Spontaneous Vacation



On a whim, which isn’t how I normally operate, my husband suggested a twelve-hour vacation. Time was limited so we knew exactly where to go. Just seventeen nautical miles across from us on the Strait of Juan de Fuca Victoria, British Columbia awaits.

Brilliant blue skies, calm waters and very few October tourists made our escape perfect. 



Within a couple hours we arrived at the historic Butchart Gardens. Back in the early 1900’s Jennie Butchart used a depleted lime deposit left over from the family’s lucrative cement company and created a lush flowering garden. Over the years she kept adding more blossoming acreage.

The garden’s cobbled pathways, with assorted colors and fragrances invite a slow measured pace. A sanctuary of flowers and shrubs, waterfalls and fountains invite reflection—which we sorely needed.  



                             My vacation reflections:

There’s a room inside our hearts where we keep our dreams. Vacations can remind us where the door to that room is and that we need to keep it open.


We need to set aside the reasons why our dreams won't work and remember that it only takes one good reason to believe that they will.





 Vacations can inspire us and our inspirations become our possibilities. And our possibilities are like seeds that grow our dreams into reality.


 Vacations can take us away for a while, but once we’re home we can choose to unpack a good attitude and bring a bit of vacation joy to our day. 


Vacations, even brief ones, remind us of God’s blessings in our lives—but our real joy comes when we can bless others....
...and that kind of joy doesn't need to wait for a vacation to happen. It comes fresh every morning as we ask God whom can we bring a smile to today?


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