Laurel Ridge Camp

 

The line of cars looked like a convoy as we traveled around the mountain with car loads of junior high kids. We were on our way to Laurel Springs, NC where the eastern continental divide snakes around the camp and conference center, not once, but twice. We arrived at dusk and unpacked the cars. We ate on log tables and then sat around telling faith stories by the fire until it was time to go to bed. The morning sun shone through the curtains and nudged us all out of bed. After breakfast we dressed for the hike. We huffed and puffed until we reached the Eastern Overlook.

The mountains were our cathedrals. We stood in silence. What are men to rocks and mountains? The bible says, “If I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothings.” Psalm 121 says, “I lift up my eyes unto the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” We learned that we climb mountains not so the world can see us, but so that we can see the world. There are high mountains and deep valleys in our lives. An old Chinese proverb says: If you don’t scale the mountains, you can’t view the path.

The mountains echoed, and we made our way back to camp.

Old Farm House in Appalachia Mountains

How can a region so rich in natural resources be so poor? There are no factories on the mountainsides, no crops to plant and no jobs. Rows of modest houses handed down from generation to generation are the only real possessions for some of the residents there. But houses need maintenance and when you don’t even have enough money to put shoes on your kids’ feet, fixing a hole in the roof is a low priority.

We took a group of high school youth up the mountain to help make a house warmer, safer and drier. We asked God why He allowed poverty in Appalachia when He could do something about it, but He asked us the same question. We went to help the poor, but they helped us. The things we take for granted, someone else is praying for. Henry Beecher says, “He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.” We returned home with kids and adults who were stronger, wiser, and closer to God.

Grandfather Mountain, Linville, NC

 

Grandfather Mountain, located in Linville, NC, is full of great things to do in the fall. Animal Habitats and Nature Museum, hiking, and of course they are famous for the Mile High Swinging Bridge. Fall is the best time to come because of the October trees are dressed in their best glorious colors. The Mile High Swinging Bridge attracts thousands of visitors each year. It is hard to take that first step, but when you do, you see a 360-degree panoramic view from the mile high elevation. It is hard to take that first step; you ask yourself if you are crossing it for the challenge, for the scenery or to admire the fact that some engineers could build such a thing. But you take that first step, and it is the right decision.

You stand on that bridge, and it swings slowly in the breeze, and you realize that you are not afraid. You took that first step and it led you to see something beautiful. Having faith is like taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole bridge until you are actually out in the middle of it. There were some on the bridge that took that first step and froze in place and could not seem to continue on the journey. But how will you know if it’s the right decision to step out if you never make that decision to move forward on the bridge?

I learned from The Mile High Swinging Bridge that our eyes are in front because it is more important to look ahead than to look back. Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

Make it a September to Remember

I recall a September long ago, when life was so much simpler. We had no air conditioner in our house, the windows were opened and a hint of a cool breeze floated into the house. That first smell of autumn. Another smell of September was the smell of notebook paper, chalk and pencil shavings and new crisp books. We had a large maple tree whose leaves were like fire in the sunlight. When those leaves fell, there must have been thousands. The smell of leaves being raked and the smell of leaves burning as my dad caught them on fire – along with the smell of his cigar that he only smoked while riding a lawnmower or burning leaves. It was a smell that progress was moving on. September, thanks for the reminder that change CAN be beautiful if we look at it through positive eyes. A new month, new chapter, new page, new wishes, that gives us courage, strength, confidence, patience, and inner peace. May every day in September fill our days with hope, love, sunshine, energy, joy, fun and laughter.

                                         

                      

M is for....

 

M is for - MOTIVATION. Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder. Have you noticed that when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change? Knowledge is when you learn something new every day. Wisdom is when you let something go every day. The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out WHY. Never regret a day in your life. Good days give happiness. Bad days gives experience. Worst days give lessons. Best days gives memories.

M is for - MAKING WISHES. There is a difference between wishes and goals. Goals are just a thought. Wishes are action plans. The dandelion is an interesting flower. It begins as a tiny yellow flower in the grass. Then grows into a tall stem with white fluffy petals. Some see a weed, but some see a WISH. Do you remember as a child, picking one, then making a wish and blowing with all your strength?  Yes, wishes can come true. Sometimes they materialize in unexpected places, like a hidden treasure found in the most unlikely places. Believing in your wishes and taking steps toward them can make a significant difference. Whether it is a small or grand dream, keep your heart open to the magic of possibility.

M is for - MINDFULNESS. The mind is everything. What you think you become. When arise in the morning, think of what a privileged it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. To me, mindfulness is to commit fully in each moment to be present; to be aware that is happening right now without wishing it was different. Looking at beauty in the world is the first step.

Remembering Memorial Day

I found my dad's diary up in an attic after he died.  He was eighteen years old and was getting ready for his life, when it was interrupted by WWII. Instead of going to college, he headed off to war. He was proud to serve his country, but it was a sacrifice that many take for granted. He was the fortunate one to come home. As I read about the Invasion of France, and the monster called Hitler, the hair on my neck raises us. I cannot imagine what he and all the soldiers went through. Especially the ones who did not come back or came back mangled and changed for life. So today, please thank GOD and all the soldiers who serve and who serve today to protect our FREEDOM. 

 

May 14 2024 Time to Board the Ship!

 

If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it! How long are you going to wait for the perfect opportunity? How long will you wait for your ship to come in? How many times will you let it cruise by, ready for you, but not close enough for you to conveniently get to it? I imagine that we all have had the experience of missing out, because we waited too long, and the ship left without us. How often do we later wonder what we were waiting for? Yes, we’ve all been there. However, I would recommend going light on the recriminations, and learn from the experience. How do you know it’s your ship? That’s a very personal question, and only you can answer that question. Not every ship that sails by or stops in is for you. Figuring out which is which is an interesting activity. But just sitting on your butt in the sand isn’t going to get you on board, is it?

If you can figure out what you’re looking for, you can anticipate your ship or at least be on the lookout for it. Then comes the moment of decision, do you wait and hope it comes in and docks, or do you swim out to meet it? It’s not always an easy thing to determine. By the time you figure out it’s not coming in to dock, it may already be pulling away, headed off to get someone else. Someone who wants to be onboard more than you did. Is that something you want to happen to you? I would think that you wouldn’t. What you want out of life you can usually manage to do, if you take advantage of the opportunities which move you in that direction. For most of the people I have read biographies of, and from my own experience, the path from where you are to where you want to be is rarely a straight line. In how many areas of your life are you waiting, passively, for something special to happen? Can you take a moment to consider what you would need to make it worth swimming out to meet your ship? How good does it have to be to be worth it? Try it for each area of your life and see what you think. Keeping your eyes open for anything that advances you in the direction of your goals or dreams is necessary to spot your ship. Once you know how badly you want to get to it, you’ll know how far out you’re willing to swim to get to it.

Is this your ship? Are you ready to get wet?