Munchkin Trips and God's Grace and Power

What a wonderful time the last week and a half has been.  Jerry and I have taken our annual "Gran & Papa"/Munchkins trip.  On July 18 and 19 we took Seth and Aaron, our two youngest, to Cincinnati and took in the Zoo and the Aquarium.  While the Aquarium is over-rated in my book, the Zoo is wonderful!!  Not only is the zoo part great but the "botanical gardens" part was a thrill for Jerry and I since we are both drawn to beautiful landscaping.   We enjoyed spending some time on the Levee in Newport.  If you haven't been there, I suggest you visit on a summer evening!  We also swam and played a little miniature golf.  The little ones seemed to enjoy it completely and so did us "old guys."

This week we have just returned from a trip to Cumberland Falls State Park with our oldest, Alex and Gracie.  I was a little worried about this trip for a couple of reasons.  One, I didn't know if a State Park would be thrilling enough in this age of water parks, museums and amusement parks.  Another concern was that maybe they were getting too old to enjoy being together.  I was wrong on both counts.  They seemed to still enjoy each other's company and I believe our experiences at the park was a lot of fun for them, as well as us.  We started the day off with a 45 minute horseback ride and you should have seen them.  They acted like little "cowpokes" (as opposed to Gran, whose butt was killing me toward the end of the ride and whose nerves were frayed worrying that they would fall off their horse, or that I would fall off mine!)  They wanted to go again when we got back to the stable.  We went swimming in the olympic size pool for the rest of the afternoon and went down to view the Falls after supper.  It is a real beauty to behold.  The power is unreal.  The kids were spell-bound.   After breakfast the next morning we hiked down to the falls and we all enjoyed the trek down.  The trek back up was quite a challenge, but the kids reminded me that it was good exercise.  I guess they have learned a little from me after all!

I feel so blessed to have been able to share these times with these precious ones.  I hope I never take them for granted.  Now that school is going to be starting back, I am so glad that I was able to spend some quality time with all of them this summer! I am so thankful for God's gracious gift of grandchildren!

Looking at the Falls had the same effect on me that the ocean does.  I found myself marveling at the powerful work of the Lord in His creation and again I was reminded that the earth and everything in it belongs to Him!

Psalm 24


1The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.  3Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?  4He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  5He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.