Sarah Martin Byrd's Blog, page 3

A Week in the Shadow of the Cross

The week leading up to Easter is a very emotional time for me. As I think back to all the Bible verses I’ve read about how Jesus suffered for me I cannot phantom how anybody could love me that much. But I know Jesus does. I feel it deep inside me as much as I feel my heart beating. Every living person on this earth will let us down, but not our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

In today’s post I want to share a scripture to read every day this week along with a few thoughts to reflect on.

 

Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem, fulfillment of Old Testament scripture, Zechariah 9:9.

Matthew 21:5

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foul of an ass.

Jesus did not enter Jerusalem upon a powerful black stallion adorned with jewels, but on a lowly foul of an ass. Jesus’ humility proved that he lived and died for us all.

 

Monday, April 14: Jesus clears the temple of moneychangers.

Matthew: 21:13

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

There should be no commercialism of God’s house. Any practice that interferes with worshiping God should be stopped.

 

Tuesday, April 15: The Pharisees try to trick Jesus.

Matthew: 22:21

They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are Gods.

With just a few days before His crucifixion Jesus was still teaching the ways of the Father. Jesus told the Pharisees that we are to give to the government what is due them and to God what is His. This is a very hard lesson for humans because we think that we deserve everything, always hoarding up riches on earth that will wither and rust.

 

Wednesday, April 16: A plot to kill Jesus develops, Judas agrees to betray Jesus.

Matthew: 26:15

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

How many times have we sold Jesus out for far less than thirty pieces of silver? Every time we sin we are betraying Him just as Judas did. No matter how big or small our sins are, they pound the nails into Jesus just the same as Judas surely did when he sold our Savior out for a few pieces of silver.

 

Maundy Thursday, April 17: The Last Supper, garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus’ arrest.

Matthew 26:41-42

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

How awesome is it that Jesus drank from the cup of pain, anguish and death so that we might have eternal life? Of course Jesus knew that He was dying to save a bunch of sorry souls who wouldn’t even stay awake for a few hours and pray with Him, but He did it for us anyway.

 

Good Friday, April 18: The Crucifixion and burial.

Luke 23:44

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus pleading to the Father to forgive me, why me, why you? Because Jesus knew we would never be good enough to ever save our self. No amount of good deeds can get us to the throne of God. Being covered by the blood of Jesus is the only way to heaven.

 

Saturday, April 19: Sealing and guarding the tomb.

Matthew 27:64

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

There was only one way into the tomb, and one way out. But there is nothing that could have kept Jesus in that hillside grave. No rock, guard, seal or army could stop the resurrection of Jesus.

 

Sunday, April 20: Resurrection morning.

Matthew 28:6

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Jesus is alive! He lives in the hearts of all who accept the truth of His life, death and resurrection. Why not let the love of Jesus set you free from all your insecurities, flaws, sins, and worries. Will your life on earth be problem free if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? No. But eternity will be perfect.

 

Pray this prayer today and accept God’s gift of life with Him for all eternity:

“Dear Lord Jesus,

I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead.  I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do your will.

In your name, amen.”

Wake Up World, It’s Festival Time

Genesis 8:22

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

 

Spring is probably my favorite time of the year. Even though with each change of season I get a little giddy looking forward to the transformation that each will bring. The beginning of springtime for me is not a date on the calendar. It’s when the Easter flowers start to bloom and the weeping willow down by the old springhouse begins to sprout green leaves. The maple pushes forth her fiery red buds and the hundreds of frogs in the pond below my house start serenading me with their, “I’m happy to be alive song.”

 

Even with the weather being much colder here at my hometown in North Carolina this year, spring is still upon us. In spite of the ground temperatures my lettuce patch and row of onions are bursting through the earth, seedtime is here. I just love to look out over the treetops and see color coming back to the barren winter days. In just a few more weeks the small mouth bass will be biting in New River and all will be right with the world.

 

After taking a couple of months off from this crazy world of writing books that I live in I’m gearing up for another year of attending festivals. Last year was a wild ride waiting on the arrival of my first children’s picture book titled, The Manger Mouse. A delay in production only gave me a couple of months to market the book before Christmas, but it was just as well since the book sold out very quickly. A second printing will take place in late May so hopefully I’ll have plenty of copies to sell this year.

