“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6: 20-21.

Our treasures came to Pennsylvania this past weekend and our hearts came with them.  Justin and his girlfriend, Lori Johnson, along with our daughter, Heather and her husband, James Morris traveled up here to Gettysburg for the Labor Day weekend.  I don’t think we stopped laughing from the time they stepped out of the car until they drove away yesterday morning.  We did Gettysburg on Saturday and then went by train to Washington DC on Sunday.

God has blessed Lisa and I with a family that genuinely enjoys being together.  Each one of those four has an abundance of the joy of Jesus and if we aren’t laughing at Justin and his antics then we are laughing at James at his and if not James then we were laughing at Heather laughing and if not Heather then Lori would crack us up with her comments.  People had to have thought we were drunk at times.

Some funny moments:

Lori thinking our campsite was an RV repair shop where old, broken down RVs are scattered in a field next door to where we stay.  Everyone practically fell out of the car laughing as they turned into our campsite.

Justin pretending to be Robert E. Lee charging into the enemy – on a Segway.

James asking what the hitch on the back of the guides Segway was used for and then pretending to back a fishing boat into the water on his Segway.

Heather laughing usually at me or Justin.  You cannot help but laugh when Heather starts laughing.  Heather can find something funny in people that most of us never see.  She will think of something Justin or I did years ago and burst out laughing anytime and anywhere.  Her laughing place is planet earth.  Whenever I am with Heather – I spill something on my shirt.  That cracks her up.  (“Dad – you germ”)

Lori playing miniature golf – (sorry Justin – it is not ‘Putt-Putt’)

Playing twenty questions in the car and Justin says the category is anything in the world – answer:  Rainbow Trout.  I can’t even explain that.

Everyone making fun of me trying to explain what “witness tree” means (a tree still standing that was here during the battle).  “Hey Steve – is this a witness rock?”  “Look Dad! – a witness squirrel”.  “Hey Steve – I just took a witness poop”  You get the idea.

I know of many who have deep anxiety when their family gets together.  I grew up in a rather hostile home myself that had me on pins and needles daily.  And although Lisa and I know ours is not the “Leave it to Beaver” perfect family, it is good knowing our kids still want to spend time with us.

As parents – could you really ask for any more than that?