There Goes Connie – A Christian Travel Blog: Trip info on Monday and devotionals on Friday.

Galley and Garden: Elegant Dining in Birmingham, AL

10/22/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Huntsville residents and visitors are already familiar with the excellence and culinary expertise of Chef James Boyce in his three notable restaurants in the city: Cotton Row, Commerce Kitchen and Pane e Vino (in the Huntsville Museum of Art). Four years ago, in the fall of 2014, Chef Boyce took his talents to Birmingham and established his 4th winning restaurant in the Highlands section near UAB and downtown.

Front exterior of Galley and Garden

Galley and Garden at 2220 Highland Avenue South, is the stunning result and is a place I would highly recommend for dinner Monday through Saturday, for lunch Monday through Friday or for brunch on Sunday. Galley in the title refers to the gleaming, open kitchen visible from the dining room, and the carefully-tended garden is evident as you reach the front of the property. Depending on the season, you are likely to see blackberries, lettuces and an extensive selection of herbs which you are sure to find gracing the dishes inside.

The Galley — open concept kitchen.

The garden in the front of the property.

Galley and Garden is housed in what was originally the Merritt House which was built in 1908 and later was a restaurant called Veranda on Highland. Chef Boyce, his wife and partner Suzan and a couple of other investors in Birmingham remodeled the building and completely revamped the menu and restaurant’s concept. Guests now walk into tasteful shades of taupe and gray with lots of black and white. Pristine white tablecloths, gleaming china, silver, stemware and candlelight set the inviting tables.

Steve and I shared an anniversary there several months ago — cornmeal crusted oysters for an appetizer, the evening’s special of fresh snapper for our entree and vanilla bean creme brulee for dessert. Steve enjoyed their signature blend of coffee and pronounced it “awesome.”

Cornmeal crusted oysters

Snapper entree

Creme brulee

Our service was friendly and attentive, and we enjoyed the lively vibe and setting very much. Keep Galley and Garden in mind the next time you are in Birmingham or when you want to drive into the city for a special occasion.

By the way, drive to the back of the large building to find parking if you can’t find a space on the side streets.

Walking IN STEP With the Spirit

10/19/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Sometimes the simple act of reading a verse of Scripture in a different version can light up a new truth in a familiar verse.

That’s what happened to me when I was preparing to teach a Sunday School lesson recently from Galatians 5, basically focusing on the Deeds of the Flesh vs. the Fruit of the Spirit. I had previously taught lessons and heard sermons many times on this chapter, so I was searching for a fresh insight, for myself as well as for the ladies I planned to teach. I found it in an unexpected spot.

I kept reading after the listing of the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23. My usual “church Bible” is a New American Standard version with lots of underlinings, markings and notes in the margin. For years, I’ve read verse 25 like this:

Galatians 5:25 in the New American Standard version — “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” I knew that the term “walk” was synonymous with living my life, as in “Let your walk match your talk” and “Walk the walk and talk the talk.” You’ve heard those sermons. I would sometimes smile at the word “walk” and how that literally fleshes itself out differently with Steve and me. He is a fast walker — elbows pumping, never slowing down for hills, focused on reaching the finish line, etc. When I was teaching in the elementary schools, I was a very determined walker, going back and forth to pick up classes and escorting them to my music room, etc. But, my default walking mode could more realistically be described as a saunter or a stroll, definitely stopping to smell the roses along the way. Anyone who knows me might quickly (and lovingly) add that my talking pace is much faster than my walking pace. 🙂

But, I digress.

For this recent lesson, I read verse 25 in the Christian Standard Bible, then in the NIV and the ESV and saw the same thing.

Galatians 5:25 in the Christian Standard Bible — “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 in the English Standard Version — “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 in the New International Version — “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

As a music teacher, the phrase “keep in step” brought a hundred pictures to my mind. Marching bands doing precision drills to the beat of the drum line, trying desperately to get Junior High boys to remember to start their choreography in the same direction, watching the string section of the Cleveland Orchestra moving their bows across their instruments in perfect unison with the conductor, and the dozens of piano students who sat at the piano in my living room valiantly attempting to keep up with the metronome.

Metronome on piano — Photo from Google Images.

How satisfying it is when everyone is keeping in step.

