Our vacation ended last week, and most people would be sad but not me. Why you ask? Well, our stay-cation this year was full of activities each and everyday! We didn't intentionally plan for it that way but because our family from out-of-state was here, we wanted to make sure we spent as much time as possible with them. We knew our kids would love to see their cousins as much as possible.

What threw me for a loop was the beginning signs of shingles! The first time getting shingles was from Story's birth from starting P90X with my Lovely, only after a month or two after giving birth! My body didn't know how to handle the over activity, accompanied with lack of sleep and countless other stuff! This time I think it was from the same issue-- over activity and other stressful things. Praise God it wasn't full blown and it actually stopped. I prayed, my awesome church prayed, and I even searched my heart to see any sin that was lurking. I did see somethings I needed to work on and ask God for forgiveness, which was refreshing. Thank God for his patience toward me! I'm clearly imperfect and not at all deserving of Christ and his love. Thankfully Christ took on my sin and shame, and nailed it to the cross! I'm now free....Free to see my sin. Free to choose the godly way or the sinful way. Free to confess to God. Free to confess to others. Free from self deception. Free from hypocrisy. Free from fearing man. Free from earning my way to heaven. Free from everything that binds me to my old ways. Wow, how refreshing is that?!

I had a tough vacation but it turned out to be reflective. God showed me things that can grow my relationship with him, and in turn, grow my relationships with my family (and even my church family). Sooooo, the vacation DID serve it's purpose at the end of the day :)

Re-read this past post and it encouraged me...again!