I've Gone Country A blog about a city girl learning a whole new world

Today is our Eighteenth wedding anniversary.

Amazing how fast time flies.  It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long….but then I look at our children and I can’t believe how much they have changed.

And then I look at us…..WOW….I really can’t believe how much we have CHANGED!

YIKES…..

Life is full of changes, and we have had fun along the way.

We went on a cruise this past week with some friends.  The views were spectacular.

Starting with this amazing and humbling view from the airplane.   This verse came up numerous times in conversation with our friends…Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

The beauty continued…..

everywhere…we looked….

We met Bob…the donkey….

Gi Gi and Jo Jo the monkeys…..

And many beautiful people along the way….

Like….this gentleman….

and these beautiful ladies…who showered us with hospitality…….

hugs…… and….. smiles.

It seemed that everywhere we went we met someone who touched our lives in one way or another.

There were many people that we didn’t get pictures of that were also a pleasure to meet.

At one of the straw markets I saw a wood carving of two large hands cupped together.  I said out loud to Billy that it reminded me of how God has the whole world in His hands.

About that time the attendant started singing the song…… He’s got the whole world in His hands…

So we all joined her….singing….

He’s got the whole world in his hands
He’s got the whole wide world…….. in his hands
He’s got the whole world……. in his hands
He’s got the whole world in his hands

He’s got you and me brother…… in his hands
he’s got you and me sister…… in his hands
He’s got you and me brother…… in his hands

At another stop, there was a tree that was short and stout.  I remarked that it was like the tree I had pictured in my mind of Zacchaeus climbing.

Immediately a man standing nearby started singing the song!

Of course we joined in….

Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in a sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior passed him by, He looked up in the tree,
And he said, “Zacchaeus, you come down from there;
For I’m going to your house to-day,… for I’m going to your house today”

(A song made from the scripture in Luke 19:1-10)

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

As we all laughed after singing…we reflected that we had memorized those songs from childhood.  Fun to see that even though we live miles and miles apart…Christ was our common thread that pulled us together.

After meeting all these beautiful people, once again the thought came….who are we…that God would be mindful of us?   Each of us….all over the world…individuals…each one special in His sight.

WOW……

One morning on the trip, we awoke to this beautiful rainbow outside our window.

Genesis 9 :17

So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Just like this promise…evident for all of us to see.   He promises to always be with us, wherever we go.

He is mindful of us….

Yes, it’s true that Billy and I have changed a lot through the years. But it is comforting to know that some things do not.

Hebrews 13:8 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

I find that amazing and comforting.