 

My first festival will be this Saturday, April 12th from 10am until 4pm at Bridges Academy located on Pleasant Ridge Road in State Road. The extended forecast looks like we’ll have a sunny day, even though the event will be held inside the gym. One never knows when she signs up for a festival months before the event is to take place what the weather will be like. In the almost four years since my first book hit the streets I’ve weathered the blazing sun, frigid cold, rain, storms, and strong winds. It’s sort of like the change of seasons, one never knows what to expect. Be prepared is my motto. A girl can’t have a big enough bag to haul her stuff in to these events.

 

I’m also very excited about my new novel, The River Keeper. I’m still sort of up in the air about where this book will land, but I’m confident that when the time is right this novel will find a home. If I have not learned anything else on this writing journey I’ve learned one must be patient. A book does not just happen; it is a process sort of like the change of seasons. First the book is born from a thought or happening, then the words sprout and find their way to a sheet of paper. During the summer of a novel’s life the words grow and fill many pages, then when fall is upon us it’s time to refine the harvest. Then before you know it’s winter and the book is mature and ready to be released into the world.

 

I am almost ready to push my new baby out of the nest, but it’s hard for a mother to let go. I appreciate all my readers and their patience. I also want to thank you for encouraging me to hurry up with “the next one” as you all call it. In the meantime if you haven’t read my work please come out and visit with me at one of the upcoming events where you can purchase a copy of all three of my books, Guardian Spirit, The Color of My Heart, and The Manger Mouse. Here’s a list of the events I have scheduled so far:

 

Book Signings

 

April 12th Bridges School, 9am-4pm, Pleasant Ridge Road, State Road.

 

May 3rd Daniel Boone Family Festival 10am-5pm, Downtown, Mocksville.

 

May 31st Rural Hall Birthday Celebration 9am-4pm, Covington Park, Rural Hall.

 

June 28th High Country Festival 10am-4pm, Boone Public Library, Boone.

 

July 5th Ashe County Christmas in July 9am-7pm, Downtown, West Jefferson.

 

July 19th Farmers Day 9am-10pm, Downtown, China Grove.

 

July 25th Blue Ridge Mountains Arts and Crafts Fair   2pm-7pm, Crouse Park, Sparta.

July 26th Blue Ridge Mountains Arts and Crafts Fair (continues) 9am-5pm

 

September 27th Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival 9am-5pm, Downtown, Elkin.

 

Mount Airy Autumn Leaves Festival Downtown, Mount Airy.

Friday October 10th 9am-9pm

Saturday October 11th 9am-9pm

Sunday October 12th 12pm-6pm

 

 

So wake up world, winter has turned to spring and it’s time to get outside and enjoy the beauty that God so graciously allows us to enjoy.

 

 

 

Filled With His Spirit, Lost in His Love

Sometimes the Holy Spirit comes right down from Heaven, or wherever it is that He presides and weaves His way into my heart, plucking out the weary and sad parts and filling my being with the never-ending love of Christ. Needless to say after a recent church service at my home church, Pleasant Ridge Baptist, State Road, N.C., I am filled to overflowing.

 

We all long for peace, for comfort, and the reassuring truth that there’s more to this old life than what meets the eye. The world is full of hurting people, folks who have just lost their way. Maybe a teenager took that first drink and it turned into five or ten, then before he knew it he was living to drink. The same can be said for drugs. Or what if that teenage girl went a little too far with her boyfriend just to prove to him that she loves him.

 

What about the middle aged man who looks at his not so young wife and finds his eye wondering toward a younger and less gravity stricken version. The same can be said for the wife, her husband doesn’t seem to look at her the way he once did, and he never touches her, reaching out to interlock his fingers with hers. She is lonely and longs for the attention that once smothered her with want and desire. She doesn’t mean to, but the affair just happens.

 

Then there is the person who is just going through the motions. He or she gets up every morning, gives their spouse a peck on the check, heads out the door for work, comes home every night on time, has supper together with his family, watches television, dozes off on the couch, goes to bed, gets up the next morning and does it all over again. “Is there any joy in being a puppet?” he asks. “Do this, do that, don’t venture off the path too far. For heaven’s sake don’t do anything out of your routine.” That little voice (the Devil) keeps talking to him, telling him how boring his life is, then all of a sudden the grass looks greener on the other side and before the person knows it they have spread a wide girth away from the straight and narrow.

