I woke up in the stillness of our hotel room. My husband slept quietly by my side. I turned over and reached for my phone…6:05. I closed my eyes, willing myself back to sleep…to no avail. I felt…uneasy. My radar was up and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Usually I’ll take a quick look at the news, but yesterday I went straight to the weather. As soon as I saw the first weather warning for the south, I sat bolt upright in bed….just enough to stir Mr. FixIt. He knew by the look on my face, I meant business.

“We need to head home…today.” I handed him my phone with the weather map. 

“Yeah…I heard something about this last night.”

He was worried enough to take notice of the weather, but worried enough to leave the sunshine a whole day early? Hmmmmmm….maybe not.

I smiled at him and said, “Come on, get up! I miss the neighbor’s rooster!” 

He laughed. I don’t think he likes the rooster as much as I do!

We were packed and on the road in fairly short order. He wouldn’t let me drive, even though I felt much better yesterday than the day before. He is a wise man. By the time we stopped for the evening, I was whupped…and all I did was ride along and read road signs.

I love road trips. We left the interstate for a while and cut off a few miles getting from Port Richey to Jacksonville. We passed lots of roadside stands selling strawberries, blueberries, and Vidalia Onions. We didn’t stop though. We basically just drove and talked and ate popcorn all day. It was a nice way to end what was often a wicked hard year.

I won’t count the days anymore. Things will change along the way and I’ll note them, but no matter how hard you beg, God will not tell you how many days you have on this earth. I documented a year…yet ANOTHER year. A year out of EIGHT years that I’ve shared with you. There was fear, sadness, hope, love, frustration, boredom, loneliness, pain, and change. So, so much change. Isn’t that the one thing we can always count on in life? Change? I’d be a lot happier if I didn’t have to face quite so MUCH change in just one year, but we don’t get to choose that either. We only get to choose what we do with it. 

I think I’ve done ok with my lost year. I think, in many ways…it made me find more of myself. But I truly, truly wish all those beautiful people had just one more year to love their people. That’s the thing about life. 

We always think there is time.

NOTE: If you are in the way of the storms this week, please do be careful! My prayers are with you!!! ?

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“The angel showed me a river that was crystal clear, and its waters gave life. The river came from the throne where God and the Lamb were seated. Then it flowed down the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river are trees that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations.”

Revelation 22:1-2 CEV