Don't Miss the Adventure….

I came across a snapshot I took over the side of a hot air balloon of a family of elephants. What fun!

If anyone would have told me I would go to Africa and ride in a hot air balloon I would not have believed it. Africa was not on my bucket list. It makes me pail just thinking of it. Get it? Bucket…pail. Nevermind. The point is I don’t like long trips and I don’t do heights. Well, I didn’t. But now I have a bragging list and Africa is right at the top.

Beware though, you can lose your heart to this mysterious land and its resilient people. Like sentinels the acacias stand in a sea of endless land that runs into the dusty clouds. Herds of zebras as far as the eye can see stripe the dry land as they make their way to water. Lone hyenas with their bony shoulder blades heckle from a distance. Giraffes sway and reach tree tops tenderest leaves. Gourmets, I suspect. And then there’s the lions…hello.

Oh, Africa how could I have known you would stay inside of me like an old cherished song? It’s as if I had only known ballads and somebody introduced me to jazz: a thrilling, heart-moving world of sights and sounds beating with the pulse of its amazing people.

Live outside the lines of your list. Don’t miss the adventure God has for you!

16 Comments

  1. Patti on August 2, 2010 at 9:34 pm

    Thank you for sharing… loved it.

  2. Robin ~ PENSIEVE on August 2, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    How much did this make me smile: When I read your play on “pail”, I read it, re-read it and couldn’t believe you had made that mistake! How much more did I grin when I realized you’re just wicked schmart and oh-so-playful?

    Your point isn’t wasted though…. living outside the lines is a lofty goal. Especially from the vantage point of a bird in flight!

    🙂

  3. Michelle on August 3, 2010 at 5:12 am

    How wonderful for you.. I love to be surprised like that.. My family wants to go white water rafting.. and I am not so sure about going…I am not a fan of that kind of adventure!! But I am thinking about it.. So glad you are enjoying every moment… Memories in the making!!!

  4. Mishababy on August 3, 2010 at 10:01 am

    It is the unexpected that captures our hearts, our breaths and the deep recesses of our minds. It creates the moving pictures that we cherish for always. It’s what makes stepping out of the lines all the more worthwhile.

  5. Jerri on August 3, 2010 at 11:30 am

    Like Robin, I could not believe Patsy could make such a mistake in spelling and kept rereading also. Awww Patsy…. your way with words is amazing. Thank you for sharing and taking me on this trip with you! I could see everything you described as if I had been there with you in that hot air balloon. Thank you for helping us to realize we need to live outside the lines of our list so we don’t miss what God has in store for us and we can enjoy the beauty of his creations.

  6. Deb Barnett on August 3, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    I probably don’t have to even comment – you know my heart longs for Africa daily. Love you friend – so glad to hear that this wild and wonderful continent still resonates deep within you. ;o)

  7. Debbie Clark on August 3, 2010 at 3:46 pm

    Oh, Patsy! “It’s as if I had only known jazz, and somebody introduced me to jazz”… What a beautiful analogy. And having seen you at Women of Faith, I can just imagine you hanging over the side of a hot air balloon, camera at the ready. You rock!

    • Debbie Clark on August 3, 2010 at 3:47 pm

      Well, didn’t I screw up your eloquent words! “known only ballads”

  8. Leslie Schonfeld on August 3, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    Just what God has been talking to me about. What we believe to be interruptions in our plans can actually be God’s best for us.

  9. Diana on August 3, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    I fully agree…oh Africa! The people, the smells, the views! But what I truly remember the most was the smiles, every where I looked. Never expected to go, but so blessed that I left my comfort zone a trusted in God to keep me safe in His arms.

  10. JoAnn Shiley on August 3, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    That is such a great example for me to read. I just gave a talk at Praise and Coffee about living your dash. This just pushes me onward to keep doing it! Thanks Patsy! As always, you move me forward.

  11. Dot Quaid on August 3, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    I met my husband online; he’s from New Zealand. Until I went to visit him there, I had never been outside of the U.S., unkless you count Tiajuana. What a marvelous country New Zealand is! Movies like Lord of the Rings don’t do it justice! On our last trip, after celebrating our 10th anniversary, hubby and I traveled the South Island for a bit, visiting places he hadn’t seen in years and I had not seen at all. The penguins, albatross, fur seals, even gulls in their natural habitat were wonderful and we even spent the night in a castle – Larnach Castle! I never tire of New Zealand; now I want to see Africa, to experience the wonder that you have so eloquently expressed, Patsy. Perhaps you will visit New Zealand too, and we can compare notes :o)

  12. Laura on August 4, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Africa is a dream God has put in my heart. It has been there for over 22 years. Waiting on God to find out why a country I have never stepped foot in can move me so! Here’s to hoping for a great African adventure. In God’s time…..not mine!

  13. Susan White on August 5, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    Africa…..it has always been in a deep place in my heart. Ever since I was a child and heard Susan Anderson, a missionary tell stories of her work in Africa. I dreamed of going once… Thank you, Patsy for sharing your experience in the hot air balloon….I don’t like heights, either. “Great are the works of the Lord, they are pondered by all who delight in them.” Psalms 111:2

  14. Gladys on August 10, 2010 at 4:20 am

    Patsy,

    I grew up and live in Kenya, the beautiful terrains, wild animals all remind us we have a maker who’s great.

    For all who’ve seen pictures and the documentaries,an actual visit will totally amaze you

  15. Kim on August 12, 2010 at 12:24 pm

    I’ve been blessed to know a few people from Africa, and you are right. They are amazing people! I’ve seen pictures and it does look like a beautiful place.

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