 

No one, and I mean no one, is perfect. The sins above may seem to be huge ones, but the not so large ones are just as bad. Lying, cheating, slander, cursing, not doing what you’re led to do. Denying the call of the Holy Spirit as He moves us to do this, or that.

 

At that recent church service a young lady who I have known since birth, Samantha Newman, was commissioned to go forth and spread the gospel. Soon she will be traveling to France to serve on the International Foreign Mission Field as a missionary for two years. She will leave a loving family, a family that is hurting right now, a family that is being plagued by a cancer that is living inside her step dad’s body. The turmoil that must be rampaging inside this young women’s heart as she leaves must be all consuming. But she knows that she has been commanded to go. Who commanded her? The Holy Spirit, that’s who. Just like Jesus told Simon Peter and Andrew to leave what they were doing and follow Him, and He would make them fishers of men, that’s what Samantha is doing.

 

The service filled me to the overflowing mark and then some. Not just the commissioning service for Samantha, it was also the brokenness of individuals as I looked around. Tears flowed unashamedly. Were we filled with compassion because this young woman was leaving? Yes. Were we proud of her for answering the call? Yes. But, we were also filled with our own challenges. With guilt for the things we have, or have not done. Have we heard the call of God and stuck our fingers in our ears? Are we just too selfish to do God’s will?  Or, do we use our past mistakes as an excuse to not work for the Lord?

 

In my life I have seen the miracles of God. Alcoholics strengthened by the will of the Lord to put down the bottle. Families put back together, cancer healed, drug dealers brought to their knees by the love of a risen Savior, babies who were supposed to be born with defects coming into this world as perfect as the day is long. Let me tell you folks, GOD IS BIG. Open your heart and let Him work within you. Believe me, I’m not preaching to you, I’m simply telling you what I need to be hearing myself.

 

I truly believe that God has allowed me to live my writing dream only because I have tried to honor Him through it. I may never be called to go to a foreign mission field to spread the gospel, but through the written word I can tell you that God can use you if you let Him. He can heal you of physical hurts and He can also heal you of the worst disease in the world, sin.

 

If the Holy Spirit has not filled you lately, if you have not experienced God in a mighty way in a long time, I beg you to ask yourself: Am I seeking God’s will in my life? Am I where He wants me to be? Am I spreading His love to a hurting world?

 

As always please know that this old girl is a million miles away from being perfect, but I know I’m going to end up in heaven. I won’t be the first person off the wagon, but you know what, the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the communion with the Holy Spirit wraps me up and loves me all the way to the foot of the cross. Don’t go another day without letting the Spirit fill you to overflowing, be filled with His Spirit, and lost in His love.

 

 

 

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.  Amen

 

Blazing the Trail (Part 2)

There’s a lot of buzz these days in my hometown of Elkin, NC about hiking, cycling and horseback riding trails. For outdoor advocates like me this is very good news. Last week in Part 1 of, Blazing the Trail I introduced you to my love of nature and a group of people calling themselves the Elkin Valley Trails Association (EVTA). Today I want to give you some details about the trails.

 

The Mountain to Sea Trail  (MST)

A simple footpath stretching almost 1000 miles across North Carolina.
Spanning an area from Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge on the Outer Banks.
Over 500 miles of this trail is complete.
Climbs both the tallest mountain peak, Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet, the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the eastern United States, also climbing the highest sand dune, Jockey Ridge, which is the tallest living natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States rising from 80–100 feet depending on weather conditions.
The MST trail passes through 37 counties, 3 national parks, two national wildlife refuges, includes three ferry rides and three lighthouses.
The trail was proposed in 1977 and added to the state park system in 2000.
It takes approximately 2,112,000 footsteps to complete the trail.
When possible the trail connects to other trails, such as The Elkin & Alleghany Rail Trail and the proposed Stone-to-Pilot Trail.
For more information view the Mountain to Sea Trail’s website: http://www.ncmst.org/

 

Elkin and Alleghany Rail Trail  (E & A Rail Trail)

