The Road Not Traveled

I've always been one to take the road less traveled. I love to explore. Last year took me to The Last Frontier in Glacier View, Alaska to visit our son who is a missionary there at Victory Bible Camp. It was my first time to visit him at his home during his adulthood. And as the Lord worked it, my first trip to Alaska was the weekend of his 33rd birthday. The timing could not have been better.

It was a wonderful trip, as I found out the day before my flight that I had breast cancer. I didn't tell my son. I just wanted to enjoy our time together, the beautiful scenery, meet his church family, his coworkers, and enjoy every moment I could. I didn't go "sky diving", "rocky mountain climbing", or "ride 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu" as Tim McGraw sang, but I did enjoy eating a Glacier Burger at Long Rifle Restaurant which overlooked the spectacular Matanuska Glacier, (the largest in the United States that you can drive to at 27 miles long and 4 miles wide). I canoed across Index Lake with my son viewing mountain scenes whose beauty could only be described as heaven on earth, and he coordinated a day with Victory's Ranch Camp Guide for us to go horseback riding through the old frontier trails of the mountains. I haven't been in a canoe in over 20 years (we didn't tip!) and I haven't been on a horse in over 40. Miracles do still happen. And I, as you should, plan to live every day like we are dying. Because we all have an appointment to. Death and taxes we can not escape. I have a great peace in my heart, because I gave my life to Jesus Christ many, many years ago. It's a sweet relationship and I hope you know Him personally as well. 

Victory Bible Camp, Glacier View, Alaska

The solitude in the mountains, two hours North of Anchorage, was indescribable. It's just what my heart needed. And just as I know every day, every breath, is a gift from above, I soaked in this majestic creation as much as I could and counted it all as a great gift from our Heavenly Father and my sweet husband as well. Your heart will yearn for this place after you leave it. 

The Lord has allowed me to take many roads less traveled in life. Out for a walk one day while my son was working, I took this photo not far from the cozy camp cabin, "Cranberry", that I was staying in. (I love how they name their cabins.) This poem below, by Robert Frost, came to mind when I saw the two paths. I wanted so much to wander farther, to go around that grassy bend.

I will say, with all honesty ... being alone, unarmed, and in the Last Frontier, I was too scared to take the less traveled path on the right. There are moose and bear in those woods! Fear is not always a bad thing. Sometimes it keeps you alive. lol. But barring moose and bear ... if you can take the road not traveled in life (or less traveled), do so! You'll be so glad you did. You'll have really lived life to it's fullest.

The Road Not Traveled
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~ While in Alaska, I realized just how remote and difficult it is for people to get goods, even by ordering online. Those that live far out have learned to "make do" and have to plan to shop or get others to pick up needed items if they themselves can't go. We live in the rural Ozark Mountains and it's a 50 mile round trip to Walmart for us. I only thought that was an inconvenience. We at least have a Dollar General down the road. It's a 4 hour drive round trip for people in the mountains of Alaska, and that's if the roads are drivable. We have been shipping to the lower 48 states since we begun, but we have slowly began shipping a few things to Alaska. 

With all that said, Ozark Cabin Décor LLC can ship certain smaller décor products to the people of Alaska. So Alaska ... here is a list of things that we can currently ship:

• Bath Accessories
• Bath Towels
• Shower Curtains (Select)
• Shower Curtain Hooks - All
• Cabin Bedding (Select)
• Cabin Pillows (Select)
• Coffee Mugs - All
• Dinnerware - (Select)
• Enamelware - All
• Serveware & Accessories (Most)
• Jute Table Accents (Table Runners, Trivets, Coasters, etc.) - All
• Jute Stair Treads - All
• Jute Rugs (20"x30" only) - All
• Night Lights - All
• Rustic & Accent Lamps (Select)
• Lamp Shades - All
• Pendant Lights (Select)

*Select - Not all items in these categories can ship to AK, but many can. We highly recommend you contact us to see if what you are interested in can ship to you before placing an order. Please email info@ozarkcabindecor.com, use the online contact form, or call (1-800-317-0882) (you may need to leave a message and we'll call you back) before ordering. We'll add items to our list as we can.

We'd love to serve you!

Thank You Kindly,
Laurie

P.S. I'm doing well! I'm so thankful for answered prayers and appreciate any and all. I plan to be around for many more years or until the Lord comes and takes us out of this place. May God bless you and yours!