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Friday May 30, 2015 DAY 83 I AM BACK
I missed a day blogging. I was on a pretty good stretch there for awhile. I shall try to resume my faithfulness. It seemed a few things beyond my control were happening and the evening got away from me without a blog AND WITHOUT A POEM!
Today felt like a bit of a holiday after the beginning of the week. It seemed I had so much to do on the computer for planning the rest of the trip that I felt like I actually needed a holiday. So today I took it. Probably not much of a holiday to brag about but I slept in! The latest yet! It was after 8:30 a.m. before I awoke. Then I commenced to sorting through ALL MY PARAPHERNALIA, most of which I don’t need; trashed some, packed up tight some of the other, and organized all the rest for the days ahead. I have two more places where I will be staying longer than two nights. When I stay two night someplace that gives me one entire day to enjoy who I am with. Arrive in the evening, go to bed, enjoy a day, sleep, and get up and leave. Sometimes too short. Sometimes just right, Sometimes too long? It’s never too long for me but that probably depends on parallax of the host. I’ve enjoyed everyplace I have been and all who I have been with. And, it never fails, I learn something each place I go. Sometimes I learn things that I’m not quite ready to share. Things about myself that I probably wish I didn’t have to learn. Actually, I hope I never get too old or too closed mind to keep learning about the world and about my personal self. The more we expose ourselves to others, the more we have our eyes opened, about both ourselves and the other. It is the lessons that ones learns about self that are sometimes the most difficult to learn. But, like I said, everyday I am learning.
I thank God for every experience on this journey. I have seen incredible work of nature’s art with God’s byline on each exhibit. Oh how I have loved the mountains and the sheer walls of granite and the beautiful softness of the green of the forest, the amazing girth of the Sequoia Giants, and the thunder, lightening, and downpour of a summer storm. I have experienced the view of horses grazing in soft pastures surrounded by the ruggedness of mountain peaks scaling the sky just a few hundred feet away. I have the seen the sky so dark with the cover of a cloud filled night that the blackness was impenetrable. And I have experienced the fierceness of planets and stars and satellites glimmering like glowing white diamonds, so close you feel as if you could reach up and touch one. I have watched the wildlife in abundance fighting the survivor dance against prey that would take their life in a split second should they drop their guard. And I have been on freeways of 12 lanes going in one directions with cars being driven by maniacs fighting the same fight. I have heard the sound of great waves crashing against giant boulders protruding from the ocean floor and the gentle sound of the patter of rain on a window. And as I look back, and remember and think about what I have experienced, I have a great joy wash over me because I know I have more to come.
Though my trip is “officially: 2/3 lived I still have 1/3 to go if I live on this earth long enough. And if I don’t live on this earth long enough, just imagine all that I will be experiencing in heaven. My time the past two months has passed so quickly and I know the last third will probably pass even faster (sort of like how the years speed up as you age), but I plan to enjoy each and every moment. PLAN is the operative word. I choose to enjoy. My attitude says I WILL ENJOY. I intentionally believe that I will enjoy every single moment. That means the packing, the loading up, the unloading, writing my blog, doing things differently, eating different kinds of foods, meeting people I don’t know, driving long hours on twisting mountain roads, sleeping in new beds every other night or so, not knowing what to expect, I STILL EXPECT I WILL ENJOY EVERY MOMENT! And that also means the times the Lord is teaching me, something new, or something old that I just haven’t got the hang of yet. Sometimes it’s those “old” things that take the most teaching, over and over and over…..And I say, Thank You Lord for loving me enough to teach me until I get it right!
So, tomorrow morning I will pack up my car and hit the road once again. And this moment will be gone. So I look forward and never back. My memories will stay with me, all the smiles I have tucked into my heart along the way, the lessons I’ve learned, the confidences that have been shared, the places I’ve gone, the people I’ve met, the pictures I’ve taken, but this particular moment of time and place will be gone, and will be cherished. I say goodbye once again to those I love. Not with sadness, but with joy for all the hours and moments we have shared. A simple space in time where our lives have once again crossed, once again influenced each other, shared both laughter and tears, joys and sorrows. And I leave a better person for having lived these past days with my extended family. I can only hope that their lives have been blessed by mine. I hope they have learned something from me as I have from them. Thank you cousins for your love and generosity and hospitality!
I look forward to tomorrow and the next day. I will be reunited with my new love! This time a new place, a new state, and more of God’s exquisite artwork. I am going to the coast. Not just any coast, BUT THE OREGON COAST. I hear it is spectacular! What can I say? I just love the ocean.
From the time I was 6 until I was 12 we lived in a little town that was caressed by the San Francisco Bay waters. It might as well been the mightiest ocean because it was too far to see across. It had a sandy little beach (that seemed big at the time) and one lone tree. I thought it was paradise. It was about 1 to 2 miles away. When I could walk I would trek there on a summer day with my cousins who came over the summer holiday and we would stay most of the day. We were all under about 9 years old and we would be there all day, by ourselves, no adult supervision, and come home blistered by the sun rays. And we survived. We had fun. And we suffered with our sunburns afterward. My mother once told me that if I ever got sunburned again she would give me a spanking I would’t forget once the sunburn was healed. I never let myself get sunburned again on that beach. (Later on other beaches?? Yes). Those days on the beach are wonderful memories. There was just one thing, there were no large, frothing, menacing waves. I enjoyed the beach but my love affair with the ocean didn’t really begin until my cousin Bill took me to see Monterey and Big Sur. Oh WOW! My heart did a flip flop and I’ve been hooked every since. There was a much shorter way to go on tomorrows trip that drive all the way over to the coast to tag along with the ocean on Hwy 101. But I have been assured it will be worth it. So…I’m going for it. Three hours of winding, winding, mountain roads before the ocean comes in view. I’ve been looking at those mountains for the past two weeks so I might as well go and get acquainted with them. I look forward to the mountains too. There are two hours of layover Monday through Saturday for construction work. Sunday has no lay over. Thus, I am driving on Sunday.
There is another story about the ocean I would like to share, but not now. It is a story of the supernatural and miracles. I’ll tell you another day. It is getting late, and I Must go to bed as I must get up early. Good night.
EVERY MOMENT JUST A LOAN
Kathleen Martens
May 30, 2015
Tomorrow’s hour of early morn
Time of renewal, a new day born.
What awaits is unknown,
Every moment just a loan.
Give to God what is His
And that goes without a quiz.
For every moment He paid the price
Through His son’s sacrifice.
Glory goes to God our King
And to remember this one thing.
His love surpasses understanding
And is never, ever commanding!
He asks that you would come
Sit awhile, meet His son.
The only way to heaven’s door.
Sit a spell, He’ll tell you more.
April 29 2015 Day 53 Aquarium and Movie Tour
It was another one of those “GREATEST DAYS” again. Like I’ve said before, whatever moment I am living in is one of those greatest days. Perhaps it doesn’t even matter WHAT I am doing, but rather, the fact that I am doing it! Today was unbelievable. What is so unbelievable can’t really even be put into words. I went to an aquarium (the number one ranked aquarium in the entire world, so I was told by the aquarium personnel) and it was awesome. I was spell bound by the intricacies of the different marine life. So exquisitely and gracefully made. As I watched some of the tanks full of aquatic life I was mesmerized as if watching an intricate and profoundly complicated dance. And that was just watching one creature. I even captured some of the choreography on video so I convince myself that what I saw was not really just imagined. I wish I knew how to add them to my blog so I could share them with you. It seemed as if some of the fish were dancing on threads.
I believe part of the joy I feel on these awesome days is just experiencing what I am seeing that seems so magnificent and beautiful. From the tiniest fish to the vast ocean crashing against the rocks. Both have a power all their own. And I am awed.
After the aquarium trip I took a tour on a bus through Monterey and Carmel showing all the places where movies have been filmed. This tour was awesome even though I haven’t seen the movies (or even heard of some). There were T.V. screens in the bus where the scenes of the movie were filmed and we would go to that same place, same road, or house, or beach and see exactly where they were filmed. Most times it was just snippets in the movie scattered throughout the movie, but they would all be filmed on these locations and then back to Hollywood to do the rest of the filming. My husband would have enjoyed it because he enjoys old movies and has probably seen them all. It was interesting to me to see the beautiful buildings still standing and looking as groomed and graceful as they did 60 or 70 years ago. Some films were from the 50’s, 60′, and 70’s also. We were able to get out and photograph in three places. We went to the water’s edge on the 17 Mile Drive (a famous drive so I’ve been informed), to the lone tree on a rock in the ocean, and spent 40 minutes at Pebble Beach Resort and Golf Course. FANCY! Elegant and grand to say the least. The houses around Pebble Beach sell for between $15 Million Dollars and $50 Million Dollars. The tour guide informed us that most of the homes there are lived in an average of three weeks a year. Go figure that one out.