The Elkin and Alleghany Railroad played a key role in the industrial revolution in Elkin and surrounding counties until the railway was decommissioned in the early 1930s.
 The E & A Rail Trial will start at Crater Park in Elkin, NC and follow the old railroad bed from Downtown Elkin to the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the John P. Frank Parkway in Traphill. Signs will be placed along this part of the trail featuring information about the old railroad and other aspects of history. Then the trail will continue on to Stone Mountain State Park.
The E & A Rail Trail will be the longest trail system on privately owned land in northwestern North Carolina. Over 50 landowners have donated easements and almost all others responded positively. Landowner participation is entirely voluntary.
The trail will promote trout fishing, kayaking and canoeing in the Big Elkin Creek. Also hiking, cycling, and horse back riding. The trail is intended to increase quality of life in the Elkin Valley and will provide educational opportunities, preserve our area history, promote health and wellness, provide economic opportunities and promote an appreciation and respect for our environment.
When completed the trail will be over 20 miles long. Some sections of the trail will run parallel, one for horseback riders and the other for cyclists. Hiking will be allowed on both.
The first two miles of the trail, for cycling and hiking starting in Elkin will be complete this summer, 2014.
A 14-mile section for horseback riding will go from near Carter Falls on the Big Elkin Creek to the Stone Mountain State Park boundary. A three-mile portion of this section is near completion over Wells Knob in the Austin Community. A 25-foot long pedestrian bridge is already in place at this location.
An iron pedestrian bridge has been purchased and is scheduled for placement over the Big Elkin Creek on old Elkin & Alleghany trestles about 50 yards upstream from the Shoe Factory Dam in Elkin. The Elkin Valley Trail Association is applying for a grant to build a second bridge over the Big Elkin Creek in 2014-15.

 

 

Stone Mountain to Pilot Mountain (Stone-to-Pilot Mountain Trail)

1.     The Elkin Valley Trails Association (EVTA) has been chosen to head up the planning for building this section of the NC Mountain to  Sea Trail (MST).

2.     Planning has begun for the next segment of the MST from Stone Mountain State Park to Pilot Mountain State Park.

3.     This section of the Mountain to Sea trail will be approximately 60 miles in length.

 

 

This information is only the tip of the iceberg concerning these trails. These trails do not just happen. It takes a lot of money, thought, time and energy from many, many volunteers. To find out more about what you might do to help build and maintain these trails, and for fundraising events please visit the Elkin Valley Trails Association (EVTA) website at: http://elkinvalleytrails.org/

 

 

Blazing the Trail (Part 1)

Growing up on the banks of the Big Elkin Creek my days were filled with fun, frolicking and fantasy. When I escaped to the river I found myself in a world all my own, lost in time, hidden from fearful eyes and wagging tongues. I thought I lived in one of the most magical places on earth. My opinion has not changed very much the last 50 years.

 

From Carter Mill Road to Preacher Field Road in Wilkes County, NC, I stomped in and around about every inch of creek water that flowed through there. I can show you where the old liquor still once brewed up a powerful batch of rotgut. On a clear summer eve the smell of sour mash would cling to the breeze and rise up the hill to my house. I’ll never forget that smell or the sound of the blast when the revenuers blew the still up.  A few years back I was down in the swamp, some of the remnants of the old still site can be found, but there’s not a whole lot left when a revenuer blows up a man’s livelihood with a stick of dynamite.

 

I can show you exactly the spot a water moccasin opened his mouth and showed me his pearly-white tonsils. I swear that snake chased me for a half mile down the creek stream that emptied into the Big Elkin. Don’t tell me there are no cottonmouth snakes in this area.

 

On a late afternoon as the darkness would take over the night the scream of a mountain cat could be heard for miles and miles up and down the Big Elkin. Water carries sound. That cat crying out for his mate sounded like a baby a-screaming. First time I heard it my daddy laughed and laughed at me. That screeching cat scared me to death. I knew where that sly cat lived. He bedded down in one of the deep crevices in the rock cliff above Carter Falls.

