Category: family trips

faith, faithful, Family, family trips, fortitude, God, Jesus, religious, scripture, spiritual, travel, Uncategorized

Always Alert

katietkennedy

I recently took a quick trip back home to attend a family Christmas party. On the return trip my father, who was driving us to the airport, pulled over at the terminal so we could get out. We grabbed our bags and headed inside.

As I looked down to step up onto the curb, I noticed a one hundred dollar bill on the ground folded up. I quickly assessed the situation. The bill looked smaller than normal and why would it be lying here in this heavily trafficked area? I looked up and saw two baggage handlers staring down at the bill. I walked by it and then looked back at them as they picked up the bill. Our eyes met and they started laughing. I gave them a hard time, in a jovial manner, about creating their own entertainment and messing with people.

They had planted the bill intentionally to catch people thinking the bill was real and watch how they reacted. It was early in the morning so I could see how someone would mistake the bill for real. Thankfully I was alert enough not to fall for their trick.

This reminds me of our faith journey. While this was an innocent prank, it did make me realize we must stay alert.

The Bible says to “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

While the game the baggage handlers were playing was fairly innocent, the devil’s schemes are not. He is seeking to destroy. We must be on alert, always ready, constantly praying for wisdom and discernment, being vigilant to his tricks and attacks, especially when the stakes are so high.

Bible, challenges, faith, faithful, Family, family trips, God, God's will, Jesus, perspective, religious, scripture, sin, spiritual, travel, Uncategorized, water

Proper Perspective

katietkennedy

When I was in high school my family went on a cruise. We entered the boat anxious to find our cabin. After my brother and I had settled into our shared room, he ran up to my dad’s room (we were not on the same level) and started raving about how wonderful our room was.

My father’s face was marked with confusion. My parent’s room was on a higher level with a water view. Our room was on a lower level, an interior room (obviously the cheaper option). My father couldn’t comprehend my brother’s enthusiasm regarding his room, so he followed him down to the lower levels. My dad thought surely there was a mistake. Why had they given us such a great room?

My teenage brother escorted him into the room, promptly shut the door behind him, and turned off the lights. Then he declared, “Total darkness!” With the door shut and the lights off, our room was pitch black. There was no light seeping in through anywhere. For a teenage boy who had a master’s in sleeping, this was a dream come true. He could sleep as late, and as long as he wanted without any light disturbing his slumber.

My dad shook his head and laughed. To him, this room was second-class, inferior to his. To my brother, he wouldn’t trade this obscure haven for anything. Perspective.

This reminds me of our faith journey. When we are in Christ, we have an eternal perspective. God has already won the war. In our sinful world, sometimes we forget this. We want justice now, yet He is reigning over all.

We must remember we are playing the long game, and making choices to please God, not man. “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

Our Christian perspective influences everything we do. Our decisions are made because we are looking ahead at eternity with Christ. We are not here to please ourselves, we are here to glorify Him.

“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” (Psalm 11:4)

How lucky we are to have our loving Father in heaven looking out for us, protecting us, and guiding us. When we get caught up with the stresses and trials of this world, may we lift up our eyes and remember He is on the throne.

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Breathtaking Beauty

katietkennedy

Many people travel to the beach during the summer. The sun and sand and ocean are extremely restorative. 

When you reflect on your vacation, you usually remember the positive things; your feet in the sand, the laughs you shared with family, the yummy food you consumed, strolling along the shore, or jumping waves with your kids. 

What you don’t focus on, or maybe we block out, is the hours upon hours you spend shopping for food, packing, and loading and unloading the car. You don’t dwell on the twenty trips you made walking up and down the stairs carrying bins of supplies and suitcases. We don’t think about the sweat you poured out while packing the car in 90+ degree heat. We don’t focus on these things because the time by the water overshadows the rest. The days of relaxation are worth the work. 

This reminds me of our faith journey. Being a Christian is hard. It’s not easy, recall the ‘narrow gate.’ We have years of trials and challenges. All the while learning to be a servant of Christ, to mortify our sins and worldly desires daily.

When we are packing up the car and the kids are fighting and we’re hot and exhausted and we haven’t even left, I wonder if it’s even worth it. Is the trouble worth the trip? Once I’m there, see the view, and listen to the sounds of the waves, I remember, yes it is. The destination is worth the journey.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

So, as you endeavor through the days and wonder if all the preparations, work, and effort are worth it; consider arriving at the feet of your Heavenly Father, and the rest and restoration He provides, not just then in that moment but for all moments for the rest of your moments, for eternity.

blessings, communication, faith, faithful, Family, family trips, God, God's love, Jesus, religious, Uncategorized, voices

Verifying Voices

katietkennedy

It was a rainy Tuesday morning and I was headed to the bank to rummage through our safety deposit box. My mission was to find my husband’s passport. We were preparing to travel and I was gathering the necessary documents to get TSA approved.

