Saturday
13Jun2009
Be Still
Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 3:32PM
Last Sunday was our day of departure from our mountain getaway. As Chuck and I sat up in bed on the upper level drinking our coffee he remarked how still the leaves on the trees were. Up until this morning the wind had been blowing through the trees continually making a sound of rushing water.
As Chuck made this remark I looked out at the big tree outside our bedroom and noticed that it was not moving at all. I really did not think a lot about it then. However, later that morning as I returned to that room to start packing I looked at the same tree and heard in my head what Chuck had said. The thought went through my mind that it was significant. As I was pondering the significance a scripture came through loud and clear, "Be still and know that I am God".
With that scripture came the understanding that even though we did not know the what, when, how, and where's of our next move that God was working things out and we just had to be patient. That is the hardest part for me when it comes to change. I am the type person that if you just tell me what's coming down I can eventually adjust to the change. Knowing that there is change coming and not knowing the details is a real test for me. However, that scripture at that moment brought with it relief.
We packed up and decided to make one last outing before heading home. On our way down the mountain we stopped to take a final look at the rolling stream. As I got out of the car two butterflies flew up. One landed on the windshield as to be looking in at the map I had laid on the dashboard. Butterflies are significant of new beginings or birth of a new thing. It was like God saying I know where this new place is on the map, I have it in sight.
We drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Moses Cone Manor. We had first seen it when we took my mom on a mountain adventure a few months before she went to heaven. We had been unable to go into the home then since mom was unable to walk that far.
Moses Cone who was born in 1857 was the son of German Jewish immigrants. His father changed his name from Kahn to Cone once in America and Moses did all he could do to emphasize that he was an American even in all aspects of the architecture of this "summer home". Moses' father was basically a peddler of goods at first, but then had a grocery wholesale business in MD.
Moses became an real American textile entrepreneur, conservationist, and philanthropist. He became the main supplier of denim. In 1901 he purchased the 3,500 acres in the NC mountains and built the 13,000 sq ft summer home. He had two lakes built and stocked one with bass and one with trout. There were 25 miles of carriage trails on the property that his wife Bertha made sure were smooth enough to carry a cup of tea in the carriage and it not spill. He also had 10,000 apple trees planted.
He only enjoyed his home a short time because 7 years later he found out some men he trusted with his business were stealing from him and the betrayal threw him into an illness of which he never recovered. This home became the permanent residence of Bertha and two of her sisters and a couple of neices and Moses' sister. We found out this information and much more by taking the tour offered by the park service. It was very interesting.
The framed picture leaning on the fireplace is really a letter that was given to Moses Cone's father on departure to America. One portion that was read by our guide basically reminded him that if he became wealthy not to let pride take him over, but to remember that God was the source of that wealth and it was to help others. Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
As we started our getaway on our 45th anniversary I felt the Lord had quickened to me that we were to buy something for our new home. Understand, we don't have a new home at this point nor do we even know where it is located. This happened to us when we were in MO. Chuck and I had been looking for a home and we were so frustrated because we just could not seem to find the one we could afford and in the place we needed. We were on a little getaway after a conference in AZ and had been to the Grand Canyon and made a side trip back to Sedona. While visiting a chapel gift shop that same thought came to me and I told Chuck. I found a cross that had a briar wrapped around it holding a pink rose onto the cross. That grabbed my heart and I knew that was what the Lord wanted us to have for our new home. We purchased it and put it away.
When we found the house in Arnold, Mo. I immediately knew where that cross was to go and there was already a nail in that place. It greeted everyone as they entered our home.
As I looked around the gift shop at Moses Cone Manor, the thought returned and I again told Chuck. We looked around the shop seeing beautiful expensive artwork and I thought this may not be the place we find it. Toward the end of our journey in the shop I came across a hand made oil lantern made of pottery. It was a colonial blue color with a brown tree laying on the top. I thought it looked like the tree of life. I took Chuck to look at it and we agreed on the piece. As I took it up to the counter the ladies behind the counter began to whisper to one another. I guess they saw my puzzled look and began to explain that this lantern was the last piece of this artist that they had at the moment and it had only been there for 2 days. That would have meant that the artist, Carlos Robledo, delivered it on our anniversary. The ladies packed it up really well and as I was taking the bag one of them said, "it's the tree of life, you know". I smiled and told her that I was sure hoping that it was. Isn't God the most awesome Father you could ever imagine. He will move heaven and earth to accomplish His purpose in our lives. What an anniversary gift He has given us. We now have it packed away for the new place He has chosen for us.
