Summer Memories

We enjoyed a special family vacation this summer! It was our first ever week long vacation, and it was a big treat! We stopped in South Carolina to visit all the grandparents, and then we headed to Hilton Head Island. (Thank you again, Becky, for allowing us to stay at your uncle's condo! What a blessing!)

We loved playing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and relaxing by the pool! I've been wanting to blog about this trip for nearly a month now, but there were just so many wonderful memories, I didn't know what to write! I have thought it over, and I think my favorite beach vacation story is about broken seashells.

For weeks prior to our trip to the beach, the girls were anticipating the ocean waves, sharks, dolphins, crabs, sandcastles, and of course- seashells! I had my own daydreams about walking along the beach at sunset, holding David's hand, while our girls ran up ahead of us with their little buckets, picking up beautiful shells and squealing with joy. (Wouldn't that be so sweet? wink.) We had big plans for those seashells, after all. We were going to make a necklace or a picture frame or give them as gifts or keep a few for souvenirs.

On our first day at the beach, the girls began collecting shells. Oh, they kept even the smallest pieces of shells! I kept tucking away the little shell chips in our beach bag, figuring we'd just quietly dump them out once we found some 'real' shells. As the week went on, however, we didn't find any beautiful, perfect shells. We were at the beach every morning and evening. I was disappointed. I wanted to watch the girls find a shell that they could hold up to their little ears to hear the ocean! Wouldn't our girls be so sad to bring home these pitiful shell chunks, most of which were just plain white?

But you know what? God really taught me about His grace while I watched our girls gather those shells. Even though those seashells were broken, overlooked by many other vacationers, and plain, my girls t.r.e.a.s.u.r.e.d them as if they were beautiful, priceless, and precious! I was reminded about how much God loves me. Even though I'm a sinner and I couldn't EVER earn the privilege of becoming one of His treasures, He sent His son to die on the cross for me. He doesn't overlook me because of my (many) imperfections- He loves me!

What a sweet blessing, when the Lord uses your own children to teach you about His perfect love. I hope you'll enjoy a few of our pictures!











"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."- 1 John 4:9-10