We headed south from the Maplewood Cemetery to find some supper and lodging for the night. We began to see signs for a place called The Cliff House that seemed like the answer to both. We were passing incredible hillsides covered with kaleidescopes of autumn. The Cliff House offered supper overlooking what they described as the Grand Canyon of Arkansas. Unfortunately, the rooms had been all rented because of the high season of peak fall color. We had a great dinner and went on in the dark driving sharp curves and missing tons of color, to spend the night in Russellville.
The next morning we headed out of town barely able to navigate because of fog and low clouds. Again, I found myself grumbling about the circumstances of missing drenched hillsides the night before, and now missing color because of the fog. In a short time we drove out of the fog to a beautiful blue sky. But a short distance down the hill and around the corner the clouds were still low above Lake Dardanelle, with the mountains visible above the clouds. The very thing that I had been cursing was bringing my blessing. The clouds and mountains almost looked like the sea rolling a wave onto a shoreline. The pictures cannot convey how peaceful, yet powerful the clouds were suspended above the lake, with the mountains towering in layers yet higher. If we had not been forced to travel farther the night before for our lodging, we would not have been in position the next morning to get the low clouds hovering over the lake.
Even through aggravating or dire circumstances there are blessings. God doesn't waste anything!
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And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverence, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:2-5
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