I am so excited to have begun a new "Beth Moore Bible Study" at church this past week! A wonderful group of ladies came to share in Beth's first study "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place". We are using the updated version of her study and after just one week I have been so blessed! I have truly missed participating in one of these studies...it has been such a long time!
I always find that when I am devoting myself to a structured Bible study such as this, my life just seems to fall into place in a way that just "makes more sense". Everything seems to be so much more "natural", and my list of priorities becomes so much more clear. I know this is because the Lord is making good on His promises, in which He commands us to: "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4) & Matthew 6:33 which states,"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Isn't it amazing how the Lord knows our own hearts better than we know ourselves? And if we just trust Him in this, and allow Him to lead and guide us, to have control over our lives, and the way we live them, then He will bless us, and His Spirit will guide us into living that life of abundance for which we are always searching, trying everything from fad diets to Oprah's book club to find!
So for me, making this Bible study a priority is one way of surrendering to Him. The rewards are so great.... an "ordered" life, a sense of purpose, and most of all, time with my Lord and an opportunity to know Him better, and therefore know myself a little better....
If you are searching - searching for answers, searching for your purpose, searching for your sense of identity - then I would just like to suggest that you realize that you will not find those answers anywhere but in turning to God. He is your Creator, He made you and He knows you better than you know yourself. He cares for every last hair on your head - he even has them numbered! Turn to Him.... study His Word so that you will know Him better. And in knowing Him, you'll know more about yourself.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Another year......wiser???
Wiser? I don't know about that. I am definitely another year older, however, and certainly feeling it on most days!
It has been a wild year... we welcomed a new addition to the family this year, and my second pregnancy was a doozy, just like my first. I have this fun little condition called "hyperemesis gravidarum" with my pregnancies, which is a fancy way of saying that I vomit constantly, day and night and end up dehydrated and hospitalized over and over and need medication and IVs for 9 months....but I digress. HG is for another day, another blog! I have to offer some praise here, because the Lord got me through it and we are blessed to have our second baby boy. What a wonderful blessing it is! God is so good, and He is always faithful to see us through the difficult times! And isn't it amazing, how he uses these times to teach us so many new and pertinent lessons? Again, another day, another blog for that one!
Now, I have a 5-year-old and a 4-month-old, and find myself experiencing severe insomnia as I pass my 39th birthday (which was yesterday, 7-27). Breastfeeding has taken its toll on me this time. My "circadian rhythms", which have always been wacky, have gone completely haywire! I am pretty much physically and mentally exhausted, but again, God is getting me through these sleep-deprived days and nights, and He is doing it in a way that still allows me to appreciate the wonders and sweetness of it all. There is nothing in this world that compares to having young ones...especially when you are able to live in the moment and give thanks for it all as it happens!!! The days and years go by so fast, and nothing causes you to realize this more than your children....and your birthdays....
Yesterday, Sunday, July 27th, was my 39th birthday, and throughout the day I was reminded so many times how life is flying by. I have nieces and nephews who are adults now, and got to visit with two beautiful nieces today who are quickly approaching that era, full steam ahead. I realize that sometimes I am able to fool myself into believing I'm still young because of the fact that I have such young babies. But the truth is, I am old enough to have an "adult child" of my own! Thankfully, children do keep you young - at heart, anyway!
At my parents' home tonight, we watched a show on my beloved Travel Channel about the Grand Canyon. My dad told us, "You should make SURE you go see that one day!" I sat there thinking, "well of COURSE I'll see it... in fact I plan to go white water rafting down the Colorado River one day....", when all of the sudden, it hit me. Hard. I may not live long enough to do that! There are so many things that I want to do, and places that I want to go, and people that I want to meet, and goals that I want to accomplish, and sunsets that I want to chase......and now, I'm on the brink of 40! Will there be time to do it all??? Have I put off doing too many of those things I have planned to do all my life for too long now? Will my health hold out so that I'm even ABLE to do the things I want to do?