Had the opportunity to meet two delightful sisters on the tour and later meet their mother. It seems God blesses me with wonderful people wherever I go. If I remember correctly the sisters were named Vickie and Mallory. I asked Vickie what her word of wisdom would be to others. She promptly replied, “Don’t ever take anything for granted“. I asked her why she said that. She then told me that her 35 year old son is battling cancer. I asked her if she minded me praying with her and she responded that she prays every day. Her son is Daniel. We prayed for Daniel. Please say a prayer for this young man. I know you do not know him but God knows him and God hears all our prayers. Daniel’s cancer is in his sinuses. What a blessing it is for me to be able to pray with others on this trip. It’s like God drops a little seed of love in my heart for all the wonderful people I meet. I will remember Daniel. He is my son’s age.
After the tour my cousin Bill was off work and he took me out for more sight seeing in and around Carmel. We went to an old old mission . It was closing soon so we didn’t go in but I did take a few shots around the property. So beautiful and so old. I am sorry that I have already packed my information brochures so don’t have any facts or names of things.
After all the sight seeing Bill and I met Vicki at a restaurant and…let’s say…we had a feast fit for a king. BRUSSELS SPROUTS was on the menu. And oh, were they ever delicious. This is what showed up on our table. Artichoke and dip, Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Root Vegetables, Kale and Beet salad, and Shrimp. Bill and Vicki ordered Fish. Actually we shared some of the dishes. And I still have enough to eat on the road tomorrow.
Before coming to Seaside/Monterey area I had only met Vicki briefly two previous times. My cousin Bill and I spent minimal time together growing up even though we are close in age. I was hesitant about asking if I could come and visit them from out of town. They were very gracious and willing to have me come. I came planning to stay two nights and they thought I was staying three nights. They finally convinced me to stay three nights as they had lots of things planned for me to do. It was Bill’s sister that I was planning on going to next and she and I made arrangements to have me come another night. What I didn’t know was that Vicki works in the vacation/resort business. Well, she gave me two passes to the arboretum and told me if I found someone to give a ticket to, then offer it to them. And, she also gave me the bus tour pass. These were all expensive gifts and I felt so blessed. I would have felt blessed even if they weren’t expensive. Just her generosity and hospitality overwhelmed me. The dinner was a an award she won for being such a valued person in her field and donating her time. It was such an awesome gift to know that she shared her gift with me. It was a fabulous restaurant. All I really wanted was just to come and visit with them and to get to know them both better. Bill and I look like brother and sister. He’s quite handsome (Smile).
A note on another pleasant family I met. The recipient of Vicki’s generous offer for me to offer a ticket to someone. I had pulled up in a metered parking space and was just ready to slide my credit card in to pay for the place when a lady asked me if my parking place was marked for commercial unloading. To my surprise it was. So was hers. Well she saved me from a parking ticket. I got in the car as so the other family got in theirs. We ended up on another street very close together and this time had legitimate parking spaces. So, I asked them if the were going to the aquarium and they were. I offered them my guest pass. These guest passes must be returned to Vicki as they are like a credit card and can be used again. So the teenage son walked with me, as the others were too slow and I had limited time, and I was able to get him in with the pass. They were delighted as the tickets cost $40.00 per person. They blessed me by saving me from getting a parking ticket and I in turn was able to bless their family through Vicki’s blessing to me. I just love the way God works out the details of our lives.
Another beautiful day has come and gone. I praise God for this day that he has made and I rejoiced in this day. When I stood at the edge of the mighty roaring ocean today I raised my hands in praise and triumph to the God who created such a world that I would be able to have such joy. Look around you at all the great and beautiful and amazing creations of God and let your heart rejoice. I think that when the powerful waves beat against the rock and create the loud roar that God hears that as praise.
Good Night
Visions of Poetry 