va * ca * tion

noun
1. an extended period of recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling.
2. the action of leaving something one previously occupied.
verb
1. take a vacation
 A couple Sunday's ago immediately following worship with our Imago Dei family, we loaded up and headed to the Outer Banks...
 We were loaded up and excited...


 The view from our condo in Duck...
 Counting our blessings...


 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and all that is within me,
 bless his holy name!  
Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
and forget not all his benefits, 
who forgives all your iniquity, 
who heals all your diseases, 
who redeems your life from the pit, 
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 
who satisfies you with good 
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." 
Psalm 103:1-5

What a blessing to rest...
 "The LORD is my shepherd; 
I shall not want.  
He makes me lie down in green pastures.  
He leads me beside still waters.  
He restores my soul…" 
Psalm 23:1-3a
 What a blessing to watch our children play...



 What a blessing to be able to enjoy the gifts of others...

 What a blessing to play in the surf…
(I love the ocean!)
 What a blessing to watch our children be creative...

 What a blessing to live in a free country… though freedom is not free…
What a blessing our men and women in uniform, as well as their families, are...


"…for He gives to his beloved sleep" ~Psalm 127:2b



 What a blessing this man is to me...







What a blessing to be mom to this precious crew….
 What a blessing to have such a godly husband and father to our crazy crew...
 What a blessing to have an indoor pool option for rainy days...

 What a blessing to have a muscleman and comedian for a husband… haha..





 What a blessing friends are…
I hadn't seen my best friend from high school, Tammy, in nearly 8 years or so!  In God's grace, we were vacationing on the same strip of beach in the Outer Banks!  I am grateful for this friend who made me laugh with her incredible wit and who shared tears along life's journey while we were growing up.  Although, I would say that we mainly laughed, ha ha...
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
James 1:17

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To blog or not to blog, that is the question...

Image
Thankfully, my pondering is a bit lighter than that of Shakespeare's Hamlet .  The last blog post I managed to put together was nearly eight months ago!  Can it be?  I suppose turning forty had something to do with wanting to hit the pause button, to freeze time, to be still and reflect.  Alas, the days kept moving along at a pace that at times seemed too quick to remain in step.  So here I sit, considering what to share, whether to continue sharing through this platform, and the possible frequency at which to share.  Meanwhile, I'll reenter the bloggersphere with a few experiences gone by... "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:19-20       Sister tats : In honor of my baby sister's birthday last August, we four girls decided (perhaps a little spon
Read more

Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking (A Book Review)

Image
Hello, it's me again... I thought I would reenter the bloggersphere briefly to share a recent book review I was asked to write on the subject of human trafficking. Below is my original draft before undergoing helpful edits before final publication (which you can find here ). I commend this book to you and hope you will find my thoughts below useful to you. ******* Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking by Raleigh Sadler A BOOK REVIEW “What can I even do to help?”  When confronted with the overwhelming problem of modern day slavery, this question often serves as a stumbling block for responsible engagement.  When the unfathomable enormity of the issue of human trafficking is revealed, hearers are often left lacking a clear vision for how to leverage their lives toward an effectual course of action. In his book, Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking , Raleigh Sadler seeks to answer the question of how ordinary people are to fight a global injustice such as
Read more

Hele on to Hawaii

Image
This post is primarily intended for our extended family to enjoy a few glimpses from our recent trip to Oahu, Hawaii as a family.  I spent four formative years of my life growing up there.  Tony and I had had the privilege to visit a couple occasions years ago before children.  With my 40th birthday around the corner, we saved up frequent flyer miles, hotel points, and the like in order to afford the opportunity to share this place with them.  What a gift.  We are grateful.  Hope you enjoy.
Read more