How chaotic it is when one or more fail to feel the beat.

When I think of keeping in step with the Spirit, the opening scene of many football games seems to spring to my mind — Players locked arm in arm bursting out of the tunnel determined to conquer the opposing team together.

I believe that keeping in step with the Holy Spirit will have far-reaching benefits:

The Holy Spirit will sound the alarm when I sin.
The Holy Spirit will teach me and remind me of truths I’ve been taught in the past.
The Holy Spirit will guide me to people He is drawing to Himself and empower me so that I can share my testimony and give encouragement.
The Holy Spirit will shape me and strengthen me to produce the fruit that He wants to see in me — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The Holy Spirit will live inside me and fill me with His presence.
The Holy Spirit will be my Helper, my Comforter, my Counselor. (Yes, there are Bible verses to validate each of these, most of them found in the book of John).

Whatever speed He’s moving, that’s the speed I need to move.

Whatever direction He’s going, that’s the direction I need to go.

Whatever attitude He has toward others, that’s the attitude I need to have.

He’s waving the baton in a perfect tempo. Will I ignore it or will I keep in step?

Today Our Baby is 40!

10/15/2018 By: CCPearson4 Comments

On October 15, 1978, at 9:18 on a Sunday morning, our baby girl, Julie Rose, was born weighing 6 lbs. and 14 oz. That healthy weight was significant because when I was only 6 months pregnant, her delivery appeared imminent so I was put on bed rest. At 8 months, I spent the weekend in the hospital on an IV drip trying to prevent early delivery. With the prayers of MANY, she held on a little longer and finally arrived only 2 weeks before her due date. Our entire church and family breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Julie came home to a sister who was about to turn 5 and a brother who was only 19 months older and still in diapers. She thrived with 4 people quick to respond to every utter or grunt. It’s a wonder she ever started talking since she had people who could anticipate her every need or desire.

She was pleasant, easy-going and healthy, and from the time she was first aware of the outside world, she LOVED BABIES.

If we looked around at church and noticed she wasn’t beside us, we knew to head to the church nursery where she and her friend Liz Ann went to “look at the babies.” When she was in early elementary school, her teachers remarked that she held the dolls in the home living section of their classrooms like real babies. When anyone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would say, “A momma,” but if she HAD to have a job, she wanted to be “the one who held the babies up for everyone to see in the hospital nursery.”

When she was in the youth choir at Central Baptist in Decatur, she was “the one with the radiant smile.”

When the emcee was introducing her when she walked out during the Freshman Beauty pageant at Hartselle High School in the spring of 1994, he said, “When Julie was asked to name her most treasured possession, she said, ‘Her Bible.'” The entire auditorium was hushed. She won.

Julie when she was a student at Hartselle High School.

Julie is strong. Some life circumstances have tried their best to weaken her and knock her off her feet, but she has prevailed. During the 4 years Steve and I were in Ecuador, Julie was a single mom with a young daughter, working for a government contractor on Redstone Arsenal. Not only did she raise her daughter and pay all her own bills, she also earned a master’s degree in logistics in her “spare time.”

How precious it is to MY Momma heart to see her now living her true dream. She is Momma to Allie, a high school senior, all the way down to 1-year-old Enoch, with 6 beautiful children in between: Margaret, Penelope, Rosemary, Samuel, Bethany and Silas. Yes, that makes EIGHT. She homeschools most of them while teaching them to raise vegetables and feed the animals on the 30-acre farm she and her husband Brian own.

Julie with Brian and all 8 of her children.

Julie with Allie, her oldest.

She has a natural gift for hospitality and doesn’t even flinch when she hears that 30 or more will be driving in for supper. Her chili brings them in every time.

Julie epitomizes the woman described in Proverbs 31:25-31.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Steve and I are so very proud of her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIE ROSE PEARSON RODGERS! We love you!!

Where Can I Put Jesus?

10/12/2018 By: CCPearson3 Comments

For someone who has been a follower of Jesus for 60 years now, I found myself wrestling with that odd question recently. Where can I put Jesus?

As a housewarming gift, a dear friend gave Steve and me a beautiful statue of Jesus with the compelling pose and caption of “Come to me.” It’s heavy. Made of marble. It’s 19.5″ high and 11″ wide. It is intricately and delicately carved.

