Christ is in our midst, wherever we shall go...

View from Long Point, in the New River Gorge

I should seriously consider renaming this blog, since “Daily” hardly describes my time here. Sigh. Thanks for checking in, anyway. It does my heart good to know this blog is still finding its way in the search engines and can offer some words to people looking for prayers, scripture, or something about the lives of a saint. That is an answered prayer.

This blog is never far from mind though, even in my busiest times I am weaving words together in my mind to share here at a later date. One such occasion was a few months ago, during May as I was on location photographing members from a blue-grass band. The photo shoot - gleefully - took me out to one of my favorite spots in West Virginia: Long Point.

Long Point is accessed by a 40 min. hike into the New River Gorge, eventually arriving at an awesome outcropping of rock and wind-swept tenacious shrubs and evergreens. The view from Long Point is spectacular, with a full-length, unimpeded view of the New River Gorge Bridge in the distance and the New River winding its way through the narrow gorge over 800 feet below. It's a place of inspiration and natural beauty - and, to be able to go to this place and work, well... I feel blessed indeed!

We arrived at Long Point just as the sun rose over the Appalachian Mountains... a glorious morning, with a gentle fog lifting slowly out of the gorge like soothing wafts of incense stretching upward to heaven. It was sheer bliss and I relished the idea of coming back again and again just to sit and watch the dawning of day. How can anyone witness such a singular moment and not see the Creator’s Hand?!

Rhododendron, West Virginia's State Flower

Add to this euphoria my love of photography and the excellent people I was working with and you have a morning that went way too fast. Upon our hike to and from Long Point, I enjoyed the conversation of my companions and realized I was in the company of those who love and serve God. It dawned on me, not for the first time, that where I go, Christ goes... there is no secular society where believers are.

Christ is in our midst; He is and ever shall be!

August 31st: Moving Day!
After nearly 10 years @ Gatewood, Jack has a new place to call home: Beauty Mountain Farm. This piece of paradise is located near the rim of the New River Gorge, owned and operated by Laura Davis and Gary Reynolds.

For those of you who may not know him so well, Jack is my horse, or, rather, I am his girl. I am blessed to share in his unique story. He has been with me since 1983 and we’ve grown up together in a sense. He was there to carry my friends and I on long trail rides during high school, he patiently endured my learning how to compete in hunter/jumper classes, he was there when I met my husband-to-be, he has been there to greet my two babies into the world. He is the most kind and gentle horse I have ever known.

As Jack is in his golden years, I’ve wanted to put him on a bit more pasture. I noticed a lady’s name & number on an ad bulletin one day and jotted it down for future reference. Months went by and then, out of the blue, I called the number to ask if they boarded horses. Well, we barely got past ‘hello’ and I knew. Laura and I ‘clicked’ as those with much in common are wont to do. I thank God for crossing our paths. It seems that my phone call was the catalyst for her to complete her barn projects and within a few months, she and Gary welcomed Jack & I aboard. I could not be happier; Jack has new pals and fields to roam and I have found a kindred spirit, a mentor, a friend.