It's the one you don't see coming that gets you:

Once upon a time there were two countries and they fought all the time. There was not a speck of peace between these two countries. One country lived on the  mountain, the other country lived on an second  mountain and there was a deep valley in between,. The valley was so deep, you could hardly see the other side when you were in the valley, so both countries tried to avoid it. .

One day a big huge giant of a man came out of hiding and told his countrymen he would put a end to this. He had walked many many miles to get into the battle and he was ready. His countrymen were more then willing to let him take over,  so they stepped  back encouraging  him to go on  challenge the other country. He did, He walked all the way down into the valley, and even when he was at the deepest part of the valley his height was half way up the mountain. 

Hey!" he yelled to the other country, "send your best warrior out to fight me!! " Lets settle this once and for all!!"

The people looked down shaking  in great fright at the site  giant.
The giant laugh and went back to his country, but he was back the next day. As a matter of fact the giant challenged them for forty days and still had no takers. 

On the 40th day, a young boy was bringing lunch to his brothers. He heard about the Giant, then he heard the giant himself make his challenge. 

"I'll take him on" he said. Everyone thought he was crazy but no one argued. They tried to give him their best bow and arrows, and press their best swords into his hand but he refused. he ran to the rive and picked out six smooth stones and tucked away his slingshot. 

His brothers told him goodbye and assured him they would tell their parents how brave he was...as he walked down that hill. 

the giant laugh,"You send a boy to challenge me,? "

I'm Insulted"

 He laughed and laughed.

He didn't see it coming. the stone I mean, it hit its mark. He fell, so great a fal,l they say it shook the earth.  David walked into history, assisted by God. 

Every day we stand in a valley looking up wondering how we are going to climb out of it.

Some days the valley is deeper then others:  the way out is much higher. 

But, om  Good Friday  no ones valley was deeper the the one Jesus faced on this day.

So whatever valley you are looking up from, I wish you well. Who ever your Goliath is.

I wish you six stones to beat him,. For the victory, of course, is already won for us, The battle has been fought. 

We still have to get Natasha's Easter basket and dress. Things are so expensive we are kind of holding out for sales. Real sales, the markdown 50 percent stuff. You know. The ones that hit on Sunday. We like most families ,are short on money this Easter.

It's the one you don't see coming that gets you.  You know how it is:

 You are looking for a promotion, and suddenly you are out of a job instead. Downsizing they call it. . You are thinking you have muscle pain and suddenly it's cancer.
 Child's cold turns into something much more serious. You are never looking for it.

But strangely enough, Someone knows it's coming and He is the one who walks  out of the valley into the sun with you:  ready to face your next Goliath. 

So this Easter season,. remember the joy that we are celebrating.
 Put your Goliath at the foot of the cross, and walk out of your valley. for He has Risen, and by his stripes we are saved. 

All about Charleston, Gators and the Eastr Bunny...

Charleston is cold this morning. It is a chilly 40 degrees, and crisp. The air looks and feels clean but the smell of the marsh permeates Charleston, like a reminder of olden days. When the Harbor was the main source of income for this seaside city. the smell of fish is strong over here because I am five minutes from the marsh. I drive over the bridge to take the kids to work and the marsh sits there quietly reminding us, of what? Of how strong it is? How we once depended o it for Black Marketeers and escaping slaves?Even the marshes have a story here. 

Most often, though except for the smell we just hear about the gators and people who run off the bridge into the marsh in their cars. Not a pretty sight.

Gators, now are different. We thought we'd see them in Florida, but there is a gator who lives in the lake at the park where Tasha plays. We were worried for a minute, then everyone assured us that it was a baby gator and it comes up to the shore then moves on.

I like the moving on part, He can skip greeting us at the shore. 

It is strange to see a sign Don't feed the Alligators, in the middle of  West Ashley, a well populated part of  Charleston.

Like most things, the air is deceptive. The Clear cold beauty is hiding the truth, that the marsh ruins the illusion with the smell, so does our life present the same illusion sometimes. 

But the smell is a part of Charleston, just like the Alligator. 

This is Easter week, everyone is out shopping for Easter bags and like. Tasha will get to see he easter bunny but we are keeping it quiet. 

At Walmart we spent all of five minutes casing Easter Baskets, they are very expensive for what they are: mostly cardboards. So I thought for a minute to make her one. Can't be to hard right?

Well we shall see. 

I started this post this morning, had a little problem and now it is night. I am going to go ahead and post it, after all as scarlett says, tomorrow is another day.....