Psalms 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
God gives us a song in our heart to sing to Him on a daily basis. He is good and worthy of praise.
We belong to Him and His people should be praising Him continually.
People are moved and touched by our worship to God and our service to Him and will turn to Him to put their trust in Him, so let us continually praise Him.
Prayer: Lord I do lift my hands in worship and praise. I do want sing a hymn to You everyday to honor You and to constantly sing of all You have done and the goodness of God, because there is no one like You. Amen.
Things didn’t come together, trying again tomorrow!
I left everyone yesterday with hopes of a big day today. I was happy that the morning started well, even in the rain and I buzzed into Duluth and most of the way through town. The wind was behind my back and I felt good at about 18 miles.
Then things started to slow a bit. I joined the Willard Munger Rail Trail in hopes of a long day, extending close to Hinckley, Minnesota. I found out after writing yesterday’s update that rooms most of the way south of Duluth were mostly unavailable. A weekend concert series had taken all the rooms at ridiculously high prices. I called about eight places late and couldn’t believe what they were charging along my planned route for the day. I went to bed after being quoted $400 for one night.
Even if I could have ridden as much as I hoped, there would have been no rooms and very limited camping. I started riding the Munger Trail and felt a steady upgrade coming up from Duluth. The rain stopped, but I made slow progress.
There were no towns early on the trail, then a few popped up. Mahtowa, Carlton and Barnum were the towns along the way and gradually US 61 started running parallel with the trail. I met the Arends family from the Carlton area and told them about my dilemmas for the day. My cellphone charge was running low already by midday, and I left it with the Arends to charge it. We all laughed that I would trust them with the phone for 90 minutes. I rode on and they met me at a popular country store called TJ’s. We talked about lots of things including the drought, Kevin’s cycling and racing, plus a building storm that was going to hit in an hour or so. I really enjoyed meeting their family.
I bought some snacks in the store and planned to ride until I had to set up camp before dark, hoping to have a bigger day. That is always a big gamble since cell coverage seems more spotty than I would have thought. Kevin told me I had an hour before it hit, so I called the Barnum Inn and asked if they had a room. The owner told me she could get a room ready and to head her way. Meanwhile the storm hit with steady rain, lightning and thunder, all of this unpredicted but greatly needed in the drought laden area. Reports of hail and some damage came in. Later the storm cleared but another looks to be building.
Bottom line, I got only 55 miles today and must have a bigger day tomorrow. It’s a straight shot to St. Paul, and I hope conditions are favorable and the bike runs well. I need to get close enough to St. Paul to get to the airport for a one-way rental back home on Sunday for me and the bike if that comes together. A pretty day is predicted.
I hope to do my part and make tomorrow a great day! Join me back here and we will see what happens.
Do you send greeting cards? I do. I guess because I love to get them. I remember mama saying one time that she and daddy nearly got kicked out of the Hallmark store that used to be near Marshalls. They tucked themselves over in the Maxine section and read funny stuff until they were laughing outloud. We could always count on them to find the best humor available. Like a lovely card with a photo of clouds and sunshine on the front. The sentiment said, “I wish you were Jesus.” Knowing my parents I couldn’t imagine such a sappy greeting on my birthday. The inside cleared it up by adding, “Then today would be Christmas.” Yep. Just my speed. David’s mother Nina on the other hand, always bought the sappy stuff and personally underlined the important parts. Which was everything. And even though she lived across the road from us, she would put a stamp on the envelope and send it with her outgoing mail. On my birthday one year she tucked a twenty inside with a note in her distinctive left handed script. “Go get that paint you like so you can freshen up the looks of that end table you’ve been wanting to refinish.” She knew me well and tried to think of unique gifts to make me feel loved. I used that twenty to buy a gallon of Robin’s Egg Blue paint at Lowe’s. Paint costs about twice that much now; so that tells you how long ago it’s been. Now every other piece of furniture in the house is Robin’s Egg Blue. But that’s okay. Designers have been advising for years to pick an inspiration piece and run with it. I’ve decided that’s what happened. But don’t worry. I still have a dab left in case something comes up.
