GROUND — Hidden eatery in Franklin, TN

11/21/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

(As you are reading this today, be aware that Steve and I are in the throes of Cousins Camp 2016. We will be up and at ’em in a big way, feeding breakfast to 10 eager grands who will be ready for all that awaits on my famous Clipboard of Fun. Your prayers for the safety and health of all of us would be greatly appreciated).

If it hadn’t been for a casual Facebook post from my nephew Tom, I never would have known about this place. He displayed a photo of an amazing looking hamburger, and it “just so happened” that we were going to be in Franklin keeping three grands for a few days while their parents were doing mission work in India. GROUND immediately found its way to my meal planning process.

Outside view of Ground.

GROUND is located at 330 Mayfield Drive. Just put it in your GPS. It’s off of Carothers Parkway if you’re familiar with the area. It’s a small place. Probably no more than 2 dozen people can be seated at one time, but the tables become vacant pretty quickly, so don’t let that deter you. The menu is built on 3 items — burgers, potatoes and salads. The children’s plates are only $5.00, and on Saturday kids eat free. What a deal! We weren’t in a particularly “healthy” frame of mind the day we visited, so I don’t have any photos of salads to show you, but GROUND does tout fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, so I suspect they would be delicious.

Wall board describing GROUND’s vision and approach.

Order and prep counter.

Two of our grands had cheeseburgers with fries. They couldn’t finish even 1/3 of their fries but declared them to be great. Another grandson had a cheeseburger and a baked potato. His meal got 2 thumbs up as well.

Kids plate with a massive mound of fries.

Mouthwatering cheeseburger with a baked potato.

Steve and I had El Toro Spuds, his with jalapenos, mine without. Yummo!

El Toro stuffed spud.

Those jalapenos gave it quite a kick.

If you’d like to try an out-of-the-way, non-chain, farm-to-table cafe, I believe you’ll enjoy a casual lunch or dinner at GROUND. They’re closed on Sunday, so plan accordingly.

Thoughts from the Super Moon

11/18/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

A few nights ago, we had a front row seat for a spectacular phenomenon right outside the windows in our family room — a huge, bright, full Super Moon!! According to experts, the moon was the closest it has been to the earth since January 26, 1948!! Several years before I was born. What a treat! It was as if God had super-sized this wonder of His creation just for our benefit.

(From Google Images — labeled for noncommercial reuse)

After I gazed in awe, I had to chuckle for just a minute. All three of our children spent a portion of their teenage years working for McDonald’s Corporation (which, by the way, not only taught them about being an employee and earning a paycheck, it also provided great motivation to continue their educations). It was during those years that they were taught to say, upon taking an order, “Can I super-size that for you?” Fodder for family laughter as you might expect.

I most definitely do not want my dress size to be super-sized, but, after the awe and the chuckle, I thought about aspects of my life that I truly WOULD like to super-size.

FAITH — I consider myself to be a woman of faith, but what would it look like for my faith to be super-sized? How does a person increase their faith? Does it require testing? Does it come from recognition of God’s hand at work?

Hebrews 11:1 — “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

LOVE — I love my husband, children, grandchildren, family members and friends deeply. How can I increase that love? What acts or words would help me to assure those in my sphere of influence that they are greatly loved by me?

1 John 4:7 — “Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”

PRAYER LIFE — I often have ongoing conversations with God throughout the day and for short periods in the morning. And, of course, during times of crisis my prayers increase. What results would come from a super-sized prayer life without a crisis?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 — “Pray without ceasing.”

What areas of your own life would you like to see God super-size just as He did to that moon a few nights ago? Don’t be surprised if I edit this post again and again in coming weeks as He puts more reminders on my heart.

Maine Impressions — HARBORS, LEAVES, BLUEBERRIES AND WHOOPIE PIES

11/14/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Before I move on from Maine, there are other scenes and insights that must be shared.

If you plan to visit the coast of Maine, you have to be aware of the “season.” MANY businesses, inns, restaurants, etc. are only open from mid-May (some even wait until Memorial Day weekend) to mid-October (primarily after Columbus Day weekend). I’m sure you can go at other times, and your cost might be considerably less. But, you will be much more limited in your accommodation and restaurant choices. With such a short season (less than 5 months), it is understandable that business owners need to make their money for the year during that time. You’ll be paying premium prices, but you’ll also be getting a premium experience.

Our trip was October 4-11. We were thrilled to be there at pretty much the peak time for foliage colors. Oh my!!! But, it is almost impossible to determine that in advance. I know the coastal region is bound to be spectacular at any time, but I know that adding in those colors made it even more magical.

In contrast to the thousands of miles of rocky Pacific coastline, the inlets and harbors are calm, peaceful and extremely photogenic. Truthfully, we didn’t find a single ugly spot anywhere during our 8 days in the state.

Camden, ME

Kennebunkport

We also learned that August in Maine is Blueberry Season, and the restaurants have fresh blueberry offerings featured prominently on their menus during that time. Another Maine dessert is called Whoopie Pie. It is like a super-sized Little Debbie cake. We got to try that in a pumpkin version and in chocolate. Both have a fluffy creamy icing center layer.

Pumpkin whoopie pie served at Alisson’s in Kennebunkport.

Surely by now I have caused you to look at your calendar and start planning. We fell in love with Maine and can’t wait to go back again soon.

The Lesson of Lighthouses

11/11/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

After reading my post from Monday, October 31, you’re probably not surprised to find that I want to make a spiritual application.

For 65+ years of my life, I didn’t think much about lighthouses. But, just in this past year, I have seen some lighthouses in both St. Simons Island, Georgia and in Maine that have stirred a new fascination on the subject. Some facts from a little research:

What is a lighthouse? A tower with a bright light at the top.

Where is a lighthouse built? At an important or dangerous place in terms of travel over water.

How is a lighthouse designed? It is designed to withstand local environmental conditions, and each one is given different colors and patterns to distinguish them from each other.

Before automation, what was the role of the lighthouse keeper? To make sure that the light did not go out during the nighttime, during fog or during storms and to be available to help rescue sailors in case of a shipwreck.

What are the purposes of a lighthouse?

To emit light using a system of lamps and lenses.
To project light at night and to serve as a navigational marker by day.
To help identify a ship’s location, to warn of potential hazards, and to notify the ship’s captain that land is near.

It makes perfect sense to me that a lighthouse is a VERY BIG DEAL for someone who is navigating a large ship, a small boat, or any size vessel on the water.

Head Harbor Lightstation, Campobello, New Brunswick.

What does that have to do with me? Naturally, I am reminded of all the references to “light” in the Bible. Jesus Himself was the ultimate lighthouse.

John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.'”

And, the Bible itself serves as a lighthouse.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

But, then Jesus says that I am supposed to be a light, along with all of my Christian brothers and sisters.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

When I think of Jesus’ words today and I think about the function of a lighthouse, I’m convicted. Oh, MOST of the time I feel that I’m being a light, but also MOST of the time, I definitely don’t shine brightly enough. I wonder if my light would continue to shine throughout a very dark night or during the time of a terrible storm (thinking figuratively, of course). For today, I’m reminded very clearly that a light or a lighthouse is crucial in sounding the warning about possible dangers ahead. To me, that translates into sharing my faith in more deliberate ways. A lighthouse is not offensive. A lighthouse is a welcome sight. It is helpful and essential. It is placed in the perfect spot.

Anything you’d like to add?

Maine Impressions – INNS

11/07/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Please promise me. Don’t even THINK about staying in a chain hotel when you’re in Maine or anywhere in New England for that matter. A Bed & Breakfast/Inn is so much a part of the whole atmosphere of the area. The breakfasts are generally wonderful, and you’re bound to meet such interesting people. I might make an exception if you’re traveling with several children, but if you’re traveling as a couple, with another couple or even as a single, give serious thought to trying an inn.

Several of you has asked for a look at our itinerary. The short version is that we flew in and out of Portland, Maine and planned to cover the coast from Kennebunkport to Bar Harbor with a short detour to Poland, Maine (about an hour from Portland) before flying home. As it turned out, we ended up going from York Beach at the southern tip of the state to Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, where the term DOWNEAST truly comes from. New Brunswick is across a bridge from Lubec, Maine. Since we had not anticipated this side trip, we didn’t have our passports with us. But, we did have our drivers’ licenses and current passports “in the system.” Crossing into Maine, we were asked if we were carrying alcohol, tobacco or firearms and told to enjoy the scenery. Coming back into the US was a little more complicated. We had to show our ID and wait for passports to be verified. We were asked to show our rental car agreement, and the car trunk was searched. It was both disconcerting and reassuring at the same time. You know?

After landing, retrieving luggage, and collecting our rental car, we headed straight to Kennebunkport and found our inn for the first two nights – Captain Lord Mansion. It is a AAA Four Diamond property with spacious rooms, a great location for walking to town, wonderful breakfasts and gorgeous gardens. We were enchanted with the area and this inn.

