Apr
14
So, I’ve already mentioned 41 times that I’m reading back through my Beth Moore Believing God workbook, looking up the Scripture, reading all my notes in the blanks and margins, adding new ones in a different color. New things are always jumping out at me–even though I’ve read it before.
But something I read today just thrilled me down to my flip-flops. Seriously. I sat at my kitchen table, giddy as all get-out. THIS IS MY DREAM LIFE, I thought to myself. THIS IS MY DREAM LIFE, I said out loud. Sigh. Now, let’s make one thing clear. I do realize that Beth’s life is a little more involved than this particular isolated paragraph suggests. I don’t want her WHOLE life–no way, no sir. Just the part where she sits and writes on her laptop and gazes out at free-roaming giraffes. Just that part.
Take a listen to this: The thought of Noah and his sons marching the beasts of the field into the ark has always thrilled me but never more than now. As I write, I sit on a stone overhang, pecking away on my battery-operated computer while overlooking a magnificent African plain. I taught all last week just outside Johannesburg. This week Keith and I are out in the bush, safe and sound in a wonderful little stone dwelling. This is no glorified zoo. It’s the real thing. A river flows just below me, while mountains hem me in from both front and back. In between, however, is a huge plain teeming with beasts, most of which I had never seen…
All day yesterday I watched four hippos… In my eyesight this moment are two rhinos, a herd of wildebeests, ostriches, warthogs, and a variety of South African antelope. Yesterday Keith and I took a walk and happened upon five wonderful giraffes. I’ve seen more baboons than I can count and heard their screeching. I have marveled, laughed and cried over God’s creativity. Keith and I are such animal freaks that we are in a state of near euphoria. I so wish you were with me.
Me too, sister. Me too. There is NOWHERE on earth I want to go more than a magnificent African plain teeming and teeming with wildlife. Someday. Someday.
For now, my little family and I will admire those majestic giraffes and monstrous hippos and screeching baboons in their lovely man-made habitats and pretend for just a moment that we’re in South Africa and not South Texas.
And if you’ll allow me a sloppy metaphor–praise God for bringing His animals to us until such a time as we can go to them. And praise God for sending His Son and then His Holy Spirit to dwell in us until such a time as we can go to be with Him.
If you could go one place on earth, where would it be, and what would you see?
Have a blessed day, friends!
I don’t know, I think it’s more about who I’d want to go with! My mom and sister and I take girl trips every once and a while, but it’s been a while and I’m itching to go on another, anywhere!
Mmmm…it would be to the places where His story was written on this planet in sweat and blood, where His ancestors (and descendants, of course!)
made their home on their God-deeded land, where the lives lived in days past collide with the aching hope and expectation of long-told prophecies yet to be fulfilled…yup. That’s why I’m eaves-dropping in on the kotel right now! 
I’m praying for safety, joy and God walking as you journey across the beauty that is our own little corner of the continent. <3
Alaska – to see the wildlife, the beautiful scenery and the northern lights!
my friend in South Africa – sent me a CD for Oli about African animals – he and I love it! I want to go someday too!
I think you should visit all countries beginning with ‘A’. Starting with Australia!
She has my dream life too…by not the part where she’s sitting and writing…I like the talking and talking and talking part…maybe you and I can team up!!! We can go on tour about raising girls!!!
As for animals…I love the otters and dolphins and all those trainable water animals…I could watch them for hours… And if I could go anywhere in the world..I would love to see Italy!
We would go to Israel, to see the places where Jesus went. We were signed up to go on a trip during our seminary years, but a positive pregnancy test changed our plans.
I’m hopeful that when our girls are old enough to understand the significance of the sites, the four of us can make the trip together.
(And on a totally random side note, I was at that conference just outside of Johannesburg! Beth Moore was the speaker for our IMB southern Africa missionary ladies’ retreat. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but my great joy that week was the trip I got to make to a McDonald’s on the way back to the Joburg airport. After eighteen months in Namibia, I had seen my share of animals — I just wanted to see an Oreo McFlurry again!)
Many years ago, my husband & I were stationed in Germany w/ the Army. During that time, it was the 500th (?) anniversary of Martin Luther’s death (or birth??! yikes! I can’t remember) – anyway, we visited many cities that Martin Luther lived and worked in. We stood where he stood and said, “Here I stand, I can do no other” in Worms to the church council. I want to go back & see MORE – like the door where he nailed his 99 Thesis in Wittemburg. And being in Europe/Germany would be pretty awesome too!
I’d love to go to the Holy Land and see all the different places various people from the Bible (mostly Christ)!, lived, worked, met, etc. I’d absolutely love it.
Hmmm that’s a tough one. I’d say Israel or Australia.
I’d go to Ireland…and would take my hubby and grandma. Most of my family came from Ireland so I’d like to see where they came from, the castles and gorgeous scenery!!