So anyway, I still send greeting cards. While the savvy amongst us send texts or messages online, I’m still using paper and ink. The last time I sent a card to a granddaughter I wondered. Can she read this? It IS in cursive. Will she even get it? Since she lives in an apartment in a large city, does she even check the mail? Good thing I planned ahead. It took about four grocery trips for my beloved to remember to get stamps at the Food Lion. I was kinda proud when I remembered to tell him to pick some up. He felt rather accomplished when he remembered to do so. As I pondered my granddaughter’s circumstances or status as the youngsters say, I felt like a Navaho code talker. Actual ink on paper written in cursive and mailed to an address by way of a stamp seems a little antiquated. At least I knew enough not to put money in there. Because who in their right mind would want to buy a can of paint and color everything in the house Robin’s Egg Blue? Hopefully the espresso mugs she picked out on Amazon will land on her doorstep and make her smile. The only problem is that they will be there a week early. I’m so used to regular mail that I forgot to allow for the efficiency of Amazon. And we wonder why Amazon is taking over the world.
Oh well. At least the greeting inside the box will not be in cursive. I think she will love it.
My
husband and I had been sitting in our living room for an hour and
neither of us had said a word. He was watching a game on TV, though, so
it was understandable. As I looked across the room at him, I thought
about our lives together. We have worked hard in our careers. We are
raising our grandsons together. We have tried to live our lives for the
Lord. And yes…we are getting older.
So, I looked toward him lovingly, as he sat there on the couch
holding the remote, and I said tenderly, “I am proud of you.” He seemed a
little shocked, but after a moment, he looked at me and responded, “I
am tired of you, too.”
(Okay, this was a joke. Hopefully, my husband will forgive me for it.)
Sometimes, we do not hear what we think we hear.
Sometimes, we do not even attempt to hear.
Sometimes, we do not hear at all.
We need to listen.
The words, “They have ears, but cannot hear,” seem to be applicable
and are in the gospels at least seven times. Apparently they needed to
be repeated.
The word ‘hear’ is in the Bible 347 times, so it must also be a word that bears repeating.
Once while teaching a children’s Sunday School class, I told them how
when I was just a young girl, that I had heard God speaking to my heart
that I needed to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. A child blurted out,
“How did you hear God?”
Good question from a six year old. Hopefully, I muddled through with a good answer.
How do we hear God? Here are some of my favorite ways:
*Through His Word. Isaiah 30:21 says that our ears will
hear a word behind us saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.” God’s Word
is alive – it is not just a book. It is God-breathed – given by the
inspiration of God, according to 2 Timothy 3:16. It still speaks to our
hearts today.
*Through prayer. As we pray, God hears us and we hear God. It is not
how we pray, but it is that we pray. It is our direct link to God. Psalm
66:19 says that God has heard me. He has attended to the voice of my
prayer. To ‘attend to’ means to be present, to listen to, to give
attention to. God attends to us!
*Through nature. When we look up at the sky, over at the trees, or
around to see what God has made, Psalm 46:10 comes alive, and we can
hear God’s Voice speak to our spirit saying, “Be still and know that I
am God.”
*Through others. Our children, family, friends, strangers, teachers,
pastors – are some of those who warn, encourage, bless, guide, and send
us confirmation of what God is speaking to us, as they help us hear God.
*Through our circumstance. The circumstances – that ‘drive us’ crazy –
are also the circumstances that ‘drive us’ to hearing the voice of God.
A circumstance is an event or fact that causes something to happen. Bad
or good – our life changers – our circumstances – are where we hear
God. Proverbs 8:34 says that the man who hears God is blessed, so no
matter our circumstance, we are blessed because we hear God.
*****Whether in the church – or on the couch – of our everyday lives –
God wants communion and communication with us. God hears us – and we
hear Him. We just need to listen.
Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com
Today was my last day on Lake Superior, but I likely will still see it briefly tomorrow. Some things were left over that needed doing today and all of them got done. I started the morning at the Mariner Motel in Silver Bay where the wind was gusting early. The Mariner is one of the best buys I have had on a motel room and I got to stay twice. One of the narrowest road shoulders on US 61 was the first thing I had to get done to continue south. The shoulder had rumble strips, allowing very little room for the bike. All went well before the traffic got going.
I wanted to see the Split Rock Lighthouse, built in 1910 and one of Minnesota’s most photographed things. It sits on top of sheer 133 foot cliff and was built because of the many shipwrecks in the area. I met Julie and Tucker, her dog, out early trying to get good photographs. The visitor center in the state park didn’t open till 10am so all we could do was get the photos from the edge of water.
Then I pedaled to Gooseberry Falls State Park and another attraction. The falls have several levels. I saw Julie and Tucker here too, and and Julie told me ahead that the middle falls were the best. She of course was right. I was interested that so many a people were in the water which had to be very cold. The parking lot was packed.
Then I pedaled toward Two Harbors, the largest of the towns along the north shore. Just before town, I spotted Betty’s Pies, touted as world famous for those pies. The place was packed with probably 50 cars in the parking lot. Anyone could eat inside if they wanted to wait. Not for me, I placed an order for a Bombleberry and a Maple Pecan pie slice. I ate the maple one right away and saved the Bombleberry, a mixture of five berries. Both were great, but the Bombleberry is the best slice of pie I have ever eaten.
The wind was pushing back at me in Two Harbors and the riding was challenging. I pedaled toward Mark and Anita Goellnor’s house on the north side of Duluth. Remember when Mark and Anita stopped to give me a cold drink last Saturday as I entered Duluth? I am spending the night in their house and we just had a wonderful dinner and chocolate ice cream that the Y Service Club won’t have to pay for for. Mark is a regular adventure cyclist and has been on several long rides.
My goal for tomorrow is spirited one. I want to make 92 miles from Duluth to Hinckley Minnesota, a little more than halfway to Minneapolis. We have heavy rain predicted overnight and some still tomorrow morning. I will head out early in hopes of riding through town and joining the Willard Munger rail trail which runs to Hinckley. Mark drew out the directions and the map is ready to use first thing. It is an ambitious goal, but one that excites me and hopefully will get done tomorrow.
Lake Superior covers 31,700 square miles and is about the same size as South Carolina.
Join me back here tomorrow to see how things go on the big day, rain or shine. Once again, thanks for riding along!
“Goodbye, Bathtub and Living Room. America’s homes are shrinking.” I read these words myself days after my husband mentioned cities like Charlotte are building new, more affordable homes by cutting rooms like dining rooms and living rooms.
It is a trend we have seen over time. Formal dining rooms have been unused for decades. There used to be formal sitting parlors (or at least I have read about them in old literature) for entertaining guests.
While this trend may reflect the economy and lack of space, particularly in the ever-growing region where we live, I hope we do not see a reduction in the purpose these rooms have served over the years.
Hospitality. That is the word that comes to mind when I think of these rooms. Unfortunately, over time, we have seen families spend more time outside the home to spend time socializing rather than hosting within the home to cultivate relationships with others.
In the book of Titus in the Bible, Paul writes to his young friend in ministry first to be on guard of false teachers. In contrasting the church leaders with these false teachers, Paul lists what they should not be like as well as how these leaders should behave. What are these evidences of their faith in Christ? First on the list – to be hospitable. Merriam-Webster defines the word as “given to generous and cordial reception of guests.” In Christian terms, it means loving the stranger, entertaining them, particularly fellow Christians, and sharing the gospel as they pass through.
It is interesting to note that this is first on the list of how elders should behave. The list does not begin with what the world may consider success, which usually is a material, worldly measurement. Hospitality is within the grasp of any person, but especially for the Christian called to love others as himself (found in the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37-39). Sadly, too many visitors to the church or those with whom we regularly come into contact could say this is a characteristic lacking within both the home and church and, sadly, even in church leadership. While Christian leaders may seem well-qualified in certain areas of success and achievement, our lack of hospitality is blinding. Others cannot see our message due to our lack of generosity and “cordial reception.” How often have we witnessed guests who seemingly enjoy a service or even fellowship only to leave because of a lack of hospitality, genuine kindness, and concern for their well-being?
