A Cemetery Stroll Through Time

Every Friday morning I scan the newspaper weekend section for fun happenings in and around Chattanooga. The "Second Annual History Stroll" through Forest Hills Cemetery in St. Elmo caught my eye and I was able to talk Robbie, Laura and Anne into going with me. So after a tasty girl pizza at Mr. T's we went to this beautiful, old, historic cemetery.Each of the 24 sites had a reenactor protraying the deceased, dressed in period costume, with various artifacts from the person's life. This man was Joe Engel, the owner and promoter of the Chattanooga Lookouts. One of Engel's nicknames was the "King of Baseball" - hence the robe and crown.

Forest Hills is just a beautiful cemetery which covers alot of acreage!

One of the big family monuments which is in stark contrast to.....

the "colored section" way up in the a corner of the cemetery. The tombstones were small and scattered.

It was a beautiful warm sunny afternoon - I really like these old monuments.

And you might be in a Southern cemetery if there's a tombstone for "Baby Bubba."

The founder of Ruby Falls, Leo Lambert and his wife Ruby are buried at Forest Hills. Their grandaughter was the presenter at their gravesite. She recently found the above words of Leo's while she was going through some of his things. I really like the words!!

So grateful for theophanies and friends to share them with!!

Small town - Big mountain

Last Friday I had a fun adventure with my friend Barbara who I know through NW Georgia Young Life. She lives in a little Georgia town called Chickamauga which is chock full of Civil War history and small town friendliness. I love to visit there though I will admit it makes me jump when folks pass you on the street and say hello! I forget how natural that is in a small town!

After a delicious lunch at Scarlett's Tea Room we went for our 2nd annual hike on Pigeon Mountain in an area called The Pocket which is filled with wildflowers, a rushing mountain stream, and a wonderful waterfall. We were able to climb up to the top of the waterfall and stand close enough to it so that the spray misted our faces. It is fun to be a 51 year old mountain goat scampering over rocks and rills!

It was really really wonderful to get out of town for a few hours and be in a quiet, beautiful part of God's creation with a good friend!

"When you love someone....

you have to let them go. It's the only way to keep them." (Macrina)

The winds of change are in the air once again as another school year ends. It seems like we just settled into the new normal and it's shifting again. I want to be completely brave and say that I am o.k. with all these goodbyes but tonight the words can't get past the lump in my throat. And I know we'll stay connected in the myriad of ways available, but there's nothing quite like sharing physical space with those you love.

And I also know that even as you exit stage right there are others waiting to enter. But the role you played, the role YOU played, can never be replaced.

Home Interiors

O.K.!! We have a start on getting something up on the big bare wall where the mirror used to be. Yesterday we went to the P. Graham Dunn store in Gatlinburg and found this cream colored cross that has the words to "Amazing Grace" on it and the picture which has Ps.54.4 on it - "God is my help, the Lord is the one who sustains me." The dark colored cross is one I found in St. Francisville during my last visit there. We still need something to the right of the picture - we'll find it!

a day at Dolly's

One of Dale Allen's favorite places to go is Dollywood (here he is in front of her tour bus) and we left for Pigeon Forge early this morning for a day date. What a beautiful time of year to go for a drive to the Smoky Mountains! The redbuds and dogwoods were amazing, the new lime green grass, the mist hanging over the blue misty mountains, the stream roiling over the rocks.....wow!!! We love to go through Maryville and Townsend on our way to PF - great scenic drive!!

The theme at DW this spring is Festival of Nations and several different countries are represented at the shows and street entertainment. These stilt walkers from Belguim were unbelievably talented! How in the world do they dare to be up so high?!

I liked this little cutie!

I took far too many pictures of these guys but they were really intriguing!

Ahhhh......the food!

It was a fun date. The weather was supposed to be sunny and mid 60's but it was cloudy all day and never got out of the 50's - at least no rain!! On the way home we stopped in Gatlinburg and actually bought something for the big bare wall in the GTCA! I'll take a picture tomorrow and put it on here.

