For the past two years, I have enjoyed seeing the countless vacation photos posted on Facebook by families that I have become acquainted with through the years.
Beach photos, fishing photos, travel photos and the list goes on.
Well, after two years, it was finally my family’s turn as we ended a long drought with a getaway to a fishing cabin on private property this past weekend.
My wife and I are caretakers of my father, who moved in with us in 2018.
Add in my responsibilities in my past newspaper position and my current one, it has just been extremely difficult for our family to get away at all.
By God’s grace, we were able to meet up with my wife’s parents, along with her brother and sister and their families for one fantastic gathering.
We fished for hours, the kids went on a 4-wheeler, played catch with a baseball, I took a couple of naps and we just enjoyed each other’s company until we had to leave on Sunday.
We ended our time with our first trip to Lambert’s in Ozark in around four years.
Wow, our family needed this time. I don’t think any of us realized how badly we needed it until we finally made it to the gathering.
I’m so grateful for us to have had this much needed time together. The only minor complaint is that it was not longer.
If your family is like ours, I encourage you to find a way to get away for a weekend as we were finally able to do.
I liked it so much that I’d love to find another weekend to get away this summer if so blessed with good help, some time and finances.
My favorite part was on Sunday when we set up chairs in a half circle and had a church service.
We sang songs. Both adults and kids alike talked about God’s stirring in our lives and our gratefulness for the example set by my wife’s parents, who serve in the ministry and live by example for all of us to follow.
All seven grandkids who were there, ranging from ages 7-17, either shared a Bible verse, shared a story, or commented on something God was doing in their life and/or expressed gratitude for their grandparents and who they were as people.
This was our first group family vacation and I’m extremely thankful for it. It was a blessing from God for all of us and perhaps His grace will allow this to happen again.
Our lives can be so extremely busy. Responsibilities keep most of us on the go constantly. Somehow, some way, I pray that you too can find a way to take at least a short vacation. It offers a needed break that so many of us are unable to take as much as we would like.
