Just A Short Post

It's late and I really need to get to bed to get up early for church tomorrow, but wanted to do a short post since I won't be back for a few days. Next week is our week at the campground and, as usual, I look forward to working and seeing the people at the park that have become my "other family". I honestly do not believe there are any sweeter and more caring people than those who live and work at the park in Roan Mountain. We start working on Monday, Labor Day, and by then all the holiday excitement will be over. The campers will be leaving out having had the last fling of the summer. From that time on it will be what I call "leaf peepers" mostly from Florida who come to see the beautiful fall colors in these Tennessee mountains. Maybe this year the color will be exceptional.

Hope your week is good and please pray for us to honor the Lord in all that we do.

Just Because I Indulged, I'm Tagged.........

Somehow it doesn't seem fair that just because I read bethanne's blog, I'm tagged. Oh well, since I got great enjoyment out of reading her 7, or rather 8, strange characteristics I guess I can give it a try. Probably some of these strange characteristics have to do with her childhood and are a direct result of her Mother (aren't all our quirky habits because of our Mothers?). As I have written before, meme's and such are still strange things in their self since I am not a veteran blogger (I know, I have had them explained to me several times!). So here goes:

1. I do not like my food to touch on my plate. Things that have juice running out of them, like corn and beans, must not run together or I have to start all over again with a new plate. I have been known to sop-up (that's southern for wipe) the juice with a paper towel before everything runs together. It's probably an "only child" thing.

2. I do not like to have dirty clothes in the hamper. I am obsessed with seeing the bottom of the dirty clothes hamper. I have been known to take the clothes out of the hamper and put them into the washing machine until I can wash them so that I feel better and can see the bottom.

3. I can not tolerate small pieces of soap - I always want a new bar. Seeing how soap (Dove) is expensive, I do wait until I have used it down until I can't read Dove anymore, but nothing makes me any madder than for the bar to break up on my wash rag into little pieces. Unlike my Mother who used to save all the little pieces of soap and heat them so they made one big bar, I throw the pieces away. Sorry, Mother.

4. Another obsession - clean. I love clean - clean floors (no dust bunnies), clean windows, clean sinks (no spots), clean tubs. What is strange about that you ask? I love to be the one who does the cleaning. I will admit that I am not as bad as I used to be but I like nothing better than scrubbing and dusting. Now, those of you who do not share my enjoyment (or obsession) of cleaning let me tell you that it is great therapy. You have no idea how many problems that I have worked out, how many people I have told off, and how many great vacations in my mind I have taken while scouring the tub!

5. I twist my hair - there I've said it. Since before I can remember (according to my Mother) I have twisted my hair. In all these 60 some years why it hasn't fallen out, I do not know. It is one of the most soothing and relaxing habits one can have. If I am tired, I find myself twisting. If I am thoughtful, I find myself twisting. If I am nervous, I find myself twisting. The only time I do not twist my hair when needed is if I have taken the time to style it.

6. I am afraid of midgets! Hubby says that I am prejudiced - not so. I just have had nightmares of midgets all my life. Who knew? If I see one on TV, I ask him to please change channels so I don't have to see them. He usually obliges, but he likes to torment me before he does. Let me make myself perfectly clear, I in no way am speaking badly of midgets. It's something that I can't explain - probably out of my childhood (that and Motherhood are always to blame).

7. I only like red Popsicles. Can't stand yellow (banana), orange, but will tolerate grape. Also, do not give me any of those strange flavors like watermelon, blueberry or the like. I only want the cherry red ones and nothing can change my mind! My heart falls when I go to the fridge and find no red. Everyone in this house (that includes Bodie and Chessy) knows Mommy gets the cherry pops! That's just the way it is.


Finally - thought I would never pick out which of all my strange characteristics I wanted to share with the world (well, maybe with the three of you that read my blog!). What's that old saying, "confession is good for the soul"? Can't say I feel any different - maybe a little more strange since I've seen how I really am in black and white. Hopefully, my blogging friends will think no less of me after this!

Behind in Posting

You would think that someone that is retired would have loads of time for posting on her blog. Not! It has been a week since I skated by with the pictures of Rn Mt and since that time we have been gone for a few days and I have no excuse for not posting on the days I have been home. Hubby and I went to Santeetlah Lake in Robbinsville, NC with his brother Tom and wife Chris. The days there were great, the fellowship was fun as always, and one of the best parts was a killer Rook game where my sister-in-law and I beat hubby and brother-in-law like a drum! Yes! I am already preparing for the payback that will come in time. There is one thing I have learned about my brother-in-law Tom, it may take awhile but there will be a payback.

The Lord has answered our prayers and it rained yesterday and all day today. Thank you Father for honoring our prayers. Our yard has been so dry and daily I have to fill the bird baths. Some of my flowers have simply dried up since we have not been home to water them. I am looking forward to fall since that is my favorite time of the year. I love to decorate my house inside and out with fall flowers, pumpkins and leaves. The cool mornings and nights and the changing colors of the trees remind me how fortunate we are to live in an area that enjoys all the seasons.

For the first time ever we had a sitter with our dogs while we were gone to the Lake. Granddaughter Anna stayed here and lovingly baby sat (and they are my babies) my boys. In fact, when I first got Bodie I would take him every day on my way to work for Anna to keep him and pick him up on my way home. Sometimes I thought he loved her better than me. Now he loves hubby better than me! Some day when I get them posed just right, I'll post a picture of them. They are so funny! They have their own personalities and their own little habits. Thankfully, Anna knows that and took very good care of them and our house. Thanks Anna. You did a great job!

