Junaluska Morning

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina is one of my favorite places on earth. My grandparents bought a small house there when I was a baby. That was quite a few years ago! I love that place! Everything about the creaky floors, old furniture, weird parking arrangements, wacky shower curtain, metal kitchen cabinets is wonderful.

The best thing of all is the view of the lake from the back porch and the squeaky rocking chairs that must be five pounds heavier than when they were made because of all the paint that's been put on them over all these years.

Looking across the lake to the mountains beyond, usually with the Smoky Mountain haze present, is an oasis for me. I'm reminded of the strength of the mountains and how they are part of God's creative works.

I have so many memories of this very porch and this exact view.

Across the lake is a train track; about once a day a train actually goes by and you can hear the whistle in the distance.

In the evening, the double-decker pontoon boat full of happy tourists rides around the lake. We always went on the boat at least once in our childhood visits. My grandmother never went along; instead she stayed at the house and waved a bright tablecloth so we could see the house on the side of the mountain.

Mornings found my grandfather working in his rose bushes right outside our basement bedroom windows. He loved those roses! He usually had tomatoes growing too...red and yellow. He liked the yellow ones best.

On rainy days...that's what got me started on this today...we stayed in the house and played Gin Rummy and Shanghai. I think he let me win too much!

Rainy days are always Junaluska Days for me. This morning we had gentle, steady rain for a few hours. No wind, just rain. I sat on the porch remembering all the Junaluska mornings and pretending I was actually there.

I pretended there was morning fog just beyond my trees. I was sure I could see the mountains peeking over the top of my little hill. I pretended I heard the screen door slam announcing my parents were coming up for breakfast. I pretended I heard my grandmother banging around in the kitchen. She really was noisy in there.

Funny thing, while I pretended, I also enjoyed my trees, my porch, and the rain right here in Indiana. I am blessed to have these, blessed to have the rain, and blessed to know the one who made the mountains and the rain, wherever I am.