This morning. How to describe it? I slept well and rose rejuvenated. During breakfast, I looked out the window to see the sun shining gold on the trees and the lake covered in a ghostly blanket of fog. Something in me insisted I go.
I walked quietly and resolutely to the end of the road, through the leaf-strewn, small wooded area, to the edge of the lake. It was stunning in its silence and beauty. I stood there for a moment, taking it in, then turned right and walked the edge of the water breathing in the clean crisp air. Soon, I came upon a bench where I sat. The only sound I could hear, a squirrel running around in the leaves and up and down a tree.
The sun shone brilliantly above the fog, turning the leaves on the trees to shimmering bronze, gold and deep red. The fog rose and swirled in wisps and I was reminded of the prayers of the priests in the Old Testament temple ‘rising as incense before You’. It was glorious!
After a while, I rose and continued to my right, spying the dock by the boathouse surrounded in the softness of the fog and just knew that was where I needed to be. I walked quickly and quietly to the end of the dock not wanting even the sound of my footsteps to disturb the quiet.
I stood there for a moment delighting in the fog wrapping itself around me and rising to my Father God. And then I raised my hands above my head and praised Him. No prayers, no requests, just praise. I felt the warmth of the sun on my hands and it felt like God Himself was touching me – filling me with peace and calm and the joy of being in His presence. Pieces of various songs touched my silent, moving lips – ‘I Lift My Hands’, ‘Of the Father’s Love Begotten’, ‘Immortal, Invisible’.
And it was beyond words.
I spent the rest of the day working on the blog (I was still 6 days behind!) and listening to Blaine yell at the TV. It was the Ohio State-Michigan game. He burned a lot of calories watching television today. 😊
But they managed to pull it off – even after JT Barrett (OSU quarterback) was injured. Final score 31-20. Blaine doesn’t have to remove the spare tire cover from the Jeep after all.
We headed out to stretch our legs. It turned into a 5 mile stretch. 😊 It’s easy to do around here since the land is barely hilly. We just walk and talk and hold hands and before we know it, we’ve walked enough to warrant a meal.
The end of our hike, and the only picture of the day.
Tonight was burgers on the open fire. It was a great night for a fire. Unfortunately, the neighbors caused us to call it an early night. That teeny-tiny trailer I showed you a picture of the other day decided to start their dinner after dark. That little thing had a bright spotlight in the back, shining right in our eyes. And no, we couldn’t sit on the other side of the fire because that’s the way the smoke was blowing. Granted, they were polite enough to turn it off while they were actually eating, but before and after. . . And then there was the incessant barking from the trailer across from us. The people were gone and left their dog. It didn’t stop the entire 2 ½ hours we were out there. We couldn’t take it anymore.
Please, please, please! If you camp with a dog, take it with you! You don’t know what they do when you’re not there, because you’re not there to hear it. If you can’t take it with you, please don’t be gone long! If you plan on day trips, don’t take your dog camping! Leave it with someone – a family member, neighbor or kennel.
This has been a public service announcement.