It hasn't been all chores and work here. We took two half-days to go for a drive.
Our first drive was to a local waterfall. Most of the park was closed. We did not have access to the "largest suspension bridge in Oconee County", but we did get to see the waterfall - that was nice!
Afterward, we drove through farmland. It was a very nice day for a drive, but we didn't see anything amazing - just some really nice scenery.
We stopped at a local church to rest partway through our trip and ventured into the local cemetery. We came across this marker and flag.
We wondered what kind of person was Francis. He lived in such a difficult time, a divided time for our nation. How did he reconcile moral issues with what he believed and for which he fought. It is easy to pass judgement on the choices he made, but it made us think about the moral and cultural choices we make today: individually and as a nation. How will we be judged by others in the future? More importantly, how will God hold us accountable for our daily actions and choices?
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Galatians 6.7
On to lighter thoughts.
Later that week, we took a full day and drove to the Mountains of Northern Georgia. It was a beautiful day and the mountains were splendid. We didn't take many pictures along the drive because the trees are still bare, but the flowering trees were pretty showy. Unfortunately, snapshots at 50 MPH aren't very clear.
Here is a quick combo shot of some of them.
This is the old bridge that crossed the Chatooga River at the Georgia/South Carolina State line. It is difficult to see but they took the middle section away once the new road was built and now this bridge is a peaceful fishing pier.
Right before entering the mountain drive, we passed through Helen, Georgia. Cute Bavarian style town.
In between sites we passed some very pretty countryside.
We are still getting back into Travel Mode. We hope to do better with pictures and descriptions in future blog posts.
We see many beautiful things while traveling, and often meet beautiful people. Crawford, the owner of the campground where we have stayed the past two weeks, is one of those beautiful people. In previous years he was a businessman, cotton farmer, missionary, and pastor. In one of our visits, he told how he was an agricultural missionary in Rwanda for six years before he was sent home due to complications from MS - he became too weak to continue the work. He and his family returned to the US just weeks before the violence there began. His eyes teared as he told us that almost everyone he had worked with in Rwanda was killed not long after he left. He then became too emotional to continue. It was a difficult story to tell and a difficult one to hear. He has since lost his wife and one son (both from cancer) and lives alone with family closeby. Because of advanced MS, he is in a wheelchair but he can access all parts of the RV park and we often see him at various sites around the park offering help where he can. We were amused on one of our walks as we saw him and a 20-something young man working together on the backside of a refrigerator. Crawford had tools in his hands the younger man mostly watched, listened, and nodded. The man who most would view as able, was helpless without the guidance of the man who most would view as physically challenged. Crawford spends his days providing opportunities and new chances for those who are are struggling and probably gets taken advantage of more than he'd admit and such is the life of one who seeks to gain life by losing it (Luke 9:23-25). To him, it is all blessing and he gives glory to God. He has been given much and will continue to give from that abundance as long as he is able. It was a joy and a privilege (and an inspiration) to get to know him and share some time with him. May the seeds he is planting today be watered and grow into good fruit in the future. He plans to show the Walk Through the Bible video lessons in the lobby of his office. We thought that was kinda cool!
His lord said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things,
I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’Matthew 25:21