My Guy.

A while back Pop and I got hooked on a Food Network show called Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (3D)! It’s the greatest show ever and we love to watch the host, Guy Fieri, moan, groan and feign over all the crazy food he eats. Guy travels around the country in his mustang trying out diners, drive-ins and dives suggested by random people or friends. He spends the show talking about the history of the place, cooking up some of the specials, and mostly just being a total ham in front of the camera. By the end of some episodes Pop and I are in tears from laughing so much.

A couple of months ago, Guy showcased a diner and a drive-in located in Virginia. As we watched I got excited that there might be a possibility that I could visit these places myself. Mum called Aunt F and she knew of BOTH places!

One morning we drove over to Wakefield, VA to eat at The Virginia Diner. All I can say, it was as great as it looked on TV! I had fried chicken, biscuits and fried potatoes and Mum had the ham biscuits (made with Smithfield Ham) and Brunswick stew. Mum and Uncle B sampled the peanut pie and the chocolate pie. Mum says the peanut pie is the way to go.

The other 3D inspired stop we made was to downtown Norfolk. To Dumar’s Cones & Barbecue. We only had ice cream while we were there … but boy did we ever have ice cream! I had a chocolate ice cream scoop on top of a fresh, handmade waffle cone and a coke-float! Hehe. I wanted about a dozen other things too … Mum had a vanilla cone and a handmade chocolate shake with bits of crushed up waffle cone in it. Let’s just say – we didn’t need too much dinner! It was fun to enjoy a real part of 3D. I was sad Pop wasn't there to enjoy it so I bought him a dozen fresh waffle cones!

5001 US Hwy. 17 South

Uncle S is the pastor of River Bend Baptist church. Several months ago, nearly right after I got my letter offering me the job, I called Uncle S and asked him if his church would be willing to be one of my partners in the endeavor. He gave me an emphatic yes … even before talking to the church body, I think! Thankfully, the members of River Bend are an awesome group of praying individuals and they jumped on board whole-heartedly. Words are not enough to convey the details of September 7, 2008. What I do know is that I experienced an awesome outpouring of Christ’s love for me … through His children.

It was a tough day to begin with because it was Granny’s birthday, which is one of the excuses we give for going to visit Aunt F. Granny was her older sister and beloved friend and Mum and I go to visit around the 7th so that we can support her on that day. I never connected what day I would be speaking at Uncle S’s church … ummm, until the night before! Oops. It was a wonderful little extra trinket of God’s provision in the story of my life to be sharing with Uncle S’s church about Scotland – on her birthday. You see, it was my Granny that planted and watered the seed of Scotland in my heart. She was a Gordon. I am a Gordon. In the presentation I have been giving to my prayer partners, I start out with the mention that I learned about Scotland first from her. I had a hard moment getting through that part of the presentation … but it was such a testimony to Grandpa and Granny Gordon to look out into the congregation and look at Mum, Aunt F, her son’s and their families – a remnant of their legacy.

Uncle S had informed me that I could take the whole sermon time to share if I wanted to! Haha. I made sure that he knew my presentation was ONLY 7-9 minutes (depending on how nervous I was and how quickly I read it)! Each time I spoke (they have two service) Uncle S tied everything together between myself and River Bend. How just as in Psalm 46, River Bend Baptist was a “river whose streams make glad the city of God” and now, I was a stream flowing from River Bend. Wow! After each of my presentations, the people who were there came around me and interceded on my behalf. I will never forget the feelings of awe I felt to have a woman kneel before me, praying for my feet as they carry the Good News of Christ; to hear the Scottish gentleman pray for me as I lived and worked among the “most stubborn people in the world;” when the music leader prayed for my heart, that God would protect it and that it would remain strong and true to the calling of Christ on my life and all the other prayers lifted up that meld into God speaking to my heart that I was truly doing what He had called me to do.

On Saturday, when I was standing on the beach looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, with her rough surge and roaring voice of agitation, I got a glimpse of what I would be seeing soon. My heart was comforted because I know that when I look out across the Atlantic Ocean again I will be looking towards a land full of people who love me, support me and lift me up. People who are willing to share in the excitement of adventure and the promise of the fulfillment of the greatest command God has given; but also intercede before me in the tough times, the sad and frustrating times and the times when life is at its darkest. I will be eternally grateful that God saw fit to bring them into my life in such a dramatic and personal way.

Snapshot Moments.

