Colonial Beach....The New Family Home

The drive up from Blacksburg was bittersweet this past Friday.... I had a terrible cold, no sleep, and knew that my last time at the Springfield house had come and gone.  But the Blue Ridge offers beauty and peace to a soul and the drive up 29 to route 3 was serene, and amazingly un-congested.  I arrived in Colonial Beach to piles of boxes, a slightly upset and confused cat, and a welcome dinner at Wilkersons with the family.

Colonial Beach is a unique river town on the Potomac River.  It boasts golf carts, rocky beaches, and plenty of characters.  My family has owned property here since I was a kid, and we would spend weekends here away from the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia.  It was the place to steal a few quiet moments, to recharge, a place that I came on my own for a week a couple of years ago and found community by helping with a vacation bible school.

This morning found me back at Colonial Beach Baptist Church, slipping into the pew next to the head of the school board, Tim and his wife Colleen.... I hadn't seen them since the fourth last year...I love reconnecting with old friends. It is my first Sunday not leading since getting back from Colorado, and it did my heart good to take in the music, enjoy the leading of someone else, and just be part of the congregation of fifty some baptists, raising their hands, clapping their proclamations of who God is, his greatness, his awesomeness. I love the preacher Johnny Almond, in all his grey haired, wisdom glory, with corny puns and a heart for the Lord.  The church is alive! and our hope is in Christ.

I'm thankful the McDonalds in town now has free wifi, although it has already led to some conversation with the colorful locals... why are you smiling? one asked. Well, my friend left a comment online and it made me laugh... an inside joke of sorts. I replied. What does that mean? he asked......I dropped the conversation after that....and shortly later he left.

And last but not least in this rambling post of unconnected thoughts, I love meeting neighbors, catching up with Robert, the screenwriter/director/jack of all trades who lives across the street, and most importantly, unpacking a few things to make the shed liveable and comfortable for Mitch and his stay over the next month..... I am unsettled with my plan B, even more so by being here, but more on that later....for now I am going to get a mocha frappe, pick up Becky a sweet tea, and head back to the house, probably to give Duke a good strum, play with Nate, and help get the house ready for company tomorrow... ice cream stand later today, fireworks started last night, and smores and campfire is on the agenda for tonight..... best.weekend.ever!