This morning Jamie and I awoke to a light New England rain
and gentle coastal winds on a small island off the coast of Maine. We are
staying in a cozy space in the middle of a few thousand acres on Swan’s Island
Maine. It is a bit ironic that here in the middle of the ocean and off the
coast of the mainland, we still have internet access. I guess the folks who
provided our lodging space felt like it may be a bit too spartan to not have
access to the internet out here, but we were prepared for no access.
The drizzle of rain and cool wind provides us with a natural
incentive to stay inside, to write, to reflect, to enjoy the company of one
another, and to celebrate. And there is so much to celebrate! Today marks our
fifth wedding anniversary, and our hearts are warm and full from the joy that
God has given us over these five years together. Every single day is a gift,
and thankfully we have been able to spend the majority of the last 1,827 of
them together with Christ as our center and exploring this majestic and magical
world He created.
In our world today, we hurry about from event to event, and
do not take time to savor the present moment, to remember the journey to this
point, and to cast our vision forward to the enchanted future filled with
opportunities and new worlds to discover. Jamie and I strive to make this a
part of our daily rhythm, and during this time away, we have made it a central
part of our daily adventures. Sitting on rocks by the ocean, we invite the
crashing waves to awaken our spirits to the deep memories and then take time to
savor even greater moments of gratitude for this life, the incredible friends
we have, the unbelievable adventures we have experienced, and the awe we have
for being privileged to enjoy this journey together.
Swan’s Island is a beautiful place, and the pace of life here
is such that it affords a space for slowing down. There are about 350
inhabitants on this 80 square mile island and lots of wilderness to explore.
Many of the locals make their living from the seasonal provisions of
lobstering. In many ways, this island community is very similar to communities
back home in West Virginia. People are hard working, friendly, and willing to
help out someone in need. Everybody waves as they drive by us on the island.
There is so much in this world to savor and appreciate. For
us, slowing down the pace of our routines is just disruptive enough to deepen
our sense of gratitude for little gifts all around us. We have found ourselves
curiously exploring wooded trails and rocky beaches and filled with wonder at
the slow movements of sea crabs, snails, and barnacles along the coast as well
as the darting of rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks, and the soaring of eagles
and gulls among the treetops.
The really amazing part of this adventure is that there are
similar treasures awaiting discovery all around us every day. Having a moment to pause, Jamie and I have
found ourselves sharing stories of childhood adventures from fishing trips at
Mountwood Park (and elsewhere) on an almost daily basis each spring with my
dad, my uncle Russell, and cousin Jo Ann, to journeys over the hill and into
the woods behind her house for Jamie and her dad as she started her “Save The
World Club” by collecting acorns for the squirrels around Lake Floyd. So many
of our memories are connected to the wilderness, and every opportunity we get,
we make moves toward the trees, the water, and the forests.
May we each take time to savor and create memories, and may
we step out into creation as curious explorers of this world. God has provided
us so much for which to be thankful, and even if we spent our whole lives
trying to soak it all in, we would only be scratching the surface. May we
scratch and play and uncover fresh treasures and make memories to savor, enjoy,
and press us further into this grand narrative that the Creator of the universe
writes through and with us.
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