Its hard to write about my family and what I have been experiencing and doing in the days leading up to my move. On the outside these moments seem benign and mundane, but to me they are the precious moments that will see me through the tough times to come. There are moments that I will remember and even some that I envision sitting on my own front porch sharing with my children and my children’s children. As I sit here, I wonder where to start and what to say – because nothing that I say will even compare to the memories that have been stored up in my heart. Mum and I had a brilliant time in Va. Beach visiting with the “old folks!” Uncle B and Aunt F were as excited about our visit as we were … so naturally we hit the ground running! The biggest adjustment for me was the fact that Aunt F had the entire interior of the house repainted and when she did she also decided to move EVERYTHING around! Even though we got to Va. Beach at 11:45 at night, I still had to go around trying to find where she put some of my favourite things and what had been moved where. Mum was disappointed that her favourite doll was in my room (never fear … she managed to make an opportunity early on to move the doll into her room). We spent many hours swinging on the front porch, eating popsicles and watching the world go by. I got to meet Casey’s new little sister Minute (the puppies next door, whom Aunt F and Uncle B adore) and I even managed to get in my runs around the neighborhood.
Cousin T and his family came up to see us on Thursday and Friday, we had more fun swinging, eating popsicles and playing with all Aunt F’s dolls. It was so fun to get to see my three little lovelies! I cannot believe how big they are. I suppose that next time I see them they will not be “little” lovelies any more. And just so they know for sure … I love you E.R., B and K!
Mum and I decided on Friday that we needed to have yet another adventure … we needed to try to out run a hurricane! Mostly we needed to beat it to North Carolina. And we did. On Friday afternoon we packed up Aunt F and Uncle B and we headed down to New Bern, North Carolina to see the rest of the gang!
It was fun to be able to show up a day early at Uncle S and Aunt R’s house. We then had plenty of time to visit and do the things that we all wanted to do. My cousin R had come home for the weekend to see Mum and me (well, maybe it was to pick up her car?! Haha) and we spent most of Friday night getting the Skype set up so that we could talk on the internet. We even got to Skype my little brother B! Aunt F was concerned about how skinny he was – he assures us he is eating enough though. Uncle S says that he is going to get Skype too! While Skype will not replace my desire for a phone (especially since there is no confirmation about internet where I will be moving to) it will be a great way to communicate with a larger group of my family and friends while I am gone. Plus, it’s fun to make rude faces at my little brother and try to annoy him long distance! I digress ... It was fun to be there over the weekend with R because she had put in Saturday dinner request and of course Aunt R made a delicious meal for her … one that the rest of us got to enjoy! On Saturday we braved the wind and a headed out to the beach in Beaufort, North Carolina. My other uncle, Uncle F lives there with his wife J. The beach was amazing! The waves were huge, there were pools of water high on the beach with loads of seashells in them. It was crazy, even a little sad, to see most of the shells in bits and pieces – they had been tossed about by a mighty storm. All I kept thinking as I searched for unique shells that were still in one piece, was what do the shells on my beach look like? Are the pieces of me tossed about in the mighty storm of life? Smashed into a million different pieces only to be overlooked by seekers of something beautiful? Or do the different pieces of my life rest in wholeness in the peace I have from my Father? I hope that each shell that my life leaves behind is one that remains intact and shares the story of a God who offers grace in the face of mighty storms to those willing to accept it. We spent the rest of the late afternoon handing out fliers for the Sunday morning service held at the marina. Uncle F usually preaches this service, but he made arraignments to be in New Bern to support me as I spoke there. We had a good time wandering downtown, handing out as many fliers as we could. It was fun to visit Uncle F and Aunt J at their house.Sunday, was a brilliant day! I’ll get more into the details of my time with my prayer church. Lets just suffice it to say … you should really hang around for that post! It was awesome! After church was over the whole family (minus Pop and B - which was the saddest part of the whole trip) headed out to lunch and picture time! We always have a picture time at each visit and it usually goes well if M and I can keep our eyes open for the pictures!

Mum and I managed to get in some more porch sitting time, eating time and general together time with Uncle B and Aunt F before we headed to the airport on Wednesday morning. As we drove to the airport the sky was dark and dreary with the rain gently falling down. The atmosphere of the morning reflected what I was feeling in my heart. “This is my first real good-bye,” I thought to myself. I was headed out to the airport with no return trip planned and I knew that there was not even a possibility for one in the next two years. Where would I be in two years? Where would Aunt F and Uncle B be in two years? As the rain came softly down so did my tears. I know that God will bless and keep Aunt F and Uncle B and I will see them again … in His time and place.

We're off to see the wizard.

My luggage is now chocked full of books, books and more books. You see, Mum and I are going to get to see three little lovelies while we are in Virginia and she has deemed it the utmost importance to take all the books (plus a few surprises) she can to them! I was in agreement with this idea ... until it meant that I had to pack an extra piece of luggage just to accommodate all the books! Whew!

With nearly an entire library packed in my suitcases, we are off.

Off to enjoy a visit with my Great Aunt F and Uncle B, with their children and their children's children and their children! Okay, not quite that many children, but you get the picture! I even hear rumor that I may get to go to the beach!? Lovely!