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.