Five days of big sky

John and I spent the past five days in New Mexico with family.  We drove.  Ten hours.  But when you consider that you go south at a town almost an hour outside of Albuquerque and drive and drive and drive until you get to the portable building that is the post office for McIntosh, New Mexico, then start counting mile markers....the economics are pretty much a toss up between flying then renting a car or simply saving that money and doing the road trip like we used to when the kids were little. 

It always strikes me how different the pace of life is in the country.  It isn't that there isn't anything to do.  It is simply that the things you do are softer.  Maybe a bit slower. 

While we were there, I took walks with John's dad and his black lab, Bo, each morning.  John's dad has an incredible walk with the Lord, and now that he is retired, most of his days are spent helping others. He cuts wood for those who don't have it.  Repairs widow's homes. Visits the sick. 

He has always been into going deep into learning new things.  He taught himself carpentry (we have the most beautiful rocking horse that the kids rode when they were little), and metal working (first jewelry, then knives, then the kind of cutouts you see at the entries of ranches), then harmonica.  In fact, he plays with the worship band at their little country church.  We got to go to their church on Sunday morning.  It is a true community and their pastor's love for God shines in every word he speaks.

John's dad married Maidie after he and John's mom divorced in the 70's.  Like John, Maidie has a deep love for God.  She grew up in an orphanage and has really interesting stories.  She is bright and knows a great deal about a good many things--mostly self-taught through a deep love of reading.  Maidie likes anything "old and rusty" and has a rich country style. She shops HSN and QVC (you would too if you lived in the middle of nowhere). And I think it is  really sweet and always stocks up on Morningstar so vegetarian me can have sausage and biscuits with the rest of the family.  John's dad says, "she was beautiful when I married her but I learned she is so much more beautiful on the inside."

While we were there we rode the Tramway which gave a spectacular view of the Sandias until the cable car went into the clouds. We took the chair lift down the other side of the mountains so we could experience actually being in the cloud--which lifted on the way back up revealing a stunning view.

We went to Datil up in the mountains where John spent some time growing up. Datil has a quiet beauty and John and I walked through the woods where he used to play as a boy. 

A lot of time was spent talking.  John and his dad hunted jackrabbits. If you've never seen a New Mexico jackrabbit.  I have to say, they are actually scary.  Huge things.  In fact, I'm pretty sure it was a New Mexico jackrabbit that inspired Monty Python's "killer rabbit" scene.) 

After five days of country life, I have a day to transition back into the pace of the city.  Today will be spent with Bethany getting ready for college (with laundry and grocery shopping thrown in).  Days breathing mountain air (and reading my father-in-law's copy of Tozer) recharges the soul.