Heaven on Earth?

[JenRN]

I was wondering if you have ever been to a place where you literally felt like you were in heaven on earth? There have been very few places I have felt like this, one of course for me was Alaska. BUT..... the other one is right here in Virginia, I just got home from there. You all have heard me talk about the "Berry Farm" before, well this place is beyond awesome!! It is a farm way out in the country located in the "Northern Neck" of Virginia, nestled in between 2 rivers. It is a berry farm that is acres and acres of lush crops, trees, river views and orchards. They have animals there, horses, sheep, goats etc.. and you can interact witht the animals. ANYWAYS...... What I am getting at is I went there today to pick strawberries, these berries are like no other I have ever picked in my entire life!!!!!! They are huge, they take up almost the entire palm of my hand and they are juicy red the whole way through and sweetest taste ever! I picked 40 pounds of berries today!:eek: :eek: I am going to make jam etc.... I had a wonderful experience there again, while I was taking care of my grandma 2 weeks ago, she said to me "Are you going to get berries this year" she knows it is a big deal for me. I welled up in tears and said I would not leave her to go there! She said "Don't worry I will be with you there" well....... today I was picking berries I go far away in the field, as far as I can from the other people because that is where the best berries are, next to the river! While I was picking berries the sun was beating down on me and I was happy and then I say this most beautiful butterfly, it was bright blue in color with hints of yellow, I had never seen one so beautiful. That butterfly followed me all over that orchard, now tell me that is not a sign from her! I was so overwhelmed I cried right there in the field! This place is my favorite place to go in the summer, they have a country store, old fashioned porch swings to sit on and it is so peaceful and relaxing there. I truly feel at peace there and I believe that she was there with me today! If you want to see the site here is the website!

www.westmorelandberryfarm.com (http://www.westmorelandberryfarm.com)

Please share your places like this if you have any!:angel:

[creedgirl99]

It seems like such a beautiful place....I would love to go there!

That was an awesome story btw!

[JulieCitySlicker]

Wow Jen:dancing: That berry farm has an awesome site;) I used to love going to pick strawberries when I was little and eating more than what was put in the basket:lol: :roll: That looks like a nice place!

I think that one of the places I went that was like heaven on earth was going to Santa Barbara California to visit my Grandma. I just loved the palm trees and the beaches:) My Grandma lived in an apartment over looking the mountains and you had a great view and some awesome sceenery as you looked out her sliding glass doors. Then going to the beach and looking out at the Pacific Ocean. It was just beautiful there!

[whitebird]

That's beautiful Jen. I think that your Grandmother was there with you in spirit. The beauty that you describe, the sight, sound taste, smell, of a moment in time. It all came together to create a work of art in your memory. A moment just for you, so that you will always remember your Grandmother with such vivid pleasure, you will never forget the gift you received.

[Sheila63]

What a wonderful experience you had today, Jen. That berry farm sounds so beautiful. You've brought back some memories of when I was younger and would help my mom make strawberry jam. Gotta love that homemade jam! YUM!!:D

I totally agree that the butterfly following you was a sign that your grandmother was with you. I'm so glad you felt some happiness today. It sounds like it was a very touching experience for you.:angel:

One place that I always feel very spiritual and also is a little piece of heaven here on earth is at the beach in the southern part of Maine. I love to go late in the day when most people have left for the day or early in the morning before everyone gets there.:) One time while I was on vacation there, I was up early enough to go and see the sun rise. Watching the beauty and magnificence of the sunrise that morning just filled my heart with so much joy and gratitude for the beauty in the world, that I cried. It's an experience I will never forget.:D

[whitebird]

Sheila-The beach sounds wonderful. Being alone with nature is how I too find my most spiritual moments.

I go to the northern woods of Minnesota. There is a place we camp that is wilderness for as far as the eye can see. The lakes are clean and beautiful and they do not allow jet skis or highpowered motor boats on the water. The quiet of the place is wonderful. At night, when everyone is sleeping, I leave the tent and walk through the area, as the ladies room is down the road. The stars are so bright you don't need a flashlight. I tilt my head up to look at the sky, and I scuff my feet in the dirt to make a slight sound. I make the sound, because I blend in with nature so well in the night, I almost stepped on a skunk one time. That would have proved most embarrassing.

