The Maine Trip

We did it. After...wait here while I get out a calculator....feel free to hum to yourself as you wait...pretend it's hold music....I'm back... After twenty-seven years of marriage, Hubs and I went away for a long weekend by ourselves. Kind of. Sort of. Really not really.

After waking up at way-too-early o'clock in the morning, we boarded a plane and after two take-off and two-landings, we were in Maine. And, guess who was there to meet and greet us?! Our favorite #2 daughter!!!!!!! In case you missed it, she is a missionary with an awesome organization.

We flew in on her birthday so this momma was packin' semi-fresh cinnamon rolls. I think it only took her less than five hints for me to figure out what she wanted me to bring.

We met the rest of the missionary staff, shared the cinnamon rolls, and tour the church in which they meet. One of our vacation traditions was even accomplished on the first day. Good ol' Walmart shopping trip. Why is it we can never take a vacation with out stopping there at least once. Sigh.

It was a bit windy and cloudy
until the last day.

After checking in to our hotel on the beach. Did you catch that? On.the.beach. Since it is off-season it was so much cheaper than a hotel inland. As I was saying, after checking in to our hotel ON THE BEACH, we, and a fellow staffer, went to her favorite pizza place for a celebration of the day of her birth. Her favorite place was full of deliciousness!

Our last day there, we went to her church. I decided I really liked her pastor after he began by letting the congregation know one of the phrases used in today's society, "It is what it is", is like fingernails on a chalk board. I wanted to stand up and shout my agreement and FINALLY someone understood! But, I didn't. I would have died of embarrassment and since we already paid for our flight home that would just not be "good stewardship" of our money. ;)

I have been known to tell our little family that by saying that phrase it is just telling me you do not care and are not going to try. Guess what...yup, he basically said the same thing. He related it to the verses in Exodus when Moses was pleading for the people. God had "had it up to here" with His people. But Moses pleaded with God to not do away with them.

Just think about what would have happened if Moses would have said, "It is what it is," and moved on with his own life. No, he did something. It only took one person to make a difference. God heard him.

What about us? Are we "it is what it is-ing" to death? Or are we seeing what is going on and pleading with God through pray and petition? For example...and there are many but for the sake of argument...We may not all be able to go to a country and be instrumental in putting a stop to the horrific-ness of human trafficking. But, are we pleading with God to place people in places of difference? Are we pleading God to change the heart and mind of those violating those stuck in trafficking?

It was a thought-provoking sermon to end a wonderful trip.

It was a whirl-wind of a trip. We saw her favorite places and could just "be" with her. It was wonderful. We are so thankful the other staff members said, in so many words, "Go, have fun. Spend time with your family!" I loved being able to reach out and touch her (even though she's not a big fan of touch). To see her when I talked with her. We had a couple of great talks sitting on the bed of the hotel room. It was fabulous.

Father/Daughter bonding over engine oil. 

On the last day there was FINALLY a visible sunrise!!

What a glorious start to the last day in Maine!