There have been so many things that the Lord has been speaking to me about over the past couple of weeks. I started a new bible study at church last Wednesday (led by bethanne, in the flesh) written by Beth Moore. It has taken me all over the bible and reacquainted me with many scriptures - many that I needed to be reacquainted with! For some reason (that reason being the Holy Spirit) I am seeing some of these scriptures in a different light. I have spent this day catching up on the first week of the study. I really needed some quiet, alone time with the Lord - just soaking up what He wanted to say to me. It was good - God is good!

I have been thinking alot lately about all the trials that are being faced by God's people that I know and know of. Each day I receive emails that ask me to pray for the problems that others are facing. Some of the problems are satan centered. In bible study today, Beth Moore made a statement about the Holy Spirit that really spoke to me. "If He had energy enough to speak the worlds into being according to the Father's will and the Son's Word, he has the energy to carry you through your burden. You've got the Father's will and the Son's Word on it. When we walk in the Spirit, it is he who carries the weights." Thank you Beth Moore for reminding me of that! Christians have that assurance, and when we are privileged enough to be asked to pray for the problems others are having, what a great word to give them.

Enough................More "stuff" another day!

Roan Mountain Pictures

For the first time ever, I am trying to post pictures that I have taken. What a task! With a little help from bethanne and some from hubby, maybe I'll be able to show my blogger friends where we spend one week out of each month from May to November. Roan Mountain was a favorite place of mine to visit even before we became campground hosts and still is.

Campground Office & Check-in Station

Home away from home

View down the mountain from our camper

Great picnic spot (also the site of the famous bicycle accident)

Maybe I had better stop while I'm ahead. I still have much to learn and learning will come by doing. Stay tuned for more camping pictures, family get togethers and various "stuff".

Two Weeks of Catching Up...............

It's hard to believe that two weeks have passed since I posted anything on this blog. On the 3rd of August we went for our monthly week at the mountain and I didn't come home until this past Wednesday. The week working was great - the weather was perfect - mid 80's with no humidity and in the high 40's at night. A few of the mornings we ran our little heater. The campground was full of wonderful people from all over the United States. Many were from more southern states than Tennessee and you can always tell who they are because they wear sweat shirts and long pants! A couple of the mornings, as I took my dogs out, I could see my breath. The next week we go will be the 1st of September and by then I'm sure we will be using the heater each night. I love fall camping!

Our hours in the office are from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (great hours that do not interfere with the gift the Lord has given me in retirement - morning sleep). Almost every morning, vehicles were waiting in line to get a camping spot. It is not that we did not have any available for them to get right then. It's that they like certain spots and they come prepared to wait for them. This week we had no disputes over choice spots - in fact, the line seemed to take care of itself which made our job easier.

As I do the chores that hosts are expected to do, I have no choice but to listen to the conversations on the porch. The office porch is equipped with rocking chairs, tables with checkers and checker boards (soon I will have pictures of where we work and of our campsite - HELP bethanne!). Most of the time it is idle chit-chat, but then sometimes it goes deeper than that. In the four years we have been hosting, I have found that many of the people that I meet have hurts and they want to talk. My office job is not hard (else I could not do it!), and I have found that many times it is more important that I listen and offer a sympathetic ear than busy myself with desk work.

Many people have come to me and asked me how I am recovering from my bicycle accident. What an opportunity to tell them about how the Lord was in control and how He watched out after me. I had no idea how many people from all over were praying for me to get better. People who were in the park the day it happened have come back and said they began praying the minute they heard the sirens and had no idea who it was that was hurt. Park staff who were working in the office that day and watched the Wings helicopter lift off taking me to the hospital told me they were praying that very moment for my healing. I am so happy to tell them that I felt their prayers and that He answered them. My accident has opened more doors for witnessing than I ever imagined possible. The Lord takes disastrous situations and turns them into glorious opportunities.

As we finished our week, I began to make my prayer list for the upcoming week. I thought about the security guard whose daughter has had surgery for a tumor behind her ear and how worried and fearful he is. As he shared his concern with me, it was so good to be able to say, "God is in control. Don't worry". I thought about the frequent camper couple who came again this past week - her hair a fourth of an inch long on her head and how grateful she was that the Lord had brought her through her cancer treatments and that she was able to come camping again, but not knowing about the future. "God is control. Don't worry". About the acting park superintendent who has many, many responsibilities resting on his shoulders but shared with us that in his life God was first, family second and the job was third. He still needs my prayers, but he's got it right! The friend who shared with me that her daughter-in-law wants a divorce from her son, and how hurt and worried she is, not only for her son but for her grandchildren. Again, God is in control - don't worry. Park staff, who are in fear of loosing their jobs because of economic cut-backs and they have no idea who it will be. "God is in control. Don't worry". On and on and on............................

The Lord has placed us at Roan Mountain State park for a reason - if only to help me see that God can use me to minister to others no matter what is happening in my own life. Today in my daily bible study I was reading Acts 28:1-10. Paul was stuck on the island of Malta as a prisoner, and even in the worst of circumstances he chose to contribute to the work and needs of his fellowmen. Roan Mt is not an island in the ocean. I am not a prisoner nor are my circumstances dire, but I can contribute to the needs of those around me by doing what I can and allowing Him to use my efforts to further His plan. God never puts us in the wrong place to serve Him.