times of refreshing

It's been over a month since I've had anything to say here... And looking at my last post I realize it's probably time to update!

I'm moving on and am not stuck back in that sad season of saying goodbye to my precious dog and the ending of summer.

Oh the goodness of God. Seasons change, There are beginnings and there are endings and there are the inbetween times to persevere and give thanks to God for the gift of life. And I do want to give thanks. It feels like a new season has begun in many ways.

After our tearful farewell to our dog, we were thankfully able to take our summer vacation. It was a good time to get away and what an adventure we had! It was a road trip down to the Oregon Coast, so we left with high hopes, laughter in our hearts and a good friend to enjoy the journey with. Ah the joys of zipping down the highways with music flowing all around us and marvelous scenery to delight our eyes.

That first day was a whopper to say the least! We took a "wrong turn" at Naches and ended up driving for hours and hours through some amazingly gorgeous national park in Washington. We were stunned by the beauty and this whole part of the trip caught us completely by surprise! Isn't that just like God to turn a "mistake" into something beautiful. And the really lovely part of this whole turn of events was that we ended up in the area where our former nanny lives, so that settled the whole issue of whether or not we would have time to stop in and see her. She was not originally on the itinerary, although there was a desire to see her. After making the phone call to arrange a visit, we spent a long, grueling time searching for a place to sleep. It was like we had landed on a planet with no hotels, and we were in the city of Tacoma! That was beyond our comprehension and at that late hour of the day we were desperate to crawl out of the car and SLEEP! After circling and driving and stopping for directions more than once we found a luxurious place to lay our heads and decided we wouldn't worry about the cost. Exhaustion overruled my plans to find a budget motel!!

After a sweet reunion with our nanny, lots of pictures, laughter and visiting, we gathered in a circle to commit our ways to the Lord. I do believe that was a God ordained detour and am grateful that we don't have to get bent out of shape when we take "apparent" wrong turns. What an amazing Shepherd we have...all knowing, ever loving and oh so trustworthy.

I did question Him a number of times during the trip concerning the difficulty of finding accessible bathrooms and lodging as this trip was particularly challenging in that area. However, we had a wonderful, wonderful time and the beauty and fun was definitely worth it! Ah the ocean, the the endless beaches, the sunsets, the shopping, the sand dunes, the marine life & the winding roads along the most incredible scenery, Our cups were full to overflowing. Thank you Jesus for times of refreshing!!

The day we spent driving home was once again full of surprises. We got up at some unearthly hour in the black of night so the girls could get home in time for a rodeo. The ride into the morning light was gloriously beautiful and the conversation and music were a delight. We were making such good time. Amazingly good time...when the car lost power. I pulled over to the side of the highway and a new adventure began. A kind motorist rescued us, in every sense of the word. He was a good Samaritan if I have ever seen one and he took us in his car to a place where we could "refresh ourselves" and where my phone had reception so I could begin the fun of trying to find a tow truck on the Sunday of a long weekend. Even though I had BCAA, they left me in charge of finding my own truck and the good samaritan was very helpful in that area. He took the girls to his home while I stayed in the vehicle to wait for the truck.

It was a good three hour wait and thankfully I am quite equipped for and accustomed to this activity. I was finally able to organize the crazy mess that the car had turned into and I felt very accomplished as I busied myself with this. I then worked my way through Bible readings, taking pictures of my scenic surroundings, writing in my journal, and snacks and drinks that were left in the vehicle. At this point I was very grateful for a couple of small cool packs we had along, as I was really starting to heat up! I was applying them to my neck and chest as the day grew increasingly hot. I think by the last hour the still air had reached around 34 degrees, so I was grateful when a car would zoom by and give me a bit of a breeze. The sight of that tow truck was a VERY welcome one and he just hoisted the vehicle up on the back of his tow truck, WITH ME STILL IN IT and away we went. I wondered if this was legal, but it sure simplified matters and I was ever so happy to have that breeze blowing through my window to cool me down.

Eventually the girls and I met up at the border where we travelled together the rest of the way home, having been rescued by another good Samaritan. I was very grateful to have BCAA, as the entire trip home for my car was paid for. (I am hoping for a reimbursement that was promised for the US side of the journey!) Needless to say, the rodeo didn't happen, but we came home with alot of wonderful memories and though we were exhausted we were safe and sound. Many thanks to our precious Jesus for an unforgettable adventure!