Something I always love about traveling is the journey to find the church building wherever you are. Knowing that when you arrive, no matter where you are in the world, the feeling will always be the same. Stepping into a building that feels like home even though you’ve just met, because the spirit and the church members are there. You know that saying ‘Home is where the heart is’, well that holds true of the gospel too. ‘Home is where the sprit lives’ and he lives very strongly in these beautiful, dedicated buildings of worship.
Along the way to our home-for-day we stopped on the side of the road to enjoy the sights and sounds of the river. Where we say fishy’s toot in the water, bugs hopping and skipping along the tops like rocks thrown by little boys, and enjoyed the earthy aromas all around. We also braved a quick stroll to this beautiful old house which we initially thought was abandoned, but upon closer inspection seemed to be full of dog food and straw. We only ran for it when the dogs started barking, seeing as ‘folks round these parts are very liberal with their shotguns’.
You don’t have to tell me twice! Good heavens, can you image a run in with a feisty farmer and his shotgun? And, on the way to church no less. What a Sunday that would have been.
I truly loved entering the beautiful building full of old stained glass and so much love that hugs were flowing like water. No usual handshake here, no sir, only hugs and welcomed smiles by these beautiful children of our Father. If you ever need to reconnect with the spirit in a big way, I highly suggest a week in the country. Disconnecting from all hubbub and hustle and bustle without internet or decent mobile reception helped me reconnect with the simple things. Like enjoying the sunset over the swamp, and savoring a cold glass of water under the shade of the tree, with a content-purring cat on my lap.
Throwing rocks and sticks into bodies of water is by far this little guy’s new favorite past time. And I don’t blame him, there is something rather therapeutic about throwing something into a body of water. Hearing it ‘thunk’ as it makes its entry and watching the splash rise up from the surface. He was pretending to agitate the crocodiles but I was simply enjoying watching his imagination run wild.
He did some big growing up on this little trip of ours. The freedom he had to wake up every morning and run around the yard with the Jasper cat and not a care in the world was such a beautiful sight to see. I would sometimes just stand at the back porch, hidden behind the shadows and watch him explore the big world around him. Squishing bugs with his bare feet and being grossed out by the ooze that superseded their demise. Finding food for the cat and sprinkling it all around the porch in an attempt to make the fur-ball follow him around.
Yup. We loved every minute of it.
just love,
//kelly
Photo credit: The Departure Diaries