My parents have sold their house. A good thing, an answer to prayer, but still a loss! So we went up this past weekend for a brief last stay in the "old" house. The kids asked, "Can't Papa take the rocks with him?" The huge boulders and beautiful rocks that my Dad has collected have become favorite playthings when we visit.
God has blessed us all with many good memories in this place! It was kind of a nostalgic trip, and I enjoyed thinking back to so many things, not only connected with this house, but with my childhood in Lake City, as well. Camp cookouts at our family resort, a hoard of summer evenings outside with siblings and cousins and friends, hiking in the high country with my Dad, boating on and ice skating on and being baptized in the lake, funny stories of our many pets...and so on. But what sticks out in my mind as I think about the two homes my parents have owned there is their amazing example of hospitality, generosity, and service. Their home has ALWAYS been open and welcome: truly to friend and stranger, wealthy and homeless. They don't brush anyone off, and their home has been a place of refreshment for countless people. Their example is a tremendous gift to me!
Here we are exploring the beautiful new place, a (very!) little rental just outside Lake City. I have a feeling my parents will continue to honor Christ in the use of their home, knowing that hospitality doesn't have much to do with square footage!
