The second day seems the hardest, but wait until day 3...

Seconds...
...something less then a minute (time)
...the next round, say for a meal (quantity)
...the next time around, for an item (second-hand shop)

The second part of our trip consisted of a transition from one family to another. We first went to Canada to see our daughter and her family...then they drove us to MI to see our son and his family...where they stayed until this morning/afternoon...that time between breakfast and lunch...kind of like dusk or dawn.

My heart is torn and tired. I am sad to see her leave, but I know she has to get back to her normal. I wish my normal included seeing her more often. I'm tired from a long trip of traveling in the winter.

After she left we went on a walk with my son and grandson, leaving my daughter in law (I want to so call her daughter in love, but when I tried I confused my son and he didn't like it too much :) That's ok. All my in law kids hold a very special place in my heart...I love them all so very much) and my other grandson at home to rest. On our way out I saw the hints of spring emerging from their flower bed.

We then went back to the place on the river where we were staying and I saw another remembrance of spring coming. Even in winter with the longest day come and gone, we are now looking forward to spring...the second season of the new year...we start in Jan in winter still...and then comes spring.

Around town there are the remembrances of the Christmas season...it is Frankenmuth, MI the Christmas Capital of the World after-all.

Our second half of the trip will allow us to be part of our son's new normal with their new little one. I am so glad that we were able to come out for this trip to see them. He is the youngest of the grand kids that we've been able to see. We live so far away from all of them that getting to see the new baby right away when they are newborns is not realistic nor possible, but this time it worked out. I am so thankful.

Today I was thinking about contentment. Contentment seems to come between fear and anxiousness and control. When I fear and am anxious I cannot be content, because I am so unsure of what is, what was, and what will come. I worry and fret...What is happening right now is not what I want my reality to be. And then when I am in an uber control mode I am not content either. I am trying to make the reality be the reality that I want it to be with my own power and strength.  This is not a good place to be either. Because I can never really be totally in control.

Contentment lies in the middle. It is a place of sure footing without having to be totally in control, nor worrying and fretting about reality. It is taking a realistic view of life as I know it right now and walking in faith with gratitude.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain..." 1 Timothy 6:6 (ESV)

"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." Colossians 3:14-15 (ESV)

 Today was a wonderful sunny day. Today was a good day to be content.


"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13 (ESV)