I have to say that I have never thought about my life in these terms before tonight, and it was quite an eye-opener. Of course, none of us has any way of knowing how many sunsets we have left to chase. Only God knows that. Sometimes I wish that I could know exactly how many I have left, then I'd be able to plot my course and do the things that I really want to do! And then, I think, I'd probably live out my days a little differently as well, in how I relate to others. I believe that I would feel much more urgency for openly loving others - caring for them in special ways, saying the tender things that I often think, but hold back saying for fear of sounding crazy or sappy, sharing the wonders of LIFE with them, and most importantly, sharing the love of CHRIST with them, and the message of the Gospel, so that they could know the REASON for my HOPE, and accept Jesus as their personal savior!
But then, isn't that how I should be living out my life everyday, anyway??!!!? My prayer, as I enter into the 40th year of my life, is that God will grant me the courage, the strength, the fortitude, the ability, the wisdom, and the desire to live every day with that sense of "urgency", in a way that will take me into each sunset with the full hope and expectation of hearing those words I long to hear on that great day, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
Come chase the sunset with me, my friends! Be blessed! Tron :)
It has been a wild year... we welcomed a new addition to the family this year, and my second pregnancy was a doozy, just like my first. I have this fun little condition called "hyperemesis gravidarum" with my pregnancies, which is a fancy way of saying that I vomit constantly, day and night and end up dehydrated and hospitalized over and over and need medication and IVs for 9 months....but I digress. HG is for another day, another blog! I have to offer some praise here, because the Lord got me through it and we are blessed to have our second baby boy. What a wonderful blessing it is! God is so good, and He is always faithful to see us through the difficult times! And isn't it amazing, how he uses these times to teach us so many new and pertinent lessons? Again, another day, another blog for that one!
Now, I have a 5-year-old and a 4-month-old, and find myself experiencing severe insomnia as I pass my 39th birthday (which was yesterday, 7-27). Breastfeeding has taken its toll on me this time. My "circadian rhythms", which have always been wacky, have gone completely haywire! I am pretty much physically and mentally exhausted, but again, God is getting me through these sleep-deprived days and nights, and He is doing it in a way that still allows me to appreciate the wonders and sweetness of it all. There is nothing in this world that compares to having young ones...especially when you are able to live in the moment and give thanks for it all as it happens!!! The days and years go by so fast, and nothing causes you to realize this more than your children....and your birthdays....
Yesterday, Sunday, July 27th, was my 39th birthday, and throughout the day I was reminded so many times how life is flying by. I have nieces and nephews who are adults now, and got to visit with two beautiful nieces today who are quickly approaching that era, full steam ahead. I realize that sometimes I am able to fool myself into believing I'm still young because of the fact that I have such young babies. But the truth is, I am old enough to have an "adult child" of my own! Thankfully, children do keep you young - at heart, anyway!
At my parents' home tonight, we watched a show on my beloved Travel Channel about the Grand Canyon. My dad told us, "You should make SURE you go see that one day!" I sat there thinking, "well of COURSE I'll see it... in fact I plan to go white water rafting down the Colorado River one day....", when all of the sudden, it hit me. Hard. I may not live long enough to do that! There are so many things that I want to do, and places that I want to go, and people that I want to meet, and goals that I want to accomplish, and sunsets that I want to chase......and now, I'm on the brink of 40! Will there be time to do it all??? Have I put off doing too many of those things I have planned to do all my life for too long now? Will my health hold out so that I'm even ABLE to do the things I want to do?
I have to say that I have never thought about my life in these terms before tonight, and it was quite an eye-opener. Of course, none of us has any way of knowing how many sunsets we have left to chase. Only God knows that. Sometimes I wish that I could know exactly how many I have left, then I'd be able to plot my course and do the things that I really want to do! And then, I think, I'd probably live out my days a little differently as well, in how I relate to others. I believe that I would feel much more urgency for openly loving others - caring for them in special ways, saying the tender things that I often think, but hold back saying for fear of sounding crazy or sappy, sharing the wonders of LIFE with them, and most importantly, sharing the love of CHRIST with them, and the message of the Gospel, so that they could know the REASON for my HOPE, and accept Jesus as their personal savior!
