Lory's Journey: Cracker Barrel, IHOP & Barry Edwards

Even if we were "wandering" in the dark looking for a Cracker Barrel, we needed to know.....

This is a phone case Auston found for me.

Is that cool or what?

Soooooo Susanne and I LOVED Savanah so much that we stayed a little too long. We didn't leave until evening, which went against ONE of Barry's (Strickland...it may get confusing because now I'm talking about two Barrys) "suggestions" for my trip, which was,

"Try not to drive after dark."

I have NOT followed that advice at all. There have been MANY times that I arrive at campsites (or other special camping spots...driveways, Walmarts, Targets, Cracker Barrels etc.) after dark.

Barry's advice is very good.

Very good.

Good things don't happen when you arrive at campsites (or other spots) after dark.

Sometimes when you arrive after dark, you don't see an "Exit Only" post, and you scrape the whole side of your trailer and things fall off of the side of your trailer, and you don't even realize it until the next day when things are missing!

See my blog post New Orleans Voodoo or a Roaming Lion? for the complete story.

Anyway, we left AFTER dark to head towards North Carolina to see our friend, Barry Edwards, whom we figured out we haven't see since the five-year high school reunion, so it's been about 27 years.

Oh my!

One thing I've noticed since getting older is I can't stay up as late as I used to.

I had BIG plans of driving really far after leaving Savannah.

Big plans.

Well, my 50-year-old body had other plans.

Susanne and I made it for a few hours, but then it was time to head to one of my FAVORITE destinations on this trip.....yep!

Cracker Barrel!

I just LOVE Cracker Barrel!

They make you feel like you're "coming home."

They have hot meals all ready for you (but not at 2:00 a.m.),

the fireplace is on,

there's shopping, audio books, games, rocking chairs....

you get the picture.

So we pull in to a Cracker Barrel parking lot at around 2:00 a.m.

We are still happy that we stayed in Savannah, I think.

I had a little bit of an issue parking, and I'm sorry about their tree. It is not in the same condition as it was when we arrived there.

But on a good note, the camper smelled like Christmas!

I took the "backing thing" a little too far this time

Ooops! Sorry, tree.

After snooozing at Cracker Barrel, Susanne and I headed to North Carolina to
see our friend, Barry Edwards, at IHOP!

We were very excited to see Barry.

IHOP...not so much.

Cracker Barrel wins in that department.

But it doesn't matter, right?

It's the company that counts.

If you've kept up with my blog, (if not, shame on you) you'd know that God told me there were THREE people I was suppose to meet with on this trip.
One was Linda in Woodstock, GA, and I gave her the book, He Knows Your Name.

This is the book

This is Linda and her pig, Fiona

See my blog post Friends, Friends, Friends, Friends, A Pig & Some Chicken for her story.

The second person was Janice Beppel

She got a book too.

See blog post Journey Through the Sunshine State with the Beppels.

So the third person that God told me I was suppose to meet was Barry Edwards.

Now, the book, "He Knows Your Name," I've HEARD (no....I haven't read it yet, and I knew I wouldn't have a chance, and now I've given my own copy away to my niece, Jordan...sorry, Julee) the book is for girls.

Barry is obviously NOT a girl, so I wasn't really sure what God was going to do at this "meeting." I told Barry that God had told me I was suppose to meet with him. Did he have any idea why? He said no, but he would think about it.

When I told Janice (from above) what Barry said, and that he probably just thinks I'm a "crazy camper lady," she said, "I don't think that at all. I think it is a feeling you can't describe to someone. I was touched. You have no idea. I still feel blessed."

The bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 (the Message bible),

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart. Don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. He's the one who will keep you on track."

I've walked with God for 26 years (with a walk-,away period of 7 years- don't try that one), and I know when He tells me to do something.

Just by spending time in prayer, I have learned to hear His voice.

Do I know why He had me meet with Barry Edwards?

Do I know He WANTED me to meet with Barry Edwards?

Yes...without a doubt.

I don't always know WHY God has me do things, but I do know He knows why.

It's not my job to question. It's my job to be obedient.

Am I obedient all the time?

Unfortunately, no.

Does God get mad at me if I'm not?

No, I don't think so.

The only thing I think that happens when I don't do what God wants is I miss out on a blessing He had for me.