Vacation for 4? Yes, please.

Monday through Wednesday we were happily on top of a mountain in Tennessee courtesy of Ed and Sharon Ditto.  We hiked Fall Creek Falls, read books, played games, made s'mores ("How can I have some more if I've never had any to begin with?"--Sandlot), played with Gizmo and Macaroni, lit some fires and in general relaxed and got away from it all.  Thanks Dittos!

P.S.  I am so sore from walking down to the bottom of the falls!  So much for beating Leslie Coffey at hill walking.

If You Can Hum It, You Can Strum It and Get Along Little Cowboy/Cowgirl

This weekend has been filled with dinner invitations and other forms of entertainment provided by our Central church family.  Thursday night we were the guinea pigs of Julia Wright and enjoyed the wonderful dishes she whipped up.  Davis and Bailey entertained and were entertained by the Wright's grandson Kai.  Friday night we drove over the river and through the woods to Tim and Jimi Johnson's log cabin where we joined them and the Greenleaf duo for a night of Irish music.  Davis and Scott picked up the Courting Dulcimer fairly easily and we got to borrow a dulcimer for more practice at home.  This afternoon Tim and Paula Lewis treated us to horse riding courtesy of Scout the blue eyed American Saddlebred.  I think the barn cats made quite an impression too.  Scott and Bailey got into a little canter with their horses.  I'm not sure who was most surprised by that event.  This evening the Wisehart's fed us some great French dips and pasta salad.  Loren's grandmother is a prolific quilter so Carrie treated me to a trunk show of her creations.  The showstopper:  embroidered blocks of all 50 states including the year they joined the union, state flower and state bird surrounding an embroidered map of the continental U.S. delineating the state capitols.  Whew, I'm tired just writing about it.

It's All Gaelic To Me

Listening to Gaelic CDs tonight in our car, we were instructed to repeat after James:

James:  Hallo.  Is mise Seumas.  (Hello.  I'm James.)
Catriona:  Madainn mhath, a Sheumais.  (Good morning, James.)
                Is mise Catriona.  (I'm Catriona.)
James:  Ciamar a tha sibh, a Chatriona?  (How are you, Catriona?)
Catriona:  Tha gu math, tapadh leibh.  (Fine, thank you.)
                Ciamar a tha sibh fhein?  (How are you yourself?)
James:  Gle mhath, tapadh leigh.  (Very well, thanks.)
             Tha i snog an-diugh, nach eil?  (Davis says, "How is your snot doing?)

What Happens In Vegas...

For hire:  Cagey 8 year old prone to fixing card games to make 80 year old men feel better about themselves.  Not much of a poker face, but could charm her way out of sticky situations.  Inquires may be directed to her manager at mommasgonnabeatcheatingoutofyou.com.

Worry--I've got the Fever, He's Got the Cure

I'm not an out loud worrier.  I tend to keep it all inside and then BOOM! it all comes out at once, usually directed at the person closest in proximity to me, namely Scott.  Sunday night however, we studied Matthew 6:25-34 with the young adult ministry at Angel's Island Coffee (shameless plug.)  Of course, who worth their Christian salt hasn't read, "Don't worry, be happy?"  I mean, "Don't worry about all the physical stuff.  God loves you more than the birds and the flowers.  You can't add any more time to your life by worrying.  Grow up and get some faith!  Search for God's kingdom and all that other 'stuff' will come out in the wash.  Concentrate on finding God today and let tomorrow come, tomorrow." (Denise International Version)  For me, the cure comes in the form of giving all my worries to God, one by one if I have to, over and over again.  And when asked by someone else, "Well, what about this and what about that?"  I can with confidence say, "God is faithful and He will provide.  I don't know how and I don't know when but I do know Who."  In fact, later that night while Davis was fast asleep he distinctly and loudly said, "Forget about it, I do this all the time."  Words of a mob boss? Or words of comfort and confirmation?  I choose the latter.