Ahhhhhhhhh!

That loud sound you might have heard this weekend was the sound of me finally relaxing! What an amazing trip we had to the North Shore!

Dan and I drove up early on Friday and got in 9 holes of golf at the Superior National Golf Course - the scenery was awesome, while the golf left something to be desired.

Later that night, Eric, Lisa, and Heidi arrived in time for the evening bonfire. As usual, we were blown away by the beauty of God's creation - the moon was big and bright!

On Saturday, after a wonderful breakfast prepared by Chef Eric, we spent the day in Grand Marais. We sat on the rocks of the shoreline, with the boys enjoying their stogies and conversations, while the girls got caught up on some journaling. We spent the afternoon wandering the Lake Superior shore, poking our heads in some shops, partaking in a great meal, and wrapping up the day with 50% off everything at the Dairy Queen (like we hadn't eaten enough already)! The evening ended with another amazing bonfire prepared for us by Fire Marshall Dan (stop poking at it Heidi)!

Another tasty breakfast was enjoyed by all on Sunday, with one final stop at Temperance River to see the river and waterfall, and Lake Superior up close again before we headed back home. We managed to squeeze in more food with lunch at Grandma's in Duluth! We got home just in time for the start of the Garden Communities' gathering, and we were able to join in at the worship time - I belong to a truly wonderful community of people!

I can't wait until the next time I am Up North again - it's the one place my mind, body, and soul can all fully-relax.

What's the Purpose?

"Often, what God does is He places us in a crucible, because He's waiting for that moment where we are prepared for that great calling that is coming. And so maybe you're here tonight and life is tough, maybe you've lost your job, or you've lost your girlfriend, or maybe you've lost your girlfriend to your best friend, so maybe you've lost your girlfriend and your best friend...you've lost your meaning in life.

There are moments in life where everything goes bad, and you wonder, 'is God even paying attention?' But God calls out the prepared. And what you may not realize is that God is forming your character, He is forming your person-hood, He is forging and reshaping and refining who you are. And while you want to make progress forward, God is trying to make progress inward. Because the places that He wants to take you, the journey He wants to invite you on, the pilgrimage He is calling you to, that original life that you long for, is going to require you to step-up to an entirely different level of living. And so that call to greatness requires that we go through a crucible in our lives."

- Erwin McManus, The Call To An Original Life (podcast)

Are you going through some difficult times lately? Have you begun to question God? Do you feel that God has forgotten you? Well, maybe He has another plan in store for you, one that you can't even imagine, one that will totally surprise you when it is revealed. Instead of asking why, we should trust that everything happens for a reason, and know that God loves us enough to bring us through some momentary pain, so that we might enjoy a lifetime of truly living in happiness!

The North Shore

Those 3 little words bring such joy to my heart! This Friday, Dan and Heidi, Eric and Lisa, and I are heading north for our annual Fall trip to Schroeder, MN, where we will be staying at our favorite locale - the Temperance Traders Cabins. I can already smell the coffee brewing and the eggs and bacon cooking for Saturday morning's breakfast, along with some caramel rolls from Tobie's in Hinckley!

We'll spend the day on Saturday roaming around Grand Marais, checking out the shops and the shore, and we will end the evening with an amazing bonfire behind our cabin (thanks to "Fire Marshall" Dan), complete with coffee, double-stuffed Oreo's, and many a fine cigar!

There's something about being at the North Shore that brings out God's peace in my life. Work is work, school is getting to be a bit much, and there is no longer a relationship in my life these days, but standing on the edge of Lake Superior will help to wash away all those headaches, hassles, and heartache. I feel closest to God whenever I am in the northeastern part of Minnesota, enjoying His awesome creation. I can't wait until Friday!

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
- George Washington Carver

Friends

I’ve been blessed with many things in life, including these close, personal friends of mine: Lisa, Eric, Heidi, and Dan. I’ve had the great privilege of getting to know them; hearing their stories; discussing their hopes, dreams, and fears; laughing with them, singing with them, praying with them, and sometimes even crying with them.

God, thank you for these allies, and the chance to be a part of their lives.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."
- Abraham Lincoln

"No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever."
- Francois Mauriac

"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with."
- Mark Twain