 

I spent many an hour at the bridge down below my house on old dirt road number 2042. I lived on that road even before it was given a real name, Preacher Field Road. In the day you could find initials craved into the wooden bridge of every sweetheart within a twenty-mile radius. A spring flood finally took out that old bridge. I hated to see it go, and still to this day, forty odd-years later I have not gotten use to the new metal bridge. Sometimes when I’m roaming I find myself down at the bridge. I close my eyes and see the markings, T.D.W loves S.G.M. These declarations of love were etched for eternity, but the river had other plans.

 

Below my daddy’s bottomland was Herman and Bertie Gentry’s acreage. As a youngster many a time I’d stroll by their house on the way to Carter Falls. I’d stop in and say a quick hello and of course ask them if it’d be okay if I wondered on down to the falls that just so happened to be in their back yard. I knew after asking them that first time it would be okay for me to borrow their water anytime. They were more than welcome to share the view with their young neighbor.

 

I have loved the land and nature for as long as my memory remembers. To this day I still slip off and head down in the woods to Klondike Lake, or stroll up the road toward my old hangout, Carter Falls. I always wondered how in the world the falls stayed such a secret, a natural beauty tucked back in time. Probably because up until a dozen or more years ago Duke Power (Energy) owned the property on the side that borders Pleasant Ridge Road, and the Gentry family still owns the property on the other side off of Preacher Field Road. The falls cannot be seen from the road and there is no maintained road into the site, just a seldom-traveled path down through the pasture from the Gentry farm, and a footpath down the hill from Carter Mill Road.

 

A few months ago I took my granddaughter down to the falls and she couldn’t believe there was something that awesome so close to where she lives. I began to wonder about the proposed “Elkin to Stone Mountain Trail” that might bring hikers past this awesome landmark. Part of me wants to keep the falls a secret, to hoard it back so I can take a few select people down there and show it off, just like it was my very own play land. The other part knows the falls should be shared.

 

As progress continues on the “Elkin to Stone Mountain Trail” I intend to keep you informed through this blog. I am so excited that a few pioneers calling themselves “Vibrant Elkin” set forth back in 2011 with a vision. Just like Daniel Boone and Christopher Columbus these people forged ahead hoping to reveal the natural wonders of this area. With an adventurous mind set they have a vision to improve our area’s economics, giving locals and tourists an awesome 20-plus mile trail from Crater Park in Elkin, to Stone Mountain. Parts of this trail will even be open to bike and horseback riders.

 

God made all things: rocks, every grain of dirt, trees, briars, plants, and water systems. So I truly believe that He made these things for all of us to enjoy. I applaud these visionaries who give of their time to “Blaze the Trail” for us all to enjoy.

 

 

To get involved in this project please contact Elkin Valley Trails Association via their web site: http://elkinvalleytrails.org/

 

 

Daylight Saving (Slaving) Time

I’m sorry folks but I am going to lay it on the line: I HATE Daylight Saving Time. Why in the world would we simple-minded humans think we are smart enough to mess with the sun’s time?

 

When I was a kid I thought having an extra hour in the evenings to play outside was wonderful, but now as an adult that extra hour only adds to the days workload. Not to mention the change messes up my sleep pattern. For those of us who are creatures of habit this is a very stressful time. In fact studies have shown that during the first three weekdays of Daylight Saving Time a person is at a 10% greater risk of having a heart attack, and, it has been documented that suicide increase in males at this time of year and decreases in the fall when the time changes back. The rhythm of life is off kilter for weeks after this dreaded change.

 

Not only does this changing of time effect our health it also complicates all sorts of time keeping devises, disrupts meetings, world travel, computer software, and medical and farming equipment. Conservationists can argue that we’re saving natural resources by switching over to Daylight Saving Time but how can that be explained? Sure there is an hour of more sunlight in the evenings, but there is an hour less in the mornings… da.

 

Way back in the late 1800s Daylight Saving Time was first proposed to conserve candles, but it didn’t fly then. The ringing of church bells, or, the blast of a cannon awakened communities at daylight. People were even taxed if they had shutters covering their windows. The first Daylight Saving Time bill was not proposed to the House of Commons until 1908 but it still didn’t pass.

 

In April of 1916 Germany and Austria-Hungary were the first countries to use Daylight Saving Time as a way to conserve coal during wartime. The United States adopted Daylight Saving Time in 1918, but soon abandoned it in the years after the war. It was not until the energy crisis of the 1970s that Daylight Saving Time was widely adopted. But, today two of our states, Arizona and Hawaii do not adhere to the time change.

