Here we are at the top of a mountain in Lenoir North Carolina, so close yet so far away from our kids and grands. This is the place I long to be at any given day or hour of the hot summer months back home in Central Pennsylvania. Now unsettling news of this past week has me longing to be back there, close to our daughters and sons and all the little ones. To hold them close, hug them tight and tell them once again "I love you"... A devastating car accident, a far too close encounter with a drunk driver under the influence of marijuana, admitted to not even having his eyes on the road at the time of the crash where my daughter, her husband and three of our precious grands were his victims. We are not in control of our circumstances but God has His way of turning around what the devil meant for our destruction and use it for our good and for His glory.
Our prayers for our kids, to keep them safe, protected and provided for over the years has blessed us on many occasions during the valley experiences of life. This one was a doozy, pardon the slang. It is indeed a miracle that our daughter and her family including their 5 year old, 3 year old and 6 month old daughters survived this accident. State Police agreed that they have never seen an accident of this magnitude without a fatality. We are so thankful to God for sparing their lives and giving them a testimony of His hand of protection over them during the crash. We are equally grateful to all of their wonderful church family who stood by them and held up their arms when they felt like they were losing the battle. Family is not only blood but those who are there for you, pray for you, want you in their lives and love you no matter what. Today we rest in the knowledge that our God is greater than anything bad that can come our way. We may not understand His ways but He knows the plans that He has for us and they are for our good.
Good things are happening in the lives of our children. he is providing for them in amazingly wonderful ways. I'm learning not to ask God why, but wait patiently for His timing and simply bask in sweet blessings, gifts from above...
Sitting on this mountaintop, breathless from the valley so deep;
Blessed beyond belief...
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Autumn Begins...
So the past few months have been sweet. Meeting new RVrs, making new friends, spending time with the kids and grand's. The summer camping season has nearly ended, for us anyway. We're headed south to Virginia, the Carolina's and Georgia for the winter months. There are no grand babies arriving this year so we can take our time returning to Pennsylvania in the Spring. We'll be home for Christmas for a couple weeks in December then back south after the New Year begins.
As sweet as the summer months have been, leaving is always bittersweet. Saying goodbye to the little ones is the hardest thing. Kids grow up and become adults. Lives are full and time is scarce but the time we've had with each one has been precious.
Plans include a stop in Gordonsville, VA to houseclean and wash and wax the motor home. A few weeks in the Blue Ridge Mountains then on to Mt. Airy, NC for Mayberry Days where we'll meet up with my sister, her husband and their granddaughter for a few days where we'll step back in time with Barney and the gang. Soon after we'll find ourselves in Greenville, VA to tool along the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park before heading to Williamsburg, VA for a couple of weeks of colonial bliss. Finally we'll rest in Jackson Springs.
I find it increasingly more difficult to leave what we familiarly called 'home' for nearly 30 years. The kids and the little ones, they are seemingly growing apart from each other and from us as well. I suppose it's just the progression of life. Everyone grows up and grows apart...not what I thought would happen when we planned to have a large family but I accept the reality of it all. We don't have children anymore, even though they have separate lives they continue to love each other and spend time together when they can and for that I am grateful.
This week has been hard. So many milestones we've missed, relationships begun, birthdays missed, new homes bought, first words spoken... and one crisis of some sort or another. Sometimes I can't control the tears. So the life of a full timer has it's ups and downs as any lifestyle does. We push through, keep our eyes on God, pray each other through and tomorrow is always a brighter day.
Washed and waxed the 'house', housecleaned, laundry finished and another Labor Day weekend has indeed come to an end. Looking forward to a day in the Shenandoah National Park before heading down to the North Carolina mountains to gaze upon God's creation from my favorite mountaintop in the Blue Ridge foothills, and so Autumn begins...
As sweet as the summer months have been, leaving is always bittersweet. Saying goodbye to the little ones is the hardest thing. Kids grow up and become adults. Lives are full and time is scarce but the time we've had with each one has been precious.
Plans include a stop in Gordonsville, VA to houseclean and wash and wax the motor home. A few weeks in the Blue Ridge Mountains then on to Mt. Airy, NC for Mayberry Days where we'll meet up with my sister, her husband and their granddaughter for a few days where we'll step back in time with Barney and the gang. Soon after we'll find ourselves in Greenville, VA to tool along the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park before heading to Williamsburg, VA for a couple of weeks of colonial bliss. Finally we'll rest in Jackson Springs.
I find it increasingly more difficult to leave what we familiarly called 'home' for nearly 30 years. The kids and the little ones, they are seemingly growing apart from each other and from us as well. I suppose it's just the progression of life. Everyone grows up and grows apart...not what I thought would happen when we planned to have a large family but I accept the reality of it all. We don't have children anymore, even though they have separate lives they continue to love each other and spend time together when they can and for that I am grateful.
This week has been hard. So many milestones we've missed, relationships begun, birthdays missed, new homes bought, first words spoken... and one crisis of some sort or another. Sometimes I can't control the tears. So the life of a full timer has it's ups and downs as any lifestyle does. We push through, keep our eyes on God, pray each other through and tomorrow is always a brighter day.
Washed and waxed the 'house', housecleaned, laundry finished and another Labor Day weekend has indeed come to an end. Looking forward to a day in the Shenandoah National Park before heading down to the North Carolina mountains to gaze upon God's creation from my favorite mountaintop in the Blue Ridge foothills, and so Autumn begins...
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