FAMILY TIME AT CARLTON LANDING...

 As our family grows more and more, vacations are starting to look a bit different!  We recently went on a trip with the whole family (8 adults, 2 toddlers) and decided to go to a nearby resort area at Lake Eufaula.  The idea for the long weekend was just to chill, enjoy each other's company, eat well, play games.  We went into the town of Eufaula to go out to eat twice - once at Captain Jack's, a floating restaurant, and also brunch on Sunday at Tulip & Table.  We drove around Eufaula looking at all their murals, too.  It's a nice little place!  Along with games, I came up with a few fun challenges for the group after the toddlers went to bed, and we had fun watching our adult kids do those. It was good to all be together!

Beautiful wildflowers

Play time!

Testing the water

Lego challenge:  See which couple could assemble the lego kit the quickest!

Puzzling

The weird food challenge:  Each couple got points for identifying, tasting and guessing where the weird food came from.  It was fun and interesting!

Our DIL made her own Blueberry birthday cake!

Butterfly

Can you look over there? 

The whole gang!

ORANGE BEACH STILL DELIGHTS...

Well, we MOSTLY love variety and new places when it comes to travel but we just spent a couple of weeks at Orange Beach, Alabama, again!  It's our winter go-to in February!  I think it's our 7th year?

At the east end of the beach by the Perdido Pass 

We haven't grown tired of it yet!  This year we did a few new things besides our usual walking on the beach and biking.  And the weather was amazing!  Only one cold day for the two weeks we were there.

We drove to Pensacola (about 30 min) and visited the lighthouse on the Naval Base - if you go you must bring proper ID to get on the base.  

We climbed to the top on this beautiful staircase.  At the base there was a keeper's house which is now a nice museum of history on the lighthouse.   

There are lots of Live Oaks there!  Can you see the lighthouse through the tree?

Close to the lighthouse, also on the Naval Base was the National Aviation Museum.  This is a presidential helicopter.  

We watched a movie about the Blue Angels and were so impressed with the training and precision it takes to fly one of those planes!  The whole museum was very interesting!

I discovered a new coffee shop I LOVED in Gulf Shores, about 15 min. away.  DH's grandpa name is Pappy, so of course I had to come again and bring him for a hot chocolate and enjoy their comfy atmosphere!

Being on the east end of the beach, we were close to the Perdido Pass bridge, which has a pedestrian walkway across it to Gulf State park.  We decided to give it a try!

On the bridge

A look at the Gulf State park (one of several beach ones) from the bridge!  We we walked about 6 miles this day, including all around the beach here.  

Near the bridge is a neat restaurant - The Gulf -  made out of shipping containers.  They have a great seating area with sandy beach, looking out at the ocean.  Great food, too!

We were there on Fat Tuesday, so watched the Orange Beach parade!  There are always lots of floats and they throw lots of Moon Pies and other goodies.  

Some of the goodies from the parade!

Another part of the trip we love is driving and listening to audio books, and stopping at new places along the way.  This time we listened to The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly and Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly.  Both books were really good.  We went through Nashville (DH had a business meeting) so one good lunch stop was a butcher shop/deli called Mr. P's in Hoover, AL and another was Priester's Pecans near Montgomery, AL, with great food and gift items.  They also had a viewing area to watch pecan processing. 

I'm always thankful for the chance to get away during the winter! 

CAMINO LESSONS: BACKPACK BURDENS...

 As we prepared to walk the Camino de Santiago, we took many, many walks. We called it training and it paid off in more ways than one! We wore the backpacks we planned to take with us. Then we started adding weight in our backpacks(some use a luggage transfer service on the Camino, but we preferred not to).  We worked up to 10 pounds and I realized how uncomfortable I was with just that added weight, the added burden on my back.  I started thinking how much easier it would be not to have the physical load.  And then it dawned on me, without my backpack I'd be miserable!  It carries my clothing, food, and necessities!  It sustains me!  It really is a BLESSING!

Day 1 on our Camino de Santiago, with my backpack of blessings.

What if the things we consider burdens in our everyday living we thought of as BLESSINGS? Our chores, work and obligations. Our spouses, parents, children, friends, co-workers occasionally feel like burdens.  They all have needs.  And it's not up to us to meet all of them. But where would we be without them?  And without work to do, would life have any real meaning? 

The Cruce de Ferro on the Camino Frances intrigues me.  It is a hilly place where an ancient cross is and stone "burdens" are brought and left by many pilgrims on the Camino.  I've read many stories of how meaningful this is for them.  And I realized if I were to bring a burden to lay down at the foot of the cross, it would be the BURDEN OF EXPECTATION.  Often times I'm very hard on myself with unrealistic expectations.  Instead of relying on God's mercy and grace I tend toward filling my life with too many works or visions of perfection.   

Before I even stepped foot on the pilgrim's path to Santiago de Compostela, I had already learned something!  My BURDENS are mostly BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE.  Mindfully walking through life, smiling along the way is a more pleasant way to look at my mental and physical load.  And God has equipped me to carry it and enjoy the journey.  

It reminds me of a devotional song with a catchy tune:  

Who's that walkin' down the road?  Carrying such a heavy load!

Sinner, lay your burden down, 'cause you're walking down Heaven's road!

Walkin' down Heaven's Road, you're gonna lay down that heavy load,

(Sweet) Jesus said He'd walk along with me (Praise God, glory hallelujah)

I'm singing all the way, I've got sunshine in every day,

Won't you come along and join me on that Heaven's road?

CAMINO LESSONS: GUIDANCE FOR OUR PATH...

 

   Scripture:  Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.

Several days of our Camino walk we were going longer distances, so we were sure to get an early start and be on the path by 7 a.m. That meant we were walking in darkness for a bit!  We walked about 5 km, or an hour, while watching the horizon lighten, the sun rising and the sleepy towns and villages waking up. We enjoyed it, as it was quiet and seemed we had the trail all to ourselves, but at the same time, it could be dangerous. During that first hour we needed a light for our feet on this unknown path.  We had one small headlamp between us, so we had to stick close together.  We stepped a little slower and more carefully, as injury could mean the end of our whole Camino!  It was a bit spooky as well, when we were under a tunnel of trees.  I felt a little like Red Riding Hood in the Dark Wood!  It seemed the trees might reach out and grab you.  Fortunately sharing the trail with my husband helped!  I specifically remember heading out of Melide, we immediately encountered a steep rocky path like some areas they call the "dragon's teeth."  Our senses were heightened and focused.  We were reliant on the light of the tiny headlamp for our safety and well-being.

The verse in Psalm 119 states plainly that God's Word is a lamp, a light for our path.  If we don't want to stumble through life -and who doesn't - we should rely on God's Word! Using God's Word as our guide we can navigate around obstacles and keep moving forward.  I'm reminded of another good verse from 2 Timothy 3:16, that reminds us God's word is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.  As we travel on our journey, let us rely on the light, God's Word. 

Passing a statue or monument just before sunrise