“These are the times that rest men’s souls.”

Thomas PAINE said, "These are the times that test men's souls."

Thomas WILLIAMS says, “These are the times that rest men’s souls.”

               Nearly every day since early October two thousand twelve until today’s March first two thousand thirteen has been a day of rest for my soul.  I’ve been filling my senses with the beauty of God’s amazing earth and ever changing sky.  Even the nine hundred (plus) miles of travel, towing a thirty-one foot fifth-wheel were refreshment for my tired spirit.

               Please understand that I am not saying, “Everything has been Marshmallow clouds and candied rainbows.”  We’ve had troubles with a Texas size T.  (I am not going to enumerate.)  However even the challenges that we’ve faced were new and exciting!  They stretched our creativity and gave us assurance that God will bring us to where we need to be; even if He has to drag us through a few bramble bushes to do it.  I believe that no matter how hard His road is to follow sometimes, it is still a HI-way compared to those dark paths we might have chosen.

               We have been able in these past few months to spend time with family that have been hard to connect with over the last decade or so.  And we have met new people who have been blessings to us.  I hope that we will be able to stay in touch with them in the coming years.  However, even if we loose contact in the future, being with them in the present has shown us more of the diversity of God’s love for His children.

               We still have nearly two full months before we return to more familiar surroundings and we will continue to store up experiences and pack them into those special mental file boxes where the best of life are stored.  Soon (but not too soon) we will be back in harness and pulling our loads.  However, every now and then we will break open one of these new memories and savor their sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feel; and we will smile for no apparent reason.