But then, isn't that how I should be living out my life everyday, anyway??!!!? My prayer, as I enter into the 40th year of my life, is that God will grant me the courage, the strength, the fortitude, the ability, the wisdom, and the desire to live every day with that sense of "urgency", in a way that will take me into each sunset with the full hope and expectation of hearing those words I long to hear on that great day, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
Come chase the sunset with me, my friends! Be blessed! Tron :)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Savannah on my mind
Last week I was blessed to take a "girls' getaway" trip to Savannah with my wonderful friend, Jill. Of course, I took my baby, Will, along as well because I am his only source of food at the moment! My 5 yr old, Aaron, stayed home with his Dad, who is a wonderful man for encouraging me to take this short vacation, which was much-needed. Thank you, Boog! (yes, I call him "Boog" or "Boogie". Sorry.) And, I missed you so much, Aaron! (That was tough...taking one and missing the other...).
But, it was time to get away for a couple of nights, and Jill and I had a wonderful stay right in the heart of Savannah at the Hampton Inn, right on Bay St. The hotel was nice, our rooms were fine, the price was right, and we were in a great location for walking to many attractions. There is so much more to Savannah than I have realized before!
We enjoyed eating some delicious meals. Those especially of note include Vic's on the River & A.J.'s on Tybee Island (worth the drive out there for the beautiful sunset alone!).
Our first evening in Savannah we walked along the riverfront, and were enticed into a lovely restaurant named "Vic's on the River" by a sweet-talking lady out front. Vic's was a little bit upscale, which we weren't quite ready for...we went in without a reservation and with a 3 month old baby in tow. It became apparent that we were "outcasts" when they seated no one else around us within a 5 mile radius (it seemed). Oh well, at least we enjoyed privacy and a delicious meal! A good way to start off our vacation, especially with a nice walk around Reynold's Square to end the day.
The next morning, our first and only full day, we had breakfast at the hotel and then ventured out toward the City Market. Our goal: shopping and art galleries. We found both...but now realize that we need a full week to even scratch the tip of the iceberg in Savannah!
I have been to Savannah many times in the past, but only for short day trips, hopping over from Hilton Head. This time, I found so much more to fall in love with in this city. I mean, I love Charleston so much, and love to take day trips and vacations there...but I now realize that I need to spend some more time getting to know Savannah better. Savannah has so much to offer... art, shopping, architecture, tours, theater, history, mystery, local character, and more. She (Savannah) has been called "the Southern lady with the dirty face". I agree... she has great "bones", but just needs to be tidied up a bit. I believe that much has already been done, and they are in the process of polishing her up even more. It is exciting to be exploring Savannah while they are in the process of such exciting growth.
Jill, Will and I lucked upon "The Lady & Sons" restaurant (Paula Deen's establishment) at lunchtime, with no line in sight. We had not even planned to eat there, but couldn't pass up the opportunity. We had heard that you needed to arrive to "line up" by 9:30 a.m. in order to be seated for lunch, but we were seated immediately, and enjoyed a lunch of her chicken salad sandwiches, with which she famously began her business, "The Bag Lady". We enjoyed ourselves, and topped it off with a visit to her store next door, buying gifts and trinkets we didn't need and taking each others' pictures with her lifesize cardboard cutout. Hey...we are tourists, and fans...we can't help it!
We spent the rest of the day wandering through myriad shops and galleries. One of our favorite shops was "Terra Cotta". This is an upscale boutique on Bernard Street that carries unique clothing and bath/body products. The owner was kind enough to allow me to breastfeed William in one of her dressing rooms - thank you so much! But...I scared Will to death when I jumped sky high and screamed when her cat scurried under my legs! I didn't know she had a cat...I had no idea what it was! Too crazy.
I really enjoyed talking with so many of the artists downtown who were working in their studios. I am thinking about taking some classes on painting, (I'm convinced I'm destined to become an artist :)) and they were so patient in answering my endless questions. I bought a couple of paintings, with no particular place in mind to hang them in my home. This is a habit I have, for which my husband wants to strangle me. He has warned, "No more art until what you have is framed and hanging on the wall, and you know exactly where the next piece is going!" Ha. Ha.
