What is the common element here?
Driver’s side mirror being side-swiped from our truck,
getting lost (only a little!),
glacier-river silt blowing into our mouths as we ate,
someone getting carsick (only once),
$4.94 for a gallon of gas X a 44 gallon tank,
SIXTY miles of a gravel road,
drivers in Anchorage (they are a lot like those in the lower 48).
* * * * * *
Sweet fellowship with other believers (several times),
seeing good friends that we haven’t seen for months,
having someone else cook for us a few times,
camping as a family–the teens are getting fast at setting up a tent,
Brian reading The Hiding Place while we drove,
meeting dear friends that have become “old” friends already,
beautiful scenery…our whole state is a scenic by-way,
bonding times for our family.

It is all a matter of focus.
I’ve got tri-focals now and I’m learning how to look at life differently than I used to.
Some things are up close (quite important) and need to be closely examined. There are other issues in my life that warrant attention and are important- but surely not top prioity stuff.
Then there is that which I need to look at most–the distant viewing section of my glasses is the largest for a good reason. Things that are most important are the things of eternity (things most distant in time?)
Oh, that I would really grow to live with these thoughts in front of my spiritual eyes all the time.

The Fourth of July is celebrated here in Nenana with about 3 hours of games held right in the center of “A” Street. Foot races, three-legged races, egg races, relay races, inner-tube races, bicycle races, sack races, pie eating, pop scramble and coins in sawdust. Most of the games are divided into age levels and boys and girls usually run separately. Small money prizes are awarded for first and second and “a quarter for everyone else”. Our children do participate in some of the races and have a lot of fun. There are opportunities to purchase hot dogs and ice creams to use those quarters won in the races! This year our 4-H group set up a small petting zoo with chickens, rabbits, goats, a dog, some guinea pigs, and even a cow. This is the first year for Nenana to have a 4-H club so the zoo was a great way to attract attention.