Inside the bank, I requested access to our box. The employee informed me I was not on the account. I asked if we could call my husband and have him add me to the account. I learned they could only do this if an employee at the bank had encountered enough interactions with him that they could verify his voice. I thought this was slightly odd but awaited their response. Had my husband frequented the bank enough that his voice could be verified over the phone?

A teller spoke up and said she could recognize his voice. We made the call and I got added to the account. This gave testimony to my husband’s personality. His friendly demeanor and tall stature make him easy to recognize and remember. While I wasn’t successful in finding the passport, the adventure got me thinking about our unique voices.

It reminds me of God. He knows our distinctive voices. He knows the tone and cadence of our voice better than anybody, He created us after all. In addition to our voice, He knows our hearts and thoughts. God knows when we are praising Him or speaking slander about someone. He also knows when we are hurting so greatly we can’t even put words together.

God can recognize our voice, but can we recognize His? Are we getting to know Him through the words in the Bible? He won’t yell at us through the frenzy, we must carve out stillness to hear Him. “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

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Suddenly Spraying

katietkennedy

We were on a family vacation one summer and traveled west to a dude ranch. My sister-in-law and I decided to go on a hike. We were heading back to the ranch following the dirt road when I grabbed something out of my backpack. As I swung my backpack around, I heard a thump on the ground. We both looked at each other wondering what had made the loud noise. Before I turned fully around it dawned on me what the item was. It sounded like a soda can falling to the ground. Only we didn’t have any soda with us. The bear spray I had in the side pocket had slipped out, crashed to the ground, and popped open.

As this realization dawned on me, I took off running and yelled for my sister-in-law to get out of there. When we were a safe distance away, we turned around and watched the can spinning in circles. Thankfully, somehow when it popped open it was facing down and sprayed the dirt road instead of into the air around us. We were extremely lucky to have escaped its harmful ingredients. Of course, after we were out of harm’s way, we looked at each other and started laughing. How in the world did that happen?

We went back later to pick up the can and dispose of it. We were grateful to have escaped the situation. I was a little disappointed I had used our one and only bear spray container.

This reminds me of our faith journey. The way my sister-in-law and I took off sprinting away from the bear spray is also how we Christians should run away from sin and temptation as if our life depended on it. The Bible says, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

1 Corinthians 6:18 states, “Flee from sexual immorality.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 says, “Flee from idolatry.”

The Bible is clear about running away from sin. May we turn and sprint from these things. We are called to, “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 5-6).

Bible, challenges, children, communication, faith, faithful, Family, family trips, forgiveness, God, God's will, mistakes, parenting, religious, scripture, spiritual, trips, Uncategorized

Arriving Ahead

katietkennedy

One year we were on vacation with my family. My kids were having a blast spending time with their cousin. We were headed out to dinner and were a larger group, so some were going in the rental car, and the rest were riding in a shuttle van. The van showed up and was ready to load passengers. We were hustling around grabbing last-minute items before we left.

The kids (there were four of them) wanted to ride in the shuttle van so they jumped aboard. A few minutes later the van pulled away. We quickly realized there were no adults aboard the van. The kids spanned ages from thirteen to six and were a fairly responsible group (for children), but we never intended on sending them alone. The impressive (or scary) thing is how they convinced the van driver to leave without a parent. Once we realized the kids were on their way without us, we hustled into the car and hurried to meet them.

The kids, sure enough, were waiting for us at the restaurant. They were beaming with pride from their adventure and were surprised when we didn’t match their enthusiasm. We chatted with them about how we were glad they made it safely, but next time they are not to leave without an adult. We expressed our concern for their safety and explained why their decision to drive off without us was not safe.

This reminds me of our faith journey. Sometimes we like to forge ahead, we make our plans and ask God to bless our path. This usually turns out how the adventure with my kids went. We might reach the destination, but if it wasn’t God’s plan for us, something is usually missing. We rush ahead convinced we know what is best, forgetting to ask God to align our will with His will. When things don’t work out as we planned, we are disappointed.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

May we keep in step with the Spirit, for the steps of a man are established by the Lord. (Galatians 5:25 & Psalms 37:23)