because i got high

courtesy of newland county, north carolina, near linville, this is the view i was greeted with yesterday.

when jason beeped in on my conversation with my sister, tuesday morning, we'd been right in the middle of discussing things like our kids and holiday plans; my hope to switch with a coworker so we could take bella to the annual free day @ the zoo this saturday in knoxville.

he asked me if i wanted the bad news or the worse news. and inwardly, i cringed.




in this grand political season, you've heard alot of talk about things like our *bad economy*. and just here, in our area, where jobs in manufacturing and hard labor are a large source of our general employment, we've seen them hit hard.

jason works at a scrap yard. its hard work. its out in the elements.

recently, they were bought out by a global company. and while many changes have been welcome ones, they've also had extensive casualties along the way. about a month ago, they had to let all of their temporary employees go, leaving them with just 14 men on the crew.

one of the temps had become a good friend of jasons' and i hugged his shoulders just weeks ago as he sat slumped in front of our computer, searching want ads with jason, and wondering aloud, with tears running down his rough cheeks, how his family was going to make it.

due to new metal laws taking effect in october, business has slowed to a crawl. they announced tuesday that indefinately, they'll be closing their doors on wednesday of each week, which drops the guys down to 32 hours a paycheck.

they also informed them that over the holidays, they'll be shut down for a week, receiving just 2 days worth of pay.


i inhaled a sharp, deep breath, as he laid this all out. and then i told him we'd be ok. that God will see us thru it.


i told him that maybe i can sneak in some overtime, tho my own company, funded in large part by the government, has lost much-needed funding this year as well, forcing them into cut-backs, the same as everyone else.

i told him we'll get thru it.

but as we said our goodbyes and i switched back over to my sister, i felt my stomach drop on the floor. she, of course, was having none of it, and asked me what the difference was. wasn't God the same God that was there just a few minutes ago when all i was worrying about was what to buy whom for christmas?

and i know she's right. that ugly thing called worry just tends to sneak up behind me when i least expect it sometimes.

my devotion that day read:

Looking back you will see that every step was planned. Leave all to Me. Each stone in the mosaic fits into the perfect pattern, designed by the Master Artist. It is all so wonderful! But the colors are of Heaven's hues, so that your eyes could not bear to gaze on the whole, until you are beyond the veil.



So, stone by stone, you see, and trust the pattern to the Designer.

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. when you run, you will not stumble. Proverbs 4:12

so yesterday, we took a drive. we live just minutes away from the north carolina border and found ourselves kind of just drifting towards newlands waterfall park.




in the spring, it is lush and beautiful. everything green and fresh and full of life. the smells are intoxicating and you can't wait to dip your toes in the fresh springs that bubble up everywhere around her.





as fall fades and winter sets in, the view is far more barren. vacant. your hideaway seems somehow more raw and wide open.

~.~.~.~.~



but we found it still just as refreshing, as we trekked up the 3 waterfalls and meandered over the walking trails and roughly hewn stairs made out of tree roots and bridges that people in years past have lovingly crafted, all throughout the mountain top.



and it was a good thing. a day for reflection. for clarity. for some deep breaths, in some fresh, crisp air. a reminder that God is right here, right now. even when thats a little harder to see.