I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy!

To quote Nellie Forbush in South Pacific:

Loudly I'll sing about flowers in spring,

Flatly I'll stand on my flat feet and say

Love is a grand and a beautiful thing!

I'm not ashamed to reveal

The world famous feelin' I feel.

I'm in love with a wonderful guy!

I am in a conventional dither,

With a conventional star in my eye.

And you will note there's a lump in my throat

When I speak of that wonderful guy!

I'm as corny as Kansas in August,

High as a flag on the Fourth of July!

If you'll excuse an expression I use,

I'm in love, I'm in love

I'm in love, I'm in love,

I'm in love with a wonderful guy!

Baby, Just Look at You Now

I know heaven will be better than this....intellectually......
But my heart simply cannot fathom it.
What absolute bliss! A whole weekend with little Neil! (and of course A and P, too:) This has honestly been one of the happiest moments of my life! Thanks to each of you for the memories that will flood my heart forever! I love you guys!

Somewhere over the Rainbow

I'm learning more every day that God plans and uses mightily the detours He sends into our lives. Yesterday was a case in point. I was headed home after my visit with the Martins. My heart was full from the special time with old friends. Autumn in the mountains surrounded me. I found myself mesmerized by the beauty of God's creation. Trees were just beginning to change their hues from greens to the colorful splendor that will put Joseph's coat to shame. Every direction filled my eyes with God's artistry. I was playing a favorite artist's cd as I rode in my new little auto and I was one, blissfully contented, lady:).....
And then I realized .... I was headed in the wrong direction.....(which is not easily remedied when one is driving on a narrow and winding mountain backroad)......
Yet, through God's grace, the past few years are teaching me to "live in the present", "forget past mistakes", and "press on" to find and follow God's footprints and to trust Him to be my Way, Truth, and Life:)........ The scenes above were the results of a "wrong" path! ........Or was it wrong, after all ?
He is teaching me that there are NO events in this believer's life that He has not ordained.... to mold me and bless me and conform me to be more like Himself. (And, boy, do I have a long way ahead of me!) I truly believe that my primary calling, as the Lord's child, is to keep my eyes on Him and to gratefully embrace ALL that He sends my way. I KNOW that ALL things, whether good or evil, will bring about the HIGHEST GOOD for God's child.....

On this day, a road headed directly OPPOSITE my own plans yielded this heaven-sent view. As I was forced to stop in order to turn around, I was able to get out and truly see God's world anew. Off the beaten path, I was able to literally walk UNDER a waterfall and, in the process, journey OVER the rainbow. Neither blessing would have been part of my experience had I continued traveling along my own chosen path. God had a higher road for me to travel....and His plans were to bless me, and to give me hope........ and a future that is filled, not only with joy,....but with breathtaking surprizes!

Pat, Bill, and Luna

What a delightful way to begin the autumn season! I was blessed to spend Sunday evening and Monday morning in Highlands, NC, with dear friends and mentors from my childhood--the Martins. It was so wonderful to visit with Pat and Bill again this year, remembering days gone by, catching up on lives woven together from eternity past, and learning more about these dear people who so influenced my life. (And, of course, a highlight was antiquing with the expert!)
Pat introduced me to Winnie the Pooh, refinishing furniture, sewing, and Cocker Spaniels when I was a child. All became part of me....She's a gracious Southern lady--wise and witty and the perfect hostess. (My dear mother called her "Friend". Pat was one with whom she was free to share her heart.) And Bill is a tender-hearted and hospitable Southern gentleman with a ready smile and a warm greeting. Like my dad, he is the quintessential Exxon engineer. Both Martins are civic minded, people-oriented, and generous. Once again, I was refreshed, inspired, and uplifted by being with them.
Thank you both for a lovely visit! ( I will think of you both each time I use the beautiful toast rack!)

Morning by Morning....

New mercies I see. Thou changest not. Thy compassions they fail not. Great is Thy faithfulness, LORD, unto me.
Two mornings of hope in the midst of the recent floods here. Our little home is built on rock and nestled in the foothills of the mountains. What a safe haven.....
But one of the many lessons that I have learned in the past few years....No earthly haven is really "safe". My only true hope is in Your Person, Lord.
My heart is full of gratitude this morning for so many things. Your provision and grace, Lord. Your faithfulness. Your unconditional love. Life. A beautiful, healthy and brilliant grandson. Three godly and gorgeous daughters and two wonderful sons-in-love (as my Mom would have said). My home. A wonderful church. My job with Big Brothers/Big Sisters....and countless daily blessings.
I sometimes am tempted to think about "what might have been", but, then, I realize anew that nothing ever happens to Your child without sifting through Your hands. May I truly focus on You and have the faith to accept, with gratitude, everything that You funnel my way....through Your loving hands.

