The Sunflower

We went to Callaway Gardens for two nights and three days this past week. Mom, Jenny, and I traveled two and a half hours for just a small getaway. My mom was wonderful and found a nice room for us to be in. We also were able to do the TreeTop Adventure, go to the beach, and just be able to drive around and take pretty pictures. You know that I am working on the library books and trying to read as many as I can to have a greater chance to win the prize. I worked on and finished Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers. It's the last in the Twilight Series and since they have made the last movies, I wanted to re-read and be ready for when it comes out. I then started to read a book that Jenny read in like one afternoon and said many times before handing it to me, "You can read the book if you promise not to go live in Brazil or Guatemala." So, I began reading The Sunflower, by Richard Paul Evans. Without giving anything away, a woman named Christine (of course her name would be that) got stood up at the altar and her friend talks her into going on a mission trip to Peru. They go work on an orphanage, go deep into the jungle and of course she is met with love in the middle of book. You should really read this easy and small book. It's at your local library too! Anyway, throughout it talks about Sunflowers and Jenny took the prettiest picture of one at the Garden. I am not giving away the book by saying this, but the ending shows how God is in charge/control of every one's lives. Even when you make your own plans time and time again, He shows you the way.








This book also makes me miss Brazil and Guatemala. I was thinking the other day about the times that I felt in the presence of God. That He was there with me/us and absolutely knew it. I was in Guatemala one time. I think it was the second time there and we were staying in one of the villages. We had morning devotionals and I was glad that it had not been my turn. We usually had one of our group speak and then Herman Alb, the main guy from Medical Missions spoke on whatever that person had brought to the table. It was wonderful to see how in no way he would have known what this person from the The States would speak about and how he just went with it and spoke Truth to everyone in the room. Well, this time Hector, one of the medical doctors and all around wonderful guy decided to speak after the person had finished the devotions. He was across from me and I remember that these papers fell out of his hands when we first started to speak and then walked around the huge circle of people and began to give out a piece to everyone. I think that we were asked to say the word and maybe speak about what it meant to you. I remember my wonderful friend Cheryl Lott's piece of paper and my own. That's it. Well, first I remember that we had a long day working in a village. We had to boat across Lake Atitlan. The water was very pretty and I do not like heights, but I got on the top of the boat and sat with my friends. After a long day of sharing the gospel we got back off of the boat. We had to go up what felt like a mountain and through the small town to where we were staying. I was tired but I kept slowing going up the hill. A couple of people were able to pass by me as they caught a truck or a car to help them up. When we got back settled, the next morning or maybe even that evening we had our devotionals. That's the picture. So, Hector had said that he wanted to do his devotional that day and again, someone else usually does them. He slowly went around and gave out the pieces of paper. The pieces of paper were folded and he just handed them out. I really don't remember anyone elses but mine and my dear friend Cheryl. Side Note: It is so amazing to be able to go on a trip with people that have never been on a trip before, let alone out of the country. Well, I remember that Cheryl got Car. She said that she didn't at first know what God wanted her to do/think about Car b/c her family has one and had always had one. While she was speaking she spoke about being one of the people that was able to have a ride in a CAR up the really big hill. She had said that she had been SO tired and weak from the days work mentally and physically, that she was GRATEFUL that the Lord had given her the gift of that CAR. (I have been praying for her daughter and husband b/c they are going this summer to Guatemala, to work with the same missionaries that we were able to.
Well, I got KINDNESS. I thought like Cheryl, Whoopee Lord, you know that I am kind to everyone! As everyone was going around the circle the Lord put onto my heart what he meant by KINDNESS. That it had nothing to do with my kindness towards others, but it was in fact the KINDNESS of others onto me. That even if I was a sinner and at the time still reeling from ending my engagement and some other issues, that God was bringing me kindness. Not only that, but the fact that I deserved or was okay with receiving Kindness from other people. It showed me yet another way that God was taking care of me.

Back to Callaway Gardens this past weekend. We went but it had thundered most of the time we were there. We were unable to do anything the first day and then had to leave the Tree Top Adventures halfway through b/c it was going to storm. The last day we were there we finally were able to do a couple of things. Mom checked us out as we waited in the car. Since we had to pay extra for a package to do everything she asked about getting a refund due to not being able to do the things. She got into the car and made a joke and then started to cry when she said that the guy had taken off $97 from our bill. It was the whole package instead of just a smaller amount. Mom was crying and I finally told her, see you do so much for other people, (being KIND), you are just not used to someone else doing the same for you!