My Little Secret Hideaway Dream - Updated 11-18-16

I wish I was writing to say that my dreams have come true and that I have built my "secret hideaway dream", but alas! It is still just a dream...  But I was telling some new friends about it today in my post http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2016/11/friday-foto-friends-and-things-are.html, and several commented that they would love to come visit when I do get it built.  So that prompted me to re-post this original blog written on 10/28/2012, not too many months after we moved to this home in the forest.  The dream is still very much alive...but we are no closer to getting it built now than we were four years ago...still need money to do things like that...and since I retired last fall our funds are even tighter than ever. So I will keep praying and dreaming and waiting on God to show us the way to do this...and then I will definitely let you all know and we will have a big party in the little "secret hideaway" cabin.  I guess it won't be a secret hideaway any more after that!  Ha Ha!  Please pray with me about this, okay friends? Thank you!

Original Post 10/28/2012:

"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord." Psalm 27:5-6

Today something has been evolving in my mind and on my facebook page.  So I figured I might as well bring it over here and share it with you.  After all, it is all about "YOU", my friends in blogland and elsewhere. 

Someone posted this picture on facebook, and it triggered a whole lot of dreaming on my part, although I already had the dream...this just put more meat on the bones of the dream:

I don't have the credits for this photo. Sorry. It was on facebook. I saw it and I liked it.
So here it is. Please forgive me if I've taken something that is copyrighted. I didn't know.

Several people made the comment under this picture "Now THAT's MY idea of camping!"  And I said to myself..."Yes, that is exactly the idea I have had for some time...I want one of those in my yard!"  Now you may say that that is quite an extravagant idea, and perhaps a bit impractical. 

But let me explain myself.  For many years my husband and I have dreamed of owning our own retreat center.  It started way back when we were serving in the pastoral ministry, and we went through some very difficult times of stress, family illness, pastoral struggles, and general burnout.  Our dream was to create a place where pastors and wives could get away for a while to rest, recuperate, be ministered to instead of having to minister to others, and that it would be provided for them absolutely free. Then, when our teenage son became ill with a brain tumor, we experienced what it was like to have a seriously ill child and all of the fear, anguish, financial burdens, and heartaches that go along with that kind of a traumatic event, and we wanted to provide a place for families, caregivers, broken hearted parents, suddenly alone individuals...where they could heal, receive counseling, hide away for a while without worries about how they could repay us. At one time we actually created a non-profit organization for this very purpose, but it never developed. We still had too many of our own battles to fight...and although the dream was born out of our own need for such a haven of rest, we were never able to realize the dream and had to shelve it along with so many other wonderful ideas that appeared to be impossible.  Now that same son of ours is enduring cancer as an adult, and we are living this nightmare again...even though he is far away from us with a family of his own...and we wish we could do something more to help them. 

So now, we are living in a place that is out in the woods.  We were blessed with this home in a miraculous way...and although it isn't exactly paid for, it is like a dream come true in some respects.  It is a quiet place (sort of) out in a remote location, with lots of interesting wildlife and adventures. We don't have a lot of land, but enough of a lot that we could possibly fit a cute little cabin in a copse of trees off to the side, where one could sit and dream and write and read and "retreat" from the world.  I won't fool you...it's not perfect. There are neighbors fairly nearby, and cars do drive by out on the dusty road, and there are bugs, and real live bears, birds, bees and snakes.  But it has potential.  I can just imagine a rustic little cabin there under the trees...and I can see it being used for the glory of the Lord...to minister to others...to minister to US...to welcome friends and strangers who need to rest awhile...to provide a place of comfort, solace, and adventure to boot!

I've actually been spending my last couple of Sunday afternoons, sitting right in this spot and writing and dreaming about this little cabin in the woods.  I like to take pictures as I write...pictures of the birds, the flora and fauna, and well, stupid stuff like my laptop in my lap, and elusive birds in the tree who refuse to sit still long enough to be photographed.

The view from my laptop

It is relaxing and peaceful. After a busy, stressful week at work, it is respite for my soul.  It soothes my nerves, and heals my wounds.  The only thing missing from my original dream is a lake or stream passing by my front door...but there is a lake in the area, you just can't see it from here.  And there is a  lovely river for canoeing, fishing, sitting and dreaming...not far down the road.  And there is all of the Ocala National Forest at our doorstep...complete with paths for walking, 4-wheeling, hunting, with  natural springs galore throughout the region.  So the possibilities are limitless! 



Hey, where did THAT bird come from?

There I am dreaming and writing about my "dream cabin"

There is a tiny yellow warbler in there somewhere. See if you can find him!

Another view from my secret hideway

So maybe my dream isn't so far fetched after all.
I just need to build the cabin. It won't be fancy. It may not even have electricity...but that would limit it to fall and winter use in Florida. Summer would be brutal without air conditioning, even in the forest. So I guess we will have to have some conventions if we really are serious about helping people relax and rest.  It will need some kind of "facilities" for you know what, so that will require a little extra planning...but it is not impossible. We already have an extra septic tank on the property, running water, and electricity is easily attached.  We just need the means to provide the cabin. So I am praying. I spend my Sunday afternoons in that spot, praying, dreaming, and speaking the dream before the Lord.  Maybe He can see that I am really serious this time.  Maybe now IS the time to make it happen.  Perhaps that is why He brought us to this place in the first place! 


When you come to visit us, we can sit on our front porch and have a cup of tea
(or coffee) and watch the birds together!

I hope you will be one of our first visitors when this dream becomes a reality.  One of my dear friends from childhood said today, "If you build it, I will come!"   I'm holding her to it.  One of my facebook/blogging friends from California said she wanted to make her reservation too!  I can envision a fantastic retreat of giggling writers, sharing our dreams and swapping our stories.  I can see worn out pastors and wives, recent widows or widowers, newlyweds?...well maybe I AM dreaming a bit, but anything is possible with God.  Oh, and did I tell you?  You can join us for breakfast on the weekends! (If you want to).  Your cabin won't have cooking facilities, (except for a campfire or a grill) at least I don't think it will...but maybe it will...but if not, you will be very welcome at our table.  Or at our fire pit.

Hot dogs anyone?

How about a "s'more"?  You gotta have some more s'mores!

So, if you are in need of a place to "hide" in the time of trouble...a secret place of God's tabernacle...that is exactly what I am talking about.  A place to hide away and heal, grieve, rest, recuperate, laugh, sing, write, read, pray, love...come on down!  Oh...but it's not here yet.  Please pray with me that God will provide the means to do this!  We all want it...but in His time, His way, His provision.  Amen? Amen!  Ok, start saving up for your trip!  I believe it will happen. Hopefully sooner than later.  Amen.