On top of Mt. Nebo

"Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods,

And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt,

And night by night the monitory blast

Wails in the key-hole, telling how it pass'd

O'er empty fields, or upland solitudes,

Or grim, wide wave, and now the power is felt

Of melancholy, tenderer in it's moods,

Than any joy indulgent summer dealt."

~William Allingham

Last Friday, our school district had a day off, so our family took advantage of the time to hide away at Mt. Nebo State Park for a teeny tiny overnight family fall break.

We never fail to be refilled when we step away and hide in the midst of God's incredible bounty of creation.  This semester has left us gasping, but we felt restoration begin as we laughed and traipsed along the trails for hours.

I heard phrases like, "Mama, how do Americans start fires?" when Aaron built a fire in the cabin's fireplace.  I also heard, "I feel like I'm seeing God face to face!" as we watched the sun set.

We discovered that this must be the season for "stick bugs" and that they are REALLY good at camouflage.

According to the park's website:  "The stone enclosure of Nebo Springs, located directly below the bench, dates back to the 1800’s. Children were often sent to the spring with buckets to fetch water for meals."  Our kids just thought it was a great place to get iron rich orange slime to mark on your face.

Less than 24 hours at the park gave us a taste of the rest and renewal we needed.  Worth the investment, indeed.