I haven’t posted for nearly a month primarily because my family took a three week vacation to the east coast. We visited (or in some cases simply drove through) thirteen states, stayed in ten different hotels, and traveled over 3,300 miles. (My wife really should have been a travel agent!) For the most part the trip was a historical journey of early American history. We visited Colonial Williamsburg, Washington DC and Philadelphia for three to four days each. We toured historical sites such as Jamestown and Yorktown, as well as Valley Forge, Gettysburg and Mt Vernon (George Washington’s home).

However, the trip wasn’t all about studying history and visiting museums, we also plugged in time to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of many new destinations. We spent a couple wonderful days on the beach in Cape May, NJ, went to the National Zoo in DC to see Mei Xiang and Tian Tian (the Giant Pandas), visited the Louisville Slugger factory, and made a stop in Canton to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

I wanted to share just a couple of quick observations from our trip. First, I was reminded that what is significant and memorable to a ten year old boy can be quite different from those a bit older. Ten days into our trip, and after visiting several of the most significant historical sights, I asked our ten year old what was his favorite aspect of the trip thus far, and his response was; “the driving, the hotels, the food, and the metro (subway) in DC.” I believe these aspects of the trip were important to him because they were not “things” or “events” that he experienced individually, but they were moments in time that we were truly together. It reminded me that while we may want our children to be experience rich, it cannot come at the expense of being relationally poor.

Second, now several days after returning home, I am still overwhelmed by the character, wisdom, and determination of so many of the men and women that contributed to the formation of our country. There was clearly a sense of duty, honor and sacrifice that we don’t see very often today, especially in our elected officials. In stark contrast to today’s “professional” or career politicians that too often seem to be driven by the desire for power and influence; those engaged in politics in the early years of our country were first and foremost great leaders, thinkers, and statesmen that were thrust into the political arena. As a result of the trip, I have committed to reading at least one biography of Washington, Franklin and Patrick Henry.

Third, I will not bore you all the details of the different sites we visited in each location, but I will share my favorites. If I had to pick five or six “must see” locations from our trip I would have to say, in no particular order: the National Archives, The National Mall, Mt Vernon, Independence Hall, Christ Church, and Gettysburg. Each of these locations stirred a deep sense of awe and inspiration, not only in regards to the great events of the past, but also how those events should better inform and influence our present.

Lastly, I have to say that I was reminded how much I love my family. We really had a blast together. Was there a time or two that we wanted to kill each other as a result of spending 24/7 with each other for three weeks? Yes, I think there was a least one occasion. But it quickly passed, and we went back to enjoying our time together and collectively learning just how blessed we are; and furthermore, how those blessings must compel us to be a blessing to others.

Posted in Missional.