Gravity. It’s a good thing. It keeps us all from flying off the earth. It does, however, sometimes bring unwanted surprises. I have had multiple encounters with birds and gravity. Need I say more? The first time was years ago. We had just installed a swimming pool and it was filling with water. I thought it was a good chance to get some sun so I was laying in the shallow end while the deep end was filling. All of a sudden I thought I was hit with a baseball. Right color, wrong thing. UGH!  Thankfully I was already near water. I have never washed anything off so fast in my life. Fast forward and for a few years in a row on vacations in Florida. I can’t remember how many times I had the same experience. It became a joke – on me! For some reason though, I was the only one targeted. Thankfully the messy attack always landed on exposed skin and not in my hair or on my clothes. Still – NOT FUN! GROSS, to say the least! I’m telling you – my family took great risks in being near me out in the open. You would think these were freak accidents but then I remember a story my Mom told me about when she was a teenager. She was walking to town with a girlfriend. She had a scarf on her head (thankfully) and was targeted by a bird. YUCK. But, she could at least take the scarf off and continue on her way. But, that was not the end of the story. On their way back home, YEP – you guessed it. She got it again!  Only this time – no scarf. I’m beginning to think it runs in the family. I sure hope it doesn’t happen to our daughter!  So far so good where she’s concerned.

I tell this story to lead up to what happened this past week when we traveled to Mt. Rushmore. What an incredible thing to see. If you haven’t been there and get a chance – GO! You will not regret it. Anyway, we had viewed the monument but took the path closer and underneath following a Park Ranger. Pete (my husband) had moved a bit ahead and I was still listening to her speak when all of a sudden something hit me in the face. It felt like a rock. It certainly made a loud sound because women who were standing in front of me turned around to see what had happened. I could not figure it out at first. I didn’t see any rocks and there wasn’t anyone behind me. Finally when I looked down, there it was – the culprit. A pinecone. Now this was not the kind of pinecones we have in our backyard. I guess the Ponderosa pines up there grow them differently. It had sharp points on all the edges. It hit me right between my right eye and ear on my temple. It was red right away and had scratches that were welts. By the next morning, they had scabs. Real Pretty. I wonder what people thought when we went out to eat. The good news is that it’s better now – 5 days later. Pete said, “If it’s not a bird, it’s a squirrel attacking you.” We laughed but I had to wonder – WHAT NEXT?!

Well, the next day, we went hiking (and panning for gold – that’s another story). While Pete was panning, I was walking the very narrow path down by the creek and taking a lot of pictures. I looked down and about 5 inches in front of my foot, a snake slithered across the path. I stopped dead in my tracks. Thankfully it was a harmless snake but we had been warned that the rattlesnakes were really heavy there this year. Just what I wanted to hear! I was told that the good news is – all the hospitals are stocked with anti-venom. If we just knew where the hospitals were. I thought I was well prepared for this trip but unexpected things always seem to happen.

Don’t get the wrong impression – we had a very wonderful trip and hope to go back again. Many blessings, laughs, and good times. All the people we met on our trip were friendly and helpful. But I am considering…do I need to carry an umbrella and wear steel toed boots from now on?  I have to tell you that the only thing I want to see coming at me from the sky is Jesus when he returns for His children. Count me in on that trip! I’m prepared. Are you?

Luke 17:24 “For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.”

Matthew 24:31 “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”