sweet perfection...

I am usually not one to handle a lot of stress in my life. When I reach a certain boiling point, I can't do anything but cry. Yesterday was one of those times. The straw that broke the camels back? Well, a paper that was due, that I didn't turn in because why? I didn't even remember to do it. All semester I have had things done before or on the date in which they are due. Not this time and after that crashed everything else came crashing down with it. I am working a lot, and I have a lot of school work to do. There are things going on at home that quite frankly, I am tired of stressing over. Situations concerning friends, relationships, and the like are stressing me out, even though I just shouldn't worry about them. So, at about 2 pm, at my breaking point, I picked up a blanket, my Bible and my journal, and a map and headed out not really knowing where I would end up or how I would get there. I just needed a break!

So, there I went. I got in my car. Rolled the windows down. Put in the Lifehouse CD and turned it up as loud as I could stand, and went straight on auto-pilot. Down I-64 East. Took the Taylorsville Exit and headed towards T-ville Lake. No sooner did I get to Elk Creek that the thought crossed my mind, "It's too soon to stop. Keep driving." So I took a left at the light and sped down the road. Thinking about Chris Bosson of course and how much he likes the curves, turns, and dips on this particular road. Hahaha. He would have been proud. The Sun was shining for the first time in a week and between the sun, and the wind, and the music, I felt free. I felt free to go where ever I wanted and to do whatever I wanted. There were no restrictions at this point.

I arrived in Shelbyville, and immediatley got on I-64 East once again and was on my way to Lexington, KY. The ranches that way were beautiful. All the horses were out, and it was hard to pay attention to the road as I was distracted by all the beauty. As I arrived in Lexington, I had intended to just turn around and go back, but then that little voice came back and said, "be daring. Go somewhere you've never been before." So, off I went down Bluegrass Parkway headed towards E-town. I've been to E-town, but I have never seen the paradise of Bluegrass Parkway. There was a very cool castle that way that I hope to go back and see again. The sun was still shinin, and for many miles there was no one on the road but me. It was just me, the road, and the sun. The whole time I was driving, I thought about finding a new spot. A special spot where I could just stop and be still, and mediate on the word of God when I need to slow down, be reminded that he is God, and has my life in his hands. I looked and looked for some special spot. But never really found one. I kept driving, and found 55 towards T-ville again. I had thought about going all the way to E-town and back up to L-ville, but the one thing I didn't want to do was end up in the middle of rush hour traffic in downtown L-ville. I had felt that the further I was away from that busy city, the further I was from stress. So I took the exit towrds Bloomfield, KY.

What beauty this little town holds. There was nothing but ranches, fields, cows, horses. Life seemed so simple out here. I was wishing I could just go lay out my blanket right in the middle of one of these fields. But I kept driving, back towards Taylorsville. I ended up at Taylorsville State Park. Now it was time to stop as I felt myself getting closer and closer to the place where God was waiting for me to come running to him and find rest in his arms. I drove down a little winding road that wound down to the dam. There was the Taylorsville Lake, the dam, picnic tables, sidewalks, and a tree right in the middle of the open grass area. "There it is!" I thought. So I quickly got my stuff laid out my blanket, opened my Bible and found peace and rest in the arms of my Savior. Ahhh, sweet perfection.

I intend on going back to this place every time I need to get away. I love it there. I could spend hours there. I encourage all of you to have a special spot where just you and the Lord can chat, and cry, and be completly separated from the world, and busyness of life. It has helped me a lot the past few years. I can't wait to go back, and just settle down, be still, and bask in the presence of God.