Vacation Reminders of God

Wherever we go, God is present, revealing himself in both subtle and spectacular ways. The recent vacation CW and I took to western North Carolina was no different; there were reminders of God everywhere.

We didn’t meet any food, including ice cream, we didn’t like. If we lived in the area, we would revisit the same restaurants and ice cream shops often. Not because of enticing descriptions of the food on signs or menus. Not because of a delicious-looking photo. Not even because someone else raved about the food. We would return because we tasted the food and it delighted our taste buds.

That’s how God is. We can read about him. Someone can share the wonderful things he has done for them. But until we experience him for ourselves, we won’t truly know how good he is. From experience, David could say, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). When we let Jesus into our life and get to know him, we will experience his goodness for ourselves. And we will want more and more of him.

After a delicious meal in Hendersonville, we headed down Main Street toward a coffee shop. I was giddy with delight when the graceful, airy breaths of a flute wafted across the road and whispered into my ears as I walked. The sound of the flute always makes me happy; I played one through my school years. While CW was purchasing his coffee, I sat on a bench outside and listened to the music, hoping the flutist wouldn’t pack up soon. When he came out, we hurried back to where she was still filling the streets with happiness. We enjoyed talking with her between songs, and she even played a couple special selections for us. What a treat!

The psalmist says to “praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute” (Psalm 150:4). We praise God for his power and greatness (Psalm 150:2). Many years after I graduated, I began playing again, this time in church. I splurged on a new, good-quality instrument with which to glorify God. The happy feeling I have when I hear the lilt of a flute is perhaps a glimmer of the joy God experiences when we use our talents to praise him.

We visited the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock. Though the house wasn’t open for tours that day, we could walk freely anywhere on the property. Close to the house is a huge sloping rock with a solitary chair where Mr. Sandburg liked to sit while writing or contemplating life. It looked like a lovely place to be alone. CW and I each tried it out.

Jesus often withdrew to quiet, unpopulated places to be alone with his Father (Luke 5:16). The psalmist said, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Psalm 119:15), and he said the man was blessed whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2). We may not have a chair on a huge rock in the middle of the woods, but we will experience much contentment if we find that special place where we can meditate on the things of God free of the world’s distractions.

Down the road from the main house is the goat barn. Carl’s wife, Lilian, had begun raising goats at their home in Michigan. The goats needed more room and a milder climate, though, so the family moved to the mountain farm of Connemara in North Carolina in 1945. The goats we saw are descendants of Lilian’s herd. We were permitted to walk among the does and brush the gentle creatures.

Our first acquaintance was Shelby. After brushing her for a while, we moved on to spread the love around. Soon I felt something warm against my leg. I looked down to see Shelby standing like a statue, patiently waiting. I brushed her some more, then went over to another goat. Again, I felt her leaning against me. A young intern said the goats love companionship. I loved on Shelby some more before walking on. All the way across the pasture, Shelby went where I did. Eventually CW sat down next to the fence and Shelby walked over to him for some face time. She was such a joy.

Shelby is the most memorable part of our vacation for me. She reminds me of the “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). That is definitely Shelby. Not demanding or pushy. Just sweetly present. Some of Jesus’ last words to his disciples written in the New Testament were, “Surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). That is possible because when Jesus returned to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to be his presence that would dwell inside his believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). You can’t stick any closer than that.

The Carl Sandburg property has five miles of trails. We walked the mile-long trail to the top of Glassy Mountain. It was basically uphill the entire way and we made use of at least one of the many benches along the path. At the top was a bald rock that extended 40 feet in front of us and sloped down. I couldn’t believe there was no protection to keep adventurous hikers and rambunctious children from going over the edge, especially in wet or icy conditions.

After frightening myself with grisly scenarios, I had to check it out. Leaving CW safely on the bench to pray for my return, I took very careful baby steps toward the edge till I could see beyond my original view. There was no dangerous drop-off, only a steeper 15-foot slope to a line of standing trees with bushes and downed trees reinforcing the natural barrier.

We are told to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). If we trust in our own perception of the world, we are likely to experience negative reactions including fear, distrust, anger, and doubt. It is important to explore beyond what we see to discover the truth of God “for the word of the Lord is right and true” (Psalm 33:4). We can always count on God’s perspective to be true.

These are some of the reminders of God’s constant presence I experienced on our vacation. I’ll share a few more in my next post.

Scripture quotations are from NIV.

Feature photo by CW Spencer: view from Mount Mitchell, highest peak east of the Mississippi River