Chris was on a mission when we left the hotel yesterday. We were within a few miles of a place called Replacements, LTD. I was kind of wary of this one. I had no idea how much a replacement of me would cost. And even then … did she WANT a replacement me?
Come to find out, it was a warehouse chock full of china and glasses and old jewelry. She had a list of all the pieces we have and what we still need in each of the three or four sets of china we now have accumulated. Fortunately, she only bought one water goblet. I think I dodged a bullet there.
From there it was eastward ho. Just a long haul across the expanse of the state (chuckle chuckle. About 275 miles. That’s about Galveston to not quite Dallas). Some of it was interstate, but the most interesting, of course, was the part that was US Highways. We saw barn quilts and screened-in porches and rag-tag barns. Surprisingly, though, not a lot of critters. Not even the roadkill variety.
When we finally reached the barrier islands that comprise the outer banks of North Carolina, we discovered that a massive amount of land has been designated Red wolf sanctuary land. Hey, guys. You have some long lost cousins in Galveston.
Our next stop was Fort Raleigh. It was the site of the first English settlement in the Americas. Now … for those of you Jamestown aficionados, let me add one minor disclaimer here. Fort Roanoke was the first one … to fail. And now it has its own national park to celebrate that failure. Not sure what to do with that. One of the paths did lead up to a body of water, though. Roanoke Sound. As was my custom, I touched the water.
Since we were finally on the coast again - the Atlantic Coast, that is - we got into a hotel that happened to be right on the beach. I mean it had its own beach access path and everything. We went for a walk so I could touch some good cold Atlantic Ocean water. Even collected some shells. Felt almost like home. Only cold.
Oh! And the name of this city is - ready for this one? - Kill Devil Hills. It was named when a shipment of rum washed ashore after a shipwreck. It was apparently so strong that the people said “It’s strong enough to kill the devil.” That’s some serious rum.
Today we are exploring more of these North Carolina border islands. Lighthouses, Kitty Hawk, ferry rides. Can’t wait. Like I said … almost like home.
John 15:4-5 says, Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.
Father, thank you for the water. I know it’s not the Gulf, but when you are nostalgic … it counts, right? Amen.
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