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I love the array of colors that fill the sky at sunset. It is a breathtaking display of God's creation and a beauty to behold. Across the plains and hills of Iowa, the sunset has a different backdrop than the mountains of Colorado or the beaches of Venezuela. I intended to set an alarm so that I could go out and try to capture some of that beauty in a photo to share with you, the readers of this blog, but I forgot.
So, Saturday evening, we were sitting around the table playing Mexican Train Dominoes when my sister Kim said, "It's sunset!"
The snow-covered fields gave me pause as I wiggled my toes in my socks under the table. My new winter boots are not quick to lace up and I didn't want to miss the opportune moment. I debated and several at the table said, "Just run!" "Go!" "You can borrow my slip on shoes." On the porch, the only slip on shoes I saw of the right size and convenience were Crocs, but by that point, I was committed. I slipped on the Crocs and ran through the fields and around the house, snapping pictures as I went.
When I came back inside, cold and wet-footed, I shared the pictures, but none seemed to capture adequately the beauty of the sunset and vast array of colors. A few minutes later, as the colors continued to change, my dad took my camera and snapped a few more shots.
As the evening continued and the colors in the sunset deepened, I felt disappointed at the lack of ability of my camera to fully capture the colors that God had so artfully provided for our enjoyment. I expressed my frustration and my desire to be out there taking more pictures, to which my sister said, "Just sit back and enjoy it."
On the sunset of this year, 2013, you may be closing out the year with regrets or expectations for the new year. My encouragement to you is to "just sit back and enjoy it." Enjoy the blessings God has provided over the past year, the beauty He has given you the opportunity to see, and the hope of a beautiful sunset tomorrow.
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Every summer, as a family, we would drive up to Iowa around the 4th of July to visit Grandma and Grandpa on the farm. There are many fun memories of throwing corn to the pigs, picking vegetables in the garden, making cookies with Grandma, riding the 4-wheeler with Grandpa, fresh corn on the table, and playing croquet in the front yard.
Grandma passed away my senior year in high school and Grandpa re-married three years later. That is actually a great story I'll share someday soon...
But back to my point for this Makeover Monday. This past weekend, I rode with my parents from Denver to Iowa to visit Grandpa for the weekend. It felt a little different sitting in the back seat as an adult with my parents in the front seats as they always were growing up. Road trips were the norm as a child as our closest relatives lived 8 hours away and airplane tickets for a family of 6 were out of the question.
Our road trips were filled with the typical impatience of siblings, but also a great sense of adventure and creativity. We sang along with cassette tapes, danced in the back seat, and counted license plates from as many states as we could find.
Riding in the back seat with my parents reminded me that, as a child, I had no worries about where we were going or how we would get there. I was not in control and I was ok with that because I was safe. Somewhere along the way that changed. I became older and my desire for control grew.
This past weekend, as I was literally and figuratively 'along for the ride,' it was nice to know I was safe in the back seat and that I didn't have to be in control. What's even better is when we let God take the driver's seat and we rest safe in the back seat under His control.