Tonight as we sat on our deck and ate dinner, we all felt grateful to live in such a beautiful place. Jeff and I made the decision over 20 years ago to move to Washington from West Virginia. It was one the BEST decisions we ever made. We love all that it has to offer and when it comes to summers here well, it is just ...TRULY BREATH TAKING! So tonight it was perfect, that a dear friend of mine sent me this cute story about the very same subject! Thank you!
"A man in Topeka , Kansas decided to write a book about Churches around
the country. He started by flying to New York and started working west
from there.
Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and making
notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was
intrigued with a sign, which read "Calls: $10,000 a minute."
Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The
pastor answered that this golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to
heaven and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God.
The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way. As he continued
to visit churches in Chicago , Dallas , St. Louis , Milwaukee , and
around the United States , he found more phones, with the same sign,
and the same answer from each pastor.
Finally, he arrived in Seattle . Upon entering a cathedral he saw the
usual golden telephone but THIS time, the sign read "Calls: .35 cents."
Fascinated, he asked to talk to the pastor, but as it happened the
bishop was available. "Bishop Thomas, I have been in cities all across
the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone and
have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to
God, but in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign
reads only 35 cents a call. Why?
The priest, smiling benignly, replied : "Son, you're in Seattle ,
Washington now, home of Mount Rainier, Puget Sound , the Olympic
Peninsula , Starbucks, smoked salmon and the most beautiful nature this
side of heaven. You're in God's Country - It's a local call."
"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars." ~Martin Luther
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." ~John Muir
How grateful I feel that Jeff and I could have this time away together. We chose to come to a Bed and Breakfast here on the coast. The owners have been so kind and we have really enjoyed their home that they designed and had built. Last night was stormy but still the sound of the rain on the sky light and the roaring of the ocean out side our window, was peaceful. This morning was another cloudy day but made brighter, when we shared an incredible breakfast with the other couple that was staying here and with the owners. It is always a perfect day to me when you make a new friend. Well today, we made a few of them. The other couple that was staying here...were young and waiting for the arrival of their first baby in May. This was their last big get away before the baby was born. How neat it was to sit across the table from them and listen to the excitement in their voice as they talked about their baby. I can't believe it was over 27 years ago that Jeff and I were in that exact place...excited and waiting for our Amy! We had fun sharing stories about our kids and grand kids. Don't worry, we tried to tell all the good stories not any of the bad ones that everyone usually insists on sharing. The owners told of their experiences too and so it was fun.
After breakfast we headed back for town and did a little window shopping. While we were having lunch, we saw on the news, all about the Tsunami warnings that were to hit Hawaii and that the whole Pacific Coast was on alert. So we decided that today wasn't probably the best day to collect sea shells! It was hard to watch on the news all the devastation that came to the people in Chile in yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers went out to them and their families, it sure seems like there has been a lot of disasters lately and it makes you realize how blessed you are...just to be safe. Life can certainly change in a moment.
The rest of the day we just went sight seeing and just enjoyed doing absolutely nothing. As we were walking down the street, I mentioned to Jeff how nice it was not to have any agendas or schedules. We didn't have to be any where and it felt nice for a change.
Tonight the skies cleared up and the moon and stars came out. What a beautiful place this is. So I am grateful for this perfect day and realize we don't always have a lot of them but ... but we should appreciate the ones that we have. I am grateful for time away, grateful that we have made new friends and most important, I am grateful to be here and married to my BEST FRIEND!
"The purpose of life is a life of purpose." ~Robert Byrne
"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
I received this email from a company called Simple Truths, they have many inspirational thoughts and stories. But today they sent me a video that was amazing and full of quotes...my personal favorite! So here is it, sit back and relax for a moment or two, and check it out and see if you feel different at the end of the power point movie? Good night dear friends!
Dear Lynn,
I once heard someone say, "We don't remember days, we remember moments." However, at today's hectic pace, we often forget to savor small pleasures while we make big plans.
For me, the amazing beauty of nature provides many moments and small pleasures that I treasure. The blazing colors of a fall hillside or the beauty of a sunset across the water can take my breath away!
So, if you love nature like I do-you're about to see something beautiful! The award-winning photography, the music and the beautiful quotes will take you to another world.
Just go to this link to watch. www.naturesinspirationmovie.com
To life,
Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths
