In any case, there was still plenty to see. Cascadilla Gorge is in downtown Ithaca. Cities aren't our idea of a vacation, since we equate rest with solitude. However, the Rugged Mountain Man knew I wanted to see Cascadilla Falls, so we meandered through Ithaca and down the little bits of trails on Cornell's campus that remain open year round.
This little getaway afforded so many opportunities to ponder all the things that get swept under the rug by the busy daily grind of life.
The Rugged Mountain Man and I take the raising of the Blossoms very seriously. We truly desire to reach the Great Destination and hear our Master say, "Well done, good and faithful servant," especially in regards to raising and training these girlies.
And, raising and training takes time. I don't like that feeling of being swept up in the schedule and activities, at the expense of just living life together. I'd call it quality time with our children that I'm after, but I don't like how some folks think that one half hour a week of looking into your kids' eyes and asking staged questions is somehow going to make them turn out right. Why?
More is caught, than taught.
And they're catching something if I'm too busy, too distracted, too stressed or too upset, but I'm not sure they're catching what we want them to catch. This puts me in the mind of how the disciples shooed the families away saying that Jesus was too busy for the children.
He wasn't.
I don't want to be either.
When I boil it down, I love God, so I care for and serve my husband and then, our children. Those are, unashamedly, the great purposes of my life.
So, if that means, that I need to step away from the extra tasks that mount up and presume upon my time, then, yes, I need to walk away from those tasks for a little while.
Successful child-rearing must have time for us to just live life together. It seems to me that this focus has to be continually placed in front of me as a reminder, so that I can persist in making good decisions to that end.
I must keep the Great Destination in mind.
Dominique
