“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” –1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Okay. So I could stop now. I could just enjoy this one image and be done. All four of our grandchildren at one time, in one photograph (redacted because Mr. T’s parents allow neither his name or his face on social media), enjoying the company of their grandparents on a good day in Glen Arbor. This is as good as it gets.
Overall Wednesday was a great day. There was the smoke, of course, floating down from Canada and across from Michigan. But it didn’t stop me from heading down to the dock while the coffee was making or the kids from enjoying a relaxing morning on the lake behind the house we are renting.
After lunch we drove up to Glen Arbor on Lake Michigan for the afternoon, where we enjoyed the “Cherry Republic” store along with the multiple shops and art studios that make up the delightful and walkable downtown.
The heat backed up a little, which was nice. And of course Rebekah found a gallery where she got lost in some beautiful work.
And then, when Rebekah was sitting on this set of steps with the grandchildren I exclaimed, “This is it!” handed Andrew my camera and asked him to to take a photograph for the ages.
Finally, we returned to the Airbnb in time for Andrew to fire up the grill and make some truly amazing hamburgers before Rebekah got the ominous 1,000 piece puzzle started.
This is our family: enthusiastic, real, flawed, devoted, taking on the challenges of life, sometimes a little bit in need of repair here and there, trying to figure things out, marked by success and struggle and triumph and tragedy, complex, loaded with gifts for this world, blessed – full with love and gratitude.
In a word, beautiful.
We are broken, sometimes, but at the same time overflowing with hope, with promise, with possibility and with an insistent commitment to this great gift that is life. L.I.F.E. (Love, Invitation, Faithfulness, Extravagance and Grace).
- Love
- Invitation
- Faithfulness
- Extravegance & Grace
In love, and because of love – DEREK
This is such a beautiful reminder that life’s greatest treasures are rarely found in extraordinary moments, but in ordinary days shared with the people we love. Your photographs and reflections capture not only precious family memories but also the quiet faithfulness of God in everyday life. I especially appreciated how you connected 1 Corinthians 13 with your family’s journey—love that is patient, kind, enduring, and full of grace truly is the foundation of a beautiful life. Thank you for encouraging us to slow down, cherish God’s gifts, and recognize that even imperfect lives can overflow with hope, gratitude, and purpose. May God continue to bless you, your family, and your ministry of words and photographs. Blessings!