Route 66!

Today, my daughter and I traveled down part of Route 66. We also visited a Route 66 museum, which was cool. Here are a few photos from there....

The drawing... sketch...of course does not do justice to its topic. It was a very windy day today.... and as we drove I noticed the trees. Along the road there were trees that were obviously wind blown, but not by the wind today. These trees were growing in such a away that they curved toward the road but their branches and leaves perpetually looked blown away from the road. It made be think of something but here is the drawing first....

Now, on to my thoughts...

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we areperplexed, but not in despair; 2 Corinthians 4:8 

In order for the trees along the road and elsewhere in windy Oklahoma they have to overcome some tough obstacles as they stand pretty much alone.  They are determined to grow, so they push forward against the wind and allow their limbs and leaves to be forever formed by the wind. They will always look wind blown even when the wind is not blowing... but if you look long enough and get to thinking like I did... maybe they look like they are having a good time. I mean think of a dog sticking his mug out of the window of a car... He is having a marvelous time even though he is facing some strong winds.

It reminded me all day of the verses above and the song in the video below. God will not give us more than we can handle, but we have to remember He knows what that limit is better than we do. He will give us just a little more than we think we can handle, because that is the way we grow.... if he gave us just what we can handle we would never push toward the wind and grow forward. We would never let our hair down and enjoy the breeze.

I know times get tough, I have had many.... did I always push forward, NO! I want to be like those trees, and bend toward the wind God allows to come my way, let my hair down, and enjoy the growth! He will not let me break, but he will let me bend.

Thanks for reading, God bless you all!

One other observation.... If there were a stand of trees (10 or more), it seemed that there were less wind effects to the trees. This led me to the thought, that having a good group of Christians to stand with in trying times is always a good thing. It might help growth with out so much "pain". Just a thought...