Snow Days

 

The past week or so has been quite unusual. We have had more than three inches of snow where I live in Patrick County, VA. I’m sure up on the mountain there has been a lot more snow. A “snow day” was declared for work. We could all stay home, snuggle up in warm blankets, drink some coffee or tea and curl up with a good book. 

But, what do you do when the snow day turns into snow days? I had such good ideas of what I could get done…catch up on my Bible study, make thank-you cards to send out for the Christmas gifts I received, clean the oven, do laundry, exercise, make soup, bake cranberry orange muffins….you get the idea. 

So, what did I do? Not much. I did keep up with the laundry. And, I finally caught up with my Bible study lessons, but it took me several days to get started. And, I made a batch of chicken soup. I did buy eggs for the muffins, but they never got baked. And the thank- you cards? I barely even gave them a thought. I did read. And, I did sleep. Exercise? Once. Oh, and I did clean the oven. So, I guess I did get some stuff done, but not as much as I envisioned myself doing. 

I like to think that I’ve got it all together. That I can just get done the things that I want to get done. Obviously, that isn’t happening. I guess I’ll have to go back to making lists. I love crossing things off of a list and seeing all that I have accomplished. So, list making isn’t all that bad.

If I were about 40 years younger, I would have loved to go and play in the snow. I thought about making a small snowman. That didn’t happen, either. Where is my discipline? Where is my “get up and go?” I really need to work on that. I need to get rid of the distractions that take up some of the time that should be devoted to other, more productive activities.

Today, I will start with list making. I’ll let you know how it works out. In the meantime, enjoy the snow and stay warm! 

A Season of Transition

I recently received an update letter from Orphan’s Tree, a charity that gives life skills and the love and hope of Jesus Christ to orphanage graduates in Russia and beyond. I know the president of the organization. His parents were beloved friends of mine. Anyway, he wrote a simple, personal note to me at the bottom of the letter. It touched me in a profound way.

What did he write that touched me so? Just six simple words, “Trust your transition is going well!!” I have been thinking a lot about this lately. Transition from living in a remote area of Ghana for eight years to life in rural Virginia seems like it has just been one transition after another. It definitely hasn’t been easy. 

When I returned to the US, I eventually ended up in Patrick County, VA. Since I had no place to live, no furniture, dishes, towels, etc., I rented a completely furnished cabin from friends of mine. They were the only ones I knew in this part of the world. Six months later, I changed my driver’s license from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Ten days later, I was told that the property was put up for sale. I didn’t have to move right away, I could stay until it sold, if I wanted. That ended up to be a blessing because I could take my time looking for an apartment. 

Three months later I moved. I love my apartment and plan on staying here as long as possible. I was just getting to know people when COVID hit. I was really grateful for my apartment then, I had lots of space and could be outside on the deck. But, one of ways the COVID lockdown affected me was that I really became a hermit. Sure, I would go grocery shopping and such, but it just increased my desire to be a “homebody.” Yes, I needed a break from being in the public eye 24/7 as I was in Ghana, with people looking in my windows and stopping by anytime of the day. 

Right now, I’m doing okay. I’ve had to deal with health issues, having had four sinus surgeries since I’ve been back. I’ve gained weight and haven’t lost it. I still sleep with a CPAP machine. I keep looking for a church similar to my home church in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. I haven’t found one yet. (Maybe because I’m in a very rural area with over 90 churches in the area. Almost all of them are small.) I am still a hermit, but now I’m a part-time hermit. I actually have a part time job which forces me to meet people and interact with them. I have met some amazing folks here. God has blessed me with a couple of good friends. I really do love where I live….

But, will it ever really and truly feel like “home?” Will I ever feel settled? I doubt it. I attribute that to my age. Little by little, I’m getting closer to my eternal home. Maybe that’s the reason for my feeling of unsettled-ness. Will my transition ever be complete? No, not here on Earth. Life is just one transition after another. I just have to trust God to get me through one to the next. That’s what I plan to do.

A Sunday Adventure

I still consider myself to be a newbie of Patrick County. And, now that I'm working at the Patrick County Visitor's Center, I look for days that I can see the sights of the county. Yesterday was one of those days. I started my adventure by heading out to the southeast part of the county to Dominion Valley Park. Every Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend they host a Gospel Music Festival. When I arrived for church, I pulled my folding chair out of my car and headed over to the stage area where about 150 people had gathered to praise God and hear His Word preached. The music was presented by The Singing Cookes. I could really feel the Spirit of the Lord in the mist of this beautiful and peaceful place. Brother Ricky Rogers brought the message of the morning. Boy! Talk about preaching! He was excellent. The entire service was renewing to my soul. I'm glad I ventured out.

