Camping and Car Rides

We rolled into town about 10pm last night after being on the road since about 10:30 that morning. . .

after being on our family vacation for 9 days . . . 6 of them that were spent camping.


You learn a lot about each other when you spend that much time together.


It's easy to post pictures on Instagram and share them on Facebook and the world might get the idea

that we have some idealistic Ward and June Clever existence.  You travel from destination to

destination while your children sit quietly in the back seat, only speaking when spoken to or sweetly

offering their part of the seat to their siblings.

   Don't get me wrong, we had a great time - a week and half  making memories that will last for a

lifetime.

We had laughed, played games, took in sights that we will never forget and heart to heart talks sitting

 on the deck overlooking the lake and we are so grateful.



We also got on each others nerves, killed more mosquitos than I even knew existed and  Momma

snapped more than once when she should have given grace and there may have been a point after

a twelve hour day of sight seeing that I may questioned all of my life choices as I rolled out of the car

at midnight barely able to move.



Why do I share all that, instead of just letting the social media pictures tell the story?




Because, the whole story is a much more beautiful picture.

Broken, flawed people living and learning together.  We don't have it all together, but we are learning

to love and to forgive and give and receive grace.



Maybe someone reading this needs to know that it's ok that their family isn't 'perfect'.

That kids who stay up until midnight and take long car rides might get cranky and talk back and

pester their siblings and that doesn't make you the worlds worst parents or your kids the descendants

of Chuckie. . .

Love your people-flaws and all. Just like Jesus loves us.

He never once asked for or expected perfection from us.

Let's stop comparing our real lives to others on-line lives.

After all aren't we glad Jesus never compares us to those flannel graph characters we learned about in

Sunday School?


Now, I'm off to wash 100 lbs of laundry and wonder what I was thinking packing all those clothes.



Blessings from this Road Weary Momma,