It might surprise you to know that I don’t decorate my house in an overtly “Christian” way. Don’t worry. There are certainly no NON-Christian items, but I just don’t generally lean toward ornate crosses or a lot of cross-stitched Bible verses. Could it be because we have so many grandchildren who enjoy seeing THEIR photos displayed around the house? I do love seeing them smile when they find their faces on our walls and propped on our desks and shelves.

Come to think of it, no photographs exist of what Jesus actually looked like. Right? All of the artists, in their efforts to capture the countenance and essence of His face, His posture and His “presence” have merely speculated based on His known ethnicity and the culture of His day. But, also as I reflect, Steve and I remember growing up with likenesses of Jesus, particularly the Last Supper, on the walls of our grandparents’ homes.

But, back to my dilemma. Where would be the best place to put Jesus, or, more accurately, this STATUE of Jesus?

The entrance just seemed a little busy with a great likelihood of having the statue be ignored or, worse, knocked off and broken.

The flat surfaces in the kitchen and family room also seemed a little risky with food messes and wayward pool cues or Nerf footballs. The shelves beside the fireplace weren’t tall enough.

The dining room just seemed a little too odd, for some unknown reason.

Finally, I settled on a table in the small foyer into the master bedroom. The statue sits beside a lamp — a reminder to me that HE is “the light of the world” — and in front of a painting of a bird, which makes me remember the song: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Our bedroom is a place of rest, quiet and solitude, and as the statue depicts, Jesus spoke these comforting words:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

In a deeper sense, the statue has directed me to think about Jesus in internal, spiritual terms. Where DO I want Jesus to be? In which rooms is He honored? Would He be welcome at our table, on our couch, during our family fun times? Do I want to put him high up on a shelf out of sight or does this statue help me stay on track? Does it keep me constantly aware of His presence? Can I use it to point others to Him?

Jesus is a precious gift in every definition of the word.

4 Huge Reasons to Take Your Grandsons to Cleveland

10/08/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

I recently visited Cleveland and Canton, Ohio with a group of fellow travel writers. It was my first time in the area, but I am determined that it won’t be my last. For my next visit, I WILL take some grandsons along. They’ll have a ball!!

SPORTS, SPORTS AND MORE SPORTS! — Three major professional teams have their home stadiums in Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Browns (football), Cleveland Cavaliers (basketball) and Cleveland Indians (baseball). Those stadiums are in the same general vicinity, so much so that when I visited, I walked a few short blocks to Progressive Field for an Indians game and passed an excited horde of fans heading in the opposite direction to FirstEnergy Stadium for the Browns season opener. The Indians climbed to the top of their division and made it to the playoffs this year. The Browns fans stay loyal, in spite of lackluster records. They believe in their team. The Cavaliers said good-bye to Lebron James after winning the NBA championship but still love the Cavs and their chances to bring home more wins.

Our boys would love going to a game, and the odds are good that we’d be able to schedule our trip to see one of these Cleveland teams for a home game.

2. PURE FUN! — Cleveland has its own zoo, aquarium and science center, but a mere hour away from downtown Cleveland in Sandusky is Cedar Point Amusement Park, calling itself “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” That says it all, doesn’t it? Thrills-a-million!

For a bit of quirkiness, A Christmas Story House, site where much of the iconic Christmas movie was filmed, is open for tours. Since the movie first came out in 1983, perhaps a pre-trip viewing of the movie would be in order to whet our appetites. Popcorn, anyone?

A Christmas Story House

3. LEARN ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL AND PRO FOOTBALL LEGENDS! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is on E. 9th Street in Cleveland and is one of the most popular attractions in the city. The interactive exhibits and memorabilia from famous singers are guaranteed to entertain the younger set, and maybe they will gain an appreciation for the music of their parents’ and grandparents’ days. The Beatles, Elvis, Aretha Franklin — every one you could name. This is a multi-sensory profusion.

Outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

An hour away in Canton, is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Once again, the displays and exhibits are interactive and superbly done. My favorite display showcased the Super Bowl rings of various stars. Those bad boys are HUGE!! I can imagine the grandsons picking a favorite team and following the journey of its most famous athletes through the museum.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Super Bowl Ring

4. EAT GREAT FOOD! The first place that springs to mind is The Happy Dog at Euclid Tavern. Check out this impressive list of FIFTY, yes 50, different toppings you can order for your hamburger or hot dog.

Hot Dog toppings

The Greenhouse Tavern on E. 4th Street has an Ohio Beef Burger that would get 2 thumbs up from some hungry boys.

Ohio Beef Burger at The Greenhouse Tavern

For breakfast, I would want to take them to Grumpy’s Cafe one day and West Side Market Cafe the next. And, somewhere along the way, they would need to taste their first pierogi. THEN, they could feel that they had really walked in the shoes of true Clevelanders.

Grumpy’s breakfast

Pierogies!

Yes, I know. Cleveland is probably NOT the best choice for a grandparents/grandchildren destination in the winter. But, for spring, summer and fall, it is bursting with ways to make amazing memories.

P.S. Never fear. There’s a whole future post about great activities the grandDAUGHTERS will love as well. 🙂

I Want to Be a Sycamore Tree

10/05/2018 By: CCPearson9 Comments

I must give credit to Jeremy Wilson, Minister to Students at First Baptist Church in Hartselle AL, for stirring my imagination with this idea. Recently, he preached a sermon about Zaccheus from Luke 19:1-10. In it, he taught us using the 4 prominent “characters” found in the story: Zaccheus, Jesus, the crowd, and the sycamore tree. I quickly understood the first three, but I had never thought about the contribution of the sycamore tree. When you think about it, that tree played a very important role.

Luke 19:3-4 – “And he (Zaccheus) was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.”

Jeremy talked to all of us who were in the congregation that morning about some characteristics of sycamore trees. They were all new to me. I’ve added a few more I’ve found while digging a little deeper.

They can often be identified by their GIANT SIZE, often growing as tall as 100-130 feet and having diameters as wide as 5 to 6 1/2 feet.
Sycamores are often distinguished by their flaking bark in colors of creamy white to reddish brown.
A sycamore’s fruit comes in the form of grayish balls that ripen in October, hang on to the tree through the winter months and then break apart into seeds. Interestingly, those “fruit balls” don’t start forming until the tree is about 25 years old. One tree can produce up to 10,000 seeds each year. They actually produce the most fruit/seed when they are between 50 and 200 years old.
Sycamores are prized for their hard, sturdy wood and canopy of thick leafy shade. That wood is often used for furniture, flooring and cabinetry.
Sycamore roots don’t grow particularly deep, but they develop a strong system that spreads out right under the ground in a wide area that almost matches the shady covering of the leaves and branches.
Sycamore trees typically live longer than 200 years old, and some last as long as 600 years.
Sycamore tree (Photo found in Google photos)

I want SOME of those characteristics to be true of my own life, don’t you?

I don’t want to be GIANT, but I want to be strong, sturdy and to provide “shade” for those I encounter, as in a cooling, refreshing presence when it is hot and tumultuous in their lives.

As the sycamore tree has a distinctive bark, I want my look to be distinctively Christian.

I want to bear fruit, and I hope that I bear the most fruit in my adult/mature/latter years.

I hope I have roots that will hang on tight during the storms I will face in the future.

But, back to Zaccheus. That sycamore tree did 3 important things. It lifted him UP, above the crowds that were preventing his view. Its branches ALLOWED HIM TO CLIMB HIGHER and higher until he reached the point where he needed to be. And, the sycamore tree enabled him to SEE JESUS.

That. That is why I want to be a sycamore tree. In the depths of my soul, I want to lift people up, to give them boosts in their search for a Savior and help them to see Jesus.

3 More Highlights to Enjoy in Columbia, Tennessee

10/01/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Last Monday I shared a post about Blythewood Inn, a wonderful B & B in Columbia, TN.

I’m writing today’s post in plenty of time for you to make your plans to visit Columbia, TN (a.k.a. “Muletown”) this coming Friday night, October 5th, for its monthly First Friday event. Go early to take advantage of the Polk Home and Rippavilla or plan another day soon when the atmosphere will be more relaxed.

Columbia is “Muletown” and here is its queen.

