Stopping to Smell the Roses

"How handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how charming!" (Song of Songs 1:16)
     The sun is shining; the sky is blue; and it's 81 degrees!
     I couldn't imagine letting this weekend whiz by without enjoying the last of the beautiful, Indian summer weather. So I asked my husband if he'd like to go to the park, eat lunch picnic style and indulge in some picture taking. He said yes, so we headed out with my camera and tripod in tow.
     We needed to spend some time together. For a week I kept saying we should plan a weekend getaway, just the two of us so we can relax and have some fun. You see, we've been working really hard on our jobs. And while having a job these days is truly a blessing, we've been stressed, exhausted and just going through the motions of life just to survive. I felt like it was taking a toll, so I insisted we carve out some time together and stop to smell the roses. When we got to the park, we ate our lunch; I assembled my tripod with my husband's help, and set the timer on my camera to take some pics. I hurried to get into the frame before the camera snapped the picture. I did this several times until I got the perfect shot. Thank you Mike for being so patient. I think this shot came out pretty good, don't you?
     Afterward, we walked along one of the trails. As the sun beamed down on us, I took some photos of the beautiful fall leaves. Great exercise but boy was it hot. I looked for the deer who usually graze on the sides of the roads in abundance, but for some reason they weren't out today. Nonetheless, we had a great afternoon together. Something all married couples need to do — and often. To relax, talk, laugh, get reacquainted, stop and smell the roses and enjoy all that God has blessed them with.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful day you have made. May we all rejoice and be glad in it. In His name I pray, Amen!

* This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays and Brag on God Friday.