I prayed “Lord Willing” – HE WAS !!!  I got there for my mini-vacation with so many activities including the down-time (which is never enough)…

I prayed Vegas, you could say that I “slayed Vegas” in knowing now what works and doesn’t work for me, and there are many aspects that I will stay in Vegas-mode, in my heart… but yes, I was so grateful to get home too, to my family, to have beautiful coolness mornings, summer bugs, and a refreshing rainstorm the other night that was just truly northeast late summer weather… Today here will be 80s and I plan to do errands then get to the beach to refresh my ‘ahhhhh’, yes – relaxation – home but also remembering home is where your heart is – and it should always be with the Lord…

I have so many things to be thankful for this week, YOU HAVE NO IDEA… honestly, I have no idea too, I could never wrap my head around this all, and our lives here, because the Lord gives us SO MANY things beyond our comprehension. Including and especially HOPE. 

“Slaying Vegas” is a new book! Many wrote chapters in the new book about making the best and truly all the women who wrote chapters have been “slaying life” – “slaying Vegas” – meaning living with gusto, giving it all they got, making the Vegas landscape a better place, and inspiring women and all along the way…  It is empowering to see women empowered. “Slaying Vegas” is available on Amazon…  There is my promotional plug support!!!

I also want to shout out another Vegas transplant – one that brought sunshine into my heart and palate – HANDEL’S ICE CREAM!!!! Yes – this is a company from Ohio – and there are some franchises out east – but now I found that they found them in Las Vegas – oh the joy of the 4 scoop sampler for less than $7… Took the desert of Las Vegas and made it into the dessert of the day… Oh – the blue cookie monster ice cream – there was none lost none wasted for the 4 year old ate it all and even the whole cone…  yum and fun… 

And yeah – that is what half my vacation was – even though evenings were for Vegas thrills, – the mornings were also blessed – being with a 4yr old, and an 18-month yr old and sitting on the floor and playing blocks – and chicken nuggets and making a cheese quesadilla for the little girl, just like I made 20 years ago for my oldest…  Yes, time with kids reminded me how long ago I had mine – and oh it reminded me of the kids back home who are now both over 21 – both driving – both adulting – and how time flies… We raise kids and then we raise adults…  And we should take time to BE with the kids when they are little – because it makes THEIR childhood more idyllic to have love – and yes get ice cream and yes play in the dirt and then a hose in the backyard (and THANK GOD I can still get down to sit on the floor at their level)…  And our trip to the McD’s playground inside and our trip to get a haircut for the 4 year old – amazing – (that is what pleases a grandma all the world around: a haircut!) – and seeing joy in making a connection with the hairdresser (from Ohio too like the ice cream). And yes our other trip to Dairy Queen near the Hoover Dam in Boulder City – with chocolate dipped vanilla ice cream – yum (all while keeping the kids in the car – remember those days?) – and our trip to see the blue caboose of the old time railroad from our car windows (not getting out of the blessed Air Conditioning at 116F)… and playing in a dirt pile at the construction corner – and seeing the kitties  – and vacation is being a kid as an adult (with your own money now and ability to buy ice cream) and seeing the blessed newness in their eyes and in your heart. Being on vacation means changing your mindset too. And accepting a new season of life for temporary. And making memories that last longer than the photos. Yeah – that is what vacation can be…  Memories…

And my 7-11 trips were a blessing – walking 2 blocks in the cooler mornings while seeing the mountains were a highlight too – because I built a nice rapport with the cashier and told her all about the neon and the show to see Donny Osmond – and the Hoover Dam – and the everything…  I also needed someone to share with and she was it… God provided…

This is the “staying Vegas” part of my story – because it is hard to transplant oneself into a dry arid environment like the Las Vegas desert without bringing the need to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t and what you bring home in your heart and what you leave behind and what “staying Vegas” even means… To “stay” means what? Sure, we can have that concept of slaying vegas, but STAYING? well – it means ADAPTING…  Vegas is truly a place where you have to adapt – adapt to desert living – adapt to new places – adapt to new people but they are likely transplants themselves – adapt to new roads and ice cream places too – and a 7-11 big gulp of lemonade instead of my convenience store – yes adapt to everything – but all in all, know that God is here too…  And that is what I asked myself the first day – where will God reveal Himself to me here – and in the majesty of the mountains I saw His Handiwork – and in the curiosity of a child I saw His Joy – and in the ice cream I saw the Father of God who pleased – and in the Grandma? “Mimi” – well, I saw the Love of God… 

YES – Grandmas who will move their whole lives cross country to LOVE on their grandchildren are GOD’S LOVE –  all and all… This is LOVING VEGAS to a whole new level. LOVE that is a sacrificial LOVE is what love is all about.

So – I saw God on this trip – and God was and IS: LOVE.

Amen