Mountains

”On the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again…” That should have been our theme song for past couple of days. Then, 800 miles later, we arrived at our “relaxing” vacation destination. Although I want heaven to have as many souls there as possible, I hope it is large enough so not to be so terribly crowded. Oh my!

I think most of the country must be vacationing here, too. I can’t help wondering if they came over, through, and around those mountains. Oh, I know the Smokies may not compare in size to the Rockies, but for a girl from the flat farm lands of Illinois, Oh my!

This place is all new to us, and we have so much to see, to try, and to experience. Also, we have such a wide variety of ages to please, that choosing activities is challenging. Then, let’s talk about choosing food establishments. We eat two meals a day in our condo; but, in the evening, we go out to eat. Our two babies take their food with them, but the 4-year-old, 5-year-old, and 7-year old have definite opinions about what they want to put in their mouths. Frequently, they will suggest McDonalds or Burger King.

We say “No! We have a rule in our house—we do not eat at a restaurant that is readily available to us at home or nearby. One granddaughter pointed out that we could now eat at Dairy Queen, since our local one burned and is no longer available. Hmmmmm. No, it still violates the spirit of the law.

Do we do that with God? Do we try to rationalize or find a way around His rules? Do we think more about what we want and then find an excuse why God should let us have our way? It does seem God shows me things about myself by letting me see it demonstrated in those closest to me.

Anyway, we did make it across, through, and over the mountains and the trip felt long, harrowing, and somewhat painful. One of the granddaughters mentioned that her bony bottom was getting sore from riding. I felt the same way, but “bony” didn’t describe my situation. I thought about a song that the Signature Sound Quartet sings that kinda’ described our journey from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Ashville, North Carolina (by Joel Lindsey and Jeff Silvey).

"There are days I get discouraged
in this world of pain and woe.
There are times that I forget
that this is really not my home;
But I try to view the valleys
as just builders of my Faith,
And I set my sights on higher things
and I am not afraid.

I'm climbing up the mountain
but I do not climb alone.
There's a world of fellow travelers
all around to cheer me on.
Step by step I'm more determined
I will make it all the way
I'm climbing up the mountain
and I'll reach the top someday.”

And we did; we made it! Now, about those crowds……