Give thanks for everything.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
With the slam of the door and a twist of the key we were off. Every summer families all across the country take to the roads and skies on vacation. We live in a country where the destination can be anywhere and everywhere. As the song, “America the Beautiful” says, “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain.” And that is just the start. The great song, “God Bless America,” says, “From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam.” Truly from sea to shining sea America is worth seeing.
Well, even though the Taylor tribe didn’t make it from one sea to the other, we did get to see a chunk of it. And, times being what they were, our travels weren’t planned with destinations in mind but rather family in mind. We would travel to where they lived and stay with them…seeing what there was to see. And trust me…there was always something to see.
My brother Lee and his family lived in New Jersey. Now to be honest there wasn’t too much to see in New Jersey but next door to his state was New York City and there was plenty to see there. I was pretty young when we made that journey but I remember being amazed at all the big buildings and the zillions of people. It seems we saw the grand lady, the Statue of Liberty and marveled to see how she welcomed millions to this new land of opportunity.
My brother Jimmy and his family lived in Texas and I know two things. Texas was a long way from Florida and it was a whole lot different. I don’t think I saw a single palm tree but believe it or not, we saw one of the biggest lakes ever…right there in Texas. We had a cook out, rode in a fast boat, and learned first-hand that everything is big in Texas.
My brother Joe and his tribe lived in the Smoky Mountains and hands down that was one of my favorite places. I was amazed at the mountains and all the lush greenness that covered them. It is still one of my favorite places to go. Not long ago I found myself at a lookout overlooking a wide and deep gorge. I stood and marveled remembering that the last time I had stood there was when I was about ten. It hadn’t changed a bit.
Of course when my sister Agnes and her husband settled in Daytona Beach for him to go to school I thought we had won the lottery. It was close enough that we could visit more than once and it was always the grandest of adventures. She was a good cook and I remember she would buy steaks from Publix with a fat patty of butter right in the middle. Oh, and when she cooked spaghetti she always put pepperoni in it. She was and is a great cook.
Yup, there’s a lot to be said for summer, vacations, and family. I was so grateful because honestly without them, our vacations would have been a whole lot shorter but because of their generosity—we had a great time. It reminds me that the best things are things we don’t buy at the store. The best things are family and the memories we have of good times, past and present. I am thankful for this great land and for my great family. Paul, the guy in the Bible, said we should always give thanks and I’m learning why that is so. And when you’re feeling a little underwhelmed with life, just ask the Father to fill in the gaps. After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 