NC and Kindness on the Brain

 Guess it is hard to tell but I have North Carolina on the brain.  OK, it is not that hard to tell.  The above picture is right outside of Marshall.  The chimney is all that remains of a long ago house fire.  Here lately, anytime either on of us does something dumb or don't seem totally engaged in what we are doing, we accuse one another of having North Carolina brain.  I think I have it worse than Roy.

 The above picture is from Mars Hill College in Mars Hill.  They are not affiliated with the church in Seattle.  Cute campus right in the middle of the town.

Of course the September sunflowers at the Biltmore are beautiful.  

There isn't a shortage of old barns either.  The scenery around our home makes you want to stop every few feet to get another picture.  Almost every road to Asheville is gorgeous!  The interstate isn't a bad view either.

This morning Roy left early because it is his turn to fix breakfast for the men's Bible study.  Buddy and I stayed a few more moments in bed and once again my thoughts turn toward the kindness of God.  This morning some of the strangest memories came to mind and after thinking through each one at the end I could see God's kindness has been all over my life.  Even in the worst of times and I wasn't thinking of bad times this morning, the evidence is there of His kindness.  I don't think until this summer I have really ever thought about kindness whether it be God's or other people's.  Throughout life kindness has had other names, nice, love, dare I even say it, sweet.  If you are one who tends to reflect back on life and those reflections soon turn into bitterness over life dealings, think through them again but look for God's kindness.  It is there.

Even with those stupid boxes from my father had God's kindness in them.  Not in the junk or leftovers or in the pure trash contained therein, not in the few pictures but in God's kindness He used them to tie up a lot of loose ends and has answered a few of the remaining questions.  He has given me new eyes to see the life my mother was forced into all those years. Like I have written before, all the bitterness and why me has long gone into a sea of forgiveness, yet knowing there is a rip tide in those waters...that can easily draw one back in, I stay away.  This too is a kindness from God, being set free and wrapping things up before moving on into this next season of life.

Last night we met our friends David and Emily for dinner and then went back to their house for dessert.  We had such a great time with them.  It was an early evening for us because Roy needed to get back home to continue on some projects from the office.  He is trying to do some of it everyday so Sunday doesn't end up being one of those work all day kind of things.

This looks to be a beautiful day.  Go into it experiencing kindness.