I've been praying to see a bear for months.  Months.  I thought maybe I'd see one here...

...but I didn't.  Leona did though.  Basically crawled right into her kitchen.  Leona is Dad's cabin neighbor.  And this is Dad's cabin.  

This is the kitchen.  You'll notice there are two "appliances" — a refrigerator and a table saw/table.  Don't be alarmed, we unplug it and blow it off with the air compressor before we have the mountain dew and peanut butter cup breaks.

Dad and I made some Philosophy Flowers delivery boxes with the table-saw/table.  Good thing we did.  The day after I got back to Virginia I got a call for a slew of centerpieces.  They got toted around in these...

Remember the bear prayer?  Well, it finally happened — the day after the centerpieces.  Meet Millie.

Millie lives at the top of Grandfather Mountain — a place that is every bit as magical as it sounds.  It is covered in rhododendrons.  And by covered, I mean, come May it will be a jungle!  Like, you might go in and never come out — jungle.  That would be alright with me though.  I love rhododendrons.  

Grandfather Mountain is also home to the extremely rare pink-shell azalea.  That's right, I learned that listening to the audio tour because that's how I roll.  Like my dad says, you only live once.

You do only live once.  

As I sat on the top of Grandfather Mountain with Millie I just had this renewed realization that today, today as in this present moment, right now, is special — really special.  The Lord had granted the quirky little desire of my heart once again and it was time to enjoy it.  I watched Millie sit on her rock.  I watched her rinse her feet off in the pond and lick them clean...several times (she's a very clean bear!).  I'm pretty sure she even shot me a smile.

I spent a lot of my pre-flower life living in the future or the past, but rarely in the moment.  I was carrying a lot of hurt and questions in my heart.  For the longest time I had this idea God "allowed" bad things to happen to me.  That it was to make me "stronger."  And some people believe that and hold that philosophy, but I don't.  It pushed me away from God.  

Truth is, God loves me.  He also walks with me, bearing my burdens.  It's a privilege to love Him through whatever comes.  I didn't feel like that at the time, but I sang my anthem over and over again, and God healed my heart.  

He is present — always present, enjoying me, Millie and the mountain.