The Archway

The Archway

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is The Archway from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

The Archway

Written by Luz Leigh - 29 October 2009

The day is overcast. Rain clouds are threatening in the distance, but the couple get in the mule (motorized four-wheel vehicle, not a live animal), and head for the woods. She is in search of the "arch" that she had seen a long time ago. It was simply a wild vine that had been there probably for years and years judging by its size.

Leaving the home place, they cross the pasture, pass the crawfish pond and drive through the goat weeds now knee-high in the lower pasture. In a couple of weeks, his nephew will mow those weeds down, giving the grass a better chance to grow. Upon entering the wooded area, they see some squirrels playing around some oak trees where the squirrels were feasting on the acorns. When the squirrels became aware of the dogs that were riding on the back of the mule, they scampered up the tree to safety. Of course, had they remained on the ground they would still have been safe; the dogs were not interested in them.

A little farther along, he stops the mule, and turning to the dogs, says, "Out." The dogs jumped to the ground and were off in a fast trot ... happy to be free to run. They would run a ways, circle back to where the mule was making its way deeper into the heavy brush. Here she observed evidence of Hurricane Ike; huge trees, uprooted and left to die. Smaller trees twisted out of shape. She thought to herself, "What a powerful hand of nature ripped through here."

This was virgin territory to her, but he had been here hundreds of times because this was "home" to him. He tramped in these woods as a child, rode his horse here during his teenage years and then as an adult has hunted deer each year on this land. After riding farther and farther into the dense forest, she was absolutely sure he was lost and that some day far in the future their bones would be found where they had died a long, slow death; starving from lack of water and food. She has a vivid imagination, having watched too many television shows. Then she remembers that both of them are carrying their trusted cell phones and could call for help. He keeps reassuring her that he knows where they are and where they are going. Finally, she relaxes and places her trust in him. (What more could she do? Dismount the mule and walk? No, she would sit quietly, enjoying the sights of nature.)

And then she spots it ... the arch. Now she knows where they are because she had been here before and could find her way back home if need be. You see, he has taken them on a ride far into the forest, all the while circling back to the opening in the woods through which they entered.

With camera in hand, she begins taking pictures of the quest for which they set out. The arch is just as she remembers it. Through a twist of nature the vine had come up near a big oak tree, grew for a height of about six feet, then bent over and went back into the ground near the base of a smaller pine tree. This created an archway about five feet wide.

The pine needles and leaves from the hardwood trees have made a blanket to cover the black land that slopes toward the small creek nearby. There are no sounds, other than an occasional bird flitting from one tree to another. What an ideal setting for the christening and dedication of a baby to the Lord; or even the setting for a small family wedding. She has grandchildren that could be brought to this site for just such rituals.

As she stands admiring the wonders of nature that the Lord has allowed her to enjoy, she thinks how our lives are much like the vine "archway." We are born into this world with an inherent nature to reach up, to see God, to experience His love. After we have completed our journey here on earth, we bend and make our way back to the dust from which we came. Hopefully, our arch in this world will have made impressions on others around us that will guide them to the Father.

She closes the camera; says a silent prayer that the Father has brought her to this place. She knows that the sight of the archway is embedded in her heart and now with the pictures she has taken today, she can share this beautiful sight with her family and friends.

They head back to the top of the hill where the truck is parked. "Load up" he calls out to the dogs. The two dogs gladly hop in for they have run several miles during the trek in search of the archway. She is happy for this outing and he is happy that SHE is happy. God is good.

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