The Guest House

Adam, Julia, and I took a trip to Georgia to see Anna. She's started her senior year in college. We hadn't seen her in so long -- too long. The trip was Adam's idea, and since he was actually willing to Leave Home, I made it a four-night visit. But we had to keep costs low. Through a sheer act of Providence, I discovered this lovely guest house.

It's run as a ministry, basically. It cost us only $60/night to stay here.

The house lies on a hillside at the end of a long, shaded lane. Adam had many good walks with the doggies, who had to come along. We had nobody to watch them. They weren't allowed in the guest house, so they spent the cool nights in their crates in the back of the van. They were very good.

A covered seating area near the driveway was a favorite place to sit and visit. Anna looks through some school work.

On the other side of the house -- the wooded side -- was a quiet deck with hummingbird feeders and twinkle lights.

Our room upstairs had a king-sized bed and a private bath. A large closet had been converted into a small sleeping compartment for Julia. She loved it.

The bath had a nice soaking tub, and a dormer window allowed in the sounds and smells of the woods -- ahhh! It was a relaxing visit, much-needed.

We avoided eating out by taking along some food in a cooler, and heating meals in the guest house microwave. Here we enjoyed Adam's beef/barley soup for lunch on the back deck.

We also took along our boat grill, which Adam got for free, remember? He cooked taco meat for us one night. We ate at a picnic table, also available at the house. The mosquitoes were happy we came.

One spacious seating area welcomes guests as they enter the house. The screened windows were open and the fall air in the mountains was cool.

Another more formal seating area led into the breakfast room (to the left).

Anna, Julia, and I sat here a lot. Anna and I spent three evenings watching Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes, chatting, catching up on our lives, knitting and stitching.

This "food nook" was ground zero for us -- coffee, hot tea, frig for keeping cold foods, bagels and fruit for breakfast or snacking. The hostess has such a beautiful knack for interior design.

Breakfast table decoration -- lovely. That cake plate offered us homemade cinnamon rolls, scones, or a cream cheese roulade each morning.

The entire setting was peaceful, comforting. I note this because families who work in ministry (whether missionaries, churches, schools, camps, or other ministry efforts) often need a respite, a time away to calm, heal, nourish the spirit, or simply think. Ministry work is spiritually exhausting because Satan is always looking for ways to wear one down, to defeat any work for God's kingdom.
This adorable Noah's Ark was made by the hostess and her husband for their grandkids to play with.

Adam spent lots of time reading up on the book of I Corinthians, which he'll begin teaching tomorrow evening. I spent lots of time enjoying the beauty of the place.

The upstairs hallway (where three of the four guest rooms are) is solid bead board.

Lovely old light fixture:

The reflection of our room in an oval mirror:

Warm from our hostess's oven:

I asked our hostess if she'd like me to give her some free publicity on my blog. She thought about it, and declined. I told her I'd share the photos, and our visit, with my friends online, but would not put names or contact information here. She is busy enough as she is, at her age, and cannot handle more guests. Plus -- her husband works for a local ministry, but she actually does all that she does, without pay. Can you imagine!? All that cleaning, all that decorating, all that fabulous cooking -- all as a gift for others. They live in the guest house, of course, but the furniture is almost all theirs, and they've put their soul into this work. Their goal is to give a restful stay to those who come, as we did, needing the balm of a few days and nights, before returning to the work God's given us to do. We were blessed to meet them.