By now, most of you are aware of how fidgety I am in that I cannot sit still. So, what does that mean? Unless we are being beamed somewhere, I am not somebody you want to go on a long trip with. Unfortunately for my parents, they never received that memo.
It was 1974 and my parents wanted to go to the newer amusement park in Nashville: Opryland. When we left out that morning, they warned me it would be a “good little drive” to Nashville, but being nine years old, I didn’t realize what they meant. About an hour into our drive, I asked the infamous question, “Are we there yet?” My dad answered, “No, we’re nowhere near Nashville. We’ve probably got another good 2 hours left.” Then I started to ask, “How much longer until we get there?” That question wasn’t appreciated either.
When we finally arrived at Opryland, I think my parents were more relieved than I was. Can’t say that I blame them. But, we did go on to have a good time there. I remember attending a few shows and people dressed in costumes as musical instruments walking around. I even had my picture made with one of them. Apparently, we even met somebody famous. I say that because my parents recognized him, but I didn’t. Honestly, unless he played on “Gilligan’s Island” or “I Dream of Jeanie,” I would have no clue to who he was.
My favorite part of the trip was the carousel. I don’t think the word “Merry-go-round” applied to this because it was literally a work of art. I had never seen anything as beautiful and elegant as it was. There’s a good reason for that. It was constructed in Germany in the mid-1800s. Then it was stored in Denmark for a few decades before it was assembled at Opryland. Nothing at the fair or any other amusement parks compared to it. That along was worth the trip to me.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;” 1 Timothy 2:1 (KJV)
Did you wonder how I was going to use this verse? Actually, it applies to how I take trips nowadays. Instead of just sitting there and being restless, I take in the scenery as we travel. When I see houses along the way, I wonder about the lives of the people who live there. Are they happy? Are they hurting in some way? Do they know the Lord? Then I say a small prayer for them. You don’t have to know somebody personally to pray for them. Try it sometimes. Who knows, maybe a stranger will pray for you when you need it the most.
So, did I ever go back to Opryland? No and Yes. No, because it closed permanently on December 31, 1997. Then they built Opry Mills on some of the Opryland area. As for the yes, I went to Opry Mills with my family and friends in 2017. We watched the solar eclipse as we stood out in the parking lot. By the way, that is one of the few malls that Tim likes. Then we walked over to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. There, we took in some of the shops and food. We walked around in an enormous and beautiful indoor garden. Best of all, we took a boat ride inside of the hotel. Would I take another long trip to go back there? In a heartbeat.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.