Winding Down

What if …

On Monday night we talked to Nathan Watson and wished him a happy birthday. It was the year of Lego’s for this young man. It was what he wanted and it was what he got. Now Flat Nathan traveling with us did not necessarily want Lego’s but it is what he got also.

We pulled into a very unlevel campsite. In fact, once again the RV refused to level. One side was actually wheels off the ground which is not a good thing of course. Over my shoulder, I could see a couple sitting outside their rig and observing what we were doing trying to make this site work. They came over, very timidly, and asked if we would like some help which we embraced with open arms. The first thing they asked is, “Do you have Lego’s?” I thought, “Oh my gosh. How can a box of Lego’s help us now?” But after they explained and pointed them out to us under the wheels of their friends RV, we knew there was a tool that we had neglected to make sure we had along. In Michigan and other mid- western states, rarely do we have to worry about the terrain. But, Virginia is a whole different scenario with all the hills and valleys. So, Nathan Watson had a stash of Lego’s and Flat Nathan needed his arsenal filled too.

So our new friends loaned us some and we tried doing the same thing as the above picture. However, we did not have enough borrowed Lego’s and although it was better, we were still wheels off the ground again. Our companions noticed an empty site closer to them and suggested we might want to get the office to give us possession because it was flat ground. Mission accomplished…we were soon settled in with all wheels hitting dirt. We purchased our Lego’s later than afternoon at the local Walmart.

There were three people that afternoon that offered their help as we struggled. After we did finally get set up we spent some time talking with them. First we met Skeet, the Vietnam veteran. I was tickled to meet him as I had an Uncle name Skeet and I had not met anyone called that but my Uncle. By the way, he was a beloved Uncle and I had spent considerable time with them when I was young and they lived in Michigan. So I was fond of our new friend Skeet because I recognized some of the same qualities that my Uncle had. Then we met his wife, Kathy, who is a whiz at leveling their RV. Then there is Linda, who is the friend with the Lego wheels in the picture above.

Always when we travel, we have paid attention to our fellow travelers as much as the places we have visited. But on every trip thus far, God has placed special people in our path at just the perfect time. At times when we needed help…like this time. But also at times when we needed personal encouragement. Last year it was Gary and Janet who shared their story of faith about a debilitating illness that Janet has and how God moved her to a place of healing and she is now a practicing chiropractor again.

This year Skeet and Kathy and Linda and Joe are those people. Skeet went on to share his story of losing a portion of his index finger and thumb during the war. Then he was diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer and is a survivor of 18 years. They have a son who is in his thirties and is awaiting his third and last kidney transplant. They shared their story for one reason…so they could give glory to God for what He has done for them.

In talking with Linda later I discovered that she had a brain tumor that was operable but she is deaf in one ear because the vestibular nerve had to be removed with the tumor. We talked at length about this because we share the vestibular symptoms of dizziness and unsteady balance. Linda also told me about their adult son who had lost one of his eyes in a shooting accident. We did meet Joe later the next morning but just like our helpers, it was like we had known him forever.

Kathy put it well at our parting when she called our meeting “a divine encounter.” This is what God is best at doing. Allowing us to meet people that strengthen our faith and bring us encouragement when he knows that we are enmeshed in our own family problems. He reminds of His love and faithfulness but also pulls us out of feeling like we are the only ones who suffer physical and emotional blows. We also have the privilege of praying for these people who are now sown to us through a Father’s love and have become family members through Christ. This was a special encounter with amazing people. Flat Nathan is learning as much about people as he is places.

• 

• 

On Wednesday morning we headed for Colonial Williamsburg. Again we were on the hunt for information and education about the life and times of the Revolutionary War era. We started with an appearance in a Virginia courtroom when the colonists were enraged about the taxing of tea. That gave us a background into the 4 years just prior to the start of the war. Throughout the day we spent about an hour learning about gun powder and how it is made, observed a courtroom trial for three Colonist that the British Crown were bringing to justice, toured the original magazine, and a demonstration of musket firing. It takes more than one day to cover all the learning opportunities that CW has to offer. We probably would have stayed another day had we not had reservations at another campground.

• 

• 

After a dinner in the tavern we strolled down to the Capitol to be part of a mock trial of a “what if” scenario. The scenario was to presume that the British Regulars had won the war and that the Colonists were being charged with treason to the British crown. Actors portrayed the characters that would have been involved in the trial and we were allowed to ask questions of the witnesses. At the end, all of us spectators had to vote guilty or not guilty based on the evidence presented. The majority voted not guilty. The best part is how this played over and over in our minds that evening, later that day, and even several days later. What would it be like if the British had won? A question we modern day free people probably rarely ask ourselves. Intriguing to say the least.

Our Halloween Scare

Thursday found us settling in for the evening at Selma, North Carolina. I would rather be here than in Selma, Mass on Halloween night. But we were in the middle of a tornado watch and a supposition that a powerful storm was going to roll into camp around midnight. The campground we chose was one of the nicest on our trip. The only drawback was the close proximity to I95. Staying close to the interstate assures that we won’t be pulling the RV along narrow tree covered roads. Staying close to the highway also assures that sleep will be interrupted. But oh what a blessing when the office staff told us that we were invited to a Halloween potluck that night and we did not have to cook a thing. Just show up. Nice!!! Good food complete with door prizes. Not a big turnout because of the threat of storm but we met a couple from the Chesapeake Bay area who were boaters prior to becoming RVer’s. Nice for Ed to talk boats for a while. And…that nasty storm split before it got to us and we were safe and sound all night long…just listening to the semi-trucks running the road. Ha.

Final Exam

Early Friday afternoon, we pulled into Camden, South Carolina. This is where we were hoping to see the culmination of all our education about the Revolutionary War. This is the spot we would watch 300 re-enactors take the battleground and portray a famous battle between the British and the Colonists. We walked the property later in the day so we would have a lay of the land when we arrived for the big event on Saturday.

After a very cold night, the sun came up brightly but I still clothed myself in four layers. We headed for Colonial Camden. When we entered the event you could see the small white pup tents of the Colonial army in the field and the British were camped up on the hill. The campfires were burning with pots of hot coffee on the fire and several participants had begun their fare for the evening meal. It takes all day to smoke fish or roast a meat over the open fire. We saw the men around their cannons, children learning the art of ax throwing from their parents or playing games like “Shut the Box.”

We strolled through both camps asking questions of the participants. Our education continued as we listened to the role of women in the camps and on the battlefield. We watched a portrayal of a British Court Martial. Then at 1:30 we lined up with other spectators to see the actual re-enactment. As we had learned on this journey, we saw and heard the presence of the fife and drum core as they gave battle signals through their music. We watched as the flag bearer appeared to help the men keep their places with their regiment when the field was overcome with gun powder smoke. The cavalry came galloping onto the field sitting staunchly upon their horses. Cannons were dragged onto the battleground. At the command, the fighting began and the actors played out one of the battles as they knew it to be. This battle was won by the British Regulars but as we know…they had not won the war! We finished our day there watching some folks show us 18th century dances. A good way for us to end our day indeed.

• 

• 

• 

•