Little Slice of Heaven
On Sunday, our tiny historic town of Webster hosted an inaugural Block Party for residents and neighbors to gather at what will become an annual event. It was hosted at a community greenspace right on the main street tucked between the historic Webster Rock School and the ball field. The setting was truly quintessential!
Neighbors walked there carrying their lawn chairs. Kids were all playing lawn games while families visited. Neighbors hung out with old friends and new ones were made. There were even food trucks and live music. In many ways, it was like stepping back in time!
Last year, I was appointed to the Planning Board for the Town of Webster, so I had the pleasure to experience much of the behind-the-scenes work that led to this day. I was able to see the hearts of neighbors who wanted nothing more than the opportunity for people to come together in fellowship.
On the morning of the event, when we were helping to set up, Opal made the comment, “You know, there was a time that if we were to drive by and see this very thing going on, we’d say, ‘This place looks picture perfect! What do we have to do to live somewhere like this?!’”
The truth is, two years ago, we had no idea that a Webster Block Party would ever be a thing. Sure, we knew the history that exists here, and we were well aware of certain little things that make this place special, like walking to the post office where the kids still get suckers. But we had no idea that there’d one day be an organized convening where we’d get to meet neighbors and friends and swap stories about how and why we all ended up here. Or that our kids would be eating what seemed like endless sno-cones and playing croquet and cornhole and ballgames with lots of other neighbor kids.
You see, what makes this story special is that two years ago when we moved here, we didn’t have the proof that this place would be the picture-perfect community for us to raise our family and call our forever home. We didn’t have the proof, but we had the faith. Opal and I got crystal clear on exactly what we’d pursue if we could design our life from the ground up. And then we asked God to show us the way.
Right here, in this little slice of heaven tucked into the mountains of western North Carolina is where He led us. We know His hand was at play all the way here, and it is truly a dream come true—an answered prayer. And to think, this journey has just begun.
