Tuesday, December 9, 2008

How Full of Grace is God

Let me be the first to tell you that of so many Christians I can name, I am the least. This is not false humility - this is the truth. I zig when God wants me to zag, and that's not the least of it.

Well - the Lord blessed me this week with a wonderful vacation trip. My husband has had to go to Asheville, NC on a business trip, and, since we took no vacation in October, I went with him on this one, mostly paid for by his place of work. We have to pay some of my expenses, but that is minimal when you consider the blessings. We are staying at the famous Grove Park Inn on a mountainside overlooking Asheville. To say it is healing to my spirit, that the nature all around us is magnificent, would be an understatement.

The Lord has been with us from the time we hurriedly left our home in Florida to get to the airport on time, to this very moment that I am typing this in a beautful room overlooking some misty, clouded, cold and windy - but ever so Christmasy to this northern soul - mountains.

There are Christmas trees every few feet in this inn, and they are decorated beautifully, although my favorite is the one decorated with natural items from the mountains.

I will post some pictures when I get back home, but for now I just wanted to share how blessed I am - and certainly NOT because I deserve it in any way, shape or form!!

There is a giant - maybe 15 feet across and about 10 feet deep - fireplace (and that is only the open area where the flames are - it is surrounded by a wall of rock) with rocking chairs in front of it. There are Christmas carols being sung by a group and poincettias everywhere. You look out the windows and the sky is overcast and dark, low gray scudding clouds are touching, then obscuring the mountaintops - and it is oh SO cosy inside this great stone inn.

I've found two used Christian bookstores - something I've never seen before, so I've bought some wonderful old titles.

In all of this, my goal is not to make others feel bad, but to let everyone know that the Lord God is a giving Father, one who waits to pour out wonders upon His children.

Now, before you think I believe in a prosperity Gospel, let me say that the blessings I am experiencing here are the kind He knows I would particularly love. I was born in a rural, mountain community, and I have not lived in that type of area since I was 23 years old - and I am now 52. Mountain places sing to my soul, they comfort me as nothing else can, and we could not afford to go on our once a year vacation in October to the NC mountains - so the Father had something better in mind. A pre-Christmas trip to those same mountains, but paid for by someone else mostly. We could never afford to stay at Grove Park Inn, and I am not going to the spa part of the inn that is also quite famous. The services at the spa here are unbelievably expensive.

The Lord knows what makes me tick - after all He made me. He knows I love the countryside, wildlife, old books. I could care less about the spa treatments - although I love a good massage, but not at these prices!! I'd be too stressed to enjoy the massage! The Lord made sure I passed a small Bird Sanctuary on Beaver Lake, and He made sure there were hundreds of birds all taking their afternoon repast yesterday when I walked through. I do have some pictures of that I'll be posting when I get home.

The Lord also made sure I found two out of the way Christian bookstores, both full of used books - some of which are over 100 years old. One of the bookstores was in an old, dilapidated, but picturesque house. The girl that worked there was wearing three layers of clothes to stay warm and had a heater by her feat. She was quite young and expecting a child soon. The second Christian bookstore was in the opposite direction and was off the beaten track as far as Asheville is concerned.

We may go to the Biltmore - just to see it decorated for Christmas - I don't care about all the rest of the folderol. All I know is that I am feeling a little bit what it will be like in heaven for me. The Lord Jesus shows me His love in so many ways - and He sure knows what makes my heart sing with joy.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am sooooo happy that you have gotten the best Christmas present ever! You are so precious to me and I am happy and filled beyond belief that my sister has had her heart and soul blessed and filled with the wonderful caring that only the Father can provide. I know how you feel - I have had those same kinds of blessings given at just the right times. It's wonderful to know that He is right there and in spite of all those times when we zigged at his zags, He blesses us anyway and shows us His love. . . .sigh!!! P.S. thanks for the pictures, songs to my cell. It was a nice break during my chapter reading for an online IT final. . . .

Susan Humeston said...

I tried to add a picture of the resort, but Blogger is giving me problems, so it will have to wait until I get home. You liked the video? I was so overwhelmed with how wonderful the singing in front of the fireplace was - it would have been nicer if you had been able to share it with me.