What an awesome day was this day.  First of all it was Sunday Sabbath, which I love.  Secondly I had a long drive ahead of me and the music of David Hollandsworwth accompanying God’s visual poetry.  What more could I ask for (except for my husband beside me to enjoy it with)?  Beautiful and warm as I left the beautiful home of my cousin Daneece and headed for the mountains.  So many mountains I have traveled and so many national forests I have gazed at.  Today I traveled through Shasta-Trinity National Forest.  Below is an excerpt I found with some facts on the internet you might find interesting:

“The Shasta-Trinity National Forest (STNF) is the largest national forest in California with a diverse landscape ranging from 1,000 to 14,162 feet. The 2.1 million acre forest encompasses five wilderness areas, hundreds of mountain lakes and 6,278 miles of streams and rivers. Hikers, backpackers and horseback riders will find over 460 miles of trails to explore. They range from wide trails with easy grades to rough rocky steep grades. The employees of the STNF manage a healthy forest by enhancing wildlife habitat, maintaining clean water, producing timber products and safeguarding communities at risk from wildfires. Pivotal in the economical, tourism and recreational aspects of Northern California, the STNF is a land of breathtaking beauty and a place for everyone to enjoy the great outdoors.”

It was absolutely awesome to drive through.  Sheer drop-offs, high pointed mountains, rock formations jutting out from unimaginable places and dropping down to the valley floor. The park wasn’t as user friendly as Yosemite was, nor was it as magnificent. But it was well worth the drive just for the exquisite beauty and experience of being there.

I drove over the mountains on I-299 because Monday thru Saturday there are two hour delays to go across the mountain range.  I thought if I went on Sunday  I would not be bothered by a two hour layover.  Well…I  had two layovers.  The first layover was indeed about two hours long but it was not by happenstance, rather self induced.  I drove into Weaverville, a small old town with a few thousand population.  What caught my eye as I drove through the little picturesque town was the white steeple of a little old fashioned church.  I had a hankering to stop and check it out. It was about 10:30 and I saw people walking into the building so I deduced it must be service time. Well, I was hooked in the first moment I crossed the threshhold.  The service had already started and it was a very small crowd so when I walked in it felt as if every eye turned my way.  So much for coming in quietly.

The Church is the Trinity Congregational Church on the highway going through downtown Weaverville.  The pastor is a lady named Jean.  I do not remember her last name.  It was an excellent service, very quiet, peaceful, and personable.  It seemed more like I was walking into a family reunion, a true body of believers caring for one another.  Small town flavor.  Pastor Jean asked if anyone had a joyful report to give.  Several people did.  I raised my hand and asked if a stranger could speak in the church.  I was given permission.  I was joyful for just being there with other believers who loved Jesus.  I also said I was joyful because this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.  I mentioned that I was traveling and would carry the memory of being there in my heart.  Such a sincere sweet group of people.  The Pastor right then and there asked me to eat with the members afterward in the fellowship hall because a dinner was being prepared.  I wasn’t really hungry but wanted the fellowship so I accepted.  The dinner was delicious and the company was wonderful.  A delightful spry 89 year old woman named Pat was an excellent conversationalist and a joy to be with.  A couple across from me were also very pleasant to converse with.  Everyone I met was awesome.  I asked Pat what her wisdom is.  Here is what she said, “I wish I learned and believed in the Bible at a younger age.  Jesus is so special.”  I also sat with a another couple and it was great to just to be a part of God’s family.

Along side the wall of the fellowship hall, which had the appearance of being a house next door to the church, sat three large imposing chest freezers.  I was curious as to what their purpose was.  Well, I was told that two of them were filled with 232 homemade Berry pies (and I think some pies may have had other fillings) all made in 2 hours and 20 minutes!  WOW!  That was impressive!  I wanted to know how.  A lady named Donna told me how it was done.  Three long rows of tables were sat up.  All the men and women of the church were called to come help.  The pie crust were already prepared so the three rows of people worked assembly line, One row filled the pie shells, the next row put the crusts on the top of the pies, cutting the little air holes and the last row of helpers wrapped them up for freezing.  They were big pies.  And these pies have an important purpose.  They will be baked and served in slices at the Trinity Congregational Church’s annual 4th of July Fundraising Ice Cream Social located in the vicinity of the church.  I will include a picture of a freezer full of pies.  Let’s pray there are no power outages before July 4th.  What a great illustration of many hands make light work.  That is a church body working together!

I finally left at about 12:45 p.m. (over two hour delay) .  I Loved every moment of it.  Then…as I arrived close to where I would turn off 299 I then had another delay.   But…good news, it was just one round of light signal.  And my day progressed and once again I came up over a crest and out before I beheld the ocean.  It appeared unexpected and my breath caught in my throat.

