Bears

So 2 weeks ago Josiah had a Social Studies lesson on Pioneers. As a last minute decision I thought we should head out to Cades Cove and visit some of the cabins and do a "hands on" lesson on Pioneers. I had just finished reading the novel "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers and I was in Pioneer mode myself. I was also hoping to finally see a bear. In the 2 years we've been here and all our visits to the Smoky's I have been hoping for an encounter with a bear. (from a distance of course). Well we started the loop and I kept praying "Lord I really want to see a bear please let us see a bear." (as if He didn't have more important request to fulfill) But all we saw were the usual wild turkey here and the usual deer there. We stopped and ate a picnic dinner and showed Josiah the cabins and mill and barns and then decided it was time to head home. It was a great evening. (I love the Smoky's) but deep down I was disappointed that once again I didn't see a bear. Well we headed on our way out and as we approached the exit to the loop we came to a sudden stop and a traffic jam. I saw people looking up in a tree and I told Chris I was jumping out. I jumped out of the van and ran to the crowd and Guess what? Bears! Up at the top of a tree was Mama Bear and her two cubs. It was so exciting! And I smiled the whole way home. Isn't it great how God cares about the little things in our lives? He cares so much about the desires of our hearts that He shows up just in time and allows us to enjoy even the most minute experiences just to fill us with joy.