Joined, Intentionally

There is a quote, insightful, true, and attributed to George Eliot:  

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life--to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.  

She was speaking about families, the vessel of jointness that occurs without your asking and lives inside of your bones, silent, unspeakable, there.  No matter how far apart you've traveled or how separate your lives have become, Eliot reminds us, your family remains a part of you.

There is a difference, however, between being a part of you and being a part of your life.  The 'of your life' variety takes time, it takes work, it takes? Intention.

Hence, I recently engaged in an intentional trip, to Rochester, to visit Dave and Kara on the weekend my parents were doing the same.

Equal parts laughing, lounging, reminiscing, and updating, we dwelt in the luxury of the time to get re-acquainted, the time to just be.

We celebrated Dave and Kara in their adorable new home,

with their equally adorable new addition.

We explored the town, 

saw the places they go to work at each day,

and ended up on the shores of Lake Ontario,

braving the cold for a bit of beauty.

We walked until our feet were frozen, 

and then returned home for some lazy lounging.  

[Do not be fooled by appearances of productiveness--

this man is sleeping!]

When we were rested up, we ventured out again for fortification at a nearby restaurant in a cool old firehouse that we'd discovered during the travels of our day.

While we chowed down on delectable fare, 

Kara led us in some 'get to know each other' questions, 

until the two hours our menu had warned us was the only time we were allowed at their table were nearly over.  We didn't need their restrictions, however, because we had big plans for our evening ahead:

Some serious gaming awaited us;

some clues to be revealed,

some categories to be scattered,

 some scattering of clues too....

[Remember the time our dear mother 

played H when the letter was G?]

A good long day of lounging and laughter behind us, 

we tucked into our beds and awoke with the promises of Dave & Kara's new church in the morning 

and Kara's beyond-amazing macaroni & cheese for lunch.

We finished our time together in prayer and thanksgiving, 

to the God who overcomes the distance of miles 

and joined-though-separated lives.

And then we left our love-birds, knowing that this phase of their journey is a phase of settling into the place that God has for them, in order to live, to love, to grow. 

We left, having said: Joined, Intentionally.