One interesting thing to note...we observed that some of the local artists and business owners are not so enamored with Ms. Paula Deen. Just a warning...be careful how you gush about Paula in front of native Savannians...they might be quick to inform you that she is not the ONLY attraction in Savannah, you know! Whew! Excuse me!
Our first (and only) full day ended with the drive to Tybee Island and dinner at A.J.'s on the marsh. What a dive, with great food and an unbelievable sunset! We enjoyed our meal from the dock, with great fried shrimp and great service. Don't forget to try the yummy spinach-artichoke dip appetizer. You'll learn that my husband and I adore "dives"...we actively search them out and become loyal patrons. I'll share a blog on my favorite "dives" one day soon... Maybe I'll get to take Guy Fierri's place on the Food Channel...:). The "final ending" of our day came when we arrived back at the Hampton Inn only to realize that I had left my stroller at A.J.'s! So, we drove all the way back to Tybee to get it. So much for our plans of settling in with some chocolate and enjoying a movie!
The next morning was check out. We drove around Savannah, enjoying the scenery, and attempting to gain a better perspective of this city and all she has to offer. Again, we were so impressed with all that we have missed here on previous trips, and can't wait to get back to explore further. We stopped at a quaint little Mexican restaurant off of Abercorn, near the mall, can't remember the name of it...for lunch. It was good, fresh. And then we headed home.
I was so thankful for such a great trip, and some special time with my friend. She is such a blessing to me! And Will was a wonderful baby on this trip...I was so grateful for that, and for all of the patience Jill had for us with all of the feedings and changings and everything! Thank you so much, Jill!
I hope you'll think of Savannah next time you want an interesting trip with a taste of the South! And ladies, I highly recommend a "girls' getaway" with your BFF on a fairly regular basis. Your husbands will thank you for it! :)
But, it was time to get away for a couple of nights, and Jill and I had a wonderful stay right in the heart of Savannah at the Hampton Inn, right on Bay St. The hotel was nice, our rooms were fine, the price was right, and we were in a great location for walking to many attractions. There is so much more to Savannah than I have realized before!
We enjoyed eating some delicious meals. Those especially of note include Vic's on the River & A.J.'s on Tybee Island (worth the drive out there for the beautiful sunset alone!).
Our first evening in Savannah we walked along the riverfront, and were enticed into a lovely restaurant named "Vic's on the River" by a sweet-talking lady out front. Vic's was a little bit upscale, which we weren't quite ready for...we went in without a reservation and with a 3 month old baby in tow. It became apparent that we were "outcasts" when they seated no one else around us within a 5 mile radius (it seemed). Oh well, at least we enjoyed privacy and a delicious meal! A good way to start off our vacation, especially with a nice walk around Reynold's Square to end the day.
The next morning, our first and only full day, we had breakfast at the hotel and then ventured out toward the City Market. Our goal: shopping and art galleries. We found both...but now realize that we need a full week to even scratch the tip of the iceberg in Savannah!
I have been to Savannah many times in the past, but only for short day trips, hopping over from Hilton Head. This time, I found so much more to fall in love with in this city. I mean, I love Charleston so much, and love to take day trips and vacations there...but I now realize that I need to spend some more time getting to know Savannah better. Savannah has so much to offer... art, shopping, architecture, tours, theater, history, mystery, local character, and more. She (Savannah) has been called "the Southern lady with the dirty face". I agree... she has great "bones", but just needs to be tidied up a bit. I believe that much has already been done, and they are in the process of polishing her up even more. It is exciting to be exploring Savannah while they are in the process of such exciting growth.
Jill, Will and I lucked upon "The Lady & Sons" restaurant (Paula Deen's establishment) at lunchtime, with no line in sight. We had not even planned to eat there, but couldn't pass up the opportunity. We had heard that you needed to arrive to "line up" by 9:30 a.m. in order to be seated for lunch, but we were seated immediately, and enjoyed a lunch of her chicken salad sandwiches, with which she famously began her business, "The Bag Lady". We enjoyed ourselves, and topped it off with a visit to her store next door, buying gifts and trinkets we didn't need and taking each others' pictures with her lifesize cardboard cutout. Hey...we are tourists, and fans...we can't help it!
