We celebrated a little early, over the weekend, with my siblings and spouses at Ed and Eileen’s cabin in Sugar Grove, West Virginia. It is a lovely drive to their cabin. At Staunton we headed west on 250/262. We drove through farmland, small hometown villages, and finally entered the National Forest as we crossed over North Mountain on a very curvey, windy road with S-curves, horseshoe and 90 degree turns, the kind that can make you car sick if you are so inclined. At the top of the mountain was an incredible view of mountain ranges that stretched for miles and miles. It is a true throwback in time to how I remember the mountain roads into West Virginia as a teen.
I thought about John Denver’s song Country Roads, Take Me Home. I never lived in West Virginia but it holds many precious memories for me. During my teen years, I, along with three other girls, would go to Harman, West Virginia for two weeks every summer and teach Bible School in the mountain churches. It was a highlight of my youth. Sometimes we taught morning and evening in two different churches. I have so many precious memories of the Kanagys, Millers, Goods, Buchers, Miningers, and others whose names I have forgotten. West Virginia forever holds a special place in my heart.
After the mountain, we turned on Cow Pasture Road which truly lives up to its name. It runs along the base of the mountain for about twenty miles with houses built on ridges, beef farms, mountain streams, chicken houses and plain rural living. It is a beautiful drive and at times the road runs through canopies of trees. When we cross the concrete bridge at the base of Heatwoles’ driveway, we are at the same elevation as the top of Afton Mountain.
Their cabin hugs the edge of a mountain ridge. Their driveway is steep with a horseshoe turn. There is a magnificaant view of a tall mountain range in the distance stretching from one end of the horizon to the other. We watched the full moon rise over Reddish Knob in the distance. Wildlife abounds with deer feasting at Ed’s feeder, coyotes yelp and howl their eerie bark, bear roam around the area (we didn’t see any) and we listened to whipperwills whippering their evening song.
Ed made his house animal proof with metal siding and metal porch posts. His screened in back porch is a quiet oasis of rest. The inside of the cabin is Eileen’s masterpiece. She has a good decorating eye and is very unique in her style and design. It is homey, comfortable, inviting and pleasant.
My family enjoyed a wonderful weekend together catching up, processing daddy’s situation, praying for him, and resting. I wish I had taken a few more pictures.
Sunday morning Ed lead our worship and directed our thoughts on communion and the price Jesus paid for our sins because of his love for us. Our sins they are many but his mercy is more. He invites us to come to his table and celebrate as we remember his broken body, the bread and poured out blood, the wine or grape juice. His blood flows as a fountain, deep and full, overflowing with abundant mercy. Come. Drink. Be forgiven. Drink deeply.
The song “My Sins They Are Many, His Mercy is More” sung by Acappella Harmony has become one of my favorite songs. The original version is “His Mercy is More” written by Keith and Kristyn Getty.
