Over? Already?

THAT was the quickest 48 hours ever.
Seriously.
The weekend just flew by.

It was hot again today.
So we spent it at the pool, where most of the deck was shaded by a huge pine tree.

One patch was in full sun all day though:

So we sat in a line.

We're adaptable.

And can shout from the front of the line to the back if we wanted to talk.


Osoyoos, by the way, is Heather's Happy Place.
See how happy she is:

By 3 pm, we were finished at the pool and had started packing up my truck.
Wine and apples.
Overnight bags. And bags. And more bags.
Plus a few suitcases. Bedding. Towels.
Left over groceries.
More wine.
And more apples.


(By the way? Wine and apples were not mine.)

Not that there's anything wrong with wine and apples.
...

:)

On the drive up, on Friday, it was just Heather and I in the truck.
Sandra had been in Osoyoos since Wednesday for work, so she joined us when we arrived.

Heather was in charge of music on the drive up, which she got around to addressing after we'd talked for a few hours. She had her music saved onto her phone and we listened to it through my truck's speakers via the radio. Seeing we'd both been at the Elton John concert last weekend, and seeing she is his biggest fan, we listened to same obscure but lovely Elton tunes. She introduced me to some of her favorite music, plus we listened to some oldies.

An eclectic mix to be sure.

The drive home was completely not that.
:)

Sandra sat in the front and even before we'd pulled out of Osoyoos, she had her CD's in her hand.
"Is it OK if I put in my music? Something I can sing to?"
"Sure," I said, knowing it would be all Christian music. It was Sunday. Seemed appropriate.

She put in Martin Smith. Then Brian Doerksen. Her favorites.
Mine? Not so much. Of the two albums, there were three songs I liked.

(I think I'll add those three to my Fall 2014 Playlist.)
(Sadness. Fall Playlist.)

But because she was singing, I knew she wouldn't fall asleep, and what with this being my second bout of driving for 5 hours straight in 2 days, I needed at least one passenger to be awake. (I didn't realize that my backseat passenger was planning on giving birth on the drive home. She had hours of work ahead of her, so she was motivated to stay awake too,)

(Note: 'giving birth' is a knitting term, apparently. It's what you call the procedure whereby you take a skein of yarn and wind it into a ball.)
(I did not know this prior to this vacation.)

(Now I do.)


Anyway, while Sandra was singing her guts out (she has a lovely voice, by the way. She has taken professional singing lessons, after all) (I don't want you to think she was squawking and shrieking... ) (and it did make my truck feel like a Holy place) and Heather was winding her yarn, I chatted with God.

God?

Thank you.

Thank you for this place.
This beautiful, wonderful, stunningly spectacular place.

Everything is so breathtaking. These hills. That valley. Yonder river. Them fields. The curvy road. Everything.

So awesome.
So incredibly awesome.

Thank you for choosing to have me born into this province.
Thank you for the freedom I have to drive through it.

Thank you for this season, and for the golden glow on everything.

Thank you for these colours.

God?
I am so sad about the murder in New West last week.
Please protect that community of young men from bitterness and hatred and fear.
These are Max's people. His friends. His acquaintances.

Please use this horrible incident for Your purposes.

I pray especially for Jason's family. I ask for protection for them. Protect them from being consumed with anger. Fill them with Your peace. Comfort them. Provide them with friends to walk alongside.

And I pray for the accused. God. Do something. I don't know what. But, please be at work.
And be with his mom.
I can't imagine.

I pray Your will be done. Because I don't know what else to ask for.

And God?
I pray for marriages that are struggling, friendships that are dissolving, families that are estranged, and hearts that are broken.

Can you just go ahead and fix those all up?

Or maybe stir and soften the hearts of those involved? Open their eyes to see what needs to be done? Dump a load of compassion, grace, forgiveness and patience on them. Show them how to use it?

And God?

Thank you for friends.

And families.

And oh my goodness. Everything about this drive is so beautiful.Thank you that I can see it.

I am so lucky.

I pray for those 78 folks on my list.
Hold them close, OK? Whisper words they need to hear.
Open their ears so they can hear You speak.

Direct their paths this week.
Hand pick their companions for the next few days. I pray they would be in the company of those you have chosen.

Call them into a relationship with you. Make the invitation so compelling that they can't ignore it.

Provide them with friends for the journey.


And thank you for my friends.
And for my journey.


Amen.

Hours had passed by the time the third CD came on; a Passion Concert one. From years ago.

And this song?
I sang along to.
Even with my crappy voice.
And my inability to carry a tune or hold a note.
It just seemed like a good benediction to my prayer.
And I have deemed, in my mind, that this song, is our theme song for the weekend:

Three things I'm thankful for:


1. I can leave things with God, and know He's on it.
2. Well summer is over. Bring on Autumn. Thankful for seasons.
3. Thankful. Just plain thankful.

Shalom,

xo