 

What really gets me is the fact that since the change in time early Sunday morning it is dark when I get up at seven, when before it was light. And, last night it was still daylight at 8:00 so when 10:30 rolled around my body was telling me it was just 9:30 and it was not ready to go to bed. So therefore it was after 11 when I went to bed so today I am a fuzzy headed mess. Makes no sense to me.

 

Back in the day Ben Franklin said it all with this old English proverb: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Simple advice with no time change.

Sorry for ranting, but, sometimes a girl’s just got to vent. Have a great week in the sun.

 

Dream Big

Last week I was invited to speak at Career Day at a nearby middle school. Of course I said yes because I enjoy being around young people, and I always jump at any opportunity to talk about my writing. When I arrived I saw others who would be speaking: A pharmacist, a veterinarian, a nurse practitioner, an insurance man, a martial arts teacher, a construction worker, a paint salesman, an event planner, policemen, a robot builder, etc.

 

I thought, oh my goodness how can a simple little writer of books compare to these important people? I was teamed up with the martial arts teacher and the insurance man. Each of us had ten minutes to give our spill, and we had nine different groups to spill it to. I don’t know if it was meant for the kids to be inspired that day or for me to be the one receiving the inspiration.

 

When the insurance guy asked the young people what they wanted to be when they grew up we heard everything from a builder to a lawyer to a cosmetologist. I thought back to when I was that age and remembered I had wanted to become a teacher. Looking back now I know the only reason I wanted to be a teacher was because I wanted to be the boss. Imagine that. I think that is why I love working from home. I really don’t have to answer to anyone but me. But don’t worry I boss myself around all the time. Sometimes I just want to shout, “Shut up self and chill out.”

 

The martial arts teacher told the kids that he was doing what he loved. He matter of factly told them that he would never be rich owning a martial arts school and teaching, but as long as he could pay the bills he was happy. Then the insurance man came back and asked the kids if they had rather work at a job making lots of money that they hate for forty years, or work at a job that they love and just get by. If you really think about it that’s a hard question.

 

Is it better to be happy or be rich? Of course we all want to be comfortable, but is living in the lap of luxury worth the cost? I have worked at being a stay at home mom, a substitute teacher, a certified nursing assistant, a factory worker, a retail salesperson, a buyer for a women’s clothing outlet, an account executive, advertising manager and I even pulled a few months in an insurance office, but I can tell you the absolute truth, since staying home these past six-plus years I have made the least amount of money I’ve ever made in my life and that includes when I used to work in tobacco as a kid, but I’ve never been happier.

 

Yes, we have to be sensible and make enough money to pay our bills and send the kids to the dentist, but if we’re doing something that we hate just for the money then I believe we’re wasting our life, simply throwing it away. A person has to be responsible, but do we have to live to be miserable? Life is far too short to be unhappy all the time. Twenty or thirty years ago I did not have the means to be able to stay at home and do what I do. And don’t think I do not feel blessed that I’m getting to now. There is a season for all things and this is my season to write. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, and if I have to go back to the old nine to five then so be it, but for now I’m having fun.

 

My advice to those young people at the middle school was this: Work hard, have a lot of stick-to-itiveness in you, apply common sense in all things, have a passion for what you’re doing, and DREAM BIG!

 

May I never grow too old to dream a little and be inspired? After all Theo Seuss Geisel the author of 47 children’s books wrote, Green Eggs and Ham when he was a mere fifty-six years old. And, he continued writing until the day he passed away at age eighty-seven. Twenty-three years after his death Dr. Seuss books are as popular as ever. If that doesn’t inspire you I don’t know what will. I think Dr. Seuss proved that we are never too old to dream big.

 

Happy birthday Dr. Seuss.

March 2, 1904 – September 21, 1991

The End

This week marks the end of the shortest month of the year, February. All sorts of wonderful things happened this month. My birthday, my oldest nieces 40th birthday, fourteen inches of snow, and my husband Jerry and I celebrated the anniversary of our first date 39 years ago, February 22nd, 1975. To commemorate the occasion we took a little road trip down toward Savanna, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

 

On Friday the trip started out sort of soggy, raining on us the entire way to Savanna. But as we arrived the skies cleared to spotty patches of blue and white and we were able to stroll down River Street. This being our first trip to the oldest city in South Carolina I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the cobblestone streets and quaintness of the area. Fortunately there is so much to say about the town I will designate an entire blog to it in the coming weeks.