If the shrinking size of homes is any indicator, we have become more obsessed with entertaining ourselves and being consumers in pursuit of autonomy. Independent. Not needing others to bring fulfillment to our daily routine, nor to encourage them on their journey.
Though our house size may be shrinking, I pray we will further open our homes to entertaining strangers who may one day become friends and family.
But how does one show hospitality if we have not seen it modeled, do not have a lot of resources, or it is not part of our innate personality? Ah, I cannot wait to share more with you of the examples I have seen, the benefits I have received, and the amazing, ordinary people who have helped me cultivate this quality in my life.
Ashlie Miller and her husband, a pastor in SouthEnd Charlotte, seek to cultivate hospitality in their home in Concord, NC. You may contact her at ashliemiller.com .
Last evening was perfect at the Aspen Inn in Grand Marais. I wrote my article to the sound of rain and thunder and enjoyed the coolness in another non-air conditioned room. Minnesota needed the rain and some of the Lake Superior north shore area got as much as 9 tenths of an inch.
Water was still standing as I left this morning with mixed thoughts. I traveled today on the same Grand Marais to Silver Bay that I had done in reverse just two days ago. The route is reasonable except for dreadful hills the last 20 miles into Silver Bay and one segment of poor shoulder, about six miles of trying to squeeze out a few inches extra to stay away from moderate to heavy traffic.
The first town was Lutsen, where I met Postmaster Laurie two days before. She had already seen me on her way to work and was waiting and waving. That was a big lift, as we talked about her cycling and travel and why I preferred to keep visiting new parts of the same states I had visited before. This was one of the top conversations of the whole trip and I will stay in touch. I grabbed a breakfast bagel and some cookies at the country store next to the post office.
On down the road a few miles was Tofte, with the only Holiday convenience store on today’s ride. I stopped there to make something right. I had promised the young cyclists I met a few days back to try out the World’s Best Donuts in Grand Marais, yet I had not because the store has not been open when I was in town. The convenience store had them and I got a Long John with caramel topping. Was it the world’s best? I need to sample more.
When I came out of the store, a life size Sasquatch had my bike. I got it back.
On to Schroeder, the next very small town with the bakery. Just three miles after the Long John, I got a cheese danish thing and a cinnamon scone while talking to the owner about the weather and the rain.
In this area, the e-bikes were again in heavy use. One group had two kids, mom and dad, and two grandparents. Those were the highlights of the day, as the headwind got stronger and brutal hills and road shoulders appeared again. The last 20 miles were a real battle as the distance slowly went by. I had 56 hard fought miles today.
I got another great room at the Mariner Motel, then rode up a low gear hill to check out the town of Silver Bay. I heard from the desk clerk that Silver Bay is the second largest town on the north shore next to Two Harbors which I will pass through again tomorrow.
I have two major tourist attractions to visit tomorrow and will report on them afterward. I learned that Lake Superior holds 10% of the world’s fresh water and it is down about a half inch this year due to the Minnesota drought. It usually adds a couple of inches each summer.
A big challenge is brewing. Too early to talk about, but I will tomorrow if all comes together. That is about it for today, so join me again tomorrow.
My sister hosted a family gathering at her house last week. The gathering centered around her children, who were home from across the country. There were people from my sister’s extended family and our family at the gathering. We were quite a group and we all had a great time.
My brother-in-law pointed out that there were four generations gathered that day. His dad was there, as were my parents. My sister and her husband were the grandparents. There were three of their seven children at the gathering. Then there were nine grandchildren. Between our family and his family we had quite a crowd gathered together.
I talked with many of the adults that were there, but few conversations reached any depth. I didn’t get to connect with everyone. I reflected on who I connected with and who I missed while driving home. It’s hard to believe that I am related to everyone who came.
