Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Remarkably my cold symptoms have diminished using rest, liquids, home remedy, echinacea, and Tylenol as defensive weapons. Of course, God's wonderful design of the human body to fight off viruses played the major part in recovery. If you haven't read the book Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey, I would recommend it. It is remarkable how sophisticated and complicated our immune systems are! Only a Master Designer could have produced such wonder...

So begins our preparation for our trip to Myrtle Beach. Leaving Saturday morning, we plan to take two days of travel to reach our vacation spot. Dave and Jo's Excellent Adventure--sounds like cinema potential to me.

Seasonal sidenotes

What a beautiful autumn day. The temperatures have boldly claimed the low 70's, laughing in the face of what we were experiencing a few days ago. But, alas, it's not to be permanent. It is fall in Indiana and the weather is as fickle as sixth grade romance.

A cold virus has taken residence in my nose assuring me that we shall postpone our South Carolina trip for at least two days. The sniffles and sneezing seem out of place today as I feel the sun's warmth and take one last fleeting look at it before it succumbs to clouds, rain, and lower temperatures forecasted.

But, hey, this is Indiana. We have defineable seasons here. There is no blur between equinoxes and solstices in our neck-of-the-woods. When it comes to presenting seasons, our state subscribes to letting its "nay be nay, and its yea be yea". There nothing wishy-washy about its character.

I wouldn't wish for it any other way. Hoosiers rock.

Reaching for the tissues

Slip slidin' away
Slip slidin' away
You know the nearer your destination
The more you're slip slidin' away...

Paul Simon

Those words by Paul Simon haunt me as I strive to ignore the watery eyes, dull ache in my head, and nagging cough visited upon my person just a few hours ago. Cold and flu season has arrived in tandem with our anticipated departure to Myrtle Beach. Hence, the haunting tune by Mr. Simon floating through my head...

Could it be that our anticipated departure on Thursday this week for our coveted beach vacation is slipping away? There is no task as arduous as driving a 39' motorhome while one is feeling poorly. So, maybe, we'll delay leaving a couple of days...

I'm learning to trust that delays in my schedule often have a greater purpose. The journey toward our destination should be enjoyed as much as the arrival at our destination. Perhaps these little physical interruptions should be viewed as scenic overlook where one can stop, discover new vistas, become enriched by the detour, and then move on...

Myrtle Beach bound...

I spent the afternoon washing our motorhome since the temperature has managed to inch above 40 degrees...We leave Thursday for our semiannual trip to Myrtle Beach; something we look forward to with great anticipation.

We stay at Ocean Lakes Campground on the Grand Strand ( http://www.oceanlakes.com/). There is a mile of oceanfront inviting us to walk, relax, and enjoy the power and beauty of the Atlantic Ocean...Ocean Lakes is a gated campground that is very family-oriented and offers so many amenities; we love going there. By and large, the staff are friendly, helpful, and accommodating. We always enjoy our visits there.

The journey is fun, too. We spend two days traveling which requires an overnight stay; usually around Beckley, West Virginia. There is a quiet place there where we can stay overnight and easy access back onto the interstate the following morning to complete the final leg of our trip to MB. The leisurely drive puts us in a great frame of mind as we arrive at our destination. No hassles, no deadlines, just relaxation.

A day memories are made of...

Our grandson Caleb scored a touchdown today in his final seasonal game of flag football. All of the energy displayed by himself and other 7 year olds today was electric. The 30 degree temperatures didn't seem to bother the 22 kids on the field striving to play their very best to an audience of appreciative parents, siblings, grandparents and others braving the unseasonable chill of this mid October morning. What a joy to watch his final game of the season!

Later, we walked 300 yards to the gymnasium where the ambient 70 degree inside temperatures welcomed us to our oldest grandaughter's youth league basketball game. Her third grade skills were impressive as she drove the basket, played very well defensively, and managed to contribute 4 to 6 points for her team's 12 point total.

Every season brings a new dimension to these children that is precious and wondrous. They each have gifts and personalities that reflect the Hand of God on their lives shaping them, directing them, and blessing those of us observing their growth.

It was a day well spent in the company of family contributing to our growing treasure trove of memories that become priceless with age.

Grandkids rock!

Jo and I went to our third oldest grandchild Luke's school today to celebrate Grandparent's Day with him. He's in first grade this year and the program was awesome! Students k thru 5 provided a musical program themed on the USA that was terrific. It was obvious the music teacher was inspirational to the children as they belted out patriotic songs, waved flags, played musical instruments, performed the Virginia Reel, and provided readings from the early formers of our country. It was definitely more than just a cookies-and-cider kind of day (although they did provide those in the classrooms after the program).

Tomorrow we travel to see our other grandchildren in a different kind of performance. Our oldest grandson plays flag football in his youth league and our oldest granddaughter has a basketball game. The four hour round trip is a bit taxing, but the hugs from the little ones have a way of dispelling the weariness that travel brings. Mary H. Waldrip said, "Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old". Right on, Mary.

Welcome to my world...

Ahhhh, so this is what it's like to blog? So far, pretty painless. The user-friendly setup was harmless, and it appears that I've selected all of the right options, so maybe I can do this after all.

Now, what to post? First of all, I'm very conservative politically, and would probably be described by some as right-wing. Well, I would consider that a compliment.

I grew up in the mid-forties and fifties; discovered girls, the Navy and VietNam in the 60's; married my wonderful wife Jo in the 70's; and, my life has been molded and shaped by God's hand. I've observed that in pottery, the clay never molds the potter...it yields to his hand. So much the better for the clay...it can become something remarkable and unique. Not by its choice, but by the one Creating.

That's been pretty much my life. I've yielded; God has shaped. Tough going at times, but always intriguing and never dull. I'm always wondering what He will add later--what embellishments or changes He might make today or tomorrow. Life is one big adventure.

I like what CS Lewis said: "A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." Some things are just out of our hands. The older I become, the more that I like it that way.