Going through my on-line photos, this one particularly caught my eye. It was taken on a hot summer day in July of 2010.
The night before, Bruce and I had stayed with dear friends in Chico, California. The next morning --this day that I'm highlighting -- Greg and Betsy treated us to a wonderful breakfast. We sat on comfy garden furniture in their lovely park-like yard and watched their Northern California variety of birdlife: stellars jays, humming birds, finches, robins, black birds. . . and a large grey squirrel, compete for grubs, bugs, seeds, syrup and perhaps, food scraps.
Betsy printed out her recipe for egg and cheese strata and I put the sheet of paper in my luggage. We thanked them for the wonderful visit and made them promise they'd share our hospitality the next time they came through the Denver metro area.
We left Chico and drove north on I-5. I took out my travel journal and made some notations in it. We watched fluffy clouds --the kind a child might draw -- floated across a sapphire sky. The air temperature climbed rapidly as the noon-day sun approached. Lake Shasta, under this blazing blue sky, glistened like a piece of turquoise. I love that color; it's one of the reasons I love the Northwest. The rivers snake through emerald forests, occasionally startling travelers with their bluegreen brilliance.
We pulled over at a viewpoint and I snapped a couple of photos of the Lake.
I remember the rest of that day as if it were only a couple of weeks ago: remarking on the speed limits posted on I-5 through Oregon, admiring the verdant and windy passes through Grants Pass, Green, Roseburg, deciding to skip having lunch in Eugene so we could have more time in Portland, sitting on the tenth floor of the down-town Marriott and oohing over the lush, hilly topography surrounding Portland. We had a wonderful dinner at a nearby fish restaurant, then walked along the Columbia River, remarking about boats, young couples in love, joggers and other tourists. Bruce had premium points through Marriott so they'd given us a very luxurious suite with two fireplaces and two flat-screen tvs and two bathrooms, complete with the white, terry bathrobes. Ahhh.
I remember thinking how gracious the Lord is to have given us this lavish day of refreshment.
Of course that day was memorable.
But each day, just like this one I described, begins with wonderful potential. Oh, not necessarily one so obviously dazzling. But dazzling, nevertheless, with little and simple things. If only we'll stop and notice.
Today is like no other. There will never, ever be a day exactly like this one you're in right now. There must be a reason God made this day unique.
Perhaps it's because He has a unique assignment for you today.
Perhaps He wants you to notice something about His character which, on another day, might not strike you the same way.
Perhaps He wants you to make a decision today, to listen to His instruction, to draw closer, to say "I love You, Lord," to choose to follow Him.
Perhaps the uniqueness of this day is just for your own benefit.
Or not.
Maybe it's a day to begin doing something of significance. A day that will forever alter the direction of your life. Oh, I like that one!
Maybe one day you'll look back on this particular day and say, that was the day I began to. . .
Is this the day?
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
The night before, Bruce and I had stayed with dear friends in Chico, California. The next morning --this day that I'm highlighting -- Greg and Betsy treated us to a wonderful breakfast. We sat on comfy garden furniture in their lovely park-like yard and watched their Northern California variety of birdlife: stellars jays, humming birds, finches, robins, black birds. . . and a large grey squirrel, compete for grubs, bugs, seeds, syrup and perhaps, food scraps.
Betsy printed out her recipe for egg and cheese strata and I put the sheet of paper in my luggage. We thanked them for the wonderful visit and made them promise they'd share our hospitality the next time they came through the Denver metro area.
We left Chico and drove north on I-5. I took out my travel journal and made some notations in it. We watched fluffy clouds --the kind a child might draw -- floated across a sapphire sky. The air temperature climbed rapidly as the noon-day sun approached. Lake Shasta, under this blazing blue sky, glistened like a piece of turquoise. I love that color; it's one of the reasons I love the Northwest. The rivers snake through emerald forests, occasionally startling travelers with their bluegreen brilliance.
We pulled over at a viewpoint and I snapped a couple of photos of the Lake.
I remember the rest of that day as if it were only a couple of weeks ago: remarking on the speed limits posted on I-5 through Oregon, admiring the verdant and windy passes through Grants Pass, Green, Roseburg, deciding to skip having lunch in Eugene so we could have more time in Portland, sitting on the tenth floor of the down-town Marriott and oohing over the lush, hilly topography surrounding Portland. We had a wonderful dinner at a nearby fish restaurant, then walked along the Columbia River, remarking about boats, young couples in love, joggers and other tourists. Bruce had premium points through Marriott so they'd given us a very luxurious suite with two fireplaces and two flat-screen tvs and two bathrooms, complete with the white, terry bathrobes. Ahhh.
I remember thinking how gracious the Lord is to have given us this lavish day of refreshment.
Of course that day was memorable.
But each day, just like this one I described, begins with wonderful potential. Oh, not necessarily one so obviously dazzling. But dazzling, nevertheless, with little and simple things. If only we'll stop and notice.
Today is like no other. There will never, ever be a day exactly like this one you're in right now. There must be a reason God made this day unique.
Perhaps it's because He has a unique assignment for you today.
Perhaps He wants you to notice something about His character which, on another day, might not strike you the same way.
Perhaps He wants you to make a decision today, to listen to His instruction, to draw closer, to say "I love You, Lord," to choose to follow Him.
Perhaps the uniqueness of this day is just for your own benefit.
Or not.
Maybe it's a day to begin doing something of significance. A day that will forever alter the direction of your life. Oh, I like that one!
Maybe one day you'll look back on this particular day and say, that was the day I began to. . .
Is this the day?
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
Hi Dena -
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, special memories!
My late husband and I traveled to the Denver area shortly after we were married. I'll always treasure the wonderful memories from that trip.
Who would have guessed that a year and a half later he would be fighting for his life? I'm so thankful to the Lord I'll always have that time tucked away in my heart.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Oh, Susan, so sorry about your husband. Yes, we need to treasure each day and savor each moment. Our memories are what binds us together.
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