Monday, October 31, 2011

Markers on the trail

Sandy paths led us around a quiet lake.  We had the trail to ourselves and happy chatter drifted up to the treetops.  What a wonderful way to spend the lunch hour-and then some.

Following the walk we "tailgated" on the back of our respectably old minivan and shared fall favorites-candy corn, honey crisp apples, raisins, and pretzels.  Simple stuff really, but delightfully satisfying.

Most satisfying. however, was brothers and sisters getting along, cousins delighting in one another, and heart sisters reconnecting.  The woods were wonderful, but the relationship time spent stepping over tree roots and muffled steps following one after another on pine needles was the real treasure of the day.

I'm learning to look for the real treasures.  I'm using my camera to capture some of the images and words to chronicle the days.  Authentic relationship, sincere conversation, thoughtful life together, mistakes awash in grace, healthy living, family honoring, faith forming treasures are what I seek.

And so it begins, this tiny little blog, because in the quiet of the woods I realized how much I want to chronicle this life. A life of abundant joy, happiness, struggle, imperfection, and goodness.  This will mark the trail.