Dear Reader:
Sunday evening…as the Dingle family was getting settled in their rental mountain cabin in Elk Banner, NC…Eloise was being drawn to the skies.
The sun is going down…there is a white streak cutting through the sky…I imagine some type of jet…but it is left up to us to infer what Eloise is pointing at….as the setting sun’s rays reflect off the side of her excited little face.
If I had to guess…I would choose the rising moon…it has been so beautiful the last few nights. Whatever it is …it has captured a two-year-old’s total focus and attention…Eloise seems to be in a state of rapture. awe, and wonder over the beauty of what she is pointing at…
I think the following quote captures this memorable moment…“If we could see the world through the eyes of a child- we would see magic in everything.” Only children can still see the world as it should and could be… sadly most adults no longer can.
Every day we have the choice to affect the quality of God’s gift of the next twenty-four hours being given us…how we meet, greet, and complete each is our choosing.
One thing I have learned, thanks to “little c,” is that I should start each day with a prayer of gratitude for still being in the world…in my country, state, town, community, and home…surrounded by friends and family. If I start out with gratitude…the day will end with gratitude.
Challenging days are never “all bad”…and lousy days still possess the possibility of awe and wonder. We just have to quit lamenting and instead focus on the bright moments that appeared, even if only briefly, to reassure us tomorrow is another day with more opportunities to elevate our faith and turn our troubles over to Someone Who really can get the job done.
So until tomorrow…
There is one absolute in life, according to Becky’s view of world :)…It doesn’t matter if a day is “good” or “bad”….what matters is what we do with it. (But then we all knew that…)
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
Thank goodness Jake is back ….he picked up a little virus going around with children… but it ran its course quite quickly and he’s back in the game…literally! I am sure it was the popscicle Jake got that did the trick! Quite patriotic!
I have been living vicariously through Walsh and Mollie’s mountain trip…remembering so many places I visited over the years…some while Walsh was at “App State”…later with Honey a few years back…It makes me homesick for the mountains again…especially Grandfather’s Mountain!
What fun they have had on their bunk beds in the cabin and hammock on the porch!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
Hi, Becky,
I’ve been remiss in reading your daily blogs and only today got caught up with the last three. You realize that Walsh, Mollie & family are literally in my back yard? Banner Elk is about 15 minutes away and the views they have posted are exquisite! I know they have beautiful sunsets from their vantage point! Linville Falls is down the road from us about 20 minutes; Grandfather Mountain is right up the road from us about 15 minutes. We used to have season passes to Grandfather, but decided not to get one this year; good thing, I think, what with COVID! Anyway, I know all these places so well and I’m sure they are loving everywhere they are going! Have they tried Linville Caverns? It’s a down near Linville Falls, on Rte. 221. The boys would love it! Or, the Alpine Coaster in BE? It’s new this summer and quite mild, actually; not as harrowing or stomach-wrenching as a roller coaster, but still fun.
And I have decided also that we are not going to be having the nightly news on while we eat dinner any more. I agree with you – too much!!
Oh! Almost forgot that I wanted to tell you that, “normally,” the church I go to in the summertime (which is a “mission church” of our regular church), St. John’s, and we always sing “Let There Be Peace” as we wind up “passing the peace” each Sunday. This little church is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day; no heat; no A/C. Tiny little church in the mountains. And, someone will start the song – a capella – and everyone joins in. Lovely tradition and, of course, we’re all missing it this year. Sad times when we cannot congregate.
Anyway, your last three posts have struck a real chord with me! Have a wonderful day!
Much love,
Sis
Wow Sis…they have been in your back yard! They did go to the Alpine Coaster but it was so crowded …an almost two hour wait to slide down so with little ones they had to pass it up…but they did go on some roller coaster in the woods and all howled happily with that…don’t think they made the caverns on this trip unless they squeezed it in this morning before heading back but loved Grandfather Mountain even though it was lost in the clouds Tuesday when they were there…they lucked up on this rental…someone must have cancelled at the last minute…it was huge…meant for two families but they just paid the regular price and had all this extra space….it was more like a five star mountain villa…probably never have that luck again..but with COVID19…sometimes it actually does something positive…like provide a great last minute vacation to get the family out of the house this summer.
Mollie found the sweetest prayer outdoor sanctuary in Blowing Rock…she sent me a video of the pieces of paper folded with prayers on them…will have to find out more about it when they return. You might know about it.
Will have to tell Libby about your little church and how you use the song “Let There Be Peace’ in your service while singing a cappella passing the peace. So sweet!
Prayer for safe-keeping. Love you Sis!