Matthew 11:28 – (Jesus said,) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Gratitude Day 762

It was a wonderful respite that was desperately needed. Just a couple hours of hiking and walking near the water but the rest we yearned for without really knowing.

And it was WONDERFUL.

Hubby Rick and I knew that this week was over-full. A lot of moving parts in several different directions. Then, I threw in that I wanted to go to my seminary professor’s funeral two states away. Rick said he would go with, knowing two drivers would be better than one.

We are so glad that we attended the funeral service. It was meaningful and a way for me to say good-bye. After the service, I visited with some other clergy that I had just met while Rick found another clergy spouse to chat with. Once we were in the car and heading home, we agreed that we had made the right decision in squeezing in this trip. This was one time we agreed it was the right thing to do.

As we got closer to Chicago, we were aware of what time we would be driving through. It would be towards the end of rush hour. Rick asked if there was some place we could stop for an hour or two and wait until traffic would be better.

We were just into Indiana. I have driven by the “Indiana Dunes Park” signs hundreds of times but never stopped. I suggested we could check them out. After a quick stop at the visitor center, we had a game plan of where to go to see a couple sand dunes and walk the beach.

While there is a federal dunes park, we opted for the state dunes park instead, based on our limited time. The park includes shoreline along Lake Michigan, which is also a public beach. As we began walking towards the sand dunes, we discovered piles and piles of very fine sand. At the top of the dunes, signs told us the name of the dune, the height above sea level and how many railroad cars of sand we were standing on. All very impressive.

Walking those dunes was quite a workout! The park has a 3-dune challenge, which involves climbing and walking three dunes. We climbed just two of the dunes and opted then to spend our last minutes at the park walking along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

Across the bay, we could see the downtown Chicago skyline, as well as the port in Gary, Indiana. Many of the rocks along the beach were thin and flat, worn down by years of waves rolling over them. It was the middle of the week towards the end of the day. We were so impressed with all the people picnicking, building sandcastles, enjoying a lovely afternoon. At a beach in all places, Indiana?

When we got back to the car, we realized that our tour through the park had lasted nearly two hours. Yet, we agreed, these two hours were wonderful and what we needed. The weeks have been full. Some days, we have felt like we’re running in multiple directions, because we are! Life is good and we feel very blessed.

Yet, those two hours at the park on the beach? Refreshing. Soul-filling. As the waves rolled up on the beach, it felt like they continued to roll right into my heart and soul, declaring they could rest, if only for those couple of hours.

Friends – sometimes life rolls right by. The hours turn into days that become weeks that suddenly are a month, and the summer is, what, more than half over? Our days can be complied of many very, very good things. Yet, our hearts and souls also need rest. Calm. Stepping away from doing and into the realm of simply being.

Thank you, Indiana Dunes Park, for giving us those moments of being. Time where we could unwind, let go and simply drink in God’s creation. Let’s not simply let this summer slip by. Find those couple of hours each day or week where you can slip away to a place where you can give your heart and soul rest. Where you can go to God and know that whatever is going on in our lives, God will carry with you. This, my friends, is where and how we find true rest. I pray you find your dunes park this week and hear Jesus say to you, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you REST.”

For those couple of hours at the Indiana dunes park, I am very grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – We fill our schedules with events and things, most important and sometimes, simply filler. And we get tired and stressed and over-extended. Help us find rest. Challenge us to pause our days and come to You and know that You are the master of granting restorative rest. Amen.

P.S. – Have you been using the “2022 Summer Bucket List” as ways to find restorative rest this summer? It’s not too late! Download today and use this as a guide to find rest this summer.

If this post touched you, I invite you to share it.

Just What Jesus Ordered – Rest at the Sand Dunes

Matthew 11:28 – (Jesus said,) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Gratitude Day 762

It was a wonderful respite that was desperately needed. Just a couple hours of hiking and walking near the water but the rest we yearned for without really knowing.

And it was WONDERFUL.

Hubby Rick and I knew that this week was over-full. A lot of moving parts in several different directions. Then, I threw in that I wanted to go to my seminary professor’s funeral two states away. Rick said he would go with, knowing two drivers would be better than one.

We are so glad that we attended the funeral service. It was meaningful and a way for me to say good-bye. After the service, I visited with some other clergy that I had just met while Rick found another clergy spouse to chat with. Once we were in the car and heading home, we agreed that we had made the right decision in squeezing in this trip. This was one time we agreed it was the right thing to do.

As we got closer to Chicago, we were aware of what time we would be driving through. It would be towards the end of rush hour. Rick asked if there was some place we could stop for an hour or two and wait until traffic would be better.

We were just into Indiana. I have driven by the “Indiana Dunes Park” signs hundreds of times but never stopped. I suggested we could check them out. After a quick stop at the visitor center, we had a game plan of where to go to see a couple sand dunes and walk the beach.

While there is a federal dunes park, we opted for the state dunes park instead, based on our limited time. The park includes shoreline along Lake Michigan, which is also a public beach. As we began walking towards the sand dunes, we discovered piles and piles of very fine sand. At the top of the dunes, signs told us the name of the dune, the height above sea level and how many railroad cars of sand we were standing on. All very impressive.

Walking those dunes was quite a workout! The park has a 3-dune challenge, which involves climbing and walking three dunes. We climbed just two of the dunes and opted then to spend our last minutes at the park walking along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

Across the bay, we could see the downtown Chicago skyline, as well as the port in Gary, Indiana. Many of the rocks along the beach were thin and flat, worn down by years of waves rolling over them. It was the middle of the week towards the end of the day. We were so impressed with all the people picnicking, building sandcastles, enjoying a lovely afternoon. At a beach in all places, Indiana?

When we got back to the car, we realized that our tour through the park had lasted nearly two hours. Yet, we agreed, these two hours were wonderful and what we needed. The weeks have been full. Some days, we have felt like we’re running in multiple directions, because we are! Life is good and we feel very blessed.

Yet, those two hours at the park on the beach? Refreshing. Soul-filling. As the waves rolled up on the beach, it felt like they continued to roll right into my heart and soul, declaring they could rest, if only for those couple of hours.

Friends – sometimes life rolls right by. The hours turn into days that become weeks that suddenly are a month, and the summer is, what, more than half over? Our days can be complied of many very, very good things. Yet, our hearts and souls also need rest. Calm. Stepping away from doing and into the realm of simply being.

Thank you, Indiana Dunes Park, for giving us those moments of being. Time where we could unwind, let go and simply drink in God’s creation. Let’s not simply let this summer slip by. Find those couple of hours each day or week where you can slip away to a place where you can give your heart and soul rest. Where you can go to God and know that whatever is going on in our lives, God will carry with you. This, my friends, is where and how we find true rest. I pray you find your dunes park this week and hear Jesus say to you, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you REST.”

For those couple of hours at the Indiana dunes park, I am very grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – We fill our schedules with events and things, most important and sometimes, simply filler. And we get tired and stressed and over-extended. Help us find rest. Challenge us to pause our days and come to You and know that You are the master of granting restorative rest. Amen.

P.S. – Have you been using the “2022 Summer Bucket List” as ways to find restorative rest this summer? It’s not too late! Download today and use this as a guide to find rest this summer.

If this post touched you, I invite you to share it.