Dear Reader:

Today I am leaving for Edisto Beach for our Ya Fall Retreat. We meet in early summer, fall, and winter. It is always a wonderful way to start the season spending it with “seasoned” friends of the past, present, and future.

I thought I would do a five-day challenge (not as strenuous as Anne’s 30 day painting challenge.)

I scattered the cards on the den floor and chose five “thought” cards at random…one for each day of the week while I am gone.

The challenge is to find a personal thought or little story to accompany each “power thought.”

I know ahead of time that this gathering, without doubt, will provide new ideas and thoughts for me to dwell on…and there will be plenty of opportunity for new growth and new experiences.

There is always such a sense of security when we are all together. We relax more and sleep later. It is like we can put our guard down and just chill…and talk…without worrying about saying too much or too little. We can tell each other anything…and we have !

It is such a gift…the gift of knowing three other people who know and understand you better than yourself most of the time. We can advise with a clear picture of each other’s personal patterns.

(Back of the Card)

The one thing we have all shared in common is experiencing life’s tougher moments with difficult answers or solutions and realizing that we have to turn it over to God…He is the only one Who can guide us out of the dark valley we find ourselves in from time to time. We all understand when that time is better now than ever before.

With that thought in mind…I loved this story about a little boy who understood the answer to a question long examined by people of all ages…but simply answered by a child of God.

“Where God Ain’t”

He was just a little lad
And on the week’s first day
He was wandering home from Sunday School
And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass
He found a caterpillar
He found a fluffy milkweek pot
And blew out all the “filler.”

A bird’s nest in a tree o’er head
So wisely placed on high
Was just another wonder
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zigzag course
And hailed him from the lawn
Asked him where he’d been that day
And what was going on.

“I’ve been to Sunday School,” he said
And turned a piece of sod
He picked up a wiggly worm and said,
“I’ve learned a lot ’bout  God.”

“M’m, a very fine way,” the neighbor said
“for a boy to spend his time.
If you’ll tell me where God is,
I’ll give you a brand new dime.”

Quick as a flash his answer came
Nor were his accents faint
“I’ll give you a dollar, Mister
If you’ll tell me where God ain’t!”

……………………………

So until tomorrow…Let’s keep our dimes and dollars…God’s so close… we needn’t even holler. (A whisper works well!)

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

I sent a warning to all my grandchildren…it’s getting close to Halloween so look behind you…you never know when a monster will come in a drug store and sneak up behind you. Keep your eyes open! Boo had to run (very fast) out of the drug store and jump in her car!