The James K. Polk Home, at 301 W. 7th Street, is historically significant to our knowledge and understanding of the lives and contributions of Presidents of the United States. James K Polk was a short, workaholic who only served one term, but more than 800,000 square miles were added to our territory during those four years. Several buildings who were owned by his family are located on the block, and visitors are treated to a video, a museum, a gift shop and an escorted, narrated tour.

2. Historic Courthouse Square — Take time to find the great murals scattered around town. They are a lot of fun, several adding to the town’s nickname of “Muletown.” Parking is free. If you can’t find a spot right on the square, there are a couple of lots a block away.

Independent bookstores are rare finds in today’s world. Duck River Books has rare books, first editions, walls adorned with autographs of important literary figures, and fun gift items. It is certainly worth a visit.

Square Market Cafe is one of the great eating choices on the square. I loved sitting in one of the outdoor tables, eating freshly prepared food and watching the world go by. After a nice stroll, it was fun to find Hattie Jane’s Creamery and devour one of its cool, sweet treats. You can also choose from a Mexican place, Southern Tre Steakhouse and Puckett’s. There is even a pie shop where you can stop and enjoy a slice on the spot or take one home for supper.

A great time to take in the vibe of Columbia is on First Fridays. You’ll find plenty of live musicians and other vendors, plus most of the stores happily extend their opening hours.

3. Rippavilla Plantation in very nearby Spring Hill was significant in Civil War history. I highly recommend a tour to learn what role it played in that horrible conflict between Americans. Special events are held on the grounds throughout the year, so be sure to check their website. While you’re there, save time to peruse the Gift Shop, too. The GPS address is 5700 Main Street in Spring Hill.

For a fuller article about Columbia, TN, check out the story published last week in the Senior Scene Magazine published by the Athens News-Courier. Here’s the link. My story is on pages 24-25.

God Said “Yes!”

09/28/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

First John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.”

John 15:7 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Psalm 118:21 “I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation.”

Five specific times in this past week, God said “Yes” to my fervent prayers, and I am so very grateful. In the first three cases, I didn’t know whether my requests were “according to His will” that is mentioned in the verses of 1 John 5, but I earnestly asked Him to hear my prayers.

I asked Him to protect our younger daughter, her husband and their children as they traveled the United States in their motorhome for a month. I fervently asked Him to allow them to return home safely, but I didn’t know whether that would be His will. Praise God, they are home safe and sound. During that same time period, I asked Him to protect our older daughter while she, her husband and their children were on a family vacation. Again, He graciously said “Yes.”

I truly wanted to communicate with the women at the ladies conference where I spoke last Saturday. I worked for hours and hours on my presentation, and I dug into His Word as I prepared. But, I didn’t know whether God would allow me to connect with the women. I knew it was His will for His Word to be clear, but I didn’t know whether He’d allow me to be the one to speak clearly. I still don’t know how much I connected or what impact my words had. Maybe no one was drastically changed, but in reality, I WAS. Studying about the subject of being Christ’s ambassador has forced me into more deliberate actions. God gave me the opportunity, and now I’m in the mode of “practicing what I preached.” I didn’t fall on my face, and the huge cold sore on my lip didn’t deter me. So, thank you, God, for helping me through the event.

I have been asking God to allow Steve and me to use our new home to build relationships with neighbors, friends, family members, non-believers and people we are yet to meet. A few days ago a couple of precious neighbors came for lunch. We spent 3 hours sharing, laughing and getting to know each other. I believe God was honored, and I could feel that He was starting to answer this specific prayer.

The fifth prayer request took much longer for God to answer. Someone I care about deeply appeared to be making spiritual decisions that were expressly contrary to God’s Word. I’ll just call the person “Bob” to protect the real identity. It seemed that every passage I read in the Bible was screaming out the truth while Bob was pursuing untruth. I was convinced that a confrontation initiated by ME was not the answer, so I begged God to reveal Himself and the truth of His Word to Bob very specifically, convincingly and powerfully. I knew Bob had been taught the truth from birth, yet he spent months being drawn toward legalism that would rob him of the freedom in Christ he has as a child of God. I felt helpless. It was one of those situations where I couldn’t “do anything” — which is so often my default setting. But, in this case, I KNEW I was praying in God’s will. I was abiding in Him through the months of waiting. I had other prayer warriors praying.

