Renewed on Both Sides of the Equator

I can't believe it has come and gone again, already! Mark's annual trip to Barinquilla, Columbia has already been marked off the calendar squares.
During a prayer time, about two weeks prior to his takeoff, we were asked to describe our thoughts on the upcoming trip in two to three words.  My gut reaction was, "routine."  As soon as it was out of my mouth I realized how empty that sounded, although very true to how I felt.  Life has been especially fast paced the last month or so.  The stress level, due to increasing demands of time, energy, and emotion seemed to continue to stretch us more towards getting through each day rather than really living in each day.  From the time that one shallow word left my mouth I began to pray that God would make this trip anything but routine to Mark.  He needed to see God move in mighty ways as he has seen Him on each previous trip...

Prayer at the airport before takeoff.

A few months ago, as the planning of this trip was taking place, Mark asked me if I wanted to go with him this round to Barinquilla.  My answer to that question was also perhaps too quick.  At the time my Grandma was in what seemed to have to be her last few weeks and I knew I needed to be here, where my mom would perhaps need a bit of refreshment of her own.  The past six years my mom has sacrificed a lot to take care of my Grandma (and oh did she take care of her well!)  She missed opportunities to see plays, recitals, ballgames... not that she missed them all, but there were several she wished she had seen.  In the past years when she has come down south while Mark traveled further south she has had a weight of back home accompany her.  When my Grandma did pass away I asked Mark if Mom and I could just take the girls and play at the beach.  He followed suit and answered pretty quickly by making the reservations...
Little did we know at that time God was not just working on refreshing Mark in Barinquilla, and my mom at the beach, but He was refreshing me and my view of Him.  He was giving me a chance to be fun mom that pushes the pause button on school, that rides the water slides that make me scream even when I try hard not to, that buries the girls in the sand even though it makes my skin crawl.  He knew months ago when the question of going with Mark came up that the Holy Spirit would whisper, "No, not this trip." I was going to need this break too. 

And, as the new week starts God has yet again been faithful!  Half way through last week I got an email from Mark, "This has been a great trip.  I am excited again!"  Words alone did not confirm this renewed energy and relationship with God, but somehow through the choppy FaceTime greetings he looked different, rested, recharged...

Several times as Mom and I sat on the beach watching the girls play, splash, and giggle Mom would just say, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

Our last morning at the beach, God woke me in time for the sunrise.  I slipped out onto the balcony and watched a slow sunrise being painted across the sky.  A streak of vibrant pink, followed by another slow explosion of deeper pink, it just kept going at this slow pace.  I couldn't stop watching.  This slow, constant changing sky kept getting more vibrant by the minute and the Holy Spirit nudged me.  I think that's what He is doing with my girl who is struggling, with this mamma who struggles by her side and gets hung up in doubt and questions, with my guy who juggles new and different responsibilities that seem so heavy, with this marriage of ours that is so different now than I had ever expected it could be 14 years ago... This slow, constant changing of each of us on the canvas of His vibrant story,.. its not easy, or always fun in the moment, but it is an adventure with Him and I wouldn't want it any other way.