Last night, Lydia and I returned from Jacksonville, Florida, where we visited my parents over Thanksgiving break. Additionally, my sister and brother-in-law flew in from Chicago to be with us. We all had a great time together!

Lydia didn’t mind missing two days of school (one day of traveling each way). We celebrated her birthday, and made lots of new memories!

(My little fashionista had a fabulous birthday!)

This past week, we fit in many fun activities. One evening, we went to ‘Catty Shack’ (a wildlife sanctuary) and saw lions, tigers, panthers and more. These animals were rescued or ‘retired’ from other places. They’re still considered wild though they all were born in captivity. We attended a ‘night feeding’ and saw massive tigers only a few feet away!

After lunch on Thanksgiving, we went to the beach at St. Augustine. We also saw The Castillo de San Marcos, which is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. The Spanish started building it in 1672. My dad and Lydia also rode on a little carousel. Later, we toured the downtown area. It was fun to see Christmas lights covering palm trees!

(@ Ponce Inlet Jetty off Daytona Beach)

During our stay, we went to three different beaches! We saw the Atlantic Ocean in St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and Daytona. Lydia, especially, had so much fun. She shrieked with delight as we waded in the waves. Each day, the weather and waves were unique.

It was amazing to see God’s handiwork. Whether the waves were calm or roaring, they were mesmerizing and reminded me of His creative power, beauty, and love! What an awesome God He is! Sometimes His love is soothing and sometimes it is wildly fierce.

(This decorated sail boat on the boat parade goes well with the skyline!)

On Saturday, we went downtown to the annual holiday light boat parade. We sat right next to the water, across from Jacksonville Landing and the blue Main Street Bridge. We saw approximately sixty boats decorated with everything from nativity sets, Santa Claus, hula girls, snowmen, and alligators. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen!

The boat parade took place on the St. Johns River, which happens to be Florida’s longest river at 310 miles long. To top it off, we watched fireworks from two barges, and also fireworks that cascaded off two bridges like a waterfall!

(This blue heron flew in right in front of us for a photo op during the boat parade!)

On Monday, we drove an hour and a half down to Daytona. My mom showed us around and we even drove past the birthplace of NASCAR and the Daytona 500! Then, we met up with a dear friend, Jody, for a fun afternoon. We ate lunch on the shore of the Halifax River (a part of the intercoastal waterway) and fed some birds. Next, we went to Daytona beach and walked on some large rocks jutting out into the ocean. Then we enjoyed ice cream at a specialty store, Zeno’s, which is a local favorite. Yum!

(Halifax River and a shrimp boat)

Sometimes I get nervous about the travel details, especially when flying. I pray my luggage doesn’t get lost and that our flights go smoothly. Well, once again, I felt God’s grace because on Sunday, the blizzard that hit much of the Midwest avoided Fargo and Minneapolis. Even yesterday, some flights to other areas were not running. But thankfully, we had perfect weather and no issues. Praise God!

When I booked our flights months ago, I prayerfully chose what worked best for us. I would not have guessed a blizzard would hit during our trip, yet God graciously protected us from the brunt of it. Yesterday’s three flights arrived early each time!

(nighttime view over Minneapolis)

I always enjoy seeing God at work around me. On our first flight yesterday, I was able to encourage an older lady who had just lost her husband. She spent her first Thanksgiving as a widow, after 60 years of marriage, and was now returning to Atlanta. I told her I understood how difficult the holidays can be and was able to share a little of my story with her. She said she had been feeling sorry for herself, but was grateful for my perspective.

This trip was just what we needed. I’m sure we’ll have to plan another one soon because there is still so much we didn’t do! Special thanks to our friends who drove us to and from the airport… and watched over our house while we were gone.

Now, it’s back to our normal routine…

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God, thanks for the gift of family! Thanks for keeping us safe and for refreshing us. You are so good! May we refresh others with Your grace. All glory to You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How was your Thanksgiving? Do you have any trips planned to see family?