Searching for Natalee Holloway

I was blessed with the opportunity to go on a company "award trip" recently to the beautiful island of Aruba. And despite my cheeky title, no, I wasn't there to look for Natalee Holloway, and I decided that it would be best if I didn't choose to jokingly use that my response to the Aruban immigration airport officer's question of, "What brings you to Aruba?"

Sarah and I enjoyed ourselves, though we definitely missed the kids. We mingled with a number of co-workers but had plenty of time to do things on our own, whether that was lying on the beach and sipping drinks, hiking around beautiful Arikok National Park, or kayaking to and snorkeling around De Palm Island. We also were able to indulge in some Aruban-Dutch and French cuisine, much of which was excellent. The seafood was fresh, the beaches were warm and the water was crystal blue. 

Interestingly, I did ask our kayak tour guide, Ervin, what he thought of the whole Natalee Holloway episode, and he was of the opinion that the whole thing was a hoax, and that Natalee took a boat off to South American mainland and is living a bohemian life somewhere. He also expressed antipathy towards Ms. Holloway's mother who he felt unfairly maligned the good people of Aruba, who had provided free transportation and accommodations for a month while using up the entire annual Aruban police budget in an effort to solve the case.

Most meaningful to me was the last evening before we left Aruba, where Sarah and I spent some time praying on the moonlit shore. We prayed for our own dedication to the Lord and for our family - knowing that even as we enjoyed the trip, we wanted to appreciate the Giver more than the gift itself. We remembered that the reward for faith was in the good pleasure of God, not in the approval or perks provided by man. And we were conscious to pray that those things would never wrongly entice us to serve any master besides Him.

It was all in all, a very good time of refreshing.