Captain Lord Mansion in Kennebunkport, Maine

On Day 3, we headed to Rockland, Maine by way of Boothbay Harbor. I had hoped we could stay in Camden, but I waited too long and the inns there were completely booked up. Lime Rock Inn in Rockland was comfortable, located well and hospitable. We got to spend a day in Camden, so all was well.

Lime Rock Inn, Rockland, Maine

For Days 5 and 6, we headed further north and east to Bar Harbor. Our inn there was the Inn at Bay Ledge. Our room was very small (they have larger ones, but I didn’t book one of those in time), but the common areas were nice, the breakfasts were good, and the view of Frenchman Bay was spectacular. We used this as our launching pad for Acadia National Park and Canada. The town of Bar Harbor was okay, but on the particular day we were there, quite a few tour buses were in town, and two cruise ships had emptied themselves of hundreds of passengers for a day of shopping. So, it didn’t seem quite as “quaint” as we had anticipated.

On the back porch looking out on Frenchman Bay at the Inn at Bay Ledge, Bar Harbor, Maine

For our last night in Maine, we drove down to Poland, Maine (mostly because our flight home wasn’t until late afternoon, and we knew we’d have most of the next day to get back to Portland and do more sightseeing) and checked into Wolf Cove Inn on Tripp Lake. Oh my. It was fabulous! The grounds and the inn itself were wonderful. This was the only place where we were actually given a menu for choosing our breakfast preference the next morning, and it was great.

Wolf Cove Inn with Tripp Lake in the distance. Poland, Maine

In all four inns, the innkeepers were delightful and gracious, and our fellow travelers were full of interesting viewpoints and information. There are hundreds of inns along the coast of Maine. Just do your homework and read reviews carefully. I’ve included the websites for the ones we enjoyed, but there are many others I’d like to try.

Now you have 3 reasons to visit Maine, but stay tuned for a few more.

Looming Election Day Thoughts

11/04/2016 By: CCPearson6 Comments

Disclaimer: Steve and I have already voted. Since we knew we’d be away from our precinct on Election Day, we took advantage of the opportunity to vote early.

If you’ve known me (or followed this blog) for very long, you can probably guess how we voted. However, it has been a much harder decision than I anticipated back in the early days of the primaries. BOTH candidates at the top of their respective tickets have GLARING flaws and troubling backgrounds. They’ve both made very regrettable, cringe-worthy statements.

I am an educated WOMAN. My dad, my brother and, especially, my husband have all shown deep respect for and toward women.

I have children and grandchildren who are facing unsettling futures — in economic and, even more, in moral terms. So much of what they see and hear doesn’t line up with what they are taught in the Bible. That wasn’t the case when I was growing up.

My husband and I both receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. Because of my years in the public school system, we had good medical insurance. But, I have family members who are very dependent on Obamacare.

We are drawn to people of every “race, tribe and creed.” We loved doing international missions and have marveled at how the nations have come to US. Yet, we realize what a cost there is for our country to provide services to the people who keep pouring in. And, we know there are people in the world who HATE the United States and are determined to destroy us.

We hate war. Steve and our son Matt were not in the military, but we have a son-in-law who served in the army, and we have 5 grandsons (and 7 granddaughters, too) who could conceivably be asked to fight in the years ahead.

I hate the idea of abortion. I believe a woman should pay more attention to her “right to say no” BEFORE engaging in sex that could result in an unwanted pregnancy. Two of my three pregnancies were difficult. I have a daughter who had a pulmonary embolism late in one of her pregnancies. Abortion was never even mentioned or contemplated.

My husband was self-employed for many years. Taxes were a BIG deal, and WE were responsible for saving, investing and making a plan for our retirement years.

ISSUES . . . UPON ISSUES . . . UPON ISSUES.

So, I’ve prayed and searched God’s Word. The Bible, by the way, has a LOT to say on the subject of government and its leaders. Here are just a few verses and passages:

Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” (John 19:11)

“There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1b)

In other words, government was God’s idea!!

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Christians are urged to pray for governmental leaders.

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)

We’re told to submit or “be subject” to those in position over us.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. … From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:11, 15-16)

No matter who wins this election or any election in the years to come, JESUS WILL WIN IN THE END.

And, one more thing, Christians are commanded to love each other. That includes those who have opposite viewpoints to ours.

So, in conclusion, I want to encourage you to vote on November 8th. And, no matter what the outcome is, choose to trust God. He’s in charge, and He won’t be caught by surprise.

