Florida; Part 2

{Yes, we did look like the Clampets driving down the road, but like I said, it was the best way to travel to the beach}

{One of the meals we ate together. Chicken Kebabs, bread, and fruit, yum!}

{Emma insisted on taking our picture and told us to wave at the camera. This was by far the hottest day there}

{Nobody was using these chairs, so we decided to take a picture in them.}

{Drew and I floating in the ocean. The water had a lot of algae in it. Usually the water was clear but certain sections were very green.}

{After the beach we would always go and jump in the pool. and normally you jump in a pool to cool off, but this water was at least 80-85 degrees; a little toasty.}

{The Hancheys and the Beldens}

Seagrove Beach

Rest is a beautiful thing. To go away, to turn off the daily 'noise', and to rest is a treat. Drew and I have been on little trips to visit friends and family but not really AWAY away for a long time, since our honeymoon. It was sooooooooooo good to say goodbye to facebook for awhile, turn off my cell phone, read books, and just sit and listen in the stillness to what God is saying.

Here are some of the highlights of the trip in no particular order:
1. Golf Cart to the Beach!!!

{This was a treat to have! We were tying floaties to the top, packing it down with chairs, towels galore, and of course SNACKS!}

#2: Sand chairs are one of the best beach inventions.

{See that blue chair with the yellow towel? That is a beautiful little chair! We could pull ourselves right up to the waves, getting our feet wet, while reading to the sound of the ocean waves.}

#3: Reading, reading, and more reading.

{I am reading Les Miserables
and Drew is reading a book on Jonathan Edwards}

#4: Getting to hang out with my best friend 24-7!
{Oh and did I mention that I love this guy? He encourages me spiritually, emotionally, loves me so much, and is more than I ever prayed for}

#5: Still have to train for that marathon even though we're on vacation.
{Can I just say that it was so stinkn' humid and toasty it about sucked the life out of me just walking. We were supposed to run 4 times but shhhh... don't tell we only ran 3 days. The last day we ran 9 miles. I had to walk a little, was in desperate need of water, and stuck my head under a beach shower to relieve myself of the heat. Drew ran at 3pm! CRAZY! So I made sure he was doing okay and drove up and down the roads to keep my eye on him.}

#6: Favorite night- Date night in Seagrove, Seaside, and Destin.
{We ate awesome steak at The Old Florida Fish House, drove to the Silver Sands Outlet Mall and got a few goodies, got ice cream sundaes, and sat in the dark in 2 white, wooden rocking chairs, listening to a live outdoor band. Then there was thunder and lightning at the beach, so we drove to the beach and in complete darkness watched listened as the storm rolled in. Then every night seemed to end in Dan, Michelle, Drew and I watching House Hunters.}

#7: The night at the beach renewing Dan & Michelle's wedding vows.
{So maybe this picture doesn't depict this night exactly but Michelle has a bunch of pix. Drew renewed their vows, Dan sang, and I took photos. The girls were so cute in their little dresses and all Ava wanted to do was throw her bucket of seashells into the ocean.}

#8: Seeing this scene everyday. It will never grow old to me.
{We came almost everyday. The beaches were very quiet and not crowded at all! The oil leak has scared many people away from this area. It felt like our own private little beach at times.}

I will post more later!

What Do I Love? or Who Do I Love?

First John 2:15-17 was such a good reminder for me this morning:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions- is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Too often, I allow the world and all its empty promises of fulfillment and complete satisfaction, to infiltrate my mind. I want to feel important or of some worth, so I go to my favorite store and buy just a "little something" to fill that void of importance or worth. I am feeling a little down about myself so in order to make myself feel and look better, I am willing to flatten someone else's character, even if it's not verbal but I can be thinking it.

I am forgetting the gospel in those moments. I am forgetting that I am a daughter of the King and that He has cleansed and redeemed me, and that alone is where I should rest. I couldn't have dug out of my debt of sin for a 1,000 or 1,000,000 days in order to be free. I can't, but He did.

My clothes will fade away, that kitchen tool that I've always wanted will go out of style, my car will eventually croak, but Jesus, the gospel, and His Word will always remain! They never change and that is reason enough and ever to rest in Him forever.