Does this mean GP won't be able to run the marathon this weekend?
You folks are a real gas - or at least AJ is.
It's been more than a few days now, but I think I'll tell my "Young Womens Retreat" story from last weekend. Part of it anyway.
My W is assigned to help with the Young Womens program at our church. They were set to do an overnight retreat last weekend, and the lady in charge asked me to come along and help with the program portion on Friday night... which I was happy to do, especially since my W and daughters would be there.
The location is a ranch about an hour from home. It's a modern home with power, and water, so we weren't really roughing it. My W and I slept outside to get away from the girls and have a little quiet time. Weather was supposed to be good, so I put down a tarp, with another one over the top of us to keep the frost off the sleeping bags.
It's early in the morning. I wake up to.......... the light starting to gather in the east, indicating the sunrise is not far off. The big dipper is directly in front of me if I lay on my back, and the morning star shines brightly on my right side. Early morning is quiet, and peaceful. I watch the stars move across the heavens, and I think for a while.
This will be a busy day, with the twins marching in the vetrans day parade, and much to do before nightfall. I have some time though, so I continue to think. The air is fresh, but not as cold as it could have been. The sleeping bag feels nice around my neck, I pull my stocking cap on a little bit tighter, because it's colder with my head out from under the tarp. My W sleeps beside me, her breathing regular, and soft. I am glad she feels comfortable and safe.
The stars overhead begin to fade in the gathering light. I see the mountains begin to take shape in the south and east, and note that the birds are starting to flit from tree to tree. My W stirs, it's almost time to get up. I offer to pack up while she goes in and helps with breakfast. We hear the girls (sleeping on the upper deck of the house) begin to stir - the background buzz of conversation (that you always have with teen girls) begins again for the day.
W gets up, and goes inside. I slip on my coat, and shoes, and quickly pack up the overnight gear, and stow it in the car. Soon I'm inside asking how everyone slept. Everyone has a good report, even the adults. Three ladies are making breakfast, I try to stay out of the way.
Breakfast goes well. Waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. Oh well, I can start the diet again on Monday. I gather the girls together who have to march in the parade, and we begin the drive home. The girls drop off to sleep one by one, and soon I have the drive to myself. Love songs play on the radio, and I find my thoughts drifting back to MB, and that January I found the MB website way back in 2002. It was an accident, I was looking for something else, but it turned out to be a really good thing for us.
I'm shaken out of my reverie by the need to pass the car ahead of me. It goes fast on the flat, and down hills, but slows to 15 under the limit on the up hills. The passing lane enables me to pass safely, so I take advantage of it. As we pass through Dameron valley, I see the horses stamp, and blow in the cold morning air. I think they like the fall, but not being a horse, it's hard to know for sure. Traffic increases, I have to pay more attention to my driving.
We drop down into Diamond valley, and go past the spot where I rolled our International Scout...... probably 17 years ago last January. It was snowing, and a car coming the other direction slid into my lane. Head on collisions are the worst, so I pulled off on the shoulder to let it go by. Nooooo !!! The right side wheels sink in the mud, and it flipped us right over. Not going fast, and no one was hurt, but it totaled the vehicle. We were more than a month without a car that time, money was hard to come by. I traded some personal items for a Volkswagon rabbit that didn't run, and fixed it up in my "spare time." It served us well until we could afford something a little larger. (We had 6 children, but lucky for us, we could walk to church.) School was only three blocks away, so we just made do with everything else.
You can no longer see the ruts were my wheels sunk in the mud, or the gash where the roof line met the ground. The twins weren't even born yet...... it's funny how memories are selective for family members, depending on age.
We pass the volcano cone, and head down the hill towards Snow Canyon state park. The red hills are a flaming fire in the rising sun.
http://www.outdooroutlet.com/SS/TL/T&L_MrsSS.jpgI marvel at the beauty God has created for us to see. Some may take issue with that point of view, but wasn't it the psalmist who asked "What is man that thou is mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitith him? Thou has made him a little lower than the angles, and crowned him with honor, and glory...."
My reflections confirm what I already know. Life is difficult, but God is good to us. Despite the hard parts, we see glimmers of beauty all around us. We can concentrate on one, or on the other. Our quality of life depends on that choice, not on our circumstances........ for the most part.
I thank my MB friends for being part of my beautiful world. I thanked my W first thing this morning, and I thank her often.
We soon reached the drop off point for the parade. I let the sleepy girls out into the brisk morning air. When they passed my vantage point on the parade route, their lines were straight, and their heads held high. Their marching band took first place, and they were pleased. Lets hope they do as well in their marriages,and with their future families. Maybe if we help as much as we possibly can, they will be OK. We hope so.
God bless you all today, and may you have a very happy day. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
SS
