Toll Roads

My oldest daughter now has a summer internship job which fortunately for her allows her to make some money while working part time during her summer vacation. However this summer job requires us a bit of a commute twice a week taking us between an hour and a half to two hours to get her there.

She stays with my sister and mom because my sister works at the company she is interning with so it makes it simple for her to stay the three days and we pick her up when her shift ends during the week.

The one thing we have to do to avoid a longer commute is to take a toll road here. It's not required but reduces our driving time by at least 30 to 45 minutes depending on the day and time. The toll can be a bit costly but the aggravation it saves from sitting in rush hour traffic is well worth it.

The added benefit is that it takes you to some of the most beautiful remote hillside landscapes in the county. There are rolling green hills that seem to stretch on to infinity adding more rolling hills beyond what you can see.

There are red tail hawks that circle overhead looking for a snack or a place to land and observe the comings and goings of the world.



There are hillsides covered in mustard yellow flowers that splash along their color in varies patches. My youngest said while driving that God must have spilled mustard while taking a stroll one day. Hmm, looks like He could have. Never thought of it like that.

There are hidden lakes nestled in the valleys that remain a remote haven for the wildlife that can access them.

And across the final hilltop we can finally see the stretch of vast blue Pacific ocean.

There are quite a few things that most people don't notice while they make their daily commutes through this toll road each and every single day. Most have transponders which don't even require them to stop and visit the toll booth attendant to pay their fares. They simply speed on by while the electronic sensor calculates the toll and debits it from their bank accounts.

Yet the one thing I've noticed is the things you miss zipping on by. The things that go un-noticed unless you really look besides the things I have mentioned.

There is a fun looking rock formation that looks like a tea pot. You can only see it going northbound but it looks amazing.

There are the countless cactus that sprout up out of nowhere, nestled in the tall grasses on the hillside. They are gone in the blink of an eye and before you can tell the passengers in the car what you just saw.

There are the bushes of beautiful white flowers that gather in the valleys that can't be accessible from the road side yet add just a touch of beauty to the lush green trees and hills.

Beauty is all around us in the everyday yet so often we find ourselves in the biggest hurry to get somewhere and miss the signs God is showing you everyday to let you know He still loves you and cares enough about you, to show you His love and beauty in the every day sights we pass by every day.

Those brilliant blue skies with puffy white clouds that look like puppies or turtles, or the most beautiful rainbow hues that come with the evening sunsets. Did you hear God whisper in the gentle breeze, "I love you"?

Just what is all that worth to stop and notice it every day? A few dollars at the toll road? Or worth the very soul inside of you that this world wasn't created by a random happening or big bang 6 billion years ago.

No it was designed and created by the God of this world who even now is working on creating an eternal home for us to spend the remainder of our lives with for those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior of their lives. That to me is priceless.

So what will you notice today? I've made it a point to list 7 things that I am thankful to God for. It helps me to keep a better perspective on my day and starts it off on a blessed note. Here are mine:

1. Blueberry muffins
2. Smell of freshly cut Christmas trees
3. Puppies breath
4. Down comforters
5. Yellow finches
6. Ocean waves
7. Hearing "I love you" from my hubby.

What are your 7? I'd love to hear them. Please leave them in my comments!