertime shorts as well! What absolute fun!

Two Years Ago....

Pictures taken today from atop Ft. Mountain....overlooking Murray County below.

My cousin, Judi, called today, telling me that it was two years ago today that I sold my house in Baytown. What a nightmare of a time....and yet, my gracious Lord was there with me in the midst of what were to become the darkest days of my life. I know for certainty that He led me through the Valley of the Shadow of Death during that time....death of relationship, home, family as I knew it, career, everything familiar and dear.....real death to what had become my identity and my life. But what New Life He had in store! He does give us beauty for ashes. He has proven Himself to be Husband and Father and Friend. He has been my Rock and Fortress and my Deliverer. And He has led me through the wilderness to a vast, open Land of Promise. He has led me Home.....and though I'm very much aware that I'm a broken Pilgrim, how I trust Him with my life and look forward to a future that He holds for me.....in His loving, nail-scarred hands....

Sunday Afternoon Hike up Ft. Mountain

What a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We drove up Ft. Mountain and hiked to two overlooks. This was the first. This was the site of our very first hike in Murray County when Becca came for her interview at Spring Place. It is no wonder that she fell in love with this place from the start.....

Despise Not the Day....

So many examples of God's creative hand.....It seems that every bend and curve holds another surprise from my Father himself. He is so totally lavish in His love.....

Trekking around Point Park

What breathtaking views atop this mountain. This is the very place where Sherman started his march toward Atlanta. From the peak, one can see Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia below. Such a beautiful place to walk.....

Lookout Mountain

We decided to take an afternoon drive today. We thought Lookout Mountain would be a good place to explore. Here are just some of the views.

Neil Benjamin

"Children are a heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward."
Never in my life has my heart been so full of love.....and wonderment....and thankfulness.....
What a perfectly beautiful and innocent life has been given to my dear daughter and her husband!
And so many lives have been touched in the process.
I've always believed that family is so much more than mere "blood". To see the celebration of this new life, not only by human relations but by love, was deeply moving to me. Neil will indeed be loved by so many!
I watched Anna and Philip instantly transform into loving, and gentle, and protective parents. And I was not only immensely proud of them, but oh, so humbled in the process. To see that a godly heritage will be carried to the next generation is reason for great hope and joy.
Thank you, dear ones, for allowing me to be a part of these past days....
I love you with all my heart....
GB

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All This and Heaven Too

I was just enjoying the sights below when it started SNOWING here! As I looked out on Grassy Mountain and Ft. Mountain and saw that their peaks were becoming increasingly dusted by the flakes, I simply could not stay in the valleys any longer.....So up Ft. Mountain I drove! These were some of the sights along the trek. It was a delight along the way to see others enjoying the springtime surprise from our Lord, as well. They were also getting out of their cars to trek along the side of the byway. All of us were taking pictures, making snowballs or simply relishing the icy whiteness..... I even shared the state park with a UPS man who was taking pictures for his wife on his cell phone! (His cargo may be a few minutes late, but I cannot help but think of the movie "The Castaway" and know that Tom Hank's character would be very pleased by this! Makes me want to "go" with UPS instead of FedEx:) Somehow it is so very comforting to be surrounded by kindred spirits, even if I don't know their names......

Spring Comes to Dalton

The earth is waking here in the mountains.... How much I am enjoying the emerging colors and life of Spring. The colors here amaze me....such variation and intensity in each season. I am so thankful for a job in which I travel these hills almost daily. Becca made me some beautiful cd's for the journeys. Mountian music and hymns fill the car and add to the wonderment of these scenes. I've learned to love solitude.....which is such a different state from "loneliness", and I'm slowly acquiring the gift of truly knowing God's presence with me as a Friend and Guide...

The Dawning of a Brand New Day

I was shooting this sunrise when my cousin Judi called and read beautiful verses from Deuteronomy telling of God's provision and cover when we remain faithful to Him and of His scattering our enemies in seven different directions when they come at us.....And as often happens at the close of her phone calls, we were able to pray together. What a blessed way to start this Passion Week of our Lord.

Hush a Bye

Hush a bye...Don't you cry
Go to sleep-y Little Baby
When you wake
You shall have
All the pretty little Horsies
Dapples and greys
Pintos and Bays
All the Pretty Little Horsies

I could not pass this precious pony by when I saw him in an old antique store in Ellijay....
Baby Boy, how your Granni B loves you with all her heart already!
I can hardly wait to meet you, dear One!

Reflections on Turning 60

Choosing to truly live life each day. Seeing all things bright and beautiful. Loving those God allows in my life. Thanking Him in all things and for all things. Knowing the brevity of my journey toward my new home. Counting it all joy! Enjoying the side roads and byways. Learning to laugh from the depths of my being and to cry from the recesses of my soul. Realizing more each day that "all will be well".....that nothing comes to my life except through our Lord's loving hands.... that there is a purpose for everything He allows. Being thankful for the paths He sets before me. Longing to see His face........

