Laughter on the Lake

If the theme of yesterday was relaxation, the theme for today was adventure.  Now, this is certainly a vacation of rest, so adventure may be a bit of an overstatement, but we did all try something new today. 

Grandpa Frank and my dad got up bright and early this morning, so the rest of us met up with them a little later to have lunch.  I got to catch a glimpse of the golf course, and it was beautiful!  So far, I have been incredibly impressed with the beauty of God's creation in North Carolina.  Everything seems to be green and flourishing with life.

Each night, I have been putting the pictures I take throughout the day on Facebook.  My family noticed that I take a lot of photographs of everyone else, but there weren't really any of me.  So we decided to fix that today.

Ali and I took pictures outside, but we couldn't help but take a sorority pose (or three).  This is a joke, but at our universities, girls who are in sororities are known to stick their waists together, place one hand on the hip, and lean as far backwards as they possibly can.  So we posed this way.

And then we wanted to learn farther.

Laughter rang through the peaceful air above the lake on this morning.

I find so much joy in my close-knit family: watching my little brother ignore any video game he might be playing back in Texas to take silly pictures of two of his big sisters who happened to be giggling like school girls, coaxing our dad to venture out on the lake, sharing secret laughs with my mom as we secretly snap a picture of someone in our group, the willingness of my grandparents to take several hours out of their days to spend time with us.

Eventually we even persuaded my little sister, Amy, to come out and pose for a picture.

 

As the sun drew higher in the sky, Grandpa Frank borrowed a jet-ski from the sweetest neighbors you could ever meet.  He puttered up to the dock and picked up my little brother, and then Ali and Amy, taking them on rides across the lake, far beyond my own view from where I stood, shielding my eyes with my hand.

After they disappeared from view, my brother tossed a blue mat into the water of the lake, keeping an eye out for snakes and proceeding to doze off as he floated further and further away.  When it comes to water, this boy is fearless.

I watched them, torn between a fear of the water and a desire to experience some semblance of adventure on this vacation.  The night before, Luke had said, "Emily, you are not courageous!" and I quickly replied, "Where am I going this summer?"  To Africa.  I may be frightened by green lakes or the deep oceans, but I have courage in other areas of my life.

However, I finally mustered up the courage to venture onto the jet-ski.  My mom decided to come along, even though she wasn't wearing a swimsuit.  The others had come back with dry hair and wide-stretched smiles, telling stories about the "Redneck Riviera" and skipping over waves.

We climbed upon the blue jet-ski, both grinning (although I was the only one out of the three of us who was frightened).  Grandpa Frank was good about going as smoothly as he could at first, until my shaking stopped (yes, I am that afraid of water) and the worst of my anxieties subsided.  After a few minutes passed, I had great fun!  We were out for perhaps thirty or forty minutes, bouncing on the water and feeling the wind strike our faces and tug at our hair.

When we arrived back at the house, we were only smiles and breathless stories.  Do I plan to swim in the lake after this?  No.  Was I able to have fun on such a small boat?  Yes!  And this is enough for now.

As the night drew to a close, we attended a graduation party for a neighbor and met kind friends of my grandparents.  Before the party, Grandma Marcia brought out her camera and took pictures of Ali and me beneath an arch blanketed in sweet-smelling white flowers.

 

Their backyard is beautiful!   


After returning home from the dinner, Luke and I watched the sun set on the lake.  It was a beautiful night, a perfect ending to a day like this one.

Now, I know the water was calm and we were in no real danger, but I could not help but re-read this passage tonight and mull over the reassurance I have been given in Christ.

Matthew 8:23-26

Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him.  Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke Him, saying, "Lord, save us!  We're going to drown!"  He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?"  Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Three years ago: To the Hopefuls ;)
Two years ago: Packing for a Cruise: Miscellaneous
One year ago: Odd