By Ann Farabee

Joy in the Journey

We are not just inhabitants of the Earth – we are also designated stewards.

Inhabitants may just live there. Stewards work there.

We are only on Earth for a short time.

It is a beautiful place.

God has blessed us – the Earthlings – with many blessings.

Family. Friends. Freedom.

Health. Wealth.

Religion. Relationship.

Earth. Heaven.

For us on Earth – we tend to focus on Earth.

Reality is – we should focus on Heaven.

Heaven is not just a ticket to keep us out of hell.

It is a ticket to our forever home that is eternal.

My life sure is moving along quickly.

High school graduation.

That was fast.

College graduation.

That was fast.

Marriage.

Babies born.

Babies grown up.

That was fast!

Grown up babies having babies.

That was fast!

Fifty years teaching children.

That was fast!

My love for writing began when I was in 4th grade.

It was because I wanted to write as a way of imagining things in my life that were only dreams.

So I wrote. I went on tour with The Beatles. I went on tour with The Monkees.

You know who they are – John, Paul, George, Ringo. Davy Jones…

There was a corner store in downtown Kannapolis named The Newsstand.

I remember being dropped off there, so I could read.

They had newspapers, books, and magazines.

I could have stayed there forever.

Most of my time there was spent holding a magazine, reading it, putting it back.

If I had money to buy anything, it was probably a Beatles or  Monkees magazine.

Sixty years going to church.

That was fast.

How do I feel about it?

I highly recommend it.

At age 13, I gave my heart to Jesus.

Jesus has been with me on my journey called life.

My journey on Earth will end one day.

It will be on the same day that my journey in heaven will begin.

I walked to Vacation Bible School, rode to Vacation Bible School, taught Vacation Bible School. I listened to choirs, sang in choirs, led a Praise Team,  led a Children’s Choir, taught Sunday School, and was ministered to by some of the world’s greatest pastors.

My parents always took my brother, sister, and me on a Sunday afternoon ride. We rode around in the car, looking at houses we could not afford and stores we could not go in because they were closed. We always rode through and walked around in the cemetery – because it had beautiful flowers.

Finally, we headed back to the place that was my favorite stop  – Rowan Dairy Bar. Hot fudge sundaes would be my order. It was the highlight of the week and a highlight of my memories. As a result, I still eat ice cream most every day.

As an older teen, our youth group began going to a place named Shoney’s  on Sunday nights after church. Guess what? They had hot fudge sundaes, too.

This may not sound exciting to you – but that is because these are MY memories – not yours.

Wild Thing. You make my heart sing. You make everything groovy.

If you read this last sentence – and did not sing those words in your mind – you must not be from my generation. FYI – Wild Thing was sung by The Troggs.

The joy is in the journey.

Our journeys through life are all different – EXCEPT FOR – the paths, trails, highways, and byways where we are all at some point in our lives introduced to the most important piece of the puzzle – Jesus – the Savior of the World.

 John 3:16 – For God So loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Where would I be without my Jesus?