Dear Honey Run Friends,
This summer I celebrated a milestone birthday, and the days leading up to it had me in deep reflection. Never before had I experienced the thoughts that were running through my mind. Thoughts of, have I used my time wisely, what is the next phase of life going to look like for me, what do I want out of the remaining days of my life? As I reflected on these questions, I began counting down the days I have left in this life, rather than looking forward to the days to come. This was not a completely melancholy exercise, because I also remembered the earlier days and adventures of my life which brought me joy.
While getting older and realizing that my days are numbered in this life does come with some sadness, it also brings the joy of a life lived and hope for the future. I am a firm believer that there is life after this life and that my time here on earth is just a blip of my eternal existence. C.S. Lewis puts it best – all the adventures we have ever had will end up being only “the cover and the title page.” Finally, we will begin “Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read; which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
Milestones can be sad or joyous, but they must be celebrated and remembered. I have witnessed guests at The Inn at Honey Run celebrating weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and celebrations of being disease-free. Meanwhile, I have also observed widows remembering great retreats at The Inn with their loved ones, young couples mourning the loss of an infant, and cancer-laden patients making final memories. Whatever your milestone is, The Inn is here for you to write another paragraph in your story of life.
I pray for blessings for each of your milestones!
Jason
This was such a beautiful read. It’s so timely because my husband and I are looking forward to our first visit in just a few weeks to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary. Love the idea of this visit being another paragraph in the story of our life.
Jason,
I don’t very often respond to letters written to the public, but your message today hit a point I have been thankful for for many years and that is the thought of living on into eternity with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,my wife, family, and friends. True, each of our days are numbered and we should be thankful for what our creator has blessed us with in this great nation of ours, the United States of America.
We have been staying at The Inn at Honey Run since 1987 for our wedding anniversary and have missed a couple of years but really enjoy the Inn’s privacy and the natural comfortable accommodations in a wonderful natural settng. We cherish those private memories of being together, just the two of us, like the days of our early marriage in 1966.
We look forward to our stay this year for our 52nd anniversary in December.
Sincerely,
Happy Happy Birthday, Jason! I’m sure your day brought you a smile. The Inn is blessed to have you and those who are lucky enough to have ever been a part of it are blessed as well. Your letters are a pleasure to read. Thank you,
Sue Arnett
Jason, My spouse and I spent our 59th wedding anniversary at the Inn in February 2016. Several anniversaries over the years were spent at the Inn. Our 59th was to be our last anniversary together as my husband died one month after our celebration. Our final stay at the Inn was the best anniversary gift we shared in 59 years. Thank you.
Thank you for your letters, Jason! I always look forward to reading them as they are filled with wisdom and service to God & others. We loved staying at the Inn last year – a lifelong dream since dining with my grandparents there the year the Inn first opened! I am praying for the Inn’s continuing to flourish as you seek to honor Him! Thank you for all your efforts.
i look forward to every time i spend time at The Inn at Honey Run. each visit is special and unique, relaxing and refilling. Thank you for this very special bit of Heaven on Earth.
Jason–Your messages are as theraputic as a visit to The Inn at Honey Run. It has been a while since I have stayed at the Inn but each time I read the newsletter, it brings back wondetful memories of visits with my parents and friends. –Ann
Dear Jason,
My fiancé and I recently spent time at the Inn for a much needed retreat from the world. I told him why Honey Run meant so much to me.
It will always be the place where a precious, very missed friend of mine spent his last New Year’s Eve while he was fighting pancreatic cancer. He spoke of the Inn’s beauty, the serenity he felt, and the joy of watching his son perform for the guests as he dined with a few family members and a few life long friends. It will always be the place where we gathered a year later on the next New Year’s Eve to celebrate his life while his son “rocked” all of us into the new year. It will always be the place where my friend’s son was invited to regularly return to entertain guests with his amazing music.
In our recent stay at the Inn, we stayed in two different rooms. We decided to stay an extra night even after we had checked out. After spending some time in the lobby and enjoying the setting while we did some writing on my fiancé’s new book, we realized another night would be a wonderful idea. The room we were given had floor to ceiling windows and I saw my first owls. I was in total awe of their beauty.
We decided to join the Stash rewards program so we can always afford to return and we have another visit booked.
So now, in addition to some of the most precious memories that I already have, I will be making new memories of the Inn as one of the few places I know of to find relaxation, peace, and solitude as my fiancé and I dream about our future.
Love to you and the staff for the wonderful hospitality you extend to all of us. – Lisa