As Chuck made this remark I looked out at the big tree outside our bedroom and noticed that it was not moving at all. I really did not think a lot about it then. However, later that morning as I returned to that room to start packing I looked at the same tree and heard in my head what Chuck had said. The thought went through my mind that it was significant. As I was pondering the significance a scripture came through loud and clear, "Be still and know that I am God".
With that scripture came the understanding that even though we did not know the what, when, how, and where's of our next move that God was working things out and we just had to be patient. That is the hardest part for me when it comes to change. I am the type person that if you just tell me what's coming down I can eventually adjust to the change. Knowing that there is change coming and not knowing the details is a real test for me. However, that scripture at that moment brought with it relief.
We packed up and decided to make one last outing before heading home. On our way down the mountain we stopped to take a final look at the rolling stream. As I got out of the car two butterflies flew up. One landed on the windshield as to be looking in at the map I had laid on the dashboard. Butterflies are significant of new beginings or birth of a new thing. It was like God saying I know where this new place is on the map, I have it in sight.
We drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Moses Cone Manor. We had first seen it when we took my mom on a mountain adventure a few months before she went to heaven. We had been unable to go into the home then since mom was unable to walk that far.
Moses Cone who was born in 1857 was the son of German Jewish immigrants. His father changed his name from Kahn to Cone once in America and Moses did all he could do to emphasize that he was an American even in all aspects of the architecture of this "summer home". Moses' father was basically a peddler of goods at first, but then had a grocery wholesale business in MD.
Moses became an real American textile entrepreneur, conservationist, and philanthropist. He became the main supplier of denim. In 1901 he purchased the 3,500 acres in the NC mountains and built the 13,000 sq ft summer home. He had two lakes built and stocked one with bass and one with trout. There were 25 miles of carriage trails on the property that his wife Bertha made sure were smooth enough to carry a cup of tea in the carriage and it not spill. He also had 10,000 apple trees planted.
He only enjoyed his home a short time because 7 years later he found out some men he trusted with his business were stealing from him and the betrayal threw him into an illness of which he never recovered. This home became the permanent residence of Bertha and two of her sisters and a couple of neices and Moses' sister. We found out this information and much more by taking the tour offered by the park service. It was very interesting.
The framed picture leaning on the fireplace is really a letter that was given to Moses Cone's father on departure to America. One portion that was read by our guide basically reminded him that if he became wealthy not to let pride take him over, but to remember that God was the source of that wealth and it was to help others. Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
As we started our getaway on our 45th anniversary I felt the Lord had quickened to me that we were to buy something for our new home. Understand, we don't have a new home at this point nor do we even know where it is located. This happened to us when we were in MO. Chuck and I had been looking for a home and we were so frustrated because we just could not seem to find the one we could afford and in the place we needed. We were on a little getaway after a conference in AZ and had been to the Grand Canyon and made a side trip back to Sedona. While visiting a chapel gift shop that same thought came to me and I told Chuck. I found a cross that had a briar wrapped around it holding a pink rose onto the cross. That grabbed my heart and I knew that was what the Lord wanted us to have for our new home. We purchased it and put it away.
When we found the house in Arnold, Mo. I immediately knew where that cross was to go and there was already a nail in that place. It greeted everyone as they entered our home.
As I looked around the gift shop at Moses Cone Manor, the thought returned and I again told Chuck. We looked around the shop seeing beautiful expensive artwork and I thought this may not be the place we find it. Toward the end of our journey in the shop I came across a hand made oil lantern made of pottery. It was a colonial blue color with a brown tree laying on the top. I thought it looked like the tree of life. I took Chuck to look at it and we agreed on the piece. As I took it up to the counter the ladies behind the counter began to whisper to one another. I guess they saw my puzzled look and began to explain that this lantern was the last piece of this artist that they had at the moment and it had only been there for 2 days. That would have meant that the artist, Carlos Robledo, delivered it on our anniversary. The ladies packed it up really well and as I was taking the bag one of them said, "it's the tree of life, you know". I smiled and told her that I was sure hoping that it was. Isn't God the most awesome Father you could ever imagine. He will move heaven and earth to accomplish His purpose in our lives. What an anniversary gift He has given us. We now have it packed away for the new place He has chosen for us.
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