Is there something soul inspiring about taking a vacation? In case you are wondering, the answer is Yes.
The story is that on the way home from church, a boy asked his mother why the pastor got four weeks vacation, but his dad only gets two? Her reply? “Because the congregation needs it.”
I’m not sure your congregation needs it, but the fact is many of us, both clergy and laity, will most likely be enjoying two to four weeks away somewhere this year. We call this “vacation,” which is (at least according to the dictionary on my desktop) “an extended period of recreation, especially spent away from home or in traveling; a fixed holiday period between terms in schools and law courts; the action of leaving something one previously occupied.”
In that definition, a single word and a phrase stand out to me. The word is re-creation: “an activity done for enjoyment when one is not working (and/or) the action or process of creating something again.” So, if you are one of the fortunate ones, what does your vacation look like this year? The lake? The seashore? Disneyland? What?
One year our family rode bicycles from San Francisco to Mexico, a 726-mile vacation adventure. It was a long time ago and never-to-be-repeated. (I couldn’t muster up enough family votes for anything for a long time after that!). But in my mind, at least, it qualified for “an activity done for enjoyment when one is not working.” Dixie might add, this shows you how the man’s mind actually works!
As to the phrase, “the action or process of creating something again,” well, that is an interesting concept. This June, we will stay for a few days at the largest natural lake in Washington State, 55-mile long Lake Chelan; it’s maximum depth of 1480 feet making it the deepest lake in the country. And if you think our bike vacation was a bit too physical for your personal taste, how about attorney Emily von Jentzen who, in 2011, became the first person to swim the length of Lake Chelan, and in the process raised funds for a beautiful young child battling cancer. She did it in 36 hours. (Read about it at www.ALakkeforKatelyn.blogspot.com.)
Family members will join us to travel the length of the lake, well into the beautiful Cascade Mountains, on the Lady of the Lake, a boat that provides daily transportation to and from remote lake communities. My father was a pilot on an earlier rendition of the Lady.
Dixie and I look forward to unpacking the true meaning of both the “word” and the “phrase.” Each day filled with the gentle breezes of late Spring, the Switzerland-like vistas that make the Northwest great, the walks, the conversations, the bonds of family, the time to think, to play, and in some mysterious way, to feel closer to our Creator God.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord…Psalm 96:12-13.
I have an idea that God is looking forward to showing off another amazing part of his creation. And I am ready to let him do it!
What does your summer vacation look like? I pray that it may be soul-inspiring; rich in divine awareness, holy reflection and adventure. Let it be so. Remember, it’s not so much where you spend it as how you spend it. Let your mind and heart savor the moments.
I look forward to seeing you in Dallas this November.
Be blessed.
Ward
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