Memorial Day Weekend (Part 1)

Here it is, the first installment of our past week, starting with Memorial Day weekend. We drove down on Friday and stayed through Monday. Boy, we were roughing it. I wasn't sure how we would survive the weekend in the cabin. It was hard to get by with queen beds, a jacuzzi tub, 42-inch plasma with satellite, and full kitchen.

We spent Saturday morning on a hike at Lost Valley. Absolutely breathtaking. I am always amazed at how being in God's creation is so rejuvinating to the soul-even if the body is exhausted. And our record holds-it poured! Luckily, Justin found a nice ledge for us to sit under while we waited for the worst of it to pass. Below is a picture of Natural Bridge. Justin and his brother climbed through from the back.

This is Eden Falls, a series of four waterfalls flowing from Eden Falls Cave. The bluffs are 170 feet high. We unfortnuately didn't make it to the cave this time. Here is Justin and Julia at the end of our hike. The cave to their right is Cobb Cave. They are facing Eden Falls. Here are the three of us in Cobb Cave. We were still soaked from the down pour and Julia was ready to be done. Not bad considering we had hiked about 2 miles. (Total hike was about 3.5 miles.) But what a glorious place! Here is Julia with Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Bill (Justin's mom and stepdad). They were swinging her over every rock and root that crossed the path. She was having a blast!

The whole time I was hiking, I just kept thinking, "wow, God, that you would create such a beautiful place. And You want to share it with me." He could have made the Earth a dull, colorless place to live-and we would never have known. How incredible, how glorious, that he gave us a world of color, a world of awe-inspiring landscapes. And then He said, "Enjoy, I made this for you." I am moved to tears when I am reminded of the wild, creative, amazing, loving God who calls me His.

We ended Saturday by driving up to Springfield for Andy's surprise birthday party. It was so refreshing to be there with everyone! And it is yet another reminder of God's love in our lives.