Maine Impressions — LIGHTHOUSES

10/31/2016 By: CCPearson1 Comment

The state of Maine has 3000 miles of rocky, rugged, craggy coastline, 5000 miles if you count all of the inlets and islands. Alabama, by comparison, has a whopping 60 miles along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. We probably don’t need any lighthouses.

But, for a prissy Southern girl, those lighthouses are very fascinating and beautiful, and Maine has 65 of them to enjoy. It felt a little like being on an Easter egg hunt and finding the Golden Egg. We didn’t go on any boat tours nor did we take strenuous hikes, but we found 5 wonderful lighthouses in Maine and 2 more when we crossed into New Brunswick, Canada to the island of Campobello for an afternoon. That means we have a built-in reason to plan another trip to Maine to search for others.

We spotted our very first one after we checked into our B & B in Kennebunkport then drove down to Cape Porpoise for dinner. That was when we saw the Goat Island Lighthouse. Read some of its history here.

The next afternoon, we drove down to York Beach to find the acclaimed Cape Neddick Lighthouse, also known as Nubble Light. It is among the most photographed in the world and ranks at least in the Top 2 of my favorites while we were in Maine. We had the added pleasure of meeting Bill Thomson, well-known Maine Storyteller, and bought a painting that he personalized for us while we chatted with him.

Nubble Lighthouse on York Beach, ME.

In Rockland, we found the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. This is one that can be reached on foot by walking along a rocky 7/8 mile path. This one was made memorable by the delightful Christian couple we met. They were natives of Maine and are busy helping to plant a church in their community. We immediately found lots of common ground to discuss.

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, Rockland, ME.

On the only rainy day during our trip, we found the West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec, Maine, the easternmost point in the contiguous United States. This one gets my vote for most colorful, and I enjoyed the easy walk right up to it.

West Quoddy Head Light, near Lubec, ME.

Earlier that day, we crossed over into Canada briefly to Campobello Island on the Bay of Fundy where President Roosevelt and his family often vacationed. This was, in fact, where he was actually stricken with polio at the age of 40. During our few hours on Campobello, we found the Head Harbor Lightstation, and Mulholland which overlooks the town of Lubec. Both were nice, but not necessarily memorable. Our lunch that day WAS memorable, however. We ate at the Fireside Restaurant, and because it was Thanksgiving Day in Canada, they were serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Delicious!! Don’t try to go there in the next few months, though. As you can see from the website, it is now closed for the season and won’t reopen until Memorial Day weekend.

Perhaps the most famous lighthouse we saw was on our last day a few hours before heading to the airport — Portland Headlight. Very magnificent. Such an impressive sight. Edward Hopper used it as the subject of one of his most famous paintings, which is now at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. The setting on Cape Elizabeth is a photographer’s and painter’s dream. I highly recommend that you include this on your itinerary when you go to Maine.

Portland Headlight, Cape Elizabeth, ME.

I hope I am tempting you to visit Maine. The lobsters and the lighthouses are magnets for sure, but stay with me. There’s much more.

When You Wear the Shirt

10/28/2016 By: CCPearson4 Comments

On fall Saturdays when my beloved Auburn Tigers are playing football, you will find me wearing one of the several orange and blue, logo-enhanced shirts I have accumulated for this very purpose. I may or may not also wear Auburn earrings, an Auburn bracelet, Auburn sunglasses and dark blue pants or jeans, but I’ll definitely have on an Auburn shirt. To anyone in the world with even the slightest knowledge of SEC football, my allegiance is unmistakable. I don’t have to be physically present at Jordan-Hare stadium either. No matter where I might be on game day, I am displaying my colors.

The back of my t-shirt with a vintage Aubie on display.

A recent Saturday in Bar Harbor, Maine was no exception.

Steve and I carefully planned our travel itinerary around kick-off, hoping to find a sports bar carrying the game at lunch time. We hit the jackpot with our very first inquiry, and there was the game in living color with no one in the whole place paying any attention. And, to add to the perfection of the moment, there were two seats directly in front of the television with unobstructed views. We figured as long as we kept ordering food and bottled waters we’d be allowed to stay. (No, no booze. You know us better than that.) So, we started with appetizers and settled in. The bartender was amiable. The place wasn’t crowded. Our team had a big victory. All was well.