I chuckled as I walked my mother to the car. I told her that I was confused about which child belonged to which set of parents. She explained that it was easy to be confused because any time a child cried or whined one of the closest adults took care of the child in need. That adult may or may not have been that child’s parent. Those great-nieces and nephews are going to grow up being close to each other.
I had a delightful conversation with the oldest great-niece. She sat down next to me and we talked about school. She told me about the math she was learning and I quizzed her. She could add and subtract very well. Then I asked her about reading. I don’t know what kinds of books seven-year-olds like to read. She mentioned a few books she liked, and then told me that her lessons were about Dick and Jane. I asked her if Dick and Jane had a dog named Spot, and she said yes and wondered how I knew that. I chuckled and told her that I remembered reading those books when I was in school.
When I told my wife about this conversation with my great-niece she was immediately transported back to her childhood and remembered exactly where she was sitting in her classroom when she read the Dick and Jane books. As my wife shared her memories I remembered where I was sitting in the circle around my teacher as we read about Dick and Jane and especially… “See Spot run. Run, Spot, run.” I can actually remember the picture of the dog running in my book.
It was a great family gathering. I enjoyed hearing how these new parents were coping with the responsibilities of parenthood. One of my nieces brought her two-week-old baby to the family gathering to meet everyone. She and her husband enjoyed the opportunity to be with family, but you could tell they were a little tired from all the demands of a new baby.
I have reflected on my time spent at this family gathering. Not many families are lucky enough to get four generations together at one time. It made me wonder what it will be like to get all our generations together in heaven. One great thing is that everyone will be in good, strong, and healthy bodies. I wonder how long some of the gatherings might last? I mean, time won’t constrain us there, so a gathering could last for days at a time in heaven. Also, everyone will be there. No one will be left out or missed. I imagine the intimacy and closeness will be incomparable. I can almost hear the laughter as we share stories from here and what we will be doing there. Heaven will be one of the greatest family reunions of all time.
I want to encourage you to make the most important decision in your life, to join the family of God. That way you will attend that great family reunion in heaven. God can’t make that decision for you. It’s up to you to ask Him into your life. Once you have asked Him in, you can be assured of a place at the table when we all go to that great family reunion. I want to see you there, share some laughs and hear some of your stories. My mouth is watering for the good food and my spirit longs for the time we can all be together in healthy bodies, healed souls, and glowing spirits. I am just hoping I will know and remember all the family connections!
During these days of late August, I am watching the side garden transition slowly from summer to fall. The black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckias hirta) are the first plants to show their change from one season to the next. Our cluster stands next to our neighbor’s white fence and most of it have lost their rich, yellow, open-faced flowers that reminded me of a wide-eyed youngster full of excitement and wonder. The golden petals of full summer have fallen to the garden floor to rot leaving each stem holding at its top the dim center of summer now transformed to a dark cluster of seeds.
The black-eyed Susan is an easy and pleasing plant for a garden. While there are many varieties, our is the native one of local meadows. Known by several names, we prefer the one used here. But, what an odd name that leads to question: “Who is Susan that the plant is named for?” One internet search tells the legend that the name “originated from an Old English poem written by John Gay (1685-1732) entitled ‘Sweet William’s Farewell To Black-Eyed Susan’. True or not, it is a sweet poem of William telling Susan that her love will keep him safe while he is away fighting in a war.
Legend aside, the late-summer garden needs attention. One task of a gardener has a dreadful name: Dead heading. But the act is not as bad as it sounds since the removal of spent flowers is good for a plant because more energy for growth will be spent on the plant, not the bygone flower. And some folks will say that a plant looks better without what is left of a spent flower. We will not dead head the black-eyed Susans just yet.
