Monday Morning Boost: Days of Rejuvenation
Elisa and I focused on rejuvenation this past week with a week in Las Vegas. We have a vacation condo we have enjoyed renting in the past and scheduled this vacation back in the fall knowing we would be pushing hard over the next several months. It was also time to celebrate our 34th anniversary coming up on February 17th.
For today’s Monday Morning Boost, I share a snapshot of our rejuvenation moments taken from the posts I shared on Facebook throughout the week. I hope you enjoy.
REJUVENATION IN THE QUIET OF THE MOUNTAINS
I felt immersed in a quiet stillness of rejuvenation when our journey took us to Red Rock Canyon, west of Las Vegas. We explored the red and white sandstone sandwiched together, discovered Turtlehead Peak from a distance, and took a short hike to read a story of the past through petroglyphs and pictographs. And we enjoyed doing it with each other’s very best friend… Elisa is mine and I am hers. Perhaps this really is love.
REJUVENATION THROUGH 17,000+ STEPS
Rejuvenation came today with 17,000+ steps along the famous Vegas Strip. We enjoyed being tourists with visits to the Bellagio Conservatory, the Statue of Liberty, the Sphinx. The Coca-Cola, M&M’s, and Hershey stores were very enticing, but we disciplined ourselves to indulge only on a large cupful of mixed candy-coated chocolates that melt in your mouth and not in your hands.
Rejuvenation continued with meeting people, including some fellow Utahns on the tram who were friends of a friend. And we even said hello to some guy named Tom who was in town for some kind of football game (am I missing something here???).
We wrapped up our day with the rejuvenation of entertainment by experiencing the Blue Man Group. And what an experience it was! Music, percussion, comedy… all without a word being spoken!
The greatest rejuvenation was simply being together with Elisa as we continue to celebrate our 34th anniversary. I love you, babe!
REJUVENATION AT THE TEMPLE
Rejuvenation was a core focus of our trip to Las Vegas this week. Part of that rejuvenation is strengthening our connection with each other as we celebrate our 34th anniversary. A crucial part of the rejuvenation is also strengthening our connection with God by remembering our covenants by worshiping in His holy temple.
REJUVENATION THROUGH FAMILY CONNECTIONS
We created rejuvenation today with family connections, connections that go back a long time here in Las Vegas. On my mom’s side were Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Mike. We would visit once or twice a year through my teenage and young adult years while they lived here. On my dad’s side was his sister Shirley Sharp and her family. While we didn’t really didn’t visit much in my younger years, we have done our best to make up for it since then.
Friday we spent time with my cousin Les Sharp and his beautiful wife Sandy DuVan Sharp who are still in Vegas. Today, on our drive home, we stopped in Cedar City to connect with Aunt Shirley (who will soon be a beautiful 86 years young!) and his sister Karen Scaramuzzino and her hubby Mike.
Unfortunately, on this trip, we missed seeing the two other sisters, Brenda Stout and Judy Schachet.
Interesting note… Les and I were both named after the same guy, Leslie Raisor, who was my maternal great-grandfather who happened to be a barber for Les Sharp’s dad Alf.
REJUVENATION WITH NUMBERS
I love number patterns, particularly odometer readings. But as hard as I have tried to catch the major odometer patterns, like 99,999 miles turning to 100,000 miles, I have missed every one of them. Until the two pictured here.
I discovered on our way to Vegas we would hit these two patterns on our way home. I was determined to not miss them this time. Thanks to Elisa, we know approximately where we hit the two spots. The iconic pattern of 123,456 miles occurred right at the Brigham City exit off the I15 freeway, the exit we take to hit east to Cache Valley.
If you are wondering what this has to do with rejuvenation, I am not surprised. It may seem out of place with the rest of today’s conversation.
Here’s the connection…
Little moments of excitement are incredibly rejuvenating for me. They help me feel a boost of energy and find a dose of focus. Such is what I experienced with the simple excitement of these odometer patterns.
REJUVENATION WITH ELISA
While each of these moments was rejuvenating, experiencing them with Elisa is what made them truly rejuvenating. And I believe I do the same for her.
We are not a perfect team (a word I am very hesitant to even utter), but we are a great team. We work to understand each other. We strive to be patient with each other. And without fail, we strive to fully love each other just as we are.
This journey of loving with compassionate grace is a gift Elisa naturally has. She loves me with completeness I feel many have yet to experience. All that is good about me I owe to her complete love and the love of God she has helped me discover.
Thank you for allowing me to share this part of my heart.
Have a beautiful Monday! I love you, friends!
Les
p.s. Take 13 minutes today to create a moment of rejuvenation.
