Taking a Day Off

I took Monday off just to hang out with my family. Jody's parents are in town until the end of this week, so I wanted to make sure we had some time where all of us were together. So, Monday it was. We started off at the LA Farmers Market. It was pretty amazing. It was unlike anything I had imagined. We ate at what seemed to be a food court of sorts, and then checked out a few of the vendors. Jody's parents then left for a museum while we hung out at The Grove. The Grove is a pretty cool open air mall at the Farmers Market. For you SOCAL natives, this may not seem like much a day off. But, for a guy who grew up in east Georgia, this was something out of the norm.

After The Grove we headed out to the Santa Monica Pier. And yes, I rode the West Coast Coaster. It was incredible to be up on that track out above the pier and to look down on the water and beach. I loved it! Caleb rode it with me and had a blast. He is definitely a coaster boy. Abby wasn't quite tall enough but was begging to ride. So, I have hope for her, too.

After the pier, we rode out to Malibu. I have never seen so many unbelievable homes in one place. Definitely a must see. We were flying by the seat of our pants on this trip...not knowing what to check out or where anything was. But, we ended up on a private beach called Paradise Beach. It was a very small area, but very nice. It is in a cove, so it sits up against the cliffs, right at the water. We ate outside at the restaurant, battling the seagulls for our food. Then, we walked down to the water. Caleb, Abby and I took our shoes off and jumped waves. It was a great "memory building" time. The kids crashed on the way home (asleep, that is), and the day came to an end.

Wow! What a day. As believers, we are called to a great work that we must give our all with the utmost passion and zeal. At the same time, God would have us to take days like this one and build memories with those closest to us. When my life is over and God calls me home, I want to leave a legacy that outlasts me. I speak of that in a spiritual sense often. However, I want my kids to think of me as a dad who loved them enough to take time out for them. A dad that invested in and had an interest in their lives. A dad that made an effort to build memories.