My "Mini" Vacation On Hwy. 175

Today was one of those days I decided to "go on vacation".  With all the terrible happenings with "IKE" I just wanted to clear my mind.  I have a dear friend who said to me one day, "You know, sometimes I imagine myself being on vacation when I'm going around taking care of things."  I laughed and answered, "I do the SAME thing!"  Maybe I'm crazy, and I probably am a little , but sometimes "enough is enough".  

Last Thursday I left for the Minister's Wives Retreat.  With Hurrican IKE coming in I hated to leave my husband, but he told me he would be okay, and that he was going to drive the motorhome to Quitman, TX,  since we would be preaching there on Sunday.  I was to meet him there on Saturday.  He left Lufkin and 45 minutes later the motorhome was broken down on the side of the road!  He was out looking things over, wondering what he was going to do, "the hurricane was coming, he had no car, I was in Arlington for the retreat", and from out of no where it seemed, a man walked up and said, "Sir, I have an RV pad over at my house.  My son bought my trailer and has taken it, so you can use my cement pad for as long as you need to."  Talk about a blessing!  God sent that man and we were so thankful to have a safe place to park our "home". It's the only thing we have to live in at this time, so we sure didn't need anything happening to IT!  Wendell then called Bro. Rhoades, a WONDERFUL friend and asked him if he could come pick him up.  He did, and a little while later Wendell was back to "square one", Lufkin!  :(  

Now, what were we going to do?  The storm was coming, and I would have to travel in it on Saturday to meet Wendell.  The way it was looking it was going to be terrible, and I couldn't bring myself to drive in that kind of storm.  Wendell got in his car and came on to Dallas and we were together once again! We hated to cancel the weekend with the Clark's but they definitely understood.    

Then, we received word from Bro. Rhoades that the storm had hit, and the power was out all over Lufkin.  Now, we had a problem for sure.  Where were we going to live since we were putting the motorhome in the shop when we returned, and the power was out in the apartment we would live in on the camp ground?  The answer:  We will stay in a hotel until we can get power on, or the motorhome back.  So, that is where I am again tonight.  Thank the Lord I'm not out on the street!   

Needless to say, after hearing all of this, and hearing about all the devastation to the gulf coast of Texas, and receiving reports from friends who are going through much more than I was, I decided to take a "mini vacation" today.  Wendell left early so he could get a tow truck to meet him and pick up the motorhome, so I was going to travel by myself. 

When I walked out of the motel in Dallas, the weather was perfect!  It was 76 degrees and not a cloud in the sky!  I decided right then to put the top down on my convertible and travel! It was lovely!

Yes, I took my own picture! I think I was travelling about 55-60 miles an hour! :) As I drove down Hwy. 175 I saw a "gated community" that I had always wanted to drive into. This time the gate was OPEN, so I drove through it and saw some beautiful homes sitting beside a lake. I dreamed about how awesome it would be to have a house "right there" so close to the water. The kids could come and we could picnic out on a deck.  We would have a boat, and all the "lake toys" to enjoy.  Of course, I knew I would not ever live in a place like that, but there's no sin in dreaming, is there?  I had to take a picture or two to show my husband where I'd gone on vacation today. :)

I kept driving and dreaming, and remembering the trips we had made in a convertible. The plains of Texas,and rolling hills of Oklahoma. Cattle and horses grazing in the fields, and new born colts frolicking near by. Then I was reminded of the white steeples of churches that speckled the country side on Prince Edward Island. There were so many beautiful, old churches as we traveled through cities back East and I wanted to stop and take pictures of everyone of them. Today I couldn't resist, and pulled off
to take this picture.If churches and steeples could talk I wonder what stories would they tell? As I travelled I saw this old home that someone has lovingly taken care of, and thought about the little wooden houses I'd seen on the back roads of Maryland when we were lost!We were so far out in the country that we ran out of paved road. There were no shoulders on the side of the road, and the cows were almost sticking their heads in the car! LOL!  I'm so glad we got lost, because I will never forget the beauty that surrounded us. 

Oh, I dreamed! I dreamed about driving through Pennsylvania and the Amish country, Niagara Falls and the power I felt as I stood watching the water crash over the rocks! I could imagine what it was going to be like in Heaven when the saints start worshiping and praising God. When I was there I felt God in a powerful way, and I stood in awe of Him! 

I travelled to Prince Edward Island and saw the red sands and fishing villages, lighthouses and lobster boats. Yes, I remembered and enjoyed the beauty that surrounded us while we were there. The quaint towns and beautiful flowers were so tranquil. 

I travelled to New York City and thought about seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time, and going to Brooklyn Tabernacle to hear the choir sing.  Colorado, the Hill Country of Texas and the bluebonnets in the Spring.  Canada, Lake Louise, glaciers, and mountains of majesty. Glacier National Park and Going to the Sun Road, Yellowstone National Park and seeing Old Faithful as she spewed her hot, steamy water up from the earth, just one more time!

I've been beautiful places and have enjoyed each one. As I enjoyed them and remembered I thought of AMERICA. My Home, My Freedom, My Country, and was thankful to be living in the greatest country on earth. Then, I prayed! I prayed for our President, George W. Bush, and his lovely wife, Laura. I prayed God would be with him as he leads our country through perilous times. I prayed for his strength and wisdom. I knew his heart must be broken to see the devastation of our state as he toured the gulf coast today, and I knew he would pray for the men and women, boys and girls, and grieve for them.   I prayed for the people who have lost so much, and saw with my own eyes just one example of what a storm can do.Then I was "home". Home once again to my husband, my town, and my "hotel". I was thankful, happy and refreshed! I enjoyed my vacation today, and just think....I did all of this on my way from Dallas to Lufkin on Hwy. 175.