A blessing is...
...an unearned, unexpected gift from either someone you know or a stranger that causes you joy or happiness. Most of us think of it as the prayer before a meal or some words a priest says over us. The blessing we received was neither of those.
Kim and our family played in an unearned, unexpected gift given by Legacy Church last week. As part of their gift for our 25 years of shared ministry, they blessed us with two full days at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX. No. Not just Kim and me, but our entire family!
The event turned out to be more than time away from ministry and a Sunday off from preaching. It truly was a blessing; a gift that gave us great joy that will linger for years to come.
The first day of our waterpark adventure began on Kim's and my 37th
wedding anniversary date, June 28 (1975). We have celebrated our wedding
anniversary many ways, but spending it at an indoor waterpark with
thousands of our closest friends was a first. And, a great first it was!
While I prefer creation to manufactured environments and small groups over masses
of people (especially in long lines), the fact I was with my family
trumped both of those!
AND, when you can see all of this through the eyes of a 4-year-old and 11/2-year-old, few things are as meaningful. Little things (like coloring with Lolli or walking floor to floor on a MagiQuest) become bigger-than-life and make memories both will carry for years to come.
While I loved the big slides (Quote of the adventure: Ryan after riding the Howlin' Tornado in the dark, "Is that even legal for kids?"), I loved hanging with Kim, my children and their families best. We ate meals together, watched gkids, rode rides, got sunburned, and on Sunday morning shared a short time of worship together.
