Investing in What Matters

Relationship building ~ it always takes time, sometimes money and usually some sort of sacrifice. Let's face it, there is a cost to build relationships. With overly busy schedules in our culture, time is probably our greatest gift, but sometimes it is the hardest to give. But I am reminded over and over, it is relationships that hold us together, sustain us, bring us our greatest laughter, and our most valued and intimate support.

With relationship building in mind, our family is headed once again on a week long vacation with my two sisters and Kevin's sister and all the families. (We're hoping my mother-in-law will also join us for a few days this time.) Two years ago we rented a house on the ocean, this time it is a cabin on a lake. There will be eighteen of us gathering for a week of cousins connecting, swimming, spoons, much coffee in the morning on the porch and some beer around the fire in the evening. A week of deep conversations, shared meals, ice-cream, walks, laughing 'til tears are streaming down our faces, of pancakes, fires and s'mores dripping from our chins. (I do have pictures of this, and no Jamie you cannot post them, and Tracey, quit laughing!)

I believe we each make this trip because of the investments we've been making all along. We travel to each others homes, even though 500, and even 1,000, miles separate us. We call and email and text to share the big things and the very little things. We pray for each other and ask honest advice from each other. We bear each others burdens and forgive each other when needed.

This is blessing ~ we weren't always this close. It didn't just happen, it took, and it still takes, investment. I know right now, this trip is coming at a higher cost for some of us, and it would be easy to not come because of other things and people who need us right now. But the time has been set aside, the travel plans are in place and the pay off is coming soon.

Relationships take investment ~ but once deposited, the
payoff is something that cannot be calculated.

Click here to read more about investing in relationships,

and here to read about growing relationships.