Snapshots in Time...

When I was a little girl, our family spent a summer vacation at a cottage on a lake in New Hampshire.  It had a beautiful screened in porch which overlooked the lake.  I remember how cozy it was inside complete with fireplace and white crisp curtains on the windows.  The cottage even had a row boat for our use.   

We were near Lake Winnipesaukee which has the famous Mt. Washington cruise boat that would leave in the morning for a tour and come back in the afternoon.  Upon leaving and returning, the Mt. Washington would sound it's horn.  We could hear it from our cottage.

One of my stand-out memories from that vacation was when my dad took me, my mom and brother out for a row boat ride.   As we left our dock in the morning, I could hear the Mt. Washington in the distance, sounding it's horn, signaling a fun day for the folks that were heading out to tour Lake Winnipesaukee.  I, too, was looking forward to a fun day out on a lake - in a little row boat with my family. We rowed about exploring all day long. Amazingly, even at my young age, the time out on the lake seemed to go by in an instant.  Before I knew it, I already heard the Mt. Washington sounding it's afternoon horn signaling its return.  It didn't seem possible that so many hours had passed so quickly!  The quick passage of time a testament to how enjoyable the day was.

Ever since then, I had always wanted to vacation in a cottage on a lake - a cottage like the one I stayed at when I was a little girl...

Me, my husband and children have been blessed with many wonderful vacations that did not involve a cottage or a lake.  We camped for many years throughout New England.  Our first big trip as a family entailed visiting friends in New Mexico and attending the Balloon Fiesta.  While there, we took a steam train ride through the Colorado mountains during the Fall when the aspen trees were in their full golden glory.  The Lord blessed us with not one but two trips to New Mexico.  The second visit also included side trips to the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest which were absolutely amazing!

When my daughter lived in California, my husband and I were able to fly out there to visit four times!!  California was a place I had never imagined I would visit, but the Lord blessed us with those trips.  We stayed in San Diego and spent days in Laguna and La Jolla.  During one of our trips to California, we visited Sequoia National Park and Yosemite.  I couldn't stop smiling as I walked through the immensely tall trees.  It was incredible!  Yosemite, of course, was breathtakingly beautiful.

My husband and I had two opportunities to vacation on Kiawah Island in South Carolina recently. We stayed in a villa with a screened in porch that overlooked a lagoon complete with a resident alligator!   During our stay, I loved visiting the plantations and seeing the Spanish moss on the trees.  We also visited Charleston and Savanah.  There is nothing like the South ESPECIALLY when you are a northerner like myself. ;-)

I still longed for a lakeside cottage vacation...

Last year, my co-worker shared about her vacation at a lakeside cottage in Maine.  It sounded perfectly wonderful!  She graciously gave me contact information for the rental and to make a long story short, we booked it for the following summer!  After 44 years of desiring to return to a setting similar to my childhood favorite, I was now realizing my dream!

And that's not all!  As you know, I LOVE spending time with my family.  Not only did my daughter and son-in-law join my husband and I at the cottage, but my brother, sister-in-law, niece and their sweet dog Connor came along!

When my husband and I pulled up to the cabin, I could not believe it!  It was absolutely perfect!!  Just as I had hoped!

The inside was amazing!  Whether in the kitchen, the living room or the upstairs bedroom, you could see the lake, right outside!

Between all of us we brought two canoes, two kayaks and my brother and son-in-law rented a nice size John Boat for all of us to share.

We spent hours relaxing on the dock that rocked with the waves.  {And we all kept on rocking when we were inside the house since apparently none of us had gained our "sea legs" that entire week!)

When inside we spent all of our time in this beautiful screened-in porch relaxing, enjoying the wonderful view; reading, playing games and thoroughly enjoying spending time together.

And we fished, and we fished, and we fished, and we fished.

One such fishing adventure caught me and my husband, my daughter and son-in-law by storm - literally!  My husband and I headed out in our canoe to a far cove from our cottage.  The "pond" was quite intimidating, knowing its depth.   Not realizing that at the same time my daughter and son-in-law had also headed out in their kayaks.  To hear the story from their perspective was quite impressive.  Suddenly, a wall of water {very heavy rains} was moving across the lake toward them!   They kayaked as fast as they could to an island and took cover waiting for the storm to pass.  My husband and I were not so fortunate as we were in the middle of the lake!!  I turned around and couldn't see anything, just that same wall of water everywhere! And then - lightening and thunder!! The extremely cold rain came down so hard that it repeatedly took my breath away!  We finally made it into the cove where the closest item to pull up and hunker down next to was a metal raft.   Probably not the greatest idea in a thunderstorm!!  The storm did pass and soaking wet, we set out to fishing. My husband caught a fish, and I caught a good story to tell when we returned.

The lake was beautiful to explore in the boat, canoes and kayaks.

A family of bald eagles lived on the island across the lake; the eaglets squawking as the parents flew in and out of the nest.

The hauntingly beautiful call of the loon echoed across the lake...

I can honestly say, even though I have been blessed to visit some amazing vacation spots, this was by far my favorite vacation!   A lakeside cottage in Maine provided memories that I will cherish forever. Special family fellowship and God's beautiful creation filled my heart with incredible joy.

The Lord placed the desire of a lakeside cottage vacation upon this little girl's heart.  Forty-four years later He fulfilled that little girl's dream above and beyond what she had hoped for, knowing that He would be praised and glorified because... Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

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Placed in the hearts of all God's children is a desire for their Heavenly home...

But our citizenship is in Heaven.  And we eagerly await the Savior from there,

 the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

Like snapshots in time from my family vacations which brought perspective to my most favorite vacation, snippets of our lives are but snapshots in time which will give us perspective when we arrive in Paradise to see our Savior face to face.

What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.  1 Corinthians 2:9

In my Father's house there are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  John 14:2-3

Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places.  Isaiah 32:18

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.  Isaiah 11:6

And I saw no temple therein:  for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  And the city has no need of sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof... And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there.  Revelation 21:  22-23; 25

Be encouraged,  life's highs and lows,  joys and sorrows, victories and defeats are the stepping stones into Glory which will make our joy indescribably complete.

Well done good and faithful servant... Enter into the joy of your Master.  Matthew 25:21

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