Cuba 2009 - our gift to our kids. God's gift to me!

We are home from Cuba. Back to reality. That happens as soon as you feel the cold crisp air hit your lungs when you walk from the airport to your car. While leaving a vacation spot is always hard.... I never want to leave, especially when I am there with my kids... but, it is the way life is, and we all need to get back to real life at some time or other.

Alvin and I left with our kids, returning to Cuba for the second year in a row. However we decided to go to a different resort. It was a great week. We laughed alot. That is a gift in itself. We had good conversation. I love that about my kids. We sat together in a little "hide out" Josh found on a day when it was cool and windy! There we all took our books and read for a while. We drank cappacinos on the wrought iron chairs in the garden spot we found. We laid on the loungers at the beach (which Alvin and I got up religiously at 7 am to go and "secure" so that we had them after breakfast. YES....EVERYONE DOES THAT!! We took pictures, we ate the peanut butter that we brought from home...we played cards in a little spot that we had outside of our room. It was a good week.

I got some time to journal. I got some time to read. I got some time to talk with people while I waited in line, and found one woman from NB who was a believer. It was a great time of waiting and talking, with her telling me she would be praying for our family. (after I had shared about Jay with her)

Around the second day in Cuba, my fibromyalgia pain in my back and hips was so bad, I was a little worried. Everything was a chore. And then, thanks be to God, the pain left! And it is still gone for the most part. I think that the warm climate is a tonic for FMS... time will tell.

We walked the beach alot. I love that. We found some amazing sand dollars, the size of big bagels.... you can't help but look at them, and just say, GOD YOU ARE SUCH AN AMAZING CREATOR!! One day I journalled on the beach, and wrote down things I HEARD: the ocean, laughter, talking, sound of cuban music, volleyball players. Things I FELT: hot sun, sand between my toes, ocean water, contentment, happiness, bliss. Things I saw: different hues of the blueness of the ocean, bright sunshine, happy people, people walking the shore, people running, birds, sun chairs as far as you could see, people playing volleyball, and yes, some nasty g-strings and speedos!

Our time away was so good. A gift, truly. One we gave to our kids, but one that God gave to us. A time away together, as well as some time to ourselves. A time to talk, a time to laugh, a time to think -- and meditate on God. For me, the water's edge has always been a place where I experience God. This was no exception.
God is walking with us, and I think we are walking ahead, one step at a time.

Lord, thank you for family that we love to travel with. God, help me not to ever take my husband and kids for granted. You continue to teach me through my kids... and I love them so much! God, thank you for also showing us how fortunate we are to live in a free country. Especially a country where we can read the Word, and worship you freely. God, you are worthy of all our praise. We saw your creation and stand amazed! Continue to do your work in me Lord.... continue to work. I pray you would continue to put the pieces of my heart, and the hearts of my family, together, and that you would bring healing, and that you would bring miracles that we can see and touch... God, I love you. Jesus, thank you for dying for me, and giving me the greatest gift of all... your grace covers me. Amen.