We spent the rest of the day wandering through myriad shops and galleries. One of our favorite shops was "Terra Cotta". This is an upscale boutique on Bernard Street that carries unique clothing and bath/body products. The owner was kind enough to allow me to breastfeed William in one of her dressing rooms - thank you so much! But...I scared Will to death when I jumped sky high and screamed when her cat scurried under my legs! I didn't know she had a cat...I had no idea what it was! Too crazy.
I really enjoyed talking with so many of the artists downtown who were working in their studios. I am thinking about taking some classes on painting, (I'm convinced I'm destined to become an artist :)) and they were so patient in answering my endless questions. I bought a couple of paintings, with no particular place in mind to hang them in my home. This is a habit I have, for which my husband wants to strangle me. He has warned, "No more art until what you have is framed and hanging on the wall, and you know exactly where the next piece is going!" Ha. Ha.
One interesting thing to note...we observed that some of the local artists and business owners are not so enamored with Ms. Paula Deen. Just a warning...be careful how you gush about Paula in front of native Savannians...they might be quick to inform you that she is not the ONLY attraction in Savannah, you know! Whew! Excuse me!
Our first (and only) full day ended with the drive to Tybee Island and dinner at A.J.'s on the marsh. What a dive, with great food and an unbelievable sunset! We enjoyed our meal from the dock, with great fried shrimp and great service. Don't forget to try the yummy spinach-artichoke dip appetizer. You'll learn that my husband and I adore "dives"...we actively search them out and become loyal patrons. I'll share a blog on my favorite "dives" one day soon... Maybe I'll get to take Guy Fierri's place on the Food Channel...:). The "final ending" of our day came when we arrived back at the Hampton Inn only to realize that I had left my stroller at A.J.'s! So, we drove all the way back to Tybee to get it. So much for our plans of settling in with some chocolate and enjoying a movie!
The next morning was check out. We drove around Savannah, enjoying the scenery, and attempting to gain a better perspective of this city and all she has to offer. Again, we were so impressed with all that we have missed here on previous trips, and can't wait to get back to explore further. We stopped at a quaint little Mexican restaurant off of Abercorn, near the mall, can't remember the name of it...for lunch. It was good, fresh. And then we headed home.
I was so thankful for such a great trip, and some special time with my friend. She is such a blessing to me! And Will was a wonderful baby on this trip...I was so grateful for that, and for all of the patience Jill had for us with all of the feedings and changings and everything! Thank you so much, Jill!
I hope you'll think of Savannah next time you want an interesting trip with a taste of the South! And ladies, I highly recommend a "girls' getaway" with your BFF on a fairly regular basis. Your husbands will thank you for it! :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Change doesn't always do us good
I just returned from a trip to Charleston, SC. For the first time in my life I was relieved that I didn't live in that beautiful city. I have grown up visiting Charleston almost every year of my life. I have extended family there, and we have just always loved to visit the "Holy City", as they call it, due to the number of churches located downtown. Charleston is gorgeous, gracious, mysterious, historic, artistic, and full of life and memories for me and my loved ones. The fact that it is on the coast, and the beaches there are wonderful, just adds to its allure for me. I love the ocean, and it is my dream to live on the beach one day. Charleston has always seemed the perfect location for me, because of all it has to offer along with the beach. Perfect, it seemed. My dream was to make this city my home one day.
However, this year, I could not help but be overwhelmed with sadness at how my dream city has changed. It is becoming more and more commercialized. Many of the businesses that have operated there for decades have disappeared, only to be replaced by new, commercial chains of restaurants and shops. How things change.
