I’ve never really had a burning desire to visit Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I was here for an afternoon once with my high school youth group. And I drove through a few years back with John and his mom. I somehow, from this brief exposure, got the idea that this place was all the things I’m definitely NOT looking for in a vacation spot. I had preconceived the notion that it would be crowded and tacky. Truth be told, I had a rather stuck up, snobbish attitude.
But guess what! God is actually in this place, too! All I had to do was look for Him! First He showed up in bringing us safely to Gatlinburg through some very heavy rain. The redbud trees were in bloom all through the mountains, beautiful splashes of color even through the grey of the downpour. By the time we got to our room, the sun was trying to come out, and God gave us a lovely display of His glory peeping through the clouds over the mist settled in the hollows of the hills.
He sent some wonderfully sweet folks to touch us with their kindness in unexpected ways. The young father on the elevator gave us a blessing as he left with his daughter. Opal at the wine store offered to keep our packages for us while we strolled downtown. Carl, a fellow visitor, paid for our whiskey tasting. And Josh, our waiter at dinner, brought us some extras with our dinner, items in which we’d shown interest but hadn’t ordered, all on the house. I even came across a beautiful pair of mallards making their way upstream through some whitewater by swimming close to the rocks. (I think there must be a metaphor there for me about navigating life by staying close to the Rock!)
As I’m wrapping things up this evening and reflecting on the day, I just can’t help thinking how wrong I was to have prejudged Gatlinburg. Yes, there is plenty of tacky here. Yes, it can be crowded. But it is in the heart of beautiful country, full of beautiful people, and harboring hidden glimpses of the goodness and loveliness of the Creator wherever one looks if one only has eyes to see.
How often, I wonder, do I approach other people in the same spirit as I approached Gatlinburg? How often do I hold expectations before taking time to get to know someone? How often do I prejudge based on reputation or appearance? What loveliness might I find in others if I took the time to look beneath the surface, to peer into the hidden nooks and crannies of their lives?
I picked up a book just before we left called Holy Noticing. I’m intrigued by this idea. What lovely gifts has the good God put in my path? How much might I be blessed if I will only notice?
One especially sweet gift I am looking forward to receiving tomorrow morning is Eucharist at St. Mary’s…right next door to where we are staying! Truly, God is so good!!!