Yesterday…all my troubles seemed so far away…

Everyone is busy. Our lives are moving in so many directions at once. When the boys were smaller, it seemed like having an evening at home, with no meetings or ballgames, was a miracle. And then, we were so behind on all of our chores, that we didn’t take the time to enjoy it.

Things have changed as the boys have grown up. Derek has married and is stationed in Colorado. Craig is in college and although he still lives at home, we don’t see much of him. He’s busy with school, work, church, study groups…well, you get the picture. We are all busy.

What does it take to make you slow down? To relax. To get away, even for a few hours, to have time for yourself?

I thought about all of this yesterday while I was sitting in our twelve foot john boat, in the middle of some friends’ lake. Why are these times the exception to the rule? Oh, I know my life isn’t nearly as busy or stressful as it once was. Sometimes I go days without leaving the house. But even staying at home presents its own set of challenges and trying to ‘de-program’ enough to truly relax, without thinking of a million things that need to be done, is difficult. Trying to figure just how much I can do, without over doing it and having  to spending the next day in bed to recoup.

For most of the weekend, we had worked to lay our new floor in the kitchen. There was still trim work to be done, but Jim decided we needed a break. What a wonderful day. Jim and I loaded the boat in the back of the truck and drove to the other side of Boonville. It was my first time fishing this particular lake and when we drove onto the lane that led up to the house, I could feel my excitement build. It was also the first time I had been fishing in a couple of years.

It was a beautiful day…a little cool, but the sun was shining the whole time. We put the boat in and headed out. Just sitting there with the sun on my face, the breeze in my hair, the beauty of the lake and surrounding area…ahhh…I felt everything just melt away. The boat ride alone would have been enough, but as luck had it, the fish were biting. My first bite was a four pound bass! She was a beauty! Wow, what an awesome start.

We, of course, let her go…but we did keep eight bass and two blue gill that were just right for filleting. It is so awesome that Jim and I share a love of fishing. Through our almost twenty years of marriage (it will be twenty years in 15 days), we have had some great fishing trips. None have cost very much money or taken us more than an hour from our home. But just spending the time together…that’s what makes it special. A way that we can unwind and relax…together.

Thank you God for opportunities to relax and enjoy your creation.