 

After spending the afternoon in Savanna we moved on toward Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. About thirty miles from our destination we stopped on Route 17 and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express for the night. A nearby Subway restaurant fed us supper and we were ready to turn in for the day at like 9pm. Needless to say I am not the party animal I once was. A lot changes in 39 years.

 

We rose early like most old folks do and were on the road toward Hilton Head before 8am. We had heard from friends that there was a really great campground at Hilton Head and sure enough, Hilton Head Harbor RV Resort and Marina is awesome. It is located on the Intercoastal Waterway and from what we saw as we drove through it is every bit as charming as our friends said it was, probably the nicest campground I’ve ever seen.

 

We found the island to be very unique, with palm trees and green foliage covering up all the commercialism. I had to really look hard to spot signs for restaurants and such. We didn’t expect to see a Walmart and Sam’s on the island but they were there nonetheless, hidden behind a barrier of leaves and vines.

 

We went from one end of the island to the other trying our best to catch a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. Finally we found a public beach access. Parking in the lot we had to feed the meter fifty cents to leave our car so we could see what the beach looked like on this affluent island. A half a mile walk delivered us to the flattest beach I’ve seen since driving on Daytona Beach many years ago. Hilton Head beach is a beautiful place in February, not soiled by hundreds of people sporting bikinis and suntan oil. I imagined what it would look like in a few months as the sun seekers poured in from the many condos that set back from the ocean’s pull.

 

After taking a short stroll on the beach and finding a pearly white shell for a souvenir it was time to move on. From Hilton Head Island we traveled toward Beaufort, the second oldest town in South Carolina. This Beaufort is not to be mistaken for Beaufort, North Carolina. Before getting to Beaufort we headed out to a place called Hunting Island State Park. This park is maybe one of the prettiest parks I’ve ever seen. Driving down the one-way road inside the park I felt just like I was on a deserted island with Gilligan and the cast-a-ways. Except for the road through the park the area seemed untouched by the world. There is even a lighthouse, which once warned a weary sailor of the perilous coastline inside the park and for a mere two dollars you can climb to the top.

 

A little farther down the road we ran into a security gate that stopped us from visiting Fripp Island. It seems that the really rich folks that own this island don’t want common people like me to get in. I did get a picture of the tip of Fripp Island where the intercoastal waterway empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It was beautiful watching the calmness of the waterway meet the cresting waves of the ocean. Sort of like life, one day you’re flowing along full of peace and tranquility the next your head smashes against the forces of nature and you’re filled with confusion and chaos.

 

The most interesting part of our trip was the moment I spotted the sign that designated the end of US Highway 21. Being raised along this corridor it fascinated me to actually find the spot where this road ends. “From the Mountain to the Sea” is the highway’s slogan, 394 miles of two and four lanes roads from Wytheville, Virginia to Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina. Meandering through Beaufort, Port Royal, and Parris Island to Fort Mill, South Carolina merging with I-77 around Carowinds, Highway 21 then travels by Huntersville through Statesville and onto Elkin, and then passes The Blue Ridge Parkway and on to Twin Oakes and then into Independence Virginia, through Mount Rodgers National Recreation Area to Wytheville.

 

But as all good things must come to an end our trip was over too quickly. There are many ending in life, the end of the day, the end of a month, the end of each moment, the end of life on earth, and the end of the road. What we do between the beginning and the end is what is important. For me its loving life as I experience it. Each day is like opening a present. Around every bend is a surprise. As we travel through the days of our lives may we live to experience the wonderful things God has blessed us with. The world is full of riches, not just monetary things but simple things like making memories with the ones we love. I can’t wait to go on another treasure hunt into the world, and thank you Jesus for your sacrifice that assures me that there is no end to eternity.