We took a carriage tour with some friends who had never visited Charleston before. They were intrigued by everything they saw and heard, as was I. I did get an opportunity to notice some homes that I had never noticed before, and the carriage driver offered a few tidbits of interesting information that was new to me. However, what struck me was that most of the tour focused on this or that house, how many times it had been bought or sold in its history, and how much the most recent owner had paid for it. Tacky. Commercial. Boring. Even to someone like me, who loves to read the property transfer section in the local newspaper, visit open houses for fun, and dabbles a little bit in real estate. It was purely disappointing to someone who loves the history and mystery of Charleston. There was such a contrast between this tour and the walking tour my husband and I took of Charleston over ten years ago. On that tour, we were introduced to actual local artists as we entered their homes and galleries, we were given an insiders view of the social aspect of Charleston, we were introduced to hidden treasures, such as the theatre where the original play, Porgy and Bess, had been held, and pre-Revolutionary buildings that had survived the wars, fires, earthquakes and hurricanes of this place. And at the end of the tour, the lovely young lady who had led the tour, a Charleston native, by many generations, had invited us into the garden of her own downtown home, a famed "Charleston Single Home", and prepared tea and cookies for us, while we toured her lovely garden and relaxed on the original "joggling board". But the carriage tour bore no resemblance to the enchanting walking tour we had taken years ago. How things change.
I walked into an "Open House" on Queen Street that we happened upon, excited to get to see a historical home up close and personal. It turned out that the house was only open on the first floor... a one room studio, literally one room with a small bath, kitchenette, and murphy bed all in one living room. The cost to buy this lovely space? Nearly $400,000. Outrageous. The strange thing was that so many homes downtown were for sale. I had a feeling that the one-time downtown "community" is a community no longer. Rather, it has become a minefield of "properties", to be bought and sold by prospectors, developers and collectors, instead of a community of people who live and work there. This was an immense change in the dynamic of downtown Charleston. How things change.
We decided to drive out to the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island, my old stomping grounds as a child. I had relatives who lived on Patriot's Point, in "downtown" Mt. Pleasant, on Sullivans Island and on the Isle of Palms. All of these areas were so quaint, barely developed, and the vibe was laid back and relaxed. Over the past few years, both the fallout from Hurricane Hugo and the new bridge, which replaced the old Cooper River Bridge, have brought an unbelievable amount of change and commercial development to this area.
First of all, there is a new causeway leading over to the Isle of Palms, which you get to by driving down a completley different highway which is littered with commercial chain shops and restaurants. The Isle of Palms has given rise to new "boutique hotels" on the beach, and all of the wonderful beach homes we used to rent have been replaced by motel-sized mansions that only a select few can afford to rent now. Thankfully, Sullivans Island has not changed as much, except that the restaurants there, such as Poe's Tavern, Sullivans, and others are crowded with tourists, even on a Thursday evening. It was nice to drive back over to the mainland via the old causeway from Sullivans Island, the one with the drawbridge, and drive back down the old Highway 17 through Mt. Pleasant, and over Shem Creek. Shem Creek itself has changed. Back in the day we used to love to visit the old Trawler restaurant, eat our fill of fried shrimp, and dream about walking up the little lighthouse in the parking lot. Well, the old Trawler has since burned down, and been replaced by a more upscale eatery, and the entire row of Shem Creek eateries are now crowded with tourists. Downtown Mt. Pleasant, where my uncle once owned a small plumbing business, is now just a small little blip in the road. The little drug store is still open, however, and you can still buy a milkshake there. One of the only memories that has remained unchanged. Mt. Pleasant is now a small city of its own. How things change.
Change is the big buzzword in the presidential campaign this year. Everyone is so disappointed with the current administration, apparently, that they are going gaga over anyone willing to utter the word "Change" in their campaign slogan.
I find this problematic, because A)I don't believe Change is always a good thing; and B)I don't think we are being informed by the "Change candidate", Barack Obama, exactly what he means by "change". I simply thing that we are better off with the known than the unknown. And in this case, the unknown could possibly be the unthinkable.
But, I still love Charleston, changes and all. She is still full of charm and mystery and history... And I know that I will still love my country, changes and all...
However, this year, I could not help but be overwhelmed with sadness at how my dream city has changed. It is becoming more and more commercialized. Many of the businesses that have operated there for decades have disappeared, only to be replaced by new, commercial chains of restaurants and shops. How things change.
