Walking the pavement of Birmingham...

It isn't often I get to Birmingham, Alabama, but when I do, I love taking a stroll down some of the downtown streets before eating at one of my favorite fish restaurants. This particular photograph was taken about 6th downtown. I love the tall old medical buildings and apartments. Thinking about all the history that has happened there. I remember the fish restaurant when it was a hole in the wall shop and people would wrap around the block. Then they moved into a larger facility to accommodate the growing population. There were no coffee shops or small eateries lining the first floor of the popular lofts near the ball field when my oldest son spent much of his first years of life at Children's hospital. Then parking was limited when the eye foundation was our home three morning a week the year I turned eighteen with a damaged cornea. Many changes, all for the better, for this amazing city that doesn't sleep to the people that have walked these exact streets then and now. All because God is a gracious, loving and protective Father that is always love and good and in turn does the same for us.

Psalm 121:8 says that...

...the Lord will watch over my coming and going both now and forevermore. 

He will yours too. The thing is sometimes we read these verses and it says "coming" and "going". Eventually we will come home and our going will be less because we are home. This home will be the rest place of peace, joy and gratitude of living in His grace, His salvation. It would sound so much more natural to say, going and coming, but He didn't say it that way. Once we are home, knowing Him through His amazing salvation, we are resting forever in the knowledge of His eternal security and love. Because of that salvation and knowledge, I want to serve Him, love Him, know Him and be obedient in all things.

Thus, His ultimate protection will be with me, guarding me within and without. I am forever grateful. My Father who is looking after me, loved me so much that He sent His son to a cross, rose on the third day and went to Heaven and one day I will be with Him (John 14). Changes come to a city, but the heart of the pavement and the people remain the same because they have come home and reside in this place.

Hugs, Rita