“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:2
Have you ever taken a drink, not realizing how thirsty you were, and then suddenly found the cup empty as you reach for more? We often run so hard, go so fast, and have so much on our overloaded plates, that at times, we fail to see our own basic needs, or the trouble we are headed towards if we do not stop and take a drink.
I was able to SEE God’s provision this weekend in a beautiful way, as He provided a glorious drink of water I didn’t even know I needed.
A few months ago, my incredibly generous parents called to say they wanted to give my husband and me a weekend vacation for our anniversary. They would pay for the hotel, and come take care of our kids! (I mean, seriously! they are amazing!) I mentioned that we would love to visit Charleston, SC and next thing I knew our anniversary trip was booked!
My mom kept mentioning how good it would be for my husband and I to get away to focus on each other and our marriage. I listened politely thinking, “we’re ok, I mean busy yes, but we are doing just fine.” However, I am not one to turn down a free trip, so I started packing.
I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but my husband and I had not spent a fun weekend away from our kids in six years. (Had it really been that long????) See, when you’re in the thick of parenting, career building, home projects, church service, and school volunteering the time just passes as you doggie-paddle to keep your head above water. Since my head was still kind of above the water, I didn’t see I was in trouble. I didn’t realize my muscles were getting tired, or that I was hungry and thirsty. I had gotten used to the status-quo: short interrupted conversations with my husband, life beginning to revolve around outside expectations, falling asleep in the middle of reading my daughter a book, an evening spent staring at the tv thinking that counted as quality time with my husband…..(anyone experience this or just me????)
I had accepted the status quo as enough. I was just fine and my marriage was just fine. I had become complacent with the status quo, and couldn’t see the danger I was headed towards. Now, I’m not saying that my husband and I were headed toward any kind of separation or anything like that, but we were headed further and further apart as we slowly began living separate lives under the same roof.
I am so grateful for not only generous parents, but wise parents as well. Parents who are willing to get involved and point out a potential pitfall you are headed toward. They have been there, and done that after being married almost 50 years! They don’t get involved often, so when they do, I tend to listen 🙂
They recognized the road we were on and lovingly and generously offered a detour. My husband and I left our kids in their capable hands and headed out of town. Within the first hour of getting to our destination, we realized how desperately we needed this. Sitting at dinner with my husband of 17 years, looking into the same blue eyes I have loved for over two decades, I felt my soul drink deeply from a cup that was lovingly handed to me by my precious God.
We spent two glorious days together exploring a city rich in history, reflecting on two decades together, and marveling at God’s sweet blessings on us.
There is a reason Jesus called Himself the Living Water. Not only does He give us eternal life, but He sustains us as He continues to fill us with Himself. I had no idea how thirsty I was, but He did and He provided through my parents generosity.
I am so grateful for this weekend, and our time away. I feel as though my eyes have been opened to see my husband and our family in a new way. I have been reminded how important it is to take time for each other, even if that means it will take some effort to make it happen.
I am grateful to my mom and dad for their wisdom and generosity, I am grateful to my husband for loving me and leading our family so well, and I am eternally grateful to my God who sees our needs and lovingly provides for them in both big and small ways everyday.
“Lord, we are all so thirsty for You, and yet, oftentimes we don’t even realize our thirst. Please open our eyes to SEE our need for You, and bring us to Your Word where we can drink from Your Living Water which is the only way to satisfy our parched souls.”
*the picture at the top is from the Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, S.C. We spent three hours enjoying that beautiful place.
