This Time Last Year!

Last Christmas: Mexico.

Well, we were there the week before Christmas, actually.

ISN'T THIS BEAUTIFUL?

We were invited, all 17 family members (including the son-in-law to be) to a resort on the Mexican Riviera. By Mom and Dad Scanlon. It was A*MA*ZING!

I had never, ever been to any place like it ~ an "all inclusive" resort experience ~ the whole week far exceeded my expectations. The scenery was breathtaking. Everywhere you looked, every view, all different hours of the day and night...all and always breathtaking.

And ONE WHOLE WEEK with our wonderful family...well, that was even better than the scenery!

Last December: No Blog!

So I was writing, but no one could see what I was writing. What's the fun in that??

On our trip, early in the morning, I headed to the empty beach. I was reading a book called
The Prodigal God
by Timothy Keller.
If you love the parable of the Lost Son, this book is a must read. My eyes and heart were opened to an entirely new perspective on one of the most loved of Jesus' stories.

When you open to chapter one you see this:
prod-i-gal, adjective

1. recklessly extravagant

2. having spent everything

The irony was not lost on me. 

Here I was, on a resort lounge chair, watching the sun rise over the ocean....in the midst of what would have to be called reckless extravagance.

Here I was, surrounded by family and comfort and beauty...through no effort of my own and at no cost to me. Love and every creature comfort were being lavished on me. 

And it was good!

And I wrote about how all this made me feel, and how grateful I was. And I read the book and underlined and marked the pages. And wrote some more. 

The over arching message of the book was that God loves us - recklessly, extravagantly, completely. That he has spent all that He has on us, to demonstrate and express His love for us.

One year ago at this time, on a quiet Mexican beach....and while sipping my coffee by a clear pool of water, I had one of those "aha" moments. And let myself be carried away by this love!

And it was very, very good!

So, here we are, one year later.

And I may not be any where near the  beach.

And I may be writing more on this blog than in my journal.

But one look at these photos, or one thought about my prodigal God,

and I'm brought right back to that moment of surrender. That moment when a closed off part of my heart opened up and let itself be loved more fully.

And that is still very, very good!

To see more of my trip follow this link to a Digital Scrapbook!!