Another Birthday, Another Anniversary, Another Summer!

So far this has been a pretty good summer. Lots of sunshine and warm weather. The grass Wally planted and re-planted three times has finally come up and we now have green grass where there was only dirt for the past ten years. Yay!! Every day he waters and works to keep it growing and it's working!! That alone is enough to count the summer a success. But there is more. It seems we chose just the right flowers for the little garden that surrounds our front porch. Large marigolds are growing and flourishing. Salmon and White geraniums are blooming their little hearts out. It just makes me happy to look out the front door every morning and see all this beauty.

Earlier this week, we celebrated our 58th anniversary. We traveled back to Blowing Rock, NC for the fifth time over the past ten years and stayed at the Azalea Garden Inn. It is a lovely place - we have grown to love being there on these special occasions. We always meet the nicest people over morning coffee on the beautiful covered patio. Our visits often resume at the end of the day when everyone gathers to relax and relive the special places we have found in our wanderings around Blowing Rock.

This year in our gatherings, we met a man who had been staying at the Azalea Inn for 53 years. He had stories to tell about the good old days when AC was not even an option and the screen door provided enough cool breezes to keep his room comfortable. We loved listening to him share the changes he had seen during his career working with AT&T.  We also met a couple who were staying here for the first time. They escaped from their busy lives in the home building and financing business to enjoy a few days of rest. I'm sure they will be back. Another couple came all the way from Tulsa, OK as a side trip while traveling on business. We met them one evening and Wally enjoyed sharing his experiences in the Navy with this younger man for hours. He thanked Wally and commented that it reminded him of the hours he spent listening to his grandfather in earlier years. The last morning we met a pastor and his wife from Danville, Virginia, right down the road from where we live. Surely a gathering place of people who were enjoying an escape from the ordinary and everyone was happily celebrating!

Now it is time to begin another year of marriage and another year of loving and serving the Lord who has saved us and brought us this far. As much as we try, we can't ignore the fact that we are getting older and that means there simply are not as many birthdays, anniversaries or trips to Blowing Rock in our future. But we are confident that we are in the hands of the One Who Holds the Future!

Psalm 139:14 "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

Until next time....

Winter Thoughts

It's almost the end of January - Christmas is gone and Spring is still far off and we are struggling to get through the cold and dreariness of winter. I love the colder weather, sweaters, fire in the fireplace and most of all snow. So far we've had everything but the snow this winter. It will probably come in February - and then go away before we have a chance to build a decent snowman. And those who do build snowmen, will find them melting with the warm spring breezes right around the corner.

One thing I am enjoying. This year, for the first time ever, we still have most of our Christmas décor lit up and making our home beautiful. The greenery in the windows and on the mantel is just winter after all. The lighted snowman outside the kitchen doorway looks good as do all the rest of the snowmen who are on display for longer than ever this year. I can't believe I'm getting away with this. Every year I beg to keep these things around and every year they are packed up and put away. Naturally, the Christmas tree and nativity (at least the big one) has been wrapped and stored in the attic. But having these remnants of the Christmas season around has made me happy and I am enjoying every minute of it.

Soon they will be gone - the house will seem empty for a little while and then the flowers and spring time "stuff" will begin to fill the gaps and we'll begin to think about the garden and all will be well. I love the promise that God gave us in His Word.

Genesis 8:22."While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

Until next time.......