Our Trip- Part 4...Wednesday

Wednesday proved to be another day full of fun and blessings from our Lord. Our next destination was Pennsylvania.

Exciting!!! You see, it has been a goal of mine to visit every one of our 50 states of America. So to enter yet into another one was a thrill.

                                          We were so close to New Jersey. Across this river. Though I knew we wouldn't be able to go to New Jersey, it was neat to see it.

                              We were headed to Philladelphia. It was a cold, rainy day, yet it was beautiful for each day our God creates, rain or shine, is lovely.

                                        
                                                               Crossing over the bridge into Philly.

                                       

I always thought Philadelphia would be dirty and ugly with rude people. Never had the desire to go there, but it was a pretty city, and each person we talked to was friendly. The Lord convicted me of judging this city and the people. These pictures don't do it justice because of how cloudy and rainy it was.

                                          
      I don't know if you can tell, but the picture above it had started to snow. We all were so very excited! We don't get snow down in Texas where we live. The kids were squeeling with excitement. Aj and I ]were also. I was hoping we would get to see snow while up here. The Lord knew the desire of my heart, and the childrens. Praise be to God!!!

 We finally found a parking spot, bundled up in our coats, gloves, and hats and walked several blocks with snow/sleet coming down on us. The kids were running around, sticking out their tongue to catch snow, watching it fall on each others heads. I am sorry I did not get pictures, I should have, all I was doing at the time was thinking about keeping my hands warm while we walked. I regret it now. Can't get those memories back.

We finally made it to where we wanted to go. And it was warm in the building also.

                                                             The Liberty Bell.

                                           

We spent awhile in there reading the history of this great bell and watched a short film. I was most impressed that I had never known etched onto the bell was a Bible verse. Leviticus 25:10.
                      "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land and to all the inhabitants of it."


                                      Here is Cracker Zech who did not want his picture taken...

                                     



                                  This picture is very blurry, but here we are in front of the bell.

 
                                            Behind the Liberty bell is the Indeppendance Hall. Very fitting.

                                       
                                         I am so thankful for the freedom we have in this country, and as a dear friend, Camille, reminded me, "God has truly blessed us beyond measure. What blessing it is to remind ourselves that HE is on the Throne and HE is in complete and Sovereign control of all things."  Though our country is not headed in the direction I had hoped, I know God is in control and Our freedom ultimately  is in Christ.
  God's Holy Word says, ""If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) \Thanks be to God for the freedom of this country and more importantly, my freedom from my sin through the precious blood of Jesud Christ.

We returned to our van and headed down the street. As I was typing in the address of our next location, I looked up as we were crossing over the bridge.

                                                      
I asked Aj what we were doing.

To my surprise, he said."Going to New Jersey! We've never been there!"

                                       Across we went, drove down a few streets...

(can you see the snow?)                                      

                                       
                                     
                           

After driving around a few streets, over the bridge we went back to Pennsylvania.

                                        Here are a few more pictures of Philly...

                                                                  

It was time to leave "Brotherly Love" (meaning of Pittsburgh) and head west. The drive was beautiful...rocky areas, rolling hills with farms on it....



an hour and half later we could start smelling it. We saw the smoke stacks.

                                                        Here are a few hints of where we went...

                                                                    

                                                       Why of course our next stop was...
                                                     Hershey, Pennsylvania home of Hershey Kisses!

                                                      

Mr Hershey was a man who persevered in spite of failing his first attempts in the candy business. After discovering adding milk to chocalate gave it a better, creamier taste, he risked all his money into this product. He built a factory and homes for his employees to live in. He and his wife couldn't have children so with a lot of his profits, he opened up a boys school for orphans. When he died, he didn't have any one to inherit his assets (his wife died 9 yrs. earlier) so he left everything to the school. To this day, the school is still open, but now also to boys and girls who are needy. It is a very nice school.  AJ and I thought it was some kind of campus for a small college.

We enjoyed our time touring the facilty. The kids were able to participate in a small factory production with their work hats.

The pictures are very bad and blurry (my camera is messed up and I have been having trouble with it on and off).

We then went on a little ride showing the process of making the candy.

\

                                     

                                         

Hershey closed about an hour after we arrived so to the hotel we went.

That was our day. It didn't seem like much but the driving took up some extra time. It was nice to get to a hotel around 7 pm rather 11 pm. We enjoyed a leisure time in the hotel together.