Our Marriage Preserver

Ministry is a full-time job. No. MORE than a full-time job. There is no punching of the clock at the end of a long day to escape to the comfort of home. Honestly, it is kind of the opposite. It's the all day, every day (even when we're home) that we need to escape *from* every now and then. That's what Fridays are for. Certainly, we can't do something as grand as this every single week, but we work pretty hard to preserve Fridays as a time to get away from home, away from phones, away from technology of any kind and just breathe deep, talk, and refresh. 

Last Friday our adventure took us to Lye Brook Falls. Oh my. I was hooked right at the entrance to the trail. I mean, does that scream whisper serenity or what?

Along the way there were all sorts of smaller "falls" and flowing creeks. Such a refreshing sound.

We even walked through one area that almost felt like a little Japanese garden. The gentlest trickles of water fell to the colorful rocks below in such a way that I kept expecting to hear bamboo pipe background music. 

Everything was so LUSH and alive, like every leaf and blade of grass was pregnant and ready to add even more new life to the surroundings. So delightfully fresh.

We even learned the origin of the name LYE Brook Falls! How fun is this?

And THEN we stepped out of our wooded canopy. . .

. . . right onto what literally felt like Mars. This crater that stretched at least 100 yards wide and interrupted the full height of the mountainside. Damage from last summer's Hurricane Irene. Tucked way back into the mountain. Crazy.

But with evidence of new life on the way. . .

. . .which made me wonder how long it would take before you couldn't tell anything had ever happened here. I guess I'll have to check back often. :-D

Also, quick question--how is it that ferns can grow out of rocks? I don't get it, but I like it!

After about an hour and a half of hiking (some of which was a pretty good workout!), we reached the falls. Oh my. Did I already say that? I'll say it again. OH. MY. Certainly these pictures do it no justice, but I always have to try.

Gorgeousness. This is how we refresh our souls and get FULL so that we can continue to LOVE the ministry God has given us here even when it is challenging. Thank you, Lord, for knowing this is where we needed to live.