We took a carriage tour with some friends who had never visited Charleston before. They were intrigued by everything they saw and heard, as was I. I did get an opportunity to notice some homes that I had never noticed before, and the carriage driver offered a few tidbits of interesting information that was new to me. However, what struck me was that most of the tour focused on this or that house, how many times it had been bought or sold in its history, and how much the most recent owner had paid for it. Tacky. Commercial. Boring. Even to someone like me, who loves to read the property transfer section in the local newspaper, visit open houses for fun, and dabbles a little bit in real estate. It was purely disappointing to someone who loves the history and mystery of Charleston. There was such a contrast between this tour and the walking tour my husband and I took of Charleston over ten years ago. On that tour, we were introduced to actual local artists as we entered their homes and galleries, we were given an insiders view of the social aspect of Charleston, we were introduced to hidden treasures, such as the theatre where the original play, Porgy and Bess, had been held, and pre-Revolutionary buildings that had survived the wars, fires, earthquakes and hurricanes of this place. And at the end of the tour, the lovely young lady who had led the tour, a Charleston native, by many generations, had invited us into the garden of her own downtown home, a famed "Charleston Single Home", and prepared tea and cookies for us, while we toured her lovely garden and relaxed on the original "joggling board". But the carriage tour bore no resemblance to the enchanting walking tour we had taken years ago. How things change.
I walked into an "Open House" on Queen Street that we happened upon, excited to get to see a historical home up close and personal. It turned out that the house was only open on the first floor... a one room studio, literally one room with a small bath, kitchenette, and murphy bed all in one living room. The cost to buy this lovely space? Nearly $400,000. Outrageous. The strange thing was that so many homes downtown were for sale. I had a feeling that the one-time downtown "community" is a community no longer. Rather, it has become a minefield of "properties", to be bought and sold by prospectors, developers and collectors, instead of a community of people who live and work there. This was an immense change in the dynamic of downtown Charleston. How things change.
We decided to drive out to the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island, my old stomping grounds as a child. I had relatives who lived on Patriot's Point, in "downtown" Mt. Pleasant, on Sullivans Island and on the Isle of Palms. All of these areas were so quaint, barely developed, and the vibe was laid back and relaxed. Over the past few years, both the fallout from Hurricane Hugo and the new bridge, which replaced the old Cooper River Bridge, have brought an unbelievable amount of change and commercial development to this area.
First of all, there is a new causeway leading over to the Isle of Palms, which you get to by driving down a completley different highway which is littered with commercial chain shops and restaurants. The Isle of Palms has given rise to new "boutique hotels" on the beach, and all of the wonderful beach homes we used to rent have been replaced by motel-sized mansions that only a select few can afford to rent now. Thankfully, Sullivans Island has not changed as much, except that the restaurants there, such as Poe's Tavern, Sullivans, and others are crowded with tourists, even on a Thursday evening. It was nice to drive back over to the mainland via the old causeway from Sullivans Island, the one with the drawbridge, and drive back down the old Highway 17 through Mt. Pleasant, and over Shem Creek. Shem Creek itself has changed. Back in the day we used to love to visit the old Trawler restaurant, eat our fill of fried shrimp, and dream about walking up the little lighthouse in the parking lot. Well, the old Trawler has since burned down, and been replaced by a more upscale eatery, and the entire row of Shem Creek eateries are now crowded with tourists. Downtown Mt. Pleasant, where my uncle once owned a small plumbing business, is now just a small little blip in the road. The little drug store is still open, however, and you can still buy a milkshake there. One of the only memories that has remained unchanged. Mt. Pleasant is now a small city of its own. How things change.
Change is the big buzzword in the presidential campaign this year. Everyone is so disappointed with the current administration, apparently, that they are going gaga over anyone willing to utter the word "Change" in their campaign slogan.
I find this problematic, because A)I don't believe Change is always a good thing; and B)I don't think we are being informed by the "Change candidate", Barack Obama, exactly what he means by "change". I simply thing that we are better off with the known than the unknown. And in this case, the unknown could possibly be the unthinkable.
But, I still love Charleston, changes and all. She is still full of charm and mystery and history... And I know that I will still love my country, changes and all...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Welcome to TRONWORLD!