God said ‘YES!” His promise from Isaiah 55:11 proved itself true once again. His Word “did not return to Him empty.” The object of my prayers saw the lies, recognized the truth and was drawn back both because of his own diligent study of the Bible through the years and because of the “effectual, fervent prayers of righteous people.”

Isaiah 55:11 – “so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (ESV translation)

James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (ESV translation)

I rejoice today with the answers God provided. Now I am watching to see how He will answer other prayers. Will next time be “No,” “Keep waiting” or “Yes?”

What about you? How has God answered your prayers recently?

Blythewood Inn: Luxury Antebellum Lodging in Columbia, Tennessee

09/24/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Do you have a special occasion coming up? An anniversary? A birthday? A much-needed time to get away and spoil yourself a little? Do you have a night or two for an outing but don’t want to drive a long distance? North Alabama and Middle Tennessee folks, I have a beautiful recommendation for you.

Blythewood Inn was constructed as a private home between 1857 and 1859. The French Colonial style residence served several prominent families well before being transformed into a bank for a number of years. Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Vire saw tremendous potential in the structure and bought it in 1994. After massive renovation and preservation work, Blythewood served as the center for Dr. Vire’s medical practice through 2007. The structure was vacant for several years, all while Mrs. Vire kept the idea of a bed and breakfast growing in her mind. Again, the building underwent renovations to get it “up to code,” then finally about a year ago, Mrs. Vire (Dinah) and her business partners finally opened as a B & B. Partner Wayne Swope is the genius behind the selection of furnishings, colors and decor, while Dinah and her daughter Gretchen (a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, renowned culinary institution) create wonderful breakfasts for the guests. In addition, they offer dinners and other food and catering type services for area clients.

A framed drawing of Blythewood from years ago.

Steve and I spent a wonderful night in the Magnolia Suite upstairs recently. We loved the fact that the soaring ceilings, fireplaces, floors, staircase, and most of the architectural details are still intact WHILE modern conveniences are available such as highspeed internet, air conditioning, steaming hot showers, luxurious bedding, Smart TV and soft, thirsty towels. I especially appreciated the variety of seating in our room, the abundance of electrical outlets (important for recharging devices/cameras, etc.) and the well-placed night lights. After all, you don’t want to stumble in the dark when you’re in an unfamiliar place. While basking in all the creature comforts, it is fun to imagine the stories of people who occupied those very rooms 160 years ago.

Magnolia Suite bedroom.

Magnolia Suite parlor.

View from the staircase.

If you can negotiate the stairs, then the Magnolia is wonderful, but, if not, there are rooms downstairs as well. The Mulberry Suite, in particular, is fully equipped to be wheelchair accessible, complete with a roll-in shower. Some room configurations work well for families or groups of friends traveling together. See the website for more details on the 8 rooms at Blythewood.

Bathroom with roll-in shower.

Blythewood Inn has a large outdoor space that is popular for parties, wedding receptions and gatherings of all kinds and an industrial kitchen equipped to prepare full meals for large groups.

Speaking of the kitchen, breakfast at Blythewood Inn is an occasion all its own. The morning we were there breakfast started with fresh fruit topped with an edible pansy, coffee and juice. That was followed by Eggs Benedict, roasted potatoes and a croissant with homemade peach jam. For a sweet treat, we had warm strawberry bread, also homemade. We were served in the front parlor with tables for 2 or 4 guests and is also a great space for family dinners.

Front parlor at Blythewood

First course at breakfast.

Eggs Benedict.

The larger dining room is used when the house is brimming with guests. It features a Zuber wall mural that was painted in France on paper, cut into strips, shipped to Columbia and installed in the room in 1900.

Large dining room with Zuber wall mural.

Blythewood Inn at 109 Blythewood Drive is only 45 minutes from downtown Nashville. I strongly suggest that you plan a night or more at Blythewood when you are heading to Nashville for a concert, for shopping or for a sports event. You’ll enjoy being out of the crazy traffic. And, by the way, even if you stay for several nights in a row, each morning the breakfast menu will be different, AND it will be served on a different set of china.