One recent evening, Mary Ann and I were watching the birds at the birdbath. She asked me did I see the slight movement of a black-eyed Susan stem? I did, and we watched as a female American goldfinch held onto the stem while eating from the dark cluster of seeds. The tiny body barley had enough weight to cause the stem to bob and weave as she pecked at the seed cluster. Like several female species, this finch did not have the bright colors of a male, but her dark grey and subtle brown had its own beauty, and we enjoyed watching her finding food on what some people would see as a “dead” plant. While she has a proper name, we refer to her species as “Jo Ann” to honor Mary Ann’s deceased mother, an avid admirer of birds. Although we came late to bird watching, Mary Ann and I now realize the joy of birds, and we are fortunate that we have Jo Ann’s copy of Peterson’s Guide– complete with her bird-list of sighted species. But the “Jo Ann” is not alone, and in fact she is joined in feasting on the seed heads of the black-eyed Susan by Carolina chickadees, brown-headed nuthatches, titmice, and others that may feed on the ground hidden by the heavy, dark green leaves of the black-eyed Susans.
However, the days slowly roll towards Labor Day, and all the Susans will soon be void of those lovely, yellow-gold petals. But we will not rush out to dead head them. The fine Canadian writer and poet, Patrick Lane, writes that “The gardener has nothing but time.” Like Lane, all we have is time, and there is no reason to rush the dead heading or anything. In that way we allow the small side garden to be a living space in which Mary Ann and I will enjoy watching the birds feasting, especially the Jo Anns.
One of the best days turns out better than planned!
As I write this, I have open windows and am listening to the rain patter on the motel parking lot. As I mentioned earlier, most of northern Minnesota is in a serious drought. The forecast was for sunny today and a good chance of rain tonight. The first showers fell just before 1pm and it has been raining off and on since.
I left the Trailside Cabins in Grand Marais this morning, headed toward Grand Portage. I read the National Park Service brochure and was excited to see it. Everything I read said there was a great monument. I rode north, unaware that the only town listed between Grand Marais and Grand Portage was not really a town. Hovland had a bakery and liquor store combined, and I didn’t see anything else other than a few houses. I had water and food for the 35 mile ride, but I hoped that Grand Portage would be a town. I needed more for the ride back.
Siri wanted me to take a road that apparently didn’t exist and it may have had to do with poor cell service, but the brochure called for staying on US 61, now called Lake Superior’s North Shore Scenic Drive.
What I found in Grand Portage was a huge convenience/grocery/ post office all in one building. There is casino/motel and of course the visitor center for the historic area. The visitor center was multi-level and very modern. I toured the displays and watched a movie about the late 1700’s fur trade and the French and Indian involvement.
I was told to follow the sidewalk behind the visitor center to the buildings. What I found was a huge completely rebuilt stockade with all the buildings that were used for the early fur trade. Indian teepees, made of birch wood, a wooden dock and gardens added to the incredible display. A period person was inside each building to explain its use. I am still amazed this evening at the amount of work that went into this restoration. We were told that at its peak of activity, more than a thousand people would have been inside the stockade. What a jewel for the National Park Service, and oddly, this one is totally free! The parking lot was nearly full. I was ready to use my senior NPS pass but never had to get it out.
I asked one of the building attendants where the monument was. He said, “All of this is considered the monument. People ask about the monument all the time.”
As I was about to leave, Bill Kuhn asked about my bike ride. He had ridden across the country as a 21 year old. Bill was with his wife Maryanne. We had a wonderful conversation and then they waved as they passed me on the road.
I wanted to go to the falls in the area and asked about doing so. I found out that there was an additional ride each way of 6 1/2 miles, which I chose not to do. Canada was seven miles away. It was almost 7pm when I got in the room tonight at the Aspen Inn anyway, after 73 miles. I will stop at one of the state parks on the way back down the coast to see another set of falls.
I stopped in the huge store for snacks in Great Portage before leaving and turning south for the official turnaround of this journey. I will now ride south and west, instead of north and east.
After eating everything I could stuff in my bags upon returning to Grand Marais, I have an easy job planning for tomorrow. I will return to Silver Bay and the same motel that I used on the way north. It is only about 55 miles but it is a very hilly segment.
Today’s high temperature was a reported 69, especially chilly in the early morning and during the rain. That’s it for today. I have some great photos and hope to see you back here tomorrow. If all goes well, just 4-5 days remain of cycling. Thanks for the prayers!
