THE PEA PODS FOUR

The blessings of our trip were subtle yet they linger even now as I write. I know the Lord cares about the details of our lives, even the smallest, and this trip proved it once again. “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives†(Psalm 37:23). We took cards and board games but not a second was given to such matters. Instead, we entertained ourselves in different ways including sitting in the rocking chairs chatting while gazing at the forever view from our porch. On Sunday we listened to the preaching of a black pastor inspiring us to be better individuals and servants for God. I gave a manicure to the hands of one who had been busy cooking and preparing meals for the elderly of her community. Some of us enjoyed a hiking trail as we mingled thoughts with God and each other. Laughter was a common thread bringing healing and restoration. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine . . .†(Proverbs 17:22). The glorious Jacuzzi bubble bath with its menagerie of candles was an added plus and the joy of women shopping requires no further explanation.

At mealtime, I incorporated a conversation starter. The four of us discussed spiritual intimacies as we took turns randomly selecting a faith-based Penny Stone from the bag I had taken. They said things like: what nature reveals about God, how you handle temptation, why pray if God already knows, and what’s important to God. Needless to say, we learned things about each other. Good things, interesting things.

My favorite blessing turned out to be completely unanticipated. Since our cabin had a fire pit, I wanted to build a fire and have s’mores one night. Typically, my Eagle Scout husband does the honors but he wasn’t there. I gathered wood and pulled apart splinters by hand to create kindling. I also sorted twigs and sticks of graduating sizes. Mimicking my resourceful husband, I built a small tee-pee of the splintered wood and lit a match. It burned freely as predicted but then the larger pieces did not. We resorted to wadding up what paper we had but to no avail. I sadly admitted defeat realizing the firewood was damp from the afternoon’s light shower. I resolved to try again tomorrow. This time, however, I would swallow my pride and dismiss my survival camping skills to utilize surefire tactics. (Talk about a great pun!) I purchased lighter fluid, fire sticks, and burning charcoal. If that didn’t do the trick, nothing would! Once again I collected small sticks and splintered wood. I soaked the large wood logs with lighter fluid and did all the right “wrong†things. I’m sure my prayers didn’t hurt either. Before long, my fire was blazing like my husband’s. He would be proud. I couldn’t resist texting him a picture. To my surprise and disbelief, Brown Sugar and Plus One Pea Pods had never experienced a campfire before. They watched in amazement as I scurried about arranging the wood and fanning the flames. Even better was the fact they had never toasted a marshmallow or made s’mores! I was honored to be the first one to show them how to assemble a perfect s’more. We sat around the fire, burning all of the wood and watching the embers collect. They learned the value of hearing the cares of the world crackle and pop in the heat of a flickering flame. We also enjoyed the twinkling of the stars in the dark night sky – something my friends were not accustomed to seeing living in the city.