The invitation sounded like a rare opportunity to visit a unique place, share in our grandson’s first Christmas, and become better acquainted with his other grandparents. If you remember the 1970’s CBC show, “The Beachcombers,” you would recognize some of the gorgeous scenery we enjoyed. (We even ate a meal at Molly’s Reach, just because we could.)
But what an adventure in modes of transportation! Portage to Winnipeg by car. Winnipeg to Vancouver by plane. Okay, we could handle that. But from the Vancouver airport, we needed to catch the Skytrain to the city center, then board a bus to Horseshoe Bay to catch a ferry to catch a boat. Would these two prairie bumpkins find our way without any wrong turns? What if we missed the last boat of the day? One glitch could throw off the whole plan and land us in Seattle or Anchorage.
Figuring out the train wasn’t too difficult, although by then it was late afternoon and we’d been traveling since stupid o’clock in the morning. My brain felt furry and my eyes burned. My hair hurt and my teeth itched. My arms and shoulders ached from the backpack across my back, the laptop bag over my shoulder, and the rolling suitcase I dragged behind. As the train approached our stop, we received a text telling us our son-in-law and his dad were waiting there for us. “We’re by the accordion player,” the text read.
As we exited the train and began riding up a nearby escalator, I thought accordion music had never sounded so sweet! There stood our grinning, handsome son-in-law. Hubby threw some coins in the busker’s accordion case out of sheer relief and gratitude.
We now had help with the luggage, guides to insure we boarded the right bus, and a boat waiting for us at Horseshoe Bay. I cheered when the boat ride included the sight of a Harbor seal smiling at us from a floating log. I tried not to focus on how we’d do this all over again a week later, in reverse and unaccompanied.
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| We made it. Look at that view! |
The trip presented its challenges, but the rewards—the brilliant reflection of sunshine on the Pacific Ocean, the breathtaking beauty of the Rockies, our luxurious accommodations, amazing hospitality, and precious memories with our kids—were priceless. I enjoyed long, delicious moments simply gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows while holding my new grandson. No journey worth taking is made in three easy steps, and the challenges of this one made the rewards sweeter still.
The trip Jesus made from his heavenly home to a humble stable proved far more complicated than ours. It included no perks, no warm welcome, no gorgeous chalet decked out for the holidays. Only a handful of shepherds were privy to the angelic performance in the night sky. Yet Jesus considered the journey worth it because he knew his purpose here was in our best interest, and he loved us that much.
May your Christmas journeys be well worth every effort.
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| We hiked to Salmon Rock on Christmas Day, 2015. |
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