The winter solstice had arrived. It was the shortest day in what has seemed like the longest year for our world. As we stood on the beach looking out at the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, the two planets appeared to take on the shape of a heart. Dubbed 'The Christmas Star', I thought that this is no coincidence. God is showing His love for us even in the midst of all the difficulties. As we gazed upon this once-in-our-lifetime phenomenon, it seemed to be reminding us to appreciate the Great Joy that we experienced with so many small but 'brilliant' Star Moments in 2020.
Star Moments like our two and a half months in Medellín, Colombia.
We were able to once again immerse ourselves in the beautiful paisa culture from January until mid March. As volunteer English teachers and participants in language exchanges, we enjoyed refreshing our Spanish skills as well as renewing friendships with our dear Colombian friends. There was extra 'sparkle' added to our lives when five of our American friends flew down to discover why we love Medellín. Star Moments included mountain hikes, coffee farm tours, and English/Spanish Karaoke night.
Star moments like returning to the United States in just the nick of time and still being able to 'enjoy' a little bit of winter.
We returned to the United States two days before the Colombian borders closed and made a quick trip up to Minnesota because ... the hospital would need nurses during a pandemic, right? Wrong ... no hours for me as a supplemental nurse this spring/summer, so I am now officially retired. Star Moments included being able to 'shelter in place' in the comfort of an AirBnB apartment and taking daily walks around Rochester ... although we preferred the days without the snow!
Star moments like time with family and friends in Minnesota, Michigan, and Indiana.
Visiting outdoors, six feet apart, and donning our masks when needed became the new social norm. Despite the distance, we still appreciated the 'celestial' glow as we spent time and shared smiles with those so dear to us. Star Moments included being able to use my nursing skills to help out a friend, hang out in some pretty nice driveways as we visited family and friends, and help Doug's parents clean out and sell their Michigan summer home.
Star moments like being able to explore the western part of the United States from the comfort of our 'home'.
In the middle of July we headed west to explore a new-to-us part of our country. Wanting to avoid large crowds, we steered clear of restaurants, breweries, and large cities. But Doug was the 'stellar' navigator when he found amazing lunch time views that included mountains, rivers, scenic overlooks, and oceans. Star Moments included being able to create many tasty meals from my tiny kitchen that I enjoyed making as much as Doug enjoyed eating.
Teddy Roosevelt, Glacier, North Cascades, Olympic, Mount Rainier, Redwoods, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Guadalupe Mountains ... we were able to enjoy the 'lustrous' beauty of thirteen national parks ... and even more hiking and biking trails off the beaten path. We will save the big cities for another time, but for this year, we appreciated God's glory 'shining' upon the mountains, oceans, and deserts. Star Moments included boondocking on public lands or in quiet public campgrounds, and enjoying unique and ever-changing scenery during our daily hikes.
Wishing you many Star Moments filled with Great Joy this Christmas season!
Thank you for your continued friendship and support. We look forward to more Star Moments in the new year when RVentures brings us near to you!
In Friendship, Chris and Doug
PS ... All right, maybe not my best Star Moment, but with more time on my hands, I found myself starting to follow some of the travel and music vloggers on YouTube this year. I will leave you with a song sung by one of my new favorites, the talented 7-year-old Claire Crosby.
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