September 29, 2015

Yesterday, we woke up in Illinois and drove to Ohio.  It was a nice drive and we stopped in Indiana at the Sand Dunes and walked to a beach on Lake Michigan.  It was windy and the locals said that it was the best waves they had ever seen on the lake.  We have seen so many amazing things on this trip.  Our creator God is totally amazing.  There really are not any words or pictures that could describe the beauty that this county holds.  Yesterday were able to see Chicago from a new perspective.  From a distance.  It looked much different than it did as compared to being in the heart of the city.

And that is where my heart is today.  Perspective give so much to a situation.  I didn’t know what to expect as we set out on this adventure.  I wasn’t sure how my kids would do.  I wasn’t sure how Ryan would do.  I wasn’t sure how I would do.  But, I knew this was a journey that we were to embrace and embark upon.

As the seven of us live together in an RV we are learning to love well.  I see my own faults come out.  I see when I get frustrated with situations and lean toward taking the frustration out on one of the kids or Ryan.  Maybe it’s because no-one can really escape.  At home we can run to our rooms with hurt hearts.  Here, our hearts are more exposed when they are hurt.

I’m learning to let go of some things.  I like things tidy and neat.  That is hard to accomplish that to my standard while living in an RV with seven people.   And there are so many things I miss.   I miss my college kids who are working hard at school in MN.  I miss family.  I miss friends.  I miss doing church and the fellowship that we have at our church.  I miss my bed and my bathroom.  I miss my washing machine.  I miss my friend who cuts and colors my hair.

Letting go.  Ryan told me to sit on his shoulders while we were in the beach yesterday.  If you know me, you might know that my first response was “No… I can’t do that; you can’t hold me…” Excuses.  He gently encouraged me.  I did it.  Grace snapped a picture.  Letting go is a good thing to do.  Living in community is a good thing to do.

I am so thankful for this time with my family.  I am thankful for this opportunity to grow in my marriage with Ryan and in relationship with my kiddos.  I am thankful to do life from a different perspective and am learning so much doing it.  I have a pretty amazing group of people to do life with.

Rachael

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15