Looking at my Face Book Memories this morning that popped up, made me just take a minute to sit and reflect over the last few years. Two years ago, Randy and I stepped onto a plane in North Carolina headed to Italy. It was a trip we had, for years, thought about, once even planned some of the necessary items, such as lodging, only to have to cancel due to some circumstances. But, there we were, one year year later, actually sitting on the plane, looking and smiling at each other, and thinking, about what we were about to experience. Of course, you never know all the things you will experience. That is half the fun. Not knowing every thing that will happen. But anticipating each and every adventure. We know that many of you were thinking, ‘what in the world are they doing at their age and what will happen if they fall or get a wallet stolen, or get so lost, they don’t know where they are, etc.” Well, each of those things did happen, but in each experience, we knew that God was watching over us and took care of every detail.
And when the necessary things fell upon us, such as the person who helped us get back where we needed to be at 10:00 p.m. in Rome, when Randy was pick pocketed on the bus we rode numerous times and when I fell getting off the train, each time, we knew that the Lord was right there.
So today, as I looked at the memory on FB and thought back about those most wonderful 3 months of getting to live our dream trip, it was just so precious to me to remember so many days and nights in Italy. Memories that we will never forget, nor take for granted. It is so interesting to me that 7 months after leaving Italy, it was shut down, due to Covid. Now, two years later, I’m not sure we would have attempted doing what we did. Because of some health issues, we might not be as “brave” as we were two years ago in attempting to do what we did. It is so awesome to remember being able to throw our 5 suitcases onto the train in between hoards of folks trying to get on. Riding the unairconditioned train to Sorrento with bees swirling around our heads, having to stand for a 2 hour train ride to Sorrento. Now, two years later, I get exhausted unpacking boxes to move in to our new home.
Two weeks ago, I had to quit carrying items down 3 flights of stairs, trying to help my daughter move. Two years ago, we were hauling 5 suitcases up 5 flights of stairs into our “home” and then going back out to eat and then having to return to said apartment several times a day. We found out that that saying, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” is certainly true. We came home several pounds lighter, only to begin immediately chomping down on Mexican food which, of course, put the pounds back on. As long as we were there, we walked so much, we ate anything we wanted and still lost weight. Today, we are truly able to say, our weight is not because we eat too much, it is because we drive everywhere. At least that is my story and I’m sticking to it.
We got to experience going to a Baptist church in Rome several times and worship with people there from all over the world. We had the fun experience of being a “tour” guide for some friends who came to visit us while we were there, making us feel like we were so cool and hip, getting to show them that we knew how to get around Florence. We learned the bus system and what to do when we would get on the wrong bus. We experienced some fear when one evening, we did get off a bus before we were suppose to only to find ourselves walking in a neighborhood that we knew nothing about, our cell didn’t work and we had no idea how to call anyone to come rescue us and take us to where we were suppose to be. We experienced walking the streets of Florence trying to locate the store where Randy had left his passport while buying an Italian phone. There was the memories of trying to read Italian when no English word was anywhere in sight and we had no idea what bus stop to get off.
But we not only survived, we grew. We grew not only in terms of having to get out of our comfort zones and realize that no matter where we were, God was there. Sometimes, I feel that we, as Americans, we tend to think that God is just here and forget that God is truly God. He is Omnipresence, He truly is everywhere. There is no where any of us can go that He is not there. He is not only in America, but in every country of the world. We saw Him, on that awful train ride to Sorrento, when street musicians came aboard and began to play, allowing us to focus on them, and not the fact that we had to stand on a old bumpy train for 2 hours. We saw Him on the street which we finally found Randy’s passport. The man who spoke not a word of English, had saved it for us, knowing we would be back. We felt His presence, not only in many accents, singing and worshiping together in that church in Rome, but in the precious acceptance and help from people trying to assist us in grocery stores, drug stores and standing on streets, looking at maps, trying to decide which way to go. There were days when, we looked at the most beautiful blue waters of the Bay of Naples, driving by gorgeous vineyards around Tuscany, the cobbled streets of small villages, the hills and cypress trees which we saw as the train speed by. The waters and canals of Venice were something to behold.
Yes, today, we have so much to remember and so much to be thankful for. We know that, even now, in our home on a small street in Frisco, TX we not only have these wonderful memories, but we know that God is here, in this place, giving us new dreams and desires that continually bring hope and assurance that……dreams can and do come true!
Isa 139:7-9
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your Hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Psalms 37….”trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
You can thank me later! Tuesday morning began like any other day. I got up, opened up my Diet DrPepper and sat down to read my devotion of the day. Decided to then make breakfast for Randy and I before heading to the Dr to see about a problem I have been having with my hip. Since I knew I would have to get on the industrial scale the dr has installed that looks like and is almost large enough to weigh an 18 wheeler, I decided to eat light that morning . I didn’t want the Dr fussing at me for gaining weight these last 6 months! So we ate a light breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese. Toast (but without jelly, trying to stay “light”), sausage patties and juice. We skipped fried potatoes that morning. Didn’t want to take any chances of adding a pound or two. Feeling pretty cocky and Positive that I could still zip my jeans to dress nice for dr appointment. I drove to the appointment feeling pretty spiffy that Dr would look at me and say, “trudy I’m so proud of you, you did great these last 6 months and didn’t gain the Covid weight most people have gained!” When the Dr assistant came to walk me back, we chatted and she stopped me in front of the heavy metal floor scale that weighs folks! I told her it would take me a min to disrobe all the unnecessary cloths that I knew would add pounds! So I proceeded to take off my coat, my vest, my earrings, my bracelet and shoes! When I began to remove my mask she stopped me and said, ” oh Ms Trudy, you have to keep your mask on”. What??? But that is unnecessary baggage and might effect the scales! So very unhappily leaving the mask on, I glanced to the image the red light was projecting on the wall from the scale! Lo and Behold, just as I had warned the lady who was writing down the info she was seeing, the masks had indeed caused a 10 lb difference since last dr visit! So please ladies and gentlemen, be careful which mask you wear to weigh in. Some of them have hidden weights in them. They might look small and flimsy but beware!!! They are not what you want to be caught in when having to weigh in at dr office! Be sure and choose a mask that does not have these weights! No matter the light versions of meals you consume before going will not be enough to keep the scales down if you are wearing the wrong masks!!!! Please pass this on so others will be in the know! And to think that Randy and I went without the normal large order of French fries that we have along with our double double hamburger at In and Out the night before the appointment! If I had known about this we would not have sacrificed the fries! This is so sad that we were never warned about this! Am now on a search for a new masks that has no writing or pictures or any weights secretly sewed in them. And by the way, all of you who were mailed pretty little lime green masks that has Humana written in large white letters….that screens “I am A Senior Citizen”, throw that one out also!
