Come, rest awhile

Come, rest awhile, and let us idly stray 

In glimmering valleys, cool and far away. 

Come from the greedy mart, the troubled street, 

And listen to the music, faint and sweet, 

That echoes ever to a listening ear, 

Unheard by those who will not pause to hear­ 

The wayward chimes of memory's pensive bells, 

Wind-blown o'er misty hills and curtained dells. 

One step aside and dewy buds unclose 

The sweetness of the violet and the rose; 

Song and romance still linger in the green, 

Emblossomed ways by you so seldom seen, 

And near at hand, would you but see them, lie 

All lovely things beloved in days gone by. 

You have forgotten what it is to smile 

In your too busy life­ come, rest awhile. 

~ L. M. Montgomery ~

^^ Scorton ^^

^^ The Lake District ^^

^^ Lancaster  Castle^^

We took a break from the bustling town of London, and traveled north to a quieter and more serene village of Scorton. We stayed with family friends and spent our days drinking tea and eating good homemade food!

We took a couple of walks around the village and I couldn't keep my camera from my face, inspiration and beauty were everywhere I turned.

Our second day was spent driving around the Lakes District. Houses scattered here and there over the bright green fells that were scarred with stone walls and spotted with sheep and little lakes tucked into the valleys.

On our last day we found some much needed flip-flops for my feet, toured the Lancaster Castle, and ended the day with a barbecue at our host's back garden!

It was a picturesque pick-me-up and was so refreshing after running around London with a constant map in our hands. Leaving the transportation and "tours" to our hosts, we felt very relaxed and at ease for our days in Scorton :)

Just Peachy

 It's beginning to look a lot like spring, with flowers coming home every week -- the perks of knowing the florist at our local greenhouse I guess ;)

This is the first Saturday morning that I am feeling genuinely refreshed! Such a relief from being literally a walking zombie in the mornings. I was sick last week which sucked. The week before I went to a work thing in the city and had to get up at 7, let alone having a horrible sleep in the hotel beds -- as you do. 

It's beginning to look like spring outside as well. The sun has been warm enough to start melting the piles of snow that have buried us all winter long. Our creek broke on the first day of spring too which was kind of fitting! Usually we are mocking the "first day of spring" because it's always cold and snowing.

It's actually kind of cold right now but it has been above zero for the last week or more -- that darn wind!

The last couple of weeks I have been really thinking about my future and what I want to do and ultimately what is holding me back. And I'm excited and scared about what all of it means, and I am so grateful for this year that has given me a chance to pause and transition into the person that I need to make that first leap.

And I was reading last nite Ephesians 3:14-21, but specifically I read verse 16 over and over, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen [me] with power through his Spirit in [my] inner being..." and I do. I pray that I may be strengthened to face whatever is ahead, for whatever is my future, for whatever I dream.

It goes on to say in verse 20 and 21, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...

Everything that I dream for my life is too small for what he has planned for it, because I cannot even imagine what he has planned. When we think big -- he thinks even BIGGER.

And I pray that he may strengthen me to be able to live all of it out -- and I am so excited!

And I am so scared.