 

Revelation 22:13

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Wishing Upon a Star

John 14:13

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

 

When I was a little girl, late in the day just as the darkness began to consume the dusk I sent many a wish up to that first star I saw in the shadowy sky. My childhood wishes were mostly selfish little pleas, but other times they were heartfelt requests. Wishes that my mama and daddy would be normal like my friends parents, or that my brothers and sister would be okay and that we would have clean clothes to wear to school the next day.

 

This young girl of yesteryear truly believed that God was riding up there on that star and listening to every word she said. Today after thousands of evenings of wishing upon stars I have even more faith that the All Mighty hears my pleas. Do all my wants and desires come true? No. Why, when the scripture says, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.”

 

John 14:13 is one of the hardest scriptures to understand in the entire Bible because we all know that God does not answer all our prayers, not the way we want them answered anyway. The key to unlock the mystery of prayer is to ask for our desires, but then turn the plea over to God and ask for His will to be done.

 

God knows what’s best for us. So ask, then let God be glorified by answering your request His way. Last week I wished upon a star to get a foot of snow. After fourteen inches of white fluffy powder I have no doubt that God heard my wish and granted it. Why, because it was His will for it to snow a lot.

 

Selfish desires can sometimes get us into a whole passel of trouble. Many times I’ve wished for things that I didn’t get, then thanked the Lord that I didn’t get them. So, when that first star of the evening pops out and you gaze up at the far away planet, lift your words of praise to God for giving us so much more than we need or deserve, then voice your wishes, but don’t forget to leave the answer in God’s hands. The Father knows best.

 

 

 

The Gift

While querying agents for my next novel, The River Keeper I was entered into a drawing to receive a free book. All I had to do was sign up to receive the Laura Dail Literary Agencies newsletter. No problem I could do that, especially if there was a free book involved.

 

You see I love books. Bet you never could have guessed that could you? Ever since third grade and The Box Car Children I have been hooked. I love mysteries, suspense, love stories… but only if they end good, I’m also drawn to young adult novels and I simply love to read children’s books for all ages. I don’t care what the genre is as long as the characters are strong and there is a good story line. But most especially I love the words that are imprinted between the cover of the Holy Bible, these words hold the mysteries of old, and our road map to the future.

 

I purchased the coolest book at a second hand store a few years back titled, The Forbes Book of Business Quotations. I paid five dollars and it is worth every cent. Here is one of the quotes from inside by Louisa May Alcott, “Far away in the sunshine are my highest inspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.” How awesome is that?

 

What would happen if we stopped dreaming, if we never set goals? Would we just give up and lie in bed all day? Unfortunately, I’m afraid that is exactly what some people have chosen to do. Like Louisa May Alcott said, I may not reach all my highest inspirations but I’m sure going to try. As I’m coasting down the backside of fifty I hope and pray that life will keep stoking the fire that ignites my yearning to create.

 

What a wonderful gift a book is to a lover of words. When I got home last Friday from running errands there the package was, lying in one of my Grandma Verlie’s old rocking chairs on my carport. The padded envelope not only held one book but three. They are beautiful publications with intriguing covers and I can’t wait to read every word of all three.

 

I am especially drawn to one of them, it is titled, The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen. If you’re not familiar with Jane Austen’s writing let me share a quote by her out of my Forbes Book of Quotations, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” That sort of sums up what kind of lady she was, doesn’t it? She’s my kind of gal, strong and confident of her worth as a woman.

 

My own sister broke my heart the other day. She stopped by my house and as she was leaving she picked up a book I was reading. She said, and I quote, “ I haven’t read a book in years, reading bores me to death.” Can this person really be my sister?  Surely we were switched at birth. But come to think of it neither one of my brothers are readers either, so therefore I am the black sheep, outcast, oddity of the family. Imagine that?

 

Jane Austen knew all along that the world is made up of all kinds of people with millions of different wants and needs. I’ll leave you with one more of her quotes, “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.” Touché Jane. Some love to read while others are bored to tears by words, I myself am so thankful that I am transfixed into another world when I open the cover of a book. I might be beamed up to a far away planet; sail the high seas to a foreign country, or I might be blinked into my own back yard. No matter where the words take me I am in awe of the trip.

 

There is no better gift than the gift of words, whether written into novels, sonnets, essays, short stories or spoken with the simplicity of these three short words, “I love you.” How powerful is that?