I find the night just as beautiful as the daytime. It forms a balance that soothes my spirit. The starlight, combined with the wonderful scent of the woods, and the feel of the fresh dew as it covers my feet as I walk. That is my heaven on earth.

[Lechium]

My friends house when I got high there... really...

Aisde of that a good museum or picture gallery. Nothing beats that for me. Yeah I'm wired but oh well.

[Steve]

Door County, WI is very peaceful. It's mostly small villages or towns with restaurants and small craft-type stores. Then there's the huge state parks where you can sit by the lake and relax, drive down the narrow roadways and look at nature, or put on some walking shoes and take a long and peaceful hike.

Just north of the Door County, WI penninsula is Washington Island. That's a pretty cool place to go as well. It's an example of the old days... farms, forests, and not much else!

The Louve (spelling?) in Paris, France is awsome. It's the big art museum with the Mona Lisa if you don't know.

The palace at Versaille (spelling?) in France was my favorite part of going to Paris. It just sucks you back into history. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff when I'm not doing computer related stuff. It's amazing to see the buildings, furnature, and artwork that was made back then and then think of the crap we have now!

[JenRN]

Yeah I agree Steve, I LOVE antiques my house is full of them!;)

[TeriB19]

On the island of Maui there is a little touristy fishing village called La Haina, which is adorable in itself, but we took a dinner cruise from there one night at sunset and it was the most incredibly beautiful thing to see. The sun setting on the water while dolphins swam up by our boat. A little slice of heaven on earth for me.

[Sheila63]

I love dolphins.:D That sounds like an absolutely beautiful spot, Teri.

[TeriB19]

Oh Sheila it was wonderful, then the next day my Mom and I went out from the same port on a whale watch, awesome experience!!

[Dogstar]

Originally posted by Steve
The Louve (spelling?) in Paris, France is awsome. It's the big art museum with the Mona Lisa if you don't know.

The palace at Versaille (spelling?) in France was my favorite part of going to Paris. It just sucks you back into history. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff when I'm not doing computer related stuff. It's amazing to see the buildings, furnature, and artwork that was made back then and then think of the crap we have now!

Wow, Steve, I know exactly what you mean about the Palace of Versailles. I went to Paris in high school as part of a school trip and it was awesome. The palace and the Louvre were amazing, and they were my favorites of the trip as well.


Jen, what a beautiful day you had. That's so great. You were so lucky to have such a wonderful grandmother. She will always watch over you. :angel:

I'm with Sheila on my heaven on earth. It's the place I can clear my head and get centered. My favorite one is in Rhode Island, and late in the afternoon is my favorite time to go, after everyone has left. And being the night owl I am, I love it at 3 a.m. on a moonlit night. It's friggin spectacular to see the moonlight reflected on the water, feel the light ocean breezes, dig my feet into the sand and just enjoy that oneness of spirit with nature.

[Sheila63]

Originally posted by TeriB19
Oh Sheila it was wonderful, then the next day my Mom and I went out from the same port on a whale watch, awesome experience!!

I love whales too, Teri. There's something about them and dolphins that fascinate me. To me, they're intelligent and beautiful. That trip sounds so awesome!!:D

Glad to see I have a kindred spirit with my love for the ocean, Dogstar.:D I love being around water regardless if it's a lake or the ocean but I've got to say my favorite is the ocean. I love closing my eyes and just listening to the sound of the ocean. Ahhh, I love it!:)

[marlsy]

Jen I was just posting about signs from loved ones in the prayer request thread, go read it!! I know that was a sign from your grandmother!!! What an awsome story!!!!!!!!!