But, then we left and started visiting little shops on our way back to our parking place. About a block from our car, we passed a couple walking in the opposite direction, and all of a sudden, I heard, “Roll Tide!” Nooooooo. Not in Maine!!!! I whizzed around and saw the grinning face of the voice and asked, “Are you from Alabama?” She said, “Well, I’m originally from Muscle Shoals, but I live in Boston now.” What are the chances that we’d meet on a sidewalk in Bar Harbor, Maine? She was not wearing an Alabama shirt, but MY shirt had brought on her reaction. She KNEW what it meant.

Later that night, I got up after dinner at a restaurant, wearing the same shirt, and heard a man behind me: “Hotty Toddy!” Lo and behold, a man from Mississippi was vacationing in Maine, too, and because he knows the SEC, we had a short, somewhat pleasant, conversation brought about by my shirt.

Wearing a symbol of my college loyalty caused responses from people who knew what it meant.

Now, I COULD talk about how important it is for Christians to behave like Christians when they are wearing clothes with Christian symbols or driving cars with Christian bumper stickers, but my mind took this scenario to a little less obvious place.

What about those times when nothing on my clothing suggests my religious affiliation? How am I “wearing” my Christian faith? Am I kind to shopkeepers, restaurant servers, neighbors, even Alabama and Ole Miss fans? Do my actions, my words and my attitudes reflect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control? Does my facial countenance display evidence of my faith? Should I be more deliberate, more conscious, more aware and more vocal about the allegiance I profess? If someone passed me on the street, would there be any hint that I was a Christian without me waving a banner or preaching on the sidewalk?

Catholic nuns, Jewish rabbis, Muslim women, for example, all WEAR symbols of their faith. Some Christian women display their denominational preference with their long skirts, long hair and lack of make-up or jewelry. Is that what God wants me to do?

Is it possible that this verse applies?

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.” 1 Samuel 16:7

I don’t have any answers for you today or for myself. This is just something I’m pondering. Please feel free to chime in.

Maine Impressions — LOBSTERS!!

10/24/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

A memorable scene from Forrest Gump occurs when his friend Bubba drones on endlessly about the many ways that shrimp can been prepared and eaten. As a refresher, watch it here.

When we got off the plane in Portland, Maine recently, one of my goals was to experience lobster, Maine lobster, in as many ways as I could find. After all, hadn’t we just come to the Lobster Capital of the United States, maybe even the world?? According to a March 4, 2016 article in Portland Press Herald, lobstermen in Maine hauled a record $616.5 million worth of lobsters in 2015, derived from 276.5 million pounds. Stacks of lobster traps and displays of colorful lobster buoys are common there but very uncommon for our native Alabamian eyes.

Lobster buoys and traps in Boothbay Harbor.

I had not eaten lobster since a very nice date during college insisted I order it in a restaurant and try it for the first time. I remembered liking it, but there again, over 45 years had passed in the meantime.

Fresh from the lobster boat ready for the boiling pot.

Since I wasn’t positive I’d really like it, I ordered a combination lobster/crab roll for one of our first lunches in Kennebunkport. I liked the crab, but I LOVED the lobster, so it was full on after that.

A lobster roll in Boothbay Harbor. It tastes even better eaten outdoors overlooking the harbor.

For dinner that night, we had lobster bisque served in a coffee mug, then lobster mac and cheese. Both were delicious. The lobster mac and cheese was fancier than the name implied with huge chunks of lobster and both fontina and Gruyere cheeses.

Lobster mac and cheese in Kennebunkport.

During our first night in Rockland, we decided to go for broke and order “the whole deal” and try our best to crack that beast and coax out the meat. It was an ordeal and a lot of work. Dishes where the lobster has been picked out for you are much better deals. Trust me.

My lobster bib getting ready to tackle the whole monster.

All except the white albino lobsters turn red when they’re cooked. I think they look better when they are this nice color.

While watching the Auburn game at a sports bar in Bar Harbor (see what I did there?), we enjoyed hot crab and lobster dip on flatbread wedges. Oh my goodness. YUMMMMM!!

After about 3 days of lobster, we decided to move on to some of the other delectable seafood choices and found the haddock and scallops to be amazing. If you are a seafood lover, I strongly recommend a trip to Maine. Try some dishes that aren’t fried and don’t expect hushpuppies, and you’ll be very satisfied. I promise.

