Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Fresh Grace!



Hello Friends! Chris and I's cruise was wonderful. We had such a great, relaxing time together! I got a massage, Chris got second in a basketball competition, we ate and ate and ate some more and explored Catalina Island and downtown Ensenada. Another highlight is we both got extended time each day to read the word and other books. I read a book on mothering and re-read my biography on Mrs. Spurgeon. Both inspire me in my role as a wife and mother.

I admit I had this thought when we left, what if I don't want to come back? It's a horrible thought I know. See I have been praying that God would help me to die to myself. As a mother (and really as a believer) one doesn't have a choice and yes, it's been a slow death, but one nonetheless. So here I was given a chance to go and indulge in all my selfishness. Spend endless time with my favorite person on earth, sleep without being interrupted by children, able to sit and eat a whole meal slowly... and I admit it was amazing to have all those things again. Also, our cruise was filled with 90% retired couples. I had the privilege of striking up a conversation with a few and over and over I was reminded how fast time goes. I would hear " Oh it feels like just yesterday our kids were little, enjoy every minute!" So at the end of this wonderful week there was no other place I wanted to be than back home with my children. No other person I wanted to be than a wife and a mother. Nothing else I wanted to do than to go home and continue to die to myself and train up young souls for the Lord. I want to take every moment and make every memory I can with them. Yes, the Lord meet me in some wonderful ways. Renewed my faith and gave me a fresh vision for mothering. How thankful I am! It was a sweet reunion Friday night with the children! Apparently they missed us as much as we missed them :-)

here are some pictures of our cruise: http://homepage.mac.com/daukas/PhotoAlbum6.html

*sorry since we've gotten a Mac I haven't been able to figure out how to make an actual link for one to click on...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

aw - looks like an AWESOME time!! i'm SOOOO glad you two got to enjoy that!! we missed you though! :-)

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you got away....fresh Grace! I love that! You are doing a wonderful job with your sweet children....It does go by fast...they seem so young for so long...then all of a sudden they are big ...it is just as they say...it goes by sooooo fast! Blessings! Dawn

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a relaxing time! By the way, what's the name of the book you read on Mrs. Spurgeon? Sounds interesting!

I got a MAC recently too and the only way I've figured out how to do the link thing is to actually use html tags :(

Patrick said...

It sounds like you had an amazing time away, Tara. The photos are gorgeous...I am fighting off the green eyed monstor of envy! It was very encouraging to hear how the Lord used your time away not only to bless you and Chris, but also to refresh you and give you a new enthusiasm for being a Godly wife and mother. That is awesome to read not just about all the great things you did, but rather how your trip impacted your life for the 'permanent' better. It is truly refreshing to hear of the Lord's goodness in a vacation, rather than just details of luxuries and the sighing resignation of having to return to the' real world'. Thanks for sharing this and encouraging me to pursue my high calling as wife and mother also with new enthusiasm! May the Lord continue to bless you and your precious family.
Blessings to you from Meg