Travels and Thankfulness

Last month I was blessed to go on a trip with a very close friend. It had been roughly six months since I had last seen her and we were both in a place in our lives where we just needed a break. God's timing was perfect and He gave us the trip we needed. It was a trip to grow our friendship, a trip to refresh our souls, and a trip to grow closer to Him.

I had never been to Outer Banks, North Carolina and I was ecstatic to go. My friend and I had been counting down for months and the night of my departure finally arrived. I had an overnight flight, which are actually becoming a favorite of mine. I mean, who doesn't love running on caffeine and being surrounded by sleep deprived human beings? Besides, airports seem quieter during the late night/early mornings and less...chaotic. Also, I'm an author and a people watcher. I find it fascinating to watch people interact with each other and their surroundings. It gives me material for my writing and when it is really late at night, it's quite amusing too.

My flights went smoothly with only the minimal delays, very adorable crying infants, and a lot of sailors. My seat row mates were pleasant, probably because they slept most of the time and one of them was a dog. I ran into at least three sets of twins in the airports and was able to help a sweet mom with her twins while we waited for a flight. I was served coffee and a pastry by the most genuinely happy Starbucks employee I've ever seen, and I was picked up by my friend and her family with hugs all around.

It would take too many pages to even summarize my trip. But I'll just say, it was amazing. Just enough activities to see parts of Outer Banks and just enough downtime to relax on the beach. I laughed so much in the week I was literally sore. My friend and I made a habit to go to bed "early" because we needed hours to just talk and quiet time to read our Bibles together. The week was a time to invest in relationships: our relationship with God, our relationship with her family, and our own friendship. It was a time to let go of the stress of life and simply enjoy ourselves, which we did.

So in the month dedicated to thankfulness, I am thankful for this opportunity and thankful for the incredible friendship I have been given. I'm also thankful for my Heavenly Father, who knows just what we need and when we need it. He refreshed my spirit. He strengthened a friendship. He drew me closer to Him. For that I am thankful.

What are you thankful for this month?