Make a note that the town of Columbia will host an Open House the weekend of December 7 and 8 to benefit the Historic Atheneum, an important structure that housed a girls’ school in the 1830’s. On those days, brunch, lunch and high tea will be served at Blythewood. Tickets for brunch or lunch are $25, and high tea is $15. Brunch will be served at 9:00 a.m., lunch at 11:00 and 1:00, and high tea will be at 3:00. Grab a friend and make your plans. Reservations MUST be made in advance.

Columbia hosts First Fridays in the nearby Historic Downtown, just two blocks from the President James K. Polk Home and Museum. There you will find interesting shops, four restaurants, a pie shop and an ice cream parlor. What could be better? If you have time, a visit to Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill is a great place to learn about the Civil War battles that took place in the area. As it happened, Rippavilla was pivotal to the action.

Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill, TN

Plan a getaway to Columbia. It’s just right off I-65, but you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped WAY back in time.

If We are Ambassadors, then Our Homes are Embassies.

09/21/2018 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Tomorrow I have been invited to be the guest speaker for a women’s conference in Cullman County. The topic was already chosen before they contacted me — “Being an Ambassador for Christ.” I’m glad. If I’d been left to my own to choose a theme, I might have gone in a different direction. But, this theme has given me focused time for study, deep thought and questioning. I have learned much in the weeks I’ve had to prepare. Today’s post represents a small part of what I hope to share tomorrow. Please pray for me to speak words that will resonate with the ladies who attend.

Ephesians 6:19-20 – “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

2 Corinthians 5:20 – “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

The Apostle Paul used that specific term twice in his New Testament letters.

What IS an ambassador? According to the Google dictionary, an ambassador is “an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country” or “a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity.” Clearly, we are to be Christ’s representatives in an unsaved world. We are to promote His kingdom agenda and behave the way Jesus would if He were still in bodily form here on earth.

There is much I have to share about the work of an ambassador, but my thoughts went further to what an embassy is and how it functions. An embassy (again according to Google) is the “official residence or office of an ambassador.” It is often where the representatives of one country live, interact and mediate disputes with the host country. It serves as a safe haven for citizens of its country who might be living in the host country. Perhaps they have lost their passports. The embassy would be where expatriates would find a way to get back home.

It stands to reason then that our homes, in addition to just our physical bodies, are places to represent Christ to the world AND help fellow Christians who have “lost their way” to get back home.

I recently found a book that speaks to that very subject. It is one I highly recommend — THE SIMPLEST WAY TO CHANGE THE WORLD: Biblical Hospitality as a Way of Life, by Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements.

Here are some quotes that jumped out at me:

“. . . the world could use more ordinary Christians opening their ordinary lives so others can see what life in light of the gospel looks like. And what better place to watch Christians than in their homes?”

“Any time we practice hospitality we follow in the steps of our lavishly hospitable God. Here’s the potentially scary part: because of our role in representing God to the world, when we DON’T walk in hospitality, we do not tell the truth about God. When we are cold, separated, and distant from those around us, we communicate that God is cold, separated, and distant. When we are warm, loving, and gracious, we put the gospel on display. This type of hospitality, which testifies to the character of our God, has always been a hallmark of God’s people.”

And, just for the record, one of the authors is an introvert and so is his wife. He spends a good bit of time talking about ways that introverts can practice hospitality. “Please don’t let your personality type be a barrier to living out a God-ordained calling that is actually tailor-made to suit your personality type.” Intriguing, right?

Here are some questions posed by the book that I’ve wrestled with recently:

How do you view your home? Are you more prone to view it as a place of retreat or as a weapon for the gospel? Why?
What does your current lifestyle communicate about God’s character? If you are a Christian, imagine yourself as a walking billboard for the gospel. What are you saying to the world?
How does your view of mission and hospitality change with the knowledge that God goes before you, lives inside you, and accomplishes the work for you? How should these truths encourage and motivate you?

My conclusion? Anyone who is a follower of Christ is an ambassador, and that makes his/her home an embassy — no matter its size.

Get the book. You’ll be forced to confront how God wants YOU to practice hospitality. It’s easy to open our homes to those we love. What about others who need a glimpse of Christianity that we can provide?