Rainstorm Rainbow

I have just seen a sight unlike any in my lifetime. It's a beautiful day in Northwest Georgia...cumulus clouds in a Colorado blue sky. Still, and sunny, and so very fresh. I was on my back yard terrace. As I was looking at the mountains to the east, a rainstorm blew over the horizon, centralizing over the middle of the Blue Ridge range, leaving the rest of the sky still so sunny and bright. I was enjoying how rare the moment was, when, lo and behold, the entire rainstorm became one big prism of color.... I tried to capture this, but it simply does not show up from my feeble attempts.... Perhaps you can get a tiny glimpse, even though, in reality the entire section under the clouds was one big sea of color.....
I know I took this away from the moment.....My biggest storms, whether engulfing the entire sky, or simply covering my small "corner of life", can be invaded and, in fact, engulfed, by God's grace. The most sudden storm can be made into something light......
The darkness simply cannot win, in the end. Light will be victorious. And beauty will indeed rise from ashes.....

And Some Day We Shall See Him Face to Face

Your mercy, O Lord, reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness, for the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, and of righteousness.

Indeed the darkness shall not hide me from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are the same to You.

And then I saw that wisdom excells folly as light excels over darkness....

Drive to the Airport......and Long Island Skyline

Adieu to Portland

Our last day in Portland included a visit to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's home, a stop at village markets in the old port section of town, and a final trip to the beach.....
What a wonderful and restful trip......

Straight from the Bob Newhart Show....the Essence of Small Town Maine

Sandy Beach at Bar Harbor

So many memories.....posting pictures is a way of journaling when there are no words....

Eastern Egg Island

We were totally enthralled with the puffins here. What delights! Just had to post more pictures..... p.s. The last picture is of Andrew Island, which was the summer home of Andrew and Betsy Wyeth. The white salt box house is the back drop of many of Andrew's paintings.

Cadillac Mountain

The hike to the summit of Cadillac and then the experience of picking blueberries there was really uplifting. The view was simply breath taking, especially as the clouds rolled in, leaving the entire countryside in a cold, misty fog..... I've rarely smelled anything so fresh in my life....

The Moose Safari

Another life-long dream fullfilled....Seeing moose in their natural habitat.... What an adventure! After we drove 10 miles down a country road with four other moose lovers, our guide then turned onto a ten mile stretch of a dirt logging road. When we arrived at a pristine lake at the base of the Appalachian Trail, we hiked awhile to our canoes that were waiting for us, lakeside. Becca and I were in ours "solo"....and the learning curve was a little steep for this senior citizen:).... But after I got the hang of it, I absolutely loved paddling and gliding on the mirror-like water. In fact, I want to try a kayak next! ( A dear friend in Baytown has had this for a hobby for years now.....and I saw a glimpse of the joy that this must bring her.
After paddling across the small lake we had our first sighting...a young male having his supper. I loved being with the couples who were with us, because they appreciated the experience every bit as much as we did. We watched for a long time, enjoying every movement of the enormous animal. Then we headed across the lake to hunt for more....and we were not disappointed. We came upon a mother and her baby, and then seven more.
What a delightful evening! Becca and I had a three hour drive back to our hotel along the darkest highway I've ever driven on....but it was well worth it!

Concord and Lexington

Becca and I had lunch at a lovely old inn that dated to 1716. After that we headed to Emerson's home and then on to the Old North Bridge and the site of the beginning of our Revolutionary War. Two tidbits we learned: Emerson's father lived next door to the site. No wonder that Emerson coined the phrase "the shot heard round the world". His father had witnessed the event.
Next: Daniel Fecit, who sculpted the Minute Man statue, had been a student of May Alcott. In fact, she had bought him his first sculpting tools. He was also the sculptor of the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial....

Walden Pond

To live deliberately....
Thoreau's words ring in my mind and heart....
No journey to Concord could skip a walk to and around (and in Becca's case "in") Walden Pond. I was deeply moved by it all....somewhat surprisingly so...
I am aware that even though I do not hold to basic Univeralist thought, many ideas that were set forth by these writers of another era have deeply influenced my life.... Thoreau and his writings touched my heart like few others in my days gone by..... And many of his phrases still linger in my soul.....
Dear Betsy.....I found you a stone here....will send it some day soon.....

Old Concord....The Orchard House

A relatively recent movie that touched my heart was "The Bucket List". This trip was a fullfillment of many of my life dreams. Visiting Orchard House was one......

"Little Women" was among my daughters' favorite novels while they were growing up. We've seen several of the movie renditions, as well. (The most recent was our absolute favorite..)
But actually visiting Orchard House, seeing the very room and desk where Ms Alcott wrote, seeing May's artwork adorning the house's walls, hearing stories of this family, seeing Bronson Alcott's school of philosophy, and then Nathaniel Hawthorne's house next door.....all heightened the nostalgia of the place. We found ourselves teary-eyed on several occasions. The similarities between the Alcott girls and the Bishop girls of days past were striking. (Of course I'm a very prejudiced mother....)
This was the second literary stop in Concord, actually. The first was also on my "bucket list".....

