Just Be

When was the last time you spent 24 hours of uninterrupted time with the one you love? Or one of the someones you love?

24 hours of uninterrupted time? It sounds ludicrous! How? When? This is not possible.

Humans in the 21st century - modern times - are skilled at filling every minute of the day with activity, obligation, tasks. And we are always struggling against the grind that we have set up for ourselves.

I find that I am always looking for a window out!

The window came this last week. Gracie was to be at camp for the week. The house is empty of interns and guest moms. I just needed to enlist a small army of people to care for the myriad of animals that live at Nativity House. (a house of hospitality not just for humans!)

Tuesday after work we jumped in Rosie (our red prius) and headed north to Racine, WI, Eco-Justice Center. It just so happened that we were there 7 years to-the-day! of our very first visit to their hermitage. Our treks to the one room cabin in the woods began as 24 hours or a full weekend - if we were lucky - to get away and prepare in prayer for the project that would become Nativity House. It has now become a whole family affair. Once or twice a year Justin and I go. Once or twice a year Gracie and I go.

This time Justin were blessed to have a full 48 hours of time away. We spent our time reading, hiking, exploring the southern Wisconsin coast, drawing, writing. It was time to just be in each other's presence. There was no elaborate plan, there wasn't non-stop deep conversation, it wasn't all about romance.

The task at hand was to  just be. 

On our jaunt up the coast of Lake Michigan coast we stumbled upon a brewery: St Francis Brewery. Yum!

we have to make time, take time, reclaim time

to just be in each other's presence

your spouse, your child, your mother, your father