Christmas Tree Lights

It's January 10th and our Christmas tree is still up. I'm sitting in my dark living room, listening to worship music and basking in the glow of warm white lights. There is something so calming about the light that glows from a Christmas tree. I've stripped it of it's ornaments and decorations and all that remains is the light. Not even a skirt adorns it's trunk. So bare, but yet still so beautiful. We've never kept our tree up this long. But this year, we all needed a little more light for just a little bit longer.

It's always sad when people start taking down the outside Christmas lights. Although most yards are bare 10 months out of the year, somehow when the lights are gone it just feels like something is missing. Streets go dark, winter comes, kids stay inside and the life that seemed to come alive during the holidays slowly fades to stillness. 

But there's a light that shines all year, and there's a light that brings life, joy and power. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5) And Christmas is all about this light. "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." (John 1:9) "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) I believe Christmas lights can draw us to the true light if we take the time to let them. 

Have you ever watched a little child stare at lights, mesmerized by the glow? Do you ever sit and stare at lights, captivated by their beauty. Light is meant to illuminate the darkness, draw us in, show us the way. As I sit and soak in just one more night of these soft warm lights, I draw in to Jesus. I quiet myself to sit at His feet and seek Him. This world is loud and it's screaming at me and sometimes I cannot hear above the darkness. But there is a light, a light that is not overcome by the darkness. A light that shines brighter, that leads the way, that glows the glory of God. And if a bare Christmas tree can in someway remind me of the one true light, then maybe it can stay up just a few more days.  

New Beginnings

   The beginning of something new is always the hardest part. Setting realistic and achievable goals seems to be equally difficult. Letting the words come as they may, not forcing them to flow, is challenging as well. I want to be a writer, but having something worthwhile to say is not always predictable. Knowing that I'm writing to release the words from my mind, not to meet a deadline or make a great statement, I begin. New beginning, fresh start, goal setting, mind clearing, heart changing, life chapter writing starts today.

Cuyahoga Valley, Flight 93 Memorial and Shenandoah National Park

Leaving Michigan we took a detour by Joe's old house where he grew up. His neighbor happens to still live in the house beside his old one and she walked him around back and filled him in on the last 30 years:)  Megan and Keegan got a picture in front of the park he used to play at as a child.

Onward to Ohio, we stopped at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The girls were eager to complete their Junior Ranger books so we worked on those for awhile and did a fun quest to find a hidden treasure. Then we drove over to see Brandywine Falls, which were absolutely beautiful. We settled in for the night at a campground, had our last dinner in the RV together and the girls headed out to play on a trampoline with some other kids. They really do love campgrounds.

This morning we drove to Shanksville, PA to visit the Flight 93 Memorial in memory of those who lost their lives during 9/11. It was very somber and certainly a different experience for the girls. It is beautifully done and very honoring of the victims  and heroes of Flight 93.

Leaving PA we headed to VA and shouts of joy erupted as we entered the state. We also played a little Ray Charles "Take me back to Ole' Virginny!" It's good to be in our home state. We took a little ride down the Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive. It was beautiful, but this is certainly a place to visit in the Fall. We will look forward to coming back up later in the year.

So we've reached the end of the trip. We weren't supposed to travel all the way home until tomorrow, but something happens when you are this close. Everyone was ready to go home. Unfortunately we can't snap our fingers or click our heels and instantly be there. It's made for a long day of driving for Joe, but the end result will be a happy family, probably each in their own rooms for some time.

Lots to be thankful for, lots to reflect upon. We are so grateful for this time together as a family. We will all take away something different. We had challenges, we had tears, we had lots of giggles and smiles. We had impeccable weather the entire time, literally everywhere we went it was the perfect weather. We saw so many friends who just happened to have the perfect spot in their schedule for us. We really could not have planned this trip any better and much of it was not planned. The destinations were known, but the details were made along the way. Somehow I survived this way of living and even came to appreciate it. Most of the time I didn't know what the next day was going to hold, and I think I handled it pretty well. Praise the Lord for a summer well lived and well loved. We are abundantly grateful for this time and will cherish the memories for a lifetime.

Michigan

We were so blessed to end our travels with good friends that have recently been transferred from Virginia Beach to Chicago. Lucky for us, they are spending the summer in Michigan so we could get a taste of Lake Life in Michigan!  Oh the unending joy of a day at the lake. The girls(hers and mine) spent all day in the water. Paddleboarding, kayaking, floating, swimming and sliding, they did it all. We took 2 boat rides, one before lunch and one after to get all the tubing fun in. My girls definitely love the lake life. I love catching rays while holding sleeping babies on the boat. 

The day was fun from beginning to end and ended with rock painting, a bonfire, s'mores and catching lightening bugs. I could certainly get used to the lake life all summer. We sure are thankful for this special day with our friends. Although we are going to miss them terribly back home, we look forward to more visits to see them in Chicago and hopefully on the lake in Michigan.