My adventure continued over roads and places that I had never seen before. I drove in and out of Virginia and North Carolina for a few miles. The scenery was gorgeous! I eventually made it to my destination, Spirithaven Farm which was hosting Front Porch Fest. "What is Front Porch Fest?" you may ask. Well, this year it was a music festival  with approximately 900 people in attendance who have a bit of "Woodstock" blood in them. There were sights to see, music to enjoy and activities for all ages.

And, there was lots of good food and drink. If you like this sort of thing, it's great! It's a smaller version of Floyd Fest, held in July, that in past years had over 20,000 in attendance. I had lunch at Front Porch Fest, after getting recommendations from a guy names Crocket, and walked around, before I headed home. When I got back to my car, I saw that someone had parked six inches away from my driver's side door. I had to get in on the passenger side, crawl over the middle console and maneuver myself into the driver's seat. It was not a pretty sight! Thanks be to God, I made it into position and was able to enjoy the scenic trip home.

I wonder what adventure awaits me this week!

 

A Gift from God

 When I retired, I wanted to sleep for six months. I was so tired and weary. Well, because of Covid, I slept for those six months and then more. As restrictions were lifted, I was looking for something to do, something outside of my house...yes, I wanted to see people and be among people. (I love being a part-time hermit, but the operative word here is PART-TIME.) So, I decided to volunteer at the Patrick County Visitor's Center. I had been in Patrick County for two years. I knew some stuff, and I could learn. 

So, I went to the Visitor's Center and gave them my information. A few weeks later, I received a phone call and was welcomed with open arms. The Visitor's Center is such a bright and cheerful place, packed with all kinds of information about Patrick County and surrounding areas. I learned "the ropes" and assisted people who came in to see what our beautiful county has to offer. Then...the question came...

"Sue, would you like to be paid for the time you spend here?" Would I want to be paid? Well, of course I would! There's a program through Goodwill that offers part-time training programs for seniors. So, I am now enrolled in a "Training Program." I wasn't looking for a job, but I am so grateful for this program. It gives me that little bit of a cushion each month. 

What do I do, you may wonder. I greet visitor's, helping them find information on places to see, to hike, to taste wine, to ride dirt bikes...you get the idea. I keep the brochure racks stocked and will be ordering more as needed. I drive all over the county, tidying up visitor information areas and restocking them. And, I will be learning some new computer skills! I check out places in the county that I haven't seen yet. I do a lot of odds and ends to prepare for special events. And, yes, I sweep the floors and take out garbage, too. 

This "job" or "training program" has been a blessing. I work with the best people of the county. So, when you are in the area, "Come. Get Lost. And Find Yourself...In Patrick County."

Rediscovering Wonder

Recently, I realized that I lost the “wonder” in my life. I’m not sure how long it has been gone. What I do know is that I miss it. I thought back over the last few years to see if I could discern what caused this to happen. There are several things that led to my loss of wonder. I imagine some are yet to be discovered. I needed to learn to live life again, to see it as an adventure. I needed to "open my eyes," both literally and figuratively, and see the world around me. Sometimes I forget to see beyond the obvious. I forget to see and appreciate all the blessings that God has given me through the many circumstances of life that don't always come in the form of what I would typically call a blessing.

I am retired. But, with being in a new town and "starting over," I needed something to do. So, I began volunteering at the Patrick County Visitor's Center. The people who work here are great! I have never had such an encouraging "boss." My volunteer work turned into a part time job. And, with that job came opportunities for personal growth. One week, I was warned that on Friday, I would take a County Car and drive to parts of the county to replenish tourism brochures, tidy up displays and pick up brochures that were needed in the main Visitor's Center. 

Oh, my! This person who lived overseas, learned to drive a motorcycle at age 39, and had to borrow vehicles every time she was stateside, now was worried about driving a vehicle that wasn't mine. Sandra, The Director of the Visitor's Center kept reminding me to "breathe." And, she reminded me that "Life is an Adventure!" How could I forget this simple truth?

The car was packed. I set off. And, as I drove I saw some of the most amazing scenery. Wait! What was this alien feeling? I do believe I started to discover "wonder" again. I have a long way to go. But, I'm traveling in the right direction. I'm looking forward to my next County Road Trip. I know it will reinforce that "wonder" that I'm discovering anew.