Enjoy the Trip

When it comes to family vacations, I often enjoy the trip even more than the destination.

For our family of six, “vacation” has always been synonymous with long-distance driving. After overfilling the minivan with pets, pillows, and “stuff,” we would all squeeze in and join hands for prayer. Then, as we backed out of the drive, the rear bumper usually scraped against the pavement, confirming to our neighbors that another Mason family road trip had officially begun.

As the kids worked out which invisible lines on their seats they would not cross, and the miles began to roll by, something very special usually happened. Topics that didn’t get discussed in the hurry of home life could be addressed on lonely stretches of interstate.

While those days on the road included all sorts of subjects, evolutionary ideas and biblical creation came up frequently. God’s landscape presented a perfect platform to talk about what has happened in the past . . . and what lies ahead.

When the kids were preschoolers, our teaching was easy and matter-of-fact. We could read a creationist dinosaur book or listen to a drama and then talk about it.

Now that they’re all college age, their staunch evolutionary professors present a greater challenge and require deeper conversation. Yet we continue to enjoy our discussions during long drives together. They’re good for all of us.

Friend, the next time you head out for a road trip—be it cross-country or just a Saturday drive with a friend—consider the creation. From the glacier-formed Great Lakes to Colorado’s dinosaur graveyards, you’ll want to address naturalistic ideas. And don’t miss the brilliance of a late-night lightning storm or the awe-inspiring beauty of a pristine sunrise. In each case, conversations about the character of the Creator will enrich your love for God.

Get the most out of this issue. In my opinion, you’re holding the key to some of the most rewarding conversations of the coming year. Enjoy the trip!

For the Creator’s glory,

Dale Mason, Publisher

P.S. You can download audio readings of several articles in this issue, as we test this free bonus for subscribers (see page 4).