The Georgia Scenic Byway

To reach my little home, one must take the Appalachian Foothills Parkway from Hwy 75. To reach many of the schools I visit, I must then take the Georgia Scenic Byway. What lovely names for these roads less traveled.... An artist once told me that to truly see, one must know the name of what she is seeing.....(ie. Lemon yellow is a very different color from yellow ochre, the Appalachian Mountains are very different from the Rocky Mountains, Dandelions are very different flowers from violets) God's paths are often like that....The ways have names instead of being mere numbers on the map of life.... So much is involved in taking time to know the names of these paths, and the mountains and valleys, flora and fauna, rocks and streams that border the way.....
...How much more of God's created world will we see when we take the time to know the names of the components of His creation...and even more crucial....

How much more will we know our Lord when we take the time to truly know His name..............

"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake......"

Spring Comes to Eton

Sometimes my heart overflows while driving these hills.... These views were on route of my school visits this morning. I did "choose the road less traveled" along the way, and what glorious surprises awaited me.... So much like life itself.... Choosing JOY in the middle of painful times can bring peace and joy and our cups overflowing....

My Favorite Picture of the Trip

I forgot to post my favorite picture of the trip. Undaunted by the rain, the Holtons and Joneses continued their sightseeing:)

Last Glimpses of a Beautiful Weekend.....

My heart cries with the poet, "O world, I cannot hold thee close enough!" My heart is so very peaceful and my senses are so full..... Thank you, Lord, for Your beautiful world!

Next to the Last Entry for Today....

Thank you for a Lovely Visit

Thank you, Dad and Bea. It's one we will never forget!

More of Beautiful Macon, Georgia

Yesterday afternoon had a "fairing up", as the Georgians say. Thanks, Bea, for teaching me this phrase. I really like it.... The drive yesterday evening was absolutely breathtaking. Dad and Bea, you were both very patient as Paul and I would ask you to slow down to catch the scenes on our cameras. We were all so deeply touched by the beautiful landscapes, one after another, before our eyes.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church

I'm so thankful that Bea took us back to St. Joseph's. This is the most beautiful church building that I've ever seen. The letters in the top left picture tell so much about the spirit of this holy place. The Latin stands for "All to the Greater Glory of God". A small perish of about 150 people built this gorgeous structure over a hundred fifty years ago, through sacrificial giving...... I'm always deeply touched when I enter the sanctuary......

Macon Cherrry Blossoms in the Rain

What a nice trip to Macon, Georgia, we had this weekend. Paul, Liz, and I met at Dad and Bea's home and were treated to a grand tour of this beautiful city! Even in the rain, it was absolutely spectacular! Thanks so much, Ya'll.... We really enjoyed seeing the beautiful sights!

Chickamauga Reflections

So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19

Yours, oh LORD, are the times and the seasons. What is the life of man but a vapor, a mere puff of Your breath that you lend us for a season....May this mist of air that I call "life" not be lived in vain, Lord. May I be faithful......
As I walked the paths of this old battlefield yesterday afternoon, the granite monuments reminded me of lives lost and wounds earned by gallant soldiers of another time and age. An eagle with his broken wing seemed to guard this holy place. Though wounded and maimed, he held the standard of our nation high. And through almost two centuries, he has refused to release this banner in defeat. His faithfulness challenged my soul......
And as I saw all around me the emerging of the living Spring, I was reminded that it is the blood of the saints that waters the ground for new and lasting life. May my own small wounds be used for Your eternal kingdom, LORD. And may Your honor and glory and power fill our land.....

Chickamauga on a Sunday Afternoon

What a lovely ending to a lovely day....walking in solitude amidst the long shadows on this battlefield of long ago......the stillness of dusk, deer grazing in the pastures, the smells of the mountain dew falling on newly mown grass, optimistic daffodils holding on to their sunlight in the deepening twilight hues, an occasional bird calling as she settles down for an evening's sleep, granite reminders of the lives lost here so many years ago for the preservation of the nation we have today......a time of soul searching and contemplation and preparation for the days ahead......

Smithgall Woods

Spring is coming to the mountains! I can almost hear Dicken, Collin, and Mary crying, "It's wick!" at the sight of the budding trees, the wood violets peeking at the day, the daffodils nodding their heads in the cold breeze. Winter is passing away and a new spring is emerging more with each passing week.... My soul seems so very much alive in these blue hills. How did I ever live without seasons??? Oh Lord, may I never take them for granted.
May the sights and beauty of each morning never be wasted by my old eyes. May I ever drink in the gifts that You have provided for each day. May I hear Your voice with each mountain breeze and each bird's song in the hills. May I see Your creative hand in each budding branch or flower. May each breath of mountain air remind me of Your healing, cleansing Spirit of Life. May my every thought become worship and praise of You......

This Is the Dawning of a Brand New Day

Can it be that this has honestly become my home.....or perhaps a beautiful foreshadowing of my heavenly home to come....
I feel more at home and, at the same time, more of a pilgrim with each passing season. I find that I don't really belong anywhere any more....
But how gracious of my heavenly Father to surround me with beauty and peace on this journey toward my true home....and a yearning in my soul for things to come....