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park

We ventured north on our fourth day and made it to Bar Harbor. We hiked around and just lost ourselves in the beauty of this place before noon. Jan had recommended Jordan's Pond Tea Room for lunch...and what a beautiful and refreshing lunch it was! Thanks so much, Jan! After lunch we headed to Cadilac Mountain where we hiked and picked wild Maine blueberries:)

Puffins

One of the absolute highlights of our trip was the trip to Eastern Egg Island with the Hardy Boat Cruises to look for Puffins. And what excitement when our group actually began to sight them. These are the most adorable little creatures.....small (only about 10 inches high and weighing no more than a can of Coke). They look a bit like bumble bees when in flight and when they attempt to land on water, they do so with a "splat". Our tour guide from the Audubon Society had helped reintroduce this tiny sea bird to Eastern Egg Island over 20 years ago. Students still keep vigil on the island to guard the Puffins from predators and to keep records of their progress. To date there are now 100 pairs of these "clowns of the sea"....much to the delight of those of us who had a glimpse of them and their world....

Dog Day Afternoon

One of the most delightful places we visited was the local "doggy beach" which opened every afternoon at 5:00. I loved seeing these precious pooches reveling in the water:) (Although this really made me miss my little Sophie...) The whole sight was both comical and relaxing...

Kennebunkport

Every single day of this trip was both a blessing and an adventure. The second day we drove south on Hwy 1 to Portsmouth, NH. Along the way we took our time in Kennebunkport and the surrounding seaside. The flowers here were simply gorgeous, and the ocean was such a welcomed sight to our almost landlocked eyes. How we had missed the smell of a salty sea breeze...and this coast did not disappoint us. We viewed the Bush Compound from the adjacent shore, shopped at a lovely local berry stand (and feasted on local raspberries and blueberries) and enjoyed a lobster roll at Oprah's favorite deli here...Allison's. Such a peaceful day.....

All This and Heaven, Too

For the last eleven days Becca and I have toured the Maine coast. And what a true delight this has been! Pictured is Cape Elizabeth and the Portland Lighthouse. These greeted us the evening of our arrival.

Gracias, El Toro's in Baytown, Texas!!

True ending of our last post......
Alas, our bag and jar are empty now....but oh, what glorious treats! We rationed out our portions and made the shipment last two days....:)
John...we WILL keep this venture in our prayers. Honestly, we have been in Mexican food restaurants all over our great United States....and NOT ONE compares with you! You're simply THE BEST!
You and your brother will be in our prayers. God bless you!
jb
p.s. If you ever need an endorsement....just let us know!

Shipped Chips

Becca and I are enjoying a true gift from heaven this evening!

We were so blessed to have the Paulus family here a few weeks ago! What a blessing to share the back roads and mountains with such dear friends! And what a blessing to laugh....truly laugh from our soul....and share from our hearts during their time with us!

Well, Becca had shared with them that she had recently missed El Toro's (our favorite Mexican food restaurant in Baytown, Texas) so much lately that she had called them, and asked "Do you ship chips?" They started laughing...and it dawned on her that maybe they had misunderstood ship for another word that sounds similar to ship and thought her call was a prank. When she explained that, no, her call was "for real", they told her (to her dismay) that "No, we don't ship chips:)"

Becca relayed the experience to Kitty and Bruce and we all had a laugh.

But Lo and Behold....this was not the end of the story.....

Today, Becca and I were both more than a little "homesick" for our old hometown and friends there. I started cleaning house to remedy this, and Becca took Sophie for a walk down the hill to our mailbox. She returned about 15 minutes later calling, "Mother, Mother you'll NEVER guess what we just got in the mail from Kitty and Bruce!!!!"

The picture above tells the "almost ending" of the story.....

For, as in all tales of true love and friendship....."The best is yet to come!:)"

I'm so thankful we haven't had supper yet! Shipped chips and real El Toro's salsa.....here we come!:)

Thank you Kitty and Bruce!!!!!!! We love you guys! You were truly our "guardian angels" this evening!

Hummers and Mockingbirds

It's been warm outside for the past couple of days, but the evenings are still delightful on my little backyard terrace. Our "back yard" is totally shade after about 3 or 4, and because of that, I love to sit overlooking the Blue Ridge and read and meditate for an hour or so each evening....
I've been reading a wonderful work by Joni Erikson Tada for the past week....."Lessons Learned over a Lifetime". Her thoughts today will remain in my heart for years to come, I think.....

"And never, never underestimate the ability of our God to use the shakiest prayer of the weakest saint to move heaven and earth"

Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 peter 3:8

"The Math of Heaven" "We all know the old adage that God looks at the last thousand years as only a couple of years gone by. But what abouth the other half of the verse? The part about seeing each day as a thousand years?

"If we really come to grips with the fact that God can pick up any twenty-four-hour day He chooses and give it an eternal impact of a thousand years, then each day of our lives becomes immeasurably important.... Each day God gives us precious hours to invest.....investments which will have eternal repercussions in our lives and in the lives of others....Your obedience counts for eternity. Your patience and longsuffering and endurance will resound with more glory to God than you can possibly appreciate right now. If you can hang in there and keep a godly response, then who can measure the impact? Who can put a value on how God will work through your prayers?"

The Carl Sandburg Home