Just as a quick side note, we had breakfast one day with a couple from Cape Cod. They had no plans to eat lobster in Maine declaring that the lobster on their part of the coast was much “sweeter and softer.” Maybe that calls for another exploration trip. 🙂

When you’re planning your trip, check the websites for these restaurants:

Pier 77 at Cape Porpoise near Kennebunkport

Mabel’s Lobster Claw, Kennebunkport

Alisson’s, Kennebunkport

Archer’s on the Pier, Rockland

Mariner’s Grill, Camden

The Pearl on the Pier, Rockland

Paddy’s Irish Pub, Bar Harbor

The Chart Room, Bar Harbor

Be aware that some of these may only be open for “the season” which basically runs from Memorial Day till Columbus Day, so do your research.

We Were LOST!!

10/21/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

We were lost. There’s no other way to spin it. Neither our GPS nor our Mapquest recognized the road we were traveling. Nothing looked familiar, and the daylight was fading. We were in a state we’d never visited before, and most of the inhabitants didn’t think we even spoke the same language.

It started as a fun Saturday afternoon drive into Acadia National Park, hoping to arrive at the top of Cadillac Mountain in time for the sunset reputed to be spectacular. We forgot to factor in our timing. We had arrived on a holiday weekend and the very last Saturday of tourist season. We were NOT alone as we started following the signs. I’ve seen crowds like this on The Strip in Panama City Beach in the summertime with all the young folks, and in Gatlinburg in the fall with all the leaf peepers. We passed several popular stops and saw all of the overflowing parking lots. It wasn’t looking good. So, we decided we’d come back the next day and spend this time doing a little exploring. I thought I’d noticed a lighthouse symbol on the signs pointing to Southwest Harbor, so we thought, “How hard can it be? Let’s see if we can find it.”

We DID stop to ask a man on a bicycle, and he pointed and waved uselessly indicating the fact that we should turn around and head in the opposite direction — once he realized Steve had said “lighthouse” rather than “lion house.” What in the world?? That led us nowhere. We tried consulting our map to no avail, so we decided to try to get back at least into Acadia National Park which would then take us to Bar Harbor and to our inn for the night. Apparently, we made some very wrong turns. We drove in circles. Our perfect vacation was becoming somewhat tense. Can you picture it?

FINALLY, and I do mean FINALLY, we passed a volunteer fire station, and an elderly (meaning older than we are) couple walked out carrying what appeared to be their leftover dishes from a potluck supper. I urged Steve to pull in and see if we could get them to help us. The wife seemed shy and suspicious of us, but the husband walked over to our car and allowed us to explain our dilemma. He saw the map that I had been futilely trying to follow and pointed to a spot on it. He said, “We are RIGHT HERE. If you’ll go down that road (again, he pointed to the exact road), you’ll come to Highway 233. Take that, and you’ll go straight back into Bar Harbor.” HALLELUJAH!!! We thanked him profusely and followed his instructions to the letter. He was 100% right. He knew the territory, and he was willing to share his knowledge with a couple of odd-speaking strangers.

It feels bad to be lost. Out of control. Frustrating. A person who is lost is no good to himself or anyone else until he gets on the right road again . . . or finds the right road for the very first time.

You, I’m sure, know where I’m going with this. There are millions of lost people in the world today. They can’t possibly live, think or act the way God intended until they are found. They’re on the wrong road going in the wrong direction. Out of control. Frustrated. BUT JESUS . . . . don’t you just love sentences that start with those words? But Jesus came for the very purpose of searching out and saving people in that very condition. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 This verse comes at the end of the story of Jesus looking up into the tree and seeing Zacchaeus. Here’s the passage in The Living Bible translation:

Luke 19:1-10 (TLB)

19 ^1-2As Jesus was passing through Jericho, a man named Zacchaeus, one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business (and, of course, a very rich man), ³tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed into a sycamore tree beside the road, to watch from there.

⁵When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name! “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick! Come down! For I am going to be a guest in your home today!”

⁶Zacchaeus hurriedly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.

⁷But the crowds were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

⁸Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “Sir, from now on I will give half my wealth to the poor, and if I find I have overcharged anyone on his taxes, I will penalize myself by giving him back four times as much!”

^9-10Jesus told him, “This shows that salvation has come to this home today. This man was one of the lost sons of Abraham, and I, the Messiah,* have come to search for and to save such souls as his.”

So, what is OUR job in this whole scenario? I believe we’re supposed to be like that elderly man in the parking lot who said to us, “This is where you are right now. If you’ll do this, this, and this, you’ll find your way home.” Lost person, if you will ADMIT that you are lost and in need of a Saviour, if you will ask Jesus to forgive your sins and genuinely turn around from the road you were going down and BELIEVE that following Jesus is the right road, then CONFESS in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you will find your way home. A B C

Luke 19:1-10 (TLB)

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