John and I have been in NC for 10 days now. We spent time with Lindsey and Melodie in Indian Trail and Matthews. We were TRULY blessed to be able to see many of our dear friends, no they are”family”, at Shiloh at a VBS dinner they were having. No matter where we have lived or will live, God blessed us with these loving folks and we are so grateful. We have been in Blowing Rock for a week. We’ve enjoyed time with Mom, walks around Bass Park, The Maze and Boone, side trips to who knows where, just for the fun of it. We visited our friends Jim and Nancy Lee at their church (Calvary) in Lenoir. We have shopped, OK, correct that, I have shopped with Lindsey at Southpark in Charlotte and King Street in Boone. John has taken many bike rides on Highways 221 and 321 and the Parkway. I made him promise not to tell me how fast his speedometer said he was going. After his first ride he told me he remembered what I said, so he didn’t let himself go over 30+mph…geesh! We took Mom to Bryson City to ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. We really enjoyed watching people whitewater raft at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I will post pictures of that trip at some point. We have made one trip to Cornerstone, the most wonderful Christian bookstore around. We usually make several trips there. This time we got more music than books, but we still got a few books. John has already read 3-4 books and is reading another one right now. He even found one about Adoniram Judson in a pile of books here. I have read one of the 2 books I have to read for school and have been organizing photos on my computer so that digiscrapping will be much easier and faster (at least that is the plan).
I have so many memories here. It is a place I have come and have loved for as long as I can remember. There are memories of going to camp, of times with my Dad, of digging the water line that comes to the house by hand. Side trips down roads that I had no idea where we’d end up. Memories of trips with my girls, especially to the gem mine. Memories my daughters have made here – of friendships they have made here. This has always been a place of peace; a place where I could just relax once I walked through the door, a place where God speaks to me. Oh how I long for God to bring us back South so that I can visit this place more often.
Lindsey and I saw a T-shirt that I just might have to buy. I discovered that the quote was by John Muir. I looked him up online and found this quote as well, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and give strength to the body and soul.” This is that place for me. The T-shirt had this quote: “The mountains are calling, and I must go!” I am so grateful for the peace I find here, but more grateful for the peace I have in Christ. I hope you are enjoying peace today.
Joy in Him 