Saturday, February 14, 2009

Thankful


Today J and I are headed north with u-haul in tow to help mom and dad move out of the lake house. deep breath. all I have is my prayer,
Thank you God for the wonderful gift of a beautiful gathering place. You gave us this amazing treasure where we could come together with people we love. The house wasn't the treasure because it couldn't hug us back, it couldn't respond to our laughter and our tears. The treasure was who was there. We gathered there with people we love to laugh and cry, but mostly to be together. We gathered after time apart to talk, to listen, to play, to hug, to be together. We gathered there straight after L's funeral and cried. Ben and Milly gathered there to begin their relationship, for Ben to ask Milly to marry him and on their honeymoon. We took friends there in college and got to play while mom and dad took care of us. We gathered there to rest. We gathered there to reflect. We gathered there to get away. We gathered there to watch our kids play, at the fishy house. We helped them catch fish. We helped them swim. We took them for their favorite boat ride to get ice cream with lots of paper towels with us. We gathered there with family, with Grady and Emma Jean, with Big Daddy and Memaw, with Jeni and family, with Meri and family, with Holly and other stayers at Lake Rabun. We gathered there with so many friends, most recently with Kim and girls while we prayed for the guys on mission trips. And we are just so grateful. So grateful for all the memories, the laughs, the conversations, the relationships. We had so much fun eating morning pancakes, skiing before anyone else was awake, riding the bullet, riding the bullet, floating in the cool water, swinging on the hammock, going for long walks, watching fireworks, watching sunsets, enjoying the sights of an amazing creation. I hope to spend the rest of my life thankful to the One who gives good and perfect gifts because we know exactly where this home was from. And now we join with Ek who is looking forward to the even funner lake house with the eternal hope that the God we serves loves to love us. And we love Him back. And look forward to the days ahead, wherever they may be. And the people ahead who we love to spend those days with.

1 comment:

Kim said...

I'm thankful as well. It was a good place to rest and pray and laugh and feel the love of Christ from your family for ours. We felt the gift of that place as well...but just as you say, not from the house but from the amazing gift of love and hospitality that your family overflows so well to so many.

How amazing that God held it for that summer. We're grateful, too. Even more for all of you.