It's funny how random things can lead to a flood of memories. I was looking through some web articles on design this morning and stumbled across an essay and photo journal about Saskatchewan. (You can see the photos here). My family spent several years living in and around Saskatoon, and we love and miss our friends there dearly. As I scrolled through these pictures of Saskatchewan, I realized that some of our best memories were often unplanned.
One of my favorite memories came on a night that should have been unremarkable. We had been up in Edmonton for a few days and were driving back to Saskatoon late one night. It was about a five hour drive, and we didn't leave Edmonton until well after dinner that evening, so we weren't expecting to be home until around one or two in the morning.
We were about a half hour away from North Battleford and debating whether to stop and stretch there. The kids were sleeping in the back seat (just the two boys at this time), and we were thinking it might be best to just press on. But as we talked, we became aware that the road wasn't quite as dark as it had been just a few minutes before. What caught our attention was the most beautiful display of northern lights I've ever seen.
I don't know what possessed me to stop, but I realized we hadn't met another car on the road for quite a while, so I pulled off onto the shoulder. Leaving the car running, with the kids sleeping in the back seat, my wife and I stepped out to see the entire sky lit up in a brilliant display. We stood for a few minutes without a word, then laid back on the hood of the still idling car. We absorbed the beauty of God's creation for what seemed like an eternity, without a car in sight, without a care in the world, and we created a memory that would last a lifetime.
Some of the best memories happen exactly like this. When you take the time to disrupt your schedule, ignore your plans, and choose to do something unexpected. Like the time we chased a hot air balloon through the farm country to see where it landed, or the time we took off in search of a covered bridge and found an ancient tower to climb. These are the memories that stick with us forever. These are the times that last.
As I run through the hectic pace of my life, with our schedules sending us off in every direction, it helps to stop and remember what matters. Ignore your plans. Make some memories.
Rob,
Love the story about the Northern Lights. Being raised in Minnesota, I sure remember some beautiful sights on cold winter nights. I'm in Vietnam....a long way from Minnesota. Leading worship here for Luis Palau in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi. Amazing to see God working here. Wanted to thank you for being the 200th backer of my project!!! Many blessings,
Don
Posted by: Don Moen | Friday, April 08, 2011 at 12:45 AM