Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Luke 6:38 (The Message)Another beautiful day in the mountains. The rain that soaked the ground all day yesterday disappeared leaving skies of blue and sunshine. Today seemed to be all about abundance. Starting with a glorious sunrise and ending with an equally spectacular sunset. In between, we ate until we could hold no more, shopped until we dropped and enjoyed beautiful mountain views and stunning landscapes. Vicki set the tone for the day by serving caramel cinnamon rolls from the nearby Amish bakery for breakfast. Then, we stopped at her neighbor’s house to see her luxurious gardens. Stepped terraces led down the hill while banks of flowers pulled your eye to the mountains. Brilliant reds, sunny yellows and deep purples were everywhere you could see as butterflies flickered in and out. From there, we headed to downtown Asheville to the Woolworth Walk in an old Woolworth Store. I saw lots of amazing crafts, got some ideas for some of my own and enjoyed seeing the product of so many talented Asheville residents. We also went to a craft store and loaded up on wool of all colors. It was sold by the pound so we picked our colors and waited for it to be weighed. It was all we could do not to rush home and start felting. But, Doc Choy’s awaited us. Doc Choy’s serves the best Oriental food I have ever had. I have been waiting for another visit to Asheville to see Vicki, but also to have the stir fried green beans at Doc Choy’s. MMMM! From there, we waddled over to the Mast General Store for the “penny candy” section. I got a bagful of old fashioned candies for youngest son who loves candy cigarettes, peanut butter logs, Bazooka Bubble Gum, Good n Plenty’s, Swedish Fish and Charms. All the candy from my childhood that I once loved as well but that is no longer sold in most stores. The day wasn’t all about eating, even though we had some great short ribs and mashed potatoes that Vicki cooked for dinner. We took time for bird watching as the hummingbirds rumbled around us and drove up to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. Where we bought, not surprisingly, more food, apple cider, that was dispensed into a plastic jug by a hose ending in something very similar to a gasoline nozzle. Good food, good friends, and a beautiful world to enjoy today. I had to stop and think about a sign I saw in Asheville. They have quotes, from what I assume are local authors, on the backs of their street signs. The one that caused me to pause said, “I’ve got so much to be pleased about, it burdens me.” It is attributed to John Ehle from a publication called, “The Road.” Isn’t that true? For when we are blessed with such abundance, we are also given the responsibility to help others. God has been incredibly generous to me. How can I do less than to share those gifts?
PS Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for a couple of days. We head out on the motorcycle tomorrow and I must leave my laptop behind. I will catch up when you when we return.
Sounds great!!!