We celebrated this month.
Just loaded up and took off, four hours east, just off of I-30. I do not even know the name of the town, just a lake house sitting remote on a quiet, still lake that mirrored the surrounding trees and sky.
Soft green moss and delicate pale petals lay frosted on top of the lake, sprinkled here and there with vines stretching out, lining the banks and framing the already beautiful lake. Bright yellow flowers dotted the vines and assorted grasses and cattails filled the hollow spaces, drawing the eye and filling the heart with a sense of gladness and satisfaction. The perfect picture of peace, tranquil and serene. The air echoed with the sounds of birds chirping, filling the air with a mighty chorus of song, and yes also of praise.
The multi colored green of the trees walled us in. They stood tall and proud, majestic like. We were fortified here, surrounded by God’s beauty and His goodness.
It was a gift from friends, this cabin tucked deep away, to celebrate our anniversary. Their gift extended beyond the weekend get-a-way. Fresh flowers adorned the table top and a yummy treat of cheesecake and chocolate covered strawberries were found hidden away in the refrigerator, just waiting to be discovered. I wonder if our dear friends really understand the gift that they gave to us? I cannot even remember the last time we stole away together. Alone. Just us two. No one else.
Our life does not allow it.
It was a time of rest, relaxation and quiet. Far removed from the outside world. We were hidden deep within these trees. We spent most of our time on the deck of the house, overlooking the lake. Just sitting mostly, beholding the beauty of it all and drinking in the intoxicating view. Sometimes talking, but mostly quiet, just sitting.
We explored the land, another lake, another lake house-empty. Wild deer in an encampment held our attention and we strained our eyes to see the fawns. They watched us closely, they knew we were there even before we laid eyes on them. Such beauty.
We went kayaking on the lake, paddling along the outside, close to the edge, around and around the lake. The peace overtook us, and sometimes we just stopped and lingered in the moment, not wanting the moment to pass.
He also spent time fishing and I watch from the deck of the house. He slid quietly though the water, making no sound, just slowly gliding through the calm, slicing his way through the moss.
And just like the four hour ride here, my mind traveled the road over the past 33 years.
I would like to tell you that it has been 33 years of marital bliss, but that would not be so. Just like every other married couple, we have had our ups, and our downs. And the vows we took “for better or for worse” was a literal vow and we practiced it repeatedly.
I studied the lake. I lifted my face to my Lord. And there in that moment I clearly saw Him in all of it.
There were times, like the lake, that were still and quiet, peace surrounded us. Things were as it should be. Moving along under the folds of our Lord. Breathing easy, filling our lungs with all things good.
There were other time, like the lake, that we covered our lives with other things. We could not see things clearly because the busyness and the expectations of ourselves and of others crushed us in, spilling us out in confusion and urgency. We fought hard to stay on top, struggling against ourselves.
And still, there were times when the winds came and stirred us deep, and like the trees, the arms of God surrounded us, hedging us in. They were hard times, pounding us down, knocking the breath out of us and it’s hard to stand up under it. At times it seemed that it would be easier to just give up.
But we refused. We fought hard and we pushed through, time and time again and it was worth every effort. And the words from Nehemiah are before me as they have been throughout these years and they echo loud in my heart.
“Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” (Nehemiah 4:14b)
I have leaned heavily on these words for I know that this fight has always been a spiritual battle. It has been warfare and it drags with it the physical and the emotional wounded heart. We cannot stand against it on our own, for there are no perfect people and we are all made out of dust, but His amazing grace covers us all.
As I sit here and watch my beloved quietly rowing along, my heart beats with gratitude for this time. Time to just sit and not have something pulling at us. Time to just talk and not have a million distractions. My heart rejoices in the rest and the calm. We are renewed, refreshed as we spend our time-just being.
This gift is from the Lord, as He stretches out His love and blankets us with His peace. It has been HE who has been the faithful One all these years. It has been HIS will and HIS grace that has glued us together, tying us up and binding us tightly to Himself. This life—my portion– has been a good one, my inheritance is indeed from my Lord and my cup runneth over. I can rest under the shelter of His wings because His paths truly do drip with abundance and His favor covers us gently and purposely.
All is grace.
And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:14
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The Portion of my Inheritance 