Kentucky Vacation 2016

 Our Kentucky Vacation 2016

From Canada we drove about 10 hours to meet up at the Cabins of Birch Hollow near Stanton, KY.  My daughter, Haylie and her boyfriend, Don drove about 12 hours from Kansas to meet us there.  We reserved a log cabin for the week. 

Brian hadn't seen Haylie for several years and I hadn't seen her since May 2015 so this was a very special trip for us. Also Brian had never met Don before so these two guys had time to get to know each other and they really hit it off pretty good. One of our adventures took us to the Natural Bridge State Resort Park where we took the Skylift up to a natural sandstone rock bridge called the Natural Bridge.

For more information click on this link below
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/natural-bridge/

This natural bridge is in the Red River Gorge, which is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. 

Some of the trails getting to the Natural Bridge from the Skylift were fine but when Haylie, Don and Brian took a short hike on a trail below the Natural Bridge, it was far too difficult for me so I stayed behind and safely enjoyed the view from above.  When it was time to go back, Brian and I took the Skylift down but Haylie and Don took the adventurous hike down through the gorge.  This is when I really miss my younger years.

Our Vacation to Virginia, Washington D.C. & Pennsylvania

 Visiting Our Family in Virginia

Visiting our family, my son and daughter-in-law was awesome but the highlight of our trip was spending time with our three grandchildren.

We always try to bring them something and this time it was a surprise in the form of a game called Jumbling Tower, which is really just a knock off of Jenga. Sage took right to it because it was a puzzle to solve.  

Adventures in our own back yard!

My son and grandsons arrived Monday, July 8th to visit us for the week while my daughter-in-law and her mother went on an adventure to New York City.  Since the boys aren't use to being separated from their mommy we all pulled together to keep them busy with various adventures.  

We celebrated our 3 year old grandson's birthday a few days late.  Of all the gifts the two sets of hotwheel cars from the dollar store were both the boy's favorites.

 

Tuesday morning, July 9th, we got up early and went fishing at the Port Rowan Harbour.  

Grandma's first time out fishing this year!

The only one who caught a fish was the 3 year old who also caught his pant leg.  

That afternoon we packed up the car and drove to Port Burwell to see the HMCS Ojibwa, the Oberon-class submarine that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces Maritime Command.

That evening the tent was set up so that Coley and the boys could camp in the backyard.  That evening we enjoyed a campfire watching the coloured Mystical Fire Magic flames.

 

We had to trim some trees and bushes.  

 That was no problem though since we got some help from the friendly neighborhood Spiderman and superhero Wolverine.

It was a great day to be outside with the boys.

 

Choose Life

  
As I went about my housework praising God for His many blessings.  I sat down with my coffee and began writing in my journal from my heart.  I saw my thoughts inked out as the words lay before me.  Sorrowful words of regret, longing and loneliness and feeling the darkness of depression coming on again.  Then I picked up my Bible, still open to the same pages from last night, I started reading Deut 30:11-20 again.  Then suddenly I saw plainly what God was showing me that because He gave me life, I had the power within me and nothing is too difficult for Him nor is it too difficult for me.

As I read Deuteronomy 30 it became a clear reminder that we choose our own mental stress.  I choose to praise him or I choose to worry and turn inward into myself following my own thoughts and plans.   You can choose Life or Destruction:  Choose Life!  Be in health and prosper even as your soul (your emotional state of mind) prospers.  You have not been given a spirit of fear but you have received the Spirit of God and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (FREEDOM).  You have a sound mind, peace and liberty (freedom from mental torment). 
 Deut 30:19, 3 John 1:2,  Romans 8:15-16,  2 Timothy 1:7, I John 4:18, 2 Corinthians 3:17, I Corinthians 2:16I went back and started reading Deuteronomy 29:25 through Deut 30:10

God spoke to my heart as I read these verses about Returning to the Lord your God and he will restore the fortunes and have compassion and gather us together.  He will bring us to a land to take possession of but he will circumcise our hearts so we may love him with all our heart and with all our soul and live. The curses will be on our enemies and God will again make us most prosperous in all the work of our hands and in all reproduction. Prosperity is a blessing. God showed me that when he first brought his people out of bondage in Egypt but they went off and worshiped other gods. They had to learn the hard way about being faithful to Him.  

He is our deliverer and our provider but we love him not because of what he can give us.  We love Him because of who He is and because He made us.  Mostly we love Him because He loves us first just as we are.  He is faithful and we can rely upon him with our whole hearts.  We have been given the freedom to choose.  Choose whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14-15).

We think that is unfathomable that these people would have forgotten what God did for them and wonder how they could turn their backs on him and worship false gods/idols.  Then I wonder how many times God has delivered me from financial ruin by clearing my debts or giving me prosperity and I have used it to my own personal destruction instead of for his glory.  

Forgive me Father as I see my error and wickedness of heart.  Cleanse me from the love of money.  Even when I have very little money, the fear of lack tries to take over as I look to 'money' as an idol.   I remember reading one time that someone said The lack of money to the poor man who covets is equal to or same as the greedy person with his abundance of riches.  One has and wants more the other has not and wants what he doesn't have.  The focus is on money as the idol, not on God who gives us the power to get wealth and who meets all our needs through his sufficiency.  Can he trust us with wealth?  I wonder.  

Proverbs 3:9 - Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.Luke 16:11 - If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?Deuteronomy 8:18 - But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for [it is] he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as [it is] this day.1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Thank you God for your richest blessings but above all that and more importantly we thank you for saving us by your amazing grace with your endless love and undeserved mercy. We humble ourselves and praise you for You are God and there is none like You.  We love you, Abba Father.  Praise be to your name.  Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

Also, I found this incredible internet page when I did a search for "sound mind" The Official King James Bible Online with 19 related topics.  When you click on it this will take you to a list of scriptures on this subject.  I praise God that I found this!!!!  Thank you, Lord. I praise you for giving me a sound mind.Most of this page of my blog today will be about a spiritual insight. If you choose to read it, please do so with the intention of joining me in the moment.

Another blog I started.

Please check out my diary about my countrylife in Ontario.
 "Dairy of My Country Life: http://diarycountrylife.blogspot.com/