checking out
I head on vacation tomorrow so I'm checking out of the blogosphere for a week or so. So much is happening right now that it's tough to leave, but it's probably good timing. One of my favorite feelings in the world is driving over the bay bridge. It's like all the stress of living and working in DC dissipates as we cross the bridge! Rehobeth Beach here we come :)
Because I love what I do, it's tough to "check out" or "let go" for a week. But a couple friends offered some valuable advice that I thought I'd pass along:
I trust you’re going on vacation with the family. Don’t miss a minute. My kids grew up overnight. It happens really fast.
Appreciate that reminder. I'm going to cherish this week with my wife and three kids. I never want my kids to feel like ministry was a sacrifice. I want them to feel like they were the luckiest kids in the world growing up as PKs. I think the key is putting family before ministry. I try to do that by limiting my evening commitments. But vacations are a huge part. I'm 100% dad.
Things are really hoppin!!! I can sense the "insanity"! Critical mass, baby!!! I still remember you and me talking about what that was, how far away that was, and what it would be like to hit it!!! The point where you are no longer pushing things along, but rather trying to hang on while God makes it roll! Exciting times!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that your vacation couldn't have come at a better time! I know you will, but I wanted to encourage you to really"check-out" for the next week! Jesus modeled "checking-out" either to the mountains or the sea! I know I am not telling you anything you don't already know and want to do! But, I also know that if there were ever a temptation to not, it is now!!! But I think Jesus did it, first, b/c he physically had to. The wear and tear that ministry has on the physical body is amazing. Even Jesus had to rest the physical body by getting away mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The way I've been describing the last month is the passage in Galatians 5 where it says "keep in step with the Spirit." The Holy Spirit has been taking huge strides lately! I'm hanging on for dear life and trying to keep up! I'm a little out of breath, but I don't want Him to slow down either!
By the way, that's probably how my kids feel when they walk with me through an airport :)
Because I love what I do, it's tough to "check out" or "let go" for a week. But a couple friends offered some valuable advice that I thought I'd pass along:
I trust you’re going on vacation with the family. Don’t miss a minute. My kids grew up overnight. It happens really fast.
Appreciate that reminder. I'm going to cherish this week with my wife and three kids. I never want my kids to feel like ministry was a sacrifice. I want them to feel like they were the luckiest kids in the world growing up as PKs. I think the key is putting family before ministry. I try to do that by limiting my evening commitments. But vacations are a huge part. I'm 100% dad.
Things are really hoppin!!! I can sense the "insanity"! Critical mass, baby!!! I still remember you and me talking about what that was, how far away that was, and what it would be like to hit it!!! The point where you are no longer pushing things along, but rather trying to hang on while God makes it roll! Exciting times!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that your vacation couldn't have come at a better time! I know you will, but I wanted to encourage you to really"check-out" for the next week! Jesus modeled "checking-out" either to the mountains or the sea! I know I am not telling you anything you don't already know and want to do! But, I also know that if there were ever a temptation to not, it is now!!! But I think Jesus did it, first, b/c he physically had to. The wear and tear that ministry has on the physical body is amazing. Even Jesus had to rest the physical body by getting away mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The way I've been describing the last month is the passage in Galatians 5 where it says "keep in step with the Spirit." The Holy Spirit has been taking huge strides lately! I'm hanging on for dear life and trying to keep up! I'm a little out of breath, but I don't want Him to slow down either!
By the way, that's probably how my kids feel when they walk with me through an airport :)
1 Comments:
I was thinking about your comments on success, "doing the best you can with what you have" and throwing that phrase into the matrix against giving and spending time with family and work responsibilities. (I use the word matrix because it is really like a four or five dimensional matrix with each column being a competing interest on your time and resources).
When I was younger and had less responsibilities and even less money, I tried to give by giving my time (Aids Walk Washington, mentoring, tax work for the poor, etc), since I seemed to have time in abundance. For the most part, it had an effect on those around me, and was a good experiment in my own abilities to give. Now that I seem to have less time, and for some reason just as little money, I find it harder to give and balance the matrix out. Some other competing interest (column or row) seems to beat out the others most of the time. I think this is rather common in the WDC area.
I am glad to hear that you are going to be giving quality time to your family. I hope this will help you regain your own balance. I know that my favorite time of the day is walking in the front door after work to see my daughter and wife. I usually can't seem to walk home fast enough. I often feel my family sees the worst of each other during our time together. I come home after a long day at work, my wife is tired after a long day of dealing with our daughter, our daughter is of course not tired at all and still bouncing around like it's 10 am.
But my point after all of this is that my daughter is happy whenever I give any time to her. Whether it is a trip down to the Capitol steps to hear some music, or just a walk around the block. It's nice to slow down and walk the block at her pace.
"Enjoy the beach and each other" - a borrowed quote from my father.
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