My slice of heaven was also on Maui Island......... We stayed in a lil town La Hina but one day we went to the other side of the island where it rains all the time to a place called Hana, OMG now that place is HEAVEN on earth!!!!! It's sooooooooo beautiful!! Green everywhere, waterfalls everywhere, its really really really beautiful, if anyone ever goes to Maui, make Hana a must..... You won't be sorry!!! I would move to Maui in a heart beat if I could.

[JenRN]

I am also a BIG water person, I love the ocean, lakes etc... I had some awesome experiences in Alaska the day my grandpa died, I was in a canoe and out of no where there was this whale we saw in the distance, it was so beautiful, I just sat there and was mesmerized by it. I got such a warm peaceful feeling come over me it was incredible. That night I called my dad to find out my grandpa died that very afternoon, I believe that was a sign from him as well:angel: I never felt so much peace and relaxation as in the waters of Alaska, it was a dream world to me, so much wildlife around me, I will cherish it always!

[Dogstar]

Jen, Alaska would be right behind the beach for me. The river-rafting trip I took in the mountains was incredible. I'm always looking at the pics of that trip because I have such peaceful, beautiful memories of it. I'm so glad I got the chance to go.

[TeriB19]

Marlsy, I know that place you are talking about. My best friend went there several years back. We didn't make it on our trip because of time constraints, but she told me how wonderful it was there and our next trip back, Hana is a MUST!!!!!!!!

[marlsy]

Teri, YOU have to go there next time....... It truly is heaven on earth!!! We went to a place there that has seven waterfalls and seven pools before it drops off into the ocean, we actually swam in one of the pools.... I'm not talking about man made pools, these are natures pools at the bottom of each waterfall, it was so awsome!!

[Sheila63]

Alaska and Hawaii are at the top of my list of places to travel too. They sound soooo beautiful.:) I've got to keep Hana in my when I go to Hawaii. It sounds like a tropical paradise!!

[TeriB19]

Marlsy, that's what my girlfriend said about Hana, about the seven pools and the seven waterfalls. She had nothing but great things to say about it. I definitely want to go there next time.

[JenRN]

Hawaii is on my list next for sure!:D Alaska exceeded my expectations BIG TIME, I WILL go back there again who knows I have always wanted to live in the Pacific North west:idea:

[souldancer]

I would love to go to Alaska some day! And, Hawaii melts me like Scotts brown eyes. But, I am just grateful for today's visit to Sonoma Coast in Northern California....clear skies with brown pelicans and ospreys; happy, fat, lazy seals families lazily hauled off on the beach lik logs; and the passionate waves crashing on shore...too bad there were gale winds up to 40 mph that drove us all off the beach by early afternoon....! Being near the water, especially, the ocean - helps clear my head, renew my spirit and rehydrate my zest for Living...

[SCOTTSMYMAN]

As some of you have already said Hawaii. Spent three weeks there once. Maui is my favorite island. Can just about find an empty beach. That's what we did noone there. I sat on the beach ,the weather was perfect with just the right breeze and watched the humpback whales breeching from the water for hours. It was the must amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. I sure felt like I was in heaven that day. I was there in February which is a great time to go,and the whales are there mating and migrating around that time. I'm big into whales and dolphins. Saw a couple of those too. Needless to say it was such a beautiful sight I ended up crying.

[marlsy]

wow that's awsome scottsmyman!!!! What an awsome experience!!!!!!!!! I also was at a beach where there was literally NOONE there but who I was with!!! It was soooooo awsome!!

[TeriB19]

Kris and Marlsy, when we were in Maui we were sitting by the pool at the restaurant having lunch looking out into the ocean and we watched the whales breeching in and out. I thought we'd have to wait for the whale watch trip, I had no idea we'd be able to see them from the poolside (right next to the beach). What a cool site and what an awesome experience.

[alive_in_Jesus]

I have had two of those kinds of experiences.

One was in my bathroom, yeah, I know strange place, but God's presence was soooooo real! I was crying on the bathroom floor b/c I was feeling sooo down and it was AMAZING what God did for me there.

Also, in Colorado last year with my youth group. We were ALL in tears at least on the last night....God is undeniable!