Our first stop was to Kmart. We passed several homeless Hawaiians on our way some sitting in a squatting position eating out of makeshift dishes. Upon entering the store I reminded each child we only had the clothes on our backs for about 4 days. Each of us in the family could purchase one bottom and two tops, something to sleep in, underwear and basic toiletries. That was it. We left with some not so exciting looking clothes, travel size toiletries, and new underwear. I splurged and bought my daughter flip flops. She was wearing a pair of shoes of mine that were too big for her.
The four of us each left with one small plastic bag in hand. When we checked into our now modest hotel, the valet asked if we needed help with our luggage. We looked at one another and politely said nope we could carry what we had on our own.
We would spend another 2 and 1/2 more days in Hawaii then another day traveling home. Our next stop was the cemetery. I had received a text from a close friend asking if I would put flowers on her mother's grave stone. Her mother had passed away just a few months before and now was a season of both Easter and her mom's birthday. I agreed without hesitation.
We shopped for flowers first. We bought them on King street the last name of my friend's mom. After searching a short time for her plot I asked my daughter to arrange and place them. I told them about Mrs. King. What a gentle soul she had been, how everyone loved her and how she had always treated me like a daughter. I could tell by how somber my kids became they understood the significance of the moment. This was loss in a real way. Mrs. King was not coming back, her death could not be fixed or undone. After saying a silent prayer, I took a few pictures to share with my friend and we left. For the first several minutes after no one talked much. I think my kids secretly/silently imagined that could be their father or me in that grave. It was too heavy a thought.
I had apologized to my family profusely for causing us to miss our flight home. My husband needed to return to work and my kids needed to return to school. To be perfectly honest, they were all very disappointed at first. They had transitioned into wanting to be home and I had disrupted that plan. They had no comforts from their belongings. Luggage was long gone, luggage on its way home.
Finally after getting in a real tear soaker, it was my daughter who said, "Make you a deal mom, you stop apologizing and I will stop being sad." Then my son followed with, "Let's make the very best of this. No need to be in such a beautiful place wearing long faces. Besides we have each other. We are all together." We had an option, if it became available of splitting up and going home separately in twos. After some deliberation, my husband spoke up by saying, "We are in this together. We leave Hawaii together."
And that was it. Family sticking together. A family realizing what is really important. It is about being together, forgiving our mistakes and moving forward as a unified front. A great teachable moment!
1 Timothy 3:4 ESV He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive.
The four of us each left with one small plastic bag in hand. When we checked into our now modest hotel, the valet asked if we needed help with our luggage. We looked at one another and politely said nope we could carry what we had on our own.
We would spend another 2 and 1/2 more days in Hawaii then another day traveling home. Our next stop was the cemetery. I had received a text from a close friend asking if I would put flowers on her mother's grave stone. Her mother had passed away just a few months before and now was a season of both Easter and her mom's birthday. I agreed without hesitation.
We shopped for flowers first. We bought them on King street the last name of my friend's mom. After searching a short time for her plot I asked my daughter to arrange and place them. I told them about Mrs. King. What a gentle soul she had been, how everyone loved her and how she had always treated me like a daughter. I could tell by how somber my kids became they understood the significance of the moment. This was loss in a real way. Mrs. King was not coming back, her death could not be fixed or undone. After saying a silent prayer, I took a few pictures to share with my friend and we left. For the first several minutes after no one talked much. I think my kids secretly/silently imagined that could be their father or me in that grave. It was too heavy a thought.
I had apologized to my family profusely for causing us to miss our flight home. My husband needed to return to work and my kids needed to return to school. To be perfectly honest, they were all very disappointed at first. They had transitioned into wanting to be home and I had disrupted that plan. They had no comforts from their belongings. Luggage was long gone, luggage on its way home.
Finally after getting in a real tear soaker, it was my daughter who said, "Make you a deal mom, you stop apologizing and I will stop being sad." Then my son followed with, "Let's make the very best of this. No need to be in such a beautiful place wearing long faces. Besides we have each other. We are all together." We had an option, if it became available of splitting up and going home separately in twos. After some deliberation, my husband spoke up by saying, "We are in this together. We leave Hawaii together."
And that was it. Family sticking together. A family realizing what is really important. It is about being together, forgiving our mistakes and moving forward as a unified front. A great teachable moment!
1 Timothy 3:4 ESV He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive.
RSS Feed