It has seriously been awhile since I have posted anything. This summer will go in the books as one of the busiest summers we have ever had. We have had the opportunity to go to the lake quite a bit, take a short family trip and then J. O. and I just took a cruise. Now, we have one more getaway and school starts!! Woah!
This last trip was different than anything we have ever done. I know cruises are not unusual trips, but we have just never been on one. We have gone on vacations together before, but mostly to places where you go, go, go the whole time. This time it was like a beach trip just the two of us, but so much more relaxing. I have never before laid around and done absolutely nothing for that amount of time. By Sunday night, I was itching to get back. I needed normal. Up until then though, I was great. I can lay in a chair and read a book like the best of them. I also wouldn't normally eat my weight in ice cream, but hey, if they are going to keep it out at all hours what's a girl to do?
It's also the first time, I have truly been without a phone. It worked until we went to sleep Thursday night but then it was off. We didn't have any service until Saturday when we hit Mexico and that was very limited. At first it was hard to get used to, but honesty after awhile it was nice. I figured if it was a true emergency our family could contact the ship, but it was nice escaping the day to day things.
However, it also made me realize how easy it is to unplug yourself and not be involved in hard things. Not sure if that makes sense, but it's amazing how quickly you remove yourself from what's going on around you. When I was on the ship without the reminder of Facebook, I was removed from what my friends fostering were dealing with. Seriously, on Thursday I got a text from a friend about their case and a call before we boarded the ship and I was burdened about the craziness of it all. Then, when I started relaxing and turned my phone off, it magically went away too.
Except that it didn't. It showed me how quickly we can forget about the fight that is going on around us. It also helped me understand a little better how people can so easily turn their back on this and act like it's not real. I got online today and caught up on several things and once again realized how much is going on around us daily and I don't want to be removed from it. I want to be reminded. I want to help. I want to pray for my friends. I was in the dark for a few days, and admittedly it was nice and relaxing, but sadly this is where so many people are living. In the dark. I promise, once you get out of the shadows for a few days you won't be able to go back. Get plugged in. Reach out to a friend who is fostering or adopting. Get plugged in at church or community group. Just ask them to help you understand better what's going on. I am convinced the first step to not ignoring it any longer, is acknowledging it's there. Being unplugged for a few days is amazing. Living in the dark and denial is not.
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