by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Blessings, indeed.
This weekend, I joined a couple friends in the mountains of NC for our annual writing getaway. We stay in the same cabin each year so when we all arrive, it feels like home in a very real sense. Real because our friendships plunge far below the surface of plots and proposals.
On Friday nights, we have our “round table discussion” in the cozy den while gas logs simmer nearby. It’s a time when we share what’s really going on in our lives and how we can pray for each other. It also sets the tone for unforgettable weekends.
This year, we met a month earlier than normal. The leaves were green, refusing to lose their grip, so while we didn’t enjoy a kaleidoscopic carpeting as usual—it didn’t matter. Like the weather, our lives transition into different seasons along the way. Yet, no matter if times are bare or flourishing, true friends remain and sustain like none other.
Friends love through all kinds of weather…Proverbs 17:17 (The Message)
On Sunday morning, my friends headed back down the narrow steep driveway. Before locking up one final time I stepped into the house-length screened porch, inhaled deeply, and whispered “thank You” to the One who allowed our paths to not only cross but meld together for an eternity.
As you and I begin our week, let’s encourage one another to do the necessary “work” required to be a good friend to someone God has brought into our lives. Who knows? You might find yourself making reservations for a mountain cabin atop a high hill, lovingly known as Buck Mountain.
Where the magic happens…
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
In this cabin sitting atop a steep mountain in the Saluda mountains, gas logs roared, laughter erupted, prayers arose, tears trickled, hot spiced cider simmered, and creativity stirred during long writing sessions.
I was reminded that:
- God is sovereign. Things didn’t turn out exactly as we’d planned, but we bowed the knee, embraced His plan, and left the mountain with inexplicable peace.
- While we may not know what’s going on in the heart of another, God does—and He provides. As His eyes, arms, lips, and legs we simply need to stay attuned to how He wants to use our whole being to love on others.
- One can get a lot of writing done on a screened-in porch, sitting on a puffy chaise lounge with a furry blanket and a hot cup of cider.
- Nature provides some of God’s greatest ideas and highest praise. Care to join for me for a walk outside today?
- Some of the best gifts come via techies. Someone in the group surprised us by compiling weekend photos and making a video. The background music? “You’ve Got A Friend in Me”, by Randy Newman. Classic.
- Never shout “Hey, Buck!” when someone has just taken a big sip of Coke. (Sorry, I know you had to be there, but this will be worth it to the spewer in the group.)
- The steepest
driveways climbs in life can provide God’s most glorious moments.
Have you considered planning a mini-getaway with friends? Dollars and distance can make for a nice weekend, but it’s only when we invite the greatest Friend of all that it becomes an unforgettable one.
