Down by the River-Side,Broad River, Lake Houser Meadows

How beneficial to talk a walk down by the Main Broad River, just very near our home! I usually walk around the lake, but this morning I decided to walk on down to the beautiful river--which
I love as well, & holds so many dear & precious memories for me--my boyfriend(now my husband) actually kissed me for the first time in the middle of the Broad River, at a Sunday School Party, (I was just barely 12 yrs. old, & what a kiss that was--even my toes tingled!) Our
teachers at the party were my boyfriend's Aunt Ruby & Uncle Maurice, and they just smiled real
big as they watched us from the river-bank! I wonder now if they thought we were "young lovers" at that time---& as time marched on, we were destined to an exciting courtship & later
on, a beautiful marriage, (& four children as well)---
but it all began in the Broad River!! Also, there at the riverside--several years ago, our youngest daughter, Susie
married the love of her life- Kim Miller, in a beautiful outdoor Wedding at Lake Houser Meadows, on the Main Broad River,--so grand--& the
weather was just beautiful(had prayed for good weather for 3 months prior to the Wedding, along with all our friends praying as well--& the Good Lord was so gracious & kind to grant us
the perfect Wedding Day for Susie & Kim, for which we were so thankful & grateful!
They even rode away in the "carriage pulled by a feisty horse" to the big Reception held at our
son's big victorian home, about 1 1/2 miles from the Broad River--Wow--what a fabulous
Wedding--many of our friends said that was the most beautiful Wedding they had ever seen!
I still think of their Wedding Spot, by the river, as special Holy Ground, as Holy Matrimony
had taken place their, & as I close my eyes, I can just see those lovely scenes unfold--the
music so beautiful by the Harpist, & our son Garry, singing, Ava Maria--ah-h-h--such a
glorious day, such sweet photos & grand memories too! Oh yes, I learned to swim at this
special river, as my uncle told me there was this huge deep whirlpool next to the Bank--& I
had to learn to swim over it, or else someday I might get caught in the whirlpool & never be
able to get out--since it was so deep! Wow--I did learn to swim very quickly,-- as this was the
spot we always came to when I was a child(growin up) to have our family picnics,etc.
While meditating there, and just thanking God for our many blessings, realizing we are not
worthy of the many good things he has sent our way--I just felt so thankful, and just wanting
to praise God -- He is so good and kind and forgiving and forever faithful, true and strong!
Hallelujah--Praise Him forever & ever, as He loves each one of us so very much, and even
made us in His image. Well--I did get carried away just remembering all the blessings! It
is so refreshing to be able to enjoy and treasure some peace & quiet time down by the river,
it just gives me a "great attitude adjustment, renews my spirit, mind and body", and I begin
to feel "energized"!! Sure hope you have a river near you, or lake, or ocean---where you can
go to "meditate" and "re-charge your energy too"! Oh yes, another event happened long ago
down by the riverside--our 2nd son, Bruce, along with the rest of our family was playing
at our family picnic there, my Mom & Dad were there as well, & all of a sudden, we missed
little 3 yr. old Bruce--I screamed out, Daddy--did Bruce fall in the river?? Daddy jumped into the river with all his clothes on to find him, & at that moment, little Bruce came running around
the front of Daddy's ole' green Ford Truck, & said, "Here I am, Mama"!! Wow--such a big
relief as tears streamed down my face, as I was pregnant with my 3rd child at the time, and
my "hormones" were doing double duty plus!! We just hugged him and were so thankful, &
then left earlier than we had planned to get Daddy some dry clothes! Ah-h-h, I love that
Broad River--so beautiful and peaceful, just keeps on rolling along--but today, due to the
big drought we're having--96 deg. for weeks on end--the water was so low, & lots of big rocks
were poking their heads above the rolling river--(reminded me of little elves, all shapes & sizes),
and I never remember seeing the water that low in my entire life--so please pray for rain, as
this drought needs to end soon! It would be difficult to go "tubing down the Broad River with
the water level so low, & finding your way through all those rocks would be a bit difficult--Let's
just keep on praying for "Rain---maybe do the Indian Rain Dance"!! One of my great Aunts--who is deceased now, but in her old age, she had dark black hair & always laughed and said
that she thought we had an Indian in our family--due to her black hair! She was a precious
jewel in our family, & she could tell the most fascinating stories--but I'll get to that in a later
post! In the meantime--please do the "Indian Dance for Rain" if you know how, and just
keep[ "praying for those precious raindrops to begin" -- & in full force. Then some bright,
sunny day, we can just go "tubing down the river on a Sunday afternoon" & have someone
pick us up at the beautiful "Broad River Greenway"!!