I got a lotta love

I love vacation.
I love relaxing. I love eating food that someone else prepared. I love coming back to a clean room and a bed that someone else made. I love playing trivia with my family (who knew we knew so much--and by "we" I mean Ricky). I love seeing Josh enjoy himself without the impending doom of work hovering over his head each night.

I love vacation.

And I can also say that I love Alaska. A couple weeks ago, Josh and I were on a 7-day Alaskan cruise with my family and it was awesome! Since our honeymoon, Josh and I haven't been on a real vacation together. Besides a few trips to Fremont and a couple weekends here and there. Leading up to our trip, Josh kept telling me how much I'd love "Vacation Josh" because "Vacation Josh" is a lot more fun than "Regular Josh". I don't know if that's true, but I can say that

I love Vacation Josh.

We had an absolute blast together. We had great talks, created really beautiful memories, and just thoroughly enjoyed each other. Don't get me wrong, we still had opportunites to learn from each other (that's married-talk for "Don't get me wrong. We still argued with each other"), but once those moments passed, we forgot all about them.

Once all 9 of us found each other in Vancouver, we took off on a leisurely northbound stroll through Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway until we reached Whittier and home again.

Downtown Vancouver

And we're off!

Our first stop along the way was in Ketchikan. It was old and dilapidated, but I guess it's a worthwhile spot for it's historic value. I guess.

Known for saloons and brothels, this old town made sure that the married men knew their way to Dolly's house...

In Juneau, we went on a rafting trip with my parents that went through Mendenhall Lake and the continuing river through a beautiful rainforest. It was one of the most enjoyable things we did in the whole week. At one point we could see at least 16 bald eagles, almost in a swarm, flying around and perched in the tree tops. Very cool.

The guides were really cool and they let us borrow these outfits for our formal dinners on the ship. I wish.

In Skagway, we went on a bus tour through the Yukon. Most of it in Canada, we traced the general path that the miners would have taken during the Gold Rush. It was totally untouched, rugged, vast, and so beautiful.

Through the course of the trip, Josh and I kept talking about God's purpose for Alaska. So much of it is undeveloped. It can't be developed. The terrain is too rugged and mountaneous. We kept coming up with all these practical reasons for God's design. Maybe it's so we can use it's natural resources. Maybe it's just for vacationers like us. Naturally, those reasons didn't satisfy. The best thing I can come up with is this: God created that kind of extreme natural beauty purely for His glory and enjoyment. I believe that God's creation gives Him pleasure. His creation screams witness to His existence, His love, and His gospel. Everyone who ever has or ever will travel there can be held accountable for the gospel. That there is a God who loved his creation and had a plan for it through the sacrifice of His Son. The snow peaked mountains that drop into lakes that are hundreds of feet deep. The vibrantly green trees and flowing waterfalls surrounded by bright blue glaciers. It would be no great surprise that it's only real purpose is for the Creator's own enjoyment and the spreading of His gospel. What a design!! And I'm so grateful to have been able to make winess of it.