SO GRATEFUL

Kathleen Martens

May 31, 2015

I beheld the ocean

And I thanked God for my vision.

I heard the crashing of waves

With  hearing precision.

I touched the wet

And my hands chilled,

With joy and thanks

My heart filled.

I sniffed the air

Pungent and sweet,

And all my senses

Seemed to meet.

The taste of salt

Touched my tongue

Filled me with nostalgia

Of when I was young.

So grateful am I

To see, hear and taste,

What God has created

Does not go to waste!

Wrote just a little poem tonight due to the fact that it exactly midnight and I am fighting sleep.

So, a quick synopsis of the rest of my day.  I stopped several places to take photos of the ocean.  Not much room to pull off the road so had to be careful and cozy with other cars.  At one place that just happened to be a little more generous I met three other travelers.  I would have loved to have heard their stories in full but I had to get back on the road.  One was a young lady from Australia.  She is in America for several months hitch hiking her way across the U.S.  Very attractive and small.  I asked her if she felt safe.  She assured me she did.  The two men she was with she had met the night before at the campground where she was sleeping.  One was a local and was showing her around.  The other younger man was from back east and pretty much doing the same thing as the young lady, Bridget, was doing.  They were both inspirational, full of life and health and curiosity and boldness.  I asked Bridget for her advice.  It went something like this.  First of all let me state that she had told me that she was not afraid because she had God with her.  Her advice  is “Be willing to listen to the suggestions of others who have ideas of where to go and not be so rigid that you cannot open up and let God direct you to where He wants you to go.”  She used the phrase “go with the flow”  and when I delved further she said “we need to be willing to go where we are led by God and be free in that.”  I am hoping I am getting across what she said to me though the phrasing is a bit different.  Hmm…I just thought of something.  Maybe I should do a 15 second video on my camera and let those who share their wisdom speak it so I can copy it verbatim.  Bridget, if you read this please know that I am beginning to understand more and more of what you told me.  It has just taken me a few (or maybe a lot) more years than you to learn it.  I love the wisdom of the young.  And Pat, I loved  your wisdom too!  Pat, I hope we come across each other in heaven because I am not through with you yet.  I didn’t have near enough time!  I would love to be your friend.

By the way Rebecca, Dave, and Courtland I met the above threesome in Trinidad.  I didn’t have time to find “our” old motel we stayed in when Courtland was so sick but I did see the lighthouse.  Watch for the picture to come through when I get my phone working again.  At present it is not working

Again, on the road I stopped and bought Chinese food for dinner and started on my way.  I’ve heard so much talk of this area having a lot of elk. There are a lot of elk crossing signs and I was bereft to think that I probably wouldn’t get to see even one.  Not one minute later I turn my head to the left and see a small herd of female elk grazing along side the road I was on.  I pulled over, gazed at them, they kept on eating and I had to leave.  I did get some photos, albeit they are very small in the pictures.  About 45 minutes later up the road a few miles I look to the left and there were several male elk leisurely having dinner.  Two of them where sitting on the ground in high grass so they were not easily spotted.  I could see their antlers sticking up and moving around.  Two others were standing and moving around a bit.  They were about as far away as the female herd had been but at least I saw them and did take a few pics.

I arrived at my Airbnb before dark and boy was I surprised.  I turned on the road that my bossy GPS told me to and all I saw were house trailers, recreational trailers, rundown, a bit cluttery, and  close together.  Oh WOW, I thought.  I guess God has another lesson for me. There is nothing wrong with house trailers or even recreational trailers, but the description of the Airbnb add was so totally different I thought I was in the wrong area. I drove down the street (more like a gravel driveway” and old Bossy told me to keep going.  “Bossy” is the name I chose for my GPS.  (Just thought you’d like to know Joyce). I actually had turned around thinking I was on the wrong street but she kept bossing me as to where to go.  So this time I thought I would keep going.  So I did.  And at the very end of the street (if what I was on could be called a street) sat two stately homes that backed up to the ocean.  Two houses side by side. The first house was not my address so I looked at the second one and there it was.  Now all I could say in total astonishment was WOW WOW WOW!  This place is gorgeous.  The entire back wall of the house is glass and creates a panoramic view of the curving shoreline and beyond.  The evening light was starting to dim but still beautiful enough to take photos.  I took a few pics on my phone so I could send them with this blog.  But…like I said before my phone is not working.  I plugged my phone in the USB port of my car at the same time I plugged Bossy in to the cigarette lighter and my phone hasn’t worked since.  I hope another trip to the Apple store is not in order.  I might be without a phone for awhile.  Not a good feeling.

I am settled in now and enjoying my stay.  Lovely place to be.  I hope all of you are  in a lovely place as well.  Probably all sleeping as I should be doing.  Signing off at 12:33 a.m.  Good night!