Wow...okay. I have actually done this! I've been wanting to start "blogging" for a while now, but hesitated for several reasons, which are probably the same reasons you haven't started your own blog if you are reading this right now and don't have a "blog of your own". Can we call that a "BOYO"? That can be a new term, right? Used in a sentence, for instance, if someone posted something crude or hateful on my blogspot, I'd answer, "Hey, buddy! Don't spew that stuff on my blog! Get a BOYO!!!" What do you think? I think it's going to catch on. :)
So anyway, my reasons for not blogging would be the typical ones... no one cares what I have to say (probably true), it takes too much time and I'm too busy with other priorities (definitely true), I'll embarass myself and my loved ones (good chance of that), people will make unkind comments and disagree with me on everything (good chance of that, too)... blah blah blah...
But, I've still wanted to do it. I guess I, like everyone else in the world, think I have something important to say that MUST be said... to the whole world! (Even though I know that the number of people who will actually read my blog is miniscule.) :)
Anyway, the truth is that I actually talk or write to think, so this is perfect for me. If you and I were just having a conversation, my words would usually just come out kind of "unedited". So, writing them down allows me to do the brain drain thing, and still go back and actually edit what has come out. You know... I'm the kind of person who speaks, and then regretfully says, "Did I actually say that out loud???"
And, truthfully, I LOVE the thought that there might actually be people out there who will actually be interested in reading this and commenting on it... and that maybe, just maybe, I really do have something of value to say that will be encouraging or helpful to someone out there...maybe you. And, hopefully, there will be many of you "out there" who have something encouraging and helpful and "of value" to share with me. :)
The trigger that got me to actually start this thing was that I just began a "Walking Challenge" with some friends of mine, and, desiring to have a place where we can connect our ideas, thoughts, motivational and inspirational ideas, and share our successes and failures, I thought this would be a good idea that might just work... so, Ta-Da!
I am looking forward to learning more about "blogging", and having a BOMO ("blog of my own"). I welcome your comments, suggestions, tips, questions, etc.... My only request is that we all refrain from using profanity or any kind of language that my mother and children couldn't read along with me (one day...my children can't actually read yet)!
I pray that this "blogspot" will be used, above all, to glorify my Father in Heaven, to encourage others, and to share the Good News and all of the inspiration and life-changing joy that comes with it!
TTFN!
So anyway, my reasons for not blogging would be the typical ones... no one cares what I have to say (probably true), it takes too much time and I'm too busy with other priorities (definitely true), I'll embarass myself and my loved ones (good chance of that), people will make unkind comments and disagree with me on everything (good chance of that, too)... blah blah blah...
But, I've still wanted to do it. I guess I, like everyone else in the world, think I have something important to say that MUST be said... to the whole world! (Even though I know that the number of people who will actually read my blog is miniscule.) :)
Anyway, the truth is that I actually talk or write to think, so this is perfect for me. If you and I were just having a conversation, my words would usually just come out kind of "unedited". So, writing them down allows me to do the brain drain thing, and still go back and actually edit what has come out. You know... I'm the kind of person who speaks, and then regretfully says, "Did I actually say that out loud???"
And, truthfully, I LOVE the thought that there might actually be people out there who will actually be interested in reading this and commenting on it... and that maybe, just maybe, I really do have something of value to say that will be encouraging or helpful to someone out there...maybe you. And, hopefully, there will be many of you "out there" who have something encouraging and helpful and "of value" to share with me. :)
The trigger that got me to actually start this thing was that I just began a "Walking Challenge" with some friends of mine, and, desiring to have a place where we can connect our ideas, thoughts, motivational and inspirational ideas, and share our successes and failures, I thought this would be a good idea that might just work... so, Ta-Da!
I am looking forward to learning more about "blogging", and having a BOMO ("blog of my own"). I welcome your comments, suggestions, tips, questions, etc.... My only request is that we all refrain from using profanity or any kind of language that my mother and children couldn't read along with me (one day...my children can't actually read yet)!
I pray that this "blogspot" will be used, above all, to glorify my Father in Heaven, to encourage others, and to share the Good News and all of the inspiration and life-changing joy that comes with it!
TTFN!
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