wilderness.

 

A long weekend to adventure in the wilderness; miles from home with no perception of what would lie ahead,
Down two tracks and winding roads, through the forest and past wildlife, the campsite getting near.
We put the truck in park & walked down a steep incline to set eyes on our destination.
Pure simplicity, yet so much beauty.
One little clearing made perfectly for our shelter, far enough away from our source of heat and wilderness stove.
Tall pine trees that oozed with sap with the occasional birch scattered amongst,
& peaking from behind the wooded area and over the cliff, a sparkling pond with a steady current.
Chilly mornings, perfect afternoons, and mosquito filled evenings,
The days crawled by.
Time, nothing but time--to sit. do nothing. bask in God's creation.
129 book pages read, short naps, chapters of the Bible studied & quality chats with my love.
In between, the frequent clanging of pans to keep the bears at a distance.
I admired and gazed at my husband as he worked effortlessly to provide.
Chopping wood, attending the fire, cooking meals.
Surrounded by nothing but the beauty of God's creation, yet he was what caught my attention.
His work jeans sagging ever so slightly, biceps bulging with every swing of the axe.
Those sparling blue eyes and sweet cuddles around the fire. The married life.

With a new perspective, we journey on home.
To a bed that no longer seems as hard,
A life that needs to be weeded of distractions.
New understandings of our marriage,
& an appreciation of what we have {especially bathrooms and coffee}.
With a thankful heart. A renewed spirit.
We welcome back the idea of [home] in good ol' grand rapids.

 

 

 

 

seperate agendas.

Cameron's alarm started its cadence at 3:30am today; too early on a Saturday. I'm sure he gave me a gentle kiss before departing, but my sleepy memory is hazy. To the fishing tournament he went for the rest of this peaceful Saturday. 

I typically dread days in which my better half will not be around.  I need him by my side; to partake in the joys of my day; to just be there.  That's always how its been ever since we met. I want to spend every moment with my best friend. my lover. But today, I welcome today. To be quiet and march to the beat of what my heart desires today. & I know he needs the very same thing; a rejuvenating Saturday.

As he's cultivating the relationship with his father out on the big lake, what am I going to be doing?
Planning for our upcoming survival mode camping trip, grocery shopping & creating in the kitchen, reorganizing, swinging on the porch with the pup & to end it all, a nice bubble bath with a book and glass of wine in hand. Ah, rest.

What a beautiful day that the Lord has made. I will REJOICE and be glad in it.

because we should serve.

Isn't it funny how we can know something but it doesn't seem to click until later? For instance, I know the way my husband receives love is in acts of service.  I know that he feels the most at ease when the home is tidy. & I know what an impact it makes when I put effort into serving him in this way. He needs simple peace. A place to take refuge.

I can't help but feel a convinction as of lately in the manner in which I intend to show my husband love.  I try so hard to make him feel loved by gifts, simple text messages of 'i love you', and together time. These are all ways that make me  feel loved. It's easy to do. I've come to realize that it shouldn't be about what's easy. It should be about me stepping down to submit to my husband's needs ahead of my own selfish desires.

Although I've become much better than in years past, I still struggle with keeping a tidy home. As the week goes on, I leave things lying out of place and by the end of the week, I find myself asking Cameron if he's seen various items.  Amazingly, he always seems to have the answer.  I never thought about why that might be until recently. Perhaps he knows the whereabouts of all my misplaced things because he notices them. Because secretly they bother him but he's too kind to say. What a hard truth that is to swallow especially for a people pleaser like myself.

I desire to change my habits in order to have peace in the home for the man who serves me constantly. Making small changes that will have a large impact. It's quite apparent when I do go out of my way to love my husband, the fruit that it brings to our marriage.  He can fully relax when the dishes are done and the laundry is folded. He is able to truly savor our time together. He is proud to call me his wife. He's more apt to take part in my spontaneous fun...even when it makes a mess. We are one, working as a team.

As I enter into this role of serving more frequently, I need the constant reminder that I am serving the Lord by serving my husband. What a perspective that gives.