As a Mother’s Day gift, my sisters and I took our mom for an overnight trip to Pine Mountain State Park. The place is amazing – nestled in the Appalachians, the rustic resort is surrounded by some of the most gorgeous scenery you’ve ever seen. Our cabin was at the top of an impossibly steep hill, surrounded by deep woods. I tried not to think of bears–unsuccessfully–as we sat out on the deck and soaked up the mountain scenery.

We’re a close family. Anyone who has read my Sister-to-Sister Series has gotten a glimpse into my relationship with my real-life sisters, and my mom is firmly at the center of our close-knit circle. But we’re all busy adults with families and careers of our own, so even though we have no intention of drifting apart, it happens. This weekend tightened the circle once again.

Our cabin was tiny – a bedroom, living room with sofa-bed, bathroom and small kitchen. Even so, we didn’t want to separate for the night, so we pulled the mattress off the bed and brought it into the living room. Beth brought games like Imaginiff and Taboo, but we never opened them. Instead, we stayed awake until the early morning hours, talking and laughing and sharing our deep-dark secrets once again. (It’s no use asking. We’re sworn to secrecy.) In the morning, we shared something else – a special time of Holy Communion, because we know Jesus is responsible for every good gift in our lives, and this weekend was one of the best.

As we pulled away from our cabin, refreshed and with our relationships renewed, we vowed to make this outing an annual event.