"Laughter in the Walls"

The house seemed strangely quiet when I came in from work after having been filled with so much life and fun these past couple of days. And by tonight the dirty towels have been washed, the games and craft box have been brought downstairs, the living room furniture that was rearranged for movie nights has been pushed back into place.

Isn't God good? Doesn't He have so many gifts tucked up his sleeve for His kids? Nancy's visit didn't materialize until just a few weeks ago and I seriously kept having to pinch myself this week to realize she was really, really here in this house.

The girls slept in both mornings and Nancy and I had some time to talk over a cup of coffee. To talk about where we came from and how we landed up where we are now. To share the things that stir our hearts. To once again appreciate our common dreams and our different gifts. And it made me wish that these times together could be more frequent.

Now her six girls are distinct in my mind with their unique personalities. Each one so beautiful and precious. Living so far away from each other I've never had the chance to get to know the youngest ones but now we share memories of Clumpies ice cream, the spray of Ruby Falls, the sight of snow in Tennessee, the gooey goodness of Mellow Mushroom.

Now the house settles down and so do we. But there's a little bit more "laughter in the walls" as Bob Benson used to say and we are grateful.

a wonderful invasion of fun & family!

Sometimes do you think you'll burst with gratitude for the blessings the Father continues to pour down on you?!

My sister Nancy and six of her daughters are here for a visit during their spring break. It's their first time here and we are having lots of fun! It is such a gift that they made the long road trip down here. One of the sweetest things I'll take away from our time together is that from now on we'll have this shared memory. I've never gotten to know the younger girls since we moved before some of them were in the Bykerk family. We just see them for a few hours at Christmas - not long enough to really get acquainted. It's been so neat to show them some of the fun places in beautiful Chattanooga and to get a peek into their personalities.

Another fun day ahead...............

Fun Weekend in Atlanta!

It would be wrong to go to Atlanta and not stop at IKEA!! We met Youngbloods there but only had about an hour to shop - so sad to be rushed through this very fun store!

Absolutely gorgeous day for a baseball game! The Braves played the Detroit Tigers and the Tigers won 8 - 4. We all got a little bit sunburnt but had lots of fun!

After the game we went to Taco Mac to watch the MSU win on the big screen!

The Youngbloods are scattered like we are! Caleb has been in North Carolina and is moving to California in June for a year. Brooks and Abbey live in Georgia. We continue to hope that someday Kori, Julie & Shane will become Southerners too!

After attending one of Andy Stanley's churches with Brooks and Abbey (the service/sermon was great) we went out for lunch and then went to see B & A's beautiful new home!

So thankful for the chance to reconnect with our good friends!

bananas and belly laughs

Dan just asked me to email him this picture of mom and dad and the green bananas I gave them as a gift the Christmas before dad passed away and I thought I'd put it on the blog too.

In our rather blunt, bizarre family way we would make the joke "they're still buying green bananas" when we'd talk about someone's impending demise. When mom and dad opened this rather unusual gift they both burst into laughter. I loved making them laugh.

Tomorrow, April 2, is the anniversary of dad's homegoing. Four years already since he's been gone.

This is my all time hands down favorite picture of mom and dad. It is so full of joy and life and laughter and fun. This is how I love to remember them. It took awhile after each of their deaths to replace in my mind's eye the memory of the ravages cancer made in their beautiful faces with pictures such as this one. But this is who they truly were.

Their lives were filled with the usual share of grief, disappointment and other challenges but their lives were also a testimony of the deep delight that comes from loving and being loved by God. I miss them very very much and I sure do look forward to their smiles and welcoming hugs when we're reunited some day.

matters of miles

it is not the life i knew
when coming for a visit
meant a three minute drive
lives intertwined
friendschurchschoolweather
roast beef sundays
my children are in my heart
but in different states
they're a road trip
oil change books on tape
distance
we've all listened to the
same voice that called
us to our current
address
but
let me write out loud
that
sometimes my heart
is sad when the facebook grandmas
post about weekly roast beef Sundays
and daily drive bys
but mostly i am grateful
for the love that is stronger
than an atlas